Then Abner said to Joab, “Now have the young men arise and hold a martial skills match in our presence.” And Joab said, “Have them arise!”
Parallel translations
- WEB Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”
- KJV And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
- BSB Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
- NKJV Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
- NLT Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” “All right,” Joab agreed.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Abner proposes a contest of young men, and Joab agrees. What is framed as sport quickly turns deadly.
Overview
Abner suggests the young men play before the armies, a grim euphemism for a representative combat. Joab accepts, and what follows is no game but lethal violence. The verse exposes how lightly men can treat bloodshed, and how civil strife trivializes the lives of God's people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Sam 2:17The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.
- Prov 17:14The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
- Prov 20:18Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
- 2 Sam 2:26–27Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
- Prov 10:23It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.
- Prov 26:18–19Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
- Prov 25:8Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 2:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.