What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 23:21? He also struck down an Egyptian, a huge man. • Scripture is literal: Benaiah actually faced a giant‐sized Egyptian (parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:23). • Giants had long intimidated Israel (1 Samuel 17:4), yet God repeatedly shows that size is no match for faith. • The verse underscores God’s faithfulness to raise up defenders for His people, echoing earlier victories over outsized foes (Deuteronomy 3:11; Joshua 11:21-22). Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand • The enemy came well armed, much like Goliath’s spear “like a weaver’s beam” (1 Samuel 17:7). • From a human standpoint, the Egyptian held every advantage—height, reach, and superior weaponry. • God often allows seemingly lopsided circumstances so His strength, not human strength, receives the credit (Judges 7:2; 2 Corinthians 4:7). Benaiah went against him with a club • Benaiah’s only visible weapon was a staff or club—plain, unimpressive, even inadequate. • His courage flowed from confidence in the LORD, not from equipment (Psalm 20:7; 2 Samuel 22:30). • Like Shamgar who used an oxgoad (Judges 3:31), Benaiah models readiness to serve God with whatever is at hand. Snatched the spear from his hand • The turning point comes when Benaiah disarms the giant, reversing the advantage. • Similar moments occur with David removing Goliath’s sword (1 Samuel 17:51) and Jonathan stripping the Philistines (1 Samuel 14:12-13). • God enables His servants not only to withstand attack but to neutralize the enemy’s strength (Psalm 18:32-34). Killed the Egyptian with his own spear • What threatened God’s warrior becomes the very instrument of deliverance, recalling Haman hanged on his own gallows (Esther 7:10). • The episode previews the ultimate reversal at the cross where Christ triumphed over the powers, “making a public spectacle of them” (Colossians 2:15). • Benaiah’s victory secured honor among David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:22-23), showing how God rewards steadfast bravery. summary 2 Samuel 23:21 records a real event that highlights God’s pattern of delivering His people through courageous, faith‐filled servants. Benaiah faced an oversized, well‐armed enemy with nothing but a club, yet trusted the LORD, disarmed the foe, and brought victory using the enemy’s own spear. The verse teaches that apparent disadvantages cannot hinder God’s purposes, encourages believers to step forward with whatever resources they possess, and points to the greater deliverance accomplished when God turns the very weapons of evil back upon themselves. |
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