God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 3:27
27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway as if to talk to him privately. There he stabbed Abner in the belly. Abner died because he spilled the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
2 Samuel 3:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
- New International Version (NIV)Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
Context of 2 Samuel 3:27
25Certainly you must know that Ner’s son Abner came to deceive you, to find out about your movements and learn everything you’re doing!” 26After leaving David, Joab sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the cistern of Sirah without David knowing about it. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway as if to talk to him privately. There he stabbed Abner in the belly. Abner died because he spilled the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel. 28Later when David heard about it, he said, “As far as the Lord is concerned, my kingdom and I are forever innocent of spilling the blood of Ner’s son Abner. 29May the blame fall on the head of Joab and all of his family. May there always be members of Joab’s family who have oozing sores and skin diseases, who can only work a spindle, who die in battle, and who never have any food.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 32 Samuel 3:27 word by word
וַיָּ֤שָׁב אַבְנֵר֙ חֶבְר֔וֹן וַיַּטֵּ֤הוּ יוֹאָב֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הַשַּׁ֔עַר לְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּשֶּׁ֑לִי וַיַּכֵּ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ הַחֹ֔מֶשׁ וַיָּ֕מָת בְּדַ֖ם עֲשָׂה־אֵ֥ל אָחִֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
- was returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to Hebronחֶבְרוֹןchebrôn · HebronH2275
- Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- took him asideנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- inתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- inאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- to speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- with him quietlyשְׁלִיshelîy · quietnessH7987
- and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- him there under the fifthחֹ֫מֶשׁchômesh · bellyH2570
- that he diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- for the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- of Asahelעֲשָׂהאֵל‛ăώâh'êl · AsahelH6214
- his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 3:27
- 2 Samuel 20:9“How are you, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. He took hold of Amasa’s beard with his right hand to kiss him.
- Deuteronomy 27:24“Whoever kills another person secretly will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
- 1 Kings 2:5“You know what Joab (Zeruiah’s son) did to me and to the two commanders of Israel’s army—Abner, son of Ner, and Amasa, son of Jether. Joab killed them. When there was peace, he shed blood as if it were wartime. With their blood he stained the belt around his waist and the shoes on his feet.
- Jeremiah 41:2Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him got up, drew their swords, and killed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. So they assassinated the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the land.
- Jeremiah 6:7As a well keeps its water fresh, so Jerusalem keeps its evil fresh. Violence and destruction can be heard in it. I see that it is sick and wounded.
- 2 Samuel 3:6During the war between the families of Saul and David, Abner strengthened his position in Saul’s royal family.
- 2 Samuel 4:6when they came into the house as though they were going to get some flour. Instead, they stabbed him in the belly. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.
- 2 Samuel 2:19He chased Abner and refused to leave him alone.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27And smote him there - Joab feared that, after having rendered such essential services to David, Abner would be made captain of the host: he therefore determined to prevent it by murdering the man, under pretense of avenging the death of his brother Asahel. The murder, however, was one of the most unprovoked and wicked: and such was the power and influence of this nefarious general, that the king dared not to bring him to justice for his crime. In the same…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-39Verses 22-39 Judgments are prepared for such scorners as Abner; but Joab, in what he did, acted wickedly. David laid Abner's murder deeply to heart, and in many ways expressed his detestation of it. The guilt of blood brings a curse upon families: if men do not avenge it, God will. It is a sad thing to die like a fool, as they do that any way shorten their own days, and those who make no provision for another world. Who would be fond of power, when a man…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27as if to speak to him privately: Joab accused Abner of acting with deception (2 Samuel 3:25). However, Joab himself used deception when he drew Abner aside in order to kill him. on account of the blood: Joab acted according to the custom of blood vengeance (the practice of killing the person who had killed a close family member).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 24-2724-27. Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done?--Joab's knowledge of Abner's wily character might have led him to doubt the sincerity of that person's proposals and to disapprove the policy of relying on his fidelity. But undoubtedly there were other reasons of a private and personal nature which made Joab displeased and alarmed by the reception given to Abner. The military talents of that general, his popularity with the army, his influence…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 3:27
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3
- 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
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