American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
2 Samuel 21
1
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
2
And the king called the Gibeonites, and said to them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)
3
Why David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and with which shall I make the atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
Reference
4
And the Gibeonites said to him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shall you kill any man in Israel. And he said, What you shall say, that will I do for you.
5
And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 21:1
6
Let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
Reference
7
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 4:4
2 Samuel 9:10
References David
1 Samuel 18:3
1 Samuel 20:17
References Lord
1 Samuel 20:8
1 Samuel 20:15
1 Samuel 23:18
1 Samuel 20:42
8
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
Reference
People
9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ruth 1:22
10
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped on them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
Reference
11
And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
12
And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 17:11
13
And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
14
And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulcher of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.
Reference
15
Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
Reference
16
And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
Reference
17
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you quench not the light of Israel.
Reference
18
And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
Reference
📍 Gob
People
19
And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
Reference
📍 Gob
People
20
And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
Reference
21
And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.
Reference
People
Summary of 2 Samuel 21
This chapter presents two major themes: restoring justice from the past and experiencing victory through faithful servants.
The chapter begins with a three-year famine during David's reign. David seeks God and learns that the famine is connected to Saul's actions against the Gibeonites. Saul had broken Israel's covenant with them by attempting to destroy them, bringing guilt upon the nation.
David meets with the Gibeonites and seeks a resolution. They request seven descendants of Saul as justice for the suffering caused by Saul's actions. David agrees but protects Mephibosheth because of his covenant with Jonathan. After the judgment is carried out, Rizpah, the mother of two of the executed men, mourns and protects the bodies. Her actions move David to arrange a proper burial for Saul, Jonathan, and the others. After this act of justice and respect, God restores the land and the famine ends.
The second half of the chapter records battles against the Philistines. David personally enters battle but becomes exhausted and nearly dies at the hands of a giant warrior. His soldiers recognize that David's life is too important to risk and ask him not to fight personally again.
The chapter then highlights David's warriors who defeat several descendants of the giants. These victories show that God's strength was working through many faithful servants, not only through David himself.
Overall, 2 Samuel 21 teaches that unresolved injustice must be addressed, promises must be honored, and God's purposes continue through faithful people. The chapter connects Israel's past, present, and future by showing that actions have consequences, but restoration is possible when justice and faithfulness are pursued.
The chapter begins with a three-year famine during David's reign. David seeks God and learns that the famine is connected to Saul's actions against the Gibeonites. Saul had broken Israel's covenant with them by attempting to destroy them, bringing guilt upon the nation.
David meets with the Gibeonites and seeks a resolution. They request seven descendants of Saul as justice for the suffering caused by Saul's actions. David agrees but protects Mephibosheth because of his covenant with Jonathan. After the judgment is carried out, Rizpah, the mother of two of the executed men, mourns and protects the bodies. Her actions move David to arrange a proper burial for Saul, Jonathan, and the others. After this act of justice and respect, God restores the land and the famine ends.
The second half of the chapter records battles against the Philistines. David personally enters battle but becomes exhausted and nearly dies at the hands of a giant warrior. His soldiers recognize that David's life is too important to risk and ask him not to fight personally again.
The chapter then highlights David's warriors who defeat several descendants of the giants. These victories show that God's strength was working through many faithful servants, not only through David himself.
Overall, 2 Samuel 21 teaches that unresolved injustice must be addressed, promises must be honored, and God's purposes continue through faithful people. The chapter connects Israel's past, present, and future by showing that actions have consequences, but restoration is possible when justice and faithfulness are pursued.