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2 Samuel 2:30

in 2 Samuel 2

When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.

KJV

And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 2

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
And Joab returned from following Abner,.... It being in his commission from David to shed as little blood as he could: and when he had gathered all the people together; who had been pursuing the Israelites, some one way and some another: there lacked of David's servants nineteen men, and Asahel; who is particularly mentioned, because a very honourable man, valiant and courageous, a relation of David, and brother of Joab the general, and the loss of him was greater than all the rest.

This site's exposition

there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men

on 2 Samuel 2:30-31

Joab gathers his men and counts the cost: nineteen of David's servants are missing along with Asahel, against three hundred and sixty of Benjamin and Abner's men who have fallen. The ratio is stated without triumph, a lopsided victory recorded in numbers rather than praised in words. The house of David has won the field on the very day the two houses first drew swords against each other.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

6 And now the L ORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. 7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:96%@v6-7

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

A fool's lips and hands enter into contention. The seat of the war was Gibeon. Abner chose it because it was in the lot of Benjamin, where Saul had the most friends; yet, since he offered battle, Joab, David's general, would not decline it, but there joined issue with him, and met him by the pool of Gibeon,

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

16 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.

  • וְיוֹאָ֗בand Joab

    veyoavH3097 →144 times

  • שָׁ֚בhe returned

    shavH7725 →1056 times

  • מֵאַחֲרֵ֣יfrom after

    meachareiH310 →715 times

  • אַבְנֵ֔רAbner

    ʾavnerH74 →63 times

  • וַיִּקְבֹּ֖ץand he gathered

    vaiyikbotzH6908 →127 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • הָעָ֑םthe people

    haamH5971 →1873 times

  • וַיִּפָּ֨קְד֜וּand they were missed

    vaiyipakeduH6485 →303 times

  • מֵעַבְדֵ֥יof [the] servants of

    meavdeiH5650 →799 times

  • דָוִ֛דDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • תִּשְׁעָֽה־nine-

    tishah-H8672 →

  • עָשָׂ֥רteen

    ʾasarH6240 →338 times

  • אִ֖ישׁman

    ʾishH376 →1663 times

  • וַעֲשָׂה־and Asah-

    vaasah-H6214 →24 times

  • אֵֽל׃-el

    ʾelH6214 →24 times

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

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

Read on in 2 Samuel 2 →