Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
Parallel Translations
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Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
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And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
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And Joab blew the horn, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.
Cross-references (4)
Passages linked to 2 Samuel 18:16 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Samuel 2:28 So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more.
- 2 Samuel 20:22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
- Numbers 10:2-10 “Make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps. When they blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting. If they blow just one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall go forward. When you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall go forward. They shall blow an alarm for their journeys. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. “The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. This shall be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations. When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before Yahweh your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your set feasts, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God. I am Yahweh your God.”
- 1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain For he had pity of the people, which was…
For he had pity of the people, which was seduced by Absalom’s flattery.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Sa 18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the…
2Sa 18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
Ver. 16. For Joab held back the people.] From pursuing the rebels, as pitying their seduction: he knew as well how to use victory, as to get it, which Hannibal did not.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Who otherwise were highly incensed against the rebels, and…
Who otherwise were highly incensed against the rebels, and hotly pursued them. But the head of the rebellion being cut off, and the danger thereby past, be puts a stop to the effusion of Israelitish blood.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Joab blew the trumpet,.... As the sign of…
And Joab blew the trumpet,.... As the sign of a retreat:
and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; upon the sound of the trumpet, the meaning of which they understood:
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for Joab held back the people: from shedding any more blood; the head of the conspiracy being removed, the thing would be crushed at once; and Joab neither chose to slay any more, nor take any prisoners, to be tried as traitors, being unawares, without thought, drawn into this rebellion.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 16. Joab blew the trumpet] He knew that…
Verse 16. Joab blew the trumpet] He knew that the rebellion was now extinguished by the death of Absalom; and was not willing that any farther slaughter should be made of the deluded people.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Sa 18:16. Joab blew the trumpet, and the people…
2Sa 18:16. Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned — He knew Absalom’s men had been drawn unthinkingly into this rebellion, and would return to their duty, now they had none to head them. For Joab held back the people — Who otherwise, being highly incensed against the rebels, would have hotly pursued, and made still greater slaughter among them. In this Joab acted like a wise and merciful man, who wished to stop the further effusion of Israelitish blood.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Blew the trumpet - To stop the pursuit and…
Blew the trumpet - To stop the pursuit and slaughter 2Sa 2:28; 2Sa 20:22.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Joab blew the trumpet, . . . and held…
Joab blew the trumpet, . . . and held back the people--Knowing that by the death of the usurper there was no occasion for further bloodshed, he put an end to the pursuit and thereby evinced the temperate policy of his conduct. However harsh and unfeeling to the king Joab may appear, there can be no doubt that he acted the part of a wise statesman in regarding the peace and welfare of the kingdom more than his master's private inclinations, which were opposed to strict justice as well as his own interests. Absalom deserved to die by the divine law (Deu 21:18, Deu 21:21), as well as being an enemy to his king and country; and no time was more fitting than when he met that death in open battle.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain HUSHAI’S MESSAGE TO DAVID, 2Sa_18:15-22.
HUSHAI’S MESSAGE TO DAVID, 2Sa_18:15-22.
16. Send quickly — Hushai seems to have feared that his counsel might not be followed, and so without delay apprizes the king of his danger.
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The plains — Or, crossing places. See note on 2Sa_15:28.
Pass over — Cross the fords of the Jordan.
Swallowed up — Overwhelmed and destroyed by the numbers of the enemy that may speedily pursue.
16. Blew the trumpet — The signal for the people to come together: the death of Absalom virtually ending the rebellion.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 16. blew the trumpet] Sounded the recall to stop…
16. blew the trumpet] Sounded the recall to stop further pursuit. Cp. ch. 2Sa_2:28, 2Sa_20:22.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (16) Blew the trumpet.—Comp. 2Sa_2:28; 2Sa_20:22. With the death…
(16) Blew the trumpet.—Comp. 2Sa_2:28; 2Sa_20:22. With the death of Absalom the rebellion was at an end, and Joab would stop further slaughter.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Joab blew the trumpet. Stem and unscrupulous as he…
Joab blew the trumpet. Stem and unscrupulous as he was, yet Joab is always statesmanlike. He had slain Absalom more for public than for private reasons, though he may have grimly remembered his own blazing barley field. But the rebellion being now crushed, further slaughter was impolitic, and would only cause sullen displeasure. The people, at the end of the verse, are those under Joab"s command, and a translation proposed by some, "Joab wished to spare the people," is to be rejected.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the army returned…
Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the army returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held back the army
This describes what Joab commanded by blowing the trumpet. AT: "Then Joab blew the trumpet to call back the army, and the army returned from pursuing Israel" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
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returned from pursuing Israel
Here "Israel" refers to the Israelite army. AT: "returned from pursuing the Israelite army" (See: Synecdoche)
They took Absalom and threw him
"They took Absalom's body and threw it"
they buried his body under a very large pile of stones
After putting his body in the pit they covered it with a pile of stones. This can be stated more clearly. AT: "they covered his body with a huge pile of stones" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
while all Israel fled
Here "all Israel" refers to the Israelite soldiers. The word "fled" means "ran away." AT: "while all the Israelite soldiers ran away" (See: Synecdoche)
translationWords
trumpet
pit
bury
body
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.