Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 2:14

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

14. Let the young men now arise ] “Young men” here means “servants” or “soldiers.” Cp. ch. 2Sa 4:12. Desirous to avoid the horrors of a civil war, which would weaken the whole nation in the face of its common enemy the Philistines, perhaps also prompted by friendly relations with Joab, Abner proposes to decide the day by a combat between two bodies of picked men. The combat of the Horatii and Curiatii, which decided the war between Alba and Rome, affords a parallel in classical story. Livy represents the Alban dictator, Mettius Fuffetius, as urging this plan of ending the war, lest both nations, weakened by the losses of a general battle, should fall into the hands of their common enemy the Etruscans. See Livy I. 23 25.

and play before us ] The word “play” is used euphemistically in reference to fighting. There is no indication that a bloodless tournament was intended. Livy calls the combat above referred to “minime gratum spectaculum,” “an exhibition which was by no means an amusement.”

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Play – (Compare Jdg 16:25; 1Sa 18:7). Here, the word is applied to the serious game of war, to be played by twelve combatants on each side, with the two armies for spectators.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. Let the young men – play before us.] This was diabolical play, where each man thrust his sword into the body of the other, so that the twenty-four (twelve on each side) fell down dead together! But this was the signal for that sanguinary skirmish which immediately took place.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Abner trusting to his greater numbers, offers battle.

Play before us, i.e. show their prowess and dexterity in managing their weapons, and fighting together. He speaks like a vain-glorious and cruel man, and a soldier of fortune, that esteemed it a sport to see men wounding and killing one another. So this he designed, partly for their mutual recreation, and trial of skill and valour; and partly that by this occasion they might be engaged in a battle.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

14. Abner said to Joab, Let theyoung men now arise, and play before usSome think that theproposal was only for an exhibition of a little tilting match fordiversion. Others suppose that, both parties being reluctant tocommence a civil war, Abner proposed to leave the contest to thedecision of twelve picked men on either side. This fight bychampionship instead of terminating the matter, inflamed the fiercestpassions of the two rival parties; a general engagement ensued, inwhich Abner and his forces were defeated and put to flight.

2Sa2:19-32. ASAHEL SLAIN.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And Abner said to Joab,…. Perceiving he made no motion towards an engagement with him, his orders from David being only to act on the defensive, and avoid as much as possible the effusion of blood:

let the young men now arise, and play before us; with their swords after the manner of gladiators or duellers; that it might appear who were best skilled in the use of the sword, and who were the bravest, stoutest, and most courageous; and this he proposed in a way of bravado, and in order to bring on a battle, or to decide the quarrel between them; and this bloody barbarous exercise Abner calls play, as if it was a diversion and pastime to see men wounding and killing one another:

and Joab said, let them arise; he accepted the challenge, not caring to be hectored and bullied by Abner.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Abner then proposed to Joab that the contest should be decided by a single combat, probably for the purpose of avoiding an actual civil war. “Let the young men arise and wrestle before us.” , to joke or play, is used here to denote the war-play of single combat. As Joab accepted this proposal, twelve young warriors for Benjamin and Ishbosheth, and twelve from David’s men, went over, i.e., went out of the two camps to the appointed scene of conflict; “and one seized the other’s head, and his sword was (immediately) in the side of the other (his antagonist), so that they fell together.” The clause is a circumstantial clause: and his sword (every one’s sword) was in the side of the other, i.e., thrust into it. Sending the sword into the opponent’s side is thus described as simultaneous with the seizure of his head. The ancient translators expressed the meaning by supplying a verb ( , defixit : lxx, Vulg.). This was a sign that the young men on both sides fought with great ferocity, and also with great courage. The place itself received the name of Helkath-hazzurim, “field of the sharp edges,” in consequence (for this use of zur , see Psa 89:44).

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(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 (Speakers 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).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

14. Let the young men now arise, and play before us Implying that the contest between the house of Saul and the house of David should be decided by this action of the young warriors. This would save a needless effusion of blood, and Joab accepted the challenge. , to play, would thus mean the war play of single combat, and the bloody consequences showed that this was the understanding of the contending parties.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2Sa 2:14. Let the young men now arise, and play before us The word rendered play signifies to conflict, or contend together. See Parkhurst on sachak. It seems most probable, that Joab was ordered to act only upon the defensive, David having sworn not to destroy the family of Saul. 1Sa 24:22. In all likelihood, this was only a scheme of Abner’s to pique Joab, and draw on the battle. Josephus understands the proposal as a trial of skill, to shew who had the best disciplined or bravest soldiers. Antiq. lib. vii. c. 1. and see Dr. Shaw’s Travels, part ii. p. 250.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

2Sa 2:14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

Ver. 14. Let the young men now arise, and play before us, ] i.e., Spectaculi causa pugnent, let them hack and hew one another, to make us sport; as the sword players did among the Romans, till good Theodosius forbade that bloody pastime, as hateful to God, and abhorred of all good men. At the taking of Tripolis in Barbary, the Turks, having in their hands one John de Chabis, a Frenchman, brought him into the town, and when they had cut off his hands and his nose, put him quick into the ground to the waist, and there, for their pleasure, shot at him with their arrows; and afterwards cut his throat. a The Spaniards day by day, for their pleasure, whip the poor Indians with cords, and drop their naked bodies with burning bacon; this being one of the least cruelties they exercise upon those wretches, to make themselves merry in the others’ misery.

Let them arise. ] Joab was true touch, as they call it, and soon accepted the challenge: but better he had not; for the issue was bloody. Many martialists, fleshed with such horrid acts and aspects, make little reckoning of bloodshed. O formosum spectaculum! Oh, brave sight! said Hannibal, when he saw a pit full of men’s blood. O rem regiam! Oh, kingly act! said Valesus, when he had slain three hundred men.

a Turk. Hist., p. 756.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

young men = common soldiers.

play = make sport.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

play before: 2Sa 2:17, 2Sa 2:26, 2Sa 2:27, Pro 10:23, Pro 17:14, Pro 20:18, Pro 25:8, Pro 26:18, Pro 26:19

Reciprocal: Jdg 9:29 – Increase thine army 1Sa 14:12 – Come up to us 2Ki 14:8 – Come 2Ch 25:17 – let us see

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2Sa 2:14. Abner said, Let the young men now arise, and play before us That is, show their prowess and dexterity in fighting together, or make trial of their courage and strength, that we may see which of us has the braver soldiers. He speaks like a vain-glorious and cruel man, and a soldier of fortune, that esteemed it a sport to see men wounding and killing one another. So this he designed, partly for their mutual recreation, and trial of skill; and partly, that by this occasion they might be engaged in a battle. But he is unworthy the name of a man who is thus prodigal of human blood.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2:14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and {h} play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

(h) Let us see how they can handle their weapons.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes