2 Samuel 2:14
New International Version
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said.

New Living Translation
Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” “All right,” Joab agreed.

English Standard Version
And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.

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

New King James Version
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

New American Standard Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Now have the young men arise and hold a martial skills match in our presence.” And Joab said, “Have them arise!”

NASB 1995
Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

NASB 1977
Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

Amplified Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now stand and have a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them stand.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us."” Let them get up,” Joab replied.

American Standard Version
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Abnir said to Yuab: “The young men shall arise, they shall play before us!” And Yuab said: “Let them arise!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abenner said to Joab, Let now the young men arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

Contemporary English Version
Abner yelled to Joab, "Let's get some of our best soldiers to stand up and fight each other!" Joab agreed,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.

English Revised Version
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Abner said to Joab, "Let's have the young men hold a contest." Joab agreed.

Good News Translation
Abner said to Joab, "Let's have some of the young men from each side fight an armed contest." "All right," Joab answered.

International Standard Version
Abner told Joab, "Let's have the young men get up and fight in our presence." Joab replied, "Let them come."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Abner said to Joab: 'Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us.' And Joab said: 'Let them arise.'

Literal Standard Version
And Abner says to Joab, “Now let the youths rise and they play before us”; and Joab says, “Let them rise.”

Majority Standard Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.

New American Bible
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men rise and perform for us.” Joab replied, “All right.”

NET Bible
Abner said to Joab, "Let the soldiers get up and fight before us." Joab said, "So be it!"

New Revised Standard Version
Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men come forward and have a contest before us.” Joab said, “Let them come forward.”

New Heart English Bible
Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and compete before us." Joab said, "Let them arise."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

World English Bible
Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”

Young's Literal Translation
And Abner saith unto Joab, 'Let the youths rise, I pray thee, and they play before us;' and Joab saith, 'Let them rise.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
War Between the Houses of David and Saul
13So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool. 14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied. 15So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 2:15
So they got up and were counted off--twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

2 Samuel 2:16
Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent's side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.

2 Samuel 2:17
The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

2 Kings 14:8
Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. "Come, let us meet face to face," he said.


Treasury of Scripture

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

play before

2 Samuel 2:17,26,27
And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David…

Proverbs 10:23
It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

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Abner Arise Contest Fight Front Hand Hold Joab Jo'ab Let's Play Please Right Sport Strength Test Young Youths
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Abner Arise Contest Fight Front Hand Hold Joab Jo'ab Let's Play Please Right Sport Strength Test Young Youths
2 Samuel 2
1. David, by God's direction, with his company goes up to Hebron
4. where he is made king of Judah
5. He commends them of Jabesh Gilead for their king of Israel
8. Abner makes Ishbosheth king of Israel
12. A mortal skirmish between twelve of Abner's and twelve of Joab's men.
18. Asahel is slain
25. At Abner's motion, Joab sounds a retreat
32. Asahel's burial














(14) Let the young men.--To avoid unnecessary bloodshed between the tribes of a common parentage, and also, perhaps, to prevent the weakening of the nation in the face of their common Philistine foe, Abner proposes that the struggle should be decided by a combat between a few champions chosen on either side, and Joab immediately accepts the proposal. Hervey (Speaker's Commentary) aptly compares this combat to that of the Horatii and Curiatii, under strikingly similar circumstances and with similar results, as described by Livy (I., 100 10:25).

Verse 14. - Let the young men now arise. "Now" is not an adverb of time, but is hortative, and therefore rightly translated in the Revised Version, "I pray thee." It is by no means certain that Abner meant that this single combat should decide the war; for similar preludes before a battle are not uncommon among the Arabians, and serve, as this did, to put an end to the mutual unwillingness to begin the onslaught. So, too, games often preceded outbreaks of Scandinavian blood feuds. And this was probably Abner's object. He was the assailant, but now found that his men shrank from mortal combat with their brethren. There is thus no comparison between this combat and that of the Curiatii and Horatii described in Livy, 1. 10:25. Let them play. The word is grim enough, though intended to gloss over the cruel reality. On each side twelve of the most skilful champions were to be selected, who were to fight in stern earnest with one another, while the rest gazed upon the fierce spectacle. The sight of the conflict would whet their appetite for blood, and their reluctance would give place to thirst for revenge. The request was too thoroughly in accordance with Joab's temper for him to refuse, and his immediate answer was, Let them arise.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Abner
אַבְנֵר֙ (’aḇ·nêr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 74: Abner -- 'my father is a lamp', an Israelite name

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Joab,
יוֹאָ֔ב (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

“Let us have the young men
הַנְּעָרִ֔ים (han·nə·‘ā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

get up
יָק֤וּמוּ (yā·qū·mū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

and compete
וִֽישַׂחֲק֖וּ (wî·śa·ḥă·qū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7832: To laugh, to play

before us.”
לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ (lə·p̄ā·nê·nū)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 6440: The face

“Let them get up,”
יָקֻֽמוּ׃ (yā·qu·mū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

Joab
יוֹאָ֖ב (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

replied.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT History: 2 Samuel 2:14 Abner said to Joab Please let (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 2:13
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