2 Samuel 21:17

17 Mais Abishaï, fils de Tséruja, vint à son secours, et frappa le Philistin, et le tua. Alors les gens de David firent serment, et lui dirent: Tu ne sortiras plus avec nous à la bataille, de peur que tu n'éteignes la lampe d'Israël.

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 Or il y eut encore guerre entre les Philistins et Israël. Et David descendit avec ses serviteurs; et ils combattirent contre les Philistins, et David était très fatigué.

16 Et Jishbi de Nob, qui était des enfants de Rapha, et qui avait une lance dont le poids était de trois cents sicles d'airain, et qui était ceint d'une armure neuve, avait résolu de frapper David.

17 Mais Abishaï, fils de Tséruja, vint à son secours, et frappa le Philistin, et le tua. Alors les gens de David firent serment, et lui dirent: Tu ne sortiras plus avec nous à la bataille, de peur que tu n'éteignes la lampe d'Israël.

18 Après cela, la guerre eut encore lieu à Gob, contre les Philistins; là Sibbécaï, le Hushathite, tua Saph, qui était des enfants de Rapha.

19 Il y eut encore à Gob une autre guerre contre les Philistins; et Elchanan, fils de Jaaré-Oréguim, Bethléhémite, frappa Goliath, le Guitthien, qui avait une lance dont le bois était comme l'ensouple d'un tisserand.