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New Revised Standard
2 Samuel 20:18
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- CondensedParallel Translations
She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes.
Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Hevel: and so they ended [the matter].
Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
Then she said, "In former times, they would always say, ‘By all means, let them inquire in Abel,' and so they settled things.
Then she said, "They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,' and so they settled a matter.
Then the woman said, "In the past people would say, ‘Ask for advice at Abel,' and the problem would be solved.
She said, "In the past they would always say, ‘Let them inquire in Abel,' and that is how they settled things.
Then she said, "In the past people used to say, 'They will certainly ask advice at Abel,' and so they settled the dispute.
Then she spoke, saying, "In the past they used to say, 'They will undoubtedly ask advice at Abel,' and that is how they ended a dispute.
Then shee spake thus, They spake in the olde time, saying, They shoulde aske of Abel. and so haue they continued.
Then she spoke, saying, "Formerly they used to speak in this way, saying, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,' and thus they ended the dispute.
She said, "Long ago people used to say, ‘If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.' The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem.
Then she said, "In the old days they used to say, ‘They will ask advice at Avel'; and that would end the discussion.
And she spoke saying, They were wont to speak in old time saying, Just inquire in Abel; and so they ended.
Then the woman said, "In the past people would say, ‘Ask for help in Abel and you will get what you need.'
Then she said, They used to say in old time, They first inquire of the prophets, then they destroy.
She said, "Long ago they used to say, ‘Go and get your answer in the city of Abel'—and that's just what they did.
And she spoke, saying, They spoke often in days gone by, saying, Asking they will ask at Abel, and so they ended all dispute .
She sayde: The comonsayenge was somtyme: Who so wyll axe, let him axe at Abel, and so came it to a good ende.
Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
Then she said, In the old days, there was a saying, Let them put the question in Abel and in Dan, saying, Has what was ordered by men of good faith in Israel ever come to an end?
Then she spake thus: They spake in the olde tyme, saying, They should aske of Abel: And so haue they continued.
Then she spoke, saying: 'They were wont to speak in old time, saying: They shall surely ask counsel at Abel; and so they ended the matter.
Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speake in old time, saying, They shall surely aske counsell at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
And she spoke, saying, Of old time they said thus, Surely one was asked in Abel, and Dan, whether the faithful in Israel failed in what they purposed; they will surely ask in Abel, even in like manner, whether they have failed.
Then she spake, saying, they were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].
Then the woman said, "Long ago they used to say, 'Seek counsel at Abel,' and that is how disputes were settled.
And eft sche seide, A word was seid in eld prouerbe, Thei that axen, axe in Habela; and so thei profitiden.
and she speaketh, saying, `They spake often in former times, saying, Let them diligently ask at Abel, and so they finished.
Then she spoke, saying, They used to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].
Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They will surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].
Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].
So she spoke, saying, "They used to talk in former times, saying, "They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,' and so they would end disputes.
Then she continued, "There used to be a saying, ‘If you want to settle an argument, ask advice at the town of Abel.'
Then she said, "In the past they used to say, ‘Let them ask for words of wisdom at Abel.' And so they would stop fighting.
Then spake she, saying, - They, used to speak, in former times, saying, Enquire, in Abel! And, so, they ended it.
And she again said: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end.
Then she said, "They were wont to say in old time, 'Let them but ask counsel at Abel'; and so they settled a matter.
"There's an old saying in these parts: ‘If it's answers you want, come to Abel and get it straight.' We're a peaceful people here, and reliable. And here you are, trying to tear down one of Israel's mother cities. Why would you want to mess with God 's legacy like that?"
Then she spoke, saying, "Formerly they used to say, 'They will surely ask advice at Abel,' and thus they ended the dispute.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
They were wont: etc. or, They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end. Deuteronomy 20:10, Deuteronomy 20:11
Reciprocal: Matthew 5:21 - it
Cross-References
But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
and Sarai said to Abram, "You see that the Lord has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Now then, return the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all that are yours."
Jacob became very angry with Rachel and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.
So they sent the ark of the God of Israel to Ekron. But when the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, "Why have they brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people?"
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then she spake, saying, they were wont to speak in old time,.... It was a common saying, a proverbial expression among the ancient sages:
saying, they shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel, and so they ended [the matter]. Abel, it seems, had been a city so famous for wise and prudent men, that it was common for the inhabitants of other cities, in the several parts of the kingdom, when any controversy arose among them, to say to one another, since we cannot agree this matter among ourselves, let us go to Abel, and take advice there, and leave it to their arbitration; and so they did, and things were presently brought to an issue, and happily concluded; nay, when the king had a mind to make a decree or law, as R. Isaiah observes, he used to send to Abel to know whether they would submit to it; and if they agreed to it, then he proceeded in it; for other cities followed their example, so famous was this city, and of so great account: now the woman argues from hence, that surely such a renowned city should not hastily be destroyed; but the Targum directs to another sense, and which perhaps is best, and is followed by Jarchi, Kimchi, and others, paraphrasing the words thus,
"she spake, saying, I remember now what is written in the book of the law, to ask a city first, saying, (will ye make peace?) so shouldest thou have asked of Abel, will ye make peace, or receive terms of peace?''
referring to the law in Deuteronomy 20:10; signifying, if that had been attended to as it ought (for if such methods were to be taken with Heathen cities, much more with a city of Israel, as Abel was), things would soon have been agreed and issued; had Joab upon approaching the city proposed his terms of peace, they would have immediately yielded to them, and so the matter would have ended at once; for they were a peaceable people, as it follows: though Dr. Lightfoot b gives another sense of these words, that Sheba and his party when they came to the city,
"they at first certainly said thus, that they would ask Abel of its peace (or on whose side it was), and so they made the matter entire, or made a show of their own integrity:''
by which this woman assured Joab, that the men of Abel had not invited, nor willingly received Sheba and his rebels into the city, but they had deceived them by fawning and false words, pretending only to inquire about the peace and welfare of their city.
b Works, vol. 2. p. 367.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
This was an old proverb. Abel, like Teman, and some other places, was once famous for the wisdom of its inhabitants 1 Kings 4:30-31. The wise woman was herself a remnant of this traditional wisdom.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 2 Samuel 20:18. They shall surely ask counsel at Abel — This is a proverb, but from what it originated we know not; nor can we exactly say what it means: much must be supplied to bring it to speak sense. Abel was probably famed for the wisdom of its inhabitants; and parties who had disputes appealed to their judgment, which appears to have been in such high reputation as to be final by consent of all parties. To this the wise woman refers, and intimates to Joab that he should have proceeded in this way before he began to storm the city, and destroy the peaceable inhabitants.
