But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands.
Parallel translations
- WEB But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand,
- KJV But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
- BSB But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.
- NASB “But the worthless, every one of them, are like scattered thorns, Because they cannot be taken in hand;
- NLT But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away, for they tear the hand that touches 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 ungodly are like thorns that cannot be safely handled and must be cast away.
Overview
In contrast to the fruitful blessing of righteous rule, the wicked are pictured as worthless, dangerous thorns. This imagery echoes throughout Scripture as a warning of judgment, pointing to the final separation of the righteous and the wicked that Christ Himself will accomplish.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Ezek 2:6You, son of man, don’t be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
- Isa 33:12The peoples will be like the burning of lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire.
- Deut 13:13certain base fellows have gone out from among you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods,” which you have not known;
- Song 2:2As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
- Gen 3:18It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.
- 2 Sam 20:1There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”
- 1 Sam 2:12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh.
- Matt 13:41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 23:6 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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