2 Samuel 2 · Verse 21

2 Samuel 2:21

And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
2 Samuel 2:21, King James Version

2 Samuel 2:21 in other translations

BSBSo Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
WEBAbner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.
ASVAnd Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
YLTAnd Abner saith to him, ‘Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and seize for thee one of the youths, and take to thee his armour;' and Asahel hath not been willing to turn aside from after him.
DARBYAnd Abner said to him, Turn thee aside, to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold of one of the young men, and take for thyself his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
BBEAnd Abner said, Then go to the right or to the left and put your hands on one of the fighting-men and take his arms. But Asahel would not be turned away from going after Abner.
WebsterAnd Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold on one of the young men, and take to thee his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

What does 2 Samuel 2:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 2:19-32

19-32. Asahel pursued after Abner--To gain the general's armor was deemed the grandest trophy. Asahel, ambitious of securing Abner's, had outstripped all other pursuers, and was fast gaining on the retreating commander. Abner, conscious of possessing more physical power, and unwilling that there should be "blood" between himself and Joab, Asahel's brother, twice urged him to desist. The impetuous young soldier being…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 2:19-32 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Take thee his armor - It seems Asahel wished to get the armor of Abner as a trophy; this also was greatly coveted by ancient heroes. Abner wished to spare him, for fear of exciting Joab's enmity; but as Asahel was obstinate in the pursuit, and was swifter of foot than Abner, the latter saw that he must either kill or be killed, and therefore he turned his spear and ran it through the body of Asahel. This turning about that he might pierce him is what we translate "the hinder end of his spear." This slaying of Asahel cost Abner his life, as we shall find in the next chapter.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 2:18-24

Death often comes by ways we least suspect. We are often betrayed by the accomplishments we are proud of! Asahel's swiftness, which he presumed so much upon, did him no service, but hastened his end.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 2:18-24 →

2 Samuel 2:21 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.

וַיֹּ֧אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
ל֣וֹloto <the> him
אַבְנֵ֗ר'av.NerAbnerH74
נְטֵ֤הne.Tehturn asideH5186
לְךָ֙le.Khafor <the> yourself
עַל\־'al-toH5921
יְמִֽינְךָ֙ye.mi.ne.Kharight yourH3225
א֣וֹ'oorH176
עַל\־'al-toH5921
שְׂמֹאלֶ֔ךָse.mo.Le.khaleft yourH8040
וֶאֱחֹ֣זve.'e.Chozand seizeH270
לְךָ֗le.Khafor <the> yourself
אֶחָד֙'e.ChadoneH259
מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔יםme.ha.ne.'a.Rimfrom the young menH5288
וְקַח\־ve.kach-and takeH3947
לְךָ֖le.Khafor <the> yourself
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
חֲלִצָת֑וֹcha.li.tza.Tospoils hisH2488
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
אָבָ֣ה'a.Vahhe was willingH14
עֲשָׂהאֵ֔ל'a.sa.h.'ElAsahelH6214
לָס֖וּרla.Surto turn asideH5493
מֵאַחֲרָֽיו\׃me.'a.cha.Ravfrom after himH310

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 2:21

  • Judges 14:19

    And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and take thee.It seems that Asahel wished to get the armour of Abner as a trophy.
armour. or, spoil.
Jud 14:19

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

Context

  • 2 Samuel 2:20

    Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.

  • 2 Samuel 2:21

    And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

  • 2 Samuel 2:22

    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?

Read all of 2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 2:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Abner le dijo: Apártate á la derecha ó á la izquierda, y agárrate alguno de los mancebos, y toma para ti sus despojos. Pero Asael no quiso apartarse de en pos de él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Abner lui dit: Détourne-toi à droite ou à gauche, et saisis-toi de l’un des jeunes hommes et prends pour toi son armure. Mais Asçaël ne voulut pas se détourner de lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach Abner zu ihm: Biege aus zu deiner Rechten oder zu deiner Linken, und greife dir einen von den Jünglingen und nimm dir seine Rüstung! Aber Asael wollte nicht hinter ihm weg weichen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixitque ei Abner: Vade ad dexteram, sive ad sinistram, et apprehende unum de adolescentibus, et tolle tibi spolia ejus. Noluit autem Asaël omittere quin urgeret eum.