2 Samuel 21:9

9 et dedit eos in manu Gabaonitarum qui crucifixerunt illos in monte coram Domino et ceciderunt hii septem simul occisi in diebus messis primis incipiente messione hordei

2 Samuel 21:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 21:9

And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites
The two sons of Rizpah and the five sons of Merab, two sons of Saul and five grandsons:

and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord;
in the hill at Gibeah, that they might be seen by all that passed by, and serve to deter from such evils, which brought on them that punishment; gibbetings or crucifixions were commonly made on hills and mountains {l}: the phrase, "before the Lord", is either the same as "unto the Lord", ( 2 Samuel 21:6 ) ; to make atonement to the Lord, and in his sight; or it denotes that it was done publicly before the sun, and in the sight of it; for it cannot mean before the ark, the symbol of the divine Presence, for that was not there:

and they fell [all] seven together;
they were hanged together, and died at one and the same time:

and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first [days], in
the beginning of barley harvest;
which began at the passover, the morrow after the first day of the feast, ( Leviticus 23:10 Leviticus 23:11 ) ; which was the sixteenth of Nisan, on which day, the Jews say F13, these men were hanged, and which must be about the beginning of our April.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Vid. Lipsium de Cruce, l. 3. c. 13.
F13 Bemidbar Rabba, fol. 190. 1.

2 Samuel 21:9 In-Context

7 pepercitque rex Mifiboseth filio Ionathan filii Saul propter iusiurandum Domini quod fuerat inter David et inter Ionathan filium Saul
8 tulit itaque rex duos filios Respha filiae Ahia quos peperit Saul Armoni et Mifiboseth et quinque filios Michol filiae Saul quos genuerat Hadriheli filio Berzellai qui fuit de Molathi
9 et dedit eos in manu Gabaonitarum qui crucifixerunt illos in monte coram Domino et ceciderunt hii septem simul occisi in diebus messis primis incipiente messione hordei
10 tollens autem Respha filia Ahia cilicium substravit sibi super petram ab initio messis donec stillaret aqua super eos de caelo et non dimisit aves lacerare eos per diem neque bestias per noctem
11 et nuntiata sunt David quae fecerat Respha filia Ahia concubina Saul
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.