Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible
Christian Standard Bible ®
2 Samuel 20:20
Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish!
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Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Hebrew Names Version
Yo'av answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Yo'av answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
King James Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Lexham English Bible
Then Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow or I should destroy.
Then Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow or I should destroy.
English Standard Version
Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!
Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!
New Century Version
Joab answered, "I would prefer not to destroy or ruin anything!
Joab answered, "I would prefer not to destroy or ruin anything!
New English Translation
Joab answered, "Get serious! I don't want to swallow up or destroy anything!
Joab answered, "Get serious! I don't want to swallow up or destroy anything!
Amplified Bible
Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me that I would swallow up or destroy!
Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me that I would swallow up or destroy!
New American Standard Bible
Joab replied, "Far be it, far be it from me that I would consume or destroy!
Joab replied, "Far be it, far be it from me that I would consume or destroy!
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ioab answered, & said, God forbid, God forbid it me, that I should deuoure, or destroy it.
And Ioab answered, & said, God forbid, God forbid it me, that I should deuoure, or destroy it.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!
And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!
Contemporary English Version
Joab answered, "No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town!
Joab answered, "No, no! I'm not trying to wipe you out or destroy your town!
Complete Jewish Bible
Yo'av answered, "Heaven forbid! Heaven forbid that I should swallow or destroy anything!
Yo'av answered, "Heaven forbid! Heaven forbid that I should swallow or destroy anything!
Darby Translation
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Easy-to-Read Version
Joab answered, "I don't want to destroy anything. I don't want to ruin your city.
Joab answered, "I don't want to destroy anything. I don't want to ruin your city.
George Lamsa Translation
And Joab answered and said to her, Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said to her, Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.
Good News Translation
"Never!" Joab answered. "I will never ruin or destroy your city!
"Never!" Joab answered. "I will never ruin or destroy your city!
Literal Translation
And Joab answered and said, Far be it! Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it! Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ioab answered and sayde: That be farre, that be farre fro me, that I shulde swalowe vp and destroye.
Ioab answered and sayde: That be farre, that be farre fro me, that I shulde swalowe vp and destroye.
American Standard Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Bible in Basic English
And Joab, answering her, said, Far, far be it from me to be a cause of death or destruction;
And Joab, answering her, said, Far, far be it from me to be a cause of death or destruction;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ioab aunswered, and sayd: God forbyd, God forbid it me that I should either deuour, or destroy.
And Ioab aunswered, and sayd: God forbyd, God forbid it me that I should either deuour, or destroy.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joab answered and said: 'Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said: 'Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
King James Version (1611)
And Ioab answered and saide, Farre be it, farre be it from me, that I should swallow vp or destroy.
And Ioab answered and saide, Farre be it, farre be it from me, that I should swallow vp or destroy.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should ruin or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should ruin or destroy.
English Revised Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Berean Standard Bible
"Far be it!" Joab declared. "Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!
"Far be it!" Joab declared. "Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Joab answeride, and seide, Fer be, fer be this fro me; Y `caste not doun, nether Y distrye.
And Joab answeride, and seide, Fer be, fer be this fro me; Y `caste not doun, nether Y distrye.
Young's Literal Translation
And Joab answereth and saith, `Far be it -- far be it from me; I do not swallow up nor destroy.
And Joab answereth and saith, `Far be it -- far be it from me; I do not swallow up nor destroy.
Update Bible Version
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
World English Bible
Joab answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Joab answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
New King James Version
And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy!
And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy!
New Living Translation
And Joab replied, "Believe me, I don't want to devour or destroy your town!
And Joab replied, "Believe me, I don't want to devour or destroy your town!
New Life Bible
Joab answered, "Far be it from me! Far be it that I should swallow up or destroy!
Joab answered, "Far be it from me! Far be it that I should swallow up or destroy!
New Revised Standard
Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!
Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then answered Joab and said, - Far be it! far be it from me! I will neither swallow up nor lay waste.
Then answered Joab and said, - Far be it! far be it from me! I will neither swallow up nor lay waste.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Joab answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I do not throw down, nor destroy.
And Joab answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I do not throw down, nor destroy.
Revised Standard Version
Jo'ab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!
Jo'ab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!
THE MESSAGE
Joab protested, "Believe me, you've got me all wrong. I'm not here to hurt anyone or destroy anything—not on your life! But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bicri by name, revolted against King David; hand him over, him only, and we'll get out of here." The woman told Joab, "Sounds good. His head will be tossed to you from the wall."
Joab protested, "Believe me, you've got me all wrong. I'm not here to hurt anyone or destroy anything—not on your life! But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bicri by name, revolted against King David; hand him over, him only, and we'll get out of here." The woman told Joab, "Sounds good. His head will be tossed to you from the wall."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Joab replied, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!
Joab replied, "Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!
Contextual Overview
14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites came together and followed him. 15Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, 16a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him.” 17When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” 18She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes. 19I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?” 20Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish! 21That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.” 22The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Far be it: 2 Samuel 23:17, Job 21:16, Job 22:18
that I should: 2 Samuel 20:10, Proverbs 28:13, Jeremiah 17:9, Luke 10:29
Reciprocal: Genesis 44:7 - General 2 Samuel 17:16 - be swallowed 1 Kings 1:38 - the Cherethites Job 2:3 - destroy him Luke 6:41 - but 2 Corinthians 2:7 - swallowed
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And Joab answered and said, far be it from me, far be it from me,.... He repeats these words, to show how detestable it was to him to do what she suggested:
that I should swallow up or destroy; any in a violent and unrighteous manner, and especially a city of which she had given such a character for its greatness and worth, and for the peaceableness and fidelity of its inhabitants.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Joabâs character is strongly brought out in the transaction. Politic, decided, bold, and unscrupulous, but never needlessly cruel or impulsive, or even revengeful. No life is safe that stands in his way, but from policy he never sacrifices the most insignificant life without a purpose. (Compare 2 Samuel 2:27-30.)
