2 Samuel 18:18
<< 2 Samuel 18:18 >>
New International Version (©1984)
During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar which is in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to preserve my name." So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
( [While he was still living,] Absalom had taken a rock and set it up for himself in the king's valley. He said, "I have no son to keep the memory of my name alive." He called the rock by his name, and it is still called Absalom's Monument today.)

King James Bible
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

American King James Version
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called to this day, Absalom's place.

American Standard Version
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument, unto this day.

Bible in Basic English
Now Absalom, before his death, had put up for himself a pillar in the king's valley, naming it after himself; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in memory: and to this day it is named Absalom's pillar.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his lifetime, a pillar, which is in the king's valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by is own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day.

Darby Bible Translation
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a monument, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the monument after his own name; and it is called unto this day, Absalom's memorial.

English Revised Version
Now Absalom in his life time had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called Absalom's monument, unto this day.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now Absalom in his life-time had taken and raised for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called to this day, Absalom's place.

World English Bible
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in memory." He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument, to this day.

Young's Literal Translation
And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that is in the king's valley, for he said, 'I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;' and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called 'The monument of Absalom' unto this day.

Geneva Study Bible

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no {f} son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

(f) It seemed that God had punished him by taking away his children, 2Sa 14:27.

Wesley's Notes

18:18 A pillar - To preserve his name; whereas it had been more for his honour if his name had been buried in perpetual oblivion.

Scofield Reference Notes

[1] I have no son

The pillar mentioned must have been reared before the birth of sons to Absalom. Cf. 2Sam 14:27. Another view is that his sons died in youth. They are not mentioned in the genealogies.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

18. Absalom in his lifetime had reared up for himself a pillar-literally, "hand." In the valley of Jehoshaphat, on the east of Jerusalem, is a tomb or cenotaph, said to be this "pillar" or monument: it is twenty-four feet square, dome-topped, and reaches forty feet in height. This may occupy the spot, but cannot itself be the work of Absalom, as it evidently bears the style of a later architecture.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:9-18 Let young people look upon Absalom, hanging on a tree, accursed, forsaken of heaven and earth; there let them read the Lord's abhorrence of rebellion against parents. Nothing can preserve men from misery and contempt, but heavenly wisdom and the grace of God.


Genesis 14:17 Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
1 Samuel 15:12 Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal."
2 Samuel 14:27 To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance. (NASB ©1995)

Absalom Ab'salom Absalom's Dale King's Lifetime Memory Monument Pillar Preserve Raised Reared Remembrance


Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

reared up 1Sa 15:12

the king's Ge 14:17

I have no son 2Sa 14:27 Job 18:16,17 Ps 109:13 Jer 22:30

he called Ge 11:4 1Sa 15:12 Ps 49:11 Da 4:30

Absalom's place Josephus says there was in his time, about two furlongs from Jerusalem, a marble pillar called {Absalom's hand}, as it is in the Hebrew, (See note on 1Sa 15:12;) and there is one shown to the present day, in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which, though comparatively a modern structure, probably occupies the site of the original one set up by Absalom. Ge 11:9 Ac 1:18,19

Bible Gateway: 2 Samuel Chapter 18 Verse 18 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: a Absalom Absalom's after and as called carry day During erected for had have he himself his I in is it King's lifetime memory monument my name named no Now of on own pillar preserve said set So son taken the this thought to up Valley which

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright ;© 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

OT History: 2 Samuel 18:18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

2 Samuel 18:18 Bible Software
2 Samuel 18:18 Biblia Paralela
2 Samuel 18:18 Chinese Bible
2 Samuel 18:18 French Bible
2 Samuel 18:18 German Bible
2 Samuel 18:18 Danish Bible
2 Samuel 18:18 Swedish Bible
2 Samuel 18:18 Norwegian Bible
2 Samuel 18:18 Multilingual Bible

Online Bible