2 Samuel 21
2 Samuel 21 | |
---|---|
Book | First book of Samuel |
Hebrew Bible part | Nevi'im |
Order in the Hebrew part | 3 |
Category | Former Prophets |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 10 |
2 Samuel 21 is the twenty-first chapter of the Second Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the second part of Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible.[1] According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, with additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan,[2] but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts of various ages from c. 630–540 BCE.[3][4] This chapter contains the account of David's reign in Jerusalem.[5][6] This is within a section comprising 2 Samuel 21–24 containing the appendices to the Books of Samuel.[7]
Text
This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 22 verses.
Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[8] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 1Q7 (1QSam; 50 BCE) with extant verses 16–19[9][10][11][12] and 4Q51 (4QSama; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 1, 3–6, 8–9, 12, 15–17.[9][10][13][14]
Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).[15][a]
Old Testament references
Analysis
The miscellaneous collection of narratives, lists, and poems in 2 Samuel 21–24 are appendices to the Books of Samuel, arranged not chronologically, but carefully crafted into a concentric three-tiered structure as follows:[7][18]
- A. National crisis (21:1-14) – David's penultimate public act
- B. Lists of David's warriors and accounts of heroic deeds (21:15–22) – David's decline and his exit from military affairs
- C. Poem (22:1–51) – A penultimate testament: David sings a song
- C'. Poem (23:1–7) – David's ultimate testament
- B'. Lists of David's warriors and accounts of heroic deeds (23:8–39) – David's decline and his exit from military affairs
- B. Lists of David's warriors and accounts of heroic deeds (21:15–22) – David's decline and his exit from military affairs
- A'. National crisis (24:1–25) – David's final public act
These chapters center on two poems: the Psalm of David in 22:2–51, a review of the mighty acts of God, and the oracle in 23:1–7, an assurance that the Davidic dynasty was to endure, with the focal point of the incipit to David's second poem (23:1): "These are the last words of David" as a notice that the 'David Narrative' is drawing to a close.
David Avenges the Gibeonites (21:1–14)
This section initiates the closing portrait of David by reprising several events from 1 and 2 Samuel, reaching back to Saul's rise to power, his rescue of the people of Jabesh-gilead (1 Samuel 9–11), David's pact with Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:12–17; 20:42), Saul's death and his stealthy burial by the people of Jabesh-Gilead (1 Samuel 31).[19] Long ago David lamented Saul's demise (2 Samuel 1:17-27), now he provided him with a proper burial, a sign of his enduring loyalty to the king he succeeded.[19]
A three-year continuous famine caused by drought led
This whole episode contrasts David and Saul in their fidelity to their oaths, drawing to a theme that was introduced in the first allusions to David in 1 Samuel 13:14 ("the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart") and in 1 Samuel 15:28 ("The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this very day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you"). After multiple events in the David Narrative illustrate how David proved to be more faithful to God than Saul, this episode provides a final example: Saul's killing of the Gibeonites violated an oath that Israel had sworn to them (2 Samuel 21:2), but David preserved Mephibosheth alive (21:7) to keep the oath he had sworn to Jonathan. In one of his final acts, David had to resolve the problem that Saul's infidelity of oath had left behind.[19]
Philistine giants destroyed (21:15–22)
This section provides a summary of clashes with persons of extraordinary size called 'descendants of the giants' during the wars against the
Verse 19
- And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.[22]
- Cross reference: 1 Chronicles 20:5
The parallel verse in 1 Chronicles 20, written much later than 2 Samuel, provides clarification to this verse.[23] The comparison of the two versions is as follows: (A: 2 Samuel 21:19; B: 1 Chronicles 20:5; Hebrew text is read from right to left)
- A: ויך אלחנן בן־יערי ארגים בית הלחמי את גלית
- transliteration: wa·yaḵ ’el·ḥā·nān ben-ya‘·rê ’ō·rə·ḡîm bêṯ ha·laḥ·mî, ’êṯ gā·lə·yāṯ
- English: "and slew Elhanan ben Jaare-Oregim bet-ha-Lahmi, (brother) "of Goliath"
- B: ויך אלחנן בן־יעיר את־לחמי אחי גלית
- transliteration: wa·yaḵ ’el·ḥā·nān ben-yā·‘îr ’eṯ-laḥ·mî, ’ă·ḥî gā·lə·yāṯ
- English: "and slew Elhanan ben Jair Lahmi, brother of Goliath"
The underlined words show a relation to Goliath, which is denoted in 2 Samuel 21 with the word "’êṯ" which can be translated as "together with; related to", whereas the newer version (1 Chronicles 20) uses the word "’ă·ḥî" meaning "brother". Thus, Elhanan killed the brother of Goliath, whereas Goliath was killed earlier by David (1 Samuel 17).[24]
See also
- Related Bible parts: 2 Samuel 5, 2 Samuel 18
Notes
- ^ The whole book of 2 Samuel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.[16]
References
- ^ Halley 1965, p. 184.
- ^ Hirsch, Emil G. "SAMUEL, BOOKS OF". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ Knight 1995, p. 62.
- ^ Jones 2007, p. 197.
- ^ Jones 2007, p. 220.
- ^ Coogan 2007, p. 459 Hebrew Bible.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Jones 2007, p. 227.
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 35–37.
- ^ a b Ulrich 2010, pp. 317–318.
- ^ a b Dead sea scrolls – 2 Samuel
- ^ Fitzmyer 2008, p. 19.
- ^ 1Q7 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library
- ^ Fitzmyer 2008, p. 35.
- ^ 4Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
- ^ This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Codex Sinaiticus". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ Steinmann 2017, p. 165.
- ^ a b Morrison 2013, p. 276.
- ^ a b c Morrison 2013, p. 277.
- ^ Jones 2007, pp. 227–228.
- ^ a b c d Jones 2007, p. 228.
- ^ 2 Samuel 21:19 KJV
- ^ Heiser Michael S. (2014) "Clash of the manuscripts: Goliath and the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament¹". Bible Study Magazine. October 31, 2014
- ^ Slick, Matt. "Who killed Goliath: David or Elhanan?". CARM. November 28, 2008.
Sources
Commentaries on Samuel
- Auld, Graeme (2003). "1 & 2 Samuel". In James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson (ed.). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802837110.
- Bergen, David T. (1996). 1, 2 Samuel. B&H Publishing Group. ISBN 9780805401073.
- Chapman, Stephen B. (2016). 1 Samuel as Christian Scripture: A Theological Commentary. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1467445160.
- Collins, John J. (2014). "Chapter 14: 1 Samuel 12 – 2 Samuel 25". Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Fortress Press. pp. 277–296. ISBN 978-1451469233.
- Evans, Paul (2018). Longman, Tremper (ed.). 1-2 Samuel. The Story of God Bible Commentary. Zondervan Academic. ISBN 978-0310490944.
- Gordon, Robert (1986). I & II Samuel, A Commentary. Paternoster Press. ISBN 9780310230229.
- Hertzberg, Hans Wilhelm (1964). I & II Samuel, A Commentary (trans. from German 2nd edition 1960 ed.). Westminster John Knox Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0664223182.
- Morrison, Craig E. (2013). Berit Olam: 2 Samuel. Liturgical Press. ISBN 978-0814682913.
- Steinmann, Andrew (2017). 2 Samuel. Concordia Commentary: a theological exposition of sacred scripture. Concordia Publishing House. ISBN 9780758650061.
General
- Breytenbach, Andries (2000). "Who Is Behind The Samuel Narrative?". In Johannes Cornelis de Moor and H.F. Van Rooy (ed.). Past, Present, Future: the Deuteronomistic History and the Prophets. Brill. ISBN 9789004118713.
- ISBN 978-0195288810.
- ISBN 9780802862419.
- ISBN 0-310-25720-4.
- Hayes, Christine (2015). Introduction to the Bible. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300188271.
- Jones, Gwilym H. (2007). "12. 1 and 2 Samuel". In ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- Klein, R.W. (2003). "Samuel, books of". In Bromiley, Geoffrey W (ed.). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802837844.
- Knight, Douglas A (1995). "Chapter 4 Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomists". In James Luther Mays, David L. Petersen and Kent Harold Richards (ed.). Old Testament Interpretation. T&T Clark. ISBN 9780567292896.
- McKane, William (1993). "Samuel, Book of". In ISBN 978-0195046458.
- Ulrich, Eugene, ed. (2010). The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants. Brill.
- ISBN 0-8028-0788-7. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
External links
- Jewish translations:
- Samuel II - II Samuel - Chapter 21 (Judaica Press). Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
- Christian translations:
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- 2 Samuel chapter 21 Bible Gateway