2 Samuel 1:15
in 2 Samuel 1Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him, so that he died.
KJV
And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 1
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd David called one of the young men,.... His servants that attended on him: and said, go near, and fall upon him; by smiting him with his sword: and he smote him, that he died; his orders were instantly obeyed. Kings and generals of armies had great power in those times and countries to execute a man immediately, without any other judge or jury: what may serve, or David might think would serve, to justify him in doing this, is what follows.
This site's exposition
David summoned one of the young men
on 2 Samuel 1:15-16
David orders the execution at once, and the man dies on his own confession, true or not. “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you”, so the sentence rests on the man's words.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
We know that David went beyond the precepts of the law when, despite Moses' command to pay back one's enemies in kind, he not only did not do this but even embraced his persecutors in love, prayed devoutly to the Lord on their behalf, even wept mournfully for them and revenged them when they were slain.
But when no laws or lawful authorities give command, it is not lawful to kill another, even if he wishes and asks for it and has no longer the strength to live, as is clearly proved by the Scripture in the book of Kings [Samuel], where King David ordered the slayer of King Saul to be put to death, although he said that he had been importuned by the wounded and half-dead king to kill him with one blow and to free his soul struggling with the fetters of the body and longing to be released from those torments.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
In present circumstances it was especially important that his principle should be publicly known; and to free himself from the imputation of being in any way accessory to the execrable crime of regicide was the part of a righteous judge, no less than of a good politician.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Your blood is on your own head. The responsibility for your death rests on your own head. 13 This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. There is no one to punish for your death but yourself.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקְרָ֣א | vaiyikra' | and he called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| דָוִ֗ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| לְאַחַד֙ | leachad | to one | H259 → | 971 times |
| מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים | mehanearim | from the young men | H5288 → | 239 times |
| וַיֹּ֖אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| גַּ֣שׁ | gash | draw near | H5066 → | 125 times |
| פְּגַע־ | pega'- | fall | H6293 → | |
| בּ֑וֹ | bo | on <the> him | ||
| וַיַּכֵּ֖הוּ | vaiyakehu | and he struck down him | H5221 → | 499 times |
| וַיָּמֹֽת׃ | vaiyamot | and he died | H4191 → | 839 times |
וַיִּקְרָ֣אand he called
vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times
דָוִ֗דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
לְאַחַד֙to one
leachadH259 →971 times
מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔יםfrom the young men
mehanearimH5288 →239 times
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
גַּ֣שׁdraw near
gashH5066 →125 times
פְּגַע־fall
pega'-H6293 →
בּ֑וֹon <the> him
bo
וַיַּכֵּ֖הוּand he struck down him
vaiyakehuH5221 →499 times
וַיָּמֹֽת׃and he died
vaiyamotH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Job 5:12He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
it leads to
- Psalms 33:10–11
The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
- Psalms 21:11
Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.
- Isaiah 8:10
Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”
- Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Psalms 37:17
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
- Psalms 33:10–11
Through
Proverbs 11:18The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:8–9
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
- Ecclesiastes 10:8
He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
- Hosea 10:12–13
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
- Galatians 6:8–9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 204; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 21.4.2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.