The Meaning of 2 Samuel 21:16 Explained

2 Samuel 21:16

KJV: And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

YLT: and Ishbi-Benob, who is among the children of the giant -- the weight of his spear is three hundred shekels weight of brass, and he is girded with a new one -- speaketh of smiting David,

Darby: And Ishbibenob, who was of the children of Raphah the weight of his lance was three hundred shekels of bronze, and he was girded with new armour thought to smite David.

ASV: and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred'shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new'sword , thought to have slain David.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Ishbibenob,  which [was] of the sons  of the giant,  the weight  of whose spear  [weighed] three  hundred  [shekels] of brass  in weight,  he being girded  with a new  [sword], thought  to have slain  David. 

What does 2 Samuel 21:16 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 21:16 mean?

- - Then Ishbi-benob who [was] one of the sons of Rapha and the weight of whose spear [was] three hundred [shekels] bronze and he was bearing a new [sword] and thought he could kill - David
[וישבו] (וְיִשְׁבִּ֨י) בְּנֹ֜ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ בִּילִידֵ֣י הָרָפָ֗ה וּמִשְׁקַ֤ל קֵינוֹ֙ שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ מִשְׁקַ֣ל נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וְה֖וּא חָג֣וּר חֲדָשָׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְהַכּ֥וֹת אֶת־ דָּוִֽד

[וישבו]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵבֶה  
Sense: reed, papyrus.
(וְיִשְׁבִּ֨י)  - 
Parse:
בְּנֹ֜ב  Then  Ishbi-benob 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׁבֹּו בְּנׄב 
Sense: son of Rapha, one of the race of Philistine giants who attacked David in battle and was slain by Abishai.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀  who  [was]  one 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בִּילִידֵ֣י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יָלִיד  
Sense: born.
הָרָפָ֗ה  of  Rapha 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְפָאִים 
Sense: giants, Rephaim.
וּמִשְׁקַ֤ל  and  the  weight 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁקָל  
Sense: heaviness, weight.
קֵינוֹ֙  of  whose  spear  [was] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קַיִן  
Sense: spear.
שְׁלֹ֤שׁ  three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
מֵאוֹת֙  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
מִשְׁקַ֣ל  [shekels] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁקָל  
Sense: heaviness, weight.
נְחֹ֔שֶׁת  bronze 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְחֹשֶׁת 
Sense: copper, bronze.
וְה֖וּא  and  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
חָג֣וּר  was  bearing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: חָגַר  
Sense: to gird, gird on, gird oneself, put on a belt.
חֲדָשָׁ֑ה  a  new  [sword] 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: חָדָשׁ  
Sense: new, new thing, fresh.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר  and  thought  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְהַכּ֥וֹת  could  kill 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
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.
דָּוִֽד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.