The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:2 Explained

2 Samuel 18:2

KJV: And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

YLT: and David sendeth the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king saith unto the people, 'I certainly go out -- I also -- with you.'

Darby: And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

ASV: And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  sent forth  a third part  of the people  under the hand  of Joab,  and a third part  under the hand  of Abishai  the son  of Zeruiah,  Joab's  brother,  and a third part  under the hand  of Ittai  the Gittite.  And the king  said  unto the people,  I will surely  go forth  with you myself  also. 

What does 2 Samuel 18:2 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 18:1-15 - The End Of An Unfilial Son
Absalom's army was soon across the river under Amasa, David's nephew, 2 Samuel 17:25-26. Though political reasons constrained David to flight, his heart bled for his wrong-headed and evil-hearted son, and he gave urgent directions for his safety. Let us here learn something of God's own heart of love. We may have been heartless and thoughtless, have defied His authority and refused to give Him His rightful place; but He gives charge concerning us, desires that we may be spared the full results of our actions, and yearns for our return.
The eastern tribes had rallied so enthusiastically around David's standard, that he soon found himself at the head of a great army, which, to judge from 2 Samuel 18:12, was absolutely loyal to him. But Joab saw farther than the ordinary soldiers and knew that there could be no peace while Absalom lived. He had forfeited his life, according to Deuteronomy 21:18; Deuteronomy 21:21; Deuteronomy 21:23. See also 2 Samuel 17:2; 2 Samuel 17:4. His head being caught in the fork of a tree, it seemed, indeed, as if he were cursed according to the law, Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:23. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 18

1  David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6  The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9  Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18  Absalom's place
19  Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33  David mourns for Absalom

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 18:2 mean?

And sent out David of the people a third under the hand of Joab and a third under the hand Abishai of the son of Zeruiah brother of Joab and a third of Ittai the Gittite - And said the king to the people surely will go out also I with you
וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־ הָעָ֗ם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית בְּיַד־ יוֹאָב֙ וְ֠הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַ֨ד אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־ צְרוּיָה֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹאָ֔ב וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ת אִתַּ֣י הַגִּתִּ֑י ס וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־ הָעָ֔ם יָצֹ֥א אֵצֵ֛א גַּם־ אֲנִ֖י עִמָּכֶֽם

וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח  And  sent  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
דָּוִ֜ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
הָעָ֗ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית  a  third 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
בְּיַד־  under  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יוֹאָב֙  of  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
וְ֠הַשְּׁלִשִׁית  and  a  third 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
בְּיַ֨ד  under  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אֲבִישַׁ֤י  Abishai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישַׁי 
Sense: grandson of Jesse, nephew of David via his sister Zeruiah, brother of Joab.
בֶּן־  of  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
צְרוּיָה֙  of  Zeruiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צְרוּיָה  
Sense: sister of David and mother of the 3 leading heroes of David’s army—Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
אֲחִ֣י  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
יוֹאָ֔ב  of  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ת  and  a  third 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
אִתַּ֣י  of  Ittai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִיתַי 
Sense: a Gittite commander from Gath in David’s army.
הַגִּתִּ֑י  the  Gittite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גִּתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Gath.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הָעָ֔ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יָצֹ֥א  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֵצֵ֛א  will  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
גַּם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
עִמָּכֶֽם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.