New International Version
2 Samuel 3:27
27Now 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.
Context of 2 Samuel 3:27
25You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.” 26Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. 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. 28Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks 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 20:9Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
- Deuteronomy 27:24“Cursed is anyone who kills their neighbor secretly.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
- 1 Kings 2:5“Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
- Jeremiah 41:2Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.
- Jeremiah 6:7As a well pours out its water, so she pours out her wickedness. Violence and destruction resound in her; her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
- 2 Samuel 3:6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul.
- 2 Samuel 4:6They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
- 2 Samuel 2:19He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.
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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