2 Samuel 21:17

2 Samuel 21:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, "You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

Context of 2 Samuel 21:17

15Now the Philistines were at war again with Israel. David went down with his servants, and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. 16Then Ishbi-benob, who was among the descendants of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels (six pounds) of bronze, was armed with a new sword, and he intended to kill David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, and struck and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish the lamp of Israel.” 18After this, there was war again with the Philistines at Gob (Gezer). At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph (Sippai), who was among the descendants of the giant. 19There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam.

2 Samuel 21:17 word by word

וַיַּֽעֲזָר־לוֹ֙ אֲבִישַׁ֣י בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֔ה וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ אָ֣ז נִשְׁבְּעוּ֩ אַנְשֵׁי־דָוִ֨ד ל֜וֹ לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹא־תֵצֵ֨א ע֤וֹד אִתָּ֙נוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תְכַבֶּ֖ה אֶת־נֵ֥ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
• succouredעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
• him, and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• and killedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• him. Then the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• unto him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Thou shalt goיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• no more out with us to battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• that thou quenchכָּבָהkâbâh · to quenchH3518
• not the lightנֵרnîyr nir nêyr nêr nêrâh · lampH5216
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 21:17

• 2 Samuel 20:6And David said to Abishai [his nephew], “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find fortified cities for himself and escape from our sight.”
• 2 Samuel 22:19They came upon me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support.
• Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
• Psalms 144:10Who gives salvation to kings, Who sets David His servant free from the evil sword.
• 2 Samuel 18:3But the men said, “You should not go out [to battle with us]. For if in fact we retreat, they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. So now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city [of Mahanaim].”
• 2 Samuel 14:7Now behold, the entire family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who killed his brother, so that we may put him to death [to pay] for the life of his brother whom he killed and destroy the heir also.’ By doing this they will extinguish my coal that is left, leaving my husband without a name or a remnant (heir) on the face of the earth.”
• 1 Kings 11:36Yet to his son I will give one tribe, so that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put My Name and Presence.
• 1 Kings 15:4Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp (descendant on the throne) in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him and establishing Jerusalem,
• Psalms 132:17There I will make the horn (strength) of David grow; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed [fulfilling the promises].
• John 1:8John was not the Light, but came to testify about the Light.
• John 5:35John was the lamp that kept on burning and shining [to show you the way], and you were willing for a while to rejoice in his light.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 21:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17That thou quench not the light of Israel - David is here considered as the lamp by which all Israel was guided, and without whom all the nation must be involved in darkness. The lamp is the emblem of direction and support. Light is used in this sense by Homer: - ͅ , ' ̔ , ̔ ̔ ͅ. Iliad, lib. xviii. ver. 102. "I have neither been a Light to Patroclus nor to his companions, who have been slain by the noble Hector."Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 These events seem to have taken place towards the end of David's reign. David fainted, but he did not flee, and God sent help in the time of need. In spiritual conflicts, even strong saints sometimes wax faint; then Satan attacks them furiously; but those who stand their ground and resist him, shall be relieved and made more than conquerors. Death is a Christian's last enemy, and a son of Anak; but through Him that triumphed for us, believers…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Abishai was a skilled warrior and very loyal to David, whom he bravely saved (see “Abishai” Profile). the lamp of Israel: Compare 2 Samuel 18:3. Both passages show the deep admiration David’s men had for him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2215-22. Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel--Although the Philistines had completely succumbed to the army of David, yet the appearance of any gigantic champions among them revived their courage and stirred them up to renewed inroads on the Hebrew territory. Four successive contests they provoked during the latter period of David's reign, in the first of which the king ran so imminent a risk of his life that he was no longer allowed to…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 21:17

• Abishai
• Armies
• Championship
• Citizens
• David
• Goliath
• Loyalty

In the dictionaries

• David
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Abishai
• Anakim
• Giants
• Ishbibenob
• Lamp
• Philistines

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary