New Living Translation
2 Samuel 5:8
8On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.”
2 Samuel 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.
- New International Version (NIV)On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And David said on that day, "Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack 'the lame and the blind,' who are hated by David's soul." Therefore it is said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”
Context of 2 Samuel 5:8
6David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe. 7But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David. On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.” 9So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward. 10And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.
Read all of 2 Samuel 52 Samuel 5:8 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּל־מַכֵּ֤ה יְבֻסִי֙ וְיִגַּ֣ע בַּצִּנּ֔וֹר וְאֶת־הַפִּסְחִים֙ וְאֶת־הַ֣עִוְרִ֔ים שְׂנֻאֵ֖י נֶ֣פֶשׁ דָּוִ֑ד עַל־כֵּן֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ עִוֵּ֣ר וּפִסֵּ֔חַ לֹ֥א יָב֖וֹא אֶל־הַבָּֽיִת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- on that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- Whosoever getteth upנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- to the gutterצִנּוֹרtsinnûr · waterH6794
- and smitethנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the Jebusitesיְבוּסִיyebûsîy · JebusiteH2983
- and the lameפִּסֵּחַpissêach · lameH6455
- and the blindעִוֵּר‛ivvêr · blindH5787
- hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
- soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- shall not comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 5:8
- Joshua 15:16Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.”
- 1 Samuel 17:25“Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!”
- 1 Chronicles 11:6David had said to his troops, “Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!” And Joab, the son of David’s sister Zeruiah, was first to attack, so he became the commander of David’s armies.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 5:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8i. e. “Whosoever will smite the Jebusites, let him reach both the lame and the blind, who are the hated of David‘s soul, by the gutter or water-course, and he shall be chief.” The only access to the citadel was where the water had worn a channel (some understand a subterranean channel), and where there was, in consequence, some vegetation in the rock. Joab (see the marginal reference) took the hint, and with all the activity that had distinguished his…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-10Verses 6-10 The enemies of God's people are often very confident of their own strength, and most secure when their day to fall draws nigh. But the pride and insolence of the Jebusites animated David, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. Thus in the day of God's power, Satan's strong-hold, the human heart, is changed into a habitation of God through the Spirit, and into a throne on which the Son of David rules, and brings every thought into obedience to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Scholars debate how David captured Jerusalem. One view is that David’s men entered the city through a water tunnel. This tunnel may have carried water into the city and also allowed soldiers to move inside. However, not all interpreters agree with this explanation. Another view is that David and his men captured Jerusalem through a more typical military attack. They may have built siege works (structures used to attack a city) and climbed over the city…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Whosoever getteth up to the gutter--This is thought by some to mean a subterranean passage; by others a spout through which water was poured upon the fire which the besiegers often applied to the woodwork at the gateways, and by the projections of which a skilful climber might make his ascent good; a third class render the words, "whosoever dasheth them against the precipice" (1Ch 11:6).Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 5:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 5
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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