1
In the days of David there was a famine for three years in succession, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
2
So the king called the Gibeonites and said to them — now the Gibeonites were not of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and although the Israelites had sworn to them, Saul had sought to destroy them in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah —
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David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you, and with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?”
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The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul and his house, nor is it for us to put anyone to death in Israel.” And he said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
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They said to the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and planned to wipe us out, so that we should have no place anywhere in the territory of Israel,
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let seven of his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before the LORD at Gibeon, on the mountain of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.”
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But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
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So 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 Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite,
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and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them on the mountain before the LORD. The seven of them died together. They were put to death at the beginning of the harvest, at the start of the barley harvest.
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Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of the harvest until rain poured down from the heavens on their bodies; she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
11
When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done,
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David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines struck down Saul on Gilboa.
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He brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son. The bones of those who had been hanged were also gathered up,
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and they buried them together with the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin, in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. They did everything that the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
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When there was again war between the Philistines and Israel, David went down with his men and fought against the Philistines, and David grew weary.
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Ishbi-Benob, who was among the descendants of the giant—his spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and he was armed with a new sword—thought to kill David.
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But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to help David, and he struck down and killed the Philistine. At that time David’s men swore to him, saying, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
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After this there was again fighting with the Philistines at Gob; at that time Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was among the descendants of the giant.
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And there was again fighting with the Philistines at Gob; Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim, the Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam.
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Then there was again fighting at Gath; and there was a man of great stature there, whose hands and feet each had six fingers and six toes, twenty-four in all; he also was descended from the giant.
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He taunted Israel, and Jonathan son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him.
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These four were descended from the giant in Gath; they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his men.
⚖️🌾🩸 Summary of 2 Samuel 21 – Retribution for Saul’s Wrong and David’s Mighty Men
2 Samuel 21 is a story of national atonement and the recognition of individual faithfulness. The chapter begins with a three-year famine, and David investigates the cause — which turns out to be Saul’s sin against the Gibeonites. God demands justice for a broken covenant. Then the stories of David’s mighty men are shown, who defeated giants, showing that God still works through His faithful people.
📌 1. The Famine Because of Saul’s Sin (verses 1–6)
➡️ David asked the Lord about the three-year famine
➡️ The Lord answered that it was because Saul had killed the Gibeonites, though they had been protected by covenant since the days of Joshua
➡️ The Gibeonites asked for seven of Saul’s descendants to be put to death as compensation
🎯 Unfaithfulness to a covenant brings a curse, even after many years.
📌 2. Execution and Rizpah’s Devotion (verses 7–11)
➡️ David handed over seven descendants of Saul (not Mephibosheth son of Jonathan)
➡️ They were hanged on a hill by the Gibeonites
➡️ Rizpah, the mother of two of those who were hanged, watched over the bodies day and night during the harvest season so that they would not be eaten by animals
🎯 A mother’s faithfulness can become a strong symbol of compassion and honor.
📌 3. The Restoration and Burial of Saul and Jonathan (verses 12–14)
➡️ David brought the bones of Saul and Jonathan from Beth-shan and buried them with honor
➡️ After that, the Lord answered prayer for the land
🎯 Restoration comes when justice is upheld and honor is restored.
📌 4. David’s Heroes Defeat the Giants (verses 15–22)
➡️ David was nearly killed by a giant named Yishbi-benob, but was saved by Abishai
➡️ David’s men swore that he would not go out to battle again
➡️ Three other giants were defeated by Sibbecai, Elhanan, and Jonathan son of Shimea
➡️ One of them is described as a giant with six fingers on each hand and foot
🎯 Great victories are won not only by the king, but also by the faithful people around him.
📖 Main Teaching
- The sin of a leader can bring disaster upon an entire nation
- A covenant, even an old one, remains holy in the sight of the Lord
- Respect for the dead reflects the value of life and compassion
- The restoration of a nation comes through justice and honor
- The Lord uses ordinary people to defeat giants, not only great leaders
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“What a person sows, that also will he reap.”
➡️ Saul’s sin bore national famine — the result of an old transgression.
“Vengeance belongs to Me, says the Lord.”
➡️ David did not take revenge on his own will, but sought the Lord’s guidance.
“…they conquered kingdoms, shut the mouths of lions, quenched fire…”
➡️ David’s heroes reflected true faith and courage.
“God chose the weak to shame the strong.”
➡️ The giants were defeated not by David, but by those who were faithful to God.
🕊️ “There was a famine… because Saul and his family had killed the Gibeonites.” – 2 Samuel 21:1
🕊️ “Rizpah… did not let the birds eat the bodies.” – 2 Samuel 21:10
🕊️ “The Lord granted the prayer for the land.” – 2 Samuel 21:14
🕊️ “These four were descendants of the giants… and they fell by the hand of David and his men.” – 2 Samuel 21:22
