2 Samuel 21:14

14 Then they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan in the grave of Saul's father Kish, in Zela in the territory of Benjamin, doing all that the king had commanded. And after that, God answered their prayers for the country.

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.

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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 he went and got the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the people of Jabesh in Gilead. (They had stolen them from the public square in Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged the bodies on the day they killed Saul on Mount Gilboa.)

13 David took the bones of Saul and Jonathan and also gathered up the bones of the seven men who had been hanged.

14 Then they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan in the grave of Saul's father Kish, in Zela in the territory of Benjamin, doing all that the king had commanded. And after that, God answered their prayers for the country.

15 There was another war between the Philistines and Israel, and David and his men went and fought the Philistines. During one of the battles David grew tired.

16 A giant named Ishbibenob, who was carrying a bronze spear that weighed about seven and a half pounds and who was wearing a new sword, thought he could kill David.