2 Samuel 2:12-3:1 – Conflict Between Followers of King Isbosheth and Followers of King David

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 16 Jan 2022

Introduction

vs.12-17 The Rival Armies Face Off

    1. each man grabbing the nearest person’s head,

    2. then a sword suddenly stuck in the side of each man,

    3. then each pair of fighters falling to the ground.

vs.18-23 Contest Between Retreating General And Runner

vs. 24-28 Showdown Between The Generals

    1. Will it be endlessly that the sword devours?” - He speaks as though Joab has been killing Israelites for ages and ages, and as though this would be an unwinnable war which will last forever. I suspect the implication is that Joab and David had better give up now and surrender to Abner and submit to King Ishbosheth, otherwise more and more of their people would die needlessly.

    1. The second question Abner lobs at Joab is, “Don’t you know that it will be bitter in the aftermath?” Think about all the losses you will face in this battle. Better not to fight and not to experience all those casualties. Why not just surrender now without any more of a fight and save everyone a lot of pain?

    2. The third question Abner yells at Joab is particularly subversive: Literally, “up to what point are you going to not say to the people to turn back from [going] after their brothers?”

vs. 29-32 Conclusion

Application: Answering Satan’s Temptations

  1. The first question was: Will it be endlessly that the sword devours?”

  1. Abner’s second question was, “Don’t you know that it will be bitter in the aftermath?”

  1. And Abner’s third question was:up to what point are you going to not say to the people to turn back from [going] after their brothers?” Satan uses the same kind of strategies on us.

2 Samuel 02:12-13:1 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT

10 τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν Ιεβοσθε υἱὸς Σαουλ, ὅτε ἐβασίλευσεν ἐπὶ τὸν Ισραηλ, καὶ δύο ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν πλὴν τοῦ οἴκου Ιουδα, [οἳ] ἦσαν ὀπίσω Δαυιδ·

10 Jebosthe, Saul's son was forty years old, when he reigned over Israel; and he reigned two years, but not [over] the house of Juda, [who] followed David.

10 Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years; and only the house of Juda followed David.

10 Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

10 Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, was 40 years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king two years. However, the households of Judah were behind David,

10 בֶּן-אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה אִישׁ-בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן-שָׁאוּל בְּמָלְכוֹ עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנִים מָלָךְ B אַךְ בֵּית יְהוּדָה הָיוּ אַחֲרֵי דָוִד:

11 καὶ ἐγένοντο XC αἱ ἡμέραι, ἃς Δαυιδ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Χεβρων ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ιουδα, ἑπτὰ ἔτη καὶ ἓξ μῆνας.

11 And the X days which David reigned in Chebron over the house of Juda were seven years and six months.

11 And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.

11 And the X timeX that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

11 and the number of the days in which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was 7 years and 6 months.

11 וַיְהִי מִסְפַּר הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דָוִד מֶלֶךְ בְּחֶבְרוֹן עַל- בֵּית יְהוּדָה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים: ס

12 Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Αβεννηρ υἱὸς Νηρ καὶ οἱ παῖδες Ιεβοσθε υἱοῦ Σαουλ ἐκ Μαναεμ εἰς Γαβαων·D

12 And Abenner the son of Ner went forth, and the servants of Jebosthe the son of Saul, from Manaem to Gabaon.

12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the campE to Gabaon.

12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

12 Presently Abner, son of Ner, went on a campaign from Makhanayim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul.

12 וַיֵּצֵא אַבְנֵר בֶּן-נֵר וְעַבְדֵי אִישׁ-בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן-שָׁאוּל מִמַּחֲנַיִם גִּבְעוֹנָה:

13 καὶ Ιωαβ υἱὸς Σαρουιας καὶ οἱ παῖδες Δαυιδ ἐξήλθοσαν [ἐκ Χεβρων] καὶ συναντῶσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τὴν κρήνην τὴν Γαβαων ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, καὶ ἐκάθισαν οὗτοι ἐπὶ τὴν κρήνην [τὴν Γαβαων] ἐντεῦθεν καὶ οὗτοι ἐπὶ τὴν κρήνην ἐντεῦθεν.

13 And Joab the son of Saruia, and the servants of David, went forth [from Chebron], and met them at the fountain of Gabaon, at the same place: and these sat down by the fountain Fon this side, and those by the fountain on that side.

13 And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out, and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together, they sat down [over against one another]: the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side X X.

13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

13 So Joab, son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David went on a campaign {from Hebron} and met up with them together at the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, these on this [side] of the pool, and those on that [side].

13 וְיוֹאָב בֶּן- צְרוּיָה וְעַבְדֵי דָוִד יָצְאוּ G וַיִּפְגְּשׁוּם עַל- בְּרֵכַתH גִּבְעוֹן יַחְדָּו וַיֵּשְׁבוּ אֵלֶּה עַל- הַבְּרֵכָה מִזֶּה וְאֵלֶּה עַל- הַבְּרֵכָה מִזֶּה:

14 καὶ εἶπεν Αβεννερ πρὸς Ιωαβ Ἀναστήτωσαν δὴ τὰ παιδάρια καὶ παιξάτωσαν ἐνώπιον ἡμῶν· καὶ εἶπεν Ιωαβ Ἀναστήτωσαν.

14 And Abenner said to Joab, Let now the young men arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

14 And Abner said to Joab: Let X the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.

14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Please let the boys get up and play before us!” And Joab said, “Let them get up.”

14 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְנֵר אֶל-יוֹאָב יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב יָקֻמוּ:

15 καὶ ἀνέστησαν καὶ παρῆλθον ἐν ἀριθμῷ τῶν [παίδων] Βενιαμιν δώδεκα X τῶν Ιεβοσθε υἱοῦ Σαουλ καὶ δώδεκα ἐκ τῶν παίδων Δαυιδ.

15 And there arose and passed over by number twelve of the [children] of Benjamin, X belonging to Jebosthe the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

15 Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

15 So they got up and they crossed over by number: twelve belonging to {the descendants of} Benjamin – and to Ish-boseth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.

15 וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיַּעַבְרוּ בְמִסְפָּר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לְבִנְיָמִןI וּלְאִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן-שָׁאוּל וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מֵעַבְדֵי דָוִד:

16 καὶ ἐκράτη­σαν ἕκαστος [τῇ χειρὶ] τὴν κεφαλ­ὴν τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, καὶ μάχ­αιρα αὐτοῦ εἰς πλευρὰν τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, καὶ πίπτουσιν κατὰ τὸ αὐτό· καὶ ἐκλήθη [τὸ ὄνομα] τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Μερὶς τῶν ἐπι­βούλων, ἥ ἐστιν ἐν Γαβαων.

16 And they seized every one the head of his neighbour [with his hand], and his sword [was thrust] into the side of his neighbour, and they fall down together: and [the name of] that place was called The portion of the treacherous ones, which is in Gabaon.

16 And every one catching his fellow by the head, [thrust] his sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together: and the [name of the] place was called: The field of the valiant, X in Gabaon.

16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

16 Then each of them got a firm grip on the head of his neighbor, then his sword was in the side of his neighbor, and then they fell down together. So that place was called “The Flint-Knife Clearing which is in Gibeon.”

16 וַיַּחֲזִקוּ אִישׁ בְּרֹאשׁ רֵעֵהוּ וְחַרְבּוֹ בְּצַד רֵעֵהוּ וַיִּפְּלוּ יַחְדָּו וַיִּקְרָאJ לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא חֶלְקַת הַצֻּרִיםK אֲשֶׁר בְּגִבְעוֹן:

17 καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος σκληρὸς ὥστε λίαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἔπταισεν Αβεννηρ καὶ ἄνδρες Ισραηλ ἐνώπιον παίδων Δαυιδ. --

17 And the battle was very severe on that day; and Abenner and the men of Israel were worsted before the servants of David.

17 And there was a very fierce battle X that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.

17 And there was a very sore battle X that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

17 And the battle was indeed very hard during that day, but Abner was routed along with the men of Israel before the front of the servants of David.

17 וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה קָשָׁה עַד-מְאֹד בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיִּנָּגֶף אַבְנֵר וְאַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי עַבְדֵי דָוִד:

18 καὶ ἐγένοντο ἐκεῖ τρεῖς υἱοὶ Σαρουιας, Ιωαβ καὶ Αβεσσα καὶ Ασαηλ, καὶ Ασαηλ κοῦφος τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ μία δορκὰς ἐν ἀγρῷ.

18 And there were there the three sons of Saruia, Joab, and Abessa, and Asael: and Asael was swift in his feet as a roeX in the field.

18 And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael: now Asael was a most swift X runner, like one of the roes that [abide] in the woods.

18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of X X foot as X a X X wild roeX.

18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was light on his feet, like one of the gazelles which are in the field.

18 וַיִּהְיוּ-שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי צְרוּיָה יוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי וַעֲשָׂהאֵל וַעֲשָׂהאֵל קַל בְּרַגְלָיו כְּאַחַד הַצְּבָיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה:

19 καὶ κατεδίωξεν Ασαηλ ὀπίσω Αβεννηρ καὶ οὐκ ἐξέκλινεν τοῦ πορεύεσθαι εἰς δεξιὰ οὐδὲ εἰς ἀριστερὰ κατόπισθεν Αβεννηρ.

19 And Asael followed after Abenner, and turned not to go to the right hand or to the left from following Abenner.

19 And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to X X the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

19 So Asahel persued after Abner, and he did not detour from following Abner to go to the right or to the left.

19 וַיִּרְדֹּף עֲשָׂהאֵל אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וְלֹא-נָטָה לָלֶכֶת עַל- הַיָּמִין וְעַל- הַשְּׂמֹאול מֵאַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר:

20 καὶ ἐπέβλε­ψεν Αβεννηρ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Εἰ σὺ εἶ αὐτὸς Ασαηλ; καὶ εἶπεν Ἐγώ εἰμι.

20 And Abenner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asael himself? and he said, I am.

20 And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou X Asael? And he answered: I am.

20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou X Asahel? And he answered, I am.

20 Then Abner glanced behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he said, “It is I.”

20 וַיִּפֶן אַבְנֵר אַחֲרָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הַאַתָּה זֶה עֲשָׂהאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי:

21 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Αβεννηρ Ἔκκλινον σὺ εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ ἢ εἰς τὰ ἀριστερὰ καὶ κάτασχε σαυτῷ ἓν τῶν παιδαρίων καὶ λαβὲ σεαυτῷ τὴν πανοπλίαν αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν Ασαηλ ἐκκλῖναι ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ.

21 And Abenner said to him, Turn thou to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold for thyself on one of the young men, and take to thyself his armour: but Asel would not X turn back from following him.

21 And Abner said to him: Go X to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold X X on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael would not leave off following him [close].

21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay X thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not X turn aside from following of him.

21 So Abner said to him,Take a detour for yourself to your right or to your left, and seize for yourself one of the guys, and take for yourself what there is to rob from him!” But Asahel was not willing to turn away from following him.

21 וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אַבְנֵר נְטֵה לְךָ עַל-יְמִינְךָ אוֹ עַל-שְׂמֹאלֶךָ וֶאֱחֹז לְךָ אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וְקַח- לְךָ אֶת-חֲלִצָתוֹL וְלֹא-אָבָה עֲשָׂהאֵל לָסוּר מֵאַחֲרָיו:

22 καὶ προσ­έθετο ἔτι Αβεννηρ λέγων τῷ Ασαηλ Ἀπό­στηθι X X ἀπ᾿ X ἐμοῦ, ἵνα μὴ πατάξω σε εἰς τὴν γῆν· καὶ πῶς ἀρῶ τὸ πρόσ­ωπόν μου πρὸς Ιωαβ; [καὶ ποῦ ἐστιν ταῦτα; ἐπίστρεφε πρὸς ΙωαβM] τὸν ἀδελφόν σου.

22 And Abenner said yet again to Asael, Stand aloof X X from X me, lest I smite thee to the ground? and how should I lift up my face to Joab 23 [And what does this mean? return to Joab] thy brother.

22 And X again Abner said to Asael: Go off, X and do not follow me, lest I [be obliged to] stab thee to the ground, and I shall not [be able to] hold up my face to Joab thy brother.

22 And Abner said X again to Asahel, Turn X thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

22 Then Abner tried again once more, saying to Asahel, “For your own [good], take a detour from following me! Why should I strike you to the ground? And how will I lift up my face around Joab your brother?”

22 וַיֹּסֶף עוֹדN אַבְנֵר לֵאמֹר אֶל-עֲשָׂהאֵל סוּר לְךָ מֵאַחֲרָי לָמָּה אַכֶּכָּה אַרְצָה וְאֵיךְ אֶשָּׂא פָנַי אֶל-יוֹאָב אָחִיךָ:

23 καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο τοῦ ἀποστῆναι. καὶ τύπτει αὐτὸν Αβεννηρ ἐν τῷ ὀπίσω τοῦ δόρατος ἐπὶ τὴν ψόαν, καὶ διεξῆλθεν τὸ δόρυ ἐκ τῶν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ, καὶ πίπτει ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀποθνῄσκει ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐγένετο πᾶς ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἕως τοῦ τόπου, οὗ ἔπεσεν ἐκεῖ Ασαηλ καὶ ἀπέθανεν, καὶ ὑφίστατο. --

But he would not stand aloof; and Abenner smites him with the hinder end of the spear on the loins, and the spear went out behind him, and he falls there and dies {on the spotO}: and it came to pass that every one that came to the place where Asael fell X and died, X stood still.

23 But he refused to hearken [to him], and would not turn aside: wherefore Abner struck him with his spear [with] a back [stroke] in the groin, and X X thrust X X him through, and he X XP died [upon the] spot X X: and all that came to the place where Asael fell down X and died X stood still.

23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder [end] of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out X behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same [place]: and it came to pass, that [as] many as came to the place where Asahel fell down X and died X stood still.

23 But he refused to detour. So Abner struck him down with the back of his spear through his abdomen, such that the spear protruded from his back, and he fell down there and died under him. And when every man who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died happened upon it, they just stood there.

23 וַיְמָאֵןQ לָסוּר וַיַּכֵּהוּ אַבְנֵר בְּאַחֲרֵי הַחֲנִית אֶל -הַחֹמֶשׁR וַתֵּצֵא הַחֲנִית מֵאַחֲרָיו וַיִּפָּל-שָׁם וַיָּמָת תַּחַתוֹS וַיְהִי כָּל-הַבָּא אֶל- הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר- נָפַל שָׁם עֲשָׂהאֵל וַיָּמֹת וַיַּעֲמֹדוּ:

24 καὶ κατεδίωξεν Ιωαβ καὶ Αβεσσα ὀπίσω Αβεννηρ· καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ἔδυνεν, καὶ αὐτοὶ εἰσῆλθον ἕως τοῦ βουνοῦ Αμμαν, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ προσώπου Γαι ὁδὸν ἔρημον Γαβαων.

24 And Joab and Abessa pursued after Abenner, and the sun went down: and they went as far as the hill of Amman, which is in the front of Gai, [by] the desert way of Gabaon.

24 Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down: and they came as far as the hill of the Taqueduct, that [lieth] over against the Uvalley [by] the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.

24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah [by] the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. And when the sun went [down], they themselves went as far as the hill of Ammah, which is on the level of Giyah, Gibeon’s desert road.

24 וַיִּרְדְּפוּ יוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה וְהֵמָּה בָּאוּ עַד- גִּבְעַת אַמָּהV אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי- גִיחַ דֶּרֶךְ מִדְבַּר גִּבְעוֹן:

25 καὶ συναθροίζονται υἱοὶ Βενιαμιν [οἱ] ὀπίσω Αβεννηρ καὶ ἐγενήθησαν εἰς συνάντησιν μίαν καὶ ἔστησαν ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν βουνοῦ ἑνός.

25 And the children of Benjamin [who] followed Abenner gather themselves together, and they formed themselves into one body, and stood on the top of a hill.

25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being [joined] in one body, they stood on the top of a hill.

25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became X one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

25 Then the descendants of Benjamin rallied themselves behind Abner, and they became as one band, and they stood on the top of one hill.

25 וַיִּתְקַבְּצוּ בְנֵי-בִנְיָמִן אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וַיִּהְיוּ לַאֲגֻדָּהW אֶחָת וַיַּעַמְדוּ עַל רֹאשׁ-גִּבְעָה אֶחָת:

26 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Αβεννηρ Ιωαβ καὶ εἶπεν Μὴ εἰς νῖκος καταφάγεται ἡ ῥομφαία; ἦ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι πικρὰ ἔσται εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα; καὶ ἕως πότε οὐ μὴ εἴπῃς τῷ λαῷ ἀναστρέφειν ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶνX;

26 And Abenner called Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour perpetually? knowest thou not that it will be bitter at last? X How long then wilt thou refuse to tell the people to turn from following our brethren?

26 And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive [people] to despair? X how long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from [pursuing] after their brethren?

26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter [end]? X how long shall it be [then], ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

26 Then Abner called out to Joab and said, “Will it be endlessly that the sword devours? Don’t you know that it will be bitter in the aftermath? And up to what point are you going to not say to the people to turn back from [going] after their brothers?”

26 וַיִּקְרָא אַבְנֵר אֶל-יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלָנֶצַח תֹּאכַל חֶרֶב הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּה כִּי-מָרָה תִהְיֶה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה וְעַד-מָתַי לֹא-תֹאמַר לָעָם לָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרֵי אֲחֵיהֶם:

27 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωαβ Ζῇ κύριος ὅτι εἰ μὴ ἐλάλησας, διότι τότε ἐκ πρωίθεν ἀνέβη ὁ λαὸς ἕκαστος κατόπισθεν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ.

27 And Joab said, As the Lord lives, if thou hadst not spoken, even from the morning the people had X gone up every one from following his brother.

27 And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner, even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing X after their brethren.

27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

27 Then Joab said, “As Yahweh is alive, if indeed you had not spoken, then it wouldn’t have been until the morning before each one of my people would have been brought up short from [going] after his brother.”

27 וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב חַי הָאֱלֹהִיםY כִּי לוּלֵאZ דִּבַּרְתָּ כִּי אָז מֵהַבֹּקֶרAA נַעֲלָה הָעָם אִישׁ מֵאַחֲרֵי אָחִיו:

28 καὶ ἐσάλπι­σεν Ιωαβ τῇ σάλπιγγι, καὶ ἀπέστησαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ οὐ κατεδίωξαν X ὀπίσω τοῦ Ισραηλ καὶ οὐ προσέθεντο ἔτι τοῦ πολεμεῖν.

28 And Joab sounded X the trumpet, and all the people departed, and did not pursue X after Israel, and did not fight any longer.

28 Then Joab sounded X the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.

28 So Joab blew X a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

28 And Joab blew into his horn, then all his people stood down, and they did not pursue any more after Israel, and they did not continue to fight any more.

28 וַיִּתְקַעAB יוֹאָב בַּשּׁוֹפָר וַיַּעַמְדוּ כָּל-הָעָם וְלֹא-יִרְדְּפוּ עוֹד אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא-יָסְפוּ עוֹד לְהִלָּחֵם:

29 καὶ Αβεννηρ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθον εἰς δυσμὰς ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην καὶ διέβαιναν τὸν Ιορδάνην καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὅλην τὴν παρα­τείνουσαν καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν.

29 And Abenner and his men [departed] at evening, and went all that night, and crossed over Jordan, and went along the whole adjacent country, and they come to the camp.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain[s]: and they passed the Jordan, and having gone through all Beth-horon, came to the camp.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

29 So Abner and his men walked through the Arabah all that night, then they crossed over the Jordan and then walked the whole Bitron until they came to Machanaim.

29 וְאַבְנֵר וַאֲנָשָׁיו הָלְכוּ בָּעֲרָבָה כֹּל הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֶת- הַיַּרְדֵּן וַיֵּלְכוּ כָּל-הַבִּתְרוֹןAC וַיָּבֹאוּ מַחֲנָיִםAD:

30 καὶ Ιωαβ ἀνέστρεψεν ὄπισθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Αβεννηρ καὶ συνήθροισεν πάντα τὸν λαόν, καὶ ἐπεσκέπη­σαν τῶν παίδων Δαυιδ ἐννεακαί­δεκα ἄνδρες καὶ Ασαηλ.

30 And Joab returned from following Abenner, and he assembled all the people, and there were missing of the people of David, nineteen men, and Asael.

30 And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, X assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David's servants nineteen men, beside Asael.

30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.

30 Meanwhile, Joab returned from [going] after Abner, and he assembled all his people. Only 19 men from among David’s servants (plus Asahel) were on the casualty-list,

30 וְיוֹאָב שָׁב מֵאַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת-כָּל-הָעָם וַיִּפָּקְדוּ מֵעַבְדֵי דָוִד תִּשְׁעָה-עָשָׂר אִישׁ וַעֲשָׂה-אֵל:

31 καὶ οἱ παῖδες Δαυιδ ἐπάταξαν τῶν [υἱῶν] Βενιαμιν X τῶν ἀνδρῶν Αβεννηρ τριακοσίους ἑξήκοντα ἄνδρας παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

31 And the servants of David smote of the [children] of Benjamin, X of the men of Abenner, three hundred and sixty men belonging to him.

31 But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who [all] died.

31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

31 whereas the servants of David had struck down from the {descendants} of Benjamin {from} the men of Abner 360 who died.

31 וְעַבְדֵי דָוִד הִכּוּ AEמִבִּנְיָמִן AFוּבְאַנְשֵׁי אַבְנֵר שְׁלֹשׁ- מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים אִישׁ מֵתוּAG:

32 καὶ αἴρουσιν τὸν Ασαηλ καὶ θάπτουσιν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἐν Βαιθλεεμ. καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ιωαβ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα, καὶ διέφαυσεν αὐτοῖς ἐν Χεβρων.

32 And they take up Asael, and bury him in the tomb of his father in Bethleem. And Joab and the men with him went all the night, and [the morning] rose upon them in Chebron.

32 And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem and Joab, and the men that were with him, marched all the night, and they [came] to Hebron at break [of day].

32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they [came] to Hebron at break [of day].

32 Then they carried Asahel up and buried him in his father’s tomb which was at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men walked all night, so it was becoming light when they got to Hebron.

32 וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת-עֲשָׂהאֵל וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בְּקֶבֶר אָבִיו אֲשֶׁר בֵּית לָחֶם וַיֵּלְכוּ כָל- הַלַּיְלָה יוֹאָב וַאֲנָשָׁיו וַיֵּאֹר לָהֶם בְּחֶבְרוֹן:

3:1 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος ἐπὶ πολὺ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οἴκου Σαουλ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οἴκου Δαυιδ· καὶ [ὁ οἶκοςAH] Δαυιδ ἐπορεύετο καὶ ἐκραταιοῦτο, καὶ ὁ οἶκος Σαουλ ἐπορεύετο καὶ ἠσθένει.

3:1 And there was war for a long time between the house of Saul and the house of David; and [the house of] David X grew continually stronger; but the house of Saul X grew continually weaker.

3:1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing [always stronger and] stronger, but the house of Saul X X decaying [daily].

3:1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

3:1 Now, the war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David, but David actually got stronger as he went along, whereas the house of Saul actually got weaker as it went along.

3:1 וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲרֻכָּה בֵּין בֵּית שָׁאוּל וּבֵין בֵּית דָּוִד וְדָוִד הֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק וּבֵית שָׁאוּל הֹלְכִים וְדַלִּיםAI: ס



1This was Matthew Henry’s choice “the field of rocky men.”

2Perhaps following K&D’s “Field of Sharp Edges”

3Perhaps following McCarter. Tsumura flatly denied that 10th century blades were made of anything but bronze or iron.

4John Gill seemed to think so.

5Alternately, Wilett suggested that Abishai was foolishly relying upon his swiftness (to which many other commentators agreed) and unjustly denying the right of escape to a fugitive. K&D asserted that Abishai was just after the fame of capturing the general. This is not clear to me.

6The design was brave, had he been par negotio - equal to its accomplishment: but let not the swift man glory in his swiftness, any more than the strong man in his strength; magnis excidit ausis - he perished in an attempt too vast for him.”~Matthew Henry

7Some English versions imply that the back end was blunt, but the original doesn’t actually say that it was blunt.

8Abner's care how he should lift up his face to Joab gives cause to suspect that he really believed David would have the kingdom at last…” ~Henry

9“If Abner had been the conqueror, we should not have had him complaining of the voraciousness of the sword and the miseries of a civil war, nor pleading that both sides were brethren…” ~Matthew Henry

10Only Goldman agreed with my interpretation. Most commentators instead gave the interpretation that, as Willett put it, “Joab laieth the fault vpon Abner, protesting in the name of God, that if Abner had not first prouoked them to battell, they had giuen ouer in the morning, when no assault was yet made.” (cf. Matthew Henry: “‘Unless thou hadst spoken,’ that is, ‘...hadst bidden the young men arise and play before us, none of us would have struck a stroke... We should have retired in the morning if thou hadst not given the challenge.’” So also Kimchi, Gill and K&D.) Willett’s commentary also has a good excursus on a Biblical philosophy of war.

11Gill claimed that the sepulchre was known to be on the South side, just outside of Bethlehem.

12Willett suggested that this is mentioned anachronistically because they wouldn’t have had time to conduct all the business of a funeral and still get back to Hebron by daybreak, much less would they have conducted a funeral in the dead of night. Gill solved the problem by asserting that the body count and burial were on the subsequent day and the arrival in Hebron was the morning after the morning that Abner arrived in Machanayim, and with this Goldman agreed. Tsumura suggested that the father of Joab, Abishai, and Asahel “probably died young, as he had a grave… and it was unusual for a man to be known by his mothr’s name.”

AMy original chart includes the NASB, NIV, and ESV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. NAW is my translation. When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing 2 Samuel 2 is 4Q51Samuela, although it is missing vs. 1-4 and vs. 17-24. This scroll has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the LXX is legible and matches the MT, the MT has been colored purple. Where the DSS and/or Vulgate support the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BDSS starts v. 10 here, omitting Ishbotheth’s name, age, and length of reign, but it’s in the LXX & Vulgate, so we’ll keep it.

CAlthough the text of the DSS is illegible at this point, the spacing between legible portions of this verse supports the extra word “number/accounting/calculation/length” in the MT. The MT word occurs again in v.15, where the LXX translates it ἀριθμῷ, and all the English versions translate it “number/count.”

DLater Greek versions by Aquila and Theodotion dropped the “g” and just read βουνος, but the DSS seem to support keeping the “g.” The same thing happpens in v.24.

E“Machanaim” means “camps,” so this is a fair translation, but the transliteration the other English versions followed makes more sense because it appears to be referring to a specific town on the map, not a temporary army camp.

FVaticanus matches the shorter reading of the MT, but the LXX adds the words “of Gibeon.” The DSS is illegible at this point, but doesn’t have enough space for the extra word. It doesn’t change the meaning, since the fountain was specified as that “of Gibeon” earlier in the verse already.

GThe DSS is obliterated here, but the spacing between legible portions of the verse indicates that the word /wrbjm (“from Hebron”) was here, just as it is in the LXX. This more neatly parallels the previous verse where an origin is given with the going out of the rival army, although the MT suffers no significant loss by dropping the word out because the account has already told us that Hebron was David’s headquarters.

HAbout 75% of the time this word is translated according to its root meaning of “blessing,” but it seems to mean “pool” here and in about 16 other uses throughout the O.T.

IDSS reads לבני לבבנימין איש b(“… two and ten belonging to the sons of for Benjamin each for Ish-bosheth”)
compare with the MT (“...two and ten belonging to Benjamin and to Ishbosheth..”)
and the LXX (“...of the sons of Benjamin
twelve of IshBoseth…”)
Tsumura tags the following
vav as “explicative” translating it “that is.”

JTsumura tags this verb as an “impersonal passive.”

KTargum = “inheritance of the slain,” Strong = “Smoothness of the Rocks,” BDB “The Field of the Swords,” NKJV = “Field of Sharp Swords,” NET = “Field of Flints,” CEV = “Field of Daggers” Two thirds of the occurences of the first word in the O.T. refer to a parcel of land that is flat and can grow crops (Gen. 33:19; Ruth 2:3; 4:3; 2 Sam. 14:30; 23:11; 1 Chr. 11:13; Jer. 12:10), of the other 4, two were Proper nouns, one is clearly a “portion” of a food offering, and the other was the “smooth” side of a goatskin. The second word occurs about 9 times in the plural, 6 times as “rocks” – large ones with caves or that can act as landmarks, and the other two times (besides here in 2 Sam) as “flint” knives for circumcision.

LTsumura noted that this literally means “what is stripped off of him.”

MThe prospect of a homoteleution is intriguing with the repetition of “before Joab” in the LXX and the intervening text missing in the MT, but it’s not in the Latin either. Unfortunately there are no DSS with this verse.

Ncf. 1 Samuel 3:6 “Then Yahweh continued calling Samuel again…” also Isaiah 8:5 “ Again Yahweh spoke to me once more…” (NAW)

OThis is an uncharacteristically-loose translation for Brenton. The LXX (including the Vaticanus) follows the Hebrew more literally with, “underneath him.”

PThe Syriac also omits “fell,” but this doesn’t change the story, for the result was that he died on the spot.

Qcf. the people’s “refusal” to listen to Samuel’s warnings against installing a king (1 Sam. 8:19) and Saul’s “refusing” to eat the night before his last battle (1 Sam. 28:23).

RThis word is unique to 2 Samuel, with the same root as the Hebrew number 5. BDB suggested “5th rib” along with “abdomen.” Ironically, the same word occurs in the assasination of Abner (2 Sam. 3:27) and of IshBosheth (2 Sam. 4:6) who were murdered in a way similar to the way Abner killed Abishai. (The only other instance of this word in the O.T. is 2 Sam. 20:10, describing Amasa’s murder.)

SMasoretic scribes recommended editing the traditional text by adding a yod as the penultimate character (תַּחְתָּיו) to make the pronomial suffix (“him”) more distinct, but it doesn’t change the meaning.

TThe Syriac, as well as Aquila’s and Theodotion’s Greek versions (udragwgoV) support this translation.

UGreek translations made after the LXX by Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion agreed with the Latin here: jaraggoV.

VThere is an Ammah about two miles south of Gibeon on the BibleWorks map software, but no Giah. Neither place is to be found in the Hammond Atlas or the Moody Atlas of Bible Lands. There are Latin and Greek translations from the second to fourth centuries AD which translated these places not as proper nouns, but as the “aqueduct” and the “ravine” which are even less specific as to where they were on the map! To the east of the North-South “Ridge Road” that ran through Gibeon, there were fewer towns, so perhaps the “wilderness road” branched off of the Ridge Road to the East through that terrain?

WThis is a rare word, used only here and Exod. 12:22 (“bunch of hyssop”); Isa. 58:6 (“bindings of a yoke”), and Amos 9:6 (debated, but something that belongs to God and is on earth)

XThe DSS is obliterate3d at this point, so we don’t know if it would have supported the LXX “our” or the MT “your,” but the Latin supports the MT.

YYahweh is what the translators of the LXX and Vulgate appear to have seen in the manuscripts they translated from, and Yahweh would be more fitting for this oath formula. The DSS is illegible at this point but word spacing between legible sections of this verse and the next could support the shorter word YHWH over the longer word ELOHIM.

ZCf. 1 Samuel 25:34 “Although, as Yahweh the God of Israel lives, Who withheld me from causing evil to you, if indeed you had not [כי לולי] hurried and come to me to call me off, then by the light of the morning, there would not have been left to Nabal one who pees against the wall." (NAW)

AADSS spells the preposition as a standalone word (מן) rather than as a prefix, but the meaning is the same.

ABcf. 1 Samuel 13:3b “...So Saul blew on the horn throughout all of the land to say, ‘Hebrews, take heed!’” (NAW)

ACHapex legomenon. The meaning is that of a divide/cleft, and the context places it between the Jordan and Machanayim, where the Jabbok river would have carved a ravine that ran upstream from the Jordan to Machanayim.
K&D noted: “It is very evident that Bithron is not the name of a city, but of a district, from the fact that it is preceded by the word ‘all,’ which would be perfectly unmeaning in the case of a city...”

ADDSS adds a directional he to the end of this word, but it doesn’t change the meaning. The context makes it obvious that they were walking to Machanayim.

AEThere is no mem prefix to Benjamin in the DSS, but there is room on the previous line (which is obliterated) for that mem to be a standalone preposition followed by the word “sons” thus supporting the LXX.

AFThe DSS reads y?nam /ymynb, supporting the LXX, which does not contain the “and,” and which contains an ablative preposition (“from”) rather than the dative preposition (“to”) in the MT. The Syriac likewise has an ablative preposition (although it preserved the “and”). The Vulgate alone preserved the MT.

AGThis word is missing in the Lucian rescription of the LXX and in the Syriac, as well as in the NIV and ESV. It is odd to have this second verb in the MT as though there are two sentences when there are not two sentences. The LXX reads it instead as a prepositional phrase, which solves that grammatical problem, but creates a morphological problem, for, while the first and last letter would render that prepositional phrase correctly, the middle letter doesn’t. The DSS is illegible at this point.

AHThe DSS agrees with the MT and the Vulgate in omitting “the house of” before David here, but the LXX insertion doesn’t change the idea of the verse.

AIThe two plurals in the MT describing the singular house of Saul seem to be incorrect grammar. The much-older LXX and DSS (ldw ilwh) render them as singulars, which makes more sense.