Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 20:21
21That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman replied to Joab, “Watch! His head will be thrown over the wall to you.”
2 Samuel 20:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
- New International Version (NIV)That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you from the wall.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."
- New King James Version (NKJV)That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.” So the woman said to Joab, “Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
Context of 2 Samuel 20:21
19I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?” 20Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish! That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman replied to Joab, “Watch! His head will be thrown over the wall to you.” 22The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem. 23Joab commanded the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
Read all of 2 Samuel 202 Samuel 20:21 word by word
לֹא־כֵ֣ן הַדָּבָ֗ר כִּ֡י אִישׁ֩ מֵהַ֨ר אֶפְרַ֜יִם שֶׁ֧בַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִ֣י שְׁמ֗וֹ נָשָׂ֤א יָדוֹ֙ בַּמֶּ֣לֶךְ בְּדָוִ֔ד תְּנֽוּ־אֹת֣וֹ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְאֵלְכָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל הָעִ֑יר וַתֹּ֤אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב הִנֵּ֥ה רֹאשׁ֛וֹ מֻשְׁלָ֥ךְ אֵלֶ֖יךָ בְּעַ֥ד הַחוֹמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- not so: but a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of mountהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
- Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- Shebaשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ · ShebaH7652
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Bichriבִּכְרִיbikrîy · BichriH1075
- by nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- hath lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: fightH5375
- his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- against the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- against Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- him only, and I will departיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- from the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- And the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- Behold, his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- shall be thrownשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- to thee overבַּ֫עַדbe‛ad · about/through/forH1157
- the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:21
- 2 Samuel 20:1Now a wicked man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ram’s horn and shouted: We have no portion in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Each man to his tent, Israel!
- Judges 2:9They buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
- Judges 7:24Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim with this message: “Come down to intercept the Midianites and take control of the watercourses ahead of them as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they took control of the watercourses as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.
- 2 Kings 5:22Gehazi said, “It’s all right. My master has sent me to say, ‘I have just now discovered that two young men from the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them seventy-five pounds of silver and two sets of clothing.’”
- Jeremiah 4:15For a voice announces from Dan, proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.
- Jeremiah 50:19I will return Israel to his grazing land, and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan; he will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and of Gilead.
- 2 Samuel 23:18Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
- 1 Samuel 24:6He said to his men, “As the Lord is my witness, I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed. I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”
- 1 Samuel 26:9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be innocent?”
- 2 Samuel 17:2I will attack him while he is weary and discouraged, throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king
- 2 Kings 10:7When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered all seventy, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21His head shall be thrown to thee - Thus it appears she had great sway in the counsels of the city; and that the punishment of a state rebel was then, what it is now in this kingdom, beheading.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
Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:21
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
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