American Standard Version
2 Samuel 2:22
22And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn 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?
2 Samuel 2:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn 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?
- New International Version (NIV)Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?”
Context of 2 Samuel 2:22
20Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it thou, Asahel? And he answered, It is I. 21And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn 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? 23Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so that the spear came out 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 and died stood still. 24But Joab 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.
Read all of 2 Samuel 22 Samuel 2:22 word by word
וַיֹּ֧סֶף ע֣וֹד אַבְנֵ֗ר לֵאמֹר֙ אֶל־עֲשָׂהאֵ֔ל ס֥וּר לְךָ֖ מֵאַֽחֲרָ֑י לָ֤מָּה אַכֶּ֙כָּה֙ אַ֔רְצָה וְאֵיךְ֙ אֶשָּׂ֣א פָנַ֔י אֶל־יוֹאָ֖ב אָחִֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
- Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- againעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
- Asahelעֲשָׂהאֵל‛ăώâh'êl · AsahelH6214
- Turnסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
- asideסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
- groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- howמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
- Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 2:22
- 2 Kings 14:10Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up: glory thereof, and abide at home; for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
- Proverbs 29:1He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
- Ecclesiastes 6:10Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.
- 2 Samuel 3:27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2:22
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-24Verses 18-24 Death often comes by ways we least suspect. We are often betrayed by the accomplishments we are proud of! Asahel's swiftness, which he presumed so much upon, did him no service, but hastened his end.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-22Turn to your right or to your left … Stop chasing me: Abner’s words show respect between men trained for the same kind of military work, along with a desire for fairness in battle. Asahel, who was still young, would not have been able to defeat the more experienced Abner. Abner also understood that killing Asahel would worsen the conflict with David, and David’s troops would try to take revenge (see 2 Samuel 3:22–39).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-3219-32. Asahel pursued after Abner--To gain the general's armor was deemed the grandest trophy. Asahel, ambitious of securing Abner's, had outstripped all other pursuers, and was fast gaining on the retreating commander. Abner, conscious of possessing more physical power, and unwilling that there should be "blood" between himself and Joab, Asahel's brother, twice urged him to desist. The impetuous young soldier being deaf to the generous remonstrance, the…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 2:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries