Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 20:10
10Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
2 Samuel 20:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
- New International Version (NIV)Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
Context of 2 Samuel 20:10
8And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath. 9“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him. Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. 11One of Joab’s young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” 12But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged the body off the road into a field and threw a garment over it.
Read all of 2 Samuel 202 Samuel 20:10 word by word
וַעֲמָשָׂ֨א לֹֽא־נִשְׁמַ֜ר בַּחֶ֣רֶב׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיַד־יוֹאָ֗ב וַיַּכֵּהוּ֩ בָ֨הּ אֶל־הַחֹ֜מֶשׁ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֨ךְ מֵעָ֥יו אַ֛רְצָה וְלֹא־שָׁ֥נָה ל֖וֹ וַיָּמֹ֑ת ס וְיוֹאָב֙ וַאֲבִישַׁ֣י אָחִ֔יו רָדַ֕ף אַחֲרֵ֖י שֶׁ֥בַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִֽי׃Read the interlinear
- Amasaעֲמָשָׂא‛ămâώâ' · AmasaH6021
- was notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- on guardשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: look atH8104
- against the daggerחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- in Joab’sיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
- and Joab stabbedנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- inאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the stomachחֹ֫מֶשׁchômesh · bellyH2570
- and spilled out his intestinesמֵעֶהmê‛eh · bellyH4578
- and spilled out his intestinesשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
- on the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- to strike him againשָׁנָהshânâh · to repeatH8138
- for Amasa was deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
- pursuedרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- pursuedאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- Shebaשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ · ShebaH7652
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Bichriבִּכְרִיbikrîy · BichriH1075
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:10
- 2 Samuel 20:9“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
- Judges 3:21And Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.
- 1 Chronicles 12:2they were archers using both the right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows; and they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin):
- 2 Samuel 2:23But Asahel refused to turn away. So Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
- 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
- Genesis 4:8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
- 1 Kings 2:5Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
- Acts 1:18(Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
- 1 Samuel 26:8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10In the fifth rib - I believe חמש chomesh, which we render here and elsewhere the fifth rib, means any part of the abdominal region. The Septuagint translate it , the groin; the Targum, the right side of the thigh, i.e., (the phrase of the Targumist being interpreted), the privy parts. That it means some part of the abdominal region, is evident from what follows, And shed out his bowels to the ground. It appears from this that, in plain English, he ripped…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-13Verses 4-13 Joab barbarously murdered Amasa. The more plot there is in a sin, the worse it is. Joab contentedly sacrificed the interest both of the king and the kingdom to his personal revenge. But one would wonder with what face a murderer could pursue a traitor; and how, under such a load of guilt, he had courage to enter upon danger: his conscience was seared.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Amasa … died: This was the second time Joab killed an enemy commander through deceit. The first was Abner (2 Samuel 3:26–27). David tried twice to unite enemy groups by including the enemy's military leader (2 Samuel 3:6–13; 17:25; 19:13). Both times, Joab ruined David's plans by deceitfully murdering the rival commander (2 Samuel 3:22–30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. smote him ... in the fifth rib--the seat of the liver and bowels, where wounds are mortal. struck him not again--that is, despatched him at the first blow.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:10
In the dictionaries
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
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries