The Meaning of 2 Samuel 21:17 Explained

2 Samuel 21:17

KJV: But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.

YLT: and Abishai son of Zeruiah giveth help to him, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death; then swear the men of David to him, saying, 'Thou dost not go out again with us to battle, nor quench the lamp of Israel.'

Darby: And Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.

ASV: But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But Abishai  the son  of Zeruiah  succoured  him, and smote  the Philistine,  and killed  him. Then the men  of David  sware  unto him, saying,  Thou shalt go  no more out with us to battle,  that thou quench  not the light  of Israel. 

What does 2 Samuel 21:17 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 21:12-22 - More Giants Slain
It was in unsettled weather that Rizpah began her watch; but no hardship daunted her, no cost was too great. She shielded the dear remains from bird and beast till the falling rain gave assurance that the long famine was ended, 2 Samuel 21:10, r.v. Her devotion seems to have aroused David to treat with similar honor the remains of Saul and Jonathan, and all were buried together in the sepulcher of Kish.
Love ignites love, as fire kindles fire, without impoverishment. How often a voice raised in prayerful and passionate affection to Jesus has made volcanic fires leap out where all had seemed extinct! Do not stint your alabaster-boxes, for though they drive a Judas to desperation, they will stimulate a David or a Peter to a forgotten duty.
Monstrous sin stalked the world in the person of these giants, 2 Samuel 21:16-22. They beset the old age of David, as they did his youth, though we may not be assailed by the identical temptations as at first, there never will be a time when the progeny of sin will not molest us-if not passion, then jealousy, or avarice, or pride. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 21

1  The three year Gibeonite famine ceases, by hanging seven of Saul's sons
10  Rizpah's kindness unto the dead
12  David buries the bones of Saul and Jonathan in his father's tomb
15  Four battles against the Philistines, wherein four men of David slay four giants

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 21:17 mean?

But came to aid his Abishai son of Zeruiah and struck - the Philistine and killed him then swore the men of David to him saying no You shall go out more with us to battle and lest you quench the lamp of Israel -
וַיַּֽעֲזָר־ לוֹ֙ אֲבִישַׁ֣י בֶּן־ צְרוּיָ֔ה וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ אָ֣ז נִשְׁבְּעוּ֩ אַנְשֵׁי־ דָוִ֨ד ל֜וֹ לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹא־ תֵצֵ֨א ע֤וֹד אִתָּ֙נוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תְכַבֶּ֖ה נֵ֥ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל פ

וַיַּֽעֲזָר־  But  came  to  aid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָזַר  
Sense: to help, succour, support.
לוֹ֙  his 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
אֲבִישַׁ֣י  Abishai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישַׁי 
Sense: grandson of Jesse, nephew of David via his sister Zeruiah, brother of Joab.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
צְרוּיָ֔ה  of  Zeruiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צְרוּיָה  
Sense: sister of David and mother of the 3 leading heroes of David’s army—Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
וַיַּ֥ךְ  and  struck 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י  the  Philistine 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ  and  killed  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
נִשְׁבְּעוּ֩  swore 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
אַנְשֵׁי־  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
דָוִ֨ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
ל֜וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תֵצֵ֨א  You  shall  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
ע֤וֹד  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
אִתָּ֙נוּ֙  with  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה  to  battle 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וְלֹ֥א  and  lest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תְכַבֶּ֖ה  you  quench 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּבָה  
Sense: to quench, put out, be put out, be quenched, be extinguished.
נֵ֥ר  the  lamp 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נִיר 
Sense: lamp.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation