2 Samuel 21:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: There was war again between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines. And David grew weary.

NIV: Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted.

NASB: Now when the Philistines were at war with Israel again, David went down, and his servants with him; and when they fought against the Philistines, David became weary.

CSB: The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted.

NLT: Once again the Philistines were at war with Israel. And when David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted.

KJV: Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.

NKJV: When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint.

Second Samuel 21:15–17 notes the moment when David's men retire him from active military duty. David mostly leaves the fighting to the army under Joab and Abishai. In the battle against David's traitorous son, he tried to join, but his men wouldn't let him (2 Samuel 18:2–3). The army is once again fighting the Philistines. A giant singles David out and tries to kill him but Abishai rushes to the rescue. David's men tell him he can no longer go to battle: he's too important to the nation. The text then describes several other fights against Philistine giants (2 Samuel 21:18–22).

Second Samuel 21 records several varied stories of David's reign. A famine strikes the land because Saul and his household had attacked the Gibeonites, who had tricked Joshua into a treaty (Joshua 9). The Gibeonites ask for seven of Saul's descendants, whom they kill and hang in their city. Saul's concubine Rizpah protects them from birds and beasts until David orders them removed and buried in the family tomb. Next, David's men forcibly retire him from active military service and go on to slay several giant Philistine warriors. The battles against the giants are also recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:4–8.

Second Samuel 21 presents the first two levels of a mirrored view of David's reign (2 Samuel 21—24). First, David learns a famine is due to Saul's attack on the protected Gibeonites (Joshua 9). David gives them seven of Saul's male descendants, and God lifts the famine. In the second section, David retires from military service, and his men kill Philistine giants. The giants are also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 20:4–8. Section three is David's praise to God (2 Samuel 22:1—23:7). The fourth records David's mighty men's exploits (2 Samuel 23:8–38). The fifth is David's sinful census (2 Samuel 24).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.