2 Samuel 20:20

Contemporary English Version

Joab answered, "No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town!

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish!

Hebrew Names Version
Yo'av answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

King James Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Lexham English Bible
Then Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow or I should destroy.

English Standard Version
Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!

New Century Version
Joab answered, "I would prefer not to destroy or ruin anything!

New English Translation
Joab answered, "Get serious! I don't want to swallow up or destroy anything!

Amplified Bible
Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me that I would swallow up or destroy!

New American Standard Bible
Joab replied, "Far be it, far be it from me that I would consume or destroy!

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ioab answered, & said, God forbid, God forbid it me, that I should deuoure, or destroy it.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!

Complete Jewish Bible
Yo'av answered, "Heaven forbid! Heaven forbid that I should swallow or destroy anything!

Darby Translation
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Easy-to-Read Version
Joab answered, "I don't want to destroy anything. I don't want to ruin your city.

George Lamsa Translation
And Joab answered and said to her, Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.

Good News Translation
"Never!" Joab answered. "I will never ruin or destroy your city!

Literal Translation
And Joab answered and said, Far be it! Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ioab answered and sayde: That be farre, that be farre fro me, that I shulde swalowe vp and destroye.

American Standard Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Bible in Basic English
And Joab, answering her, said, Far, far be it from me to be a cause of death or destruction;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ioab aunswered, and sayd: God forbyd, God forbid it me that I should either deuour, or destroy.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joab answered and said: 'Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

King James Version (1611)
And Ioab answered and saide, Farre be it, farre be it from me, that I should swallow vp or destroy.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should ruin or destroy.

English Revised Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Berean Standard Bible
"Far be it!" Joab declared. "Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Joab answeride, and seide, Fer be, fer be this fro me; Y `caste not doun, nether Y distrye.

Young's Literal Translation
And Joab answereth and saith, `Far be it -- far be it from me; I do not swallow up nor destroy.

Update Bible Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

World English Bible
Joab answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

New King James Version
And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy!

New Living Translation
And Joab replied, "Believe me, I don't want to devour or destroy your town!

New Life Bible
Joab answered, "Far be it from me! Far be it that I should swallow up or destroy!

New Revised Standard
Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then answered Joab and said, - Far be it! far be it from me! I will neither swallow up nor lay waste.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Joab answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I do not throw down, nor destroy.

Revised Standard Version
Jo'ab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!

THE MESSAGE
Joab protested, "Believe me, you've got me all wrong. I'm not here to hurt anyone or destroy anything—not on your life! But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bicri by name, revolted against King David; hand him over, him only, and we'll get out of here." The woman told Joab, "Sounds good. His head will be tossed to you from the wall."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Joab replied, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ Sheba had gone through all of the tribes of Israel when he came to the town of Abel Beth-Maacah. All of his best soldiers met him there and followed him into the town. ¹⁵ Joab and his troops came and surrounded Abel, so that no one could go in or come out. They made a dirt ramp up to the town wall and then started to use a battering ram to knock the wall down. ¹⁶ A wise woman shouted from the top of the wall, "Listen to me! Listen to me! I have to talk to Joab! Tell him to come here!" ¹⁷ When he came, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" "Yes, I am," he answered. She said, "Please, listen to what I have to say." "All right," he said. "I'll listen." ¹⁸ She said, "Long ago people used to say, ‘If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.' The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem. ¹⁹ We are Israelites, and we want peace! You can trust us. Why are you trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel? Why do you want to wipe out the Lord 's people?" ²⁰ Joab answered, "No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town! ²¹ That's not it at all. There's a man in your town from the hill country of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, and he is the leader of a rebellion against King David. Turn him over to me, and we will leave your town alone." The woman told Joab, "We will throw his head over the wall." ²² She went to the people of the town and talked them into doing it. They cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab. Joab blew a signal on his trumpet, and the soldiers returned to their homes. Joab went back to David in Jerusalem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Far be it: 2 Samuel 23:17, Job 21:16, Job 22:18

that I should: 2 Samuel 20:10, Proverbs 28:13, Jeremiah 17:9, Luke 10:29

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:7 - General 2 Samuel 17:16 - be swallowed 1 Kings 1:38 - the Cherethites Job 2:3 - destroy him Luke 6:41 - but 2 Corinthians 2:7 - swallowed

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joab answered and said, far be it from me, far be it from me,.... He repeats these words, to show how detestable it was to him to do what she suggested:

that I should swallow up or destroy; any in a violent and unrighteous manner, and especially a city of which she had given such a character for its greatness and worth, and for the peaceableness and fidelity of its inhabitants.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Joab’s character is strongly brought out in the transaction. Politic, decided, bold, and unscrupulous, but never needlessly cruel or impulsive, or even revengeful. No life is safe that stands in his way, but from policy he never sacrifices the most insignificant life without a purpose. (Compare 2 Samuel 2:27-30.)