2 Samuel 20:16

2 Samuel 20:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
• New International Version (NIV)a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, 'Come here, that I may speak to you.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’ ”

Context of 2 Samuel 20:16

14Sheba travelled through the land of all Israel's tribes. He arrived at Abel Beth Maakah. All the people of Bicri's clan also came to the city. They joined Sheba there. 15Then Joab's soldiers arrived and they started to attack Abel Beth Maakah. They made their camp all around the city. They built heaps of earth against the city's walls. They started to dig holes through the walls to cause them to fall down. Then a wise woman stood on the wall and she shouted to them, ‘Listen! Listen to me! Tell Joab to come near so that I can speak to him!’ 17So Joab went towards her. The woman asked him, ‘Are you Joab?’ He answered, ‘Yes, I am.’ She said to him, ‘Please listen to what I have to say.’ ‘I am listening, so tell me,’ he replied. 18Then she said, ‘A long time ago, people said, “If you want an answer to your problem, go to Abel city.” So that is what people did when they had problems.

2 Samuel 20:16 word by word

וַתִּקְרָ֛א אִשָּׁ֥ה חֲכָמָ֖ה מִן־הָעִ֑יר שִׁמְע֤וּ שִׁמְעוּ֙ אִמְרוּ־נָ֣א אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב קְרַ֣ב עַד־הֵ֔נָּה וַאֲדַבְּרָ֖ה אֵלֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• a wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• out of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• Hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I pray you, unto Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• Come nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• hither, that I may speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:16

• 2 Samuel 14:2So he sent a message to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He said to her, ‘Pretend that you are upset because of someone's death. Dress in funeral clothes. Do not use any perfume on your body. You must seem like a woman who has been sad for a long time.
• Ecclesiastes 9:14There was a small city and only a few people lived in it. A powerful king came to attack that city. His army made their camp around the city. They built heaps of earth all around it.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16A wise woman - She was probably governess.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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16wise woman: Compare 2 Samuel 14:2.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Then cried a wise woman--The appeal of this woman, who, like Deborah, was probably a judge or governess of the place, was a strong one.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:16

• Abel-Beth-Maachah
• Abishai
• Diplomacy
• Joab
• Politics
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Joab
• Heed
• Sheba
• Wont
• Amasa
• Bible, the
• David
• Israel, History of
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Proverbs, the Book of

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