New International Version
2 Samuel 2:14
14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
2 Samuel 2:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and compete before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” “All right,” Joab agreed.
Context of 2 Samuel 2:14
12Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side. Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said. 15So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
Read all of 2 Samuel 22 Samuel 2:14 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְנֵר֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב יָק֤וּמוּ נָא֙ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וִֽישַׂחֲק֖וּ לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יוֹאָ֖ב יָקֻֽמוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 2:14
- 2 Samuel 2:17The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.
- Proverbs 10:23A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
- Proverbs 17:14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
- Proverbs 20:18Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.
- Proverbs 25:8do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?
- Proverbs 26:18Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Let the young men - play before us - This was diabolical play, where each man thrust his sword into the body of the other, so that the twenty-four (twelve on each side) fell down dead together! But this was the signal for that sanguinary skirmish which immediately took place.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Play - (Compare Judges 16:25; 1 Samuel 18:7). Here, the word is applied to the serious game of war, to be played by twelve combatants on each side, with the two armies for spectators.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-17Verses 8-17 The nation in general refused David. By this the Lord trained up his servant for future honour and usefulness; and the tendency of true godliness was shown in his behaviour while passing through various difficulties. David was herein a type of Christ, whom Israel would not submit to, though anointed of the Father to be a Prince and a Saviour to them. Abner meant, Let the young men fight before us, when he said, Let them play before us: fools…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14the young men: In ancient times, enemy armies sometimes picked individuals or small groups to fight as representative gladiators. This practice is often called champion warfare (see also 1 Samuel 17). compete: The Hebrew term usually suggests an element of play. A contest of champions might have been seen as a high-stakes game. In this case, it resolved nothing. The fighting grew into a much larger battle with more casualties (2 Samuel 2:17–32).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-178-17. Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host took Ish-bosheth--Here was the establishment of a rival kingdom, which, however, would probably have had no existence but for Abner. Ish-bosheth--or "Esh-baal" (1Ch 8:33; 9:39). The Hebrews usually changed names ending with Baal into Bosheth ("shame") (compare Jud 9:53 with 2Sa 11:21). This prince was so called from his imbecility. Abner--was first cousin of Saul, commander of the forces, and held in high…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 2:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2
- 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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries