2 Samuel 3:27

2Sa 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.

Ver. 27. To speak with him quietly.] Or, Peaceably, or privately. Tremellius rendereth it imprudeutem, unwitting: the LXX, εν παραλογισμω, by a fallacy.

And smote him under the fifth rib.] Basely and treacherously, but not without divine providence: that David might come a fairer way to the kingdom, than by Abner’s perfidy.

For the blood of Asahel his brother.] This was the pretext, and might be some cause; but the main reason was, lest Abner should by David be promoted above him.

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.

3:27 as if to speak with him privately: Joab accused Abner of deception (3:25), but he used deception himself to lure Abner to his death. • in revenge: Joab was motivated by the practice of blood vengeance, avenging the death of a kinsman by killing the killer.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, secretly.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 27. And smote him there] Joab feared that, after having rendered such essential services to David, Abner would be made captain of the host: he therefore determined to prevent it by murdering the man, under pretense of avenging the death of his brother Asahel.

The murder, however, was one of the most unprovoked and wicked: and such was the power and influence of this nefarious general, that the king dared not to bring him to justice for his crime. In the same way he murdered Amasa, a little time afterwards. See 2Sa 20:10. Joab was a cool-blooded, finished murderer. "Treason and murder ever keep together, like two yoke-devils."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(27) Aside in the gate.—The gateway was a customary place of conference in the East, and Joab there awaited Abner’s return; he then took him “aside” to some place of privacy, as the LXX. reads, “by the side of the gate.” On the phrase “fifth rib,” see Note on 2Sa_2:23. The reason for this cold-blooded and treacherous murder on the part of Joab is expressly said to be “for the blood of Asahel his brother;” but no doubt his revenge was quickened by jealousy.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. in the gate] Lit. into the midst of the gate, the space between the inner and outer gateways. But the publicity of the city gate was unsuited to a private conference, and the Sept. offers a more probable reading, “took him apart by the side of the gate.”

under the fifth rib] In the belly. See note on 2Sa_2:23.

for the blood of Asahel his brother] Since Abner had slain Asahel in self-defence (ch. 2Sa_2:23), Joab’s act was not justifiable on the score of blood-revenge. This was merely a convenient pretext for getting rid of a dangerous rival. He foresaw that if he allowed Abner to have the credit of placing the crown of Israel on David’s head, he would lose his own position and influence. Failing in his endeavour to persuade David that Abner was playing him false, with characteristic unscrupulousness he planned this deliberate and treacherous murder, as on a later occasion he murdered his rival Amasa (ch. 2Sa_20:10).

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.

And when Abner was returned to Hebron,.... Alone, and not the twenty men with him; not to David's court, but just to the city, to the gate of it:

Joab took him aside in the gate: where he was waiting for him, and met him; this was a public place, where people were continually passing and repassing, and where courts of judicature used to be held; wherefore Abner might think himself safe here with Joab, and have no suspicion at all of his design, and shows how fearless Joab was of God or men:

to speak with him quietly; peaceably, in a friendly manner, as all his gestures towards him showed; so that Abner made no difficulty of turning aside with him, supposing he had something to communicate to him from the king, which he had forgot:

and smote him under the fifth rib, that he died; in the same place that Abner had smote his brother, of which see Sa2 2:23; and this he did:

for the blood of Asahel his brother; for Abner's shedding his brother's blood; but this was not the only reason, and perhaps not the chief; but, as Josephus (h) observes, because he was fearful if Abner was received into the friendship of the king, he would be preferred unto him, and take his place as general of the army, as being an older and more experienced officer; so Procopius Gazaeus, and Theodoret.

(h) Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 5.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Middle. Septuagint, "sides." --- Brother; (who had been wounded in the same place) a just punishment of Abner’s licentiousness. (Salien) --- This was given out as the pretext of the murder; but envy seems to have been the chief promoter. (Menochius) --- Joab treated Amasa in the same manner, chap. xx. 10. Ambition was his god. (Calmet) --- Abisai was ready to assist him to murder Abner, ver. 30. Thus the fairest prospects of union seemed to vanish, and David was sincerely grieved, as he manifested in the most decided manner, confessing it was only the want of power which prevented him from bringing these merciless and potent brothers, his own nephews, to immediate punishment, ver. 39. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

In the gate; in the entrance into the city before he came to the king; and in the place where conferences used to be.

Quietly; with appearance of great civility and kindness. Or, secretly, as having some matter of great importance to utter, which none but himself must hear.

Smote him there under the fifth rib; as he did Asahel, 2Sa 2:23.

For the blood of Asahel his brother; to revenge the death of Asahel; and withal (though that be not here mentioned) to secure his own standing, and rid his hands of so great and powerful a competitor. And thus was Joab’s design; but God had other designs in it, both to punish Abner’s manifest wickedness, and particularly his rebellion against David, and against God and his own conscience therein; and that David might not owe his kingdom to Abner, and to his revenge and treachery, but wholly to God’s wise and powerful providence.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

27. For the blood of Asahel — This ostensibly, but doubtless another reason, was a jealous fear lest Abner should supersede him in office and power with David.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joab took him aside in the gate. As we read in 2Sa_18:24 of David sitting "between the two gates," and of "the roof over thegate," and in ver. 33 of "the chamber over the gate," Ewald"s idea of there being a roofed inner space, with a guard room over it, as in the mediaeval gate towers in German towns, is probably right. As the "two gates" would make the space between them gloomy, the spot would just suit Joab"s purpose. He meets Abner, therefore, in a friendly manner, and drawing him aside, as if to converse with him apart from the people going in and out, there assassinates him. The place was so public that the deed must have been witnessed by multitudes, though the gloom, felt the more by them from the contrast with the bright glare of sunshine outside, had given Joab the opportunity of drawing his sword without Abner"s observing it. For the blood of Asahel his brother. Joab"s act was in accordance with Oriental feeling; and the duties of the avenger of blood might with some straining be made to cover his retaliation for an act done by Abner in self-defence. (Num_35:26, Num_35:27) It is remarkable that Hebron was itself a city of refuge, (Jos_20:7) and this may have led Joab to murder him in the gate, before he had actually entered. Still, Abner did not expect any such retribution, and supposing that Joab knew of the purpose that had brought him to Hebron, he could not suppose that he would be so indifferent to his master"s interests as to put a summary stop to the negotiations for uniting the tribes under David. As it was, this deed brought upon David an evil name, and four or five years had to elapse before the tribes could be induced to take him for their king. Even then his hold over them was far less than it would otherwise have been; for though the shock was gradually got over, yet the suspicion still dung to him. And if the deed was Joab"s own act, still David had contributed to it by underhand dealings. His very fear of Joab had caused him to wrong his able general, and given him just cause for resentment.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the middle of the gate

This refers to one of the gates in the city wall at Hebron. As the UDB implies, city gates were constructed as part of buildings set into the city walls. Inside the passageway were doors leading to side rooms, where guests could be received and business and judicial proceedings could be conducted. It was probably in one of these rooms that Joab murdered Abner.

the blood of Asahel

Here "blood" is associated with the death of Asahel. AT: "the death of Asahel" (See: Metonymy)

Asahel

This is the name of a male person. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

Hebron

gate

avenge

blood

brother

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Within the gate. [Yoav brought Avner] before a sanhedrin to be judged for the [spilling of] blood of his brother, Asoel.

Deceptively. In a mistake provoking [way] so that Avner would not realize that it is in [Yoav's] heart to kill him. Cut up the verse [to rearrange it's words as follows] "and Yoav steered him deceptively to go within the gate to talk to him."

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.