What Does 2 Samuel 21:21 Mean in the King James?
And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
“Defied” carries the language of reproach: the man publicly shames Israel, and Jonathan’s answer is lethal.
THE MEANING
The verse holds a public challenge and a killing together: the man defies Israel, and Jonathan kills him. The challenge ends in a man’s death, not a verbal reply.
THE ROOT
וַיְחָרֵף
vayḥārēp
GROWS FROM
חרף
To reproach, taunt, or defy; to heap shame on.
“defied” in this verse is vayḥārēp. The Hebrew verb carries reproach and taunting, so the attack is an attempt to shame Israel publicly. The same verb frames Goliath’s challenge in 1 Samuel 17:26, exposing a repeated word beneath two confrontations.
ALSO GROWS
ḥērēp: To defy, reproach, or taunt.
חֵרֵף
The same verb describes Goliath’s challenge to Israel in 1 Samuel 17:26.
ḥerpāh: Reproach, disgrace, or shame.
חֶרְפָּה
The noun names the shame a taunt seeks to place on its target.
וַיַּכֵּהוּ
vayyakkehu
GROWS FROM
נכה
To strike or smite.
“slew” in this verse is vayyakkehu. The Hebrew verb describes striking, and here that act ends in death. The violence is concrete, not figurative.
ALSO GROWS
nāḵāh: To strike or smite.
נָכָה
This verb’s basic action makes the force of Jonathan’s act visible.
makkāh: A blow, wound, or plague.
מַכָּה
This noun from the same root carries the result of striking into a thing suffered.
יְהוֹנָתָן
Yehonatan
GROWS FROM
נתן
To give, set, or place.
“Jonathan” in this verse is Yehonatan. The name combines the divine name with the נתן seed and means “YHWH has given.” The scene names its agent through that nature-bearing name while leaving his act, killing the defier, unsoftened.
ALSO GROWS
nātan: To give, set, or place.
נָתַן
This verb supplies the seed inside Jonathan’s name.
mattanāh: Gift.
מַתָּנָה
This noun from the same נתן family carries the seed of giving into a thing given.
THE PATTERN
Threatening forces are shown losing their power when they are directly met.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.THE THREAD
And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?David calls Goliath’s challenge a “reproach” and uses the same חרף root translated “defied” here. The root links two public challenges against Israel; in this verse, Jonathan’s killing follows the defiance directly.
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