2 Samuel 2:23

21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
KJV
Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
WEB
However, he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
ASV
Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
DARBY
But he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
BLB
And he refused to turn aside. And Abner struck him with the back of the spear in the stomach, and the spear came out of his back, and he fell down there and died under him. And it came to pass [that] all who came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, they stood still.
ÅB
Men han ville ikke holde opp; da stakk Abner ham med bakenden av sitt spyd i underlivet, så spydet gikk ut gjennom ryggen på ham, og han falt om der og døde på stedet. Og hver den som kom til det sted hvor Asael var falt og døde, stanset der.
OTB
Men han nektet å vike av; så Abner slo ham i magen med bakenden av spydet, slik at spydet kom ut ved ryggen hans. Og han falt der og døde på stedet. Og det skjedde at alle som kom til stedet hvor Asael hadde falt og døde, sto stille.
B1930
Men han vilde ikke holde op; da stakk Abner ham med bakenden av sitt spyd i underlivet, så spydet gikk ut gjennem ryggen på ham, og han falt om der og døde på stedet. Og hver den som kom til det sted hvor Asael var falt og døde, stanset der.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 2 Samuel 3:27

    And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 4:6

    And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 20:10

    But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 5:6

    And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 20:12–13

    And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

    Read in context