2 Samuel 20:10

2 Samuel 20:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
• New International Version (NIV)Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

Context of 2 Samuel 20:10

8As they arrived at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was wearing his military tunic with a dagger strapped to his belt. As he stepped forward to greet Amasa, he slipped the dagger from its sheath. 9“How are you, my cousin?” Joab said and took him by the beard with his right hand as though to kiss him. Amasa didn’t notice the dagger in his left hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it so that his insides gushed out onto the ground. Joab did not need to strike again, and Amasa soon died. Joab and his brother Abishai left him lying there and continued after Sheba. 11One of Joab’s young men shouted to Amasa’s troops, “If you are for Joab and David, come and follow Joab.” 12But Amasa lay in his blood in the middle of the road, and Joab’s man saw that everyone was stopping to stare at him. So he pulled him off the road into a field and threw a cloak over him.

2 Samuel 20:10 word by word

וַעֲמָשָׂ֨א לֹֽא־נִשְׁמַ֜ר בַּחֶ֣רֶב׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיַד־יוֹאָ֗ב וַיַּכֵּהוּ֩ בָ֨הּ אֶל־הַחֹ֜מֶשׁ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֨ךְ מֵעָ֥יו אַ֛רְצָה וְלֹא־שָׁ֥נָה ל֖וֹ וַיָּמֹ֑ת ס וְיוֹאָב֙ וַאֲבִישַׁ֣י אָחִ֔יו רָדַ֕ף אַחֲרֵ֖י שֶׁ֥בַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But Amasaעֲמָשָׂא‛ămâώâ' · AmasaH6021
• took no heedשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: look atH8104
• to the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• in Joab’sיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• handיָדyâd · handH3027
• so he smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• him therewith in the fifthחֹ֫מֶשׁchômesh · bellyH2570
• and shed outשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
• his bowelsמֵעֶהmê‛eh · bellyH4578
• to the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• and struck him not againשָׁנָהshânâh · to repeatH8138
• and he diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• and Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• pursuedרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• Shebaשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ · ShebaH7652
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Bichriבִּכְרִיbikrîy · BichriH1075

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:10

• 2 Samuel 20:9“How are you, my cousin?” Joab said and took him by the beard with his right hand as though to kiss him.
• Judges 3:21Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly.
• 1 Chronicles 12:2All of them were expert archers, and they could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right. They were all relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin.
• 2 Samuel 2:23But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.
• 2 Samuel 3:27When 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.
• Genesis 4:8One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.
• 1 Kings 2:5“And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood.
• Acts 1:18(Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines.
• 1 Samuel 26:8“God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!” Abishai whispered to David. “Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to strike twice!”

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10In the fifth rib - I believe חמש chomesh, which we render here and elsewhere the fifth rib, means any part of the abdominal region. The Septuagint translate it , the groin; the Targum, the right side of the thigh, i.e., (the phrase of the Targumist being interpreted), the privy parts. That it means some part of the abdominal region, is evident from what follows, And shed out his bowels to the ground. It appears from this that, in plain English, he ripped…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-13Verses 4-13 Joab barbarously murdered Amasa. The more plot there is in a sin, the worse it is. Joab contentedly sacrificed the interest both of the king and the kingdom to his personal revenge. But one would wonder with what face a murderer could pursue a traitor; and how, under such a load of guilt, he had courage to enter upon danger: his conscience was seared.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Amasa … died: This was the second time Joab killed an enemy commander through deceit. The first was Abner (2 Samuel 3:26–27). David tried twice to unite enemy groups by including the enemy's military leader (2 Samuel 3:6–13; 17:25; 19:13). Both times, Joab ruined David's plans by deceitfully murdering the rival commander (2 Samuel 3:22–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. smote him ... in the fifth rib--the seat of the liver and bowels, where wounds are mortal. struck him not again--that is, despatched him at the first blow.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:10

• Abishai
• Amasa
• Assassination
• Confidence
• David
• Homicide
• Joab
• Kiss
• Treachery

In the dictionaries

• Joab
• Sheba
• Amasa
• Gibeon
• Heed
• Murder
• Wont
• Abishai
• Bible, the
• Crime; Crimes

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