EasyEnglish Bible 2018
2 Samuel 21:17
17But Zeruiah's son Abishai saved David. Abishai knocked down the Philistine and he killed him. So David's men said very strongly, ‘Our king, you must never again come out with us to fight a battle. You are like Israel's light. We do not want your life to finish.’
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 had started to attack the Israelites again. David went with his soldiers to fight against the Philistines. He became very tired. 16A descendant of Rapha who was called Ishbi-Benob said that he would kill David. He had a bronze spear that weighed 3½ kilograms and he had a new sword. But Zeruiah's son Abishai saved David. Abishai knocked down the Philistine and he killed him. So David's men said very strongly, ‘Our king, you must never again come out with us to fight a battle. You are like Israel's light. We do not want your life to finish.’ 18Some time after that, the Israelites fought a battle against the Philistines at Gob. In that battle, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of Rapha. 19In another battle against the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan, the son of Jaare-Oregim from Bethlehem, killed Goliath from Gath. Goliath's spear was very thick and heavy, like a big tree.
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
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 20:6Then David said to Abishai, ‘Bicri's son, Sheba, will cause us more trouble than Absalom did. Take my soldiers and chase after him. If you do not catch him, his people will hide in towns with strong walls. Then he will escape from us.’
- 2 Samuel 22:19They attacked me when I was in trouble, but the Lord helped me.
- Psalms 46:1God is a strong place for us, where he will keep us safe. He will always help us when troubles come.
- Psalms 144:10You help kings to win against their enemies. You also save me, your servant David, from my enemies, when they try to kill me with their dangerous swords.
- 2 Samuel 18:3But the men replied, ‘No, you must not go with us. If we have to run away quickly, it will not matter to Absalom's men. Even if they kill half of our soldiers, it will not seem important to them. What they really want is to kill you. You are worth 10,000 of us. You must stay here in the city. Then you can send help to us if we need it.’
- 2 Samuel 14:7Now all my relatives have turned against me. They want to take my son from me, because he killed his brother. They say that he must die. That is the punishment that he deserves. But if they do that, I will have no son. My husband will have no descendants, so the name of our family will not continue.’
- 1 Kings 11:36But I will leave one tribe for Solomon's son to rule. Then my servant David will continue to have a descendant who serves me as king in Jerusalem. That is the city where I have chosen for people to worship me.
- 1 Kings 15:4But the Lord his God gave Abijah a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. He also made Jerusalem a strong city. The Lord did that because of his promise to David.
- Psalms 132:17In Zion I will give strength to King David's family. My chosen king will continue to rule well, like a light that shines brightly.
- John 1:8John himself was not that light. God sent him to tell people about the light.
- John 5:35John was like a light that shone brightly. For a certain time, you enjoyed the light that he gave.
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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