The Meaning of 2 Samuel 23:21 Explained

2 Samuel 23:21

KJV: And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

YLT: And he hath smitten the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian is a spear, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear.

Darby: He also smote the Egyptian, an imposing man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

ASV: And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he slew  an Egyptian,  a goodly  man:  and the Egyptian  had a spear  in his hand;  but he went down  to him with a staff,  and plucked  the spear  out of the Egyptian's  hand,  and slew  him with his own spear. 

What does 2 Samuel 23:21 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 23:18-39 - Men With A Record
What marvels may be wrought by the inspiration of a single life! We remember the hour when an unknown youth stepped out of the affrighted hosts of Israel to face Goliath. Alone, so far as human help went, David encountered and defeated that terrible antagonist; but after some fourteen or fifteen years had run their course, he no longer stood alone. Scores of heroes, animated by his spirit and exercising his faith, stepped forth on the new path which he had opened.
Thus the lives of great men light up and inspire the lives of others. They mold their contemporaries. Wesley's career has raised a great army of preachers and evangelists. The enthusiasm of a Brainerd, a Finney, a Moody, has stirred tens of thousands with kindred passion for the souls of men. The companions of our Lord became His Apostles (His missionaries). His own life of sacrifice for men has become the beacon-fire which has summoned myriads from the sloth and indulgence of the valleys to the surrender, the self-denial, the anguish of His Cross, if only they might be permitted to follow in His steps. Is there anything in our lives that is inspiring others? [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 23

1  David, in his last words, professes his faith in God's promises
6  The different state of the wicked
8  A catalogue of David's mighty men

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 23:21 mean?

and he killed - a man An Egyptian - a man spectacular and in his hand the Egyptian [had] a spear so he went down to him with a staff and wrested - the spear out of hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his own spear
וְהוּא־ הִכָּה֩ אֶת־ אִ֨ישׁ מִצְרִ֜י [אשר] (אִ֣ישׁ) מַרְאֶ֗ה וּבְיַ֤ד הַמִּצְרִי֙ חֲנִ֔ית וַיֵּ֥רֶד אֵלָ֖יו בַּשָּׁ֑בֶט וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל אֶֽת־ הַחֲנִית֙ מִיַּ֣ד הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַיַּהַרְגֵ֖הוּ בַּחֲנִיתֽוֹ

וְהוּא־  and  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הִכָּה֩  killed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, 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.
אִ֨ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִצְרִ֜י  An  Egyptian 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
[אשר]  - 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
(אִ֣ישׁ)  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מַרְאֶ֗ה  spectacular 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.
וּבְיַ֤ד  and  in  his  hand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַמִּצְרִי֙  the  Egyptian  [had] 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
חֲנִ֔ית  a  spear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
וַיֵּ֥רֶד  so  he  went  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
אֵלָ֖יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בַּשָּׁ֑בֶט  with  a  staff 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל  and  wrested 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּזַל  
Sense: to tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַחֲנִית֙  the  spear 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
מִיַּ֣ד  out  of  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַמִּצְרִ֔י  of  the  Egyptian 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
וַיַּהַרְגֵ֖הוּ  and  killed  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
בַּחֲנִיתֽוֹ  with  his  own  spear 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Samuel 23:21?

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