2 Samuel 3:27
in 2 Samuel 3When 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
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.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 3
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd 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 way he murdered Amasa, a little time afterwards. See 2Sa 20:
This site's exposition
sent messengers after Abner
on 2 Samuel 3:26-27
Joab acts without David's knowledge, calling Abner from the well of Sirah and stabbing him in the gateway. The text names his motive, “the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel”. Blood vengeance had its place with the cities of refuge, and a private killing by deceit answers to no such provision.
This site's exposition
into the gateway
Adam Clarke notes that Joab later killed Amasa in the same way, at chapter 20. Clarke adds that the power of Joab left the king afraid to bring him to justice. He calls the murder unprovoked and wicked.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
My wife - Who, though she was taken from me by force, and constrained to marry another, yet is my rightful wife. David demands her, both for the affection he still retained to her, and upon a political consideration that she might strengthen his title to the kingdom.
And when Abner was returned to Hebron,....
He washed his hands from the guilt of Abner's blood. Lest any should suspect that Joab had some secret intimation from David to do as he did (and the rather because he went so long unpunished), he here solemnly appeals to God concerning his innocency: I and my kingdom are guiltless (and my kingdom is so because I am so) before the Lord for ever,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
To these considerations was added the remembrance of the blood feud that existed between them since the death of his brother Asahel (2Sa 2:23).
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֤שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אַבְנֵר֙ | ʾavner | Abner | H74 → | 63 times |
| חֶבְר֔וֹן | chevron | Hebron | H2275 → | 72 times |
| וַיַּטֵּ֤הוּ | vaiyatehu | and he turned aside him | H5186 → | 214 times |
| יוֹאָב֙ | yoav | Joab | H3097 → | 144 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| תּ֣וֹךְ | tokh | [the] middle of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| הַשַּׁ֔עַר | hashaar | the gate | H8179 → | 374 times |
| לְדַבֵּ֥ר | ledaber | to speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אִתּ֖וֹ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| בַּשֶּׁ֑לִי | basheli | in <the> quietness | H7987 → | |
| וַיַּכֵּ֤הוּ | vaiyakehu | and he struck him | H5221 → | 499 times |
| שָׁם֙ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| הַחֹ֔מֶשׁ | hachomesh | the belly | H2570 → | 4 times |
| וַיָּ֕מָת | vaiyamot | and he died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| בְּדַ֖ם | bedam | for [the] blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| עֲשָׂה־ | ʾasah- | Asah- | H6214 → | 24 times |
| אֵ֥ל | ʾel | -el | H6214 → | 24 times |
| אָחִֽיו׃ | ʾachiv | brother his | H251 → | 630 times |
וַיָּ֤שָׁבand he returned
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
אַבְנֵר֙Abner
ʾavnerH74 →63 times
חֶבְר֔וֹןHebron
chevronH2275 →72 times
וַיַּטֵּ֤הוּand he turned aside him
vaiyatehuH5186 →214 times
יוֹאָב֙Joab
yoavH3097 →144 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
תּ֣וֹךְ[the] middle of
tokhH8432 →418 times
הַשַּׁ֔עַרthe gate
hashaarH8179 →374 times
לְדַבֵּ֥רto speak
ledaberH1696 →1141 times
אִתּ֖וֹwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
בַּשֶּׁ֑לִיin <the> quietness
basheliH7987 →
וַיַּכֵּ֤הוּand he struck him
vaiyakehuH5221 →499 times
שָׁם֙there
shamH8033 →834 times
הַחֹ֔מֶשׁthe belly
hachomeshH2570 →4 times
וַיָּ֕מָתand he died
vaiyamotH4191 →839 times
בְּדַ֖םfor [the] blood
bedamH1818 →360 times
עֲשָׂה־Asah-
ʾasah-H6214 →24 times
אֵ֥ל-el
ʾelH6214 →24 times
אָחִֽיו׃brother his
ʾachivH251 →630 times
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
1 Kings 2:32The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 20:9–10
“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Judges 9:24
in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him…
- Psalms 7:16
His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.
- 2 Chronicles 21:13
but you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and have caused Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab prostituted itself. You have…
- 2 Samuel 20:9–10
Through
1 Kings 2:5Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 20:10
Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him…
- 2 Samuel 18:12
The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command…
- 2 Samuel 20:10
Through
Deuteronomy 27:24‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
it leads to
- Numbers 35:31
You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death.
- Numbers 35:31
Through
Jeremiah 41:2Then Ishmael 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…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 25:25
In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down and killed Gedaliah, along with the…
- 2 Kings 25:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
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About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.