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Abner said to Joab, Please let the young men arise and play before us. Joab said, Let them arise.
Verse Takeaways
1
A Deadly 'Game'
All commentators agree that when Abner suggested the young men 'play,' he was proposing a deadly combat, not a game. Scholars describe it as a 'serious game of war' and a 'bloody barbarous exercise.' This was a fight to the death between twelve champions from each side, with the two armies as spectators.
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Book Overview
2 Samuel
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4
18th Century
Presbyterian
Play - (1 Samuel 18:7). Here, the word is applied to the serious game of war, to be played by twelve combatants on each side, wi…
19th Century
Anglican
Let the young men. — To avoid unnecessary bloodshed between the tribes of a common parentage, and also, perhaps, to preve…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
And Abner said to Joab Perceiving he made no motion towards an engagement with him, his orders from David being only…
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The nation in general refused David. By this, the Lord trained up His servant for future honor and usefulness; and the tendency of true godliness w…
