2 Samuel 21:15

15 And the Philistines made war again with Israel; and David went down, and his slaves with him, and fought against the Philistines; and David became weary.

2 Samuel 21:15 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 21:15

Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel
Besides what is before recorded in this and the preceding book; being animated to it partly by the number of giants among them, and partly by the decline of David's life, and it may be chiefly by the insurrections and rebellions in Israel; though some think that these battles were not after the rebellions of Absalom and Sheba, and the affair of the Gibeonites, though here recorded; but before, and quickly after the war with the Ammonites, next to which they are placed in ( 1 Chronicles 20:1-8 ) ; but they seem to be placed here in their proper order:

and David went down, and his servants with him;
to the borders of the Philistines, perceiving they were preparing to make war against him:

and fought against the Philistines;
engaged in a battle with them:

and David waxed faint;
in the battle, not able to bear the fatigues of war, and wield his armour as he had used, being in the decline of life; after he had been engaged a while, his spirits began to fail, not through fear, but through feebleness; but, according to Josephus, it was through weariness in pursuing the enemy put to flight, which the following person perceived, and turned upon him ^F25.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 1.

2 Samuel 21:15 In-Context

13 and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan, his son; and they gathered the bones of those that had been disjointed by being hanged from a tree,

14 and they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan, his son, in the land 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.

15 And the Philistines made war again with Israel; and David went down, and his slaves with him, and fought against the Philistines; and David became weary.

16 And Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, and the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, was girded with a new sword and had determined to kill David.

17 But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, helped David, and smote the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore unto him, saying, From now on thou shalt not go out with us to battle that thou not quench the light of Israel.