2 Samuel 2
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Samuel 2
MacArthur adds on Mahanaim - This was the same city where Jacob saw the angels while on his way to Penuel (Ge 32:2). It was appointed to be a Levitical city from the territory of Gad (Jos 21:28; 1Ch 6:80). It later became the haven for David while fleeing from Absalom (17:24, 27; 19:32; 1Ki 2:8), because likely it was well fortified (cf. 18:24). Believer's Study Bible - Abner's attempt to enthrone Ishbosheth (Esh-Baal 1Ch 8:33; 9:39), the only surviving son of Saul, as king was an exercise in futility. Ishbosheth obviously had little leadership ability. Abner must have taken nearly five years finally to place Ishbosheth on the throne, for a reign of only about two years. This explanation parallels the reign of David in Hebron of seven and one-half years (v. 11). NET Note - The name Ish-bosheth means in Hebrew “man of shame.” It presupposes an earlier form such as Ish-baal (“man of the Lord”), with the word “baal” being used of Israel’s God. But because the Canaanite storm god was named “Baal,” that part of the name was later replaced with the word “shame.” The NRSV and NJB have Ishbaal instead of Ishbosheth.
2 Samuel 2
MacArthur - To gain the armor or spoil of the enemy general, Abner, who was fleeing the defeat, would be to possess the greatest trophy. Asahel was ambitious to get it, while Abner kept warning him and suggested he take the spoil of some other soldier for his trophy, since he was not able to defeat Abner. But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him - This is more like stubbornness than persistence and it would result in his death. Walton - The plunder from personal combat was the possessions of the slain. The rank or status of a warrior would be reflected in clothing, armor or the quality of the weapons. These would become trophies and status symbols for the victor. Asahel is unwilling to settle for any soldier’s gear—he wants the commander’s. (see page 325 IVP Background Commentary-OT) Life Application Study Bible (borrow) - Asahel refused to turn from his self-imposed duty. Persistence is a good trait if it is for a worthy cause. But if the goal is only personal honor or gain, persistence may be no more than stubbornness. Asahel's stubbornness not only cost him his life, but it also spurred unfortunate disunity in David's army for years to come (2Sa 3:26, 27; 1Ki 2:28-35). Before you decide to pursue a goal, make sure it is worthy of your devotion. Warren
2 Samuel 2
MacArthur points out that "As Abner had earlier proposed that the hostilities begin, he now proposed that they cease." 2 Samuel 2:27 Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother." BGT 2 Samuel 2:27 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωαβ ζῇ κύριος ὅτι εἰ μὴ ἐλάλησας διότι τότε ἐκ πρωίθεν ἀνέβη ὁ λαὸς ἕκαστος κατόπισθεν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ LXE 2 Samuel 2:27 And Joab said, As the Lord lives, if thou hadst not spoken, even from the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. KJV 2 Samuel 2:27 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. NET 2 Samuel 2:27 Joab replied, "As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit of their brothers!" CSB 2 Samuel 2:27 "As God lives," Joab replied, "if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn't have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning." ESV 2 Samuel 2:27 And Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning." NIV 2 Samuel 2:27 Joab answered, "As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued the pursuit of their brothers until morning. " NLT 2 Samuel 2:27 Then Joab said, "God only knows what would have happened if you hadn't spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary." As God: 1Sa 25:26 Job 27:2 unless: 2Sa 2:14 Pr 15:1 17:14 20:18 25:8 Isa 47:7 Lu 14:31,32 JOAB INVOKES AN OATH FORMULA Joab said, "As God lives - Which of course He does (live). This is an "oath formula." if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother - NLT = "Then Joab said, "God only knows what would have happened if you hadn't spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary." The point is that if Abner had not issued a challenge (2Sa 2:14), the conflict would have been avoided altogether. TSK Note - This was spoken in allusion to the proposal of Abner, (2Sa 2:14,) which led to the slaughter of twelve young men of each party, and thus provoked the battle. It is probable, that Joab had orders simply to act on the defensive, and would not have attacked the Israelites that day unless compelled; therefore the blame lay upon Abner and Israel. 2 Samuel 2:28 So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore. BGT 2 Samuel 2:28 καὶ ἐσάλπισεν Ιωαβ τῇ σάλπιγγι καὶ ἀπέστησαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ οὐ κατεδίωξαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Ισραηλ καὶ οὐ προσέθεντο ἔτι τοῦ πολεμεῖν LXE 2 Samuel 2:28 And Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the people departed, and did not pursue after Israel, and did not fight any longer. KJV 2 Samuel 2:28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more. NET 2 Samuel 2:28 Then Joab blew the ram's horn and all the people stopped in their tracks. They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting. CSB 2 Samuel 2:28 Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. ESV 2 Samuel 2:28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore. NIV 2 Samuel 2:28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. NLT 2 Samuel 2:28 So Joab blew the ram's horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel. Related Passages: 2 Samuel 18:16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 2 Samuel 20:1 Now a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!” 2 Samuel 20:22) Then the woman wisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem. TRUMPET SIGNALS TROOPS TO STOP So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore - The trumpet called for the end of fighting. 2 Samuel 2:29 Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim. BGT 2 Samuel 2:29 καὶ Αβεννηρ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθον εἰς δυσμὰς ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην καὶ διέβαιναν τὸν Ιορδάνην καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὅλην τὴν παρατείνουσαν καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν LXE 2 Samuel 2:29 And Abenner and his men departed at evening, and went all that night, and crossed over Jordan, and went along the whole adjacent country, and they come to the camp. KJV 2 Samuel 2:29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim. NET 2 Samuel 2:29 Abner and his men went through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan River and went through the whole region of Bitron and came to Mahanaim. CSB 2 Samuel 2:29 So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim. ESV 2 Samuel 2:29 And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim. NIV 2 Samuel 2:29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the whole Bithron and came to Mahanaim. NLT 2 Samuel 2:29 All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn't stop until they arrived at Mahanaim. Bithron: Song 2:17 Mahanaim: 2Sa 2:12 Jordan Rift Valley (Arabah) Topography ABNER RETURNS HOME TO MAHANAIM Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim. The Arabah (Jordan Rift Valley) was the central valley from Mount Hermon to the Sea of Galilee to the southern end of the Dead Sea and extending down to the Gulf of Aqaba. Mahanaim was "home base" and would eventually be the city from which Ish-bosheth would reign. NET Note - Heb “and they went, all the Bitron.” The meaning of the Hebrew word “Bitron,” which is used only here in the OT, is disputed. The translation above follows BDB 144 s.v. בִּתְרוֹן in taking the word to be a proper name of an area east of the Jordan. A different understanding was advocated by W. R. Arnold, who took the word to refer to the forenoon or morning; a number of modern scholars and translations have adopted this view (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT). See W. R. Arnold, “The Meaning of בתרון,” AJSL 28 (1911–1912): 274–83. In this case one could translate “and they traveled all morning long.” Walton on Arabah (Jordan Rift Valley) - The Arabah refers to the Jordan rift valley. Abner would have descended into it through the Micmash pass (see 1Sa 10:5) toward the ford at Adam (see Josh 2:7). Bithron may not even be a place name, and if it is, it remains unidentified. (see page 325 IVP Background Commentary-OT) 2 Samuel 2:30 Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David's servants besides Asahel were missing. BGT 2 Samuel 2:30 καὶ Ιωαβ ἀνέστρεψεν ὄπισθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Αβεννηρ καὶ συνήθροισεν πάντα τὸν λαόν καὶ ἐπεσκέπησαν τῶν παίδων Δαυιδ ἐννεακαίδεκα ἄνδρες καὶ Ασαηλ LXE 2 Samuel 2:30 And Joab returned from following Abenner, and he assembled all the people, and there were missing of the people of David, nineteen men, and Asael. KJV 2 Samuel 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. NET 2 Samuel 2:30 Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David's soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel. CSB 2 Samuel 2:30 When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, 19 of David's soldiers were missing, ESV 2 Samuel 2:30 Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David's servants nineteen men besides Asahel. NIV 2 Samuel 2:30 Then Joab returned from pursuing Abner and assembled all his men. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David's men were found missing. NLT 2 Samuel 2:30 Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel. JOAB'S LOSSES Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David's servants besides Asahel were missing - As noted below, David's losses of men was much lower than Abner's losses and are clearly evidence of the LORD'S favor on David's men. Note the 19 would include the 12 slain at the Pool of Gibeon. 2 Samuel 2:31 But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner's men, so that three hundred and sixty men died. BGT 2 Samuel 2:31 καὶ οἱ παῖδες Δαυιδ ἐπάταξαν τῶν υἱῶν Βενιαμιν τῶν ἀνδρῶν Αβεννηρ τριακοσίους ἑξήκοντα ἄνδρας παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ LXE 2 Samuel 2:31 And the servants of David smote of the children of Benjamin, of the men of Abenner, three hundred and sixty men belonging to him. KJV 2 Samuel 2:31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died. NET 2 Samuel 2:31 But David's soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner's men– in all, 360 men had died! CSB 2 Samuel 2:31 but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner's men. ESV 2 Samuel 2:31 But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner's men. NIV 2 Samuel 2:31 But David's men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. NLT 2 Samuel 2:31 But 360 of Abner's men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin. three hundred: The slain of Israel, though greatly exceeding those of Judah, were not great. This might be owing to the directions given by David, to be as lenient as possible; but the death of Asahel seems to have stopped the pursuers, and greatly favoured the escape of the vanquished. 2Sa 3:1 1Ki 20:11 ABNER'S LOSSES But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner's men, so that three hundred and sixty men died - Joab's victory over Abner was overwhelmly one sided. Walton - Iron Age burial practices featured multiple burials in cave tombs. The body was laid out on its back with personal objects arranged around it. (see page 325 IVP Background Commentary-OT) 2 Samuel 2:32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron. BGT 2 Samuel 2:32 καὶ αἴρουσιν τὸν Ασαηλ καὶ θάπτουσιν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἐν Βαιθλεεμ καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ιωαβ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα καὶ διέφαυσεν αὐτοῖς ἐν Χεβρων LXE 2 Samuel 2:32 And they take up Asael, and bury him in the tomb of his father in Bethleem. And Joab and the men with him went all the night, and the morning rose upon them in Chebron. KJV 2 Samuel 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. NET 2 Samuel 2:32 They took Asahel's body and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn. CSB 2 Samuel 2:32 Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father's tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn. ESV 2 Samuel 2:32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron. NIV 2 Samuel 2:32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak. NLT 2 Samuel 2:32 Joab and his men took Asahel's body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father's tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak. buried: 1Sa 17:58 1Ch 2:13-16 2Ch 16:14 21:1 went: 2Sa 5:1 Pr 22:29 ASHAHEL BURIED AT BETHLEHEM ON ARMY'S RETURN TO HEBRON And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb which was in Bethlehem - Families were buried together in family tombs. Winter points out, “The loss of Asahel was a very severe loss. He was not only the king’s nephew but he was the brother of Joab who became David’s captain. Joab never quite forgot the fact that Abner killed Asahel. From that day forth he was determined to kill Abner. He really had no right to be the avenger of blood since Asahel died in battle and Abner slew him reluctantly.” Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron - Joab and his men, after burying Asahel, marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak. One wonders why they traveled all night? The text does not say. They had a 23-mile trip back home. This is just a beginning of a long civil conflict before David comes to the throne.