2 Samuel 20:18

Contextual Overview

¹⁴Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites came together and followed him. ¹⁴ He went through all the tribes of Yisra'el to Hevel, and to Beit-Ma`akha, and all the Beri`i: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. ¹⁴ And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. ¹⁴ (He had passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maacah; now all of the Berites had been treated badly, so they also followed after him.) ¹⁴ And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in. ¹⁴ Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah. All the Berites also came together and followed him. ¹⁴ Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah and all the Berite region. When they had assembled, they too joined him. ¹⁴Now Joab went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they assembled and also went after Sheba. ¹⁴ Now he went on through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, that is, Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they assembled and went after him as well. ¹⁴ And he went through all the tribes of Israel vnto Abel, and Bethmaachah and all places of Berim: and they gathered together, and went also after him.

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

Genesis 12:17
The LORD plagued Par`oh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Avram's wife.

Genesis 12:17
And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.

Genesis 12:17
Then Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues on account of the matter of Sarai the wife of Abram.

Genesis 12:17
But the Lord sent terrible diseases on the king and all the people in his house because of Abram's wife Sarai.

Genesis 12:17
But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Genesis 12:17
But the LORD punished Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Genesis 12:17
But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Genesis 12:17
But the Lorde plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai Abrams wife.

Genesis 12:17
But Yahweh struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Genesis 12:17
Because of Sarai, the Lord struck the king and everyone in his palace with terrible diseases.

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.