2 Samuel 23:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.

NIV: but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

NASB: He rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and it clung to the sword, and the Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder the dead.

CSB: but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.

NLT: He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the Lord gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder!

KJV: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

NKJV: He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.

Second Samuel 23:9–10 (1 Chronicles 11:12–14) says Eleazar was David's second greatest warrior. He was from Bethlehem and his father's division, served during the second month of the year (1 Chronicles 27:4). His famed battle may have been in defense of a crop of barley. Elhanan, one of "the thirty," may have been his brother (2 Samuel 23:24). He is not Aaron's son (Exodus 6:23).

Second Samuel 23 has two distinct sections. David has already written a psalm honoring God for his deliverance and blessing (2 Samuel 22). Second Samuel 23:1–7 is a shorter psalm that identifies David as a prophet and compares good kings, God, and bad men. Second Samuel 23:8–39 lists many of the men God used to protect David, make him king, and keep Israel safe. The roll call is repeated, with some variations, in 1 Chronicles 11:10–47. The book of 1 and 2 Samuel ends with David's decision to count his troops; a sin that God punishes with a pestilence that kills 70,000 men (2 Samuel 24).

Second Samuel 23 gives David's last psalm and a roll call of his warriors. The psalm is part of the center of a reflection structure seen in 2 Samuel 21—24. The mirror of themes, called a "chiasm," emphasizes that God alone is responsible for David's success and safety. Second Samuel 21:15–22 and 23:8–39 list some of the warriors God used to protect David and Israel. Second Samuel 21:1–14 and 24:1–25 show that God's blessings are despite the kings' failures, not because they deserved God's favor. The book of 1 Kings begins the transfer of power from David to his son Solomon.

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.