I don’t understand why they didn’t allow ANY weapon attack.  

The spell is vocal only so you don't need a spare hand.

Where did you even read that it said one minute?

Quote from FrostWinter >>

Where did you even read that it said one minute?

When that comment was posted, which was over three months ago, there was an error on this page that said the duration was 1 minute (like the 2014 version). That error has since been corrected.

Reading those angry reponses makes me think: people seems to forget that every tool a player has access to, so does the DM. And those same tools can be used againts each other.

Let's say you, a Paladin and Cleric duo, go up againts another Paladin and Cleric duo. In 5E (2014), Paladins could just Divine Smite barrage the other team, chewing trough Death Wards and such. Now in 5.5E (2024), Clerics can create "safe zones" with Silence spell and keep those within under better control. Or both parties can now ask their respective recruited Wizards to cast Counterspell, but ask yourselves: what would you rather counterspell - single target spell from a half-caster or an AoE spell from full-caster?

I get it, very specific situation. But so are those talked about before this! And so is this one:

While Antimagic Fields and capabilities would now stop Paladins from smiting all-together, let me ask you this first: how often you deal with Antimagic Fields? With Dead Magic zones? Or anything preveting casting or limiting magic?
And some creatures having a leveled spell imunnity? Granted, but let's wait until Monster Manual releases - until then let's not make assumptions with 2024 features and 2014 monsters. Also another question: how often are you dealing with those creatures? How much are any of these situations common enough to fuss about them? Like damn, if you fight Rakshasas on the daily, maybe invest in bombs or sum. I dunno, just a thought.

And by virtue being a spell, you can upcast it with higher then 5th level slot, which you could not do before. AND you get one Divine Smite for FREE AT SECOND LEVEL! FREE, divine damn it! Something that being glossed over like it's nothing, but it's the opposite at least for me. Even if you spent all your spell slots on something else, you can at least Divine Smite once per day! And nothing can stop you. ☺

A side note: it also discourages from doing Fighter/Palading combo with nuking something with 6+1 attacks in one turn with smites, with Divine Smite now being a leveled spell. At least now DMs won't be afraid.

Some argue that now you cannot do for example Shield of Faith and Smite on the same turn. Those are power gamers IMHO. And sincerely, if you know you are going to an encounter, you can most likely buff before hand. DO SO! So what that spell will now last only for 3 turns, because it took 7 to dash there? Most likely other party members and you could cast different non-concentration spells before you got there.
And not being able to do Polearm Master strike and also Smite - again, power gamer.

Now this is my humble opinion (as is this whole post, but this one is humble) that Paladins in my idea are sacred warriors and protectors, not effing Doom Guy going Medieval on BBEG butts. They Smite to deter evil, not to vaporise. This version of Divine Smite encopasses this idea perfectly.

.... so you can use it on a handaxe for example? that is a melee weapon, thrown to make a ranged attack, but it is a melee weapon that hits.

Quote from Shov3ly >>

.... so you can use it on a handaxe for example? that is a melee weapon, thrown to make a ranged attack, but it is a melee weapon that hits.

 Wow, this did not occur to me. Very interesting.

Quote from Shov3ly >>

.... so you can use it on a handaxe for example? that is a melee weapon, thrown to make a ranged attack, but it is a melee weapon that hits.

Yes, you can. A thrown melee weapon is still a melee weapon.

If a Divine Smite is a Bonus Action, can you only take 1/turn then?

Paladin features mention you can use Divine Smite once per long rest without consuming a spell slot. Does this mean any level spell slot i.e. above 1st ? Could you free-cast Divine Smite at 3rd level, for example ?

Poorly written

Quote from TimtomRanger >>

If a Divine Smite is a Bonus Action, can you only take 1/turn then?

 

Generally, yes, unless you have some way of taking more than one bonus action in a turn. I'm not aware of anything that does that, but who knows.

Quote from Rabadabadoubadou >>

Paladin features mention you can use Divine Smite once per long rest without consuming a spell slot. Does this mean any level spell slot i.e. above 1st ? Could you free-cast Divine Smite at 3rd level, for example ?

No. Casting a spell at a higher level than its normal level requires actually using a spell slot of that level. Casting a spell without using a spell slot is always at the spell's base level unless otherwise specified.

There are a few exceptions to this — some magic items allow casting a spell from them at a higher level, for instance — but they are always called out explicitly in the text.

Components are verbal only

The fact that you can't use divine smite with ranged weapons is just plain stupid.  Yeah, I'm gonna house rule it, but c'mon, really?  Divine energy doesn't work with ranged weapons in a world where you can literally shape the world with magic.  But P~A~L~A~D~I~N~S can't smite with a ranged weapon?  Dumb.  

What would level 9 look like visually?

Quote from TaylorW >>

 You haven't checked out the 2024 ranger then.

 2014 ranger sucked ballsacks, i am glad they changed it so drastically, though most ablities go to waist, if you multiclass its actually pretty good, 1d8, extra attack, hunters mark, bunch of skill profficiencies

Dammit. That asterisk. I thought that, despite the godawful fumbling of making Divine Smite a bonus action spell, that MAYBE you could at least use it on ranged weapons. But no. It's a tiny text asterisk rule under the upcasting rules. Thank God the rules are optional per table. 

it will work with thrown Javelins and Daggers as it doesnt say melee attack, just melee weapon

Quote from StefanoPaladino >>

Don't nerf classes that are good, improve the ones that are weak.

Are you aware of the concept of power creep?