2 Samuel 5:21

2Sa 5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

Ver. 21. And there they left their images] Heb., Their terrors. {a} The Chaldee hath it, Their errors. See Psa 16:4. {See Trapp on "Psa 16:4"} These idols they had brought into the field with them, in hope of help by them; and perhaps in imitation of the Hebrews, who sometimes took the ark with them. It hath been before set forth how it befell the Popish Norfolk rebels in King Edward VI’s days, with their cart load of trinkets and relics brought into the battle, and there laid in the dust. {b}

{a} Terricula sua.

{b} Act. and Mon., fol. 1190.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 5:21. And there they left their images — Their gods, which they had brought into the field with them to be carried before their host. Such was the consternation into which they were thrown. Thus we read, 2Ch 25:14, that the Edomites had their gods along with them when they fought with Amaziah. And perhaps they learned this from the Israelites, who carried the ark (the symbol of God’s presence) in their army when they went to fight with the Philistines; who saw it, and took it, as the Israelites now did their images, 1Sa 4:4-5, &c. But behold here the difference between the ark and these images! When the ark fell into the hands of the Philistines it consumed them; but when these images fell into the hands of the Israelites, they could neither hurt them, nor save themselves from being consumed.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They left their images. This is a further proof of the suddenness of the attack, and the completeness of the Philistine discomfiture. For images we find "gods" in the parallel place in 1Ch_14:12, and the word used here is rendered "idols" in 1Sa_31:9. As the Philistines supposed that these images of their deities would ensure their victory, they would set great store by them, as the Israelites did by the ark, (1Sa_4:4) and the French by the oriflamme. Their capture, therefore, was a feat as great as the winning of the eagle of a Roman legion. David and his men burned them; Hebrew, took them away. This translation of the Authorized Version, made to force the words into verbal agreement with 1Ch_14:12, is utterly indefensible; and, like most wrong things, it is absurd. The Bible cannot be improved by frauds, and really the two narratives complete one another. David and his men carried off these images as trophies, just as the Philistines carried off the ark. (1Sa_4:11) But the ark proved mightier than the Philistine gods, and in terror the people restored it to Israel. But no avenging hand interfered to rescue these gods, and, after being paraded in triumph, they were made into a bonfire.

Ver. 21 (BAAL-PERAZIM.) (1Ch_14:12)

The destruction of images.

The religion of the Canaanite people was "an apotheosis of the forces and laws of nature; an adoration of the objects in which those forces were seen and where they appeared most active" (Movers). The Philistines carried (probably on sacred carts) their images or gods (commonly regarded as identical) into battle, expecting victory by their aid; but so sudden was their defeat, and so hasty their flight, that they were compelled to leave them behind, and "David and his men took them away;" and "David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire." "When the ark fell into the Philistines" hands it consumed them; but when these images fell into the hands of Israel they could not save themselves from being consumed" (Patrick). In their destruction we see:

1. A proof of the vanity of idols. These images (atsabim, equivalent to "things fashioned with labour") were only "the work of men"s hands", (Psa_115:4-8) and "profitable for nothing", (Isa_40:19 Isa_41:7 Isa_44:9-20 Isa_46:6, Isa_46:7) disappointing completely the confidence reposed in them. Who could henceforth regard them or others with fear or respect?

2. A testimony to the power of Jehovah, the living and true God, the Holy One of Israel. It was against him that the Philistines fought in attacking his people; and by him they and their idols were overthrown, as aforetime. (1Sa_5:3 1Sa_7:7 1Sa_17:38-54) Yet how persistent was their opposition (ver. 22)!

1. An expression of abhorrence of idolatry, and zeal for the worship of God alone; the personal fidelity of David to the fundamental principle of the theocracy. (Psa_16:4) During his reign idolatry found no place in Israel.

2. A fulfilment of the injunctions of the Law. "Thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images", (Exo_23:24) "and burn their graven images with fire". (Deu_7:5) Idolatry was a direct crime against the state, high treason against the Divine King of Israel, and might not be tolerated in any form.

3. A precaution against exposure to temptation, by the influence of their presence, forms, names, associations, on hearts always too prone to go astray. "Thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein," etc.. (Deu_7:25, Deu_7:26)

No sacrifice was too great to avoid such a snare. (Act_19:19) "Here, perhaps, the admirer of ancient sculpture will be ready to drop a tear of regret over the fine statues and other monuments of antiquity theft must have been destroyed in consequence of the Mosaic mandate; but he may safely dry it up, for the chef d"oeuvres of this period were not worth sparing" (Michaelis). Even if they had been the finest specimens of art, their preservation from the flames would have been an ill compensation for the moral evil which it would have induced.

4. A representation of the design of the true religion. "To destroy the works of the devil", (1Jn_3:8) and to maintain and extend the knowledge, love, and service of God; not, indeed, by force, but by the truth. (2Co_10:4; see 1Sa_5:3)

5. A prophecy and an earnest of the complete demolition of idols (Isa_2:18-20) and the earth being "filled with the glory of the Lord". (Num_14:21) "Thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen," etc. (2Sa_22:44, 2Sa_22:50)

All nations whom thou hast made, Shall come and bow themselves down before thee, O Lord; And shall give glory to thy Name. (Psa_86:9 Psa_22:27 Psa_97:7 Psa_96:3, Psa_96:5, Psa_96:10)

Conclusion. Those who are zealous in destroying the idols of others should not spare their own. What is an idol? That object (whatever it may be) which a man sets up before his face or in his heart, and which he thinks about, delights in, and relies upon, more than God. "Flee from idolatry!" (1Co_10:14; Col_3:5; Php_3:19; 1Jn_5:21) D.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5:21 David . . . confiscated them: David’s confiscation of the Philistines’ idols was payback for their capture of the Ark during Eli’s time (1 Sam 4:1b-11). David burned the idols rather than carrying them off as trophies (1 Chr 14:12).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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 (Deu 7:5).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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 1Sa 4:10-11.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) Their images.—The Philistines took their idols with them to battle, as the Israelites had formerly taken the ark, and the suddenness and completeness of their defeat is shown by their leaving them on the field. The statement that David “burned” them is taken from 1Ch_14:12, the Hebrew here being simply “took them away.” (See Deu_7:5.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. their images] Cp. 1Sa_31:9 (E. V. idols). They brought them into the field to ensure victory, as the Edomites appear to have done (2Ch_25:14), and as the Israelites brought out the Ark (1Sa_4:3).

burnt them] Render, took them away, as spoil, perhaps to display in his triumphal procession. According to 1Ch_14:12 he afterwards burnt them, in compliance with the law of Deu_7:5; Deu_7:25. The E. V. here “burned them” is a gloss, adopted from the Targum and the passage in 1 Chr. Thus the old disgrace of the capture of the Ark by the Philistines was avenged.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when David inquired of the Lord,.... For though he had success before, and got the victory, he would not engage again with them without having the mind and will of God, on whom he knew victory alone depended:

he said, thou shalt not go up; that is, directly, and in a straight line:

but fetch a compass behind them; and get to the rear of them, instead of falling upon them in the front:

and come upon them over against the mulberry trees: which grew in the valley of Rephaim, and near where the Philistines had pitched.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And there they left their images - An indication of the precipitancy of their flight, and the suddenness with which the Israelites burst upon them like a “breach of waters.” The King James Version rendering “Burned them,” does not give a translation (compare the margin), but a gloss, warranted by the explanation given in marginal references

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Away, and burnt. (Par.[1 Paralipomenon xiv. 12.?) The ark had on the contrary proved fatal to the gods, and to the people of the Philistines; who might hence perceive the difference there was between the true God and their false gods.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Their images they seem to have brought into the field to fight for them, as the Israelites had formerly done the ark.

David burned them, as God had commanded, Deu 7:5.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. Their images — Their idol-gods, (1Ch_14:13,) which they carried with them into battle, as Israel once did the ark, (1Sa_4:3,) expecting they would therefore be led to certain victory. The capture of them by the Israelites was a striking counterpart to the capture of the ark by the Philistines.

Burned them — As the law required. Deu_7:5; Deu_7:25. The Hebrew text reads, took them away. “Burned” has been supplied from Chronicles.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Images - When the ark fell into the hand of the Philistines, it consumed them: but when these images fell into the hands of Israel, they could not save themselves from being consumed.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

And Dovid burnt them. Dovid and his men burnt them.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.