2 Samuel 23:6

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside;they can never be picked up by hand.

Hebrew Names Version
But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, Because they can't be taken with the hand

King James Version
But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

Lexham English Bible
But evil persons are like thorns cast aside; all of them, because they cannot be picked up in the hand.

English Standard Version
But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand;

New Century Version
"But all evil people will be thrown away like thorns that cannot be held in a hand.

New English Translation
But evil people are like thorns— all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in the hand.

Amplified Bible
"But the wicked and worthless are all to be thrown away like thorns, Because they cannot be taken with the hand;

New American Standard Bible
"But the worthless, every one of them, are like scattered thorns, Because they cannot be taken in hand;

Geneva Bible (1587)
But the wicked shalbe euery one as thornes thrust away, because they can not be taken with handes.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the vile men, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns,Because they cannot be taken in hand;

Contemporary English Version
But evil people are pulled up like thornbushes. They are not dug up by hand,

Complete Jewish Bible
"But the ungodly are like thorn bushes to be pushed aside, every one of them. They cannot be taken in one's hand;

Darby Translation
But [the sons] of Belial [are] all of them as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands;

Easy-to-Read Version
"But evil people are like thorns. People don't hold thorns. They throw them away.

George Lamsa Translation
But the ungodly are all like hard thorns, for they cannot be gathered with hands;

Good News Translation
But godless people are like thorns that are thrown away; no one can touch them barehanded.

Literal Translation
As to the ungodly, all of them shall be as a thorn driven away; for they cannot be taken by the hand;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the Belial shalbe vtterly & cleane roted out as the thornes, which me take not in their hades.

American Standard Version
But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with the hand;

Bible in Basic English
But the evil-doers, all of them, will be like thorns to be pushed away, because they may not be gripped in the hand:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the vngodly man, shall be as a thorne cleane pluckt vp, which can not be taken with handes:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
But the ungodly, they are as thorns thrust away, all of them, for they cannot be taken with the hand;

King James Version (1611)
But the sonnes of Belial shall bee all of them as thornes thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands,

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
All these are as a thorn thrust forth, for they shall not be taken with the hand,

English Revised Version
But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, for they cannot be taken with the hand:

Berean Standard Bible
But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe alle trespassouris schulen be drawun out as thornes, that ben not takun with hondis.

Young's Literal Translation
As to the worthless -- As a thorn driven away [are] all of them, For -- not by hand are they taken;

Update Bible Version
But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, Because they can't be taken with the hand

Webster's Bible Translation
But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

World English Bible
But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, Because they can't be taken with the hand

New King James Version
But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands.

New Living Translation
But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away, for they tear the hand that touches them.

New Life Bible
But those of no worth are all like thorns that are thrown away, because they cannot be taken with the hand.

New Revised Standard
But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away; for they cannot be picked up with the hand;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, as for the abandoned, like thorns to be tossed away are they all, - For, not with the hand, can they be taken;

Douay-Rheims Bible
But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands.

Revised Standard Version
But godless men are all like thorns that are thrown away; for they cannot be taken with the hand;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But the worthless, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns, Because they cannot be taken in hand;

Contextual Overview

¹ These are David's last words: The voice of the son of Jesse, the voice of the man God took to the top, Whom the God of Jacob made king, and Israel's most popular singer! ² God 's Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel's Rock-Mountain said, "Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God, Is like first light at daybreak without a cloud in the sky, Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain." And this is just how my regime has been, for God guaranteed his covenant with me, Spelled it out plainly and kept every promised word— My entire salvation, my every desire. But the devil's henchmen are like thorns culled and piled as trash; Better not try to touch them; keep your distance with a rake or hoe. They'll make a glorious bonfire!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the sons: 2 Samuel 20:1, Deuteronomy 13:13, 1 Samuel 2:12

thorns: Genesis 3:18, Song of Solomon 2:2, Isaiah 33:12, Ezekiel 2:6

Reciprocal: Judges 19:22 - sons of Belial Judges 20:13 - children of Belial 1 Samuel 9:17 - reign over 1 Samuel 25:17 - a son of Belial Psalms 118:12 - in the name Isaiah 27:4 - who would Micah 7:4 - General Nahum 1:10 - while they be

Cross-References

Genesis 21:22
At about that same time, Abimelech and the captain of his troops, Phicol, spoke to Abraham: "No matter what you do, God is on your side. So swear to me that you won't do anything underhanded to me or any of my family. For as long as you live here, swear that you'll treat me and my land as well as I've treated you."

Genesis 23:1
Sarah lived 127 years. Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept.

Genesis 23:5
The Hittites responded, "Why, you're no mere outsider here with us, you're a prince of God! Bury your dead wife in the best of our burial sites. None of us will refuse you a place for burial."

Genesis 24:18
She said, "Certainly, drink!" And she held the jug so that he could drink. When he had satisfied his thirst she said, "I'll get water for your camels, too, until they've drunk their fill." She promptly emptied her jug into the trough and ran back to the well to fill it, and she kept at it until she had watered all the camels. The man watched, silent. Was this God 's answer? Had God made his trip a success or not?

Genesis 42:10
"No, master," they said. "We've only come to buy food. We're all the sons of the same man; we're honest men; we'd never think of spying."

Exodus 32:22
Aaron said, "Master, don't be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. This Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt, we don't know what's happened to him.'

Ruth 2:13
She said, "Oh sir, such grace, such kindness—I don't deserve it. You've touched my heart, treated me like one of your own. And I don't even belong here!"

Isaiah 45:14
God says: "The workers of Egypt, the merchants of Ethiopia, and those statuesque Sabeans Will all come over to you—all yours. Docile in chains, they'll follow you, Hands folded in reverence, praying before you: ‘Amazing! God is with you! There is no other God—none.'"

Gill's Notes on the 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 23:6. 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.