2 Samuel 21 12

2 Samuel 21:12 kjv

And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:

2 Samuel 21:12 nkjv

Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa.

2 Samuel 21:12 niv

he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)

2 Samuel 21:12 esv

David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa.

2 Samuel 21:12 nlt

he went to the people of Jabesh-gilead and retrieved the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. (When the Philistines had killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa, the people of Jabesh-gilead stole their bodies from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them.)

2 Samuel 21 verses

2 Samuel 21 12 Meaning

This verse details King David's decisive action to recover the remains of King Saul and his son Jonathan. Following a three-year famine caused by Saul's sin against the Gibeonites, and subsequent atonement by the execution of some of Saul's descendants, David sought to provide a proper, unified burial for Saul, Jonathan, and the executed kinsmen. This act honored their memory, restored dignity, and signified the full resolution of the defilement that had plagued the land due to past unatoned bloodshed. David went to Jabesh-Gilead, where Saul and Jonathan had originally been buried, and retrieved their bones.

2 Samuel 21 12 Context

2 Samuel 21:12 occurs within a narrative explaining a severe three-year famine that afflicted Israel during David's reign. Inquiry revealed the famine was divine judgment for King Saul's massacre of the Gibeonites, breaking a solemn covenant made with them in Joshua's time. To atone for this sin, the Gibeonites requested and were granted the right to execute seven descendants of Saul. Following this execution, Rizpah, the mother of two of the executed sons, vigilantly protected their exposed bodies from birds and beasts, highlighting the profound disgrace of unburial and signaling the continuing spiritual defilement. Moved by Rizpah's fidelity and the dire need to fully appease divine wrath, David resolved to collect and properly bury not only the bodies of the executed but also the long-ago buried remains of Saul and Jonathan. This verse begins David's act of restoring honor to the fallen and purifying the land.

2 Samuel 21 12 Word analysis

• Then David went (וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ דָּוִ֜ד – vayyēleḵ dāwīḏ): Signifies King David's personal, deliberate action and initiative. He, as the leader, took responsibility for righting the wrong and bringing a complete resolution. This demonstrates his piety and wisdom in understanding the needs of the land and God’s justice.
• and took the bones (וַיִּקַּח֩ אֶת־עַצְמ֨וֹת – wayyiqqaḥ ʾeṯ-ʿaṣmōṯ): "Bones" (ʿaṣmōṯ) refers not merely to skeletons but is a metonym for the whole person, their remaining identity and memory. Taking them indicates a reclamation of dignity and proper disposition, emphasizing respect for the deceased, a critical aspect of ancient Near Eastern burial customs and Jewish law. It shows David rectifying an unspoken impropriety concerning Saul's burial.
• of Saul and Jonathan his son (שָׁא֜וּל וְאֶת־עַצְמֹ֣ת יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן בְּנֽוֹ – šāʾūl wəʾeṯ-ʿaṣmōṯ yəhōwnāṯān bənōw): This highlights the primary individuals whose long-ago burial needed inclusion. Saul was David's predecessor, an anointed king. Jonathan was David's closest friend and a true prince. Unifying their resting places was an act of reconciliation and proper succession, showing David's honor despite past conflicts.
• from there (מִשָּׁם – miššām): Refers to the location where Saul and Jonathan were originally buried: Jabesh-Gilead.
• from the men of Jabesh-Gilead (מֵאֵ֙ת בַּעֲלֵ֤י יָבֵישׁ֙ גִּלְעָ֔ד – mēʾēṯ baʿălēy yābēš gilʿāḏ): Literally "from the masters/citizens of Jabesh-Gilead." These were the heroic men who, in 1 Sam 31:11-13, rescued Saul and his sons' bodies from Beth-shan and buried them. David acknowledged their rightful custodianship by retrieving the remains from them, not taking by force. This indicates respectful collaboration and a historical connection.
• who had stolen them (אֲשֶׁ֤ר גָּנְבֻ֙ם֙ – ʾăšer gānəḇūm): The Hebrew word gānab (גָּנַב) often means "to steal," but here it means to "take away by stealth" or "rescue surreptitiously." It describes the brave, daring, and secretive act of the Jabesh-Gileadites to retrieve Saul’s and Jonathan's bodies from the Philistines’ humiliating display on the wall of Beth-shan. This wasn't a theft of property, but an act of piety and defiance to provide proper burial in defiance of the enemy.
• from the street of Beth-shan (מֵרְחֹב֙ בֵּ֣ית שָׁ֔ן – mērəḥōḇ bēṯ šān): This identifies the public space, specifically the city square or broad area near the city wall, where the Philistines had ignominiously displayed Saul and his sons' bodies. It underscores the public disgrace from which the bodies were retrieved by the men of Jabesh-Gilead.
• where the Philistines had hung them (אֲשֶׁ֨ר תְּלוּם֩ שָׁ֙ם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים – ʾăšer təlūm šām pəlištīm): Describes the desecration and mockery inflicted upon Saul’s and Jonathan's bodies by their enemies after their defeat in battle. This was a common act of war in the ancient world, meant to humiliate the vanquished and strike fear into their people. David's action directly reverses this original dishonor.
• when the Philistines had struck Saul at Gilboa (בְּהַכּ֨וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים אֶת־שָׁא֣וּל בַּגִּלְבֹּ֔עַ – bəhakōṯ pəlištīm ʾeṯ-šāʾūl baggilbōʿa): Provides the crucial historical context: the catastrophic battle of Mount Gilboa where Saul and his sons were killed (1 Sam 31:1-6). It reminds the reader of the defeat and tragedy that initiated this long process culminating in David's act.

2 Samuel 21 12 Bonus section

The act of retrieving and re-burying the bones holds significant theological weight beyond mere tradition. In the Israelite worldview, proper burial and mourning rituals were essential for both the living and the dead. Unburied bodies were considered an abomination, polluting the land and denying peace to the deceased. David’s action of gathering the scattered or ill-placed remains of Saul, Jonathan, and the seven executed men was an ultimate act of tikkun olam (repairing the world) within his sphere of influence. It signified not only a practical cleanup but a spiritual reconciliation, appeasing a just God who demands proper respect for life, and even for what remains after death, especially in the context of covenant-breaking. This unified burial brought closure to a generation of conflict and consequence, embodying the peace and righteousness of David’s kingdom in contrast to the prior disarray under Saul's line. It also underlines the concept of collective responsibility and intergenerational impact of sin (Saul's actions causing a famine in David's time). David, as a righteous king, fulfilled the ultimate care, restoring spiritual and physical order.

2 Samuel 21 12 Commentary

2 Samuel 21:12 marks a pivotal moment in David's quest to atone for Saul's past sin and resolve the famine plaguing Israel. By personally taking the initiative to retrieve the remains of Saul and Jonathan from Jabesh-Gilead, David demonstrated profound respect for the anointed king and his cherished friend, despite the troubled history between them. This was an act of pious leadership, going beyond merely satisfying the Gibeonites by executing Saul's descendants. It symbolized a comprehensive restoration of honor to the deceased, reversing the humiliation Saul faced in death, and unifying his fate with that of his rightful heir. This diligent act of care for the dead, a cultural imperative in the ancient Near East and under Israelite law, contributed to the re-sanctification of the land and brought peace to the realm, ultimately leading to God heeding supplication for the land (v.14). It showcased David's commitment to justice, historical memory, and divine mandate.