2 Samuel 21:14

14 and they buried those with the bones of Saul and of Jonathan, his son, in the land of Benjamin, in the side of the sepulchre of Kish, the father of Saul (in the tomb, or the grave, of Saul's father Kish). And they did all things, whatever the king commanded them; and the Lord did mercy to the land after these things.

2 Samuel 21:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 21:14

And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son
Together with those who had been hanged:

buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah;
a city in the tribe of Benjamin, ( Joshua 18:28 ) ;

in the sepulchre of Kish his father;
the father of Saul, ( 1 Samuel 9:1 1 Samuel 9:2 ) ; and which, according to Fuller F23, and the position of it in his map, was not far from the hill on which the seven sons of Saul were hanged:

and they performed all that the king commanded;
that is, David's messengers and servants did; they fetched the bones of Saul and Jonathan from Jabeshgilead, and buried them with those of his seven sons hanged, in the burying place of his father Kish, and made a general mourning for them; for the Jews say F24, that by David's order Saul's coffin was carried through every tribe, and men, women, and children, came out and expressed concern:

and after that God was entreated for the land;
not after the burial of the said persons, but after the seven men were hanged up; by this the wrath of God was appeased, which was seen by his sending rain and fruitful seasons, so that the famine ceased.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Pisgah-Sight, B. 2. c. 12. p. 258.
F24 Bemidbar Rabba, ut supra. (fol. 190. 1.)

2 Samuel 21:14 In-Context

12 And David went, and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan, his son, from the men of Jabesh of Gilead; which had stolen those bones from the street of Bethshan, in which Philistines had hanged them, when they had slain Saul in Gilboa (for they had stolen those bones from the street in Bethshan, where the Philistines had hung them, after they had killed Saul at Gilboa).
13 And David bare out from thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan, his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were crucified (and they also gathered up the bones of the seven men who were hanged),
14 and they buried those with the bones of Saul and of Jonathan, his son, in the land of Benjamin, in the side of the sepulchre of Kish, the father of Saul (in the tomb, or the grave, of Saul's father Kish). And they did all things, whatever the king commanded them; and the Lord did mercy to the land after these things.
15 Forsooth battle of the Philistines was made again against Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. Soothly when David failed, (And again the Philistines made battle against Israel; and David and his men went down, and fought against the Philistines. And when David grew weary,)
16 Ishbibenob, that was of the kin of Harapha, that is, (the father) of the giants, and the iron of his spear weighed three hundred ounces, and he was girded with a new sword, enforced to smite David. (Ishbibenob, who was a descendant of Harapha, that is, the father of the giants, whose iron of his spear weighed three hundred ounces, and who was girded with a new sword, endeavoured to strike down David.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.