Bible Strands
2 Samuel 10:13
So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joab and his troops advance against the Aramean forces during a coordinated campaign against Ammon and Aram. This action follows Joab’s exhortation to his brother Abishai to fight bravely for their people and cities.
The words — וַ/יִּגַּ֣שׁ (va/i.yi.Gash) renders "and he drew near," describing Joab’s tactical approach to engage the enemy. וַ/יָּנֻ֖סוּ (va/i.ya.Nu.su) means "and they fled," recording the Arameans’ immediate collapse upon contact.
The thread — The narrative of Joab’s advance and the enemy’s flight appears verbatim in 1 Chronicles 19:14. Cross-references to 1 Kings 20:13 and 1 Kings 20:28 note prophetic approaches to kings, not military engagements.
Why it lands — The text records a decisive military outcome without commentary, requiring the reader to recognize the immediate result of Joab’s advance. It demands attention to the factual sequence of battle rather than theological speculation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 20:13 Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
- 1 Kings 20:28 Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans have said that the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
- 1 Chronicles 19:14 So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.
- 2 Chronicles 13:5 Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?