2 Samuel 20:15

2 Samuel 20:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth–maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
• New International Version (NIV)All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

Context of 2 Samuel 20:15

13When [the body of] Amasa was removed from the highway, everyone followed after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 14Now Joab went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they assembled and also went after Sheba. And the army of Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth-maacah, and they built up an assault ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction to make the wall fall. 16Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Tell Joab, ‘Come here so that I may speak to you.’ ” 17So when he approached her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” He answered, “I am listening.”

2 Samuel 20:15 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ וַיָּצֻ֣רוּ עָלָ֗יו בְּאָבֵ֙לָה֙ בֵּ֣ית הַֽמַּעֲכָ֔ה וַיִּשְׁפְּכ֤וּ סֹֽלְלָה֙ אֶל־הָעִ֔יר וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד בַּחֵ֑ל וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶת־יוֹאָ֔ב מַשְׁחִיתִ֖ם לְהַפִּ֥יל הַחוֹמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and besiegedצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
• him in Abelאָבֵל'âbêl · AbelH59
• of Beth–maachahבֵּית מַעֲכָהbêyth ma‛ăkâh · (Abel)-beth-maacahH1038
• and they cast upשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: build siege moundH8210
• a bankסֹלְלָהsôlelâh sôlelâh · moundH5550
• against the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and it stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• in the trenchחֵלchêyl chêl · rampartH2426
• and all the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• with Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• batteredשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• to throw it downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:15

• 2 Kings 19:32‘Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: “He will not come to this city [Jerusalem] nor shoot an arrow there; nor will he come before it with a shield nor throw up a siege ramp against it.
• Jeremiah 32:24See the siege ramps [of mounded earth that the enemy has built against the walls]; they have come up to the city to capture it. And the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans [of Babylon] who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the virulent disease [that have overcome the people]. What You have spoken has come to pass, and behold, You see it.
• Jeremiah 33:4For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah which are torn down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword,
• Luke 19:43For a time [of siege] is coming when your enemies will put up a barricade [with pointed stakes] against you, and surround you [with armies] and hem you in on every side,

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15They cast up a bank against the city - The word סללה solelah, which we render bank, means, most probably, a battering engine of some kind, or a tower overlooking the walls, on which archers and slingers could stand and annoy the inhabitants, while others of the besiegers could proceed to sap the walls. That it cannot be a bank that stood in the trench, is evident from the circumstance thus expressed.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Cast up a bank - See the marginal references. The throwing up of mounds against the walls of besieged places by the besiegers is well illustrated in the Assyrian sculptures. The trench - The “pomoerium,” or fortified space outside the wall. When the mound was planted in the pomoerium the battering engines were able to approach close to the wall to make a breach.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-22Verses 14-22 Justly is that place attacked, which dares to harbour a traitor; nor will the heart fare better which indulges rebellious lusts, that will not have Christ to reign over them. A discreet woman, by her prudent management, satisfied Joab, and yet saved the city. Wisdom is not confined to rank or sex; it consists not in deep knowledge; but in understanding how to act as matters arise, that troubles may be turned away and benefits secured. A great…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15A siege ramp was usually a dirt ramp constructed against a wall. It was a common method to break through a city's defenses (see also 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 52:4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Abel of Beth-maachah--a verdant place--the addition of "Maachah" betokening that it belonged to the district Maachah, which lay far up the Jordan at the foot of Lebanon. 2Sa 20:16-22. A Wise Woman Saves the City by Sheba's Head.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:15

• Abel-Beth-Maachah
• Abishai
• Battering-Ram
• Beth-Maachah
• Siege
• Walls, of the Cities

In the dictionaries

• Abel
• Joab
• Bank
• Engines
• Heed
• Sheba
• Wont
• Abel-Beth-Maacah
• Amasa
• Bible, the

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary