2 Samuel 18:9

2 Samuel 18:9

And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

a. ASV: And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

b. YLT: And Absalom meeteth before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule cometh in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head taketh hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that isunder him hath passed on.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Then Absalom [unavoidably] met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and Absalom’s head caught fast [in a fork] of the oak; and the mule under him ran away, leaving him hanging between the heavens and the earth.

d. Septuagint: And Abessalom went to meet the servants of David: and Abessalom was mounted on his mule, and the mule came under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head was entangled in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth; and the mule passed on from under him.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Absalom chanced upon David’s servants, Absalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule came under the thick branches of a large elm tree; his head became entangled in the elm, and he was suspended between the heavens and the earth, while the mule that was under him moved on.

1. “And Absalom met the servants of David…”

a. [And] Absalom [Strong: 53 ʼĂbîyshâlôwm, ab-ee-shaw-lome'; or (shortened) אַבְשָׁלוֹם ʼAbshâlôwm ; from H1 and H7965; father of peace (i.e. friendly); Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later Israelite:—Abishalom, Absalom.] [The KJV translates Strong's H53 in the following manner: Absalom (109x), Abishalom (2x).]

b. met [Strong: 7122 qârâʼ, kaw-raw'; a primitive root; to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner:—befall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7122 in the following manner: befall (5x), come (4x), chance (2x), happened (2x), met (2x), fall out (1x).]

c. [Strong: 6440 pânîym, paw-neem'; plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה pâneh; from H6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):— accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, prospect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6440 in the following manner: before (1,137x), face (390x), presence (76x), because (67x), sight (40x), countenance (30x), from (27x), person (21x), upon (20x), of (20x), ...me (18x), against (17x), ...him (16x), open (13x), for (13x), toward (9x), miscellaneous (195x).]

d. [the] servants [Strong: 5650 ʻebed, eh'-bed; from H5647; a servant:—× bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5650 in the following manner: servant (744x), manservant (23x), bondman (21x), bondage (10x), bondservant (1x), on all sides (1x).]

e. [of] David 1732 Dâvid, daw-veed'; rarely (fully); דָּוִיד Dâvîyd; from the same as H1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:—David.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1732 in the following manner: David (1,076x).]

2. “...And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak…”

a. [And] Absalom [Strong: 53 ʼĂbîyshâlôwm, ab-ee-shaw-lome'; or (shortened) אַבְשָׁלוֹם ʼAbshâlôwm ; from H1 and H7965; father of peace (i.e. friendly); Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later Israelite:—Abishalom, Absalom.] [The KJV translates Strong's H53 in the following manner: Absalom (109x), Abishalom (2x).]

b.  rode [Strong: 7392 râkab, raw-kab'; a primitive root; to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to despatch:—bring (on (horse-) back), carry, get (oneself) up, on (horse-) back, put, (cause to, make to) ride (in a chariot, on, -r), set.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7392 in the following manner: ride (50x), rider (12x), horseback (3x), put (3x), set (2x), carried (2x), miscellaneous (6x).]

c. upon [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

d. [a] mule [Strong: 6505 pered, peh'-red; from H6504; a mule (perhaps from his lonely habits):—mule.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6505 in the following manner: mule (15x).]

e. [and the] mule [Strong: 6505 pered, peh'-red; from H6504; a mule (perhaps from his lonely habits):—mule.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6505 in the following manner: mule (15x).]

f. went [Strong: 935  bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, ×certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, ×doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.] [The KJV translates Strong's H935 in the following manner: come (1,435x), bring (487x), ... in (233x), enter (125x), go (123x), carry (17x), ...down (23x), pass (13x), ...out (12x), miscellaneous (109x).]

g. under [Strong: 8478 tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

h. [the] thick boughs [Strong: 7730 sôwbek, so'-bek; for H5441; a thicket, i.e. interlaced branches:—thick boughs.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7730 in the following manner: thick boughs (1x).]

i. [of a] great [Strong: 1419 gadowl gaw-dole' or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), + exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.]

j. oak [tree] [Strong: 424 ʼêlâh, ay-law'; feminine of H352; an oak or other strong tree:—elm, oak, teil-tree.] [The KJV translates Strong's H424 in the following manner: oak (11x), elm (1x), teil tree (1x).]

k. [and his] head [Strong: 7218 rôʼsh, roshe; from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, etc.):—band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, × every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), × lead, × poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.] [ The KJV translates Strong's H7218 in the following manner: head (349x), chief (91x), top (73x), beginning (14x), company (12x), captain (10x), sum (9x), first (6x), principal (5x), chapiters (4x), rulers (2x), miscellaneous (23x).]

l. caught hold [Strong: 2388 châzaq, khaw-zak'; a primitive root; to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer:—aid, amend, × calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintain, play the man, mend, become (wax) mighty, prevail, be recovered, repair, retain, seize, be (wax) sore, strengthen (self), be stout, be (make, shew, wax) strong(-er), be sure, take (hold), be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand.] [The KJV translates Strong's H2388 in the following manner: strong (48x), repair (47x), hold (37x), strengthened (28x), strengthen (14x), harden (13x), prevail (10x), encourage (9x), take (9x), courage (8x), caught (5x), stronger (5x), hold (5x), miscellaneous (52x).]

m. [of the] oak [Strong: 424 ʼêlâh, ay-law'; feminine of H352; an oak or other strong tree:—elm, oak, teil-tree.] [The KJV translates Strong's H424 in the following manner: oak (11x), elm (1x), teil tree (1x).]

1). It does not say that his long hair had anything to do with his head getting caught, but it may have.

3. “...and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.”

a. [and he was] taken up [Strong: 5414 nâthan, naw-than'; a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5414 in the following manner: give (1,078x), put (191x), deliver (174x), made (107x), set (99x), up (26x), lay (22x), grant (21x), suffer (18x), yield (15x), bring (15x), cause (13x), utter (12x), laid (11x), send (11x), recompense (11x), appoint (10x), shew (7x), miscellaneous (167x).]

b. between [Strong: 996 beyn bane (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

c. [the] heaven [Strong: 8064 shâmayim, shaw-mah'-yim; dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה shâmeh; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):—air, × astrologer, heaven(-s).] [The KJV translates Strong's H8064 in the following manner: heaven (398x), air (21x), astrologers (with H1895) (1x).]

d. and [Strong: 996 beyn bane (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

e. [the] earth [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.] [The KJV translates Strong's H776 in the following manner: land (1,543x), earth (712x), country (140x), ground (98x), world (4x), way (3x), common (1x), field (1x), nations (1x), wilderness (with H4057) (1x).]

f. [and the] mule [Strong: 6505 pered, peh'-red; from H6504; a mule (perhaps from his lonely habits):—mule.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6505 in the following manner: mule (15x).]

g. that [was] [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

h. under [him] [Strong: 8478 tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

i. went away [Strong: 5674 ʻâbar, aw-bar'; a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation):—alienate, alter, × at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, shave, cause to (make) sound, ×speedily, × sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5674 in the following manner: (pass, went, ...) over (174x), pass (108x), (pass, ect...) through (58x), pass by (27x), go (26x), (put, pass, etc...) away (24x), pass on (19x), miscellaneous (123x).]

1). This is by far such a unique occurrence, and I can’t get the similarity with Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 out of my head.

a). Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

2). Because he was hanging there he was an easy prey to be killed.

a). 2 Samuel 18:14 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.