2 Samuel 5:21

21 They had left their idols there, so David and his men carried them away.

2 Samuel 5:21 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 5:21

And they left their images
Their idol gods, which they brought with them to protect and defend them, and give them success; perhaps in imitation of the Israelites, who formerly brought the ark of God into their camp against the Philistines, ( 1 Samuel 4:3-6 ) ; and it appears to have been the custom of other countries, in later times, to bring their gods with them to battle ^F24:

and David and his men burnt them:
that is, his men burnt them at his command, ( 1 Chronicles 14:12 ) ; agreeably to the law of God, that so no profit might be made of them, ( Deuteronomy 7:5 ) ; the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, and others, render it, "and took them", or "carried them away" ^F25; as they might do, and, after they had exposed them in triumph, then burnt them.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 "Omnigenumque Deum" Virgil. Aeneid. l. 8.
F25 (Mavyw) (kai elabosan autouv) , Sept. "tulit", V. L. Tigurine version, Montanus; "sustulit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

2 Samuel 5:21 In-Context

19 And David inquired of Yahweh, saying, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will you give them into my hands?" Yahweh said to David, "Go up, for {I will certainly give} [the] Philistines into your hand."

20 So David came to Baal Perazim and defeated them there; and David said, "Yahweh has burst through my enemies before me like the bursting of water." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

21 They had left their idols there, so David and his men carried them away.

22 {Once again} [the] Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

23 So David inquired of Yahweh, but he said, "You shall not go up. [Rather,] go around to their rear and come to them from opposite the balsam trees.