2 Samuel 2:26 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Abner called to Joab, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?"

NIV: Abner called out to Joab, "Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?"

NASB: Then Abner called to Joab and said, 'Should the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that it will be bitter in the end? So how long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from pursuing their kinsmen?'

CSB: Then Abner called out to Joab: "Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?"

NLT: Abner shouted down to Joab, 'Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?'

KJV: Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

NKJV: Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”

Civil war is brutal, and that's what has begun with this battle in Israel. In large part, Abner is responsible for the war. Yet he's also the one showing the most sorrow and regret that it is happening.

It seems Abner has bit off more than he can chew. He must have known God chose David to be king after Saul. He was Saul's general, and Saul had known for a long time (1 Samuel 24:20). But five years into David's kingship of the tribe of Judah, Abner installed Saul's son of Ish-bosheth king of the rest of the tribes (2 Samuel 2:8–10).

Abner and Ish-bosheth's army meets Joab and David's army in neutral territory. We aren't told why. Abner suggests they each choose twelve men to duel. Again, we are given no explanation. He may have been trying to limit the fighting. But all 24 men are killed, and the battle breaks out (2 Samuel 2:12–17).

In the heat of battle, Joab's brother Asahel tracks down Abner and chases after him. But Abner doesn't want to fight him. He doesn't want to kill Joab's brother. Asahel won't back down, Abner kills him, and Joab and their older brother chase after Abner (2 Samuel 2:19–24).

Now, the general who seems to have started the fight wants it to end. He doesn't want Israelites to keep fighting each other.

Joab agrees, but the match has been lit (2 Samuel 2:27–28). The civil war will last for two years.

Second Samuel 2:24–28 records Abner calling for a truce. The armies of Israel, led by Abner, and Judah, led by Joab, have met in what seems to be their first battle. Israel is losing badly. During the fighting, Abner has killed Joab and Abishai's brother. As the sun sets, Abner reminds Joab that they are all brothers: Israelites. Joab agrees to suspend the hostilities. The two armies march all night to their homes (2 Samuel 2:29–32).

David returns to Israel, where he is anointed king over Judah, and settles in Hebron. Abner declares Saul's son Ish-bosheth king over Israel. David blesses the men of Jabesh-gilead for burying Saul's remains. Abner, leading Ish-bosheth's men, faces off against Joab, leading David's fighters, at Gibeon. In a fierce, one-sided battle, Abner kills Joab's brother, but David's men overwhelm Abner's Benjaminite fighters, losing twenty but killing 360. Abner and the survivors prepare for a last stand on the hill of Ammah, but Joab calls off the battle when Abner pleads with him to stop. Both sides return home.

Saul and three of his sons are dead (1 Samuel 31:1–4). David becomes king of Judah, and Saul's son Ish-bosheth is king of the remaining tribes. When the two sides meet in battle, Ish-bosheth's army fares poorly. David continues to grow stronger over two years of fighting. Ish-bosheth's general Abner appears to make a futile attempt to take the crown from his king, then starts the work to peacefully hand David the crown of Israel (2 Samuel 3:1–12).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.