2 Samuel 18:33

Grief Parents and children Death and loss Love for others

³¹ And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.

³² And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
KJV: And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
WEB: The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
ASV: And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
DARBY: And the king was much moved, and went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said thus: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died in thy stead, O Absalom, my son, my son!
BLB: And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he went, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Oh that I was given to die in your place, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

ÅB: Da ble kongen dypt ristet. Han gikk opp på salen over porten og gråt, og mens han gikk, sa han så: Min sønn Absalom! Min sønn, min sønn Absalom! O, at jeg var død i ditt sted! Absalom, min sønn, min sønn!
[^1]: en etioper blant Davids folk.
[^2]: 2SA 18, 21.
[^3]: 2SA 18, 23.
OTB: Da ble kongen dypt rystet, og han gikk opp til kammeret over porten og gråt. Mens han gikk, sa han: "Å min sønn Absalom, min sønn, min sønn Absalom! Hadde jeg bare dødd i stedet for deg, Å Absalom, min sønn, min sønn!"
B1930: Da blev kongen dypt rystet. Han gikk op på salen over porten og gråt, og mens han gikk, sa han så: Min sønn Absalom! Min sønn, min sønn Absalom! O, at jeg var død i ditt sted! Absalom, min sønn, min sønn!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 19:4
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
Read in context
2 Samuel 12:10–23
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
Read in context
Proverbs 17:25
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
Read in context
Proverbs 10:1
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Read in context
Psalms 103:13
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Read in context
Exodus 32:32
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
Read in context
Romans 9:3
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Read in context
James 5:17
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Read in context