2 Samuel 20:15 Meaning and Explanation
“And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Joab's forces besiege Abel, raising a siege ramp against the wall and working to batter it down.
What Does 2 Samuel 20:15 Mean?
Joab's army catches up and surrounds the city where Sheba has taken refuge. They build a siege ramp of earth up against the outer wall and begin pounding it, intent on breaching the defenses and seizing the rebel within. An entire city now stands in jeopardy because of one man.
The image is sobering: a whole community pressed to the brink of destruction over the crime of a single fugitive it sheltered. War rarely confines its harm to the guilty. The siege sets the stage for an unlikely voice of wisdom to rise from inside the threatened walls and spare many lives.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 20:15
What does 2 Samuel 20:15 mean?
Joab's forces besiege Abel, raising a siege ramp against the wall and working to batter it down.