2 Samuel 2:26

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 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. 25Then the men of Benjamin's tribe joined with Abner. They were all ready to fight as one group. They stood together at the top of a hill. Abner shouted to Joab, ‘We should stop fighting. We do not want to continue killing one another for ever. In the end, we would all be very sad. Please tell your men to stop chasing after their brothers.’ 27Joab replied, ‘As surely as God lives, I agree! If you had not spoken, our men would have chased you all through the night. They would not have stopped until the morning.’ 28So Joab made a loud noise with the trumpet. Then all his men stopped where they were. They did not continue to chase after the men of Israel. They stopped fighting.

2 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
• calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• to Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Shall the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• devourאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• for everנֵ֫צַחnetsach nêtsach · perpetuityH5331
• knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• thou not that it will be bitternessמַרmar mârâh · bitterH4751
• in the latter endאַחֲרוֹן'achăryôn 'achărôn · lastH314
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
• from followingאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• their brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 2:26

• 2 Samuel 2:14Then Abner said to Joab, ‘Some young men from each of our groups should fight against each other. Then we can watch them.’ Joab agreed.
• Acts 7:26On the next day, Moses saw two Israelite men. They were fighting each other. He tried to make them become friends. He said to them, “Listen to me, men. You are both in the family of Israel. You should not hurt each other.”
• 2 Samuel 11:25David said to the man that Joab had sent, ‘Tell Joab, “Do not be too upset. The enemy will always kill some of our men, and it could be anyone. Continue to attack the city even more strongly and then you will take it for us.” If you say that to Joab, he will not be so sad.’
• Isaiah 1:20But if you refuse to obey me and you turn against me, you will die in war.’ That is what the Lord himself has said.
• Jeremiah 2:30‘When I punished your people, they did not change how they lived. When I sent my prophets to you, you killed them as if you were a hungry lion.’
• Jeremiah 12:12Soldiers will march over the hills in the wilderness. They will come to destroy the whole land. I, the Lord, will use them as my weapon. I will punish everyone. Nobody will be safe.
• Jeremiah 46:10But it is the Lord God Almighty who will win! It is the day when he will punish his enemies. His sword will completely destroy them, like a hungry person who cannot stop eating! His sword will cause a lot of blood to pour out. The Lord God Almighty will accept his enemies as a sacrifice. That is what will happen in the northern land beside the Euphrates river.
• Hosea 11:6War will come to their cities. Enemies will break down the strong city gates. War will destroy my people and all their wicked ideas.
• 2 Samuel 2:16As they fought, each man took hold of his enemy's head. And each man pushed his sword into his enemy's side. So they all fell down together and they were dead. So people called that place ‘The Field of Swords’. It is in Gibeon.
• Proverbs 17:14It is difficult to stop a quarrel once it has started. It is like water that pours out of a broken pot. Stop it quickly!
• Job 18:2‘You should not continue to talk like that! Stop and think carefully. Then we can talk.
• Job 19:2‘Please stop speaking to me like that! Your words continue to make me suffer.
• Psalms 4:2Tell me this, you people: How long will you refuse to respect me? How long will you love stupid ideas? How long will you agree with lies? Selah.
• Jeremiah 4:21How long will our enemy continue to attack us? How long will I see their flags and hear their trumpets?

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

• Abner
• David
• Israel
• Joab
• Truce
• 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