2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel · Chapter 23

2 Samuel 23:21

1Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:7But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.8These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:10He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.12But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.17And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.19Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:21And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,29Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,37Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,38Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,39Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
21And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and heוְהוּא־ve-hu'-H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

he struck downהִכָּה֩hi-KAHH5221
to smite

נָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) …

a manאִ֨ישׁ'ishH0376G
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

Egyptianמִצְרִ֜יmitz-RIH4713
Egyptian

מִצְרִי (mits.ri) Group of mits.ra.yim (מִצְרַ֫יִם "Egypt" H4714G) § Egyptian, of Egypt "double straits" Egyptian-an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt an Egyptian

a man ofאִ֣ישׁ'a-SHERH0376G
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

appearanceמַרְאֶ֗הmar-'EHH4758
appearance

מַרְאֶה (mar.eh) 1) sight, appearance, vision 1a) sight, phenomenon, spectacle, appearance, vision 1b) what is seen 1c) a vision (supernatural) 1d) sight, vision (power of seeing)

and [was] in [the] hand ofוּבְיַ֤דu-ve-YADH3027G
hand

יָד (yad) : hand/arm[anatomy] 1) hand 1a) hand (of man) 1b) strength, power (fig.) 1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.) 1d) (various special, technical senses) 1d1) sign, monument 1d2) part, fractional part, share 1d3) time, repetition 1d4) axle-trees, axle 1d5) stays, support (for laver) 1d6) tenons (in tabernacle) 1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure) 1d8) wrists

the Egyptianהַמִּצְרִי֙ha-mitz-RIH4713
Egyptian

מִצְרִי (mits.ri) Group of mits.ra.yim (מִצְרַ֫יִם "Egypt" H4714G) § Egyptian, of Egypt "double straits" Egyptian-an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt an Egyptian

a spearחֲנִ֔יתcha-NITH2595
spear

חֲנִית (cha.nit) 1) spear 1a) spear 1a1) shaft of a spear 1a2) spear-head

and he went downוַיֵּ֥רֶדvai-YE-redH3381
to go down

יָרַד (ya.rad) 1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come down 1a2) to sink 1a3) to be prostrated 1a4) to come down (of revelation) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to bring down 1b2) to send down 1b3) to take down 1b4) to lay prostrate 1b5) to let down 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought down 1c2) to be taken down

to himאֵלָ֖יו'e-LAVH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

with the staffבַּשָּׁ֑בֶטba-SHA-vetH7626G
tribe: staff

שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) : staff 1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe 1a) rod, staff 1b) shaft (of spear, dart) 1c) club (of shepherd's implement) 1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority) 1e) clan, tribe

and he seizedוַיִּגְזֹ֤לvai-yig-ZOLH1497
to plunder

גָּזַל (ga.zal) 1) to tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tear away, rob 1a2) to seize, plunder (with acc cognate) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be robbed 1b2) to be taken away

the spearהַחֲנִית֙ha-cha-NITH2595
spear

חֲנִית (cha.nit) 1) spear 1a) spear 1a1) shaft of a spear 1a2) spear-head

from [the] hand ofמִיַּ֣דmi-YADH3027G
hand

יָד (yad) : hand/arm[anatomy] 1) hand 1a) hand (of man) 1b) strength, power (fig.) 1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.) 1d) (various special, technical senses) 1d1) sign, monument 1d2) part, fractional part, share 1d3) time, repetition 1d4) axle-trees, axle 1d5) stays, support (for laver) 1d6) tenons (in tabernacle) 1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure) 1d8) wrists

the Egyptianהַמִּצְרִ֔יha-mitz-RIH4713
Egyptian

מִצְרִי (mits.ri) Group of mits.ra.yim (מִצְרַ֫יִם "Egypt" H4714G) § Egyptian, of Egypt "double straits" Egyptian-an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt an Egyptian

and he killed himוַיַּהַרְגֵ֖הוּvai-ya-har-GE-huH2026
to kill

הָרַג (ha.rag) 1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to kill, slay 1a2) to destroy, ruin 1b) (Niphal) to be killed 1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain

with own spear hisבַּחֲנִיתֽוֹ׃ba-cha-ni-TOH2595
spear

חֲנִית (cha.nit) 1) spear 1a) spear 1a1) shaft of a spear 1a2) spear-head

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.