2 Samuel 21:9

9 Et il les livra aux mains des Gabaonites, qui les pendirent sur la montagne, devant l'Éternel. Ces sept-là furent donc tués ensemble; et on les fit mourir aux premiers jours de la moisson, au commencement de la moisson des orges.

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 Or le roi épargna Méphibosheth, fils de Jonathan, fils de Saül, à cause du serment qu'avaient fait entre eux, devant l'Éternel, David et Jonathan, fils de Saül.
8 Mais le roi prit les deux fils de Ritspa, fille d'Ajja, Armoni et Méphibosheth, qu'elle avait enfantés à Saül, et les cinq fils de Mical, fille de Saül, qu'elle avait enfantés à Adriel, fils de Barzillaï Méholathite;
9 Et il les livra aux mains des Gabaonites, qui les pendirent sur la montagne, devant l'Éternel. Ces sept-là furent donc tués ensemble; et on les fit mourir aux premiers jours de la moisson, au commencement de la moisson des orges.
10 Alors Ritspa, fille d'Ajja, prit un sac, et se l'étendit sur le rocher, depuis le commencement de la moisson jusqu'à ce que l'eau du ciel tombât sur eux; et elle ne laissait pas les oiseaux du ciel se poser sur eux le jour, ni les bêtes des champs la nuit.
11 Et on rapporta à David ce que Ritspa, fille d'Ajja, concubine de Saül, avait fait.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.