Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

2 Samuel 2:22

Once more Abner said to him, "Stop chasing me! Why force me to kill you? How could I face your brother Joab?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abner;   Asahel;   David;   Homicide;   Israel;   Joab;   War;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Gibeon;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Abner;   Joab;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lift;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abner;   Asahel;   Gibeon;   Joab;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abner ;   Asahel ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Joab;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Asahel;   Gibeon;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abner;   Arms - armor;   Asahel;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abner;   Asa;   Ish-Bosheth;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face?”
Hebrew Names Version
Aviner said again to `Asa'el, Turn you aside from following me: why should I strike you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Yo'av your brother?
King James Version
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
Lexham English Bible
So Abner said to Asahel once again, "For your own sake, turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you down to the ground? How could I show my face to Joab your brother?"
English Standard Version
And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?"
New Century Version
Abner again said to Asahel, "Stop chasing me! If you don't stop, I'll have to kill you! Then I won't be able to face your brother Joab again!"
New English Translation
So Abner spoke again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground. How then could I show my face in the presence of Joab your brother?"
Amplified Bible
Abner repeated again, "Turn away from following me. Why should I have to strike you to the ground? How would I be able to face Joab your brother [and look him in the eye]?"
New American Standard Bible
Then Abner repeated again to Asahel, "Turn aside for your own good from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I show my face to your brother Joab?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Abner saide to Asahel, Depart from me: wherefore shoulde I smite thee to the grounde? howe then shoulde I be able to holde vp my face to Ioab thy brother?
Legacy Standard Bible
And Abner repeated again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?"
Contemporary English Version
Abner said, "If you don't turn back, I'll have to kill you! Then I could never face your brother Joab again."
Complete Jewish Bible
Avner said again to ‘Asah'el, "Turn aside and stop following me! Why should I kill you? If I did, how could I look your brother Yo'av in the eye?"
Darby Translation
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: why should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
Easy-to-Read Version
Abner again said to Asahel, "Stop chasing me, or I will have to kill you. Then I will not be able to look your brother Joab in the face again."
George Lamsa Translation
And Abner spoke again to Ashael, to turn from following him, saying, Turn from following me, lest I smite you and throw you on the ground; how then could I lift up my face and look at Joab your brother.
Literal Translation
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the earth? And how shall I lift up my face to your brother Joab?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Abner agayne to Asahel: Get the awaye fro me, why wilt thou that I smyte the to the grounde? and how darre I lifte vp my face before yi brother Ioab?
American Standard Version
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
Bible in Basic English
Then again Abner said to Asahel, Go to one side, do not keep on coming after me: why will you make me put an end to you? for then I will be shamed before your brother Joab.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Abner sayd agayne to Asahel, Depart fro me: Wherfore should I smite thee to the grounde, and not be able to holde vp my face to Ioab thy brother?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Abner said again to Asahel: 'Turn thee aside from following me; wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?'
King James Version (1611)
And Abner said againe to Asahel, Turne thee aside from following me: Wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I holde vp my face to Ioab thy brother?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abenner said yet again to Asael, Stand aloof from me, lest I smite thee to the ground? and how should I lift up my face to Joab?
English Revised Version
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
Berean Standard Bible
Once again, Abner warned Asahel, "Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And eft Abner spak to Asahel, Go thou awei; nyle thou pursue me, lest Y be compellid to peerse thee in to erthe, and Y schal not mowe reise my face to Joab, thi brother.
Young's Literal Translation
And Abner addeth again, saying unto Asahel, `Turn thee aside from after me, why do I smite thee to the earth? and how do I lift up my face unto Joab thy brother?'
Update Bible Version
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn yourself aside from following me: why should I smite you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?
Webster's Bible Translation
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: Why should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
World English Bible
Abner said again to Asahel, Turn you aside from following me: why should I strike you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?
New King James Version
So Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?"
New Living Translation
Again Abner shouted to him, "Get away from here! I don't want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?"
New Life Bible
Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I make you fall? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?"
New Revised Standard
Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn away from following me; why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I show my face to your brother Joab?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Abner said, yet again, unto Asahel, Turn thee aside from pursuing me, - wherefore should I smite thee to the earth? how then should I lift up my face unto Joab, thy brother?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground, and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother.
Revised Standard Version
And Abner said again to As'ahel, "Turn aside from following me; why should I smite you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Jo'ab?"
THE MESSAGE
Abner tried again, "Turn back. Don't force me to kill you. How would I face your brother Joab?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Abner repeated again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?"

Contextual Overview

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, who could run as fast as a wild deer, 19 started chasing Abner, running straight for him. 20 Abner looked back and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes," he answered. 21 "Stop chasing me!" Abner said. "Run after one of the soldiers and take what he has." But Asahel kept on chasing him. 22 Once more Abner said to him, "Stop chasing me! Why force me to kill you? How could I face your brother Joab?" 23 But Asahel would not quit; so Abner, with a backward thrust of his spear, struck him through the stomach so that the spear came out at his back. Asahel dropped to the ground dead, and everyone who came to the place where he was lying stopped and stood there. 24 But Joab and Abishai started out after Abner, and at sunset they came to the hill of Ammah, which is to the east of Giah on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wherefore: 2 Kings 14:10-12, Proverbs 29:1, Ecclesiastes 6:10

how then: 2 Samuel 3:27

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 19:17 - why should Psalms 143:3 - smitten

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the East, and there he put the man he had formed.
Genesis 2:9
He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there and produce good fruit. In the middle of the garden stood the tree that gives life and the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad.
Genesis 2:19
So he took some soil from the ground and formed all the animals and all the birds. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and that is how they all got their names.
Psalms 127:1
If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the Lord does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard.
Proverbs 18:22
Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you.
Proverbs 19:14
A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife.
1 Timothy 2:13
For Adam was created first, and then Eve.
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is to be honored by all, and husbands and wives must be faithful to each other. God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Abner said again to Asahel,.... Being loath to dispatch him:

turn thee aside from following me, wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? which was giving him fair warning, and letting him know what he must expect, if he did not desist from his pursuit:

how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? the general of David's army, a stout valiant commander, a man of spirit and resentment, whom Abner knew full well, and that should he slay his brother, he would never be friendly with him, or look pleasantly on him; he would never forgive him, but seek ways and means to avenge his blood on him and by this it seems as if Abner was conscious to himself that he was in a wrong cause, that the kingdom was of right David's, and would be his, and he must be obliged to make peace with him; when he should stand in need of Joab as his friend, which he could not expect, if he slew his brother, nor to live in favour and friendship with him hereafter.


 
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