American Standard Version
2 Samuel 2:26
26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
2 Samuel 2:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
- New International Version (NIV)Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Abner called to Joab, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”
Context of 2 Samuel 2:26
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. 25And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 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? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? 27And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed every one his brother. 28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
Read all of 2 Samuel 22 Samuel 2:26 word by word
וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְנֵ֜ר אֶל־יוֹאָ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הֲלָנֶ֙צַח֙ תֹּ֣אכַל חֶ֔רֶב הֲל֣וֹא יָדַ֔עְתָּה כִּֽי־מָרָ֥ה תִהְיֶ֖ה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָ֑ה וְעַד־מָתַי֙ לֹֽא־תֹאמַ֣ר לָעָ֔ם לָשׁ֖וּב מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
- Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
- Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- devourאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- bitternessמַרmar mârâh · bitterH4751
- latterאַחֲרוֹן'achăryôn 'achărôn · lastH314
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 2:26
- 2 Samuel 2:14And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
- Acts 7:26And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
- 2 Samuel 11:25Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another; make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
- Isaiah 1:20but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
- Jeremiah 2:30In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
- Jeremiah 12:12Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace.
- Jeremiah 46:10For that day is a day of the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
- Hosea 11:6And the sword shall fall upon their cities, and shall consume their bars, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
- 2 Samuel 2:16And 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 Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
- Proverbs 17:14The beginning of strife isas when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.
- Job 18:2How long will ye hunt for words? Consider, and afterwards we will speak.
- Job 19:2How long will ye vex my soul, And break me in pieces with words?
- Psalms 4:2O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? How longwill ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood? [Selah
- Jeremiah 4:21How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2:26
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-32Verses 25-32 Abner appeals to Joab concerning the miserable consequences of a civil war. Those who make light of such unnatural contests, will find that they are bitterness to all concerned. How easy it is for men to use reason, when it makes for them, who would not use it, if it made against them! See how the issue of things alter men's minds! The same thing which looked pleasant in the morning, at night looked dismal. Those who are most forward to enter…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26this will only end in bitterness: Realizing that such wars go on generation after generation, Abner wisely negotiated a truce.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 2:26
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