Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible

Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?”

King James Version

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?

Holman Bible

Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

International Standard Version

Then Abner called out to Joab, "Must the battle sword keep on devouring forever? Don't you realize that the end result is bitterness? How long will it take for you to order your army to stop pursuing their own relatives?"

A Conservative Version

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? Know thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before thou bid the people return from following their brothers?

American Standard Version

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?

Amplified

Then Abner called to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long [will it be] before you tell the people to stop pursuing their brothers?”

Bible in Basic English

Then crying out to Joab, Abner said, Are fighting and destruction to go on for ever? do you not see that the end will only be bitter? how long will it be before you send the people back and make them give up attacking their countrymen?

Darby Translation

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

Julia Smith Translation

And Abner will call to Joab and say, Shall the sword consume forever? knewest thou not that it will be bitter at the last? and how long wilt thou not say to the people to turn back from after their brethren?

King James 2000

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour forever? know you not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brethren?

Lexham Expanded Bible

Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Will [the] sword devour forever? Do you not know that [there] will be bitterness in the end? {How long} will you not tell the people to turn {away from pursuing} their brothers?"

Modern King James verseion

Then Abner called to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long shall it be then before you command the people to return from chasing their brothers?

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour without end? Knowest thou not that bitterness is wont to come in the latter end? How long shall it be, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?"

NET Bible

Then Abner called out to Joab, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize that this will turn bitter in the end? When will you tell the people to turn aside from pursuing their brothers?"

New Heart English Bible

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?"

The Emphasized Bible

then Abner cried aloud unto Joab, and said - To the uttermost, must the sword devour? Dost thou not well know that, bitter, shall it be, in the latter end? How long, then, wilt thou not bid the people turn back from pursuing their own brethren?

Webster

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 wilt bid the people return from following their brethren?

World English Bible

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Don't you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?"

Youngs Literal Translation

and Abner calleth unto Joab, and saith, 'For ever doth the sword consume? hast thou not known that it is bitterness in the latter end? and till when dost thou not say to the people to turn back from after their brethren?'

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
H74
אבינר אבנר 
'Abner 
Usage: 63

קרא 
Qara' 
Usage: 736

to Joab
יואב 
Yow'ab 
Usage: 145

and said

Usage: 0

Shall the sword
חרב 
Chereb 
Usage: 413

אכל 
'akal 
Usage: 809

נצח נצח 
Netsach 
Usage: 43

thou not that it will be bitterness
מרה מר 
Mar 
Usage: 38

in the latter end
אחרן אחרין 
'acharown 
Usage: 50

how long shall it be then, ere thou bid

Usage: 0

the people
עם 
`am 
Usage: 1867

שׁוּב 
Shuwb 
Usage: 1058

אחר 
'achar 
Usage: 488

References

American

Easton

Hastings

Morish

Context Readings

The Battle Of Gibeon

25 And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?” 27 And Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning."

Cross References

Jeremiah 46:10

That day is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord GOD of hosts holds a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

Jeremiah 46:14

"Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; say, 'Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.'

2 Samuel 2:14

And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and compete before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."

2 Samuel 2:16

And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon.

2 Samuel 11:25

David said to the messenger, "Thus shall you say to Joab, 'Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.' And encourage him."

Job 18:2

"How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we will speak.

Job 19:2

"How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words?

Psalm 4:2

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah

Proverbs 17:14

The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

Isaiah 1:20

but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Jeremiah 2:30

In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.

Jeremiah 4:21

How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?

Jeremiah 12:12

Upon all the bare heights in the desert destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the land to the other; no flesh has peace.

Hosea 11:6

The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels.

Acts 7:26

And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?'

King James Version Public Domain

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New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

American Standard Version Public Domain

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Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain