King James Version
2 Samuel 21:12
12And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh–gilead, which had stolen them from the street of Beth–shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
2 Samuel 21:12 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)
- English Standard Version (ESV)David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa.
- New Living Translation (NLT)he went to the people of Jabesh-gilead and retrieved the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. (When the Philistines had killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa, the people of Jabesh-gilead stole their bodies from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them.)
Context of 2 Samuel 21:12
10And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night. 11And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh–gilead, which had stolen them from the street of Beth–shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: 13And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. 14And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.
Read all of 2 Samuel 212 Samuel 21:12 word by word
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֗ד וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־עַצְמ֤וֹת שָׁאוּל֙ וְאֶת־עַצְמוֹת֙ יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן בְּנ֔וֹ מֵאֵ֕ת בַּעֲלֵ֖י יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד אֲשֶׁר֩ גָּנְב֨וּ אֹתָ֜ם מֵרְחֹ֣ב בֵּֽית־שַׁ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר תְּלָא֥וּם שָׁ֙מָּה֙ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּי֨וֹם הַכּ֧וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֛ים אֶת־שָׁא֖וּל בַּגִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃Read the interlinear
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- the bonesעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
- of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- of Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
- his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- from the menבַּעַלba‛al · master: menH1167
- of Jabesh–gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · (Jabesh)-gileadH1568
- of Jabesh–gileadיָבֵשׁyâbêsh yâbêysh · JabeshH3003
- which had stolenגָּנַבgânab · to stealH1589
- them from the streetרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
- of Beth–shanבֵּית שְׁאָןbêyth she'ân bêyth shân · Beth-sheanH1052
- where the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- had hangedתָּלָהtâlâh · to hangH8518
- had hangedתָּלָאtâlâ' · to hangH8511
- them, whenיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- had slainנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- in Gilboaגִּלְבֹּעַgilbôa‛ · GilboaH1533
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 21:12
- 2 Samuel 2:5And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.
- 1 Samuel 31:11And when the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
- Joshua 17:11And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth–shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
- 1 Samuel 31:10And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth–shan.
- 2 Samuel 1:6And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
- 1 Samuel 28:4And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.
- 1 Samuel 31:1Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
- 1 Chronicles 10:1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 21:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Took the bones of Saul - The reader will recollect that the men of Jabesh-gilead burned the bodies of Saul and his sons, and buried the remaining bones under a tree at Jabesh. See 1 Samuel 31:12, 1 Samuel 31:13. These David might have digged up again, in order to bury them in the family sepulcher.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12From the street of Beth-shan - This was the wide place just inside the gate of an Oriental city, bounded therefore by the city wall (compare the marginal reference). Here, as the place of concourse, the Philistines had fastened the bodies.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-14Verses 10-14 That a guilty land should enjoy many years of plenty, calls for gratitude; and we need not wonder misused abundance should be punished with scarcity; yet how few are disposed to ask of the Lord concerning the sinful cause, while numbers search for the second causes by which he is pleased to work! But the Lord will plead the cause of those who cannot or will not avenge themselves; and the prayers of the poor are of great power. When God sent…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-13Rizpah’s action shamed David into likewise honoring the dead of Saul’s family.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son, &c.--Before long, the descent of copious showers, or perhaps an order of the king, gave Rizpah the satisfaction of releasing the corpses from their ignominious exposure; and, incited by her pious example, David ordered the remains of Saul and his sons to be transferred from their obscure grave in Jabesh-gilead to an honorable interment in the family vault at Zelah or Zelzah (1Sa…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 21:12
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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries