2 Samuel 20 · Verse 9

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.
2 Samuel 20:9, King James Version

2 Samuel 20:9 in other translations

BSB“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
WEBJoab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
ASVAnd Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with thee, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
YLTAnd Joab saith to Amasa, ‘Art thou in peace, my brother?' and the right hand of Joab layeth hold on the beard of Amasa to give a kiss to him;
DARBYAnd Joab said to Amasa, Art thou well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
BBEAnd Joab said to Amasa, Is it well, my brother? And with his right hand he took him by the hair of his chin to give him a kiss.
WebsterAnd Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

What does 2 Samuel 20:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him--This act, common with two friends on meeting when one of them returns from a journey, indicates respect as well as kindliness, and the performance of it evinced the deep hypocrisy of Joab, who thereby put Amasa off his guard. No wonder, then, that while this act of friendly gratulation after long absence occupied Amasa's attention, he did not perceive the sword that was in Joab's left hand. The action of Joab was indeed a high compliment, but neither suspicious nor unusual and to this compliment, Amasa paying attention and no doubt returning it with suitable politeness, he could little expect the fatal event that Joab's perfidy produced. 2Sa 20:10-13. Amasa Is Slain.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · 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 20:9 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
יוֹאָב֙yo.'AvJoabH3097
לַעֲמָשָׂ֔אla.'a.ma.Sa'to AmasaH6021
הֲשָׁל֥וֹםha.sha.Lom¿ peaceH7965
אַתָּ֖ה'a.Tah[are] youH859
אָחִ֑י'a.ChiO brother myH251
וַתֹּ֜חֶזva.To.chezand it took holdH270
יַד\־yad-[the] hand ofH3027
יְמִ֥יןye.Min[the] right ofH3225
יוֹאָ֛בyo.'AvJoabH3097
בִּזְקַ֥ןbiz.Kanon [the] beard ofH2206
עֲמָשָׂ֖א'a.ma.Sa'AmasaH6021
לִנְשָׁק\־lin.shok-to kissH5401
לֽוֹ\׃lo<to> <the> him

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 20:9

  • Luke 22:47-48

    And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

  • Matthew 26:48-49

    Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

  • Micah 7:2

    The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.

  • Psalms 55:21

    The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

  • Proverbs 26:24-26

    He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Art thou.
Ps 55:21; Pr 26:24-26; Mic 7:2
took Amasa.Thevenot says, that among the Turks it is a great afront to take one by the beard, unless it be to kiss him, in which case they often do it. D'Arvieux, describing an assembly of Arab emirs at an entertainment, says, "After the usual civilities, caresses, kissings of the beard, and of the hand, which every one gave and received according to his rank and dignity, they sat down upon mats." The doing this by the Arab emirs corresponds with the conduct of Joab, and illustrates this horrid assassination.
to kiss him.
Mt 26:48,49; Lu 22:47,48

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

Context

  • 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.

  • 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.

Read all of 2 Samuel 20

2 Samuel 20:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Joab dijo á Amasa: ¿Tienes paz, hermano mío? Y tomó Joab con la diestra la barba de Amasa, para besarlo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Joab dit à Amasa: Te portes-tu bien, mon frère? Et Joab de sa main droite saisit la barbe d’Amasa, pour l’embrasser.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Joab sprach zu Amasa: Geht es dir wohl, mein Bruder? Und Joab faßte mit der rechten Hand Amasas Bart, um ihn zu küssen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit itaque Joab ad Amasam: Salve mi frater. Et tenuit manu dextera mentum Amasæ, quasi osculans eum.