2 Samuel 21:1-7

1 facta est quoque fames in diebus David tribus annis iugiter et consuluit David oraculum Domini dixitque Dominus propter Saul et domum eius et sanguinem quia occidit Gabaonitas

2 vocatis ergo Gabaonitis rex dixit ad eos porro Gabaonitae non sunt de filiis Israhel sed reliquiae Amorreorum filii quippe Israhel iuraverant eis et voluit Saul percutere eos zelo quasi pro filiis Israhel et Iuda

3 dixit ergo David ad Gabaonitas quid faciam vobis et quod erit vestri piaculum ut benedicatis hereditati Domini

4 dixeruntque ei Gabaonitae non est nobis super argento et auro quaestio contra Saul et contra domum eius neque volumus ut interficiatur homo de Israhel ad quos ait quid ergo vultis ut faciam vobis

5 qui dixerunt regi virum qui adtrivit nos et oppressit inique ita delere debemus ut ne unus quidem residuus sit de stirpe eius in cunctis finibus Israhel

6 dentur nobis septem viri de filiis eius et crucifigamus eos Domino in Gabaath Saul quondam electi Domini et ait rex ego dabo

7 pepercitque rex Mifiboseth filio Ionathan filii Saul propter iusiurandum Domini quod fuerat inter David et inter Ionathan filium Saul

2 Samuel 21:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 21

A famine being in the land three years, the Lord was inquired of, to know the reason of it; and it being answered, that it was on account of Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites, they were summoned by David to know what satisfaction they required for the cruel usage of them, 2Sa 21:1-3; to which they replied, that they only desired seven of Saul's sons to be delivered up to them, to be hanged by them, which was granted, 2Sa 21:4-9; whose bones, with those of Saul and Jonathan, David buried in the sepulchre of their fathers, 2Sa 21:10-14; and the chapter is closed with an account of the various battles fought with the Philistines, in which four of their generals were slain, 2Sa 21:15-22.