2 Samuel 2 · Verse 23

2 Samuel 2:23

Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
2 Samuel 2:23, King James Version

2 Samuel 2:23 in other translations

BSBBut Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
WEBHowever, he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
ASVHowbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
YLTAnd he refuseth to turn aside, and Abner smiteth him with the hinder part of the spear unto the fifth rib, and the spear cometh out from behind him, and he falleth there, and dieth under it; and it cometh to pass, every one who hath come unto the place where Asahel hath fallen and dieth--they stand still.
DARBYBut he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
BBEBut still he did not go to one side: so Abner gave him a back blow in the stomach with his spear, so that the spear came out at his back; and he went down on the earth, wounded to death: and all those who came to the place where Asahel went down dead, came to a stop.
WebsterBut he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

What does 2 Samuel 2:23 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 →

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 2:23 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.

וַיְמָאֵ֣ןvay.ma.'Enand he refusedH3985
לָס֗וּרla.Surto turn asideH5493
וַיַּכֵּ֣הוּvai.ya.Ke.huand he struck himH5221
אַבְנֵר֩'av.NerAbnerH74
בְּאַחֲרֵ֨יbe.'a.cha.Reiwith [the] back end<s> ofH310
הַחֲנִ֜יתha.cha.Nitthe spearH2595
אֶל\־'el-intoH413
הַחֹ֗מֶשׁha.Cho.meshthe bellyH2570
וַתֵּצֵ֤אva.te.Tze'and it went outH3318
הַֽחֲנִית֙ha.cha.Nitthe spearH2595
מֵאַחֲרָ֔יוme.'a.cha.Ravfrom behind himH310
וַיִּפָּל\־vai.yi.pol-and he fellH5307
שָׁ֖םshamthereH8033
וַיָּ֣מָתvai.Ya.motand he diedH4191
תַּחְתָּ֑יוta.cha.tovin place hisH8478
וַיְהִ֡יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
כָּל\־kol-every [one]H3605
הַבָּ֣אha.Ba'who cameH935
אֶֽל\־'el-toH413
הַמָּקוֹם֩ha.ma.kOmthe placeH4725
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whereH834
נָ֨פַלNa.falhe fellH5307
שָׁ֧םshamthereH8033
עֲשָׂהאֵ֛ל'a.sa.h.'ElAsahelH6214
וַיָּמֹ֖תvai.ya.Motand he diedH4191
וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽדוּ\׃Vai.ya.'a.Mo.duand they stood stillH5975

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 2:23

  • 2 Samuel 3:27

    And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

  • 2 Samuel 4:6

    And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

  • 2 Samuel 20:10

    But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

  • 2 Samuel 5:6

    And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.

  • 2 Samuel 20:12-13

    And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the fifth rib.
3:27; 4:6; 5:6; 20:10
stood still.
20:12,13

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

Context

  • 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?

  • 2 Samuel 2:23

    Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

  • 2 Samuel 2:24

    Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

Read all of 2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 2:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y no queriendo él irse, hiriólo Abner con el regatón de la lanza por la quinta costilla, y salióle la lanza por las espaldas, y cayó allí, y murió en aquel mismo sitio. Y todos los que venían por aquel lugar donde Asael había caído y estaba muerto, se paraban.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mais il refusa de se détourner, et Abner le frappa au ventre avec la hampe de sa lance, et sa lance lui sortit par-derrière, et il tomba là et mourut sur place. Et tous ceux qui venaient à l’endroit où Asçaël était tombé et était mort, s’arrêtaient.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Aber er weigerte sich zu weichen. Da schlug ihn Abner mit dem hinteren Ende des Speeres in den Bauch, daß der Speer hinten herausfuhr; und er fiel daselbst und starb an seiner Stelle. Und es geschah, jeder, der an den Ort kam, wo Asael gefallen und gestorben war, der blieb stehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Qui audire contempsit, et noluit declinare: percussit ergo eum Abner aversa hasta in inguine, et transfodit, et mortuus est in eodem loco: omnesque qui transibant per locum illum, in quo ceciderat Asaël et mortuus erat, subsistebant.