2 Samuel 21:17

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.

2 Samuel 21:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 21:17

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him
Observing him in danger, made haste to his relief:

and smote the Philistine, and killed him;
it seems as if Abishai engaged with the Philistine, and killed him; but inasmuch as it will bear to be interpreted of David, and since the four giants here and hereafter mentioned are said to fall by the hand of David and his servants, ( 2 Samuel 21:22 ) , it may be thought that this man fell by his hand; seeing it is clear that all the rest fell by the hands of his servants:

then the men of David sware unto him;
after they had observed the danger he was exposed unto, and how narrowly he escaped with his life:

saying, thou shalt go no more with us to battle;
they had persuaded him not to go to the battle with Absalom; they had suffered him to go with them now, he being, no doubt, forward and pressing to it; but now they were resolute, and determined he should never go more:

that thou quench not the light of Israel;
signifying that their glory and prosperity depended on his life, and that, should he be taken away, they should be in affliction and adversity, their honour and their happiness would be at an end; the Targum is,

``thou mayest not extinguish the kingdom of Israel,''

the light and glory of it.

2 Samuel 21:17 In-Context

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.

18 And after this, there was a second war with the Philistines at Gob; then Sibbechai, the Hushathite, slew Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.

19 And there was another war in Gob with the Philistines where Elhanan, the son of Jaareoregim of Bethlehem, slew Goliath, the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.