Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.
Parallel Translations
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Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.
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And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
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And the LORD will return his blood upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, and my father David knew it not: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to 1 Kings 2:32 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Judges 9:24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
- Judges 9:57 and God repaid all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads; and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them.
- 2 Chronicles 21:13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute like Ahab’s house did, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than yourself,
- Psalms 7:16 The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.
- 2 Samuel 3:26-27 When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it. When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
- 2 Samuel 20:9-10 Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
- 1 Kings 2:5 “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist, and in his sandals that were on his feet.
- Genesis 4:11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
- 1 Samuel 15:28 Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
- 2 Samuel 3:37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.
- 2 Samuel 4:11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand, and rid the earth of you?”
- 2 Samuel 17:25 Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
- 1 Kings 2:44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore Yahweh will return your wickedness on your own head.
- Esther 1:19 “If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (8 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ki 2:32 And the LORD shall return his blood…
1Ki 2:32 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing [thereof, to wit], Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
Ver. 32. My father David not knowing of it.] This he is careful to insert for the honour of his father.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain His blood, i.e. the guilt of the blood which…
His blood, i.e. the guilt of the blood which he shed.
More righteous and better than he; of more ingenuous and generous tempers, abhorring from all such treacherous practices; and both of them then devoted to and employed in my service.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of…
Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever,.... Not only upon Joab, but upon his posterity as long as there would be any; signifying, that Joab's death would not be a sufficient satisfaction, but the punishment of his murders would be continued to his offspring: see Sa2 3:29;
but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord; such traitors and murderers being removed, peace and happiness might be expected and believed would attend the family and kingdom of David; whether this be considered as a prayer, or a prophecy, it can and will have its full accomplishment only in the kingdom of the Messiah the son of David, of the increase of whose government, and the peace thereof, there shall be no end, Isa 9:7.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 1Ki 2:32-34. The Lord shall return his blood —…
1Ki 2:32-34. The Lord shall return his blood — The guilt of the blood which he hath shed. Upon his own head — Shall make him alone bear the punishment of his iniquity. Who fell upon two men more righteous than he — Of more ingenuous and generous tempers, abhorring such treacherous practices; and both of them devoted to, and employed in my father’s service. Prejudice, however, and anger seem here too much to have dictated Solomon’s expressions; for, it is certain, Joab had always been a firm friend to David, and had done him considerable service at a time when both Abner and Amasa had acted against him. Upon the head of his seed for ever — Either as long as he shall have a posterity, or for a long time, as that phrase is frequently used. So that Solomon here pronounces that Joab’s own death should not expiate his guilt; but that his posterity should suffer for it in future generations, according to what David had said, 2Sa 3:28-29. If Solomon spoke by inspiration of God when he uttered these words, no doubt the prediction was fulfilled, and God visited the sins of the father upon the children, as he often does, when the children tread in their progenitors’ sinful steps. But whether, or how far, this was the case, the Scriptures give us no information. But upon David and upon his seed — shall there be peace — In and by this execution of justice upon Joab and such malefactors, my throne shall be established, and God will bless me and mine with peace and prosperity, He was buried in his own house — That is, in some ground belonging and adjoining to his house, and accounted a part of the mansion. In the wilderness — So they called those parts of the country which were but thinly inhabited.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Shalt return his blood - i. e. “his shedding…
Shalt return his blood - i. e. “his shedding of blood.”
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 32. his blood] i.e. The blood which he hath…
32. his blood] i.e. The blood which he hath shed.
my father David not knowing thereof] The verb is a finite tense and not a participle, and the clause may therefore be rendered ‘and my father D. knew it not.’
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Abner] See notes on 1Ki_2:5 above. In that verse both Abner and Amasa are called captains of the host of Israel, while here the latter is distinguished as captain of the host of Judah. That the division in the people was well marked long before the revolt of the ten tribes against Rehoboam may be seen from the strife which took place about David’s return after the death of Absalom (2Sa_19:41-43). Also when Joab numbered the people (2Sa_24:9) the census of the two hosts was given in separately.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And the Lord shall return LXX ejpestreye, returns, or…
And the Lord shall return LXX ejpestreye, returns, or returned his blood LXX toav aujtou, i.e., the blood he had shed. Cf. vers. 33, 44 upon his own head, who fell upon same word as in vers. 29, 31. So that it was strictly a retaliation. The lex talionis was carried out to the letter two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing. Heb. "and my father David knew not," i.e., was not privy thereto. Solomon thinks of the unjust suspicions which these crimes cast upon his father.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
King Solomon explains why Joab should die.
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May Yahweh return his blood on his own head
The word "his" refers to Joab. "Blood" is a metonym for murder. And, the idiom "his blood on his own head" means the person should be considered guilty for murder. AT: "Joab has murdered people, and I want Yahweh to hold him guilty for what he has done" (See: Metonymy and Idiom)
more righteous and better
These words mean basically the same thing and emphasize that Abner and Amasa were much better men than Joab. (See: Doublet)
may their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants
The word "blood" is a metonym for murder. And, the idiom "blood return on the head of" means the person should be considered guilty for murder. AT: "I want Yahweh to hold Joab and his descendants guilty" (See: Metonymy and Idiom)
to his house, and to his throne
The words "house" and "throne" are metonyms for the family and the kingdom. AT: "to David's descendants and to David's kingdom" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
Yahweh
righteous
sword
Abner
Israel
Judah
David
descend
eternity
throne
peace
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.