The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:20 Explained

2 Samuel 18:20

KJV: And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

YLT: and Joab saith to him, 'Thou art not a man of tidings this day, but thou hast borne tidings on another day, and this day thou dost not bear tidings, because the king's son is dead.'

Darby: And Joab said to him, Thou shalt not be a bearer of news to-day, but thou shalt carry the news another day; but to-day thou shalt carry no news, because the king's son is dead.

ASV: And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Joab  said  unto him, Thou  shalt not bear tidings  this day,  but thou shalt bear tidings  another  day:  but this day  thou shalt bear no tidings,  because the king's  son  is dead. 

What does 2 Samuel 18:20 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 18:16-30 - Tidings That Failed To Bring Joy
Ahimaaz was far-famed for his swift running. He had already served the royal cause, and his family was intimate with the king, 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 17:17. Joab was therefore unwilling to entrust the youth with tidings which must give the king bitter sorrow, and perhaps cause him to associate them ever after with the bearer. Perhaps Joab also feared that the part which he himself had taken in Absalom's death would be exposed by Ahimaaz. The tidings were therefore entrusted to an Ethiopian slave. He ran along the straight road to Mahanaim, but the young priest took the way of the plain and outran him.
Tidings are constantly pouring in upon us, some by the stranger, some by the friend. But if we trust in the Lord we shall not be afraid of them, Psalms 112:7. Only let our heart be fixed. For us also there shall arise light in the darkness, our heart shall be established, and we shall not be moved. When next you break the seal of the dreaded letter, lift your heart to God. He will bring good out of evil. [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 18:20 mean?

And said to him Joab not the man shall take the news You day this for you shall take the news day another but day this no you shall take news because - - upon son of the king is dead
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ יוֹאָ֗ב לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ בְּשֹׂרָ֤ה אַתָּה֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וּבִשַּׂרְתָּ֖ בְּי֣וֹם אַחֵ֑ר וְהַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ לֹ֣א תְבַשֵּׂ֔ר כִּֽי־ [על] (עַל־) (כֵּ֥ן‪‬) בֶּן־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מֵֽת

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ל֣וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
יוֹאָ֗ב  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
אִ֨ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בְּשֹׂרָ֤ה  shall  take  the  news 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּשֹׂרָה  
Sense: news, good news, tidings, reward for good news.
הַיּ֣וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וּבִשַּׂרְתָּ֖  for  you  shall  take  the  news 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּשַׂר  
Sense: to bear news, bear tidings, publish, preach, show forth.
בְּי֣וֹם  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אַחֵ֑ר  another 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
וְהַיּ֤וֹם  but  day 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לֹ֣א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תְבַשֵּׂ֔ר  you  shall  take  news 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּשַׂר  
Sense: to bear news, bear tidings, publish, preach, show forth.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
[על]  - 
Parse: Preposition
(עַל־)  - 
Parse: Conjunction
(כֵּ֥ן‪‬)  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מֵֽת  is  dead 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.