2 Samuel 21
21
Gibeonite Vengeance. 1In David’s time there was a famine for three years, year after year. David sought the presence of the Lord, who said: There is bloodguilt on Saul and his family because he put the Gibeonites to death.#2 Sm 24:13. 2So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but survivors of the Amorites; and although the Israelites had given them their oath, Saul had sought to kill them off in his zeal for the Israelites and for Judah.)#Jos 9:3–27. 3David said to the Gibeonites, “What must I do for you and how must I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?” 4The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no claim against Saul and his house for silver or gold, nor is it our place to put anyone to death in Israel.” Then he said, “I will do for you whatever you propose.” 5They said to the king, “As for the man who was exterminating us and who intended to destroy us that we might have no place in all the territory of Israel, 6let seven men from among his descendants be given to us, that we may execute them before the Lord in Gibeon, on the Lord’s mountain.” The king replied, “I will give them up.” 7The king, however, spared Meribbaal, son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that formed a bond between David and Saul’s son Jonathan.#2 Sm 9:13; 1 Sm 18:3; 20:8–10, 15–16, 42. 8But the king took Armoni and Meribbaal, the two sons that Aiah’s daughter Rizpah had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merob that she had borne to Adriel, son of Barzillai the Meholathite,#2 Sm 3:7. 9and delivered them into the power of the Gibeonites, who then executed them on the mountain before the Lord. The seven fell at the one time; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest—that is, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
10Then Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter, took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest until rain came down on them from the heavens, fending off the birds of the heavens from settling on them by day, and the wild animals by night.#2 Sm 3:31; 12:16. 11When David was informed of what Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter, the concubine of Saul, had done, 12he went and obtained the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them away secretly from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them at the time they defeated Saul on Gilboa.#1 Sm 31:10–13. 13When he had brought up from there the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan, the bones of those who had been executed were also gathered up. 14Then the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan were buried in the land of Benjamin, at Zela, in the tomb of his father Kish. After all that the king commanded had been carried out, God granted relief to the land.#2 Sm 24:25.
Exploits in Philistine Wars. 15There was another battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his servants and fought the Philistines, but David grew tired. 16Dadu, a descendant of the Rephaim, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels, was about to take him captive. Dadu was girt with a new sword and thought he would kill David, 17but Abishai, son of Zeruiah, came to help him, and struck and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must not go out to battle with us again, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”#1 Kgs 11:36; 15:4; 2 Kgs 8:19.
18#1 Chr 20:4–8. After this, there was another battle with the Philistines, in Gob. On that occasion Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, a descendant of the Rephaim.#2 Sm 23:27. 19#1 Sm 17:4, 7. There was another battle with the Philistines, in Gob, and Elhanan, son of Jair from Bethlehem, killed Goliath of Gath, whose spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam. 20There was another battle, at Gath, and there was a giant, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from the Rephaim. 21And when he insulted Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, struck him down.#2 Sm 13:3. 22These four were descended from the Rephaim in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his servants.
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2 Samuel 21: NABRE
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
2 Samuel 21
21
The Gibeonites Hang Saul's Descendants
1While David was king, there were three years in a row when the nation of Israel could not grow enough food. So David asked the Lord for help, and the Lord answered, “Saul and his family are guilty of murder, because he had the Gibeonites killed.”
2 #
Js 9.3-15. The Gibeonites were not Israelites; they were descendants of the Amorites. The people of Israel had promised not to kill them,#21.2 promised … them: See Joshua 9.3-27. but Saul had tried to kill them because he wanted Israel and Judah to control all the land.
David had the Gibeonites come, and he talked with them. 3He said, “What can I do to make up for what Saul did, so that you'll ask the Lord to be kind to his people again?”#21.3 ask … again: Saul's guilt had become a curse on Israel that had resulted in famine. For the effects of this curse to be removed, the Gibeonites would have to ask the Lord to be kind to Israel.
4The Gibeonites answered, “Silver and gold from Saul and his family are not enough. On the other hand, we don't have the right to put any Israelite to death.”
David said, “I'll do whatever you ask.”#21.4 I'll … ask: Or “What are you asking me to do for you?”
5They replied, “Saul tried to kill all our people so that none of us would be left in the land of Israel. 6Give us seven of his descendants. We will hang#21.6 hang: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. these men near the place where the Lord is worshiped in Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, the Lord's chosen king.”
“I'll give them to you,” David said.
7 #
1 S 20.14-17; 2 S 9.1-7. David had made a promise to Jonathan with the Lord as his witness, so he spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul. 8#1 S 18.19. But Saul and Rizpah the daughter of Aiah had two sons named Armoni and Mephibosheth. Saul's daughter Merab#21.8 Merab: Some Hebrew manuscripts and some manuscripts of one ancient translation. Most other manuscripts have “Michal,” Saul's daughter who was one of David's wives, but she never had any children (see 2 Samuel 6.23). According to 1 Samuel 18.19, Merab was Saul's daughter, and she married Adriel from Meholah. had five sons whose father was Adriel the son of Barzillai from Meholah.#21.8 Meholah: Also known as Abel-Meholah. David took Rizpah's two sons and Merab's five sons and 9turned them over to the Gibeonites, who hanged#21.9 hanged: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. all seven of them on the mountain near the place where the Lord was worshiped. This happened right at the beginning of the barley harvest.#21.9 This … harvest: This would have been late in April.
Rizpah Takes Care of the Bodies
10Rizpah spread out some sackcloth#21.10 sackcloth: See the note at 3.31. on a nearby rock. She wouldn't let the birds land on the bodies during the day, and she kept the wild animals away at night. She stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until it started to rain.#21.10 started to rain: This may have been the beginning of the rainy season in September or October. It usually didn't rain from May to September. Or, it may have been a sign that now there would be enough rain again.
The Burial of Saul and His Descendants
11-12 #
1 S 31.8-13. Earlier the Philistines had killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa and had hung their bodies in the town square at Beth-Shan. The people of Jabesh in Gilead had secretly taken the bodies away, but David found out what Saul's wife#21.11,12 wife: See the note at 3.7. Rizpah had done, and he went to the leaders of Jabesh to get the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. 13-14David had their bones taken to the land of Benjamin and buried in a side room in Saul's family burial place. Then he gave orders for the bones of the men who had been hanged#21.13,14 hanged: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. to be buried there. It was done, and God answered prayers to bless the land.
The Descendants of the Rephaim
(1 Chronicles 20.4-8)
15One time David got very tired when he and his soldiers were fighting the Philistines. 16One of the Philistine warriors was Ishbibenob, who was a descendant of the Rephaim,#21.16 Rephaim: This may refer to a group of people that lived in Palestine before the Israelites and who were famous for their large size. and he tried to kill David. Ishbibenob was armed with a new sword,#21.16 new sword: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. and his bronze spearhead#21.16 spearhead: Or “helmet.” alone weighed about three and a half kilograms. 17#1 K 11.36; Ps 132.17. But Abishai#21.17 Abishai: David's nephew, the brother of Joab. came to the rescue and killed the Philistine.
David's soldiers told him, “We can't let you risk your life in battle anymore! You give light to our nation, and we want that flame to keep burning.”
18There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob, where Sibbecai from Hushah killed a descendant of the Rephaim named Saph.
19There was still another battle with the Philistines at Gob. A soldier named Elhanan killed Goliath#21.19 Goliath: According to 1 Chronicles 20.5, Elhanan killed the brother of Goliath. from Gath, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam.#21.19 weaver's beam: A large wooden rod used by a weaver when making cloth. Elhanan's father was Jari#21.19 Jari: Or “Jaare.” from Bethlehem.
20There was another war, this time in Gath. One of the enemy soldiers was a descendant of the Rephaim. He was as big as a giant and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. 21But when he made fun of Israel, David's nephew Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of David's brother Shimei.
22David and his soldiers killed these four men who were descendants of the Rephaim from Gath.
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