2 Samuel 20 · Verse 8

2 Samuel 20:8

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
2 Samuel 20:8, King James Version

2 Samuel 20:8 in other translations

BSBAnd while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.
WEBWhen they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out.
ASVWhen they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
YLTthey are near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab is girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle--a sword is fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth.
DARBYWhen they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded with his coat, his dress, and upon it was the girdle of the sword which was fastened on his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.
BBEWhen they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came face to face with them. Now Joab had on his war-dress, and round him a band from which his sword was hanging in its cover; and while he was walking, it came out, falling to the earth.
WebsterWhen they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded to him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

What does 2 Samuel 20:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Amasa went before them--Having collected some forces, he by a rapid march overtook the expedition at Gibeon, and assumed the place of commander; in which capacity, he was saluted, among others, by Joab. Joab's garment, that he had put on was girded unto him--in the fashion of travellers and soldiers. a sword ... and as he went forth it fell out--that is, out of the scabbard. According to Josephus, he let it drop on purpose as he was accosting Amasa, that stooping, as it were accidentally, to pick it up, he might salute the new general with the naked sword in his hand, without exciting any suspicion of his design. He went forth--in a ceremonious manner to meet Amasa, now commander-in-chief, in order to seem to render to that officer, whom he considered as usurping his post, a conspicuous honor and homage.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Joab's garment - It appears that this was not a military garment; and that Joab had no arms but a short sword, which he had concealed in his girdle; and this sword, or knife, was so loose in its sheath that it could be easily drawn out. It is thought farther, that Joab, in passing to Amasa, stumbled, (for so some of the versions, and able critics, understand the words it fell out). and that the sword fell down when he stumbled; that he took it up with his left hand as if he had no bad intention; and then, taking Amasa by the beard with his right hand, pretending to kiss him, he, with his sword in his left hand, ripped up his bowels. This seems to be the meaning of this very obscure verse. It is worthy of remark that in the Eastern country it is the beard, not the man, which is usually kissed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 20:4-13

Joab barbarously murdered Amasa. The more plot there is in a sin, the worse it is. Joab contentedly sacrificed the interest both of the king and the kingdom to his personal revenge. But one would wonder with what face a murderer could pursue a traitor; and how, under such a load of guilt, he had courage to enter upon danger: his conscience was seared.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 20:4-13 →

2 Samuel 20:8 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.

הֵ֗םHemtheyH1992
עִם\־'im-[were] nearH5973
הָאֶ֤בֶןha.'E.venthe stoneH68
הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ha.ge.do.Lah<the> greatH1419
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
בְּגִבְע֔וֹןbe.giv.'on[is] in GibeonH1391
וַעֲמָשָׂ֖אva.'a.ma.Sa'and AmasaH6021
בָּ֣אba'he cameH935
לִפְנֵיהֶ֑םlif.nei.Hem<to> before themH6440
וְיוֹאָ֞בve.yo.'Avand JoabH3097
חָג֣וּר\׀cha.Gur[was] girdedH2296
מִדּ֣וֹmi.Dorobe hisH4055
לְבֻשׁ֗וּle.vu.Shuclothing hisH3830
וְעָלָ֞יוve.'a.loand over itH5921
חֲג֥וֹרcha.Gora belt ofH2290
חֶ֙רֶב֙che.reva swordH2719
מְצֻמֶּ֤דֶתme.tzu.Me.det[was] fastenedH6775
עַל\־'al-onH5921
מָתְנָיו֙ma.te.Navloins hisH4975
בְּתַעְרָ֔הּbe.ta'.Rahin sheath itsH8593
וְה֥וּאve.Hu'and heH1931
יָצָ֖אya.Tza'he went forwardH3318
וַתִּפֹּֽל\׃\ \סva.ti.Poland it fellH5307

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 20:8

  • 2 Samuel 3:30

    So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

  • 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 20:4-5

    Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present. So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
in Gibeon.
2:13; 3:30
Amasa.
4,5

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

Context

  • 2 Samuel 20:7

    And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

  • 2 Samuel 20:8

    When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

  • 2 Samuel 20:9

    And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

Read all of 2 Samuel 20

2 Samuel 20:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y estando ellos cerca de la grande peña que está en Gabaón, salióles Amasa al encuentro. Ahora bien, la vestidura que Joab tenía sobrepuesta estábale ceñida, y sobre ella el cinto de una daga pegada á sus lomos en su vaina, de la que así como él avanzó, cayóse aquélla.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ils étaient près de la grande pierre qui est à Gabaon, qu’Amasa arriva devant eux. Et Joab était ceint de la casaque dont il était vêtu, et, par-dessus, il avait le ceinturon de l’épée attachée sur ses reins dans son fourreau; et comme il s’avançait, elle tomba.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Sie waren bei dem großen Steine, der zu Gibeon ist, da kam Amasa ihnen entgegen. Und Joab war mit seinem Waffenrock als seinem Gewande umgürtet, und darüber war der Gürtel des Schwertes, das in seiner Scheide an seinen Lenden befestigt war; und als er hervortrat, fiel es heraus.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Cumque illi essent juxta lapidem grandem qui est in Gabaon, Amasa veniens occurrit eis. Porro Joab vestitus erat tunica stricta ad mensuram habitus sui, et desuper accinctus gladio dependente usque ad ilia, in vagina, qui fabricatus levi motu egredi poterat, et percutere.