2 Samuel 3:30
in 2 Samuel 3(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
KJV
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 3
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAbishai - For though Joab only committed the murder, yet Abishai was guilty of it, because it was done with his consent, and counsel, and approbation. In battle - Which he did for his own necessary defense; and therefore it was no justification of this treacherous murder.
This site's exposition
guiltless before the Lord for ever
on 2 Samuel 3:28-30
David's declaration puts the whole crime on Joab's house by name, a curse naming issue, leprosy, the crutch of the lame, death by the sword and want of bread across generations, and Barnes reads the curse itself as proof David did not accept Joab's claim to have acted as an avenger of blood under the law. The narrator names Abishai beside Joab as guilty of the same killing, though Joab alone struck the blow, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle answers the crime to Asahel's death and to nothing else Abner had done.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices
Righteousness supports the throne and will never shake it. Yet it was only a reprieve that David gave to Joab; on his death-bed he left it to Solomon (who could the better wield the sword of justice because he had no occasion to draw the sword of war) to avenge the blood of Abner. Evil pursues sinners, and will overtake them at last.
) that Abishai was privy to the design, and was aiding and abetting, and would have come in to his brother's assistance if there had been occasion; he is therefore charged as an accessary: Joab and Abishai slew Abner, though perhaps he only knew it who is privy to the thoughts and intents of men's hearts. It is certain that the Lord was righteous.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
David's Wives and Children. 1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. 2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:92%@v1-3
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner,....
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 words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיוֹאָב֙ | veyoav | and Joab | H3097 → | 144 times |
| וַאֲבִישַׁ֣י | vaavishai | and Abishai | H52 → | 25 times |
| אָחִ֔יו | ʾachiv | brother his | H251 → | 630 times |
| הָרְג֖וּ | haregu | they killed | H2026 → | 167 times |
| לְאַבְנֵ֑ר | leavner | <to> Abner | H74 → | 63 times |
| עַל֩ | ʾal | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הֵמִ֜ית | hemit | he had killed | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֲשָׂהאֵ֧ל | ʾasahel | Asahel | H6214 → | 24 times |
| אֲחִיהֶ֛ם | ʾachihem | brother their | H251 → | 630 times |
| בְּגִבְע֖וֹן | begivon | at Gibeon | H1391 → | 38 times |
| בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ פ | bamilchamah | in the battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
וְיוֹאָב֙and Joab
veyoavH3097 →144 times
וַאֲבִישַׁ֣יand Abishai
vaavishaiH52 →25 times
אָחִ֔יוbrother his
ʾachivH251 →630 times
הָרְג֖וּthey killed
hareguH2026 →167 times
לְאַבְנֵ֑ר<to> Abner
leavnerH74 →63 times
עַל֩on
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הֵמִ֜יתhe had killed
hemitH4191 →839 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֲשָׂהאֵ֧לAsahel
ʾasahelH6214 →24 times
אֲחִיהֶ֛םbrother their
ʾachihemH251 →630 times
בְּגִבְע֖וֹןat Gibeon
begivonH1391 →38 times
בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ פin the battle
bamilchamahH4421 →320 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
Proverbs 28:17A man burdened by bloodguilt will flee into the Pit; let no one support him.
it leads to
- Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.
- 1 Kings 21:19
Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where…
- Exodus 21:14
But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.
- Numbers 35:14–34
Select three cities across the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan as cities of refuge.
- Genesis 9:6
Through
Acts 28:4When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to…
it leads to
- Luke 13:2
To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this fate?
- Luke 13:4
Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem?
- Acts 28:5
But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
- John 7:24
Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
- Luke 13:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on 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.