"And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy." — 2 Samuel 20:20

2 Samuel 20:20 · KJV

“And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.”

— 2 Samuel 20:20

I {am one 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 the LORD?

Verse 21

The matter {is} not so: but a man of mount 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. {by name: Heb. by his name}

2 Samuel 20 — Context

Then 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}. {They were...: or, They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end}

I {am one 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 the LORD?

And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.

Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast {it} out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king. {retired: Heb. were scattered}

Cross References

Proverbs 28:13

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh {them} shall have mercy.

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart {is} deceitful above all {things}, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

2 Samuel 23:17

And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: {is not this} the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

Job 22:18

Yet he filled their houses with good {things}: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Luke 10:29

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

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. {struck...: Heb. doubled not his stroke}

Job 21:16

Lo, their good {is} not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

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