2 Samuel 21

King James Version

Full text for 2 Samuel Chapter 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 Gibeonites.

2And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites [were] not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

3Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?

4And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, [that] will I do for you.

5And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us [that] we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,

6Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, [whom] the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give [them].

7But 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.

8But 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 Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

9And 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 first [days], in the beginning of barley harvest.

10¶ And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until 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.

11And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

12And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:

13And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

14And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.

15¶ Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.

16And Ishbibenob, which [was] of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear [weighed] three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David.

17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.

18And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which [was] of the sons of the giant.

19And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew [the brother of] Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear [was] like a weaver's beam.

20And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of [great] stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.

21And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.

22These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

A three-year famine prompts David to inquire of the Lord, who reveals it is due to Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites. To atone, seven of Saul's descendants are hanged by the Gibeonites, after which David ensures their proper burial alongside Saul and Jonathan. Following this, the chapter recounts four separate instances where David's men defeat Philistine giants in battle, including one where David himself is nearly slain but saved.

Medium Summary

A three-year famine afflicts Israel, leading David to seek the Lord's counsel, who attributes it to Saul's violation of a covenant by slaying the Gibeonites. David consults the Gibeonites, who demand seven of Saul's male descendants for execution as atonement, specifying no silver or gold. David grants their request, sparing Mephibosheth due to his oath with Jonathan, but delivers two sons of Rizpah and five sons attributed to Michal. These seven are hanged, and Rizpah diligently guards their bodies until David collects them, along with the bones of Saul and Jonathan, for burial in their family sepulchre, after which God is entreated for the land. The chapter then shifts to describe four separate engagements with Philistine giants. In one, David is nearly killed by Ishbibenob but is saved by Abishai, leading his men to forbid him from further combat. Other giants, including Saph and the brother of Goliath, are slain by David's mighty men, demonstrating Israel's continued triumph over their enemies.

Long Summary

The chapter opens with a severe three-year famine in Israel, prompting King David to seek divine understanding. The Lord reveals the famine is a consequence of Saul's breach of covenant and his bloody act of slaying the Gibeonites, despite Israel's ancient oath to them. David then calls the Gibeonites, who were a remnant of the Amorites, to ask what atonement he could make for them to bless the land. They reject monetary compensation or the killing of any other Israelite, instead demanding the delivery of seven of Saul's male descendants to be hanged before the Lord in Gibeah. David agrees to their terms, but faithfully spares Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, remembering the solemn oath between himself and Jonathan. He then takes two sons of Rizpah, Saul's concubine, and five sons of Michal (whom she brought up for Adriel), and delivers them to the Gibeonites. These seven men are hanged at the beginning of barley harvest. Rizpah, the mother of two of the hanged, displays profound devotion by spreading sackcloth on a rock and guarding the bodies day and night from birds and beasts until rain falls. Upon hearing of Rizpah's actions, David demonstrates respect for the deceased by retrieving the bones of Saul and Jonathan from Jabesh-gilead, where they had been taken after their defeat by the Philistines. He then gathers the bones of the seven hanged men, and all are honorably buried in the sepulchre of Kish, Saul's father, in Zelah of Benjamin. Following this act of proper burial, God is entreated for the land, signifying the end of the famine. The narrative then transitions to recount four distinct battles against Philistine giants. In the first, David is exhausted and nearly slain by Ishbibenob, a giant, but is rescued by Abishai, leading David's men to insist he no longer accompany them to battle. Subsequently, Sibbechai the Hushathite slays Saph, another giant. Elhanan the Bethlehemite kills the brother of Goliath, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. Finally, in Gath, Jonathan, David's nephew, slays a man of extraordinary stature with six fingers and six toes on each limb, also born to the giant. These four giants are noted to have fallen by the hand of David and his servants, underscoring Israel's continued military strength and divine favour.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Retribution and AtonementThe famine is directly attributed by the Lord to Saul's violation of a covenant with the Gibeonites, highlighting the concept that national suffering can be a consequence of unaddressed sin and requires specific atonement.
  • Covenant FaithfulnessDavid's decision to spare Mephibosheth demonstrates his unwavering commitment to the oath he made with Jonathan, even amidst a demand for Saul's descendants, emphasizing the sanctity of sworn agreements.
  • Gibeonite JusticeThe Gibeonites, though not Israelites, demand a specific form of justice—the execution of seven of Saul's descendants—to appease their grievance, illustrating their right to seek recompense for a broken covenant.
  • Honour for the DeadRizpah's vigilant mourning and David's subsequent collection and burial of the bones of Saul, Jonathan, and the hanged men underscore the importance of respectful treatment and proper burial for the deceased in Israelite culture.
  • Triumph Over GiantsThe latter part of the chapter details four individual victories by David's men over Philistine giants, showcasing the continued strength and divine assistance granted to Israel in overcoming formidable adversaries.
  • David's Vulnerability and ProtectionDavid's near-death experience in battle and his rescue by Abishai reveal his human limitations, while also emphasizing the loyalty of his men and the divine protection that often worked through them.
  • The 'Light of Israel'The men's plea for David not to go to battle, lest he 'quench the light of Israel,' highlights his crucial role as king and leader, symbolizing the nation's hope and guidance.