2 Samuel 20:15

2 Samuel 20:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth–maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
• New International Version (NIV)All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

Context of 2 Samuel 20:15

13As soon as he was removed from the road, all the men went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 14Now he went on through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, that is, Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they assembled and went after him as well. And they came and besieged him in Abel Beth-maacah, and they built up an assault ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to topple the wall. 16Then a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen, listen! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’” 17So he approached her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your slave.” And he said, “I am listening.”

2 Samuel 20:15 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ וַיָּצֻ֣רוּ עָלָ֗יו בְּאָבֵ֙לָה֙ בֵּ֣ית הַֽמַּעֲכָ֔ה וַיִּשְׁפְּכ֤וּ סֹֽלְלָה֙ אֶל־הָעִ֔יר וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד בַּחֵ֑ל וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶת־יוֹאָ֔ב מַשְׁחִיתִ֖ם לְהַפִּ֥יל הַחוֹמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• And they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and besiegedצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
• and besiegedעַל‛al · uponH5921
• Abelאָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה'âbêl bêyth mă‛akâh · Abel-beth-maachahH62
• Beth-maacahבֵּית מַעֲכָהbêyth ma‛ăkâh · (Abel)-beth-maacahH1038
• builtשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
• an assaultסֹלְלָהsôlelâh sôlelâh · moundH5550
• againstאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and it stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• against the outerחֵלchêyl chêl · rampartH2426
• and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• were with Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• were wreakingשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• in order to toppleנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:15

• 2 Kings 19:32‘Therefore this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: “He will not come to this city nor shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield nor heap up an assault ramp against it.
• Jeremiah 32:24Behold, the assault ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city has been handed over to the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine, and the plague; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You see it.
• Jeremiah 33:4For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which have been torn down to make a defense against the assault ramps and the sword:
• Luke 19:43For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15They cast up a bank against the city - The word סללה solelah, which we render bank, means, most probably, a battering engine of some kind, or a tower overlooking the walls, on which archers and slingers could stand and annoy the inhabitants, while others of the besiegers could proceed to sap the walls. That it cannot be a bank that stood in the trench, is evident from the circumstance thus expressed.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Cast up a bank - See the marginal references. The throwing up of mounds against the walls of besieged places by the besiegers is well illustrated in the Assyrian sculptures. The trench - The “pomoerium,” or fortified space outside the wall. When the mound was planted in the pomoerium the battering engines were able to approach close to the wall to make a breach.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. 15A siege ramp was usually a dirt ramp constructed against a wall. It was a common method to break through a city's defenses (see also 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 52:4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Abel of Beth-maachah--a verdant place--the addition of "Maachah" betokening that it belonged to the district Maachah, which lay far up the Jordan at the foot of Lebanon. 2Sa 20:16-22. A Wise Woman Saves the City by Sheba's Head.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:15

• Abel-Beth-Maachah
• Abishai
• Battering-Ram
• Beth-Maachah
• Siege
• Walls, of the Cities

In the dictionaries

• Abel
• Joab
• Bank
• Engines
• Heed
• Sheba
• Wont
• Abel-Beth-Maacah
• Amasa
• Bible, the

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