2 Samuel 5:21
New International Version
The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

New Living Translation
The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.

English Standard Version
And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

Berean Standard Bible
There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away.

King James Bible
And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

New King James Version
And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.

New American Standard Bible
And the Philistines abandoned their idols there, so David and his men carried them away.

NASB 1995
They abandoned their idols there, so David and his men carried them away.

NASB 1977
And they abandoned their idols there, so David and his men carried them away.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they forsook their idols there; so David and his men carried them away.

Amplified Bible
The Philistines abandoned their [pagan] idols there, so David and his men took them away [to be burned].

Christian Standard Bible
The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

American Standard Version
And they left their images there; and David and his men took them away.

Contemporary English Version
David and his troops also carried away the idols that the Philistines had left behind.

English Revised Version
And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Philistines left their idols there, so David and his men carried the idols away.

Good News Translation
When the Philistines fled, they left their idols behind, and David and his men carried them away.

International Standard Version
The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his army carried them off.

Majority Standard Bible
There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away.

NET Bible
The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men picked them up.

New Heart English Bible
And they abandoned their idols there; and David and his men took them away.

Webster's Bible Translation
And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

World English Bible
They left their images there, and David and his men took them away.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they forsake their idols there, and David and his men lift them up.

Young's Literal Translation
And they forsake there their idols, and David and his men lift them up.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will leave there their images, and David and his men will take them away.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they left there their idols: which David and his men took away.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And in that place they left behind their graven images, which David and his men took away.

New American Bible
The Philistines abandoned their gods there, and David and his men carried them away.

New Revised Standard Version
The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they left their idols there, and David and his men picked them up
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they leave there their gods, and David and his men with him took them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Two Victories over the Philistines
20So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me.” So he called that place Baal-perazim. 21There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away. 22Once again the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.…

Cross References
1 Chronicles 14:12
There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.

Exodus 32:20
Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.

Deuteronomy 7:5
Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.

Deuteronomy 7:25
You must burn up the images of their gods; do not covet the silver and gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it; for it is detestable to the LORD your God.

Isaiah 46:1-2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. / The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.

Isaiah 37:19
They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.

Jeremiah 10:3-5
For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. / They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. / Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

Jeremiah 51:44
I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him spew out what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even the wall of Babylon will fall.

1 Samuel 5:2-4
carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue. / When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. / But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.

1 Samuel 7:3-4
Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” / So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.

1 Kings 15:12-13
He banished the male shrine prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. / He also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

2 Kings 23:4-6
Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests second in rank, and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the host of heaven. And he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. / Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. / He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.

Psalm 115:4-8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ...

Psalm 135:15-18
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. ...

Acts 19:19
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.


Treasury of Scripture

And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

David

Deuteronomy 7:5,25
But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire…

1 Samuel 5:2-6
When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon…

1 Chronicles 14:11,12
So they came up to Baalperazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baalperazim…

burned them.

Isaiah 46:1,2
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast

Jeremiah 43:12
And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.

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Abandoned Burned Carried David Flight Forsake Idols Images Lift Philistines
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Abandoned Burned Carried David Flight Forsake Idols Images Lift Philistines
2 Samuel 5
1. The tribes come to Hebron and anoint David over Israel,
4. David's age
6. Taking Zion from the Jebusites, he dwells in it
11. Hiram sends to David,
13. Eleven sons are born to him in Jerusalem
17. David, directed by God, smites the Philistines at Baal-perazim
22. And again at the mulberry trees














There the Philistines abandoned their idols
The Philistines, a seafaring people from the region of modern-day Gaza, were known for their worship of deities such as Dagon, Ashtoreth, and Baal-Zebub. The abandonment of their idols signifies a significant defeat and humiliation, as these idols represented their gods' presence and power. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the loss of idols in battle was seen as a sign of divine disfavor and a loss of spiritual protection. This event highlights the superiority of the God of Israel over the gods of the Philistines, echoing earlier biblical narratives such as the capture of the Ark of the Covenant in 1 Samuel 5, where the idol Dagon fell before the Ark.

and David and his men carried them away
David, anointed as king over all Israel, leads his men in a victorious campaign against the Philistines. The act of carrying away the idols can be seen as a symbolic gesture of triumph and the subjugation of the Philistine gods under the God of Israel. This action also reflects the practice of taking spoils of war, which was common in ancient times. The removal of the idols could be seen as a fulfillment of the commandment against idolatry, as found in Exodus 20:3-5, and a demonstration of David's commitment to purging the land of foreign gods. This event foreshadows the ultimate victory of Christ over all spiritual powers and authorities, as described in Colossians 2:15, where He disarms the rulers and authorities, triumphing over them.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The anointed king of Israel, known for his leadership and devotion to God. In this passage, he leads his men to victory over the Philistines.

2. Philistines
A recurring enemy of Israel, known for their idol worship and opposition to the God of Israel. They abandoned their idols in the face of defeat.

3. Idols
Objects of worship for the Philistines, representing their gods. These were left behind during their retreat, signifying the powerlessness of their deities against the God of Israel.

4. David's Men
The loyal followers and warriors of David who participated in the battle and the subsequent removal of the Philistine idols.

5. Battlefield
The location where the Philistines were defeated and their idols abandoned, symbolizing a spiritual victory for Israel.
Teaching Points
God's Supremacy Over Idols
This passage illustrates the impotence of idols when confronted with the true God. Believers are reminded to place their trust in God alone, rejecting modern-day idols such as wealth, power, or status.

Victory Through Obedience
David's success was rooted in his obedience to God. Christians are encouraged to seek God's guidance and follow His commands to experience spiritual victories in their lives.

Spiritual Warfare
The physical battle against the Philistines represents the spiritual battles believers face. Ephesians 6:10-18 teaches about the armor of God, equipping Christians to stand firm against spiritual adversaries.

The Consequences of Idolatry
The Philistines' defeat serves as a warning about the consequences of idolatry. Believers are called to examine their lives for anything that might take precedence over their relationship with God.(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 1Chronicles 14:12, the Hebrew here being simply "took them away." (See Deuteronomy 7:5.)

Verse 21. - 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 1 Chronicles 14:12, and the word used here is rendered "idols" in 1 Samuel 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 (1 Samuel 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 1 Chronicles 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 (1 Samuel 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.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
There
שָׁ֖ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

the Philistines abandoned
וַיַּעַזְבוּ־ (way·ya·‘az·ḇū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

their idols,
עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֑ם (‘ă·ṣab·bê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6091: An, image

and David
דָּוִ֖ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and his men
וַאֲנָשָֽׁיו׃ (wa·’ă·nā·šāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

carried them away.
וַיִּשָּׂאֵ֥ם (way·yiś·śā·’êm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take


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OT History: 2 Samuel 5:21 They left their images there (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 5:20
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