2 Samuel 21:12

12 he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)

2 Samuel 21:12 in Other Translations

12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:

12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa.

12 he went to the people of Jabesh-gilead and retrieved the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. (When the Philistines had killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa, the people of Jabesh-gilead stole their bodies from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them.)

12 He then went and got the remains of Saul and Jonathan his son from the leaders at Jabesh Gilead (who had rescued them from the town square at Beth Shan where the Philistines had hung them after striking them down at Gilboa).

12 he went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the leaders of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung them the day the Philistines killed Saul at Gilboa.

2 Samuel 21:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 21:12

And David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of
Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabeshgilead
Which, according to Bunting ^F20, was fifty two miles from Jerusalem; though perhaps David did not go thither in person to fetch them, but by his messengers, see ( 2 Samuel 21:14 ) ;

which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the
Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in
Gilboa;
the history of all which see in ( 1 Samuel 31:8-13 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Travels p. 122, 143.

2 Samuel 21:12 In-Context

10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night.

11 When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done,

12 he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)

13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 31:11-13
• 2. S Judges 21:8; S 1 Samuel 11:1
• 3. S Joshua 17:11
• 4. 1 Samuel 31:10
• 5. S 1 Samuel 28:4