2 Samuel 18:14

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Joab said, 'I cannot linger here with you.' So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive, hanging in the oak tree.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֔ב לֹא־כֵ֖ן אֹחִ֣ילָה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַיִּקַּח֩ שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה שְׁבָטִ֜ים בְּכַפּ֗וֹ וַיִּתְקָעֵם֙ בְּלֵ֣ב אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ חַ֖י בְּלֵ֥ב הָאֵלָֽה׃

Transliteration

And-yōʾmer Yôʾāḇ not-thus ʾōḥîlâ before-p̄āneḵā and-yiqqaḥ three šěḇāṭîm in-kappô and-yiṯqāʿēm in-lēḇ ʾAḇšālôm ʿôḏennû ḥay in-lēḇ the-ʾēlâ.

Grammar Details

• *yōʾmer*: third person masculine singular qal imperfect consecutive - and he said
• *Yôʾāḇ*: proper noun - Joab
• *ʾōḥîlâ*: first person singular hiphil imperfect cohortative - I will wait/linger
• *p̄āneḵā*: masculine plural noun with second person masculine singular suffix - your face/presence
• *yiqqaḥ*: third person masculine singular qal imperfect consecutive - and he took
• *šěḇāṭîm*: masculine plural noun - rods/staffs/spears/darts
• *kappô*: feminine singular noun with third person masculine singular suffix - his palm/hand
• *yiṯqāʿēm*: third person masculine singular qal imperfect consecutive with third person masculine plural suffix - and he thrust them
• *lēḇ*: masculine singular construct - heart of
• *ʾAḇšālôm*: proper noun - Absalom
• *ʿôḏennû*: adverb with third person masculine singular suffix - while he was still
• *ḥay*: masculine singular adjective - alive/living
• *ʾēlâ*: feminine singular noun with definite article - the terebinth/oak

Word Meanings

• *ʾōḥîlâ*: I will wait/I will tarry/I must delay
• *šěḇāṭîm*: darts/spears/javelins/rods
• *yiṯqāʿēm*: thrust them/stuck them/drove them
• *lēḇ*: heart/middle/midst
• *ʿôḏennû*: while he was still/yet he was/as he was yet
• *ʾēlâ*: terebinth/oak tree

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Then Joab said, I cannot linger thus with you. And he took three spears in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was still alive in the midst of the oak.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then said{H559} Joab,{H3097} I may not tarry{H3176} thus with thee.{H6440} And he took{H3947} three{H7969} darts{H7626} in his hand,{H3709} and thrust{H8628} them through the heart{H3820} of Absalom,{H53} while he was yet alive{H2416} in the midst of the oak.{H424}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then said{H559}{(H8799)} Joab{H3097}, I may not tarry{H3176}{(H8686)} thus with thee{H6440}. And he took{H3947}{(H8799)} three{H7969} darts{H7626} in his hand{H3709}, and thrust{H8628}{(H8799)} them through the heart{H3820} of Absalom{H53}, while he was yet alive{H2416} in the midst of the oak{H424}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Ioab sayde: Not so, I wil vpon him before thy face. Then toke Ioab thre speares in his hande, and thrust Absalom thorow ye hert, while he was yet alyue vpon the Oke.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then saide Ioab, I will not thus tary with thee; he tooke three dartes in his hande, and thrust them through Absalom, while he was yet aliue in the middes of the oke.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then sayde Ioab, I may not stand thus tarying with thee: And he toke three dartes in his hande, & thrust them through Absalom whyle he was yet alyue in the middes of the oke.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he [was] yet alive in the midst of the oak.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Then said Joab, I may not wait thus with you. He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Joab saith, `Not right -- I tarry before thee;' and he taketh three darts in his hand, and striketh them into the heart of Absalom, while he `is' alive, in the midst of the oak.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then Joab said, I would have made it safe for you. And he took three spears in his hand, and put them through Absalom's heart, while he was still living, in the branches of the tree.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Then Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this with you." He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Joab replied,“I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree.

Referenced Verses

• Judg 4:21 : 21 But Jael, the wife of Heber, picked up a tent peg and a hammer, and she went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground—and he died.
• Judg 5:26 : 26 She reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple.
• Judg 5:31 : 31 So may all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But may those who love You be like the sun when it rises in its strength. And the land was at peace for forty years.
• 2 Sam 14:30 : 30 Then Absalom said to his servants, 'Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.' So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
• 2 Sam 18:5 : 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, 'Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.' All the troops heard the king’s orders concerning Absalom to all the commanders.
• Ps 45:5 : 5 In your majesty ride forth victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness; let your right hand perform awesome deeds.
• Matt 12:40 : 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
• 1 Thess 5:3 : 3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.