2 Samuel 5 · Verse 21

2 Samuel 5:21

And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
2 Samuel 5:21, King James Version

2 Samuel 5:21 in other translations

BSBThere the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away.
WEBThey left their images there, and David and his men took them away.
ASVAnd they left their images there; and David and his men took them away.
YLTAnd they forsake there their idols, and David and his men lift them up.
DARBYAnd they left their images there, and David and his men took them away.
BBEAnd the Philistines, when they went in flight, did not take their images with them, and David and his men took them away.
WebsterAnd there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

What does 2 Samuel 5:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. there they left their images--probably their "lares" or household deities, which they had brought into the field to fight for them. They were burnt as ordained by law (De 7:5).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 They left their images - It was the custom of most nations to carry their gods with them to battle: in imitation of this custom the Israelites once took the ark and lost it in the field; see 1Sam 4:10, 1Sam 4:11.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 5:17-25

The Philistines considered not that David had the presence of God with him, which Saul had forfeited and lost. The kingdom of the Messiah, as soon as it was set up in the world, was thus attacked by the powers of darkness. The heathen raged, and the kings of the earth set themselves to oppose it; but all in vain, Psa 2:1, &c. The destruction will turn, as this did, upon Satan's own kingdom. David owns dependence on…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 5:17-25 →

2 Samuel 5:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּעַזְבוּ\־vai.ya.'az.vu-and they abandonedH5800
שָׁ֖םshamthereH8033
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֑ם'a.tza.bei.Hemidols theirH6091
וַיִּשָּׂאֵ֥םvai.yi.sa.'Emand he carried off themH5375
דָּוִ֖דda.VidDavidH1732
וַאֲנָשָֽׁיו\׃\ \פva.'a.na.Shavand men hisH582

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 5:21

  • 1 Chronicles 14:11-12

    So they came up to Baal–perazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baal–perazim. And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

  • Deuteronomy 7:5

    But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

  • Jeremiah 43:12

    And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.

  • Deuteronomy 7:25

    The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

  • 1 Samuel 5:2-6

    When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. …

  • Isaiah 46:1-2

    Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.

  • Isaiah 37:19

    And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
David.
De 7:5,25; 1Sa 5:2-6; 1Ch 14:11,12; Isa 37:19
burned them. or, took them away.
Isa 46:1,2; Jer 43:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 5:20

    And David came to Baal–perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal–perazim.

  • 2 Samuel 5:21

    And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

  • 2 Samuel 5:22

    And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

Read all of 2 Samuel 5

2 Samuel 5:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dejaron allí sus ídolos, los cuales quemó David y los suyos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils laissèrent là leurs idoles, et David et ses hommes les emportèrent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie ließen daselbst ihre Götzen, und David und seine Männer nahmen sie weg.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et reliquerunt ibi sculptilia sua, quæ tulit David et viri ejus.