American Standard Version
2 Samuel 21:17
17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored 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 lamp of Israel.
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
15And the Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. And David waxed faint; 16and Ishbi-benob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored 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 lamp of Israel. 18And it came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. 19And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Beth-lehemite slew Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
Read all of 2 Samuel 212 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
- Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
- Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- Thenאָז'âz · thenH227
- menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- goיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- quenchכָּבָהkâbâh · to quenchH3518
- lampנֵרnîyr nir nêyr nêr nêrâh · lampH5216
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 21:17
- 2 Samuel 20:6And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.
- 2 Samuel 22:19They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.
- Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
- Psalms 144:10Thou art he that giveth salvation unto kings; Who rescueth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
- 2 Samuel 18:3But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city.
- 2 Samuel 14:7And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.
- 1 Kings 11:36And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
- 1 Kings 15:4Nevertheless for David’s sake did Jehovah his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem;
- Psalms 132:17There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
- John 1:8He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
- John 5:35He was the lamp that burneth and shineth; and ye were willing to rejoice for a season 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
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries