2 Samuel 23:21

21 He also slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, 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.

2 Samuel 23:21 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:21

And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man
A person of good countenance and shape, very large and tall; in ( 1 Chronicles 11:28 ) , he is said to be a man of great stature, and five cubits high, and so wanted a cubit and a span of the height of Goliath, ( 1 Samuel 17:4 ) ;

and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand;
as large as Goliath's; for in ( 1 Chronicles 11:23 ) , it is said to be like a weaver's beam, as Goliath's was, (See Gill on 1 Samuel 17:7):

and he went down to him with a staff;
with a walking staff only, having no other weapon:

and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand;
and therefore must be a man very nimble and dexterous, as well as bold and courageous:

and slew him with his own spear;
as David cut off Goliath's head with his own sword. This is supposed ^F12 to be Shimei, the son of Gera, ( 1 Kings 2:46 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Hieron. Trad. Heb. ut supra. (in. 2 Reg. fol. 80. C.)

2 Samuel 23:21 In-Context

19 He was the most honourable of the three and captain among them; however, he did not attain unto the first three.

20 Then, Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, slew two lions of Moab; he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

21 He also slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, 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.

22 These things did Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

23 He had more honour than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David put him in his council.