7.
The last stage of David's kingship
21:1—24:25
a.
David's taking care of the famine for the people
21:1-14
2 Sam. 21
:1
21:1
And there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David
ainquired of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is because of Saul and because of
his house of bloodshed, for he put those
bGibeonites to death.
2 Sam. 21
:2
21:2
So the king called for the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel but were of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them. But Saul had sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.
2 Sam. 21
:3
21:3
And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And how shall I make expiation that you may bless the
ainheritance of Jehovah?
2 Sam. 21
:4
21:4
And the Gibeonites said to him, It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul and his house, and it is not for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, Whatever you say I will do for you.
2 Sam. 21
:5
21:5
Then they said to the king, The man who consumed us and who made plans against us to destroy us so that we would not remain within any of the territory of Israel,
2 Sam. 21
:6
21:6
Let seven men from among his sons be given to us, and we will hang them unto Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give
them.
2 Sam. 21
:7
21:7
But the king spared
aMephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the
boath of Jehovah that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
2 Sam. 21
:8
21:8
So the king took the two sons of
aRizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of
1bMerab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
2 Sam. 21
:9
21:9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them on the mountain before Jehovah, and the seven perished together. And they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of the
abarley harvest.
2 Sam. 21
:10
21:10
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it on a rock for herself, from the beginning of harvest until rain from heaven fell on
1their bodies; and she did not allow the birds of heaven to come upon them by day or the beasts of the field by night.
2 Sam. 21
:11
21:11
And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
2 Sam. 21
:12
21:12
And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of
aJabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the open square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them on the day when the Philistines slew Saul in Gilboa.
2 Sam. 21
:13
21:13
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.
2 Sam. 21
:14
21:14
And they buried the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of Kish his father; and they did all that the king had commanded. And God
aresponded to the entreaty for the land after that.
b.
David's conquest over the Philistines
21:15-22
2 Sam. 21
:15
21:15
And again the Philistines were at war with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought with the Philistines. And David became faint.
2 Sam. 21
:16
21:16
And Ishbi-benob, who was
one of the children of the giant and whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, was girded with new weapons; and he intended to slay David.
2 Sam. 21
:17
21:17
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him and struck down the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, You shall not go forth with us again into battle, lest you quench the
alamp of Israel.
2 Sam. 21
:18
21:18
aThen after this there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; and Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was
one of the children of the giant.
2 Sam. 21
:19
21:19
And there was war with the Philistines, again at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, slew Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
2 Sam. 21
:20
21:20
And 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 had been born to the giant.
2 Sam. 21
:21
21:21
And he
adefied Israel; and Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, slew him.
2 Sam. 21
:22
21:22
These four had been born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hands of his servants.
