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

20Abner looked behind him and he asked, ‘Is that you, Asahel?’ ‘Yes, it is,’ he answered. 21Then Abner said to him, ‘Turn away from me to the right or to the left. Then you can chase one of the young soldiers and you can take his weapons.’ But Asahel would not stop chasing after Abner. Abner said again to Asahel, ‘Stop chasing after me. I do not want to knock you down to the ground. If I kill you, I will never be able to show myself to your brother Joab again!’ 23But Asahel refused to stop chasing Abner. So Abner pushed the stick of his spear behind him into Asahel's stomach. It went through his body and came out of his back. Asahel fell to the ground immediately and he died there. When anyone came to that place, they stopped to look at Asahel's body. 24But Joab and Abishai continued to chase after Abner. When the sun was going down, they reached Ammah hill, near Giah. That was on the road 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• againיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• to Asahelעֲשָׂהאֵל‛ăώâh'êl · AsahelH6214
• Turn thee asideסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• from followingאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• me: wherefore should I smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• thee to the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• how then should I hold upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: kindnessH5375
• my faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
• to Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• thy brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 2:22

• 2 Kings 14:10Yes! You have won the fight against Edom. But do not boast about your power! You may be very happy, but stay at home! Do not try to fight against us. If you do that, you will cause trouble that destroys both you and your kingdom, Judah.’
• Proverbs 29:1You may warn a proud person many times, but he will not listen to you. Trouble will suddenly happen to him and he will not escape.
• Ecclesiastes 6:10Everything that is here today already has its name. Everyone knows what we humans are like. It is useless to argue with someone who is more powerful than we are.
• 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab met him at the city's gate. Then Joab took him into a corner, as if he wanted to speak with Abner alone. But he pushed his knife into Abner's stomach. Joab killed Abner because Abner had killed Asahel, Joab's 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