4 Regum 2:16

Nova Vulgata

Apprehensoque unusquisque capite comparis sui, defixit gladium in latus contrarii, et ceciderunt simul; vocatumque est nomen loci illius ager Laterum in Gabaon.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Dicebatque illi immolans : Incendatur primum juxta morem hodie adeps, et tolle tibi quantumcumque desiderat anima tua. Qui respondens aiebat ei : Nequaquam : nunc enim dabis, alioquin tollam vi.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Apprehensoque unusquisque capite comparis sui, defixit gladium in latus contrarii, et ceciderunt simul: vocatumque est nomen loci illius: Ager robustorum, in Gabaon.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

by the head: Probably by the beard or hair of the head. Plutarch, in his Apophthegms, informs us, that all things being ready for a battle, Alexander's captains asked him whether he had anything else to command them. "Nothing," said he, "but that the Macedonians shave their beards." Parmenio wondering what he meant, "Dost thou not know," said he, "that in fight, there is no better hold than the beard?"

Helkathhazzurim: that is, the field of strong men, 2 Samuel 2:16

Reciprocal: Joshua 19:25 - Helkath 2 Samuel 2:26 - it will be 1 Kings 20:20 - they slew Acts 1:19 - Aceldama

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they caught everyone his fellow by the head,.... By the hair of his head with his hand:

and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; which he had in the other;

so they fell down together; the twelve on each side, all the twenty four; some think only the twelve on Abner's side fell; but to me it seems that they all fell dead as one man, since they thrust their swords in each other's sides:

wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which [is] in Gibeon; the field of rocks, or of mighty men as strong as rocks, who stood as immovable, and would not give way, but fell and died in the field of battle; the Targum interprets it, the inheritance of the slain.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare Livy’s history of the battle between the Horatii and Curiatii. This combat, like that, may have been proposed as a means of avoiding the effusion of blood of two nations united by consanguinity, and having a common powerful enemy in the Philistines.

Helkath-hazzurim - i. e. “the part, field, or plat Genesis 23:19 of the sharp edges or blades.” This seems, on the whole, the best explanation of this rather obscure name.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 2:16. Caught every one his fellow by the head — Probably by the beard, if these persons were not too young to have one, or by the hair of the head. Alexander ordered all the Macedonians to shave their beards; and being asked by Parmenio why they should do so, answered, "Dost thou not know that in battle there is no better hold than the beard?"

Helkath-hazzurim — "The portion of the mighty;" or, "The inheritance of those who were slain," according to the Targum.