2 Samuel 20:12

12 And Amasa was besprinkled with blood, and lay in the middle of the way. Some man saw this/A man saw this, that all the people abode to see Amasa, and he removed Amasa from the way into the field, and he covered Amasa with a cloth, lest men passing should abide [still] for him. (And Amasa was covered with blood, and lay in the middle of the road. And some man saw that all the people stood about looking at Amasa, and so he moved Amasa's body from the road to a nearby field, and he covered it with a cloak, lest men passing by should stand there, and gawk at him.)

2 Samuel 20:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 20:12

And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway
By which it seems, that though the wound was mortal, and of which he died, that as yet there was life in him, and through the pain he was in, and the pangs of death on him, he rolled himself about in his own blood in the high road, where the fact was committed:

and when the man saw that all the people stood still;
gazing at the shocking sight, and could not be prevailed upon to go on:

he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field;
which was adjoining to it:

and cast a cloth upon him;
that the body might not be seen:

when he saw that everyone that came by him stood still;
and so retarded the people in their march, to prevent which he took the above method, and it was a very prudent one.

2 Samuel 20:12 In-Context

10 Forsooth Amasa took not keep of the sword, which sword Joab had, and Joab smote Amasa in the side, and shedded out his entrails into the earth, and Amasa was dead; and Joab added not the second wound. And (then) Joab, and Abishai, his brother, pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri. (But Amasa was not on guard for the sword which Joab had, and suddenly Joab struck, or stabbed, Amasa in the side with it, and poured out his entrails onto the ground, and so Amasa died; and Joab did not need to add a second wound. And then Joab, and his brother Abishai, pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri.)

11 In the meantime, when some of the children of David, of the fellows of Joab, had stood beside the dead body of Amasa, they said, Lo! he that would be the fellow of David, (be) for Joab. (In the meantime, one of Joab's young men stood beside Amasa's dead body, and he said, Lo! he who would be the fellow of Joab and of David, follow he Joab!)

12 And Amasa was besprinkled with blood, and lay in the middle of the way. Some man saw this/A man saw this, that all the people abode to see Amasa, and he removed Amasa from the way into the field, and he covered Amasa with a cloth, lest men passing should abide [still] for him. (And Amasa was covered with blood, and lay in the middle of the road. And some man saw that all the people stood about looking at Amasa, and so he moved Amasa's body from the road to a nearby field, and he covered it with a cloak, lest men passing by should stand there, and gawk at him.)

13 Therefore when he was removed from the way, each man passed forth, following Joab to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri.

14 Forsooth Sheba had passed by all the lineages of Israel till into Abel, and into Bethmaachah; and all the chosen men were gathered to him. (And Sheba passed through the territories of all the tribes of Israel unto Abel of Bethmaachah; and all the men of Bichri/and all the Berites were gathered to him, and followed him.)