2 Samuel 2 · Verse 14

2 Samuel 2:14

And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
2 Samuel 2:14, King James Version

2 Samuel 2:14 in other translations

BSBThen Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
WEBAbner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”
ASVAnd Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
YLTAnd Abner saith unto Joab, ‘Let the youths rise, I pray thee, and they play before us;' and Joab saith, ‘Let them rise.'
DARBYAnd Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and make sport before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
BBEAnd Abner said to Joab, Let the young men give a test of their strength before us. And Joab said, Let them do so.
WebsterAnd Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

What does 2 Samuel 2:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 2:8-17

8-17. Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host took Ish-bosheth--Here was the establishment of a rival kingdom, which, however, would probably have had no existence but for Abner. Ish-bosheth--or "Esh-baal" (1Ch 8:33; 9:39). The Hebrews usually changed names ending with Baal into Bosheth ("shame") (compare Jud 9:53 with 2Sa 11:21). This prince was so called from his imbecility. Abner--was first cousin of Saul…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 2:8-17 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Let the young men - play before us - This was diabolical play, where each man thrust his sword into the body of the other, so that the twenty-four (twelve on each side) fell down dead together! But this was the signal for that sanguinary skirmish which immediately took place.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 2:8-17

The nation in general refused David. By this the Lord trained up his servant for future honour and usefulness; and the tendency of true godliness was shown in his behaviour while passing through various difficulties. David was herein a type of Christ, whom Israel would not submit to, though anointed of the Father to be a Prince and a Saviour to them. Abner meant, Let the young men fight before us, when he said, Let…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 2:8-17 →

2 Samuel 2:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אַבְנֵר֙'av.NerAbnerH74
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יוֹאָ֔בyo.'AvJoabH3097
יָק֤וּמוּya.Ku.mulet them ariseH6965
נָא֙na'pleaseH4994
הַנְּעָרִ֔יםha.ne.'a.Rimthe young menH5288
וִֽישַׂחֲק֖וּvi.sa.cha.Kuand let them playH7832
לְפָנֵ֑ינוּle.fa.Nei.nu<to> before usH6440
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יוֹאָ֖בyo.'AvJoabH3097
יָקֻֽמוּ\׃ya.Ku.mulet them ariseH6965

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 2:14

  • 2 Samuel 2:17

    And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

  • Proverbs 25:8

    Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

  • Proverbs 17:14

    The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

  • Proverbs 10:23

    It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

  • Proverbs 26:18-19

    As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

  • 2 Samuel 2:26-27

    Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? 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.

  • Proverbs 20:18

    Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
play before.
17,26,27; Pr 10:23; 17:14; 20:18; 25:8; 26:18,19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 2:13

    And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

  • 2 Samuel 2:14

    And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

  • 2 Samuel 2:15

    Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Read all of 2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 2:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo Abner á Joab: Levántense ahora los mancebos, y maniobren delante de nosotros. Y Joab respondió: Levántense.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Abner dit à Joab: Que les jeunes hommes se lèvent donc et jouent entre eux devant nous! Et Joab dit: Qu’ils se lèvent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach Abner zu Joab: Laß doch die Jünglinge sich aufmachen und vor uns spielen! Und Joab sprach: Sie mögen sich aufmachen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixitque Abner ad Joab: Surgant pueri, et ludant coram nobis. Et respondit Joab: Surgant.