Bible/2 Samuel/2

2 Samuel 2:31

2:30 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.
But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

KJV

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But David’s servants had struck Benjamin and of Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.

But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and three score men died. ¶

2:32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

What does 2 Samuel 2:31 mean?

2 Samuel 2:31 is a verse in the book of 2 Samuel, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include עֶבֶד (ʻebed), דָּוִד (Dâvid), נָכָה (nâkâh). It connects to 18 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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But
the
servantsעֶבֶדʻebed/eh'-bed/H5650a servant
of
DavidדָּוִדDâvid/daw-veed'/H1732David, the youngest son of Jesse
had
smittenנָכָהnâkâh/naw-kaw'/H5221to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
of
Benjamin,בִּנְיָמִיןBinyâmîyn/bin-yaw-mene'/H1144Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
and
of
Abner'sאַבְנֵרʼAbnêr/ab-nare'/H74Abner, an Israelite
men,אֱנוֹשׁʼĕnôwsh/en-oshe'/H582a man in general (singly or collectively)
so
that
threeשָׁלוֹשׁshâlôwsh/shaw-loshe'/H7969three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice
hundredמֵאָהmêʼâh/may-aw'/H3967a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction
and
threescoreשִׁשִּׁיםshishshîym/shish-sheem'/H8346sixty
menאִישׁʼîysh/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)
died.מוּתmûwth/mooth/H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

Commentary on 2 Samuel 2:31

HENRY_FULL · 2 Samuel 2:28–32
>b. c. 1056.) 1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. Here, 1. Saul gets information of David's movements and acts offensively. The Ziphites came to him and told him where David now was, in the same place where he was when they formerly betrayed him, ch. xxiii. 19 . Perhaps (though it is not mentioned) Saul had given them intimation, under-hand, that he continued his design against David, and would be glad of their assistance. If not, they were very officious to Saul, aware of what would please him, and very malicious against David, to whom they despaired of ever reconciling themselves, and therefore they stirred up Saul (who needed no such spur) against him, v. 1 . For aught we know, Saul would have continued in the same good mind that he was in ( ch. xxiv. 17 ), and would not have given David this fresh trouble, if the Ziphites had not put him on. See what need we have to pray to God that, since we have so much of the tinder of corruption in our own hearts, the sparks of temptation may be kept far from us, lest, if they come together, we be set on fire of hell. Saul readily caught at the information, and went down with an army of 3000 men to the place where David hid himself, v. 2 . How soon do unsanctified hearts lose the good impressions which their convictions have made upon them and return with the dog to their vomit! 2. David gets information of Saul's movements and acts defensively. He did not march out to meet and fight him; he sought only his own safety, not Saul's ruin; therefore he abode in the wilderness ( v. 3 ), putting thereby a great force upon himself, and curbing the bravery of his own spirit by a silent retirement, showing more true valour than he could have done by an irregular resistance. (1.) He had spies who informed him of Saul's descent, that he had come in very deed ( v. 4 ); for he would not believe that Saul would deal so basely with him till he had the utmost evidence of it. (2.) He observed with his own eyes how Saul was encamped, v. 5 . He came towards the place where Saul and his men had pitched their tents, so near as to be able, undiscovered, to take a view of their entrenchments, probably in the dusk of the evening. David Spares Saul's Life. ( b. c. 1056.)

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 10:15

And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, Sidon: Heb. Tzidon

Genesis 15:20

And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

Judges 7:10

But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

Judges 7:11

And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host. armed men: or, ranks by five

2 Samuel 2:18

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. of foot: Heb. of his feet as a wild: Heb. as one of the roes that is in the field

2 Samuel 11:6

And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

2 Samuel 11:21

Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

2 Samuel 11:24

And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

2 Samuel 12:9

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

2 Samuel 14:6

And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him. none: Heb. no deliverer between them

2 Samuel 14:7

And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth. upon: Heb. upon the face of the earth

2 Samuel 16:9

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

2 Samuel 16:10

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

2 Samuel 18:5

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

2 Samuel 23:18

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. and slew them: Heb. slain

2 Samuel 23:39

Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

1 Chronicles 2:15

Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:

1 Chronicles 2:16

Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with 2 Samuel 2:31.

1 Samuel 17:55

And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

1 Samuel 17:57

And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

Genesis 11:13

And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:15

And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 14:15

And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

Genesis 18:2

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Genesis 19:11

And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Genesis 20:8

Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

Frequently asked questions

What does 2 Samuel 2:31 say?

2 Samuel 2:31 (King James Version) reads: "But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died."

Is 2 Samuel 2:31 in the Old or New Testament?

2 Samuel 2:31 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of 2 Samuel.

Reflect

As you read 2 Samuel 2:31, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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