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2 Samuel 2:22

in 2 Samuel 2

Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

KJV

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

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This verse in 2 Samuel 2

Commentary

6 notes on this verse
But when the passionate so attack others that they cannot be altogether shunned, they should be smitten, not with open rebuke, but sparingly with a certain respectful cautiousness. And this we shall shew better if we bring forward what was done by Abner. For, when Asahel attacked him with the violence of inconsiderate haste, it is written, "Abner spake unto Asahel, saying. Turn thee aside from following me, lest I be driven to smite thee to the ground. Howbeit he scorned to listen, and refused to turn aside.

This site's exposition

Is that you, Asahel?

on 2 Samuel 2:20-23

Abner twice tells Asahel to “seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself”, and twice Asahel refuses. Abner thrusts “the butt of his spear into his stomach”, and Asahel falls dead. Joab collects the debt, and a killing in battle becomes the ground for a murder.

This site's exposition

your brother Joab

Matthew Henry reads Abner’s question about his face before Joab as a sign that he expected David to reign. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown add that Abner wanted no blood between himself and the brother of Asahel. Gregory the Dialogist praises his warning.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

It is commendable for enemies to be thus respectful one to another. Abner's care how he should lift up his face to Joab gives cause to suspect that he really believed David would have the kingdom at last, according to the divine designation, and then, in opposing him, he acted against his conscience. How fatal Asahel's rashness was to him.
And Abner said again to Asahel,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Asahel pursued after Abner--To gain the general's armor was deemed the grandest trophy. Asahel, ambitious of securing Abner's, had outstripped all other pursuers, and was fast gaining on the retreating commander. Abner, conscious of possessing more physical power, and unwilling that there should be "blood" between himself and Joab, Asahel's brother, twice urged him to desist.

The words behind it

18 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיֹּ֧סֶףand he repeated

    vaiyosefH3254 →212 times

  • ע֣וֹדagain

    odH5750 →490 times

  • אַבְנֵ֗רAbner

    ʾavnerH74 →63 times

  • לֵאמֹר֙to say

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • עֲשָׂהאֵ֔לAsahel

    ʾasahelH6214 →24 times

  • ס֥וּרturn aside

    surH5493 →299 times

  • לְךָ֖for <the> yourself

    lekha

  • מֵאַֽחֲרָ֑יfrom after me

    meacharaiH310 →715 times

  • לָ֤מָּה<to> why?

    lamahH4100 →752 times

  • אַכֶּ֙כָּה֙will I strike you

    ʾakkekahH5221 →499 times

  • אַ֔רְצָה[the] ground towards

    ʾartzahH776 →2504 times

  • וְאֵיךְ֙and how?

    veeikhH349 →82 times

  • אֶשָּׂ֣אwill I lift up

    ʾesa'H5375 →656 times

  • פָנַ֔יface my

    fanaiH6440 →2123 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • יוֹאָ֖בJoab

    yoavH3097 →144 times

  • אָחִֽיךָ׃brother your

    ʾachikhaH251 →630 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

6 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Psalms 143:3For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead.6 works2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.4 works1 Samuel 19:17And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away and he has escaped!” Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’”4 worksProverbs 29:1A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.2 worksEcclesiastes 6:10Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.2 works2 Kings 14:10–12You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Glory in that and stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Proverbs 29:1

    A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 6:15

      Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

    • 1 Samuel 2:25

      If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since…

    • Proverbs 28:18

      He who walks with integrity will be kept safe, but whoever is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

    • Proverbs 1:24–31

      Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,

    • Zechariah 7:11–14

      But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing.

  • Through

    Ecclesiastes 6:10

    Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

    it leads to

    • Job 9:32

      For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.

    • Isaiah 45:9–10

      Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?

    • Job 40:2

      “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”

Where this verse is studied

About 2 Samuel

Combat between Soldiers of Ish-bosheth and David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Combat between Soldiers of Ish-bosheth and David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 2 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Gregory the Dialogist, The Book of Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 16; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 2 →