2 Samuel 20:8
New International Version
While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.

New Living Translation
As they arrived at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was wearing his military tunic with a dagger strapped to his belt. As he stepped forward to greet Amasa, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

English Standard Version
When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out.

Berean Standard Bible
And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

King James Bible
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

New King James Version
When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out.

New American Standard Bible
When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it he had a belt with a sword in its sheath strapped on at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out.

NASB 1995
When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out.

NASB 1977
When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out.

Legacy Standard Bible
They were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, and Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; and as he came out, it fell out.

Amplified Bible
When they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing his military uniform, and over it he had a belt with a sheathed sword strapped around his hips; and as he went forward, it fell out.

Christian Standard Bible
They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out.

American Standard Version
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Those met at The Great Stone that is in Gebuun, and Amasa went in before them, and Yuab was girded with a garment of his armor and a dagger was bound and girded on his loins like a dagger, and he went out and his hand fell on his sword

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they were by the great stone that is in Gabaon: and Amessai went in before them: and Joab had upon him a military cloak over his apparel, and over it he was girded with a dagger fastened upon his loins in its scabbard: and the dagger came out, it even came out and fell.

Contemporary English Version
They had gone as far as the big rock at Gibeon when Amasa caught up with them. Joab had a dagger strapped around his waist over his military uniform, but it fell out as he started toward Amasa.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they were at the great stone which is in Gabaon, Amasa coming met them. And Joab had on a close coat of equal length with his habit, and over it was girded with a sword hanging down to his flank, in a scabbard, made in such manner as to come out with the least motion and strike.

English Revised Version
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When they were at the large rock in Gibeon, Amasa met them there. Joab wore a military uniform, and strapped over it at his hip was a sword in a scabbard. As he stepped forward, the sword dropped [into his hand].

Good News Translation
When they reached the large rock at Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was dressed for battle, with a sword in its sheath fastened to his belt. As he came forward, the sword fell out.

International Standard Version
When they arrived at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came out to meet them. Joab was dressed in a soldier's uniform, over which was a belt that fastened a sword sheath to his thigh. As he walked forward, the sword was exposed.

JPS Tanakh 1917
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

Literal Standard Version
they [are] near the great stone that [is] in Gibeon, and Amasa has gone before them, and Joab [is] girded; he has put his long robe on him, and on it a girdle—a sword [is] fastened on his loins in its sheath; and he has gone out, and it falls.

Majority Standard Bible
And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

New American Bible
They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa met them. Now Joab had a belt over his tunic, from which was slung a sword in its sheath at his thigh; the sword would slide out downwards.

NET Bible
When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out.

New Revised Standard Version
When they were at the large stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; as he went forward it fell out.

New Heart English Bible
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

Webster's Bible Translation
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded to him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

World English Bible
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out.

Young's Literal Translation
they are near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab is girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle -- a sword is fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sheba's Rebellion
7So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri. 8And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath. 9“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.…

Cross References
Matthew 3:4
John wore a garment of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

Judges 3:16
Now Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak

2 Samuel 2:13
So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

2 Samuel 3:30
(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)


Treasury of Scripture

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded to him, and on it a girdle with a sword fastened on his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

in Gibeon

2 Samuel 2:13
And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

2 Samuel 3:30
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

Amasa

2 Samuel 20:4,5
Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present…

Jump to Previous
Amasa Apparel Attire Dressed Fastened Fell Forth Garment Gibeon Girded Girdle Great Joab Joab's Loins Meet Military Sash Sheath Stone Sword Thereof Thereon Waist War
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Amasa Apparel Attire Dressed Fastened Fell Forth Garment Gibeon Girded Girdle Great Joab Joab's Loins Meet Military Sash Sheath Stone Sword Thereof Thereon Waist War
2 Samuel 20
1. By occasion of the quarrel, Sheba rebels in Israel
3. David's ten concubines are put in confinement for life
4. Amasa, made captain over Judah, is slain by Joab
14. Joab pursues Sheba to Abel
16. A wise woman saves the city by Sheba's head
23. David's officers














(8) Went before.--Translate, met. (Comp. Note on 2Samuel 19:6.)

As he went forth it fell out.--The object of this verse is to explain how Joab, in consequence of the arrangement of his dress, was able to stab Amasa without his purpose being suspected. He had a girdle bound round his military coat, and in this he had stuck a dagger so arranged that it might fall out as he advanced. He then picked this up naturally in his left hand, and stretching out his right hand to greet Amasa, his movements gave rise to no suspicion.

Verse 8. - The great stone which is in Gibeon. Gibeon is situated in the mountains of Ephraim, in the tribe of Benjamin, northwest of Jerusalem. The great stone was probably some isolated rock well known in the neighbourhood. Amasa went before them; Hebrew, Amasa came before them; that is, came in view with the levy of men he had raised in Judah. And Joab's garment, etc.; more correctly, and Joab was girded with his military coat as his garment, and over it was the strap of his sword in its sheath, and it (masculine, equivalent to "the sheath") came out, and it (feminine, equivalent to "the sword") fell. This change of gender is very harsh, and has caused the Authorized Version to apply the masculine verb to Joab, and translate, and as he went forth it fell; but a very slight change, supported by the Septuagint, gives us a more satisfactory sense, namely, and it (the sword) came out and fell. It is generally assumed that all this was arranged beforehand on Joab's part, who had so placed his sword that he could shake it out of the sheath. More probably it was an accident, of which he took instant advantage. He had felt that his position was insecure, and that if David had the support of Amasa, and a powerful band of the men of Judah at Jerusalem, he would probably order his execution for slaying Absalom; and Amasa would carry out the command willingly enough, as he thereby would secure the high position offered him. We know David's feelings towards Joab from his dying command to Solomon (1 Kings 2:5), and probably he had given various indications of his deep seated resentment. Joab, therefore, determined to stop Amasa's growth in power, and also to give David a rough lesson. And this accident gave him an early opportunity, which he used with ruthless energy.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[And while] they
הֵ֗ם (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

were at
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

the great
הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ (hag·gə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

stone
הָאֶ֤בֶן (hā·’e·ḇen)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 68: A stone

in Gibeon,
בְּגִבְע֔וֹן (bə·ḡiḇ·‘ō·wn)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1391: Gibeon -- a Levitical city in Benjamin

Amasa
וַעֲמָשָׂ֖א (wa·‘ă·mā·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6021: Amasa -- two Israelites

joined
בָּ֣א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

them.
לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם (lip̄·nê·hem)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

Now Joab
וְיוֹאָ֞ב (wə·yō·w·’āḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

was dressed
חָג֣וּר ׀ (ḥā·ḡūr)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 2296: To gird, gird on, gird oneself

in military attire,
מִדּ֣וֹ (mid·dōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4055: Extent, height, a measure, a vesture, a carpet

and over
וְעָלָ֞יו (wə·‘ā·lāw)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

it was a belt
חֲג֥וֹר (ḥă·ḡō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2290: A belt, girdle

around
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his waist
מָתְנָיו֙ (mā·ṯə·nāw)
Noun - mdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4975: The waist, small of the back, the loins

with a dagger
חֶ֙רֶב֙ (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

in its sheath.
בְּתַעְרָ֔הּ (bə·ṯa‘·rāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8593: A knife, razor, a scabbard

As he
וְה֥וּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

stepped forward,
יָצָ֖א (yā·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

the sword fell out.
וַתִּפֹּֽל׃ (wat·tip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie


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OT History: 2 Samuel 20:8 When they were at the great stone (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
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