2 Samuel 1:20
New International Version
“Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.

New Living Translation
Don’t announce the news in Gath, don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice and the pagans will laugh in triumph.

English Standard Version
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

Berean Standard Bible
Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

King James Bible
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

New King James Version
Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon— Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

New American Standard Bible
“Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, The daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.

NASB 1995
“Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, The daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.

NASB 1977
“Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

Legacy Standard Bible
Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

Amplified Bible
“Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, The daughters of the uncircumcised (pagans) will exult.

Christian Standard Bible
Do not tell it in Gath, don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not tell it in Gath, don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will gloat.

American Standard Version
Tell it not in Gath, Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Contemporary English Version
Don't tell it in Gath or spread the news on the streets of Ashkelon. The godless Philistine women will be happy and jump for joy.

English Revised Version
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't tell the news in Gath. Don't announce the victory in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad, and the daughters of godless men will celebrate.

Good News Translation
Do not announce it in Gath or in the streets of Ashkelon. Do not make the women of Philistia glad; do not let the daughters of pagans rejoice.

International Standard Version
Don't make it known in Gath! Don't declare it in the avenues of Ashkelon! Otherwise, the daughters of Philistia will rejoice; and the daughters of the uncircumcised will triumph.

Majority Standard Bible
Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

NET Bible
Don't report it in Gath, don't spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate!

New Heart English Bible
Do not tell it in Gath. Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised celebrate.

Webster's Bible Translation
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

World English Bible
Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not declare [it] in Gath, "" Do not proclaim the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, "" Lest they rejoice—The daughters of the Philistines, "" Lest they exult—The daughters of the uncircumcised!

Young's Literal Translation
Declare it not in Gath, Proclaim not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest they rejoice -- The daughters of the Philistines, Lest they exult -- The daughters of the Uncircumcised!

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall not announce in Gath, ye shall not announce the good news in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the rovers shall rejoice--lest the daughters of the uncircumcised shall exult.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Tell it not in Geth, publish it not in the streets of Ascalon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not choose to announce it in Gath, and do not announce it in the crossroads of Ashkelon. Otherwise, the daughters of the Philistines may rejoice; otherwise, the daughters of the uncircumcised may exult.

New American Bible
Do not report it in Gath, as good news in Ashkelon’s streets, Lest Philistine women rejoice, lest the women of the uncircumcised exult!

New Revised Standard Version
Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You shall not tell it in Gath, and you shall not announce in the streets of Ashqelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and lest the daughters of the uncircumcised dance for joy!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Tell it not in Gath, Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Tell it not in Geth, and tell it not as glad tidings in the streets of Ascalon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Song for Saul and Jonathan
19“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! 20Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 21O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 31:8-10
The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. / They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temples of their idols and among their people. / They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his body on the wall of Beth-shan.

Judges 16:23-24
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.” / And when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy who destroyed our land and multiplied our dead.”

Micah 1:10
Do not tell it in Gath; do not weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.

1 Chronicles 10:8-10
The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. / They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. / They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head in the temple of Dagon.

Isaiah 14:12-16
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. / You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. / I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” ...

Psalm 137:7
Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”

Obadiah 1:12
But you should not gloat in that day, your brother’s day of misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast proudly in the day of their distress.

Jeremiah 50:11
“Because you rejoice, because you sing in triumph—you who plunder My inheritance—because you frolic like a heifer treading grain and neigh like stallions,

Lamentations 2:15-16
All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” / All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see it!”

Ezekiel 25:6
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you clapped your hands and stomped your feet and rejoiced over the land of Israel with a heart full of contempt,

Amos 1:13
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.

Matthew 27:39-44
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads / and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” / In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, ...

Luke 23:35-37
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” / The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. / “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”

Mark 15:29-32
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, / come down from the cross and save Yourself!” / In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! ...

Revelation 11:9-10
For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb. / And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.


Treasury of Scripture

Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Tell

Deuteronomy 32:26,27
I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: …

Judges 14:19
And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

Judges 16:23,24
Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand…

Philistines

Exodus 15:20,21
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances…

Judges 11:34
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

1 Samuel 18:6
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

uncircumcised

1 Samuel 17:26,36
And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? …

1 Samuel 31:4,9
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it…

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Ashkelon Ash'kelon Askelon Carry Circumcision Daughters Exult Gath Glad Joy News Philistines Proclaim Publish Rejoice Streets Triumph Uncircumcised Uplifted
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Ashkelon Ash'kelon Askelon Carry Circumcision Daughters Exult Gath Glad Joy News Philistines Proclaim Publish Rejoice Streets Triumph Uncircumcised Uplifted
2 Samuel 1
1. The Amalekite who accused himself of Saul's death is slain
17. David laments Saul and Jonathan with a song














Do not tell it in Gath
The phrase "Do not tell it in Gath" reflects David's deep concern for the reputation and morale of Israel. Gath was one of the five major Philistine cities, and it was known for its military strength and as the hometown of Goliath. The Hebrew root for "tell" (נָגַד, nagad) implies making something known or conspicuous. David's plea is to prevent the Philistines from gloating over Israel's loss, which would bring shame upon God's people. Historically, Gath was a symbol of Philistine power, and David's directive underscores the importance of protecting Israel's dignity in the face of their enemies.

do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon
Ashkelon, another principal city of the Philistines, was a coastal city known for its trade and wealth. The word "proclaim" (בָּשַׂר, basar) in Hebrew can mean to announce or bring news, often with a sense of joy or triumph. David's instruction not to proclaim the news in Ashkelon highlights his desire to prevent the Philistines from celebrating Israel's defeat. The streets of Ashkelon would have been bustling with activity, making it a prime location for spreading news. By mentioning Ashkelon, David emphasizes the need to avoid giving the enemy any cause for celebration.

lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice
The "daughters of the Philistines" symbolize the broader Philistine community, particularly the women who would traditionally celebrate military victories with songs and dances. The Hebrew word for "rejoice" (שָׂמַח, samach) conveys a sense of gladness and exultation. David's concern is that the Philistines would find joy in Israel's misfortune, which would further demoralize the Israelites. This phrase reflects the cultural practices of the time, where women played a significant role in celebrating victories, thus amplifying the shame of defeat.

lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult
The term "uncircumcised" is used here to denote those outside the covenant community of Israel. It is a term that highlights the spiritual and cultural divide between the Israelites and the Philistines. The word "exult" (עָלַז, alaz) in Hebrew suggests a jubilant, triumphant celebration. By using this term, David underscores the potential for the Philistines to revel in Israel's loss, which would be a dishonor to the God of Israel. This phrase serves as a reminder of the covenantal identity of Israel and the importance of maintaining their distinctiveness from surrounding nations.

(20) In Gath . . . in the streets of Askelon.--Two chief cities of the Philistines, poetically put for the whole. In the former David had himself resided (1Samuel 21:10; 1Samuel 27:3-4), and in the latter was a famous temple of Venus, which was doubtless "the house of Ashtaroth" (1Samuel 31:10), where the Philistines put the armour of Saul. "Tell it not in Gath" appears to have become a proverb. (See Micah 1:10.)

Lest the daughters of the Philistines.--It was customary for women to celebrate national deliverances and victories (Exodus 15:21; 1Samuel 18:6). The word uncircumcised might be applied to the heathen generally, but it so happens that, with the exception of Genesis 34:14, it is used in the historical books only of the Philistines (Judges 14:3; Judges 15:18; 1Samuel 14:6; 1Samuel 17:26; 1Samuel 17:36; 1Samuel 31:4; 1Chronicles 10:4). . . .

Verse 20. - Gath... Askelon. By thus localizing the triumph, and bringing before the mind the thought of multitudes in these well-known places rejoicing with dance and song over the news of their victory, a more affecting picture is produced by the contrast with Israel's distress than could have been effected by mere generalizations. Probably, too, there was present in David's mind the remembrance of scenes which he had witnessed in these towns. In course of time, "Tell it not in Gath" became a proverb (Micah 1:10). The daughters. It is the custom in the East for the women to celebrate the prowess of the nation's warriors (Exodus 15:20; 1 Samuel 18:6; Psalm 68:11 Revised Version). Uncircumcised. For some unknown reason, this word is used as a term of reproach, especially of the Philistines (1 Samuel 14:6; 1 Samuel 17:26).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Tell [it]
תַּגִּ֣ידוּ (tag·gî·ḏū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

in Gath;
בְגַ֔ת (ḇə·ḡaṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1661: Gath -- 'wine press', a Philistine city

proclaim [it]
תְּבַשְּׂר֖וּ (tə·ḇaś·śə·rū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1319: To be fresh, full, cheerful), to announce

not
אַֽל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

in the streets
בְּחוּצֹ֣ת (bə·ḥū·ṣōṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2351: Separate by a, wall, outside, outdoors

of Ashkelon,
אַשְׁקְל֑וֹן (’aš·qə·lō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 831: Ashkelon -- a city of the Philistines

lest
פֶּן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

the daughters
בְּנ֣וֹת (bə·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of the Philistines
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (pə·liš·tîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

rejoice,
תִּשְׂמַ֙חְנָה֙ (tiś·maḥ·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 8055: To brighten up, be, blithe, gleesome

and the daughters
בְּנ֥וֹת (bə·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of the uncircumcised
הָעֲרֵלִֽים׃ (hā·‘ă·rê·lîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6189: Having foreskin (uncircumcised)

exult.
תַּעֲלֹ֖זְנָה (ta·‘ă·lō·zə·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 5937: To jump for, joy, exult


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OT History: 2 Samuel 1:20 Don't tell it in Gath (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
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