2 Samuel 21:16-22 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:15-22

We have here the story of some conflicts with the Philistines, which happened, as it should seem, in the latter end of David's reign. Though he had so subdued them that they could not bring any great numbers into the field, yet as long as they had any giants among them to be their champions, they would never be quiet, but took all occasions to disturb the peace of Israel, to challenge them, or make incursions upon them. I. David himself was engaged with one of the giants. The Philistines began... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:16

And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant ,.... Of Goliath, or of a giant, of the race of them: the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight ; which must be understood either of the wood of it, or of the head of it, the flaming point of it, as many interpret it; and if so, it was but half the weight of Goliath's spear, unless there was any difference of the weight of iron and of brass, see 1 Samuel 17:7 , he being girded with a new sword... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:18

And it came to pass after this ,.... After the former battle: that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob ; in 1 Chronicles 20:4 it is called Gezer; either the place had two names, or these two places were near each other; so that the battle may be said to be fought both at the one and at the other, being fought equally near to both: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant ; who is called Sippai, 1 Chronicles 20:4 ; he had his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:19

And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines ,.... Another battle with them in the same place: where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite ; the word "brother" is rightly supplied from 1 Chronicles 20:5 ; where his name is said to be Lahmi, for not Goliath himself was slain, though some so interpret it, and take Elhanan to be David; so Jarchi, and with which agrees the Targum; but he was slain not at Gob, but in the valley... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:20

And there was yet a battle in Gath ,.... Besides the battles in the above place or places; for this does not necessarily suppose that one of the said battles had been there, only that this, which was another battle, had been there: where was a man of great stature ; for so the sense of the word appears to be from 1 Chronicles 20:6 ; though here it signifies a man of strife and contention, a man of war, and both were true of him: that had on every hand six fingers, and on every... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:21

And when he defied Israel ,.... The armies of Israel, as Goliath had done some years ago, 1 Samuel 17:10 , Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him ; this brother of David is called Shammah, 1 Samuel 16:9 ; and Shimma, 1 Chronicles 2:13 ; this son of his is another man from Jonadab his son, who was famous for his subtlety as this was for his valour, 2 Samuel 13:3 . The Jews say F4 Hieron. Trad. Heb. fol. 76. D. this was Nathan the prophet, a son of Shammah. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:22

These four were born to the giant in Gath ,.... Not to Goliath, for one of them was his brother, but to some giant or another of that place, for which it was famous; they were all of them of the race of the giants; and so the Septuagint version, they were"the offspring of the giants in Gath, whose family was Repha;'and this Repha, or Arepha, as the Vulgate Latin version, according to Abarbinel, was a woman of the daughters of the giants; the Talmudists F5 T. Bab. Sotah. fol. 42. 2. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 21:16

Being girded with a new sword - As the word sword is not in the original, we may apply the term new to his armor in general; he had got new arms, a new coat of mail, or something that defended him well, and rendered him very formidable: or it may mean a strong or sharp sword. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 21:17

That thou quench not the light of Israel - David is here considered as the lamp by which all Israel was guided, and without whom all the nation must be involved in darkness. The lamp is the emblem of direction and support. Light is used in this sense by Homer: - Ουδε τι Πατροκλῳ γενομην φαος, αυδ ' ἑταροισιπ Τοις αλλοις, οἱ δη πολεες δαμεν Ἑκτορι διῳ. Iliad, lib. xviii. ver. 102. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:15-22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:22

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 21:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 21:17

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