David Avenges The Gibeonites
January 24, 2021
Commentary
There was a famine during the days of David (v. 1). Perhaps David had not sought the Lord for a long time and now catastrophe strikes and he goes to the tabernacle in behalf of his people. Saul had killed many Gibeonites so David calls for them (v. 2). He tells them that he will make atonement for the way they have been treated and will do whatever they say (vv. 3-4). At this point they become more specific. They said they had been consumed and plotted against (v. 5), so now they want seven men of Saul’s descendants who they will hang in Gibeah (v. 6). Because of the oath between David and Jonathan, the king spares Methibosheth, the son of Jonathan (v. 7). So David chooses Armoni and Mephiboseth, the two sons of Rizpah (Saul’s wife) and the five sons of Michal (Saul’s daughter) and delivers them to the Gibeonites who hanged them on the hill (vv. 8-9).
Rizpah stayed on a rock beside the bodies from the beginning of harvest till the rainy season to keep the birds and beasts away (v. 10). Because of her example David is conscience-stricken and goes to Jabesh Gilead to retrieve the bones of Saul and Jonathan and give them a proper burial. The bones of the seven descendants are also gathered and all taken to a final resting place in the tomb of Saul’s father (vv. 11-14).
Battles between Israel and the Philistines were not uncommon. Ishbi-Benob, the Philistine strong man decides to kill David but faces, Abishai, who comes to David’s rescue and kills the Philistine (vv. 15-16). Immediately the men of David ask him not to go out to battle any more because he, with God’s help has brought continued prosperity and well-being to the whole land and they don’t want his light extinguished (v. 17). A second battle takes place at Gob and the Rephaite Saph is killed (v. 18). A third battle takes place at Gezer/Gob and Elhanan slays Goliath’s brother (v. 19). A fourth battle takes place at Gath and a ‘huge man” is killed by David’s nephew Jonathan (vv. 20-21). David did not personally do battle with any of these men but he shares the credit with his men (v. 22).
Application
Like David I want to make everything right in this life with people I have wronged.
2 Samuel 21:1– 22 (NET)
1 During Davidâs reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the Lord. The Lord said, âIt is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites.â
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.) 3 David said to the Gibeonites, âWhat can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the Lordâs inheritance?â
4 The Gibeonites said to him, âWe 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.â David asked, âWhat then are you asking me to do for you?â 5 They replied to the king, âAs 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 Israelâ 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 Lordâs chosen one.â The king replied, âI will turn them over.â
7 The king had mercy on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, in light of the Lordâs oath that had been taken between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiahâs daughter Rizpah whom she had born to Saul, and the five sons of Saulâs daughter Merab whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 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 timeâduring the first days of the beginning of the barley harvest.
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. 11 When David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saulâs concubine, had done, 12 he went and took the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the leaders of Jabesh Gilead. (They had secretly taken them from the plaza at Beth Shan. It was there that Philistines publicly exposed their corpses after they had killed Saul at Gilboa.) 13 David brought the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son from there; they also gathered up the bones of those who had been executed.
14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin at Zela in the grave of his father Kish. After they had done everything that the king had commanded, God responded to their prayers for the land.
15 Another battle was fought between the Philistines and Israel. So David went down with his soldiers and fought the Philistines. David became exhausted. 16 Now Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, had a spear that weighed 300 bronze shekels, and he was armed with a new weapon. He had said that he would kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to Davidâs aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then Davidâs men took an oath saying, âYou will not go out to battle with us again! You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel!â
18 Later there was another battle with the Philistines, this time in Gob. On that occasion Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of Rapha. 19 Yet another battle occurred with the Philistines in Gob. On that occasion Elhanan the son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaverâs beam. 20 Yet another battle occurred in Gath. On that occasion there was a large man who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all! He too was a descendant of Rapha. 21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, the son of Davidâs brother Shimeah, killed him. 22 These four were the descendants of Rapha who lived in Gath; they were killed by David and his soldiers.