2 Samuel 20:15

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ וַיָּצֻ֣רוּ עָלָ֗יו בְּאָבֵ֙לָה֙ בֵּ֣ית הַֽמַּעֲכָ֔ה וַיִּשְׁפְּכ֤וּ סֹֽלְלָה֙ אֶל־הָעִ֔יר וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד בַּחֵ֑ל וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶת־יוֹאָ֔ב מַשְׁחִיתִ֖ם לְהַפִּ֥יל הַחוֹמָֽה׃

Transliteration

And bôʾ and ṣûr upon-him in-ʾāvēlâ bêt ha-maʿăḵâ, and šāpaḵ sōlᵉlâ to-the-ʿîr and ʿāmad in the-ḥēl; and all-the-ʿām which ʾēt-yôʾāv šāḥat to nāpal the-ḥômâ.

Grammar Details

*bôʾ*: qal imperfect consecutive, 3rd masculine plural - and they came
*ṣûr*: qal imperfect consecutive, 3rd masculine plural - and they besieged
*ʾāvēlâ*: proper noun - Abel
*bêt*: noun, masculine singular construct - house of
*maʿăḵâ*: proper noun with definite article - the Maacah
*šāpaḵ*: qal imperfect consecutive, 3rd masculine plural - and they poured out
*sōlᵉlâ*: noun, feminine singular - siege ramp
*ʿîr*: noun, feminine singular with definite article - the city
*ʿāmad*: qal imperfect consecutive, 3rd feminine singular - and it stood
*ḥēl*: noun, masculine singular with definite article - the rampart
*ʿām*: noun, masculine singular with definite article - the people
*yôʾāv*: proper noun, masculine singular - Joab
*šāḥat*: hiphil participle, masculine plural - destroying
*nāpal*: hiphil infinitive construct - to cause to fall
*ḥômâ*: noun, feminine singular with definite article - the wall

Word Meanings

*bôʾ*: came/arrived/entered
*ṣûr*: besieged/pressed/shut in
*šāpaḵ*: poured out/heaped up/built
*sōlᵉlâ*: siege ramp/embankment/mound
*ʿîr*: city/town
*ʿāmad*: stood/was positioned/remained
*ḥēl*: rampart/outer wall/fortress
*šāḥat*: destroying/ruining/damaging
*nāpal*: cause to fall/bring down/overthrow
*ḥômâ*: wall/rampart/barrier

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

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Children and early teens
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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

2 Kgs 19:32 : 32 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.
Jer 32:24 : 24 Behold, the mounds, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence; and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.
Jer 33:4 : 4 For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down [to make a defence] against the mounds and against the sword;
Ezek 4:2 : 2 and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it round about.
Luke 19:43 : 43 For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
Isa 37:33 : 33 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.
Jer 6:6 : 6 For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
1 Kgs 15:20 : 20 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
2 Kgs 15:29 : 29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

2 Sam 20:12-14
3 verses
78%
12And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
2 Sam 20:16-19
4 verses
77%
16Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
17And he came near unto her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
18Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].
19I am of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?
1 Chr 20:1
73%
1And it came to pass, at the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out [to battle], that Joab led forth the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and overthrew it.
2 Kgs 3:25
72%
25And they beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth [only] they left the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.
Ezek 4:2
71%
2and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it round about.
2 Sam 11:20-21
2 verses
71%
20it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore went ye so nigh unto the city to fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
21who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? why went ye so nigh the wall? then shalt thou say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
Judg 9:50-52
3 verses
71%
50Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and gat them up to the roof of the tower.
52And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and drew near unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
Josh 6:20
70%
20So the people shouted, and [the priests] blew the trumpets; and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
2 Sam 20:21-22
2 verses
70%
21The matter is not so: but a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
22Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
2 Sam 18:15
70%
15And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
1 Chr 19:15
70%
15And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
Ezek 26:9
70%
9And he shall set his battering engines against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers.
2 Chr 25:23
69%
23And Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
2 Sam 12:26-29
4 verses
69%
26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yea, I have taken the city of waters.
28Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.
29And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
Josh 2:15
69%
15Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the side of the wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
1 Kgs 20:30
69%
30But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
1 Chr 11:8
69%
8And he built the city round about, from Millo even round about; and Joab repaired the rest of the city.
2 Kgs 14:13
69%
13And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
2 Kgs 3:21
69%
21Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all that were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border.
2 Sam 11:16
69%
16And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the city, that he assigned Uriah unto the place where he knew that valiant men were.
Isa 25:12
69%
12And the high fortress of thy walls hath he brought down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust.
Judg 9:45
69%
45And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that were therein: and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
Eccl 9:14
69%
14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
2 Chr 32:5
68%
5And he took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised [it] up to the towers, and the other wall without, and strengthened Millo [in] the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
2 Sam 18:17
68%
17And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
1 Kgs 15:20
68%
20And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
2 Sam 2:25
68%
25And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.
Jer 52:14
68%
14And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.
Nah 2:5
68%
5He remembereth his nobles: they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the mantelet is prepared.
1 Chr 19:8
68%
8And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
Isa 22:10
68%
10and ye numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and ye brake down the houses to fortify the wall;
2 Chr 33:14
68%
14Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he compassed Ophel about [with it], and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.
2 Kgs 25:10
68%
10And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were [with] the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.
2 Sam 10:13
68%
13So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.