The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:5 Explained

2 Samuel 18:5

KJV: And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

YLT: and the king chargeth Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'Gently -- for me, for the youth, for Absalom;' and all the people heard in the king's charging all the heads concerning Absalom.

Darby: And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

ASV: And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  commanded  Joab  and Abishai  and Ittai,  saying,  [Deal] gently  for my sake with the young man,  [even] with Absalom.  And all the people  heard  when the king  gave all the captains  charge  concerning  Absalom. 

What does 2 Samuel 18:5 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 18:5 mean?

And had commanded the king - Joab and Abishai Ittai saying [Deal] gently for my sake with the young man Absalom And all the people heard when gave orders all the captains concerning - Absalom
וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־ י֠וֹאָב וְאֶת־ אֲבִישַׁ֤י אִתַּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאַט־ לִ֖י לַנַּ֣עַר לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וְכָל־ הָעָ֣ם שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּצַוֺּ֥ת כָּל־ הַשָּׂרִ֖ים עַל־ דְּבַ֥ר אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם

וַיְצַ֣ו  And  had  commanded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
י֠וֹאָב  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
אֲבִישַׁ֤י  Abishai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישַׁי 
Sense: grandson of Jesse, nephew of David via his sister Zeruiah, brother of Joab.
אִתַּי֙  Ittai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִיתַי 
Sense: a Gittite commander from Gath in David’s army.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְאַט־  [Deal]  gently 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adverb
Root: אַט 
Sense: gentleness, softness.
לִ֖י  for  my  sake 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
לַנַּ֣עַר  with  the  young  man 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
וְכָל־  And  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֣ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
שָׁמְע֗וּ  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּצַוֺּ֥ת  when  gave  orders 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
הַשָּׂרִ֖ים  the  captains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
עַל־  concerning 
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.
דְּבַ֥ר  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.