2 Samuel 20:18
Modern Translations
New International Version
She continued, "Long ago they used to say, 'Get your answer at Abel,' and that settled it.

New Living Translation
Then she continued, “There used to be a saying, ‘If you want to settle an argument, ask advice at the town of Abel.’

English Standard Version
Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter.

Berean Study Bible
Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.

New American Standard Bible
Then she spoke, saying, “In the past they used to say, ‘They will undoubtedly ask advice at Abel,’ and that is how they ended a dispute.

NASB 1995
Then she spoke, saying, "Formerly they used to say, 'They will surely ask advice at Abel,' and thus they ended the dispute.

NASB 1977
Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute.

Amplified Bible
Then she said, “In the past people used to say, ‘They will certainly ask advice at Abel,’ and so they settled the dispute.

Christian Standard Bible
She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
She said, "In the past they used to say, 'Seek counsel in Abel,' and that's how they settled disputes.

Contemporary English Version
She said, "Long ago people used to say, 'If you want good advice, go to the town of Abel to get it.' The answers they got here were all that was needed to settle any problem.

Good News Translation
She said, "Long ago they used to say, 'Go and get your answer in the city of Abel'--and that's just what they did.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So she said, "There's an old saying: 'Be sure to ask at Abel [before doing anything]. That's the way they settle matters.'

International Standard Version
So she said, "In days past, people used to settle a dispute by saying 'Let's ask for advice at Abel!'

NET Bible
She said, "In the past they would always say, 'Let them inquire in Abel,' and that is how they settled things.
Classic Translations
King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes.

King James 2000 Bible
Then she spoke, saying, They used to speak in former time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

New Heart English Bible
Then she spoke, saying, "They used to say a saying, 'Let them inquire in Abel and in Dan whether

World English Bible
Then she spoke, saying, "They were used to say in old times, 'They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;' and so they settled it.

American King James Version
Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

American Standard Version
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 .

A Faithful Version
Then she spoke, saying, "They spoke often in days gone by, saying, 'Surely they will ask of Abel,' and so they ended the matter.

Darby Bible Translation
And she spoke saying, They were wont to speak in old time saying, Just inquire in Abel; and so they ended.

English Revised Version
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They will surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
Then shee spake thus, They spake in the olde time, saying, They shoulde aske of Abel; so haue they continued.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
Then she spake thus: They spake in the olde tyme, saying, They should aske of Abel: And so haue they continued.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
She sayde: The comonsayenge was somtyme: Who so wyll axe, let him axe at Abel, and so came it to a good ende.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And she speaks, saying, “They spoke often in former times, saying, Let them diligently inquire at Abel, and so they finished.

Young's Literal Translation
and she speaketh, saying, 'They spake often in former times, saying, Let them diligently ask at Abel, and so they finished.

Smith's Literal Translation
And she will say, saying, They will speak the word in the beginning, saying, They will ask an asking in Abel: and thus they finished.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And she again said: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And again she spoke: “A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion.

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The woman spoke, saying: “They would say from ancient time ‘To inquire, they would inquire of the Prophets and then they would destroy‘

Lamsa Bible
Then she said, They used to say in old time, They first inquire of the prophets, then they destroy.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then she spoke, saying: 'They were wont to speak in old time, saying: They shall surely ask counsel at Abel; and so they ended the matter.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And she spoke, saying, Of old time they said thus, Surely one was asked in Abel, and Dan, whether the faithful in Israel failed in what they purposed; they will surely ask in Abel, even in like manner, whether they have failed.
















2 Samuel 20:17
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