2 Samuel 2:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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: Joab answered, "As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning."

NASB: Joab said, 'As God lives, if you had not spoken, then the people of Judah certainly would have withdrawn in the morning, each from pursuing his brother.'

CSB: "As God lives," Joab replied, "if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn’t have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning."

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.'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: And Joab said, “ As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.”

Abner and the survivors of the battle of Gibeon under his command have positioned themselves on the high ground of the hill of Ammah for a last stand. Joab, David's general, and his men have approached the hill at sunset, ready to finish them off. Then Abner did something strange: He asked Joab to stop killing his Israelite brothers. It's a bitter victory to destroy your own people (2 Samuel 2:25–26).

Now Joab does something perhaps more surprising. He agrees. Joab tells Abner that he and his men were prepared to chase down and kill Abner and his men all night if that's what it took. He agrees with Abner, though, that they are all brothers. Although his own brother has been killed by Abner's hand, Joab agrees the time has come to stop the carnage.

But Joab won't forget what Abner has done. In two years, when Abner's army is in tatters, he will betray his king and promise David to convince the tribal elders to abandon Saul's son Ish-bosheth and accept David as their king. Joab won't believe Abner, and will still seeks revenge for his brother's death. He will call Abner back and kill him (2 Samuel 3:20–30).

Second Samuel 2:24–28 records Abner calling for a truce. The armies of Israel, led by Abner, and Judah, led by Joab, have met in what seems to be their first battle. Israel is losing badly. During the fighting, Abner has killed Joab and Abishai's brother. As the sun sets, Abner reminds Joab that they are all brothers: Israelites. Joab agrees to suspend the hostilities. The two armies march all night to their homes (2 Samuel 2:29–32).

David returns to Israel, where he is anointed king over Judah, and settles in Hebron. Abner declares Saul's son Ish-bosheth king over Israel. David blesses the men of Jabesh-gilead for burying Saul's remains. Abner, leading Ish-bosheth's men, faces off against Joab, leading David's fighters, at Gibeon. In a fierce, one-sided battle, Abner kills Joab's brother, but David's men overwhelm Abner's Benjaminite fighters, losing twenty but killing 360. Abner and the survivors prepare for a last stand on the hill of Ammah, but Joab calls off the battle when Abner pleads with him to stop. Both sides return home.

Saul and three of his sons are dead (1 Samuel 31:1–4). David becomes king of Judah, and Saul's son Ish-bosheth is king of the remaining tribes. When the two sides meet in battle, Ish-bosheth's army fares poorly. David continues to grow stronger over two years of fighting. Ish-bosheth's general Abner appears to make a futile attempt to take the crown from his king, then starts the work to peacefully hand David the crown of Israel (2 Samuel 3:1–12).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.