Bible Strands
2 Samuel 2:19
and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Asahel pursues Abner during the battle between the houses of Saul and David, ignoring the later command to divert his path (2 Samuel 2:21).
The words — The Hebrew נָטָה (na.Tah) means "he turned aside," denoting Asahel's refusal to deviate from his direct course toward Abner.
The thread — The identical "not turning aside" language appears in Joshua 1:7 and Joshua 23:6, where Israel is commanded to obey the Mosaic Law without deviation.
Why it lands — The text records a literal, single-minded chase that structurally mirrors the covenant demand for unwavering obedience, though applied here to violent obsession rather than faithfulness.
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 Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
Cross-references
- Joshua 1:7 Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go.
- Joshua 23:6 Be very strong, then, so that you can keep and obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, not turning aside from it to the right or to the left.
- 2 Samuel 2:21 So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
- 2 Kings 22:2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
- Proverbs 4:27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.