2 Samuel 23:21 · American Standard Version
2 Samuel 23:21 in the Original Hebrew
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2 Samuel 23:21 in Other Translations
| 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. |
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| WEB | He killed 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 killed 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. |
| 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. |
| WBT | 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. |
| DBY | 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. |
Commentary on 2 Samuel 23:21
Expositions from classic Bible commentators.
John Gill · 2 Samuel 23:21
And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man,.... A person of good countenance and shape, very large and tall; in Ch1 11:28, he is said to be a man of great stature, and five cubits high, and so wanted a cubit and a span of the height of Goliath, Sa1 17:4,
and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; as large as Goliath's; for in Ch1 11:23, it is said to be like a weaver's beam, as Goliath's was; see Gill on Sa1 17:7,
and he went down to him with a staff; with a walking staff only, having no other weapon:
and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand; and therefore must be a man very nimble and dexterous, as well as bold and courageous:
and slew him with his own spear; as David cut off Goliath's head with his own sword. This is supposed (l) to be Shimei, the son of Gera, Kg1 2:46.
(l) Hieron. Trad. Heb. ut supra. (in. 2 Reg. fol. 80. C.)
Cross References for 2 Samuel 23:21
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Questions about 2 Samuel 23:21
What does 2 Samuel 23:21 say?
2 Samuel 23:21 in the American Standard Version reads: “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.” Read it in the full context of 2 Samuel 23, alongside the classic commentary on this page.
Where is 2 Samuel 23:21 found in the Bible?
2 Samuel 23:21 is in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 23, verse 21, in the Old Testament.
What Bible translation is 2 Samuel 23:21 shown in?
This is the American Standard Version (ASV), a public-domain translation. You can compare how other translations render 2 Samuel 23:21 in the table on this page.
He slew an Egyptian - This man in Ch1 11:23 is stated to have been five cubits high, about seven feet six inches.
He went down to him with a staff - I have known men who, with a staff only for their defense, could render the sword of the best practiced soldier of no use to him. I have seen even a parallel instance of a man with his staff being attacked by a soldier with his hanger; he soon beat the weapon out of the soldier's hand, and could easily have slain him with his own sword.
We have a good elucidation of this in a duel between Dioxippus the Athenian and Horratas a Macedonian, before Alexander: "The Macedonian, proud of his military skill, treated the naked Athenian with contempt, and then challenged him to fight with him the ensuing day. The Macedonian came armed cap-a-pie to the place; on his left arm he had a brazen shield, and in the same hand a spear called sarissa; he had a javelin in his right hand, and a sword girded on his side; in short, he appeared armed as though he were going to contend with a host. Dioxippus came into the field with a chaplet on his head, a purple sash on his left arm, his body naked, smeared over with oil, and in his right hand a strong knotty club, (dextra validum nodosumque stipitem praeferebat). Horratas, supposing he could easily kill his antagonist while at a distance, threw his javelin, which Dioxippus, suddenly stooping, dexterously avoided, and, before Horratas could transfer the spear from his left to his right hand, sprang forward, and with one blow of his club, broke it in two. The Macedonian being deprived of both his spears, began to draw his sword; but before he could draw it out Dioxippus seized him, tripped up his heels, and threw him with great violence on the ground, (pedibus repente subductis arietavit in terram). He then put his foot on his neck, drew out his sword, and lifting up his club, was about to dash out the brains of the overthrown champion, had he not been prevented by the king." - Q. Curt. lib. ix., cap. 7.
How similar are the two cases! He went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hands, and slew him with his own spear. Benaiah appears to have been just such another clubsman as Dioxippus.