2 Samuel 2:24-32 - Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Shall the Sword Devour for Ever?

2 Samuel 2:24-32

The longer the sword devours, the more bitter the hatred engendered. Early that morning, each of twenty-four young men had buried his sword in his antagonist's heart; and, as the hours passed, the flame of mutual hate had become hotter. There was no telling to what it might lead. Hatred is like a prairie fire in its rapid spread and remorseless destruction.

When night fell, Abner, alarmed by the prospects of slaughter, asked Joab to stay the pursuit. Otherwise, Joab would have fought through the night. However, he drew off his men, and Abner, still dreading his wrath, by a forced march crossed the Jordan that night.

Abner's reference to the insatiate lust of the sword for human life reminds us, by force of contrast, of the hunger of Christ to seek and to save that which is lost. His appetite to save is a consuming passion. It is His meat and drink to win souls to the eternal life that he is commissioned to impart.

Related Commentaries of 2 Samuel 2:24

2 Samuel 2:24-32

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.

26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.

31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.