Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 23:6
But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
6. But the sons of Belial ] But the wicked, &c. All ungodly men and evil things are described as worthlessness or wickedness. Their judgment and destruction is the necessary consequence of the perfect rule of the righteous king. Cp. Mat 13:41.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns] There is no word in the text for sons; it is simply Belial, the good-for-nothing man, and may here refer – first to Saul, and secondly to the enemies of our Lord.
As thorns thrust away] A metaphor taken from hedging; the workman thrusts the thorns aside either with his bill or hand, protected by his impenetrable mitten or glove, till, getting a fair blow at the roots, he cuts them all down. The man is fenced with iron, and the handle of his bill is like the staff of a spear. This is a good representation of the dubbing-bill, with which they slash the thorn hedge on each side before they level the tops by the pruning-shears. The handle is five or six feet long. This is a perfectly natural and intelligible image.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The sons of Belial, or, the men of Belial, as it is expressed 2Sa 16:7, and elsewhere. Having in the foregoing verses described the nature, and felicity, and stability of that kingdom which God himself had by a sure and everlasting covenant settled upon him and his seed; and especially, upon the Messiah, who was to be one of his posterity; he now describes the quality, the mischievous nature, the hazardous and miserable condition, of all the enemies of this holy and blessed kingdom, whom he justly calleth sons of Belial, because they rebelled against Gods appointment, and against that king whom God had set over them; for which reason others are so called, 1Sa 10:27; 2Ch 13:7.
As thorns thrust away which men do not use to handle, as they do other trees, but thrust them away from themselves, by some instrument chosen for that purpose. And so will God remove or thrust away from himself, and from his people and kingdom, all those who shall either secretly or openly set themselves against it. And this may be here added, either,
1. By way of prescription to rulers, whom, as before he admonished to be just and kind to their people, 2Sa 23:3,4; so here he requires them to be severe in punishing and purging away wicked and incorrigible men from about his throne, and from among his people; the encouraging of the good, and the punishing of the bad, being the two chief works of every good magistrate, and the two pillars of all government. Or,
2. By way of caution; to show, that notwithstanding the holiness, and happiness, and sureness of this kingdom, yet there would be sons of Belial in it, who would endeavour to disturb and overthrow it, but to no purpose; for all their projects against it should be vain, and fall upon their own heads.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. But the sons of Belial shall beall of them as thornsthat is, the wicked enemies andpersecutors of this kingdom of righteousness. They resemble thoseprickly, thorny plants which are twisted together, whose spires pointin every direction, and which are so sharp and strong that theycannot be touched or approached without danger; but hard instrumentsand violent means must be taken to destroy or uproot them. So Godwill remove or destroy all who are opposed to this kingdom.
2Sa23:8-39. A CATALOGUE OFHIS MIGHTYMEN.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns thrust away,…. Not like the tender grass that springs up, and flourishes after rain, and the sunshine upon that; but like thorns, useless, hurtful, and pernicious, and fit only for burning: this is true of wicked men in general, that cast off the yoke of the Lord, and become unprofitable, as Belial signifies; and of wicked governors in particular, who, instead of being helpful, are harmful to a commonwealth; and instead of being the joy and comfort of their subjects, and of giving pleasure to them, and making them cheerful and prosperous, give pain and trouble, and cause grief and sorrow; and are, if possible, to be thrust away, and deposed from government:
because they cannot be taken with hands; thorns cannot be handled and gently dealt with, but some instrument must be used to put them away with force; so wicked men, and especially wicked rulers, are untractable, and not to be managed in a gentle way, and therefore violent ones must be taken.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) The sons of Belial.According to the Masoretic punctuation, Belial is not here in the common form, but in the stronger abstract form=worthlessness. The coming in of Divine righteousness leads not only to the assimilation of that which is holy, but also to the rejection of that which is evil, by a law as necessary and immutable as that of action and reaction in the material world. The figures used are to show that, although the wicked injure whatever touches them, means will yet be found by which they may safely be put out of the way.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. The worthless Literally, worthlessness, an elliptical expression for worthless or wicked men, depicting the godless as personified worthlessness. He doubtless had in mind the profane and godless enemies who had been to him, all through his own reign, a source of vexation and anxiety, including also such as Saul and his partisans, Shimei and his sympathizers, traitors among his own familiar friends, like Ahithophel, and even the sons of Zeruiah.
As thorns thrust aside As the prickly shrubs which are hated and destroyed by husbandmen; apt illustration of the wicked.
Not in the hand may they be taken As all who have tried it know. So, too, he who carelessly, or without properly guarding himself, meddles with the godless, must suffer injury. David found Joab as a prickly thorn when he injudiciously attempted to transfer his office to Amasa.
Filled with iron That is, defended with some sort of iron armour to protect his flesh against the thorns. The expression is elliptical, and comes from filling one’s hand with any thing; that is, taking in hand, or providing one’s self with, means of defence. So the righteous ruler must be armed with all needful authority and power to make himself a terror to evil doers, and show that he beareth not the sword in vain. See Rom 13:1-6.
Shaft of a spear The long wooden handle or staff by which the husbandman may lop the bush, and cut its roots without being hurt. Thorns thus cut were used for burning lime. Isa 33:12. Dr. Thomson saw people in the north of Palestine cutting up thorns with their mattocks and pruning hooks, and gathering them into bundles for the lime-kiln.
Burned in their place That is, the place where they grew. The same observant traveller just referred to says: “It is a curious fidelity to real life that, when the thorns are merely to be destroyed, they are never cut up, but set on fire where they grow.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(6) But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: (7) But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
What a contrast is here drawn! And in what an awful state he describes the sons of Belial! are these not similar expressions to denote children of the evil one. It is an awful subject, but seems, to be accurately drawn by the pencil of GOD, that the children of the kingdom of grace are not more plainly defined throughout the Bible, than the children of the wicked one. See some of these scriptures in point. Joh 8:44 ; 1Jn 3:101Jn 3:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 23:6 But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
Ver. 6. But the sons of Belial. ] Lawless, aweless, yokeless, masterless men, or monsters rather, such as contemn the word, and refuse to be reformed; untractable, incorrigible, such as were the Jews in Christ’s time, and so continue to be.
Shall be all of them as thorns.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
thrust away = put to flight, chased away.
taken = handled.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the sons: 2Sa 20:1, Deu 13:13, 1Sa 2:12
thorns: Gen 3:18, Son 2:2, Isa 33:12, Eze 2:6
Reciprocal: Jdg 19:22 – sons of Belial Jdg 20:13 – children of Belial 1Sa 9:17 – reign over 1Sa 25:17 – a son of Belial Psa 118:12 – in the name Isa 27:4 – who would Mic 7:4 – General Nah 1:10 – while they be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 23:6-7. But the sons of Belial Having in the foregoing verses described the nature and stability of that kingdom which God had, by a sure covenant, settled upon him and his seed; and especially upon the Messiah, who was to be one of his posterity; he now describes the nature and miserable condition of all the enemies of this holy and blessed kingdom. Shall be all as thorns Which men do not use to handle, but thrust them away. And so will God thrust away from himself, and from his people and kingdom, all those who shall either secretly or openly set themselves against it. That shall touch them must be fenced He must arm himself with some iron weapon, whereby he may cut them down; or, with the staff of a spear, or some such thing, whereby he may thrust them away from himself, that they do him no hurt. They shall be utterly burned Or, if men do not cut them down or thrust them away, they will burn and consume them. The place Or, in their place, where they grow or stand.