There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.
Parallel translations
- WEB They left their gods there; and David gave a command, and they were burned with fire.
- KJV And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
- NKJV And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
- NASB They abandoned their gods there; so David gave the order and they were burned with fire.
- NLT The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, so David gave orders to burn them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Philistines abandoned their idols, and David commanded them to be burned. This obedient act contrasts sharply with the Philistines' earlier capture of the ark.
Overview
The fleeing Philistines left their gods behind, and David ordered them burned, as the Law required for idols (Deuteronomy 7:5, 25). Notably, in the parallel account David's men 'carried them away' (2 Samuel 5:21), and Chronicles clarifies they were destroyed. This obedience reverses the earlier humiliation when Philistines captured Israel's ark; now their false gods are powerless and consigned to the fire, vindicating the living God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Exod 32:20Then 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.
- 2 Kgs 19:18They 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.
- 1 Sam 5:2–6carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
- Deut 7:25You 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.
- Deut 7:5Instead, 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.
- Exod 12:12On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn male, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
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Christ at the center
The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.
How 1 Chronicles 14:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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