2 Samuel 21:17-19

17 But ¹Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "²You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish ³the lamp of Israel."

18 ⁴Now it came about after this that there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; then ⁵Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was among the descendants of the giant.

19 There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, ⁶the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

2 Samuel 21:17-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 21

A famine being in the land three years, the Lord was inquired of, to know the reason of it; and it being answered, that it was on account of Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites, they were summoned by David to know what satisfaction they required for the cruel usage of them, 2Sa 21:1-3; to which they replied, that they only desired seven of Saul's sons to be delivered up to them, to be hanged by them, which was granted, 2Sa 21:4-9; whose bones, with those of Saul and Jonathan, David buried in the sepulchre of their fathers, 2Sa 21:10-14; and the chapter is closed with an account of the various battles fought with the Philistines, in which four of their generals were slain, 2Sa 21:15-22.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Samuel 20:6-10
• 2. 2 Samuel 18:3
• 3. 2 Samuel 22:29; 1 Kings 11:36
• 4. 1 Chronicles 20:4-8
• 5. 1 Chronicles 11:29; 1 Chronicles 27:11
• 6. 1 Samuel 17:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb "Raphah"
• [b]. Lit "smote"
• [c]. In 1 Chr 20:5, "Lahmi, the brother of Goliath"