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2 Samuel 21

2 Samuel 21

The big picture

2 Samuel 21 opens in verse 1 with “Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.”, and closes in verse 22 with “These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the…” Repeated or prominent terms include Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

2 Samuel · King James Version · 22

2 Samuel 21:1-8

1–8: There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year…

2 Samuel 21:1–8 opens with “Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of…” and reaches “But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Samuel 21 develops its own movement around Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites, with particular weight carried by Saul, Gibeonites, Israel.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David…” By verse 4, the text has turned to “And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house…” It lands on “But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 6 verses with a speech marker, 1 question, 3 stated contrasts, 4 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The narrator makes meaning through who acts first, who responds, what changes, and which consequences remain. A reported action is not automatically an approved action. Words such as Saul, Gibeonites, Israel, king, LORD, David tie the complete block together. The central idea, “2 Samuel 21 develops its own movement around Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Saul, Gibeonites, Israel, David, Jonathan, Mephibosheth. Its number language includes three, seven, two, five. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 3: “Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: Saul, Gibeonites, Israel, king, LORD, David

Verse-by-verse path

  1. 2 Samuel 21:1

    “Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD . And the…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  2. 2 Samuel 21:2

    “And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of…” Naming Israel and Gibeonites keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  3. 2 Samuel 21:3

    “Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

  4. 2 Samuel 21:4

    “And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. 2 Samuel 21:5

    “And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  6. 2 Samuel 21:6

    “Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  7. 2 Samuel 21:7

    “But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between…” Naming Jonathan and Saul keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  8. 2 Samuel 21:8

    “But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

2 Samuel 21:1-8

King James Version

1Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD . And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

2And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto 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 unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

3Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD ?

4And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.

5And 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,

6Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.

7But 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.

8But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto 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:

2 Samuel 21:9-16

9–16: He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them…

2 Samuel 21:9–16 opens with “And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before…” and reaches “And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Samuel 21 develops its own movement around Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites, with particular weight carried by bones, David, Saul.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill…” By verse 12, the text has turned to “And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of…” It lands on “And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 2 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The narrator makes meaning through who acts first, who responds, what changes, and which consequences remain. A reported action is not automatically an approved action. Words such as bones, David, Saul, Philistines, hanged, harvest tie the complete block together. The central idea, “2 Samuel 21 develops its own movement around Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include David, Saul, Philistines, Jonathan, Aiah, Rizpah. Its number language includes seven, three, hundred. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 10: “And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: bones, David, Saul, Philistines, hanged, harvest

Verse-by-verse path

  1. 2 Samuel 21:9

    “And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD : and they…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  2. 2 Samuel 21:10

    “And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest…” Naming Aiah and Rizpah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  3. 2 Samuel 21:11

    “And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.” Naming Aiah and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  4. 2 Samuel 21:12

    “And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, which had…” Naming Philistines and Saul keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  5. 2 Samuel 21:13

    “And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them…” Naming Jonathan and Saul keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  6. 2 Samuel 21:14

    “And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  7. 2 Samuel 21:15

    “Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought…” Naming David and Philistines keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  8. 2 Samuel 21:16

    “And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

2 Samuel 21:9-16

King James Version

9And 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.

10And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon 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.

11And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

12And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, which had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:

13And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

14And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.

15Moreover 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.

16And Ishbi-benob, 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.

2 Samuel 21:17-22

17–22: Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and…

2 Samuel 21:17–22 opens with “But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the…” and reaches “These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Samuel 21 develops its own movement around Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites, with particular weight carried by battle, David, giant.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then…” By verse 19, the text has turned to “And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of…” It lands on “These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 stated contrast. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The narrator makes meaning through who acts first, who responds, what changes, and which consequences remain. A reported action is not automatically an approved action. Words such as battle, David, giant, hand, slew, born tie the complete block together. The central idea, “2 Samuel 21 develops its own movement around Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include David, Gath, Gob, Israel, Philistines, Abishai. Its number language includes six, four, twenty. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 18: “And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: battle, David, giant, hand, slew, born

Verse-by-verse path

  1. 2 Samuel 21:17

    “But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

  2. 2 Samuel 21:18

    “And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

  3. 2 Samuel 21:19

    “And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Beth-lehemite, slew…” Naming Beth and Elhanan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  4. 2 Samuel 21:20

    “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…” The number six makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  5. 2 Samuel 21:21

    “And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.” Naming David and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  6. 2 Samuel 21:22

    “These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.” The number four makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

2 Samuel 21:17-22

King James Version

17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.

18And 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.

19And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Beth-lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

20And 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.

21And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.

22These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Questions to keep in mind while reading

  1. Track who acts, who speaks, who is affected, and what changes.
  2. Notice repeated promises, failures, rescues, and consequences.
  3. Do not assume the narrator approves every action that is reported.

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.

Questions beneath the surface

  1. What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from 2 Samuel 21?
  2. Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
  3. What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
  4. Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?

Questions for serious personal contemplation

These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.

Observe without rushing

  1. What part of 2 Samuel 21 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?

  2. Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?

  3. Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: 2 Samuel 21 develops its own movement around Saul, David, Israel, bones, Gibeonites?

  4. What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?

Examine your inner life honestly

  1. Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?

  2. What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?

  3. Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?

  4. If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?

Respond with wisdom and courage

  1. What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?

  2. How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?

  3. What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?

  4. What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?