2 Samuel 5:21

21 And they left there their sculptures, (or their images,) which David burnt, and his men. (And they left their idols there, which David and his men burned to ashes.)

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.

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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 counselled with the Lord, and said, Whether I shall go up to Philistines, and whether thou shalt give them in mine hand? And the Lord said to David, Go thou up, for I shall betake the Philistines, and I shall give them in thine hand. (And David counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall I go up to the Philistines? and shalt thou give them into my hands? And the Lord said to David, Go thou up, for I shall deliver the Philistines into thy hands.)

20 Therefore David came into Baalperazim, and smote them there (and he struck them there), and said, The Lord hath parted mine enemies before me, as waters be parted. Therefore the name of that place was called Baalperazim, that is, The Field, either Plain, of Parting.

21 And they left there their sculptures, (or their images,) which David burnt, and his men. (And they left their idols there, which David and his men burned to ashes.)

22 And [the] Philistines added yet, that they should ascend, and they were spread abroad in the valley of Rephaim. (And the Philistines attacked again, and they were spread all over the Rephaim Valley.)

23 And David counselled with the Lord, and said, Whether I shall go up against the Philistines, and whether thou shalt betake them into mine hands? (And David counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and shalt thou deliver them into my hands?) And the Lord answered, Thou shalt not go up against them, but compass thou them behind their back, and (then) thou shalt come to them on the contrary side of the pear trees.