And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

2 SAMUEL 21:13KJV
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2 Samuel 21:13 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 21:13 mean?

2 Samuel 21:13 describes how David retrieved the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan, as well as the bones of those who had been hanged, and gathered them together. This act was part of David’s effort to give proper respect and burial to Saul, Jonathan, and others who had died under tragic circumstances.

David is the one taking action in this verse, responding to a difficult period in Israel’s history marked by famine and unrest. The verse comes after a time when the bodies of Saul and Jonathan had been left exposed, and some others had been executed and left unburied as a result of earlier conflicts. David’s gathering of their bones shows a move toward closure and respect for the dead, which was important in the culture of ancient Israel.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 21:13

  • עָלָה (ʿalah, "up"): This word is often used for bringing something up from a lower place, and here it highlights the physical act of retrieving the bones from where they were resting.
  • עֶצֶם (ʿetsem, "bones"): The repeated use of this word emphasizes the focus on the remains of the deceased, not just as physical objects but as symbols of honor and memory.
  • קָבַץ (qavats, "gathered"): This word carries the sense of collecting or assembling, showing David’s careful effort to bring together all the remains, not leaving anyone out.
  • תָּלָה (talah, "hanged"): This word refers to those who had been executed and displayed, a detail that underlines the shame and suffering involved, and the importance of restoring dignity through burial.

Why 2 Samuel 21:13 matters

  • This verse clears up any confusion about what happened to Saul and Jonathan’s remains after their deaths, showing that David took deliberate steps to honor them.
  • The emphasis on gathering and burying the bones reveals the importance of proper burial in ancient Israelite culture, which was seen as a way to show respect and bring peace to the land.
  • By connecting the fate of Saul, Jonathan, and the hanged men, the verse ties together different threads of Israel’s troubled past and shows David’s role in seeking reconciliation and closure.

Where else these words appear

“hanged” Hebrew H3363 · used in 8 verses

  • Genesis 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
  • 2 Samuel 21:6 Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
  • Jeremiah 6:8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

“Jonathan” Hebrew H3083 · used in 73 verses

  • Judges 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
  • 1 Samuel 20:28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
  • 2 Samuel 9:3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

“bones” Hebrew H6106 · used in 108 verses

  • Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
  • 2 Kings 13:21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
  • Proverbs 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.