New English Translation
2 Samuel 21:12
12he went and took the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the leaders of Jabesh Gilead. (They had secretly taken them from the plaza at Beth Shan. It was there that Philistines publicly exposed their corpses after they had killed Saul at Gilboa.)
2 Samuel 21:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- 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.
Context of 2 Samuel 21:12
10Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain fell on them, she did not allow the birds of the air to feed on them by day, nor the wild animals by night. 11When David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saul’s concubine, had done, he went and took the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the leaders of Jabesh Gilead. (They had secretly taken them from the plaza at Beth Shan. It was there that Philistines publicly exposed their corpses after they had killed Saul at Gilboa.) 13David brought the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son from there; they also gathered up the bones of those who had been executed. 14They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin at Zela in the grave of his father Kish. After they had done everything that the king had commanded, God responded to their prayers 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- 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 2:5So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness to your lord Saul by burying him.
- 1 Samuel 31:11When the residents of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
- Joshua 17:11Within Issachar’s and Asher’s territory Manasseh was assigned Beth Shean, Ibleam, the residents of Dor, En Dor, the residents of Taanach, the residents of Megiddo, the three of Napheth, and the towns surrounding all these cities.
- 1 Samuel 31:10They placed Saul’s armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his corpse on the city wall of Beth Shan.
- 2 Samuel 1:6The young man who was telling him this said, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him.
- 1 Samuel 28:4The Philistines assembled; they came and camped at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.
- 1 Samuel 31:1Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa.
- 1 Chronicles 10:1Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The Israelites fled before the Philistines and many of them fell dead on 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
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