2 Samuel 20:18

Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
spake	וַתֹּ֖אמֶר va.To.mer	H559	to say (used with great latitude) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular
saying	לֵאמֹ֑ר le.Mor	H559	to say (used with great latitude) · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
wont	דַּבֵּ֨ר da.Ber	H1696	perhaps properly · verb, piel infinitive construct
speak	יְדַבְּר֤וּ ye.da.be.Ru	H1696	perhaps properly · verb, piel imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
time	בָרִֽאשֹׁנָה֙ va.ri.sho.Nah	H7223	first · preposition with the article + ordinal number, feminine singular absolute
saying	לֵאמֹ֔ר le.Mor	H559	to say (used with great latitude) · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
surely	שָׁאֹ֧ל sha.'Ol	H7592	to inquire · verb, qal infinitive absolute
ask	יְשָׁאֲל֛וּ ye.sha.'a.Lu	H7592	to inquire · verb, piel imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
Abel	בְּאָבֵ֖ל be.'a.Vel	H59	Abel · preposition + proper noun, a place name
ended	הֵתַֽמּוּ he.Ta.mu	H8552	to complete · verb, hiphil perfect, 3rd person common plural

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 20:10-11 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 20:14-22

We have here the conclusion of Sheba's attempt. I. The rebel, when he had rambled over all the tribes of Israel, and found them not so willing, upon second thoughts, to follow him, as they had been upon a sudden provocation to desert David (having only picked up a few like himself, that sided with him), at length entered Abel-Beth-maacah, a strong city in the north, in the lot of Naphtali, where we find it placed, Kg2 15:29. Here he took shelter, whether by force or with consent does not appear; but his adherents were most Berites, of Beeroth in Benjamin, Sa2 20:14. One bad man will find or make more. II. Joab drew up all his force against the city, besieged it, battered the wall, and made i…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 20:18

They were wont to speak in old time--The translation of the Margin gives a better meaning, which is to this effect: When the people saw thee lay siege to Abel, they said, Surely he will ask if we will have peace, for the law (Deu 20:10) prescribes that he should offer peace to strangers, much more then to Israelitish cities; and if he do this, we shall soon bring things to an amicable agreement, for we are a peaceable people. The answer of Joab brings out the character of that ruthless veteran as a patriot at heart, who, on securing the author of this insurrection, was ready to put a stop to further bloodshed and release the peaceable inhabitants from all molestation.

Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 20:18

They shall surely ask counsel at Abel - This is a proverb, but from what it originated we know not; nor can we exactly say what it means: much must be supplied to bring it to speak sense. Abel was probably famed for the wisdom of its inhabitants; and parties who had disputes appealed to their judgment, which appears to have been in such high reputation as to be final by consent of all parties. To this the wise woman refers, and intimates to Joab that he should have proceeded in this way before he began to storm the city, and destroy the peaceable inhabitants.

John Gill on 2 Samuel 20:18

Dictionary and topics

Abelmaim — (Abel on the waters), also called simply Abel, (2 Samuel 20:14,18) another name for Abel-bethmaachah. (2 Chronicles 16:4)
David — Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam.…
Sheba — An oath, seven. (1.) Heb. shebha, the son of Raamah (Gen. 10:7), whose descendants settled with those of Dedan on the Persian Gulf. (2.) Heb. id. A son of Joktan (Gen. 10:28), probably the founder of…
Abel-Beth-Maachah · Sheba slain in — Sheba slain in
Abishai · Overthrows Sheba — Overthrows Sheba
Diplomacy · .The wise woman of Abel — .The wise woman of Abel
Joab · . — .
Politics · .The wise woman of Abel who saved the city through diplomacy — .The wise woman of Abel who saved the city through diplomacy
Proverbs · MISCELLANY OF — MISCELLANY OF
Tact · The wise woman of Abel — The wise woman of Abel

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

2 Samuel 20:18

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 20:14-22

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 20:18

Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 20:18

John Gill on 2 Samuel 20:18

Dictionary and topics

2 Samuel 20:18

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 20:14-22

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 20:18

Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 20:18

John Gill on 2 Samuel 20:18

Dictionary and topics

Keil & Delitzsch on 2 Samuel 20:1-22

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Samuel 20:18-19

Rashi on 2 Samuel 20:18