2 Samuel 21
How to read this: this is a word-for-word rendering straight from the original Hebrew, not a copyrighted translation — the top of each chip is the original word, the bottom is its plain-English sense. Faded chips mark words the Hebrew implies but wouldn't literally be spoken in English. Click any word for its full Strong's dictionary entry.
1
וַיְהִ֣יand it wasרָעָב֩a famineבִּימֵ֨יin the days ofדָוִ֜דDavidשָׁלֹ֣שׁthreeשָׁנִ֗יםyearsשָׁנָה֙yearאַחֲרֵ֣יafterשָׁנָ֔הyearוַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁand he soughtדָּוִ֖דDavidאֶת־obj.פְּנֵ֣יthe face ofיְהוָ֑ה סYahwehוַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidיְהוָ֗הYahwehאֶל־because ofשָׁאוּל֙Saulוְאֶל־and because ofבֵּ֣יתthe house ofהַדָּמִ֔יםthe bloodsעַל־onאֲשֶׁר־thatהֵמִ֖יתhe put to deathאֶת־obj.הַגִּבְעֹנִֽים׃the Gibeonites
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וַיִּקְרָ֥אand he summonedהַמֶּ֛לֶךְthe kingלַגִּבְעֹנִ֖יםto the Gibeonitesוַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidאֲלֵיהֶ֑םto themוְהַגִּבְעֹנִ֞יםand the Gibeonitesלֹ֣אnotמִבְּנֵ֧יwere from the people ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֣לIsraelהֵ֗מָּהtheyכִּ֚יthatאִם־exceptמִיֶּ֣תֶרfrom the remnant ofהָאֱמֹרִ֔יthe Amoritesוּבְנֵ֤יand the people ofיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israelנִשְׁבְּע֣וּthey had sworn an oathלָהֶ֔םto the themוַיְבַקֵּ֤שׁand he had soughtשָׁאוּל֙Saulלְהַכֹּתָ֔םto strike down themבְּקַנֹּאת֥וֹbecause was zealous heלִבְנֵֽי־for the people ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsraelוִיהוּדָֽה׃and Judah
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וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּand they saidל֣וֹto the himהַגִּבְעֹנִ֗יםthe Gibeonitesאֵֽין־notלָ֜נוּto the usכֶּ֤סֶףsilverוְזָהָב֙and goldעִם־withשָׁא֣וּלSaulוְעִם־and withבֵּית֔וֹhouse hisוְאֵֽין־and notלָ֥נוּto the usאִ֖ישׁa manלְהָמִ֣יתto put to deathבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לin Israelוַיֹּ֛אמֶרand he saidמָֽה־what?אַתֶּ֥םare youאֹמְרִ֖יםsayingאֶעֱשֶׂ֥הI will doלָכֶֽם׃for the you
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7
וַיַּחְמֹ֣לand he had compassionהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingעַל־onמְפִי־Mephi-בֹ֖שֶׁת-boshethבֶּן־the son ofיְהוֹנָתָ֣ןJonathanבֶּן־the son ofשָׁא֑וּלSaulעַל־onשְׁבֻעַ֤תthe oath ofיְהוָה֙Yahwehאֲשֶׁ֣רwhichבֵּֽינֹתָ֔םwas between themבֵּ֣יןbetweenדָּוִ֔דDavidוּבֵ֖יןand betweenיְהוֹנָתָ֥ןJonathanבֶּן־the son ofשָׁאֽוּל׃Saul
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וַיִּקַּ֣חand he tookהַמֶּ֡לֶךְthe kingאֶת־obj.שְׁ֠נֵיthe twoבְּנֵ֨יthe sons ofרִצְפָּ֤הRizpahבַת־the daughter ofאַיָּה֙Aiahאֲשֶׁ֣רwhomיָלְדָ֣הshe had borneלְשָׁא֔וּלto Saulאֶת־obj.אַרְמֹנִ֖יArmoniוְאֶת־and obj.מְפִבֹ֑שֶׁתMephiboshethוְאֶת־and obj.חֲמֵ֗שֶׁתthe fiveבְּנֵי֙the sons ofמִיכַ֣לMichalבַּת־the daughter ofשָׁא֔וּלSaulאֲשֶׁ֥רwhomיָלְדָ֛הshe had borneלְעַדְרִיאֵ֥לto Adrielבֶּן־the son ofבַּרְזִלַּ֖יBarzillaiהַמְּחֹלָתִֽי׃the Meholathite
9
וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֞םand he gave themבְּיַ֣דin the hand ofהַגִּבְעֹנִ֗יםthe Gibeonitesוַיֹּקִיעֻ֤םand they impaled themבָּהָר֙on the mountainלִפְנֵ֣יto beforeיְהוָ֔הYahwehוַיִּפְּל֥וּand they fellשְׁבַעְתָּ֖םthe seven of themיָ֑חַדtogetherוְהֵ֨מָּהand theyהֻמְת֜וּthey were put to deathבִּימֵ֤יin the days ofקָצִיר֙harvestבָּרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔יםin the firstבִּתְחִלַּ֖תat the beginning ofקְצִ֥ירthe harvest ofשְׂעֹרִֽים׃barleys
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וַתִּקַּ֣חand she tookרִצְפָּה֩Rizpahבַת־the daughter ofאַיָּ֨הAiahאֶת־obj.הַשַּׂ֜קthe sackclothוַתַּטֵּ֨הוּand she spread out itלָ֤הּfor the herselfאֶל־toהַצּוּר֙the rockמִתְּחִלַּ֣תfrom the beginning ofקָצִ֔ירharvestעַ֛דuntilנִתַּךְ־it was poured outמַ֥יִםwaterעֲלֵיהֶ֖םon themמִן־fromהַשָּׁמָ֑יִםthe heavensוְלֹֽא־and notנָתְנָה֩she permittedע֨וֹףthe birds ofהַשָּׁמַ֜יִםthe heavensלָנ֤וּחַto restעֲלֵיהֶם֙on themיוֹמָ֔םby dayוְאֶת־and obj.חַיַּ֥תthe animals ofהַשָּׂדֶ֖הthe fieldלָֽיְלָה׃night
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וַיֵּ֣לֶךְand he wentדָּוִ֗דDavidוַיִּקַּ֞חand he tookאֶת־obj.עַצְמ֤וֹתthe bones ofשָׁאוּל֙Saulוְאֶת־and obj.עַצְמוֹת֙the bones ofיְהוֹנָתָ֣ןJonathanבְּנ֔וֹson hisמֵאֵ֕תfrom withבַּעֲלֵ֖יthe citizens ofיָבֵ֣ישׁJabeshגִּלְעָ֑דGileadאֲשֶׁר֩whoגָּנְב֨וּthey had stolenאֹתָ֜םobj. themמֵרְחֹ֣בfrom the open square ofבֵּֽית־Bethשַׁ֗ןShanאֲשֶׁ֨רwhereתְּלָא֥וּםthey had hung up themשָׁ֙מָּה֙there towardsפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםthe Philistinesבְּי֨וֹםon the dayהַכּ֧וֹתstruck downפְּלִשְׁתִּ֛יםthe Philistinesאֶת־obj.שָׁא֖וּלSaulבַּגִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃on the Gilboa
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וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּand they buriedאֶת־obj.עַצְמוֹת־the bones ofשָׁא֣וּלSaulוִיהוֹנָֽתָן־and Jonathanבְּ֠נוֹson hisבְּאֶ֨רֶץin the land ofבִּנְיָמִ֜ןBenjaminבְּצֵלָ֗עat Zelaבְּקֶ֙בֶר֙in the tomb ofקִ֣ישׁKishאָבִ֔יוfather hisוַֽיַּעֲשׂ֔וּand they didכֹּ֥לallאֲשֶׁר־thatצִוָּ֖הhe commandedהַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe kingוַיֵּעָתֵ֧רand he was entreatedאֱלֹהִ֛יםGodלָאָ֖רֶץfor the landאַֽחֲרֵי־afterכֵֽן׃ פthus
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16
וְיִשְׁבִּ֨יand Ishbi-בְּנֹ֜בBenobאֲשֶׁ֣ר׀whoבִּילִידֵ֣יwas among those born ofהָרָפָ֗הthe Raphahוּמִשְׁקַ֤לand the weight ofקֵינוֹ֙spear hisשְׁלֹ֤שׁwas threeמֵאוֹת֙hundredsמִשְׁקַ֣לthe weight ofנְחֹ֔שֶׁתbronzeוְה֖וּאand heחָג֣וּרwas girdedחֲדָשָׁ֑הa new weaponוַיֹּ֖אמֶרand he saidלְהַכּ֥וֹתto strike downאֶת־obj.דָּוִֽד׃David
17
וַיַּֽעֲזָר־and he helpedלוֹ֙to the himאֲבִישַׁ֣יAbishaiבֶּן־the son ofצְרוּיָ֔הZeruiahוַיַּ֥ךְand he struckאֶת־obj.הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖יthe Philistineוַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּand he killed himאָ֣זthenנִשְׁבְּעוּ֩they sworeאַנְשֵׁי־the men ofדָוִ֨דDavidל֜וֹto the himלֵאמֹ֗רto sayingלֹא־notתֵצֵ֨אyou will go outע֤וֹדagainאִתָּ֙נוּ֙with usלַמִּלְחָמָ֔הfor the battleוְלֹ֥אand notתְכַבֶּ֖הyou will extinguishאֶת־obj.נֵ֥רthe lamp ofיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פIsrael
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19
וַתְּהִי־and it wasע֧וֹדagainהַמִּלְחָמָ֛הthe warבְּג֖וֹבat Gobעִם־withפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑יםthe Philistinesוַיַּ֡ךְand he struck downאֶלְחָנָן֩Elhananבֶּן־the son ofיַעְרֵ֨יJaare-אֹרְגִ֜יםOregimבֵּ֣יתthe Beth-הַלַּחְמִ֗יthe -lehemiteאֵ֚תobj.גָּלְיָ֣תGoliathהַגִּתִּ֔יthe Gittiteוְעֵ֣ץand the wood ofחֲנִית֔וֹspear hisכִּמְנ֖וֹרwas like a beam ofאֹרְגִֽים׃ סweavers
20
וַתְּהִי־and it wasע֥וֹדagainמִלְחָמָ֖הwarבְּגַ֑תat Gathוַיְהִ֣י׀and he wasאִ֣ישׁa man ofמָד֗וֹןstatureוְאֶצְבְּעֹ֣תand the fingers ofיָדָיו֩hands hisוְאֶצְבְּעֹ֨תand the toes ofרַגְלָ֜יוfeet hisשֵׁ֣שׁwere sixוָשֵׁ֗שׁand sixעֶשְׂרִ֤יםwas twentyוְאַרְבַּע֙and fourמִסְפָּ֔רthe numberוְגַם־and alsoה֖וּאheיֻלַּ֥דhe was bornלְהָרָפָֽה׃to the Raphah
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