God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 23:6
6“Worthless people are like thorns. All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand.
2 Samuel 23:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
- New International Version (NIV)But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand;
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands.
Context of 2 Samuel 23:6
4He is like the morning light as the sun rises, like a morning without clouds, like the brightness after a rainstorm. The rain makes the grass grow from the earth.’ 5“Truly, God considers my house to be that way, because he has made a lasting promise to me, with every detail arranged and assured. ⌞He promised⌟ everything that helps me, everything that pleases me. Truly, he makes these things happen. “Worthless people are like thorns. All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand. 7A person who touches them uses iron ⌞tools⌟ or the shaft of a spear. Fire will burn them up completely wherever they are.” 8These are the names of David’s fighting men: Josheb Basshebeth from Tahkemon’s family was leader of the three. He used a spear to kill 800 men on one occasion.
Read all of 2 Samuel 232 Samuel 23:6 word by word
וּבְלִיַּ֕עַל כְּק֥וֹץ מֻנָ֖ד כֻּלָּ֑הַם כִּֽי־לֹ֥א בְיָ֖ד יִקָּֽחוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:6
- 2 Samuel 20:1A good-for-nothing man by the name of Sheba, Bichri’s son, from the tribe of Benjamin happened to be at Gilgal. He blew a ram’s horn ⌞to announce⌟, “We have no share in David’s kingdom. We won’t receive an inheritance from Jesse’s son. Everyone to his own tent, Israel!”
- Deuteronomy 13:13have been led away from the Lord your God by worthless people. You may hear that these people have been saying, “Let’s worship other gods.” (Those gods may be gods you’ve never heard of.)
- 1 Samuel 2:12Eli’s sons, ⌞Hophni and Phinehas,⌟ were good-for-nothing priests; they had no faith in the Lord.
- Genesis 3:18The ground will grow thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat wild plants.
- Isaiah 33:12People will be cremated. They will be set on fire like dry thornbushes.
- Ezekiel 2:6Son of man, don’t be afraid of them or the things they say. Don’t be afraid, even though thorns and thistles are around you and you live among scorpions. Don’t let the things they say frighten you. Don’t be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns - There is no word in the text for sons; it is simply Belial, the good-for-nothing man, and may here refer - first to Saul, and secondly to the enemies of our Lord. As thorns thrust away - A metaphor taken from hedging; the workman thrusts the thorns aside either with his bill or hand, protected by his impenetrable mitten or glove, till, getting a fair blow at the roots, he cuts them all down. The man…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Compare Psalm 1:4–5.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns--that is, the wicked enemies and persecutors of this kingdom of righteousness. They resemble those prickly, thorny plants which are twisted together, whose spires point in every direction, and which are so sharp and strong that they cannot be touched or approached without danger; but hard instruments and violent means must be taken to destroy or uproot them. So God will remove or destroy all who are…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 23:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23
- 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
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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