The Meaning of 2 Samuel 20:17 Explained

2 Samuel 20:17

KJV: And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

YLT: And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, 'Art thou Joab?' and he saith, 'I am.' And she saith to him, 'Hear the words of thy handmaid;' and he saith, 'I am hearing.'

Darby: And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I am he. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening.

ASV: And 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when he was come near  unto her, the woman  said,  [Art] thou Joab?  And he answered,  I [am he]. Then she said  unto him, Hear  the words  of thine handmaid.  And he answered,  I do hear. 

What does 2 Samuel 20:17 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 20:14-26 - One Head Saves Many
This wise woman, by her intervention, saved many lives, and reminds us of the value of presence of mind in a great crisis. She gave Joab to understand, first, that he ought to have given the inhabitants of Abel the opportunity of saying whether or not they intended to fight for Sheba, Deuteronomy 20:10, etc.; and, secondly, that he ought to have taken into account the peaceableness and fidelity of the citizens of that city. A great deal of misunderstanding and bloodshed would be prevented if contending parties would only confer with each other. There is crying and universal need for boards of compulsory arbitration.
Sheba's head saved the city. Bishop Hall says: "Spiritually the case is ours; every man's breast is a city enclosed; every sin is a traitor that lurks within the walls. If we love the head of one traitor above the life of our soul, we shall justly perish. We cannot be more willing to part with our sin than our merciful God is to withdraw His judgments." Oh, that every reader of these lines would heed the command of the Savior, Matthew 5:29-30, so as to enter into everlasting life! [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 20

1  By occasion of the quarrel, Sheba rebels in Israel
3  David's ten concubines are put in confinement for life
4  Amasa, made captain over Judah, is slain by Joab
14  Joab pursues Sheba to Abel
16  A wise woman saves the city by Sheba's head
23  David's officers

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 20:17 mean?

And when he had come near to her and said the woman [Are] you Joab and He answered I [am] and she said to him Hear the words of your maidservant am listening I
וַיִּקְרַ֣ב אֵלֶ֔יהָ וַתֹּ֧אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֛ה הַאַתָּ֥ה ؟ יוֹאָ֖ב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אָ֑נִי וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ שְׁמַע֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ שֹׁמֵ֥עַ אָנֹֽכִי

וַיִּקְרַ֣ב  And  when  he  had  come  near 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
אֵלֶ֔יהָ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וַתֹּ֧אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָאִשָּׁ֛ה  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
הַאַתָּ֥ה  [Are]  you 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
؟ יוֹאָ֖ב  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  He  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָ֑נִי  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר  and  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ל֗וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
שְׁמַע֙  Hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
דִּבְרֵ֣י  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ  of  your  maidservant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמָה  
Sense: maid-servant, female slave, maid, handmaid, concubine.
שֹׁמֵ֥עַ  am  listening 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.

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