2 Samuel 20:22

Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
woman	הָאִשָּׁ֨ה ha.'i.Shah	H802	a woman · definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
went	וַתָּבוֹא֩ va.ta.Vo'	H935	to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular
people	הָעָ֜ם ha.'Am	H5971	a people (as a congregated unit) · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
wisdom	בְּחָכְמָתָ֗הּ be.cha.khe.ma.Tah	H2451	wisdom (in a good sense) · preposition + noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person feminine singular
off	וַֽיִּכְרְת֞וּ vai.yikh.re.Tu	H3772	to cut (off · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
head	רֹ֨אשׁ rosh	H7218	the head (as most easily shaken) · noun, common masculine singular construct
Sheba	שֶׁ֤בַע She.va'	H7652	Sheba · proper noun, a man's name
son	בֶּן ben-	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine singular construct
Bichri	בִּכְרִי֙ bikh.Ri	H1075	Bikri · proper noun, a man's name
cast	וַיַּשְׁלִ֣כוּ vai.yash.Li.khu	H7993	to throw out · conjunction + verb, hiphil sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
Joab	יוֹאָ֔ב yo.'Av	H3097	Joab · proper noun, a man's name
blew	וַיִּתְקַע֙ vai.yit.Ka'	H8628	to clatter · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
trumpet	בַּשּׁוֹפָ֔ר ba.sho.Far	H7782	a cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn · preposition with the article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
retired	וַיָּפֻ֥צוּ vai.ya.Fu.tzu	H6327	to dash in pieces · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
city	הָעִ֖יר ha.'Ir	H5892	a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the wi… · definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
man	אִ֣ישׁ 'ish	H376	a man as an individual or a male person · noun, common masculine singular absolute
tent	לְאֹהָלָ֑יו le.'o.ha.Lav	H168	a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
Joab	וְיוֹאָ֛ב ve.yo.'Av	H3097	Joab · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
returned	שָׁ֥ב shav	H7725	to turn back (hence · verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular
Jerusalem	יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם ye.ru.sha.Lim	H3389	Jerushalaim or Jerushalem · proper noun, a place name
king	הַמֶּֽלֶךְ ha.Me.lekh	H4428	a king · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute

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

2 Samuel 20:1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We ha…
Ecclesiastes 7:19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
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.
2 Samuel 3:28-39 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
2 Samuel 11:6-21 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
2 Samuel 18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
2 Samuel 20:16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

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 20:21

His head shall be thrown to thee - Thus it appears she had great sway in the counsels of the city; and that the punishment of a state rebel was then, what it is now in this kingdom, beheading.

John Gill on 2 Samuel 20:22

Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom,.... Went from the wall of the city into it, and convened the principal inhabitants together, and made so wise a speech to them, and represented things in such a light, and so prudently conducted, that they unanimously agreed to her motion: and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab; whose face Joab knew full well, and was satisfied it was his head that was thrown over: and he blew a trumpet; as a sign of retreat: and they retired from the city, every man to his tent; the army under Joab broke up the siege, and departed, every man to his own city, as the Targum: and Joab returned unto Jerusalem unto…

Dictionary and topics

Behead — A method of taking away life practised among the Egyptians (Gen. 40:17-19). There are instances of this mode of punishment also among the Hebrews (2 Sam. 4:8; 20:21, 22; 2 Kings 10:6-8). It is also…
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…
War — The Israelites had to take possession of the Promised Land by conquest. They had to engage in a long and bloody war before the Canaanitish tribes were finally subdued. Except in the case of Jericho…
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
Tact · The wise woman of Abel — The wise woman of Abel
Trumpet · .By Joab — .By Joab

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 20:22

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 20:21

John Gill on 2 Samuel 20:22

Dictionary and topics

2 Samuel 20:22

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 20:21

John Gill on 2 Samuel 20:22

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 20:22