Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 21:17
17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him.
Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
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
15Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines. But David became exhausted. 16Then Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Rapha, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels and who was bearing a new sword, resolved to kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.” 18Some time later at Gob, there was another battle with the Philistines. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, a descendant of Rapha. 19Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft 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
- But Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
- came to his aidעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
- struckנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- and killed himמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- Thenאָז'âz · thenH227
- David’sדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- sworeשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- to himאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- You must neverלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- againעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
- go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- with usאֵת'êth · withH854
- to battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- so that the lampנֵרnîyr nir nêyr nêr nêrâh · lampH5216
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- be extinguishedכָּבָהkâbâh · to quenchH3518
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 21:17
- 2 Samuel 20:6And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”
- 2 Samuel 22:19They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.
- Psalms 46:1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
- Psalms 144:10to Him who gives victory to kings, who frees His servant David from the deadly sword.
- 2 Samuel 18:3But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will not care about us. Even if half of us die, they will not care. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better now if you support us from the city.”
- 2 Samuel 14:7Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.”
- 1 Kings 11:36I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name.
- 1 Kings 15:4Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and to make Jerusalem strong.
- Psalms 132:17There I will make a horn grow for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.
- John 1:8He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
- John 5:35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask 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
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