2 Samuel 21:10-20

10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night.
11 When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done,
12 he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)
13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.
14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

Wars Against the Philistines

15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted.
16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels[a] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David.
17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”
18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair[b] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of[c] Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.
20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha.

2 Samuel 21:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 21

A famine being in the land three years, the Lord was inquired of, to know the reason of it; and it being answered, that it was on account of Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites, they were summoned by David to know what satisfaction they required for the cruel usage of them, 2Sa 21:1-3; to which they replied, that they only desired seven of Saul's sons to be delivered up to them, to be hanged by them, which was granted, 2Sa 21:4-9; whose bones, with those of Saul and Jonathan, David buried in the sepulchre of their fathers, 2Sa 21:10-14; and the chapter is closed with an account of the various battles fought with the Philistines, in which four of their generals were slain, 2Sa 21:15-22.

Cross References 17

  • 1. ver 8; S Genesis 40:19; Deuteronomy 21:23; S 1 Samuel 17:44
  • 2. 1 Samuel 31:11-13
  • 3. S Judges 21:8; S 1 Samuel 11:1
  • 4. S Joshua 17:11
  • 5. 1 Samuel 31:10
  • 6. S 1 Samuel 28:4
  • 7. Joshua 18:28
  • 8. Joshua 7:26
  • 9. 2 Samuel 24:25
  • 10. 1 Chronicles 8:34
  • 11. S 2 Samuel 5:25
  • 12. 2 Samuel 20:6
  • 13. 1 Kings 11:36; 1 Kings 15:4; 2 Kings 8:19; 2 Chronicles 21:7; Psalms 132:17
  • 14. 2 Samuel 18:3
  • 15. 1 Chronicles 11:29; 1 Chronicles 20:4; 1 Chronicles 27:11
  • 16. S 1 Samuel 17:4
  • 17. S 1 Samuel 17:7

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
  • [b]. See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew "Jaare-Oregim" .
  • [c]. See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew does not have "the brother of" .
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