II Samuel 3:22-27 · Bible study
2 Samuel 3:22-27 Commentary: Joab's Murder of Abner
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine how Joab's return from a raid unravels David's peaceful strategy, revealing the clash between personal vengeance and political unity.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Joab's murder of Abner reveals the clash between David's unifying strategy and the destructive forces of personal revenge and ambition.
- Key words: Shalom (peace, v22-23), gedud (raid, v22), le/fatot (to deceive, v25), chomesh (belly/stomach, v27).
- Main debate: Whether Joab's motive was primarily personal vengeance for Asahel or fear of losing his position to Abner.
- Theological theme: Human sin can hinder but not stop God's redemptive purposes; the innocent suffer while the powerful escape justice in this life.
- Best use: A cautionary tale about unchecked revenge, the misuse of loyalty as a mask for ambition, and the limits of even a godly king's authority.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
22Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing with them a great plunder. But Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had sent him on his way in peace.
23When Joab and all his troops arrived, he was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, who sent him on his way in peace.”
24So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!
25Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”
26As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David was unaware of it.
27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
WEB World English Bible 2000
22Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone?
25You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”
26When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.
27When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
KJV King James Version 1769
22And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?
25Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
26And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
27And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
22And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?
25Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
26And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
22And lo, the servants of David, and Joab, have come from the troop, and much spoil have brought with them, and Abner is not with David in Hebron, for he hath sent him away, and he goeth in peace;
23and Joab and all the host that is with him have come, and they declare to Joab, saying, `Abner son of Ner hath come unto the king, and he sendeth him away, and he goeth in peace.'
24And Joab cometh unto the king, and saith, `What hast thou done? lo, Abner hath come unto thee! why is this--thou hast sent him away, and he is really gone?
25Thou hast known Abner son of Ner, that to deceive thee he came, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou art doing.'
26And Joab goeth out from David, and sendeth messengers after Abner, and they bring him back from the well of Sirah, and David knew not.
27And Abner turneth back to Hebron, and Joab turneth him aside unto the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smiteth him there in the fifth rib --and he dieth--for the blood of Asahel his brother.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
22And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from an expedition, and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23And Joab and all the host that was with him came; and they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away; and he is gone in peace.
24Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came to thee; why is it [that] thou hast sent him away, and he is gone?
25Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
26And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him again from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.
27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him secretly, and smote him there in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
22Immediately, David's servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty. And Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?
25Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?
26Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.
27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 3:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the narrator deliberately contrasts the peace of Abner's departure with the violence of Joab's return. Joab returns from a raid (gedud, H1416) with plunder just as David had sent Abner away in peace (v22). Barnes and Clarke note that Joab's real motive was not concern for David's safety but fear of losing his military post to Abner. The Cambridge Bible points out that Abner likely timed his visit for Joab's absence. Gill and Henry describe Joab's accusation in v25 as a lie meant to justify murder. The Septuagint (as Cambridge notes) reads a variant in v27 where Joab takes Abner 'by the side of the gate' rather than 'into the middle of the gate,' but the effect is the same: a cold-blooded assassination under cover of private conversation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Joab as righteous avenger: Some argue that Joab was lawfully avenging his brother Asahel (Deuteronomy 19:12-13), but the text's details (deception, place, David's reaction) work against this.
- Joab as political opportunist: Barnes and Clarke emphasize that Joab killed Abner to secure his own position as general, using the blood feud as a cover. The narrative sequence supports this.
- David as morally compromised: Some readers note David's failure to punish Joab (v39) and question his complicity. The text however clearly says David knew nothing of the plot (v26).
What is clear: The narrator presents Joab's act as a treacherous murder in a time of peace, motivated by a mixture of ambition and personal vengeance, and David's own stance is innocent of the plot.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Joab's primary motive | Joab acted to eliminate Abner as a rival for military command and to settle a blood feud. | Some emphasize the personal vengeance for Asahel (v27 'for the blood of Asahel'), while others stress the political ambition to keep his post (Clarke, Barnes). Both are present, but which is driving the other is debated. |
| David's complicity | David did not know of the plan (v26 'but David knew not') and publicly condemned the murder afterward. | Some question whether David could have stopped Joab or whether his later weakness in not punishing Joab (2 Sam 3:39) makes him indirectly responsible. Historic Christian readings vary on this, some stressing David's genuine innocence, others noting his failure of leadership. |
| Abner's character and intentions | Abner came to David to negotiate a peaceful transfer of the northern tribes to David's rule. | Was Abner genuinely sincere in his shift of allegiance? The text presents his words positively (vv20-21), but Joab's accusation of deception raises a minority view that Abner might have had ulterior motives. Most commentators reject this as Joab's slander. |
| The ethics of Joab's revenge | Joab's act was murder, not legitimate blood vengeance, as Abner had killed Asahel in battle and in self-defense (2 Sam 2:23). | Some ancient traditions (including Jewish law) allowed a near kinsman to avenge a killing, but the commentators uniformly see Joab's act as treacherous and illegal because Abner was under safe conduct. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage sits in the midst of the civil war between the house of Saul and the house of David (2 Sam 3:1). Hebron was David's capital as king of Judah, and a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7), a fact that heightens the irony of Joab's violence. The raid Joab returns from was a common practice in the ancient Near East for armies that lacked state funding; the 'gedud' was a marauding band that lived off plunder (Cambridge Bible). Spoil could include livestock, goods, and captives.
The 'well of Sirah' (v26) is identified by Josephus as about two and a half miles from Hebron, on the road north. Abner, travelling home in peace, was caught off guard when messengers recalled him, likely in David's name, as Cambridge suggests, since a message from Joab would have aroused suspicion. The city gate (v27) was the public square, where legal and commercial business took place. Joab's act of 'turning him aside' (the verb נָטָה, natah, H5186) into the middle of the gate suggests a deceptive gesture of privacy in a crowded place. The fatal blow to the belly (the 'chomesh,' H2570) echoes the killing of Asahel in 2 Sam 2:23 and underscores the blood feud that Joab claimed to avenge.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no major textual variant that changes the meaning of the passage. The Septuagint reading of v27 has 'took him apart by the side of the gate' instead of 'into the middle of the gate,' and v24 in the Septuagint adds 'Dost thou not know the wickedness of Abner?' These differences do not affect the main narrative. The Hebrew Masoretic text is stable and supported by the Qumran fragments of Samuel.
Reception History
This passage has been read across church history as a case study in the tragedy of unchecked vengeance. Early church fathers like Chrysostom used it to warn against anger that masquerades as zeal for the king. During the Reformation, commentators such as Calvin and Luther highlighted David's grief as evidence of a godly ruler's heart even when his power to execute justice was incomplete. The story has also been cited in discussions on just war and the limits of authority: a king may want peace, but his subordinates may thwart it. In Jewish tradition, the murder of Abner is seen as a pivotal sin that prolonged the division between Judah and Israel. Modern preachers often use this passage to explore the gap between noble intentions and flawed execution, and the need for leaders to confront powerful wrongdoers even when it is costly.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Peace That Disrupted Ambition (vv22-23): David sends Abner away in shalom, but Joab returns from a raid to find his rival gone. The spoils of war cannot sweeten the news that threatens his position.
- The Lie That Masks Revenge (vv24-25): Joab accuses Abner of deception, using the words 'know your going out and your coming in', a surveillance term. But the real deception is Joab's, hiding murder behind false loyalty.
- The Gate That Sealed Bloodshed (vv26-27): In the very place meant for justice, Joab strikes. The narrator's comment 'but David didn't know it' shows how the king's strategy is undone by his own commander's treachery.
Five-Point Outline
- Divine Providence Unfolds: God had pledged to unite Israel under David (v18), and Abner was the instrument. Yet human sin complicates God's plan.
- Political Strategy vs. Personal Grievance: David's wise diplomacy is sabotaged by Joab's private blood feud.
- The Danger of Unchecked Ambition: Joab's willingness to kill a brother-in-arms to preserve his rank exposes the rot in the court.
- The Cost of Inaction: David later says 'these men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me' (2 Sam 3:39). His failure to discipline Joab sets a precedent for future violence.
- The Cry for Justice: David's public lament (v31-34) reclaims his moral authority, framing Abner's death as a tragedy for the whole nation.
Illustration Hooks
- An office worker learns of a colleague's promotion just after returning from a successful project. Jealousy turns to sabotage.
- Two siblings nursing an old grudge refuse reconciliation even when the rest of the family tries to make peace.
- A leader tries to broker a peace deal, only to have it undermined by a subordinate with his own agenda.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why didn't David punish Joab? How does this relate to leaders' inability to control powerful subordinates?
- Is Joab's revenge justifiable because Abner killed his brother in battle? What does this passage teach about blood feuds?
- How can we tell when someone is accusing others of deception to hide their own motives?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows how a moment of peace can be shattered by hidden ambition and unresolved grief. As you read verses 22-27, notice what each character knows and does not know. The narrator lets you see the gap between David's intentions and Joab's secret plan.
Discussion Questions
- What mood does the phrase 'he had gone in peace' (v22-23) create, and why does the narrator repeat it?
- Joab's accusation in v25 uses 'deceive' and 'know your going out and your coming in.' How does this language twist Abner's peaceful mission into something sinister?
- Read v26: 'but David didn't know it.' What does this detail tell us about David's role in the murder? Is he complicit or helpless?
- The murder takes place 'in the middle of the gate', a public place. Why would Joab risk visibility?
- In what ways does this story challenge the idea that God's plan proceeds smoothly through human agents?
- Compare Joab's words in v24-25 with Joseph's brothers in Genesis 42:9,12. What pattern of false accusation do you see?
- If you were David, what could you do when a powerful general refuses to obey? How does this shape your view of imperfect leadership?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 23:11 | Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether.” |
| II Samuel 3:8 | Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to your father Saul’s house, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman! |
| II Samuel 3:39 | I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.” |
| II Samuel 19:5 | Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines; |
| II Samuel 19:7 | Now therefore arise, go out and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.” |
| John 18:35 | Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?” |
| Genesis 42:9 | Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.” |
| Genesis 42:12 | He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land!” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke calls Joab a cold-blooded, finished murderer who killed Abner to protect his own position as army commander, using revenge for his brother Asahel as a thin pretext. The crime was entirely unprovoked, and Joab was so powerful that King David dared not bring him to justice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights Joab's cold calculation: Abner's reconciliation with David would cost Joab his place as second in the kingdom, so he had Abner murdered. The mention of the well Sirah, about two and a half miles from Hebron, gives the setting for this act of political ambition.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary emphasizes that Joab's murder of Abner was politically motivated, not an act of justifiable blood revenge. Since Abner killed Asahel in self-defense, Joab used that claim as a pretext. His real purpose was to eliminate a rival who threatened his own position and influence with David.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights Joab's deceit: he spoke peaceably with Abner before murdering him, making the killing a treacherous act of personal vengeance for his brother Asahel's blood, not a matter of state. Joab's malice is shown in the gap between his friendly words and his deadly blow.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Joab's motive was twofold: personal vengeance for his brother Asahel's death and political jealousy, fearing Abner would take his place as army commander. Gill notes Joab lured Abner aside in the city gate under pretense of a friendly word, then struck him fatally. David knew nothing of the plot.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees Joab's murder of Abner as driven by three intertwined motives: genuine suspicion of Abner's character, fierce personal rivalry for David's favor, and the old blood feud over Asahel. Joab tricked Abner away from Hebron, a city of refuge, and killed him at a nearby well.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Abner's defection was not a pure act of submission to God's will but was driven by wounded pride and ambition after Ishbosheth's reproach. He notes that Abner knowingly opposed God's promise to David for years and only changed sides when his personal interests were offended.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that David's elaborate curse on Joab's household shows how deeply he abhorred the murder, and that David's public mourning proved his innocence. David could not punish Joab legally but called on God to avenge the bloodshed, making clear his own hands were clean.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the "troop" as either robbers or Philistines who exploited the ongoing conflict between the houses of Saul and David. These enemies used the internal discord to launch raids into Judah, taking advantage of the weakened state caused by the civil strife.