Bible Strands
2 Samuel 20:8
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joab and his troops arrive at the great stone in Gibeon while pursuing Sheba, at the exact moment Amasa arrives to join them with the men of Judah. Joab stands in full military gear as the two commanders meet.
The words — The Hebrew עִם־ (‘im-) literally means “near” or “with,” pinpointing the geographic marker where the encounter occurs. The verb בָּא (ba’) translates as “he came,” recording Amasa’s arrival at that specific location.
The thread — The great stone in Gibeon reappears in 2 Samuel 2:13 as the site where Joab first confronted Ish-bosheth’s forces, and in 2 Samuel 3:30 as the place where Joab murdered Abner. These earlier passages establish Gibeon as a recurring landmark for Joab’s military and political violence.
Why it lands — The text records Joab deliberately slipping a dagger from its sheath as he steps forward, requiring the reader to note the concealed threat before any greeting occurs. It asks the reader to observe how calculated violence precedes political maneuvering in the narrative.
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The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 3:30 (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
- 2 Samuel 2:13 So Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
- 2 Samuel 20:4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”