2 Samuel 18:24
New International Version
While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone.

New Living Translation
While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the town, the watchman climbed to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked, he saw a lone man running toward them.

English Standard Version
Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.

Berean Standard Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.

King James Bible
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

New King James Version
Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone.

New American Standard Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself.

NASB 1995
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running by himself.

NASB 1977
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running by himself.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running by himself.

Amplified Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the lookout went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he raised his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.

Christian Standard Bible
David was sitting between the city gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the city gate and over to the wall. The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gate and over to the wall. The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone.

American Standard Version
Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And David was sitting between the two gates, and the Watchman walked on the roof of the gate of the wall, and he lifted up his eyes and he saw a man running alone

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up on the top of the gate of the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone before him.

Contemporary English Version
Meanwhile, David was sitting between the inner and outer gates in the city wall. One of his soldiers was watching from the roof of the gate-tower. He saw a man running toward the town

Douay-Rheims Bible
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.

English Revised Version
Now David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
David was sitting between the two gates while the watchman walked along the roof of the gate by the wall. As he looked, he saw a man running alone.

Good News Translation
David was sitting in the space between the inner and outer gates of the city. The lookout went up to the top of the wall and stood on the roof of the gateway; he looked out and saw a man running alone.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman was up on the roof of the gateway near the walls, looking around, and there was a man running by himself!

JPS Tanakh 1917
Now David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

Literal Standard Version
And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goes to the roof of the gate, to the wall, and lifts up his eyes, and looks, and behold, a man running by himself.

Majority Standard Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.

New American Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates, and a lookout mounted to the roof of the gate above the city wall, where he looked out and saw a man running all alone.

NET Bible
Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself.

New Revised Standard Version
Now David was sitting between the two gates. The sentinel went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he looked up, he saw a man running alone.

New Heart English Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall and lifted up his eyes and looked and saw a man was running alone towards him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

World English Bible
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

Young's Literal Translation
And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goeth unto the roof of the gate, unto the wall, and lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, a man running by himself.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Mourns for Absalom
23“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite. 24Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone. 25So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,…

Cross References
2 Samuel 13:34
Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him, along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, "I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill."

2 Samuel 18:4
"I will do whatever seems best to you," the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

2 Samuel 18:23
"No matter what, I want to run!" he replied. "Then run!" Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

2 Samuel 18:25
So he called out and told the king. "If he is alone," the king replied, "he bears good news." As the first runner drew near,

2 Samuel 19:8
So the king got up and sat in the gate, and all the people were told: "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate." So they all came before the king. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled, each man to his home.

2 Kings 9:17
Now the watchman standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu's troops approaching, and he called out, "I see a company of troops!" "Choose a rider," Joram commanded. "Send him out to meet them and ask, 'Have you come in peace?'"


Treasury of Scripture

And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

between

2 Samuel 18:4
And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

1 Samuel 4:13
And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

the watchman

2 Kings 9:17-20
And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? …

Isaiah 21:6-9,11,12
For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth…

Ezekiel 33:2-7
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: …

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Alone David Doors Doorways Eyes Gate Gates Inner Lifted Outer Raised Roof Running Sat Seated Sitting Wall Watchman
2 Samuel 18
1. David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6. The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9. Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18. Absalom's place
19. Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33. David mourns for Absalom














Verse 24. - David sat between the two gates. The gateway was in a tower in the city walls, and David was sitting in the space between the inner and outer gates. Over this space was a chamber, mentioned in ver. 33, while the sentinel was posted upon the front wall over the outer gate.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now David
וְדָוִ֥ד (wə·ḏā·wiḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

was sitting
יוֹשֵׁ֖ב (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

between
בֵּין־ (bên-)
Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

the two
שְׁנֵ֣י (šə·nê)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

gates
הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים (haš·šə·‘ā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

when the watchman
הַצֹּפֶ֜ה (haṣ·ṣō·p̄eh)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6822: To lean forward, to peer into the distance, to observe, await

went up
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ (way·yê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the roof
גַּ֤ג (gaḡ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1406: A roof, the top of an altar

of the gateway
הַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ (haš·ša·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

by
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the wall,
הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה (ha·ḥō·w·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

looked out,
וַיִּשָּׂ֤א (way·yiś·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

and saw
וַיַּ֔רְא (way·yar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

a man
אִ֖ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

running alone.
רָ֥ץ (rāṣ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7323: To run


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OT History: 2 Samuel 18:24 Now David was sitting between the two (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 18:23
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