2 Samuel 2:22

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, Art thou Asahel? And he said, I am. 21And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside, to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold of one of the young men, and take for thyself his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: why should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? 23But he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, 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. 24And Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner; and the sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

2 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
• whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• 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 has lifted thee up: boast thyself, and abide at home; for why shouldest thou contend with misfortune, that thou shouldest fall, thou, and Judah with thee?
• Proverbs 29:1He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and without remedy.
• Ecclesiastes 6:10That which is hath already been named; and what man is, is known, and that he cannot contend with him that is mightier than he.
• 2 Samuel 3:27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him secretly, and smote him there in the belly, 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

• Abner
• Asahel
• David
• Homicide
• Israel
• Joab
• War

In the dictionaries

• Abner
• Joab
• Cord
• Follow
• Ishbosheth
• Requite
• Government
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Samuel, Books of
• Text of the Old Testament

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