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2 Samuel 1:22

in 2 Samuel 1

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, And the sword of Saul returned not empty.

KJV

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 1

Commentary

2 notes on this verse

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Not back - Without effect: their arrows shot from their bow, and their swords did seldom miss, and commonly pierced fat, and flesh, and blood, and reached even to the heart and bowels. Returned not, &c. - But filled and glutted with blood: for the sword is metaphorically said to have a mouth, which we translate an edge; and to devour.

This site's exposition

the bow of Jonathan turned not back

The verse credits both men's weapons rather than either man alone, Jonathan's bow for its accuracy and Saul's sword for the force it carried into battle, matching the joint praise that runs through the whole elegy. Wesley reads the sword's mouth as the ordinary Hebrew figure for an edge, a blade said to devour what it strikes rather than to miss it. Father and son are praised together at every turn of the poem, though only one of them ever wore the crown.

The words behind it

14 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • מִדַּ֣םfrom [the] blood of

    midamH1818 →360 times

  • חֲלָלִ֗ים[those] slain

    chalalimH2491 →94 times

  • מֵחֵ֙לֶב֙from [the] fat of

    mechelevH2459 →

  • גִּבּוֹרִ֔ים[the] mighty [ones]

    giborimH1368 →158 times

  • קֶ֚שֶׁת[the] bow of

    keshetH7198 →76 times

  • יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ןJonathan

    yehonatanH3083 →81 times

  • לֹ֥אnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • נָשׂ֖וֹגit turned back

    nasogH7734 →

  • אָח֑וֹרbackwards

    ʾachorH268 →

  • וְחֶ֣רֶבand [the] sword of

    vecherevH2719 →413 times

  • שָׁא֔וּלSaul

    shaulH7586 →402 times

  • לֹ֥אnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • תָשׁ֖וּבit returned

    tashuvH7725 →1056 times

  • רֵיקָֽם׃empty

    reikamH7387 →

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

5 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Samuel 18:4And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.5 worksIsaiah 34:6–7The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat—with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.3 works1 Samuel 14:6–14Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”2 worksDeuteronomy 32:42I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh—the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”2 worksJeremiah 50:9For behold, I stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north. They will line up against her; from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Deuteronomy 32:42

    I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh—the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 32:23

      I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them.

    • Jeremiah 46:10

      For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the…

    • Ezekiel 38:21–22

      And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 18:4

    And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

    it leads to

    • Genesis 41:42

      Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

    • Esther 6:8–9

      have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head.

    • Luke 15:22

      But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

    • Isaiah 61:10

      I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom…

    • Philippians 2:7–8

      but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 2 Samuel

David Mourns the Death of Absalom — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
David Mourns the Death of Absalom — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 1 →

This page draws on John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 1 →