Text -- 2 Samuel 21:1-10 (NET)

The Gibeonites Demand Revenge

21:1 During David’s reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites.” 21:2 So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke with them. (Now the Gibeonites were not descendants of Israel; they were a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had made a promise to them, but Saul tried to kill them because of his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.) 21:3 David said to the Gibeonites, “What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?” 21:4 The Gibeonites said to him, “We have no claim to silver or gold from Saul or from his family, nor would we be justified in putting to death anyone in Israel.” David asked, “What then are you asking me to do for you?” 21:5 They replied to the king, “As for this man who exterminated us and who schemed against us so that we were destroyed and left without status throughout all the borders of Israel– 21:6 let seven of his male descendants be turned over to us, and we will execute them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, who was the Lord’s chosen one.” The king replied, “I will turn them over.” 21:7 The king had mercy on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, in light of the Lord’s oath that had been taken between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 21:8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah whom she had born to Saul, and the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 21:9 He turned them over to the Gibeonites, and they executed them on a hill before the Lord. The seven of them died together; they were put to death during harvest time– during the first days of the beginning of the barley harvest. 21:10 Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain fell on them, she did not allow the birds of the air to feed on them by day, nor the wild animals by night.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: 2Sa 21:1

The things related here and 2Sa. 24:1-25, are by the best interpreters conceived to have been done long before Absalom's rebellion. And this opinion is not without sufficient grounds: first, this particle, then, is here explained, in the days, that is, during the reign of David: which general words seem to be added as an intimation that these things were not done after the next foregoing passages, for then the sacred writer would rather have added, after these things, as it is in many other places. Secondly, here are divers passages which it seems improbable to ascribe to the last years of David's reign: such as first, that Saul's sin against the Gibeonites should so long remain unpunished. And indeed that this was done, and Saul's seven sons hanged by David's order before that time, seems to be intimated by that passage, 2Sa 16:8, where he is charged with the blood of the house of Saul: for which there was not the least colour 'till this time. Secondly, that David should not remove the bones of Saul and Jonathan to their proper place, 'till that time. Thirdly, that the Philistines should wage war with David again and again, 2Sa 21:15, &c. so long after he had fully subdued them, 2Sa 8:1, and that David in his old age should attempt to fight with a Philistine giant, or that his people should suffer him to do so. Fourthly, that David should then have so vehement a desire to number his people, 2Sa 24:1, which being an act of youthful vanity, seems not at all to agree with his old age, nor with that state of deep humiliation in which he then was. And the reason why these matters are put here out of their proper order, is plainly this, because David's sin being once related, it was very convenient that David's punishments should immediately succeed: this being very frequent in scripture - story, to put those things together which belong to one matter, though they happened at several times.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:1

Which was not only an act of cruelty, but also of perfidiousness, because it was a public violation of that solemn oath given to them by Joshua and the princes, in the name of all the Israelites, of that and succeeding generations. "But why did not God punish Saul whilst he was alive for this, but his children, and the Israelites of this age?" First, God did severely punish Saul for this and his other sins. Secondly, as God may justly inflict temporal punishments upon any offender, either in his person, or in his posterity, when he pleaseth; so it is meet he should take his own time for it; and it is folly in us to quarrel with God for so doing. Thirdly, the Israelites might sundry ways make themselves guilty of Saul's sin, tho' it be not particularly mentioned, advising or encouraging him to it; or, assisting him in the execution of it. And whereas many of the people were probably innocent of that crime, yet they also were guilty of many other sins, for which God might punish them, though he took this occasion for it.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:2

That is, he sought how he might cut them off with some colour of justice, aggravating their faults, and punishing them worse than they deserved; oppressing them with excessive labours, and intending by degrees to wear them out.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:6

Having doubtless consulted God in the matter; who as he had before declared Saul's bloody house to be the causes of this judgment, so now commanded that justice should be done upon it, and that the remaining branches of it should be cut off; as sufficiently appears from hence, that God was well pleased with the action; which he would not have been, if David had done it without his command; for then it had been a sinful action of David's, and contrary to a double law of God, Deu 21:23, Deu 24:16.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:7

For the Gibeonites desiring only such a number, it was at David's choice whom to spare.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:7

This is added, to distinguish him from the other Mephibosheth, 2Sa 21:8.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:10

As a tent to dwell in: being informed that their bodies were not to be taken away speedily, as the course of the law was in ordinary cases, but were to continue there until God was intreated, and removed the present judgment.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:10

In some convenient place in a rock, near adjoining.

Wesley: 2Sa 21:10

Until they were taken down: which was not to be done 'till God had given rain as a sign of his favour, and a mean to remove the famine, which was caused by the want of it. Thus she let the world know, that her sons died not for any sin of their own, not as stubborn and rebellious sons, whose eye had despised their mother: but for their father's sin, and therefore her mind could not be alienated from them by their hard fate.

JFB: 2Sa 21:1

The sacred history has not recorded either the time or the reason of this massacre. Some think that they were sufferers in the atrocity perpetrated by Saul at Nob (1Sa 22:19), where many of them may have resided as attendants of the priests; while others suppose it more probable that the attempt was made afterwards, with a view to regain the popularity he had lost throughout the nation by that execrable outrage.

JFB: 2Sa 21:2

Under pretense of a rigorous and faithful execution of the divine law regarding the extermination of the Canaanites, he set himself to expel or destroy those whom Joshua had been deceived into sparing. His real object seems to have been, that the possessions of the Gibeonites, being forfeited to the crown, might be divided among his own people (compare 1Sa 22:7). At all events, his proceeding against this people was in violation of a solemn oath, and involving national guilt. The famine was, in the wise and just retribution of Providence, made a national punishment, since the Hebrews either assisted in the massacre, or did not interpose to prevent it; since they neither endeavored to repair the wrong, nor expressed any horror of it; and since a general protracted chastisement might have been indispensable to inspire a proper respect and protection to the Gibeonite remnant that survived.

JFB: 2Sa 21:6

The practice of the Hebrews, as of most Oriental nations, was to slay first, and afterwards to suspend on a gibbet, the body not being left hanging after sunset. The king could not refuse this demand of the Gibeonites, who, in making it, were only exercising their right as blood-avengers; and, although through fear and a sense of weakness they had not hitherto claimed satisfaction, yet now that David had been apprised by the oracle of the cause of the long-prevailing calamity, he felt it his duty to give the Gibeonites full satisfaction--hence their specifying the number seven, which was reckoned full and complete. And if it should seem unjust to make the descendants suffer for a crime which, in all probability, originated with Saul himself, yet his sons and grandsons might be the instruments of his cruelty, the willing and zealous executors of this bloody raid.

JFB: 2Sa 21:6

David cannot be charged with doing this as an indirect way or ridding himself of rival competitors for the throne, for those delivered up were only collateral branches of Saul's family, and never set up any claim to the sovereignty. Moreover, David was only granting the request of the Gibeonites as God had bidden him do.

JFB: 2Sa 21:8

Merab, Michal's sister, was the wife of Adriel; but Michal adopted and brought up the boys under her care.

JFB: 2Sa 21:9

Deeming themselves not bound by the criminal law of Israel (Deu 21:22-23), their intention was to let the bodies hang until God, propitiated by this offering, should send rain upon the land, for the want of it had occasioned the famine. It was a heathen practice to gibbet men with a view of appeasing the anger of the gods in seasons of famine, and the Gibeonites, who were a remnant of the Amorites (2Sa 21:2), though brought to the knowledge of the true God, were not, it seems, free from this superstition. God, in His providence, suffered the Gibeonites to ask and inflict so barbarous a retaliation, in order that the oppressed Gibeonites might obtain justice and some reparation of their wrongs, especially that the scandal brought on the name of the true religion by the violation of a solemn national compact might be wiped away from Israel, and that a memorable lesson should be given to respect treaties and oaths.

JFB: 2Sa 21:10

She erected a tent near the spot, in which she and her servants kept watch, as the relatives of executed persons were wont to do, day and night, to scare the birds and beasts of prey away from the remains exposed on the low-standing gibbets.

Clarke: 2Sa 21:1

Then there was a famine - Of this famine we know nothing; it is not mentioned in any part of the history of David

Clarke: 2Sa 21:1

Because he slew the Gibeonites - No such fact is mentioned in the life and transactions of Saul; nor is there any reference to it in any other part of Scripture.

Clarke: 2Sa 21:2

The remnant of the Amorites - The Gibeonites were Hivites, not Amorites, as appears from Jos 11:19 : but Amorites is a name often given to the Canaanites in general, Gen 15:16; Amo 2:9, and elsewhere.

Clarke: 2Sa 21:3

Wherewith shall I make the atonement - It is very strange that a choice of this kind should be left to such a people. Why not ask this of God himself?

Clarke: 2Sa 21:6

Seven men of his sons - Meaning sons, grandsons, or other near branches of his family. It is supposed that the persons chosen were principal in assisting Saul to exterminate the Gibeonites. But where is the proof of this?

Clarke: 2Sa 21:8

Five sons of Michal - whom she brought up - Michal, Saul’ s daughter, was never married to Adriel, but to David, and afterwards to Phaltiel; though it is here said she bore ילדה yaledah , not brought up, as we falsely translate it: but we learn from 1Sa 18:19, that Merab, one of Saul’ s daughters, was married to Adriel

Two of Dr. Kennicott’ s MSS. have Merab, not Michal; the Syriac and Arabic have Nadab; the Chaldee has properly Merab; but it renders the passage thus: - And the five sons of Merab which Michal the daughter of Saul brought up, which she brought forth to Adriel the son of Barzillai. This cuts the knot.

Clarke: 2Sa 21:9

In the beginning of barley harvest - This happened in Judea about the vernal equinox, or the 21st of March.

Clarke: 2Sa 21:10

Rizpah - took sackcloth - Who can read the account of Rizpah’ s maternal affection for her sons that were now hanged, without feeling his mind deeply impressed with sorrows

Did God require this sacrifice of Saul’ s sons, probably all innocent of the alleged crime of their father? Was there no other method of averting the Divine displeasure? Was the requisition of the Gibeonites to have Saul’ s sons sacrificed to God, to be considered as an oracle of God? Certainly not; God will not have man’ s blood for sacrifice, no more than he will have swine’ s blood. The famine might have been removed, and the land properly purged, by offering the sacrifices prescribed by the law, and by a general humiliation of the people

Clarke: 2Sa 21:10

Until water dropped upon them - Until the time of the autumnal rains, which in that country commence about October. Is it possible that this poor broken-hearted woman could have endured the fatigue, (and probably in the open air), of watching these bodies for more than five months? Some think that the rain dropping on them out of heaven means the removal of the famine which was occasioned by drought, by now sending rain, which might have been shortly after these men were hanged; but this by no means agrees with the manner in which the account is introduced: "They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest. And Rizpah - took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest, until water dropped upon them out of heaven."No casual or immediately providential rain can be here intended; the reference must be to the periodical rains above mentioned.

Defender: 2Sa 21:1

The chronological history of David's life and reign is given in 1 Samuel 16 through 2 Samuel 20. The last four chapters of 2 Samuel are in the nature of appendices."

Defender: 2Sa 21:6

It is probable that these seven sons were as guilty as their father in the unwarranted slaughter of the Gibeonites (2Sa 21:1-6) which had resulted in a divinely-sent famine on Israel. Note the mention of "Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites" in 2Sa 21:1."

Defender: 2Sa 21:8

Michal was without children of her own (2Sa 6:23), but apparently raised the five sons of Adriel, her brother-in-law, who had been married to her sister Merab (1Sa 18:19)."

TSK: 2Sa 21:1

am 2986, bc 1018, An, Ex, Ex, Is, 473

a famine : Gen 12:10, Gen 26:1, Gen 41:57, Gen 42:1, Gen 43:1; Lev 26:19, Lev 26:20, Lev 26:26; 1Ki 17:1, 1Ki 18:2; 2Ki 6:25, 2Ki 8:1; Jer. 14:1-18

inquired : Heb. sought the face, etc

of the Lord : 2Sa 5:19, 2Sa 5:23; Num 27:21; 1Sa 23:2, 1Sa 23:4, 1Sa 23:11; Job 5:8-10, Job 10:2; Psa 50:15, Psa 91:15

It is : Jos 7:1, Jos 7:11, Jos 7:12

Saul : 1Sa 22:17-19

TSK: 2Sa 21:2

now the : Josh. 9:3-21

the Amorites : The Gibeonites were Hivites, not Amorites, as appears from Jos 6:19; but Amorites is a name often given to the Canaanites in general. Gen 15:16

in his zeal : Deu 7:16; 1Sa 14:44, 1Sa 15:8, 1Sa 15:9; 2Ki 10:16, 2Ki 10:31; Luk 9:54, Luk 9:55; Joh 16:2; Rom 10:2; Gal 4:17

TSK: 2Sa 21:3

wherewith : Exo 32:30; Lev 1:4; 1Sa 2:25; Mic 6:6, Mic 6:7; Heb 9:22, Heb 10:4-12

bless : 2Sa 20:19

TSK: 2Sa 21:4

We will : etc. or, It is not silver nor gold that we have to do with Saul, or his house; neither pertains it to us to kill, etc. no silver. Psa 49:6-8; 1Pe 1:18, 1Pe 1:19

TSK: 2Sa 21:5

The man : 2Sa 21:1; Est 9:24, Est 9:25; Mat 7:2

devised : or, cut us off, Dan 9:26

TSK: 2Sa 21:6

Let seven : As God accepted the expiation here demanded, we must suppose that both the enquiry of David, and the answer of the Gibeonites, were directed by some open or secret intimation from him.

hang : 2Sa 17:23, 2Sa 18:10; Gen 40:19, Gen 40:22; Num 25:4, Num 25:5; Deu 21:22; Jos 8:29, Jos 10:26; Ezr 6:11; Est 9:10, Est 9:13, Est 9:14; Mat 27:5

in : 1Sa 10:26, 1Sa 11:4

whom the Lord did choose : or, the chosen of the Lord, 1Sa 9:16, 1Sa 9:17, 1Sa 10:1, 1Sa 10:24; Act 13:21

TSK: 2Sa 21:7

Mephibosheth : 2Sa 4:4, 2Sa 9:10, 2Sa 16:4, 2Sa 19:25

because : 1Sa 18:3, 1Sa 20:8, 1Sa 20:15, 1Sa 20:17, 1Sa 20:42, 1Sa 23:18

TSK: 2Sa 21:8

Rizpah : 2Sa 3:7

and the five sons : This Adriel did not marry Michal, Saul’ s younger daughter, but Merab, 1Sa 18:19; Michael being married to David, and afterwards to Phaltiel; though it is here said she bore (yaledah ), not brought up , as falsely rendered, five sons to Adriel. Two of Dr. Kennicott’ s manuscripts, however, have Merab, instead of Michal; the Syriac and Arabic have Nadab; and the Chaldee renders the passage thus: ""And the five sons of Merab which Michal the daughter of Saul brought up, which she brought forth to Adriel the son of Barzillai."

Michal : or, Michal’ s sister, 1Sa 18:19

brought up for : Heb. bare to

TSK: 2Sa 21:9

before the Lord : 2Sa 21:6, 2Sa 6:17, 2Sa 6:21; Exo 20:5; Num 35:31-34; Deu 21:1-9; 1Sa 15:33; 2Ki 24:3, 2Ki 24:4

in the beginning : This happened in Judea about the vernal equinox, or 21st of March Rth 1:22

TSK: 2Sa 21:10

Rizpah : 2Sa 21:8, 2Sa 3:7

took sackcloth : 1Ki 21:27; Joe 1:18

from the : 2Sa 21:9; Deu 21:13

until water : Some suppose that this means a providential supply of rain, in order to remove the famine; but from the manner in which it is introduced, it seems to denote the autumnal rains, which commence about October. For five months did this broken-hearted woman watch by the bodies of her sons! Deu 11:14; 1Ki 18:41-45; Jer 5:24, Jer 5:25, Jer 14:22; Hos 6:3; Joe 2:23; Zec 10:1

the birds : Gen 40:19; Eze 39:4

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Sa 21:1

There is no note of time whatever, nor any clue as to what part of David’ s reign the events of this chapter ought to be assigned.

Enquired of the Lord - Hebrew "sought the face of the Lord,"quite a different phrase from that so often used in Judges (e. g. Jdg 1:1) and the Books of Samuel, and probably indicating that this chapter is from a different source; an inference agreeing with the indefinite "in the days of David,"and with the allusion to the slaughter of the Gibeonites, which has not anywhere been narrated.

And for his bloody house - literally, "the house of blood,"i. e., the house or family upon which rests the guilt of shedding innocent blood.

Barnes: 2Sa 21:2

The way in which the writer here refers to the history of the league with the Gibeonites Josh. 9 shows that the Book of Joshua was not a part of the same work as the Books of Samuel.

Of the Amorites - The Gibeonites were Hivites Jos 9:7; Jos 11:19; and in many enumerations of the Canaanite nations the Hivites are distinguished from the Amorites. But "Amorite"is often used in a more comprehensive sense, equivalent to "Canaanite"(as Gen 15:16; Deu 1:27), and denoting especially that part of the Canaanite nation which dwelt in the hill country Num 13:29; Deu 1:7, Deu 1:20, Deu 1:24, and so includes the Hivites.

Barnes: 2Sa 21:4

No silver, nor gold ... - Money payments as a compensation for blood-guilt were very common among many nations. The law, too, in Num 35:31-32, presupposes the existence of the custom which it prohibits. In like manner the speech of the Gibeonites implies that such a payment as they refuse would be a not unusual proceeding.

Neither ... shalt thou kill any man in Israel - They mean that it is not against the nation of Israel, but against the individual Saul, that they cry for vengeance. The demand for Saul’ s sons is exactly similar to that which dictated David’ s own expression in 2Sa 24:17, "against me, and against my father’ s house."

Barnes: 2Sa 21:6

Seven men - Seven was a sacred number not only with the Hebrews but with other Oriental nations Num 23:1, Num 23:29, and is therefore brought in on this occasion when the judicial death of the sons of Saul was a religious act intended to appease the wrath of God for the violation of an oath Num 25:4.

Whom the Lord did choose - Rather, "the Lord’ s chosen,"or elect. The same phrase is applied to Moses Psa 106:23, to the Israelites Isa 43:20, and to Christ Isa 42:1.

Barnes: 2Sa 21:7

The Lord’ s oath - The calamity brought upon Israel by Saul’ s breach of the oath to the Gibeonites would make David doubly careful in the matter of his own oath to Jonathan.

Barnes: 2Sa 21:8

Rizpah - See the marginal reference. A foreign origin was possibly the cause of the selection of Rizpah’ s sons as victims.

Sons of Michal - An obvious error for "Merab"(1Sa 18:19 note).

Barnes: 2Sa 21:9

In the first days - The barley harvest (about the middle or toward the end of April) was earlier than the wheat harvest Exo 9:31; Rth 1:22.

Barnes: 2Sa 21:10

Dropped - Rather, "poured,"the proper word for heavy rain Exo 9:33. The "early rain,"or heavy rain of autumn, usually began in October, so that Rizpah’ s devoted watch continued about six months. How rare rain was in harvest we learn from 1Sa 12:17-18; Pro 26:1. The reason of the bodies being left unburied, contrary to Deu 21:23, probably was that the death of these men being an expiation of the guilt of a violated oath, they were to remain until the fall of rain should give the assurance that God’ s anger was appeased, and the national sin forgiven.

Birds of the air ... beasts of the field - It is well known how in the East, on the death e. g. of a camel in a caravan, the vultures instantly flock to the carcass. (Compare Mat 24:28.)

Poole: 2Sa 21:1

Then there was a famine: when? Either, first, after Absalom’ s and Sheba’ s rebellion, as it is here related; or rather, secondly, in some other time before. It is well known and confessed that the particle then doth not always note that the thing was done in that order in which it is mentioned, but is oft of an indefinite signification; as also that the Scripture in its histories and relations doth not always observe the order of time, but the order of things, putting that after which was done before, as occasion requires. And so it seems to be here. The things related here and 2Sa 24 are by the most and best interpreters conceived to have been done long before Absalom’ s rebellion. And this opinion is not without sufficient grounds.

First, This particle then is here explained, in the days , i.e. during the life and reign of David; which general and indefinite words seem to be added as an intimation that these things were not done after the next foregoing passages, for then the sacred writer would rather have added, after these things , or some such expression, as it is 2Ch 32:1 , and in many other places.

Secondly, Here are divers passages which it seems very improbable to ascribe to the last years of David’ s reign: such as these, first, That Saul’ s sin against the Gibeonites should so long remain unpunished. And indeed that this was done, and Saul’ s seven sons hanged by David’ s order before that time, seems plainly to be intimated by that passage, 2Sa 16:8 , where he is charged with the blood of the house of Saul ; for which there was not the least colour till this time.

Secondly, That David should not remove the bones of Saul and Jonathan to their proper place, here, 2Sa 21:12-14 , till that time.

Thirdly, That the Philistines should wage war with David again and again, 2Sa 21:15 , &c., so long after he had fully subdued them, 2Sa 8:1 ; and that David in his old age should attempt to fight with a Philistine giant, or that his people should suffer him to do so.

Fourthly, That David should then have so vehement a desire to number his people, 2Sa 24:1 , &c., which being an act of youthful heat and vanity, seems not at all to agree with his old age, nor with that state of deep humiliation and great affliction in which he then was. And the reason why these matters are put here out of their proper order is plainly this, because David’ s sin being once related, it was very convenient that David’ s punishments inflicted for it should immediately succeed; this being very frequent in Scripture story, to put those things together which belong to one matter, though they happened at several times. And this is the more considerable, because it tends to the clearing of that great difficulty, 2Sa 15:7 .

David inquired of the Lord concerning the reason of his displeasure, and this judgment.

Because he slew the Gibeonites which was not only an act of cruelty, but also of perfidiousness and perjury, because it was a direct and public violation of that solemn oath given to them for their security by Joshua and the princes, in the name of all the Israelites, of that and of succeeding generations, and consequently a great scandal to the true religion, and the professors of it, and a mean to discourage others from embracing it, as the Gibeonites had done.

Quest. Why did not God punish Saul whilst he was alive for this fault, but his innocent children, and David, and the Israelites of this age?

Answ First, God did severely punish Saul for this and his other sins.

Secondly, As God may justly inflict temporal punishments upon any offender, either in his person or in his posterity, when he pleaseth; so it is meet he should take his own time for it; and it is folly and wickedness in us to quarrel with God for so doing.

Thirdly, The Israelites might sundry ways make themselves guilty of Saul’ s sin, though it be not particularly mentioned in Scripture; advising or encouraging him to it; or by assisting him in the execution of it; or by conniving at it; or by rejoicing in it for some worldly advantage which they received or expected from it; or by not repairing the injuries which Saul had done them as far as they might.

And some of these ways David himself might be involved in the guilt, although indeed this evil fell principally upon the people. And whereas many of the people probably were innocent of that crime, yet they also were guilty of many other sins, for which God might punish them, though he took this occasion for it. And it may be further observed, that God is pleased many times severely to punish lesser delinquents, and to suffer the greater for the present to go unpunished; and that not only to manifest his own sovereign power and liberty, but also to give the world thereby assurance of a future judgment, and punishments reserved for the next life.

Poole: 2Sa 21:2

Saul sought to slay them i. e. he sought occasions and pretences how he might cut them off with some colour of law or justice, diligently searching out and aggravating their faults, and punishing them worse than they deserved; oppressing them with excessive labours, and openly killing some of them, and intending by degrees to wear them out.

In his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah conceiving, or rather pretending, that it was not for the honour, nor comfort, nor advantage of God’ s people, to nourish any of that viperous broad in their bosoms; and that howsoever Joshua and the princes which then were, had by their fraud been drawn into an oath to preserve them, Jos 9:15 , yet in truth that oath was contrary to God’ s command, Exo 23:32 Deu 7:2 , and therefore (as he thought) not to be observed. This was his pretence. But how little zeal he had for God, or for the public good of his people, is evident by the whole course of his life; and therefore it is more than probable he had some particular motive or design in the case; either because some of them had highly provoked him, for whose sake he would be revenged of the whole race; or because, they being cut off, their estates might be forfeited to the crown; or for some other reason now unknown.

Poole: 2Sa 21:3

Unto the Gibeonites to some of the chief of them, who were to impart it to the rest.

What shall I do for you? what satisfaction do you expect or require for the injuries formerly done to you?

That ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord that by your acknowledgment of satisfaction received, the guilt and curse may be removed from the land and people of God, and by this means, as also by your prayers, God may be reconciled, and may restore his blessing of plenty to us, which hitherto he hath denied us.

Poole: 2Sa 21:4

Any man in Israel except Saul’ s family, as it here follows.

What you shall say to wit, in any reason, and as far as God’ s law will permit.

Poole: 2Sa 21:5

That we should be either killed, or banished from the land of Israel; which is as bad as death to us, because here, and here only, God is truly worshipped and enjoyed. Whereby it seems divers of them were hearty proselytes, and godly persons; and therefore God is more severe in punishing the injuries done to them. Compare 1Sa 26:19 .

Poole: 2Sa 21:6

Unto the Lord to vindicate his honour, which was injured by Saul’ s violation of the oath and covenant of God, and to appease his wrath.

In Gibeah of Saul Saul’ s country, 1Sa 10:26 11:4 , for their greater shame.

Whom the Lord did choose this is added to aggravate Saul’ s offence, that it was committed not only against them, but also against the Lord, who had chosen and advanced him, and therefore did little deserve this from Saul’ s hand, to have his laws broken, and his name dishonoured by perjury.

I will give them having doubtless consulted God in the matter, who as he had before declared Saul’ s bloody house to be the causes of this judgment, so now commanded that justice should be done upon it, and that the remaining branches of it should be cut off; as sufficiently appears from hence, that God was satisfied and well pleased with the action; which he would not have been, if David had done it without his command; for then it had been a sinful action of David’ s, and contrary to a double law of God, Deu 21:23 24:16 , which none but God himself could dispense with.

Poole: 2Sa 21:7

The king spared Mephibosheth for the Gibeonites desiring only such a number, without designing the persons, it was at David’ s choice whom to spare. Or, he prevailed with the Gibeonites that they did not demand him; and with the Lord, that he might not be one of those who were devoted to destruction.

The son of Jonathan: this is expressly added, to distinguish him from the other Mephibosheth, 2Sa 21:8 .

Poole: 2Sa 21:8

Rizpah Saul’ s concubine, 2Sa 21:11 2Sa 3:7 .

The five sons of Michal or, of Michal’ s sister, to wit, Merab; for Michal had no children, 2Sa 6:23 , nor was she married to this Adriel, but to Phalti , or Phaltiel, the son of Laish , 1Sa 25:44 2Sa 3:15 ; and Merab her sister was married to this very Adriel the Meholathite , 1Sa 18:19 . And it must be remembered, that the Hebrew language is very short, and full of ellipses or defects of words, which yet may be easily understood from the sense. Particularly relative words are oft lacking, and to be supplied; as Goliath is put for Goliath’ s brother , here, 2Sa 21:19 , and uncle for uncle’ s son , Jer 32:7,12 . Or, the sons of Merab are called the sons of Michal , to wit, by adoption; or, the near kindred and next heirs of Michal, and brought up by her; for upon that and such-like accounts the title of son is oft given in Scripture, as Gen 48:5 Exo 2:10 Deu 25:5,6 Ru 1:11,12 4:17 .

Quest. But why then are not these called the sons of Merab ?

Answ Because they were better known by their relation to Michal, who was David’ s wife, and, it may be, alive at this time, and having no children of her own, took these, and bred them up as her own; when Merab was now a more obscure person, and possibly dead many years before this.

Whom she brought up for so this Hebrew verb, which primarily and properly signifies to bear , is sometimes used, as Gen 1:23 Rth 4:17 , because the education of children is a kind of bearing of them, as requiring frequently no less care and pains than the bearing doth; whence it is that nurses are reputed as mothers, and sometimes go under that name both in sacred and profane writers. See Rth 4:16,17 ; and compare Gen 16:2 30:3 Num 11:12 Gal 4:19 .

The Meholathite of Abel-meholah in the tribe of Benjamin, Jud 7:22 ; so he is here called by way of distinction from Barzillai the Gileadite , 2Sa 19:31 .

Poole: 2Sa 21:9

He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites

Quest. How could David do this, when he had sworn that he would not cut off Saul’ s seed, 1Sa 24:21,22 ?

Answ Because he had special warrant and direction from God about it, who, as all confess, can dispense with men’ s oaths and with his own laws when he sees fit. And that he did so here is manifest, because God was pleased with it, and removed the judgment upon it; whereas otherwise David had been guilty of the same sin with Saul, to wit, of the breach of his oath and covenant, for which this famine was inflicted.

See Poole "1Sa 24:22" .

In the hill or, in a hill , in or near Gibeah; in a conspicuous place, for their greater infamy, and for the caution and terror of others who should make any attempt upon the Gibeonites for the future.

Before the Lord as a sacrifice offered up to God to appease his wrath; or, unto the Lord, as was said, 2Sa 21:6 .

They fell i.e. died; for so the word to fall is oft used, as Exo 19:21 1Ch 21:14 Psa 91:7 Jer 39:18 Hos 5:5 ; or were executed. The barley harvest was before the wheat harvest.

Poole: 2Sa 21:10

Spread it for her as a tent to dwell in; being informed that their bodies were not to be taken away speedily, as the course of the law was in other and ordinary cases, Deu 21:23 , but were to continue there until God was entreated, and did remove the present judgment. And God was herein pleased to dispense with his own law, that it might plainly appear that these were not put to death by David for politic reasons, as that he and his sons might be freed from competitors, which doubtless David’ s enemies were ready to suggest; but by God’ s special command, who was pleased to execute this judgment upon them, as partly and principally for the punishment of Saul’ s sin, so secondarily for the stablishing of David’ s throne to himself and to his seed for ever, as he had promised.

Upon the rock in some convenient place in a rock, near adjoining.

Until water dropped upon them out of heaven i.e. until they were taken down; which was not to be done till God had given rain as a sign of his favour, and a mean to remove the famine, which was caused by the want of it. To

rest on them i.e. on their carcasses.

Nor the beasts of the field from which she might preserve herself and them by divers methods.

Haydock: 2Sa 21:1

Of David, after the revolt of Seba. (Calmet) ---

House. It seems the family and chief officers of Saul, had concurred in his cruelty and unjust zeal. Hence many of them might be still living, to undergo this chastisement; and the rest of the people were guilty of some faults. (Haydock) ---

If they had been perfectly innocent, still God is the dispenser of his own gifts. He is under no obligation of sending health and peace to his creatures. The just often derive greater advantage from crosses than from prosperity. The exemplary punishment of Saul's family was a lesson to kings, and to all mankind, to teach them how they ought to observe justice and the sanctity of oaths. ---

Gabaonites; probably after the slaughter of the priests, at Nobe, 1 Kings xxii. 19. (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Sa 21:2

Amorrhites, by which name all the nations of Chanaan were frequently designated, Genesis xv. 16. (Menochius) ---

They were properly Hevites. ---

Juda. As if Josue, and all succeeding governors, had acted wrong, Exodus xxiii. 33., and Josue vi. 19. Saul ought, at least, to have consulted God. (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Sa 21:3

Atonement, to expiate the injury done to you by Saul; (Menochius) and that you may turn your curses into blessings. The ancients were convinced, that God attends to the imprecations of the innocent. (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Sa 21:4

Gold. It is supposed that David made them an offer of some. (Salien, the year before Christ 1040.) ---

Israel besides. At first they required all the progeny of Saul, nine in number, to be crucified: but, at David's request, and intimation that he had sworn to protect the sons of Jonathan, Miphiboseth and Micha, (Haydock) they were content with the death of seven. (Menochius) ---

They insisted upon the law of retaliation. (Salien) ---

The custom of delivering up criminals to be executed by the relations of the injured dead, still subsists in the East. (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Sa 21:6

Chosen. Some think it improbable that they should give Saul this title; and Castalion would substitute ber, "in the mountain," (ver. 9) instead of bechir, "anointed," a title which Junius, however, refers to David: "O thou anointed," &c. (Calmet) ---

But why might not these people recognize this character in Saul, which would make the punishment more disgraceful, as they chose the city of Saul, in preference, for the execution of his unhappy offspring? (Haydock) ---

Them, having received an order from God, lest the people might suspect that he was gratifying his private revenge. (Estius) (Josephus, [Antiquities?] vii. 10, 12.)

Haydock: 2Sa 21:8

Of Michol. They were the sons of Merob, who was married to Hadriel; but they are here called the sons of Michol, because she adopted them, and brought them up as her own: (Challoner; Chaldean; St. Jerome, Trad.) or Merob ws called Michol; (Sa) or, what seems most probable, from the word she bore being used, (Cajetan) and as two sisters would hardly have the same name, (Haydock) Micholhas crept into the text instead of Merob. (Capel; Salien; Calmet) (1 Kings xxv. 44.)

Haydock: 2Sa 21:9

Lord. The prophets had frequented this hill, 1 Kings viii. 4, 13. So the Gabaonites crucified these seven, before an ancient altar, as victims to appease God's anger, (Calmet) for the treaty with them having been violated, (Haydock) particularly after they had embraced the true religion. (Salien) (Deuteronomy x. 19.) ---

Barley, about Easter. (Menochius)

Haydock: 2Sa 21:10

Hair-cloth, to sleep on, occasionally. ---

Heaven. The famine had been caused by drought. As soon therefore as rain fell, David was assured that God was appeased. He had suffered the bodies to hang so long, for that purpose, though commonly they were to be taken down before night. (Menochius) ---

Respha is supposed, by some, to have guarded the bodies from spring till the rain fell in autumn. But the former opinion seems more plausible. We here behold the custom of watching by the bodies of the dead. See Homer, Iliad xxiii. ---

Beasts. The gibbets were formerly very low. (Calmet) ---

Thus Blandina was exposed to wild beasts. (Eusebius, Hist. v. 1.)

Gill: 2Sa 21:1

Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year,.... That is, three years running, one after another; some think this, though here related, was before the rebellions of Absalom and Sheba, and not after, and there are several things which may incline to it, as that the sin of Saul should otherwise be so long unpunished, and that the bones of Saul and Jonathan were not sooner removed, here related; and that there should be so many battles the Philistines after they were subdued, as recorded in this chapter; and in one of the Jewish ^e writings it is said, that this was the year after Saul was slain; though, in other copies of the same book, it is said to be thirty years after; and so in that Abarbinel used, and who is of the mind that what is here related stands in the order in which it was, and of the same opinion are some of our best chronologers ^f:

and David inquired of the Lord; before the high priest by Urim and Thummim, what should be the cause of the famine perhaps suspecting it was some sins of his; the first year he might take no notice of it, hoping for a more fruitful season the next year, it arising, as he might suppose, from some natural cause; the second year he might begin to think it was for some national sins, but might be remiss in his inquiry into them; but the third year he was alarmed, and concluded there was something extraordinary and special, and feared it was on his account, and this put him on making inquiry:

and the Lord answered, it is for Saul, and for his bloody house; on account of the blood shed by him and his family; which answer must in a good measure relieve the mind of David, if he was fearful it was for his sins:

because he slew the Gibeonites: which was contrary to the oath that Joshua and all Israel had given them not to slay them, but save them alive, Jos 9:15. When this was done is not certain; the Jews commonly say ^g that he slew them when he slew the priests at Nob, they being hewers of wood and drawers of water to them, and were slain with them; or because their maintenance depended on the priests, they being slain, it was in effect slaying them; but rather this refers to another time, and to other action or actions of Saul, who sought by various means to destroy these people, and root them out of the land. The Heathens had a notion that barrenness, unfruitfulness, and famine, were inflicted by God for murder. Philostratus ^h reports of the Ethiopian Indians, that for the murder of their king, Ganges, their ground was unfruitful, their cattle starved, their wives abortive, and their cities and houses fell to ruin, until the murderers were destroyed.

Gill: 2Sa 21:2

And the king called the Gibeonites,.... Sent messengers unto them, and summoned them to come to him:

and said unto them; what is expressed in 2Sa 21:3; for what follows is in a parenthesis:

(now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel; originally, though they were proselyted to the Jewish religion, and were employed in the menial services of the sanctuary:

but of the remnant of the Amorites; they were the remains of the old Canaanites, who sometimes in general were called Amorites, otherwise the Gibeonites were called Hivites; see Jos 9:7,

and the children of Israel had sworn unto them; by their princes, as Joshua; yet:

and Saul, contrary to this oath, sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah); pretending a great concern for them, for their honour and profit; that these men ought not to live in their cities, and take the bread out of their mouths, and be employed in the service of the sanctuary; but that they ought to be expelled, and even cut off, being the old inhabitants of the land, the Lord ordered to be destroyed; and that though the Israelites had given an oath to the contrary, they were drawn into it by guile and deceit, and therefore not binding upon them; hence he sought by all means to harass and oppress them, and slew many of them, and destroyed them out of their cities, that they might be possessed by Judah and Benjamin; see 2Sa 4:2, compared with Jos 9:17.

Gill: 2Sa 21:3

Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, what shall I do for you,.... By way of satisfaction for the injuries done them:

and wherewith shall I make the atonement; for the offences committed, that so the wrath that was gone forth against the land in a famine might be appeased:

that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord? pray for a blessing upon the land which the Lord had chosen for his inheritance, and given as such to the people of Israel, that rain might descend upon it, and make it fruitful.

Gill: 2Sa 21:4

And, the Gibeonites said unto him,.... In reply to his motion:

we will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; this shall not be the ransom or atonement; it was not silver and gold Saul took from them, but the lives of their brethren, and therefore they insist upon life for life:

neither for us shall thou kill any man in Israel; who were not of the house of Saul; they did not desire any man should die, but who were of that family by whom they had suffered:

and he said, what you shall say, that will I do for you; whether by inflicting pecuniary fines, or punishing with death, which latter seems to be what they suggested, and afterwards insisted on; whatever, according to law and justice, was required, he was ready to do it for them.

Gill: 2Sa 21:5

And they answered the king,.... Declaring expressly what they would have done: the man that consumed us; meaning Saul, who lessened their number by cruel oppressions of some, and by taking away the lives of others:

and that devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel; who had formed schemes, and published edicts, for banishing them out of the land; perhaps at the same time that he put away wizards and those that had familiar spirits out of the land, under the same pretence for zeal for the glory of God, and the good of the people of the land, 1Sa 28:3.

Gill: 2Sa 21:6

Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us,.... They settled upon this number, either because they were seven, and no more of the Gibeonites, whom Saul slew, as the Jew say ⁱ; two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a keeper (of a synagogue), a scribe, and a servant; but perhaps the true reason was, they knew there were no more besides Mephibosheth, for whom David had a great respect, and therefore required no more:

and we will hang them up unto the Lord; not to gratify a revengeful spirit of theirs, but in honour to the justice of God, and to appease his wrath:

in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did choose; which was Saul's native place, and where he always lived; so that to hang them there was to the greater disgrace of him and his family; and he being chosen of the Lord to be a king of Israel, was an aggravation of his crime in violating the oath made to the Gibeonites

and the king said, I will give them; for though he had sworn to Saul that he would not cut off his seed, yet as he had a divine direction in this case, as appears by the Lord's being pleased with it, and was entreated for the land by it, this oath of his was dispensed with; nor did he cut them off himself but delivered them to others, according to the will of God.

Gill: 2Sa 21:7

But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul,.... As they did not name particular persons, only required seven sons, it was at the option of the king what sons to deliver to them, and therefore kept back Mephibosheth, who is thus described, to distinguish him from a son of Saul's of the same name, after mentioned:

because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul; not merely or only out of affection to Mephibosheth, but because of the oath, that he might not be guilty of the same crime Saul was in slaying the Gibeonites.

Gill: 2Sa 21:8

But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah,.... Saul's concubine, 2Sa 3:7,

whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; of whom we read nowhere else; after the name of the latter, it is probable, Jonathan's son was called, before mentioned:

and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; Michal had no children to the day of her death, nor was she the wife of Adriel, but Merab her sister, 1Sa 18:19; wherefore these sons were not whom she "bare", as the word used signifies, but, as we rightly render it, whom she "brought up" or educated, so the Targum, her sister being dead; and so the Jews say ^k, Merab brought them forth, and Michal brought them up, therefore they were called by her name; or the words may be supplied thus, "and the five sons of the sister of Michal", and, as in 2Sa 21:19, is supplied, " the brother of Goliath". Barzillai is here called the Meholathite, to distinguish him from Barzillai the Gileadite, spoken of in a former chapter, see 2Sa 17:27.

Gill: 2Sa 21:9

And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites,.... The two sons of Rizpah and the five sons of Merab, two sons of Saul and five grandsons:

and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord; in the hill at Gibeah, that they might be seen by all that passed by, and serve to deter from such evils, which brought on them that punishment; gibbetings or crucifixions were commonly made on hills and mountains ^l: the phrase, "before the Lord", is either the same as "unto the Lord", 2Sa 21:6; to make atonement to the Lord, and in his sight; or it denotes that it was done publicly before the sun, and in the sight of it; for it cannot mean before the ark, the symbol of the divine Presence, for that was not there:

and they fell all seven together; they were hanged together, and died at one and the same time:

and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest; which began at the passover, the morrow after the first day of the feast, Lev 23:10; which was the sixteenth of Nisan, on which day, the Jews say ^m, these men were hanged, and which must be about the beginning of our April.

Gill: 2Sa 21:10

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth,.... Both as a token of mourning for her sons, and as fittest to defend from the weather, the heat by day of cold by night:

and spread it for her upon the rock; the hill on which her sons were hanged; this she spread as a canopy or tent to sit under, and be covered with it; not to cover the bodies with it, but herself, and where she sat to mourn the loss of her sons, and to watch their bodies, that they might not be devoured by birds and breasts of prey, as after observed: and here she sat

from the beginning of harvest until water dropped on them out of heaven; that is, as the Jews say ⁿ, from the sixteenth of Nisan, when barley harvest began, to the seventeenth of Marchesvan, when the former rain fell; that is, from the beginning of April to the beginning of October: but it is not likely that she continued so long watching the bodies, nor would there be any need of it to keep the birds and beasts from them; for after they had hung so many months, there would be nothing left for them; but rather the meaning is, that she continued there until it pleased God to send rain from heaven, which had been restrained, and a famine came upon it, because of the ill usage of the Gibeonites: and very probably the order from the king was, that the bodies should hang till rain came, that it might be observed what was the reason of their suffering; and no doubt Rizpah sat there praying that rain might come, and which, as Abarbinel thinks, came in a few days after, though not usual in summertime; but this was an extraordinary case, as in 1Sa 12:17; and was done to show the Lord was entreated for the land; and so Josephus says ^o, that upon the hanging up of these men, God caused it to rain immediately, and restored the earth to its former fruitfulness. According to the law in Deu 21:22, the bodies should have been taken down and buried the same day: but these men suffered not for their own personal, sins, but for the sins of others, and to avert a public calamity, and therefore must hang till that was removed; nor were they executed by men bound by that law; and besides their continuing on the tree was according to the will of God, till he was entreated, who could dispense with this law; to which may be added, the ceremonial and judicial laws, of which this was one, gave place to those of a moral nature ^p, as this did to that of sanctifying the name of God in a public manner; hence the saying of one of the Rabbins upon this ^q, which is by many wrongly expressed,"it is better that one letter should be rooted out of the law, than that the name of God should not be sanctified openly;''that is, a lesser precept give way to a greater, or a ceremonial precept to a moral one, such as the sanctification of the name of God is:

and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day; as it is usual for crows ^r and ravens, and such sort of birds, to light on bodies thus hung up, and pick their flesh:

nor the beasts of the field by night; for it seems it was usual to make the gibbets, and so in some other nations the crosses, so low, that wild beasts could easily come at the bodies and devour them; so Blandina was hung upon a tree so low, that she might be exposed to the wild beasts to feed upon her, but not one of them would touch her body ^s; now Rizpah, by her servants, had ways and means to frighten away the birds, and beasts from doing any injury to the carcasses.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:1

¹ tn Heb “sought the face of the Lord.”

² tn Heb “and the house of bloodshed.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:2

¹ tn Heb “swore an oath to.”

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:3

¹ tn After the preceding imperfect verbal form, the subordinated imperative indicates purpose/result. S. R. Driver comments, “…the imper. is used instead of the more normal voluntative, for the purpose of expressing with somewhat greater force the intention of the previous verb” (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 350).

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:4

¹ tc The translation follows the Qere and several medieval Hebrew mss in reading לָנוּ (lanu, “to us”) rather than the MT לִי (li, “to me”). But for a contrary opinion see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 53, 350.

² tn Heb “house.”

³ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:6

¹ tn The exact nature of this execution is not altogether clear. The verb יָקַע (yaqa’) basically means “to dislocate” or “alienate.” In Gen 32:26 it is used of the dislocation of Jacob’s thigh. Figuratively it can refer to the removal of an individual from a group (e.g., Jer 6:8; Ezek 23:17) or to a type of punishment the specific identity of which is uncertain (e.g., here and Num 25:4); cf. NAB “dismember them”; NIV “to be killed and exposed.”

² tc The LXX reads “at Gibeon on the mountain of the Lord” (cf. 21:9). The present translation follows the MT, although a number of recent English translations follow the LXX reading here (e.g., NAB, NRSV, NLT).

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:8

¹ tc The MT reads “Michal” here, but two Hebrew manuscripts read “Merab,” along with some LXX manuscripts. Cf. 1 Sam 18:19.

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:9

¹ tc The translation follows the Qere and several medieval Hebrew mss in reading שְׁבַעְתָּם (shÿva’tam, “the seven of them”) rather than MT שִׁבַעְתִּים (shiva’tim, “seventy”).

² tn Heb “fell.”

³ tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading בִּתְחִלַּת (bithkhillat, “in the beginning”) rather than MT תְחִלַּת (tÿkhillat, “beginning of”).

NET Notes: 2Sa 21:10

¹ tn Heb “until water was poured on them from the sky.”

² tn Heb “rest.”

³ tn Heb “the beasts of the field.”

Geneva Bible: 2Sa 21:1

Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the ^{( a )} Gibeonites.

^{( a )} Thinking to gratify the people, because these were not of the seed of Abraham.

Geneva Bible: 2Sa 21:3

Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, ^{( b )} What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?

^{( b )} With what may your wrath be appeased, that you may pray to God to remove this plague from his people.

Geneva Bible: 2Sa 21:4

And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill ^{( c )} any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, [that] will I do for you.

^{( c )} Save only of Saul's stock.

Geneva Bible: 2Sa 21:6

Let seven men of his ^{( d )} sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up ^{( e )} unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, [whom] the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give [them].

^{( d )} Of Saul's kinsmen.

^{( e )} To pacify the Lord.

Geneva Bible: 2Sa 21:8

But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of ^{( f )} Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

^{( f )} Here Michal is named for Merab Adriel's wife, as it appears in (1Sa 18:19) for Michal was the wife of Paltiel, (1Sa 25:44) and never had a child (2Sa 6:23).

Geneva Bible: 2Sa 21:9

And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell [all] seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the ^{( g )} first [days], in the beginning of barley harvest.

^{( g )} Which was in the month Abib or Nisan which contained part of March and part of April.

Geneva Bible: 2Sa 21:10

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took ^{( h )} sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until ^{( i )} water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

^{( h )} To make her a tent in which she prayed to God to turn away his wrath.

^{( i )} Because drought was the cause of this famine, God by sending rain showed that he was pacified.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2Sa 21:1-22

1 The three years' famine for the Gibeonites ceases, by hanging seven of Saul's sons.

10 Rizpah's kindness unto the dead.

12 David buries the bones of Saul and Jonathan in his father's sepulchre.

15 Four battles against the Philistines, wherein four valiants of David slay four giants.

MHCC: 2Sa 21:1-9

Every affliction arises from sin, and should lead us to repent and humble ourselves before God; but some troubles especially show that they are sent to bring sin to remembrance. God's judgments often look a great way back, which requires us to do so, when we are under his rebukes. It is not for us to object against the people's smarting for the sin of their king; perhaps they helped him. Nor against this generation suffering for the sin of the last. God often visits the sins of the fathers upon the children, and he gives no account of any matters. Time does not wear out the guilt of sin; nor can we build hopes of escape upon the delay of judgments. If we cannot understand all the reasons of Providence in this matter, still we have no right to demand that God should acquaint us with those reasons. It must be right, because it is the will of God, and in the end it will be proved to be so. Money is no satisfaction for blood. It should seem, Saul's posterity trod in his steps, for it is called a bloody house. It was the spirit of the family, therefore they are justly reckoned with for his sin, as well as for their own. The Gibeonites did not require this out of malice against Saul or his family. It was not to gratify any revenge, but for the public good. They were put to death at the beginning of harvest; they were thus sacrificed to turn away the wrath of Almighty God, who had withheld the harvest-mercies for some years past, and to obtain his favour in the present harvest. In vain do we expect mercy from God, unless we do justice upon our sins. Executions must not be thought cruel, which are for the public welfare.

MHCC: 2Sa 21:10-14

That a guilty land should enjoy many years of plenty, calls for gratitude; and we need not wonder misused abundance should be punished with scarcity; yet how few are disposed to ask of the Lord concerning the sinful cause, while numbers search for the second causes by which he is pleased to work! But the Lord will plead the cause of those who cannot or will not avenge themselves; and the prayers of the poor are of great power. When God sent rain to water the earth, these bodies were buried, for then it appeared that God was entreated for the land. When justice is done on earth, vengeance from heaven ceases. God is pacified, and is entreated for us through Christ, who was hanged on a tree, and so made a curse for us, to do away our guilt, though he was himself guiltless.

Matthew Henry: 2Sa 21:1-9

Here I. Were are told of the injury which Saul had, long before this, done to the Gibeonites, which we had no account of in the history of his reign, nor should we have heard of it here but that it came now to be reckoned for. The Gibeonites were of the remnant of the Amorites (2Sa 21:2), who by a stratagem had made peace with Israel, and had the public faith pledged to them by Joshua for their safety. We had the story Jos. 9, where it was agreed (v. 23) that they should have their lives secured, but be deprived of their lands and liberties, that they and theirs should be tenants in villanage to Israel. It does not appear that they had broken their part of the covenant, either by denying their service or attempting to recover their lands or liberties; nor was this pretended; but Saul, under colour of zeal for the honour of Israel, that it might not be said that they had any of the natives among them, aimed to root them out, and, in order to that, slew many of them. Thus he would seem wiser than his predecessors the judges, and more zealous for the public interest; and perhaps he designed it for an instance of his royal prerogative and the power which as king he assumed to rescind the former acts of government and to disannul the most solemn leagues. It may be, he designed, by this severity towards the Gibeonites, to atone for his clemency towards the Amalekites. Some conjecture that he sought to cut off the Gibeonites at the same time when he put away the witches (1Sa 28:3), or perhaps many of them were remarkably pious, and he sought to destroy them when he slew the priests their masters. That which made this an exceedingly sinful sin was that he not only shed innocent blood, but therein violated the solemn oath by which the nation was bound to protect them. See what brought ruin on Saul's house: it was a bloody house.

II. We find the nation of Israel chastised with a sore famine, long after, for this sin of Saul. Observe, 1. Even in the land of Israel, that fruitful land, and in the reign of David, that glorious reign, there was a famine, not extreme (for then notice would sooner have been taken of it and enquiry made into the cause of it), but great drought, and scarcity of provisions, the consequence of it, for three years together. If corn miss one year, commonly the next makes up the deficiency; but, if it miss three years successively, it will be a sore judgment; and the man of wisdom will by it hear God's voice crying to the country to repent of the abuse of plenty. 2. David enquired of God concerning it. Though he was himself a prophet, he must consult the oracle, and know God's mind in his own appointed way. Note, When we are under God's judgments we ought to enquire into the grounds of the controversy. Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me. It is strange that David did not sooner consult the oracle, not till the third year; but perhaps, till then, he apprehended it not to be an extraordinary judgment for some particular sin. Even good men are often slack and remiss in doing their duty. We continue in ignorance, and under mistake, because we delay to enquire. 3. God was ready in his answer, though David was slow in his enquiries: It is for Saul. Note, God's judgments often look a great way back, which obliges us to do so when we are under his rebukes. It is not for us to object against the people's smarting for the sin of their king (perhaps they were aiding and abetting), nor against this generation's suffering for the sin of the last God often visiteth the sins of the fathers upon the children, and his judgments are a great deep. He gives not account of any of his matters. Time does not wear out the guilt of sin; nor can we build hopes of impunity upon the delay of judgments. There is no statute of limitation to be pleaded against God's demands. Nullum tempus occurrit Deo - God may punish when he pleases.

III. We have vengeance taken upon the house of Saul for the turning away of God's wrath from the land, which, at present, smarted for his sin.

1. David, probably by divine direction, referred it to the Gibeonites themselves to prescribe what satisfaction should be given them for the wrong that had been done them, 2Sa 21:3. They had many years remained silent, had not appealed to David, nor given the kingdom any disturbance with their complaints or demands; and now, at length, God speaks for them ( I heard not, for thou wilt hear, Psa 38:14, Psa 38:15); and they are recompensed for their patience with this honour, that they are made judges in their own case, and have a blank given them to write their demands on: What you shall say, that will I do (2Sa 21:4), that atonement may be made, and that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord, 2Sa 21:3. It is sad for any family or nation to have the prayers of oppressed innocency against them, and therefore the expense of a just restitution is well bestowed for the retrieving of the blessing of those that were ready to perish, Job 29:13. "My servant Job, whom you have wronged, shall pray for you,"says God, "and then I will be reconciled to you, and not till then."Those understand not themselves that value not the prayers of the poor and despised.

2. They desired that seven of Saul's posterity might be put to death, and David granted their demand. (1.) They required no silver, nor gold, 2Sa 21:4. Note, Money is no satisfaction for blood, see Num 35:31-33. It is the ancient law that blood calls for blood (Gen 9:6); and those over-value money and under-value life, that sell the blood of their relations for corruptible things, such as silver and gold. The Gibeonites had now a fair opportunity to get a discharge from their servitude, in compensation for the wrong done them, according to the equity of that law (Exo 21:26), If a man strike out his servant's eye, he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. But they did not insist on this; though the covenant was broken on the other side, it should not be broken on theirs. They were Nethinim, given to God and his people Israel, and they would not seem weary of the service. (2.) They required no lives but of Saul's family. He had done them the wrong, and therefore his children must pay for it. We sue the heirs for the parents' debts. Men may not extend this principle so far as life, Deu 24:16. The children in an ordinary course of law, shall never be put to death for the parents. But this case of the Gibeonites was altogether extraordinary. God had made himself an immediate party to the cause and no doubt put it into the heart of the Gibeonites to make this demand, for he owned what was done (2Sa 21:14), and his judgments are not subject to the rules which men's judgments must be subject to. Let parents take heed of sin, especially the sin of cruelty and oppression, for their poor children's sake, who may be smarting for it by the just hand of God when they themselves are in their graves. Guilt and a curse are a bad entail upon a family. It should seem, Saul's posterity trod in his steps, for it is called a bloody house; it was the spirit of the family, and therefore they are justly reckoned with for his sin, as well as for their own. (3.) They would not impose it upon David to do this execution: Thou shalt not for us kill any man (2Sa 21:4), but we will do it ourselves, we will hang them up unto the Lord (2Sa 21:6), that if there were any hardship in it, they might bear the blame, and not David or his house. By our old law, if a murderer had judgment given against him upon an appeal, the relations that appealed had the executing of him. (4.) They did not require this out of malice against Saul or his family (had they been revengeful, they would have moved it themselves long before), but out of love to the people of Israel, whom they saw plagued for the injury done to them: " We will hang them up unto the Lord (2Sa 21:6), to satisfy his justice, not to gratify any revenge of our own - for the good of the public, not for our own reputation."(5.) The nomination of the persons they left to David, who took care to secure Mephibosheth for Jonathan's sake, that, while he was avenging the breach of one oath, he might not himself break another (2Sa 21:7); but he delivered up two of Saul's sons whom he had by a concubine, and five of his grandsons, whom his daughter Merab bore to Adriel (1Sa 18:19), but his daughter Michal brought up, 2Sa 21:8. Now Saul's treachery was punished, in giving Merab to Adriel, when he had promised her to David, with a design to provoke him. "It is a dangerous matter,"says bishop Hall upon this, "to offer injury to any of God's faithful ones; if their meekness have easily remitted it, their God will not pass it over without a severe retribution, though it may be long first."(6.) The place, time, and manner, of their execution, all added to the solemnity of their being sacrificed to divine justice. [1.] They were hanged up, as anathemas, under a peculiar mark of God's displeasure; for the law had said, He that is hanged is accursed of God, Deu 21:23; Gal 3:13. Christ being made a curse for us, and dying to satisfy for our sins and to turn away the wrath of God, became obedient to this ignominious death. [2.] They were hanged up in Gibeah of Saul (2Sa 21:6), to show that it was for his sin that they died. They were hanged, as it were, before their own door, to expiate the guilt of the house of Saul; and thus God accomplished the ruin of that family, for the blood of the priests, and their families, which, doubtless, now came in remembrance before God, and inquisition was made for it, Psa 9:12. Yet the blood of the Gibeonites only is mentioned, because that was shed in violation of a sacred oath, which, though sworn long before, though obtained by a wile, and the promise made to Canaanites, yet is thus severely reckoned for. The despising of the oath, and breaking of the covenant, will be recompensed on the head of those who thus profane God's sacred name, Eze 17:18, Eze 17:19. And thus God would show that with him rich and poor meet together. Even royal blood must go to atone for the blood of the Gibeonites, who were but the vassals for the congregation. [3.] They were put to death in the days of harvest (2Sa 21:9), at the beginning of harvest (2Sa 21:10), to show that they were thus sacrificed for the turning sway of that wrath of God which had withheld from them their harvest-mercies for some years past, and to obtain his favour in the present harvest. Thus there is no way of appeasing God's anger but by mortifying and crucifying our lusts and corruptions. In vain do we expect mercy from God, unless we do justice upon our sins. Those executions must not be complained of as cruel which have become necessary to the public welfare. Better that seven of Saul's bloody house be hanged than that all Israel be famished.

Matthew Henry: 2Sa 21:10-14

Here we have, I. Saul's sons not only hanged, but hanged in chains, their dead bodies left hanging, and exposed, till the judgment ceased, which their death was to turn away, by the sending of rain upon the land. They died as sacrifices, and thus they were, in a manner, offered up, not consumed all at once by fire, but gradually by the air. They died as anathemas, and by this ignominious usage they were represented as execrable, because iniquity was laid upon them. When our blessed Saviour was made sin for us he was made a curse for us. But how shall we reconcile this with the law which expressly required that those who were hanged should be buried on the same day? Deu 21:23. One of the Jewish rabbin wishes this passage of story expunged, that the name of God might be sanctified, which, he thinks, is dishonoured by his acceptance of that which was a violation of his law: but this was an extraordinary case, and did not fall within that law; nay, the very reason for that law is a reason for this exception. he that is thus left hanged is accursed; therefore ordinary malefactors must not be so abused; but therefore these must, because they were sacrificed, not to the justice of the nation, but for the crime of the nation (no less a crime than the violation of the public faith) and for the deliverance of the nation from no less a judgment than a general famine. Being thus made as the off-scouring of all things, they were made a spectacle to the world (1Co 4:9, 1Co 4:13), God appointing, or at least allowing it.

II. Their dead bodies watched by Rizpah, the mother of two of them, 2Sa 21:10. It was a great affliction to her, now in her old age, to see her two sons, who, we may suppose, had been a comfort to her, and were likely to be the support of her declining years, cut off in this dreadful manner. None know what sorrows they are reserved for. She may not see them decently interred, but they shall be decently attended. She attempts not to violate the sentence passed upon them, that they should hang there till God sent rain; she neither steals nor forces away their dead bodies, though the divine law might have been cited to bear her out; but she patiently submits, pitches a tent of sackcloth near the gibbets, where, with her servants and friends, she protects the dead bodies from birds and beasts of prey. Thus, 1. She indulged her grief, as mourners are too apt to do, to no good purpose. When sorrow, in such cases, is in danger of growing excessive, we should rather study how to divert and pacify it than how to humour and gratify it. Why should we thus harden ourselves in sorrow? 2. She testified her love. Thus she let the world know that her sons died, not for any sin of their own, not as stubborn and rebellious sons, whose eye had despised to obey their mother; if that had been the case, she would have suffered the ravens of the valley to pick it out and the young eagles to eat it, Pro 30:17. But they died for their father's sin and therefore her mind could not be alienated from them by their hard fate. Though there is not remedy, but they must die, yet they shall die pitied and lamented.

III. The solemn interment of their dead bodies, with the bones of Saul and Jonathan, in the burying-place of their family. David was so far from being displeased at what Rizpah had done that he was himself stirred up by it to do honour to the house of Saul, and to these branches of it among the rest; thus it appeared that it was not out of any personal disgust to the family that he delivered them up, and that he had not desired the woeful day, but that he was obliged to do it for the public good. 1. He now bethought himself of removing the bodies of Saul and Jonathan from the place where the men of Jabesh-Gilead had decently, but privately and obscurely, interred them, under a tree, 1Sa 31:12, 1Sa 31:13. Though the shield of Saul was vilely cast away, as if he had not been anointed with oil, yet let not royal dust be lost in the graves of the common people. Humanity obliges us to respect human bodies, especially of the great and good, in consideration both of what they have been and what they are to be. 2. With them he buried the bodies of those that were hanged; for, when God's anger was turned away, they were no longer to be looked upon as a curse, 2Sa 21:13, 2Sa 21:14. When water dropped upon them out of heaven (2Sa 21:10), that is, when God sent rain to water the earth (which perhaps was not many days after they were hung up), then they were taken down, for then it appeared that God was entreated for the land. When justice is done on earth vengeance from heaven ceases. Through Christ, who was hanged on a tree and so made a curse for us, to expiate our guilt (though he was himself guiltless), God is pacified, and is entreated for us: and it is said (Act 13:29) that when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, in token of the completeness of the sacrifice and of God's acceptance of it, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulchre.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Sa 21:1-14

Three Years' Famine. - A three years' famine in the land, the occasion of which, as Jehovah declared to the king, was Saul's crime with regard to the Gibeonites, was expiated by David's delivering up to the Gibeonites, at their own request, seven of Saul's descendants, who were then hung by them upon a mountain before Jehovah. This occurrence certainly did not take place in the closing years of David's reign; on the other hand, it is evident from the remark in 2Sa 21:7, to the effect that Mephibosheth was spared, that it happened after David had received tidings of Mephibosheth, and had taken him to his own table (2Sa 9:1-13). This is mentioned here as a practical illustration, on the one hand of the manner in which Jehovah visited upon the house of Saul, even after the death of Saul himself, a crime which had been committed by him; and, on the other hand, of the way in which, even in such a case as this, when David had been obliged to sacrifice the descendants of Saul to expiate the guilt of their father, he showed his tenderness towards him by the honourable burial of their bones.

2Sa 21:1-6

A famine, which lasted for three successive years, induced David to seek the face of Jehovah, i.e., to approach God in prayer and ask the cause of this judgment which had fallen upon the land. The Lord replied, "Because of Saul, and because of the house of blood-guiltiness, because he hath slain the Gibeonites."The expression "because of the house of blood-guiltiness"is in apposition to "Saul,"and determines the meaning more precisely: "because of Saul, and indeed because of the blood-guiltiness which rests upon his house." הדּמים בּית signifies the house upon which blood that had been shed still rested as guilt, like הדּמים עיר in Eze 22:2; Eze 24:6, Eze 24:9, and דּמים אישׁ in Psa 5:7; Psa 27:9, etc. Nothing further is known about the fact itself. It is simply evident from the words of the Gibeonites in 2Sa 21:5, that Saul, in his pretended zeal for the children of Israel, had smitten the Gibeonites, i.e., had put them to death. Probably some dissatisfaction with them had furnished Saul with a pretext for exterminating these Amoritish heathen from the midst of the people of God.

2Sa 21:2-3

In consequence of this answer from God, which merely indicated in a general manner the cause of the visitation that had come upon the land, David sent for the Gibeonites to ask them concerning the wrong that had been done them by Saul. But before the historian communicates their answer, he introduces an explanation respecting the Gibeonites, to the effect that they were not Israelites, but remnants of the Amorites, to whom Joshua had promised on oath that their lives should be preserved (vid., Jos 9:3.). They are called Hivites in the book of Joshua (Jos 9:7); whereas here they are designated Amorites , according to the more general name which is frequently used as comprehending all the tribes of Canaan (see at Gen 10:16 and Gen 15:16). David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you, and wherewith shall I expiate"(sc., the wrong done you), "that ye may bless the inheritance (i.e., the nation) of Jehovah?"On the use of the imperative וּברכוּ to denote the certain consequences, see Ewald , §347.

2Sa 21:4-5

The Gibeonites answered, "I have not to do with silver and gold concerning Saul and his house"( lit . it is not, does not stand, to me at silver and gold with Saul and his house), i.e., I have no money to demand of Saul, require no pecuniary payment as compensation for the blood which he shed among us (vid., Num 35:31). The Chethib לי is not to be touched, notwithstanding the לנוּ which follows. The use of the singular may be explained on the simple ground that the speaker thought of the Gibeonites as a corporation. "And it does not pertain to us to put any one to death in Israel"(sc., of our own accord). When David inquired still further, "What do you mean, then, that I should do to you?"they replied, "(As for) the man who consumed us, and who thought against us, that we should be destroyed ( נשׁמדנוּ without כּי , subordinately to דּמּה , like אעשׂה in the previous verse), so as not to continue in the whole of the territory of Israel, let seven men of his sons be given us, that we may crucify them to Jehovah at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah." וגו אשׁר אישׁ is placed at the head absolutely (cf. Gesenius , §145, 2). On crucifixion as a capital punishment, see at Num 25:4, where it has already been observed that criminals were not impaled or fastened to the cross alive, but were first of all put to death. Consequently the Gibeonites desired that the massacre, which had taken place among them by the command of Saul, should be expiated by the execution of a number of his sons - blood for blood, according to Num 35:31. They asked for the crucifixion for Jehovah, i.e., that the persons executed might be impaled, as a public exhibition of the punishment inflicted, before the face of the Lord (vid., 2Sa 21:9), as the satisfaction required to expiate His wrath. Seven was a sacred number, denoting the performance of a work of God. This was to take place in Gibeah, the home and capital of Saul, who had brought the wrath of God upon the land through his crime. There is a sacred irony in the epithet applied to Saul, "chosen of the Lord."If Saul was the chosen of Jehovah, his actions ought to have been in accordance with his divine election.

2Sa 21:6-10

David granted the request, because, according to the law in Num 35:33, blood-guiltiness when resting upon the land could only be expiated by the blood of the criminal; but in delivering up the members of Saul's house for whom they asked, he spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, for the sake of the bond of friendship which he had formed with Jonathan on oath (1Sa 18:3; 1Sa 20:8, 1Sa 20:16), and gave up to the Gibeonites two sons of Rizpah, a concubine of Saul (vid., 2Sa 21:11 and 2Sa 3:7), and five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel of Meholah. The name of Michal , which stands in the text, is founded upon an error of memory or a copyist's mistake; for it was not Michal, but Merab , Saul's eldest daughter, who was given to Adriel the Meholathite as his wife (1Sa 18:19). The Gibeonites crucified those who were delivered up to them upon the mountain at Gibeah before Jehovah (see the remarks on 2Sa 21:6). "Thus fell seven at once." The Chethib שׁבעתים , at which the Masoretes took such offence that they wanted to change it into שׁבעתּם , is defended by Böttcher very properly, on the ground that the dual of the numeral denotes what is uniformly repeated as if by pairing; so that here it expresses what was extraordinary in the even tin a more pictorial manner than the Keri: "They fell sevenfold at once,"i.e., seven in the same way. The further remark, "they were slain in the first days of harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest,"belongs to what follows, for which it prepares the way. The two Keris , והמּה for והם , and בּתחלּת for תּחלּת , are needless emendations. תּחלּת is an adverbial accusative (vid., Ges. §118, 2). The harvest began with the barley harvest, about the middle of Nisan, our April.

2Sa 21:10

And Rizpah took sackcloth, i.e., the coarse hairy cloth that was worn as mourning, and spread it out for herself by the rock - not as a tent, as Clericus supposes, still less as a covering over the corpses of those who had been executed, according to the exegetical handbook, but for a bed - " from the beginning of the harvest till water was poured out upon them (the crucified) from heaven ,"i.e., till rain came as a sign that the plague of drought that had rested upon the land was appeased; after which the corpses could be openly taken down from the stakes and buried, - a fact which is passed over in the account before us, where only the principal points are given. This is the explanation which Josephus has correctly adopted; but his assumption that the rain fell at once, and before the ordinary early rain, has no foundation in the text of the Bible. "And suffered not the birds of heaven to settle upon the corpses by day, or the wild beasts by night."Leaving corpses without burial, to be consumed by birds of prey and wild beasts, was regarded as the greatest ignominy that could befal the dead (see at 1Sa 17:44). According to Deu 21:22-23, persons executed were not to remain hanging through the night upon the stake, but to be buried before evening. This law, however, had no application whatever to the case before us, where the expiation of guilt that rested upon the whole land was concerned. In this instance the expiatory sacrifices were to remain exposed before Jehovah, till the cessation of the plague showed that His wrath had been appeased.

2Sa 21:11-14

When this touching care of Rizpah for the dead was told to David, he took care that the bones of the whole of the fallen royal house should be buried in the burial-place of Saul's family. He therefore sent for the bones of Saul and Jonathan, which the men of Jabesh had taken away secretly from the wall of Beisan, where the Philistines had fastened the bodies, and which had been buried in Jabesh (1Sa 31:10.), and had the bones of the sons and grandsons of Saul who had been crucified at Gibeah collected together, and interred all these bones at Zela in the land of Benjamin, in the family grave of Kish the father of Saul. גּנּב , to take away secretly. בּית־שׁן מּרחב , from the market-place of Bethshan, does not present any contradiction to the statement in 1Sa 31:10, that the Philistines fastened the body to the wall of Bethshan, as the rechob or market-place in eastern towns is not in the middle of the town, but is an open place against or in front of the gate (cf. 2Ch 32:6; Neh 8:1, Neh 8:3,Neh 8:16). This place, as the common meeting-place of the citizens, was the most suitable spot that the Philistines could find for fastening the bodies to the wall. The Chethib תּלוּם is the true Hebrew form from תּלה , whereas the Keri תּלאוּם is a formation resembling the Aramaean (cf. Ewald, §252, a .). The Keri פלשׁתּים שׁמּה is correct, however, as פלשׁתּים , being a proper name, does not take any article. In הכּות בּיום the literal meaning of יום (day) must not be strictly pressed, but the expression is to be taken in the sense of "at the time of the smiting;"for the hanging up of the bodies did not take place till the day after the battle (1Sa 31:8.). - In 2Sa 21:14 the account is abridged, and the bones of the crucified persons are not mentioned again. The situation of Zela is unknown (see at Jos 18:28). After this had been carried out in accordance with the king's command, God suffered himself to be entreated for the land, so that the famine ceased.

Constable: 2Sa 21:1--24:25

VII. SUMMARY ILLUSTRATIONS chs. 21--24

The last major section of the Book of Samuel (2 Sam. 21-24) consists of six separate pericopes that together constitute a conclusion to the whole book (cf. Judg. 17-21). Each pericope emphasizes the theological message of the book.²⁹¹

". . . the final four chapters, far from being a clumsy appendix, offer a highly reflective, theological interpretation of David's whole career adumbrating the messianic hope."²⁹²

The structure of this section too is chiastic.

"A. The Lord's Wrath Against Israel (21:1-14)

B. David's Heroes (21:15-22)

C. David's Song of Praise (22:1-51)

C'. David's Last Words (23:1-7)

B'. David's Mighty Men (23:8-39)

A'. The Lord's Wrath Against Israel (24:1-25)"²⁹³

Constable: 2Sa 21:1-14

A. Famine from Saul's Sin 21:1-14

In the first section (21:1-14), the writer reminds us that breaking covenants results in God withdrawing the blessing of fertility.

Constable: 2Sa 21:1-6

1. Saul's broken treaty with the Gibeonites 21:1-6

Internal references in 2 Samuel enable us to date this incident early in David's reign between Mephibosheth's arrival in Jerusalem and the beginning of the Ammonite wars. Probably God sent judgment on Israel for Saul's action soon after he died. Saul's concubine watched over the bodies of her slain sons until the famine ended. If this took place later in David's reign, she would have been very old. This is possible but unlikely. Also, David buried the bodies of Saul and Jonathan at this time. He would hardly have done this years later. The fact that David did not execute Mephibosheth suggests that this son of Jonathan had come under David's protection by this time. That took place after David moved his capital to Jerusalem. After the Ammonite wars began, David might not have had time for what the writer described here. Consequently a date of about 996-993 B.C. for this famine seems reasonable.

Characteristically David sought the Lord about the famine (v. 1; cf. Deut. 28:47-48). Sometimes natural catastrophes such as famines resulted from Israel's sins, but sin was not always the cause (cf. Job; John 9:2-3). There is no mention elsewhere in Samuel that Saul had broken the Israelites' treaty with the Gibeonites (cf. Josh. 9:3-27).²⁹⁴ David asked the Gibeonites what punishment would satisfy them and atone for (cover) Saul's sin of murder.

"Since the verb kipper ["atonement"] is used absolutely here, it is impossible to say from the construction alone whether it means to propitiate or to expiate. From the context, however, it is clear that it means both. David is seeking both to satisfy the Gibeonites and to make up for' the wrong done to them. It is equally clear that he cannot achieve the latter with the former. There is no expiation [removal] without propitiation [satisfaction]."²⁹⁵

"The inheritance of the Lord" probably refers to the nation of Israel (cf. 20:19). The Gibeonites were content to have seven (a number symbolizing completeness) of Saul's descendants (not necessarily sons) executed. This was in keeping with ancient Near Eastern and Mosaic law (the lex talionis or law of revenge, Num. 35:31).²⁹⁶ The Hebrew word translated "hang" (v. 6) means to execute in a way that the body suffers public humiliation (cf. Num. 25:4). Probably they suffered execution and then their bodies were hung up as a testimony to their offense.

Constable: 2Sa 21:7-9

2. David's justice and mercy 21:7-9

David showed himself to be a true son of Yahweh by keeping his covenant with Jonathan and by sparing Mephibosheth (cf. v. 2; 1 Sam. 18:3; 20:8, 16). However, he followed God's Law and executed seven of Saul's descendants including another Mephibosheth, Saul's son (v. 8). "Merab" (v. 8) is the correct name of another of Rizpah's sons. "Michal," the name that appears in the AV, is probably a scribal error.²⁹⁷ David could justly slay Saul's descendants if they had had a part in the execution of the Gibeonites. This seems to have been the case (v. 1; cf. Ezek. 18:4, 20). The execution took place in Gibeah, Saul's former home and capital, which was on a hill ("mountain," v. 9) of Benjamin. The barley harvest began in late March or early April when the feast of Passover took place. Since Passover memorialized the Israelites' liberation from oppression in Egypt this was an appropriate time for this event. By getting things right with the Gibeonites David brought Israel out from under God's oppression that Saul's sin had caused.

Constable: 2Sa 21:10-14

3. David's honoring of Saul and Jonathan 21:10-14

The writer did not mention how much time elapsed between the execution of Saul's descendants and the coming of rain.

"Leaving corpses without burial, to be consumed by birds of prey and wild beasts, was regarded as the greatest ignominy that could befall the dead . . ."²⁹⁸

David's action ended the famine, and God again blessed Israel with rain and fertility. David also proceeded to give Saul and Jonathan honorable burials.²⁹⁹

Because Saul had been unfaithful to Israel's covenant with the Gibeonites, God punished the nation with famine (lack of fertility). When David who followed the Mosaic Law righted this wrong, God restored fertility to the land again. God reduced Saul's line from one of the most powerful-looking men in Israel, Saul, to one of the weakest-looking, Mephibosheth. David's faithfulness to his covenant with Jonathan shows he was a covenant-keeping king like Yahweh. Saul on the other hand broke Israel's covenant with the Gibeonites.

Guzik: 2Sa 21:1-22

2 Samuel 21 - Avenging the Gibeonites

A. David avenges the Gibeonites

1. (1) A three-year famine prompts David to seek God.

Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites."

a. And David inquired of the LORD: David wisely sought God in the face of chronic problems. David was concerned after the first year of famine, and even more after the second - but two years of famine didn't make him look to a spiritual cause. Yet after three years of famine, David inquired of the LORD.

i. David didn't see a spiritual reason in every problem; but he did not shut his eyes to the hand of God in circumstances.

ii. "The first and second year he might look upon it as a punishment laid upon them for the common sins of the land: but when he saw it continuing a third year also, he thought there was something in it more than ordinary, and therefore, although he well knew the natural cause to be drought, yet he inquired after the supernatural, as wise men should do." (Trapp)

b. It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites: This massacre isn't recorded in 1 Samuel, but David didn't question that it happened. Apparently at some time during his reign Saul attacked and killed many of the Gibeonites.

i. "The whole people suffered for Saul's sin; either because they approved it, or at least bewailed it not; neither did what they could to hinder it; whereby they became accessory." (Trapp)

c. He killed the Gibeonites: When David heard it was because of an attack against the Gibeonites, a chill probably ran up his back. He knew they were a people especially wrong for Saul to attack and kill.

i. In the days of Joshua - more than 400 years before David's time - Israel swore not to harm the Gibeonites, a neighboring tribe (Joshua 9). God expected Israel to keep their promise, even though the Gibeonites tricked Israel into making the agreement. Saul's crime was not only in the killing of the Gibeonites but also in breaking this ancient and important oath.

ii. This emphasizes many important principles:

· God expects us to keep our promises

· God expects nations to keep their promises

· Time does not diminish our obligation to promises

· God's correction may come a long time after the offense

iii. If God has such a high expectation that men keep their covenants, we can have great confidence that He will keep His covenant with us. There is an emerald rainbow around the throne of God to proclaim His remembrance to His everlasting covenant with His people.

2. (2) David speaks to the Gibeonites.

So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.

a. The king called the Gibeonites: David knew he had to do something about this and so he initiated a resolution with the Gibeonites.

b. Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah: We normally think of such of zeal as a good thing. Yet Saul's misguided zeal was a sin and brought calamity on Israel.

i. This is a good example of how good intentions don't excuse bad actions. We often excuse bad actions in our self and others because of what we think are good intentions. But God looks to both our intentions and our actions.

3. (3-6) David's agreement with the Gibeonites.

Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?" And the Gibeonites said to him, "We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us." So he said, "Whatever you say, I will do for you." Then they answered the king, "As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose." And the king said, "I will give them."

a. What shall I do for you? In resolving this matter with the Gibeonites, David did not dictate terms to them. He came to them as a servant, not as a king.

b. That you may bless the inheritance of the LORD: David felt that if the Gibeonites could bless Israel then the reconciliation would be complete and God's chastening of Israel would end.

c. We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us: The Gibeonites make it clear that they don't want money or direct retribution. Though Saul made a wholesale slaughter of the Gibeonites, they don't ask for the same among Israel.

d. Let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us: In that day the request of the Gibeonites was considered reasonable. Instead of money or an "eye for an eye" they only ask for justice against Saul through his descendants. David agreed to this (I will give them).

i. "Which God had now a purpose to root out, that they might not be further troublesome to David - who had lately suffered so much - in the quiet enjoyment of the kingdom." (Trapp)

e. I will give them: David knew this was the right thing to do. Some believe he knew it was right because David knew that Saul's descendants helped in or benefited directly from that massacre.

i. Obviously, we are not told everything about this incident; we must trust the principle stated by Abraham: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25)

4. (7-9) David fulfills the agreement with the Gibeonites.

But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

a. The king spared Mephibosheth: Mephibosheth was the most notable living descendant of Saul and it made the most sense to put him as the first of the seven to be delivered to the Gibeonites for execution. Yet David promised to protect and bless Mephibosheth and he would not fulfill one promise at the expense of another.

b. They hanged them on the hill before the LORD: David chose seven male descendants of Saul to give over the to the Gibeonites and they executed them by public hanging. The phrase before the LORD implies God approved of their execution.

i. The method of death was also important because it fulfilled the promise of Deuteronomy 21:23: he who is hanged is accursed of God. These descendants of Saul bore the curse Saul deserved and so delivered Israel from the guilt of their sin against the Gibeonites.

ii. This promise from Deuteronomy 21:23 explains why Jesus died the way He did. Galatians 3:13 explains: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree").

5. (10-14a) Rizpah's vigil.

Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night. And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa. So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father.

a. Spread it for herself on the rock . . . until the late rains poured on them from heaven: Rizpah - the mother of two of the seven delivered for execution - held a vigil over the bodies until the late rains came. The coming of rain showed the famine was over, justice was satisfied, and Israel was delivered.

i. This shows that the bodies of these men were deliberately left unburied. This was to emphasize the fact that these men were executed as an act of judgment.

b. They gathered the bones: David gave these seven a popular burial, together with the remains of Saul and Jonathan.

6. (14b) The famine ends.

So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God heeded the prayer for the land.

a. They performed all that the king commanded: David directed all of this and he did it partly on the principle stated in Numbers 35:33: So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. The idea is that blood from unpunished murders defiles a land and God will one day require that blood from the nation.

b. After that God heeded the prayer for the land: It wasn't as if from the time Saul massacred the Gibeonites until David's day that God did not answer any of Israel's prayers. Yet there came a time when God wanted to deal with this sin, and at that time He would not answer their prayers until they dealt with it.

i. There are many reasons for unanswered prayer and when we see our prayers not answered we should seek God to address the problem.

B. Defeat of the Philistine giants.

1. (15-17) David retires from active duty.

When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel."

a. And David grew faint: Even a great man of God grows old. As the years went on, David became unable to fight as he once did. In this battle against the Philistines David's life was endangered when he grew faint in battle against a descendant of Goliath.

i. What will the people do when they see weakness in their leader? If it is a weakness that can be understood - such as David's increasing frailty in old age - then they should rally around their leader and supply what he cannot.

b. Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid: When David's strength failed God protected him through the strength of others. God will allow us to be in places where we need the strength of others.

i. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up . . . Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

c. You shall go out no more with us to battle: In his advanced age, it was time for David to retire from the field of battle. His season as a warrior had passed.

i. "David is considered as the lamp by which all Israel was guided, and without whom all the nation must be involved in darkness." (Clarke)

ii. "The body drowneth not whilst the head is above water; when that once sinketh, death is near: so here. Pray therefore for the preservation of good princes; we cannot pray for them, and not pray for ourselves." (Trapp)

2. (18-22) Killing three more Philistine giants.

Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him. These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

a. Now it happened afterward: This description of victory over Philistine giants shows that Israel could slay giants without David.

i. Sibbechai . . . Elhanan . . . Jonathan: These men accomplished heroic deeds when David was finished fighting giants. God will continue to raise up leaders when the leaders of the previous generation pass from the scene.

ii. David's legacy lay not only in what he accomplished, but in what he left behind - a people prepared for victory. David's triumphs were meaningful not only for himself but for others who learned victory through his teaching and example.

b. Who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot: Commentators like Adam Clarke can't resist remind us that this is a known phenomenon. "This is not a solitary instance: Tavernier informs us that the eldest son of the emperor of Java, who reigned in 1649, had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot . . . I once saw a young girl, in the county of Londonderry, in Ireland, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, but her stature had nothing gigantic in it."

c. Fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants: Part of the idea is that David is conquering enemies now so it will be better for Solomon in the future. Our present victory is not only good for us now but it passes something important on to the next generation.

i. The defeat of these four giants is rightly credited to the hand of David and the hand of his servants. David had a role in this through his example, guidance, and influence.

ii. "Let those who after long service find themselves waning in strength, be content to abide with the people of god, still shining for them as a lamp, and thus enabling them to carry on the same Divine enterprises. Such action in the last days of life is also great and high service." (Morgan)

© 2002 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Introduction / Outline

JFB: 2 Samuel (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF SAMUEL. The two were, by the ancient Jews, conjoined so as to make one book, and in that form could be called the Book of Samuel with more propriety than now, the second being wholly occupied with the relation of transactions that did not take place till after the death of that eminent judge. Accordingly, in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, it is called the First and Second Books of Kings. The early portion of the First Book, down to the end of the twenty-fourth chapter, was probably written by Samuel; while the rest of it and the whole of the Second, are commonly ascribed to Nathan and Gad, founding the opinion on 1Ch 29:29. Commentators, however, are divided about this, some supposing that the statements in 1Sa 2:26; 1Sa 3:1, indicate the hand of the judge himself, or a contemporary; while some think, from 1Sa 6:18; 1Sa 12:5; 1Sa 27:6, that its composition must be referred to a later age. It is probable, however, that these supposed marks of an after-period were interpolations of Ezra. This uncertainty, however, as to the authorship does not affect the inspired authority of the book, which is indisputable, being quoted in the New Testament (1Sa 13:14 in Act 13:22, and 2Sa 7:14 in Heb 1:5), as well as in many of the Psalms.

JFB: 2 Samuel (Outline)

• AN AMALEKITE BRINGS TIDINGS OF SAUL'S DEATH. (2Sa. 1:1-16)
• DAVID LAMENTS SAUL AND JONATHAN. (2Sa 1:17-27)
• DAVID, BY GOD'S DIRECTION, GOES UP TO HEBRON, AND IS MADE KING OVER JUDAH. (2Sa 2:1-7)
• SIX SONS BORN TO DAVID. (2Sa 3:1-5)
• ABNER REVOLTS TO DAVID. (2Sa 3:6-12)
• JOAB KILLS ABNER. (2Sa 3:22-30)
• BAANAH AND RECHAB SLAY ISH-BOSHETH, AND BRING HIS HEAD TO HEBRON. (2Sa 4:1-2)
• DAVID CAUSES THEM TO BE PUT TO DEATH. (2Sa 4:10-12)
• THE TRIBES ANOINT DAVID KING OVER ISRAEL. (2Sa 5:1-5)
• HE TAKES ZION FROM THE JEBUSITES. (2Sa 5:6-12)
• ELEVEN SONS BORN TO HIM. (2Sa 5:13-16)
• HE SMITES THE PHILISTINES. (2Sa 5:17-25)
• DAVID FETCHES THE ARK FROM KIRJATH-JEARIM ON A NEW CART. (2Sa 6:1-5)
• UZZAH SMITTEN. (2Sa 6:6-11)
• DAVID AFTERWARDS BRINGS THE ARK TO ZION. (2Sa 6:12-19)
• MICHAL'S BARRENNESS. (2Sa 6:20-23)
• NATHAN APPROVES THE PURPOSE OF DAVID TO BUILD GOD A HOUSE. (2Sa 7:1-3)
• DAVID'S PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING. (2Sa 7:18-29)
• DAVID SUBDUES THE PHILISTINES, AND MAKES THE MOABITES TRIBUTARY. (2Sa 8:1-2)
• HE SMITES HADADEZER AND THE SYRIANS. (2Sa 8:3-14)
• HIS REIGN. (2Sa 8:15-18)
• DAVID SENDS FOR MEPHIBOSHETH. (2Sa 9:1-12)
• DAVID'S MESSENGERS, SENT TO COMFORT HANUN, ARE DISGRACEFULLY TREATED. (2Sa 10:1-5)
• THE AMMONITES OVERCOME. (2Sa 10:6-14)
• THE SYRIANS DEFEATED. (2Sa 10:15-19)
• JOAB BESIEGES RABBAH. (2Sa 11:1)
• DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY WITH BATH-SHEBA. (2Sa 11:2-12)
• URIAH SLAIN. (2Sa 11:14-27)
• NATHAN'S PARABLE. (2Sa 12:1-6)
• HE APPLIES IT TO DAVID, WHO CONFESSES HIS SIN, AND IS PARDONED. (2Sa 12:7-23)
• SOLOMON IS BORN. (2Sa 12:24-25)
• RABBAH IS TAKEN. (2Sa 12:26-31)
• AMNON LOVES TAMAR. (2Sa 13:1-5)
• HE DEFILES HER. (2Sa. 13:6-27)
• AMNON IS SLAIN. (2Sa 13:28-36)
• ABSALOM FLEES TO TALMAI. (2Sa 13:37-39)
• JOAB BRINGS ABSALOM TO JERUSALEM. (2Sa 14:22-33)
• ABSALOM STEALS THE HEARTS OF ISRAEL. (2Sa 15:1-9)
• HE FORMS A CONSPIRACY. (2Sa 15:10-12)
• DAVID FLEES FROM JERUSALEM. (2Sa. 15:13-37)
• ZIBA, BY FALSE SUGGESTIONS, CLAIMS HIS MASTER'S INHERITANCE. (2Sa 16:1-4)
• SHIMEI CURSES DAVID. (2Sa 16:5-19)
• AHITHOPHEL'S COUNSEL. (2Sa 16:20-23)
• SECRET INTELLIGENCE SENT TO DAVID. (2Sa 17:15-22)
• AHITHOPHEL HANGS HIMSELF. (2Sa 17:23-29)
• DAVID REVIEWING THE ARMIES. (2Sa 18:1-4)
• GIVES THEM CHARGE OF ABSALOM. (2Sa 18:5-13)
• HE IS SLAIN BY JOAB. (2Sa. 18:14-32)
• JOAB CAUSES THE KING TO CEASE MOURNING. (2Sa 19:1-8)
• THE ISRAELITES BRING THE KING BACK. (2Sa. 19:9-43)
• SHEBA MAKES A PARTY IN ISRAEL. (2Sa 20:1-9)
• AMASA IS SLAIN. (2Sa 20:10-13)
• JOAB PURSUES SHEBA UNTO ABEL. (2Sa 20:14-15)
• A WISE WOMAN SAVES THE CITY BY SHEBA'S HEAD. (2Sa 20:16-22)
• DAVID'S GREAT OFFICERS. (2Sa 20:23-26)
• THE THREE YEARS' FAMINE FOR THE GIBEONITES CEASE BY HANGING SEVEN OF SAUL'S SONS. (2Sa 21:1-9)
• RIZPAH'S KINDNESS UNTO THE DEAD. (2Sa 21:10-11)
• DAVID BURIES THE BONES OF SAUL AND JONATHAN IN THEIR FATHER'S SEPULCHER. (2Sa 21:12-22)
• DAVID PROFESSES HIS FAITH IN GOD'S PROMISES. (2Sa 23:1-7)
• A CATALOGUE OF HIS MIGHTY MEN. (2Sa. 23:8-39)
• DAVID NUMBERS THE PEOPLE. (2Sa 24:1-9)
• HE, HAVING THREE PLAGUES PROPOUNDED BY GAD, REPENTS, AND CHOOSES THREE DAYS' PESTILENCE. (2Sa 24:10-14)
• HIS INTERCESSION TO GOD; THE PLAGUE CEASES. (2Sa 24:15-25)

TSK: 2 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

2Sa 21:1, The three years’ famine for the Gibeonites ceases, by hanging seven of Saul’s sons; 2Sa 21:10, Rizpah’s kindness unto the dead; 2Sa 21:12, David buries the bones of Saul and Jonathan in his father’s sepulchre; 2Sa 21:15, Four battles against the Philistines, wherein four valiants of David slay four giants.

Poole: 2 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

CHAPTER 21

A three years’ famine, declared by God to be for the Gibeonites’ sake, ceaseth by their hanging seven of Saul’ s sons, 2Sa 21:1-9 . Rizpah preserveth the dead bodies, 2Sa 21:10,11 . David burieth the bones of Saul and Jonathan, as also of them that were hung up, in his father’ s sepulchre, 2Sa 21:12-14 . Four battles against the Philistines, wherein four valiants of David slay four giants, 2Sa 21:15-22 .

MHCC: 2 Samuel (Book Introduction)

This book is the history of the reign of king David. It relates his victories, the growth of the prosperity of Israel, and his reformation of the state of religion. With these events are recorded the grievous sins he committed, and the family as well as public troubles with which he was punished. We here meet with many things worthy of imitation, and many that are written for our warning. The history of king David is given in Scripture with much faithfulness, and from it he appears, to those who fairly balance his many virtues and excellent qualities against his faults, to have been a great and good man.

MHCC: 2 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

(2Sa 21:1-9) The Gibeonites avenged.

(2Sa 21:10-14) Rizpah's care for the bodies of Saul's descendants.

(2Sa 21:15-22) Battles with the Philistines.

Matthew Henry: 2 Samuel (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Book of Samuel

This book is the history of the reign of king David. We had in the foregoing book an account of his designation to the government, and his struggles with Saul, which ended at length in the death of his persecutor. This book begins with his accession to the throne, and is entirely taken up with the affairs of the government during the forty years he reigned, and therefore is entitled by the Septuagint. The Third Book of the Kings. It gives us an account of David's triumphs and his troubles. I. His triumphs over the house of Saul (ch. 1-4), over the Jebusites and Philistines (ch. 5), at the bringing up of the ark (ch. 6 and 7), over the neighbouring nations that opposed him (ch. 8-10); and so far the history is agreeable to what we might expect from David's character and the choice made of him. But his cloud has a dark side. II. We have his troubles, the causes of them, his sin in the matter of Uriah (ch. 11 and 12), the troubles themselves from the sin of Amnon (ch. 13), the rebellion of Absalom (ch. 14-19) and of Sheba (ch. 20), and the plague in Israel for his numbering the people (ch. 24), besides the famine of the Gibeonites (ch. 21). His son we have (ch. 22), and his words and worthies (ch. 23). Many things in his history are very instructive; but for the hero who is the subject of it, though in many instances he appears here very great, and very good, and very much the favourite of heaven, yet it must be confessed that his honour shines brighter in his Psalms than in his Annals.

Matthew Henry: 2 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

The date of the events of this chapter is uncertain. I incline to think that they happened as they are here placed, after Absalom's and Sheba's rebellion, and towards the latter end of David's reign. That the battles with the Philistines, mentioned here, were long after the Philistines were subdued, appears by comparing 1Ch 18:1 with 1Ch 20:4. The numbering of the people was just before the fixing of the place of the temple (as appears 1Ch 22:1), and that was towards the close of David's life; and, it should seem, the people were numbered just after the three years' famine for the Gibeonites, for that which is threatened as " three" years' famine (1Ch 21:12) is called " seven" years (2Sa 24:12, 2Sa 24:13), three more, with the year current, added to those three. We have here, I. The Gibeonites avenged, 1. By a famine in the land (2Sa 21:1). 2. By the putting of seven of Saul's posterity to death (2Sa 21:2-9), care, however, being taken of their dead bodies, and of the bones of Saul (2Sa 21:10-14). II. The giants of the Philistines slain in several battles (2Sa 21:15-22).

Constable: 2 Samuel (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Second Samuel continues the history begun in 1 Samuel. Please see my comments regarding 2 Samuel's title, date, authorship, and scope in the introductory section of the 1 Samuel notes.

Message¹

First Samuel records David's preparation. Second Samuel records his service namely his reign. In our study of 1 Samuel I mentioned three aspects of his preparation: as shepherd, as courtier, and as "outlaw." In 2 Samuel we see those aspects of his preparation put to work. He became the shepherd of his people, the center of his court, and the strong ruler of his nation. He fulfilled the office of king successfully under God's leadership.

The message of 2 Samuel is that man's attitude toward God creates an opportunity for God, and God's attitude toward man creates an opportunity for man.

First, man's attitude toward God creates an opportunity for God.

We find this principle stated in 22:26-28. Compare Hannah's prayer of praise in 1 Sam. 2:1-10. God is to each person what that person is to God.

We find the principle illustrated in David's attitudes toward God. David had four convictions about God. We see these in his thanksgiving psalm in chapter 22, which is also Psalm 18. David evidently wrote it early in his life.

1. He believed God was Israel's supreme Ruler. He never doubted this or presumed to elevate himself to God's place as Head of the nation. This is clear in 22:2-16. Contrast David's view with Saul's. Some local church leaders follow Saul's example rather than David's.

2. He believed God was consistently and completely righteous (right) in His dealings. David confessed his sin when charged with it rather than trying to deny it. In 22:17-27 this comes through clearly. Contrast Saul.

3. He believed God was always merciful. He was willing to let God determine His punishment because he believed God would be merciful (cf. 22:28-46). Contrast Saul.

4. He believed God's will was always best. His greatest desire was for God's will in his own life and in Israel (cf. 22:47-51). Contrast Saul.

David's convictions created opportunities for God.

1. Because David really believed in God's sovereignty God could and did set David over the throne of Israel and direct him to govern God's people (cf. 22:2-3). Even today loyal employees are the ones that employers promote to positions of greater responsibility.

2. Because David acknowledged God's righteousness God was able to bless David for his righteousness (cf. 22:21-28).

3. Because David appreciated God's mercy God was able to be merciful with him (cf. 22:35-36).

4. Because David viewed God's will as superior God was able to bring His will for David and Israel to pass (cf. 22:51).

With these attitudes David became God's instrument through whom God accomplished His larger plans and purposes. Even though David sinned greatly, his deepest convictions lay in these truths. God based His dealings with David on David's deepest convictions. He was the man after God's own heart. God did not base His dealings with David primarily on David's momentary failings. This is a great encouragement. Your deep underlying attitude toward God provides a foundation on which God can build and use you in some way. Your presence here at DTS is encouraging to me. The direction you are heading is more important than how far you have advanced in Christian growth.

The other side of this coin is that God's attitude toward a person creates an opportunity for that person. John wrote, "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

We find this principle stated in 23:1-5. David evidently wrote this chapter later in his life.

We find the principle illustrated in God's attitudes toward David. What were these?

1. God purposed for David to be king (cf. 23:1). This knowledge affected David's attitude toward God. He just needed to consent to God's purpose for him. God has purposed to bless you. This is the revelation of the whole Bible.

2. God's power would be adequate for David's needs (cf. 23:2). The power for all of David's life, including the inspiration for his words, came from God. David could simply cooperate with it. We too have the Spirit. We too need just to cooperate with God.

3. God's pattern for David's kingship was God's own rule (cf. 23:3-4). David could conform to God's example as Sovereign to fulfill his destiny. We have Jesus Christ's example as well as God's pattern.

4. God's persistence would result in the fulfillment of all His promises to David (cf. 23:5). This gave David confidence in God in the present. God has promised never to leave us (Matt. 28:20). He has proved Himself faithful.

In 1 Samuel we learned that God's ultimate victory does not depend on people's attitudes toward Him. His people can be loyal or rebellious, and this will not affect His ultimate victory.

In 2 Samuel we learn that our ultimate victory in life depends on our attitude toward God. Conformity to the will of God creates fitness for service. Conformity to the will of God depends wholly on our attitude toward God. It does not depend on our ability, or on our ability to persuade God to do something. It depends on our abandonment to Him, and on our willingness to let God persuade us to do something. It depends on our commitment to Him and our faithfulness to Him.

God does not measure us as other people do. We measure each other by external actions. God measures us by internal attitudes. What is your attitude toward God? Do you really want to please God, or do you obey God simply because of your background and environment? Would you live a filthy life if you could get away with it? What is your real attitude toward God? Do you really want to do right? David was a man after God's own heart because he really wanted what God wanted. What do you really want?

Be careful, because God will give you what you really want. Do you want to run your own life? God will let you do it, but He may let you run your life into a brick wall.

Constable: 2 Samuel (Outline)

Outline

(Continued from notes on 1 Samuel)

V. David's triumphs chs. 1-8

A. The beginning of David's kingdom 1:1-3:5

1. David's discovery of Saul and Jonathan's deaths ch. 1

2. David's move to Hebron 2:1-4a

3. David's overtures to Jabesh-gilead 2:4b-7

4. Ish-bosheth's coronation over Israel 2:8-11

5. The conflict between Abner and Joab 2:12-32

6. The strengthening of David's position 3:1-5

B. The unification of the kingdom 3:6-5:16

1. David's acceptance of Abner 3:6-39

2. David's punishment of Ish-bosheth's murderers ch. 4

3. David's acceptance by all Israel 5:1-12

4. David's additional children 5:13-16

C. The establishment of the kingdom 5:17-8:18

1. David's victories over the Philistines 5:17-25

2. David's moving of the ark to Jerusalem ch. 6

3. The giving of the Davidic Covenant ch. 7

4. The security of David's kingdom ch. 8

VI. David's troubles chs. 9-20

A. David's faithfulness ch. 9

B. God's faithfulness despite David's unfaithfulness chs. 10-12

1. The Ammonite rebellion ch. 10

2. David's unfaithfulness to God chs. 11-12

C. David's rejection and return chs. 13-20

1. Events leading up to Absalom's rebellion chs. 13-14

2. Absalom's attempt to usurp David's throne chs. 15-20

VII. Summary illustrations chs. 21-24

A. Famine from Saul's sin 21:1-14

1. Saul's broken treaty with the Gibeonites 21:1-6

2. David's justice and mercy 21:7-9

3. David's honoring of Saul and Jonathan 21:10-14

B. Four giant killers 21:15-22

C. David's praise of Yahweh ch. 22

D. David's last testament 23:1-7

E. Thirty-seven mighty men 23:8-39

1. Selected adventures of outstanding warriors 23:8-23

2. A list of notable warriors among The Thirty 23:24-39

F. Pestilence from David's sin ch. 24

1. David's sin of numbering the people 24:1-9

2. David's confession of his guilt 24:10-14

3. David's punishment 24:15-17

4. David's repentance 24:18-25

Constable: 2 Samuel

2 Samuel

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 2 Samuel (Book Introduction)

THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL;

otherwise called,

THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS.

INTRODUCTION.

This Book contains the transactions of David till the end of the pestilence, occasioned by his numbering the people, chap. xxiv. The last six chapters of the preceding book were probably written by Gad, who delivered God's orders to David, after he was deprived of the company of Samuel. Gad, Nathan, and other prophets, continued the sacred history, 1 Paralipomenon xxix. 29. After the unfortunate death of Saul, his general, Abner, instead of submitting quietly to the dominion of David, (Haydock) set the son of the deceased monarch upon the throne, at Mahanaim; and two years elapsed before the rival kings came to open war, chap. ii. 10. (Salien) --- David was 30 years old when he was anointed at Hebron, (chap. v. 4,) where he reigned seven years and a half over Juda. On the death of Isoboseth, he was anointed a third time, as king of all Israel, and reigned in that character 37 years. (Haydock) --- The partisans of Isoboseth might be excused in their adherence to him, as he was the son of the late king, and the election of David was not sufficiently notified to them. (Salien) --- We here behold the many virtues of David, and his repentance for some faults into which he had fallen. His predictions, and the names and exploits of many of his valiant men, are likewise recorded. (Worthington)

Gill: 2 Samuel (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 SAMUEL

This book, in many copies of the Hebrew Bible, is carried on without any new title put unto it; the reason of it is, because, by some, this, with the preceding, has been reckoned but one book: hence the Jews say ^a, Samuel wrote his book, not his books; in others it is called Samuel Second; and by the Vulgate Latin the Second Book of Samuel, which we call the Second of Kings; though why his name should be put to it at all I see not, since it neither concerns him, nor could it be written by him, being an history of events after his death. The Greek version calls it the Second of Kings; and the Syriac version, the Second Book of the Kings of Israel; whereas there is but one king of Israel it makes mention of, and of whose actions only it is an history; and therefore with greater propriety it is called, as the Arabic version, the Book of David the Prophet, of whose reign, from the beginning to the end of it, it gives an account: wherefore Isidore ^b thinks it was written by David; and if so, it has this mark of simplicity and integrity, that the writer does not spare himself, nor conceal his own faults, and particularly that very capital one, the affair of Bathsheba, and also his numbering of the people; but it is most probable that it was written by Nathan and Gad ^c, see 1Ch 29:29; but whoever was the penman of it, there is no doubt to be made of its being written by inspiration, or that it is canonical; which has never been questioned, since there stands in it a famous prophecy concerning the building of the temple by a son of David, which had an exact accomplishment, 2Sa 7:12; as well as of the family of David, for a great while to come, which also was fulfilled, 2Sa 7:19; and an eminent passage concerning the Messiah, the son of David, and of his divine sonship, 2Sa 7:14; quoted by the Apostle Paul in proof of it, Heb 1:5. It contains an history of about forty years, for so long David reigned, seven years and six months in Hebron, over Judah, and thirty three years in Jerusalem, over all Israel and Judah; and this book relates his last words.

Gill: 2 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 21

A famine being in the land three years, the Lord was inquired of, to know the reason of it; and it being answered, that it was on account of Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites, they were summoned by David to know what satisfaction they required for the cruel usage of them, 2Sa 21:1; to which they replied, that they only desired seven of Saul's sons to be delivered up to them, to be hanged by them, which was granted, 2Sa 21:4; whose bones, with those of Saul and Jonathan, David buried in the sepulchre of their fathers, 2Sa 21:10; and the chapter is closed with an account of the various battles fought with the Philistines, in which four of their generals were slain, 2Sa 21:15.