2 Samuel 5:8David said on that day, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul." Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame can't come into the house."
The setting
Jerusalem, Israel ~1000 BC. David's army stands before the 'unconquerable' fortress city. The Jebusites mock from the walls, claiming even blind and lame could defend it...
The emotion here: fierce determination mixed with strategic thinking
The original word
tsinnōr (צִנּוֹר) — watercourse or shaft, possibly Warren's Shaft discovered in 1867
Why it matters
Warren's Shaft, a water tunnel under Jerusalem, may be the exact route David's men used
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 5:8
The Jebusites were taunting David by saying blind and lame could defend against him
Common misconceptionPeople think David was being cruel to disabled people, but he was actually quoting the Jebusites' own mocking words back at them - they claimed their blind and lame could defeat his army.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Samuel 5:8
Bible Genome reading
2 Samuel 5:8 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Samuel 5:8 comes from the book of 2 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include warfare, strategy. Notable phrases: strike the lame and blind. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
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