Hebrew, sought the face of the Lord. Hebrew, year after year. Thinking to gratify the people, because these were not of the seed of Abraham.
Historical and theological verse study from Second Book of Samuel, Chapter 21.
Apply the spiritual lesson of 2 Samuel 21:1 through prayerful reflection and faithful obedience.
“Gracious Father, write the truth of 2 Samuel 21:1 upon my heart by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.”
“Facta est quoque fames in diebus David tribus annis jugiter : et consuluit David oraculum Domini. Dixitque Dominus : Propter Saul, et domum ejus sanguinum, quia occidit Gabaonitas.”
“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. enquired: Heb. sought the face, etc”
“During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.””
“There was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, “It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.””
“And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.”
Hebrew, sought the face of the Lord. Hebrew, year after year. Thinking to gratify the people, because these were not of the seed of Abraham.
Hebrew, sought the face of the Lord. Hebrew, year after year. Thinking to gratify the people, because these were not of the seed of Abraham.
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 1 Chron 18 1 with 20 4. The numbering of the people was just before the fixing of the place of the temple (as appears 1 Chron 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 (1 Chron 21 12) is called "seven" years (2 Sam 24 12, 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, ver 1. 2. By the putting of seven of Saul's posterity to death (ver 2-9), care, however, being taken of their dead bodies, and of the bones of Saul, ver 10-14. II. The giants of the Philistines slain in several battles, ver 15-22.
Verses 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.
“And there came a famine in the country: and Abram went down into Egypt, to sojourn there: for the famine was very grievous in the land.”