2 Samuel 20:20Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
The setting
Joab, David's ruthless general, responds to the wise woman's appeal. His double denial 'far be it, far be it' shows he's genuinely reconsidering his siege of the city...
The emotion here: surprised by moral conviction, genuinely reconsidering his violent approach
The original word
chalilah (חָלִילָה) — far be it, profane be the thought, expressing strong rejection
Why it matters
Joab was known for brutal efficiency, making this moment of restraint highly unusual for his character
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 20:20
The repetition 'far be it, far be it' shows Joab is genuinely shocked — he hadn't considered the moral implications
Common misconceptionPeople think Joab is being deceptive here, but the Hebrew suggests genuine shock at being called a destroyer of God's inheritance.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Samuel 20:20
Bible Genome reading
2 Samuel 20:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Samuel 20:20 comes from the book of 2 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Joab. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include restraint, clarification. Notable phrases: Far be it from me.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 2 Samuel 20:20 mean to you, today?
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