When Joab left David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know about it.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.
- KJV And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
- BSB As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David was unaware of it.
- NKJV And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.
- NLT Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it.
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
Joab secretly sends messengers to bring Abner back, without David's knowledge. The deception sets up the murder.
Overview
Without telling David, Joab recalls Abner from the well of Sirah under false pretenses. The narrator deliberately notes that David did not know, clearing the king of any complicity. Joab's secret scheming exposes the treachery in his heart and the lawless violence that troubled David's reign.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Prov 27:4–6Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
- Prov 26:23–26Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
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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 3:26 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
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