New English Translation
2 Samuel 20:15
15So Joab’s men came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city which stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab’s soldiers were trying to break through the wall so that it would collapse,
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
13Once he had removed Amasa from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri. 14Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah and all the Berite region. When they had assembled, they too joined him. So Joab’s men came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city which stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab’s soldiers were trying to break through the wall so that it would collapse, 16a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, ‘Come near so that I may speak to you.’” 17When he approached her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” He replied, “I am.” She said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He said, “Go ahead. I’m listening.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 202 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and besiegedצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
- him in Abelאָבֵל'âbêl · AbelH59
- of Beth–maachahבֵּית מַעֲכָהbêyth ma‛ăkâh · (Abel)-beth-maacahH1038
- and they cast upשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: build siege moundH8210
- a bankסֹלְלָהsôlelâh sôlelâh · moundH5550
- against the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and it stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- in the trenchחֵלchêyl chêl · rampartH2426
- and all the peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
- with Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- batteredשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- to throw it downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:15
- 2 Kings 19:32So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: “He will not enter this city, nor will he shoot an arrow here. He will not attack it with his shield-carrying warriors, nor will he build siege works against it.
- Jeremiah 32:24Even now siege ramps have been built up around the city in order to capture it. War, starvation, and disease are sure to make the city fall into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. Lord, you threatened that this would happen. Now you can see that it is already taking place.
- Jeremiah 33:4For I, the Lord God of Israel, have something more to say about the houses in this city and the royal buildings which have been torn down for defenses against the siege ramps and military incursions of the Babylonians:
- Luke 19:43For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and close in on you from 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
In the dictionaries
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
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