1 Samuel 24 Footnotes

Saul, in attempting to exterminate the Gibeonites, had brought great guilt on himself by violating the centuries-old agreement in which the Israelites had allowed them to live in the land (Jos 9:3-15; 2Sm 21:2). Because Saul, as leader, represented all Israel (for discussions on corporate solidarity, see note on Dt 19:6), his guilt led to the spread of famine (2Sm 21:1). To bring an end to God’s judgment, David agreed to let the Gibeonites take limited revenge on the house of Saul. As a remedy for Saul’s homicidal actions, this “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth” principle (Dt 19:21; see Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20) was effective; God lifted his punishment from Israel (2Sm 21:14).