2 Samuel 2:27

2:26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. in the: Heb. from the morning gone: or, gone away

KJV

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Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”

And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

And Joab said, As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

2:28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

What does 2 Samuel 2:27 mean?

2 Samuel 2:27 is a verse in the book of 2 Samuel, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יוֹאָב (Yôwʼâb), אָמַר (ʼâmar), אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym). It connects to 4 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

And

JoabיוֹאָבYôwʼâb/yo-awb'/H3097Joab, the name of three Israelites

said,אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)

Godאֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/H430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

liveth,חַיchay/khah'-ee/H2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively

unlessלוּלֵאlûwlêʼ/loo-lay'/H3884if not

thou

hadst

spoken,דָבַרdâbar/daw-bar'/H1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

surely

then

the

morningבֹּקֶרbôqer/bo'-ker/H1242properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning

the

peopleעַםʻam/am/H5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

had

gone

upעָלָהʻâlâh/aw-law'/H5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

every

oneאִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

from

followingאַחַרʼachar/akh-ar'/H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)

his

brother.אָחʼâch/awkh/H251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))

the:

Heb.

from

the

morning

gone:

or,

gone

away

Commentary on 2 Samuel 2:27

HENRY_FULL · 2 Samuel 2:27

"gen5834" David's troubles from Saul here begin again; and the clouds return after the rain, when one would have hoped the storm had blown over, and the sky had cleared upon that side; but after Saul had owned his fault in persecuting David, and acknowledged David's title to the crown, yet here he revives the persecution, so perfectly lost was he to all sense of honour and virtue. I. The Ziphites informed him where David was ( ver. 1 ), and thereupon he marched out with a considerable force in quest of him, ver. 2, 3 . II. David gained intelligence of his motions ( ver. 4 ), and took a view of his camp, ver. 5 . III. He and one of his men ventured into his camp in the night and found him and all his guards fast asleep, ver. 6, 7 . IV. David, though much urged to it by his companions, would not take away Saul's life, but only carried off his spear and his cruse of water, ver. 8-12 . V. He produced these as a further witness for him that he did not design any ill to Saul, and reasoned with him upon his conduct, ver. 13-20 . VI. Saul was hereby convinced of his error, and once more desisted from persecuting David, ver. 21-25 . The story is much like that which we had ( ch. xxiv. ). In both David is delivered out of Saul's hand, and Saul out of David's. Saul Again Pursues David. (

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

2 Samuel 23:23

He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. more: or, honourable among the thirty guard: or, council: Heb. at his command

2 Samuel 24:2

For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. Go: or, Compass

2 Samuel 24:17

And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

Psalms 38:12

They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

Topics

Abner Truce

People & places in this verse

People

Joab

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with 2 Samuel 2:27.

Genesis 1:20

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. moving: or, creeping life: Heb. soul fowl: Heb. let fowl fly open: Heb. face of the firmament of heaven

Genesis 1:24

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Genesis 1:28

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. moveth: Heb. creepeth

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Yea: Heb. Yea, because, etc.

Genesis 1:11

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. grass: Heb. tender grass

Genesis 1:14

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: the day: Heb. between the day and between the night

Genesis 1:21

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:22

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

Frequently asked questions

What does 2 Samuel 2:27 say?

2 Samuel 2:27 (King James Version) reads: "And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. in the: Heb. from the morning gone: or, gone away"

Is 2 Samuel 2:27 in the Old or New Testament?

2 Samuel 2:27 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of 2 Samuel.

Reflect

As you read 2 Samuel 2:27, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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