2 Samuel 21:5

5 They answered the king, "Give us seven of the male descendants of the man who wanted to finish us off. He planned to wipe us out to keep us from staying anywhere in Israel's territory.

2 Samuel 21:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 21:5

And they answered the king
Declaring expressly what they would have done: the man that consumed us; meaning Saul, who lessened their number by cruel oppressions of some, and by taking away the lives of others:

and that devised against us, [that] we should be destroyed from
remaining in any of the coasts of Israel;
who had formed schemes, and published edicts, for banishing them out of the land; perhaps at the same time that he put away wizards and those that had familiar spirits out of the land, under the same pretence for zeal for the glory of God, and the good of the people of the land, ( 1 Samuel 28:3-9 ) .

2 Samuel 21:5 In-Context

3 and asked them, "What can I do for you? What should I [give you] to make peace with you so that you will bless what belongs to the LORD?"

4 "We do not want silver or gold from Saul's family," the Gibeonites answered him. "And none of us wants to kill [anyone] in Israel." The king asked, "What are you saying that I should do for you?"

5 They answered the king, "Give us seven of the male descendants of the man who wanted to finish us off. He planned to wipe us out to keep us from staying anywhere in Israel's territory.

6 We will execute them in the LORD's presence at Saul's town Gibeah." (It was Saul whom the LORD had chosen.) "I will give them [to you]," the king said.

7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson, because of the oath in the LORD's name between David and Jonathan, son of Saul.