2 Samuel 20:19

2 Samuel 20:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?
• New International Version (NIV)We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”

Context of 2 Samuel 20:19

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.” 18Then she spoke, saying, “In the past they used to say, ‘They will undoubtedly ask advice at Abel,’ and that is how they ended a dispute. I am one of those who are ready for peace and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” 20Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me that I would consume or destroy! 21Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against King David. Only turn him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

2 Samuel 20:19 word by word

אָנֹכִ֕י שְׁלֻמֵ֖י אֱמוּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֗שׁ לְהָמִ֨ית עִ֤יר וְאֵם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לָ֥מָּה תְבַלַּ֖ע נַחֲלַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear

• of those who are readyשָׁלַםshâlam · to allyH7999
• faithfulאָמַן'âman · be faithfulH539
• in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• You are tryingבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• to destroyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• a cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• even a motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• would you swallowבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
• the inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:19

• Genesis 18:23Abraham approached and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
• Romans 13:3For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;
• 1 Timothy 2:2for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
• Judges 5:7The peasantry came to an end, they came to an end in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Until I arose, a mother in Israel.
• Ezekiel 16:45You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You are also the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.
• 2 Samuel 17:16Now then, send a messenger quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend the night at the river crossing places of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be destroyed.’”
• Numbers 16:32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, and all the people who belonged to Korah with all their possessions.
• Numbers 26:10and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that group died, when the fire devoured 250 men, so that they became a warning sign.
• Psalms 124:3Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their anger was kindled against us;
• Jeremiah 51:34“Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me, he has crushed me, He has set me down like an empty vessel; He has swallowed me like a monster, He has filled his stomach with my delicacies; He has washed me away.
• Lamentations 2:2The Lord has destroyed; He has not spared All the settlements of Jacob. In His wrath He has overthrown The strongholds of the daughter of Judah, He has hurled them down to the ground; He has profaned the kingdom and its leaders.
• 1 Corinthians 15:54But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.
• 2 Corinthians 5:4For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.
• 2 Samuel 21:3David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And how can I make amends, so that you will bless the inheritance of the Lord?”
• Exodus 19:5Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;
• Deuteronomy 32:9For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19I - peaceable and faithful in Israel - I am for peace, not contention of any kind; I am faithful - I adhere to David, and neither seek nor shall sanction any rebellion or anarchy in the land. Why then dost thou proceed in such a violent manner? Perhaps the woman speaks here in the name and on behalf of the city: "I am a peaceable city, and am faithful to the king." A mother in Israel - That is, a chief city of a district; for it is very likely that the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19I am one … - The woman speaks in the name of the whole city, which she means to say was peaceable and loyal.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. 18-19The woman shared a saying to persuade Joab not to destroy the entire city, especially a noble one like Abel (short for Abel-beth-maacah, 2 Samuel 20:15), just to catch one criminal. a city that is a mother in Israel: It was common to refer to outlying villages around a larger city as its “daughters.”Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. They were wont to speak in old time--The translation of the Margin gives a better meaning, which is to this effect: When the people saw thee lay siege to Abel, they said, Surely he will ask if we will have peace, for the law (De 20:10) prescribes that he should offer peace to strangers, much more then to Israelitish cities; and if he do this, we shall soon bring things to an amicable agreement, for we are a peaceable people. The answer of Joab…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:19

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

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Abelbethmaachah
• Heed
• Sheba
• Wont
• Amasa
• Bible, the
• City

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