2 Samuel 10:11
in 2 Samuel 10“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
KJV
And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 10
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him
on 2 Samuel 10:9-11
Joab divides the army: he takes the best men of Israel against the Arameans and gives the rest to his brother Abishai against the Ammonites. His order binds the two forces: if the Arameans are too strong, “then you will come to my rescue”, and the same the other way.
This site's exposition
then you will come to my rescue
Gill says the need would show when troops gave way before the Arameans or the Ammonites, or by a signal the brothers agreed. The one holding his ground was to send part of his army to the rescue. Each army guarded the back of the other.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And he said, if the Syrians be too strong for me,.... Which he might perceive by Joab's forces giving way, or by some signal agreed on between them then thou shall help me; detach a part of his army to his support and assistance: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee; in the same manner.
Christ's soldiers should thus strengthen one another's hands in their spiritual warfare. The strong must succour and help the weak. Those that through grace are conquerors over temptation must counsel, and comfort, and pray for, those that are tempted.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It was a just and necessary war that had been forced on Israel, and they could hope for the blessing of God upon their arms. With great judgment the battle opened against the mercenaries, who could not stand against the furious onset of Joab, and not feeling the cause their own, consulted their safety by flight.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| תֶּחֱזַ֤ק | techezak | it will be [too] strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| אֲרָם֙ | ʾaram | Aram | H758 → | 143 times |
| מִמֶּ֔נִּי | mimeni | for me | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| וְהָיִ֥תָה | vehayitah | and you will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִּ֖י | li | of me | ||
| לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה | lishuah | <into> deliverance | H3444 → | |
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| בְּנֵ֤י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| עַמּוֹן֙ | ʾamon | Ammon | H5983 → | 106 times |
| יֶחֱזְק֣וּ | yechezku | they will be [too] strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| מִמְּךָ֔ | mimekha | for you | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| וְהָלַכְתִּ֖י | vehalakhti | and I will come | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַֽ | lehoshia' | to deliver | H3467 → | 206 times |
| לָֽךְ׃ | lakh | <to> <the> you |
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
תֶּחֱזַ֤קit will be [too] strong
techezakH2388 →291 times
אֲרָם֙Aram
ʾaramH758 →143 times
מִמֶּ֔נִּיfor me
mimeniH4480 →1188 times
וְהָיִ֥תָהand you will become
vehayitahH1961 →3559 times
לִּ֖יof me
li
לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה<into> deliverance
lishuahH3444 →
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
בְּנֵ֤י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
עַמּוֹן֙Ammon
ʾamonH5983 →106 times
יֶחֱזְק֣וּthey will be [too] strong
yechezkuH2388 →291 times
מִמְּךָ֔for you
mimekhaH4480 →1188 times
וְהָלַכְתִּ֖יand I will come
vehalakhtiH1980 →1546 times
לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַֽto deliver
lehoshia'H3467 →206 times
לָֽךְ׃<to> <the> you
lakh
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 6:2Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 15:1
We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- John 13:34
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
- 1 John 4:21
And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.
- John 15:12
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14
Through
Romans 15:1We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
it leads to
- Romans 14:1
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.
- 1 Corinthians 9:22
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
- Galatians 6:1–2
Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- Romans 14:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
