About 2 Samuel

2 Samuel chronicles David's reign, including his triumphs, his sin with Bathsheba, and the consequences that followed, yet God's covenant with him remains.

Author: Nathan, GadWritten: c. 1000-900 BCReading time: ~3 minVerses: 22
Davidic CovenantSin and ConsequencesGraceKingdomRepentanceLeadership

King James Version

2 Samuel 21

22 verses with commentary

The Gibeonites Avenged

Then 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. enquired: Heb. sought the face, etc

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Then 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrate...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

XXI. (1) **Then there was.**—Read, *and there was, *there being no indication of time in the original. It is plain from 2Samuel 21:7 that the events here narrated occurred after David had come to know Mephibosheth; and if in 2Samuel 16:7 there is (as many suppose) an allusion to the execution of Saul’s sons, they must have happened before the rebellion of Absalom. There is no more definite clue to...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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And 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.)

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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.)</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligatio...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) **For his bloody house.**—Better, *for the blood-guilty house. *Saul’s family and descendants are regarded, according to the universal ideas of the times, as sharers in his guilt. The story of the Gibeonites and of Joshua’s league with them is told in Joshua 9, but Saul’s attempt to destroy them is mentioned only here. It is plain, from what is said of them in 2Samuel 21:8, that they had never...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**5. the man that hath done this thing shall surely die--**This punishment was more severe than the case deserved, or than was warranted by the divine statute (Ex 22:1). The sympathies of the king had been deeply enlisted, his indignation aroused, but his conscience was still asleep; and at the time when he was most fatally indulgent to his own sins, he was most ready to condemn the delinquencies ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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Wherefore 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?

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Wherefore 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?</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulness and jus...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(3) **Make the atonement.**—This is the same technical word as is used throughout the Law in connection with the propitiatory sacrifices. It means literally, *to cover up, *and is here used in that literal sense. David asks what he can do to so *cover up *the sin of Saul as to remove it from the sight of those against whom it had been committed—the Gibeonites as the earthly sufferers from it, and ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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And 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. We will: or, It is not silver nor gold that we have to do with Saul or his house, neither pertains it to us to kill, etc

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(4) **No silver nor gold**.—Money compensations for sins of blood were extremely common among all ancient nations, but were expressly forbidden in the Law of Moses (Numbers 35:31), and in this respect the Gibeonites appear to have accepted the teaching of the law of Israel. **Kill any man in Israel.**—Notwithstanding that the guilt of Saul’s sin, until it should be expiated, rested upon all Israel...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**7. Nathan said to David, Thou art the man--**These awful words pierced his heart, aroused his conscience, and brought him to his knees. The sincerity and depth of his penitent sorrow are evinced by the Psalms he composed (Psa 32:1-11; 51:1-19; 103:1-22). He was pardoned, so far as related to the restoration of the divine favor. But as from his high character for piety, and his eminent rank in so...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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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, devised: or, cut us off

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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,</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulness and ju...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**8. I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives--**The phraseology means nothing more than that God in His providence had given David, as king of Israel, everything that was Saul's. The history furnishes conclusive evidence that he never actually married any of the wives of Saul. But the harem of the preceding king belongs, according to Oriental notions, as a part of the regalia to his...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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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 LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them. whom: or, chosen of the LORD

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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 LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfu...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(6) **Let seven men of his sons.**—The head of the house and his household were closely identified in all the ideas of antiquity. Saul being dead, his male descendants were considered as standing in his place, representing him, and responsible for his acts, just as is largely the case in legal affairs and matters of property at the present day. The number *seven *is, doubtless, fixed upon as being...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulnes...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
Read full commentary →

But 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: Michal: or, Michal's sister brought: Heb. bare to Adriel

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>But 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:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(8) **Took the two sons of Rizpah**.—The suggestion that David took advantage of this opportunity to strengthen himself further against the house of Saul is utterly set aside by two considerations: (1) David could not lawfully refuse the demand of the Gibeonites, since the Law absolutely required that blood-guiltiness should be expiated by the blood of the offender (Numbers 35:33), which, in this ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11. I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, &amp;c.--**The prophet speaks of God threatening to do what He only permitted to be done. The fact is, that David's loss of character by the discovery of his crimes, tended, in the natural course of things, to diminish the respect of his family, to weaken the authority of his government, and to encourage the prevalence of many disorde...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
Read full commentary →

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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced t...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(9) **The beginning of barley harvest.**—This was immediately after the Passover (Leviticus 23:10-11), and therefore about the middle of April. The rains of autumn began in October, so that Rizpah’s watch must have been about six months. She *spread *the *sackcloth *as a tent to form a rough shelter during the long watch. For *water dropped *read *water poured, *the word being used for *melting, f...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
Read full commentary →

And 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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The thr...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-15** God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

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

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulness and justice. The execution of Saul's descendants and Rizpah's faithful vig...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-15** God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

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:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine trac...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(12) **Took the bones of Saul.**—Moved by the story of Rizpah’s tender care, and wishing to show that he cherished no enmity against the house of Saul, David buried honourably the remains of Saul and of his descendants. In 1Samuel 31:10 it is said that the Philistines fastened the body of Saul “to the wall of Beth-shan;” here, that the men of Jabesh-gilead took them secretly from *the street. *The...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-15** God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

And 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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulness and justice. The execution...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-15** God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

And 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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty v...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(14) **In Zelah**.—According to Joshua 18:28 a town of Benjamin. It has not been identified, but was probably near Gibeah.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-15** God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

Wars Against the Philistines

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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulness ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(15) **Had yet war again.**—This, like the preceding narrative, bears no note of time except that it occurred after some other wars with the Philistines; but this is only to say that it was after David ascended the throne. From the latter part of 2Samuel 21:17 it is plain that it must have been after David had become king of all Israel, and probably after he had become somewhat advanced in years. ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-15** God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

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. the giant: or, Rapha spear: Heb. the staff, or, the head

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's dema...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(16) **Ishbi-benob.**—The name is a strange one, and it is generally thought that some error has crept into the text, but none of the suggested emendations are free from difficulty. Perhaps the most probable is that in the *Speaker’s Commentary, *by which for *Ishbi *(the Hebrew margin) *they halted *is read, and *benob, *by a very slight change in one letter, becomes *at Gob; *then a clause is su...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
Read full commentary →

But 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. light: Heb. candle, or, lamp

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>But 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty viol...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(17) **And smote.**—The original leaves it doubtful whether Abishai is the nominative to the verb, or whether it should be simply *he, *referring to David. 2Samuel 21:22 seems to imply that one at least of the sons of the giant fell by David’s own hand. **Sware unto him.**—This was a solemn transaction, by which David should hereafter be restrained from personal exposure in battle. That he should ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
Read full commentary →

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. the giant: or, Rapha Saph: or, Sippai

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithful...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(18) **At Gob.**—Comp. 2Samuel 21:19. The place is otherwise unknown. 1Chronicles 20:4 reads “Gezer,” and the LXX. substitutes “Gath.” (Comp. 2Samuel 21:20.) It is not at all remarkable that the names of many small places should be lost after the lapse of three thousand years, nor that the locality of the hamlet should be marked in the later chronicles by the better known neighbouring town of Geze...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
Read full commentary →

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. Jaareoregim: or, Jair

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstra...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(19) **Jaare-oregim.**—The parallel place, 1Chronicles 20:5, reads simply “Jair.” It is generally supposed that “oregim(= *weavers*) has accidentally crept into the text from the line below, and “Jai” and “Jaare” are the same with a slight transposition of the letters. Another name for the same person must have been “Dodo,” if this Elhanan, as seems altogether probable, is the same with “Elhanan t...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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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. the giant: or, Rapha

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15-23. the Lord struck the child ... and it was very sick--**The first visible chastisement inflicted on David appeared on the person of that child which was the evidence and monument of his guilt. His domestics were surprised at his conduct, and in explanation of its singularity, it is necessary to remark that the custom in the East is to leave the nearest relative of a deceased person to the f...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him. defied: or, reproached

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulness and justice. The execution of Saul's descendants and Rizpah's faithful vigil o...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(21) **Jonathan the son of Shimeah.**—Hence he was the nephew of David (1Chronicles 20:7), and was either the wily Jonadab mentioned in 2Samuel 13:3, or, more probably, his brother. David’s family connections seem to have constituted a clan of heroes.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**24-25. Bath-sheba ... bare a son, and he called his name Solomon--**that is, "peaceable." But Nathan gave him the name of Jedediah, by command of God, or perhaps only as an expression of God's love. This love and the noble gifts with which he was endowed, considering the criminality of the marriage from which he sprang, is a remarkable instance of divine goodness and grace. 2Sa 12:26-31. Rabb...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
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These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the narrative of Famine and Giants, emphasizing justice, covenant obligations. The three-year famine traced to Saul's treaty violation demonstrates God's demand for covenant faithfulness and justice. The execution of Saul's descendants and Riz...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(22) **Born to the giant.**—They were all descendants of Rapha, but not necessarily all the sons of one man. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**24-25. Bath-sheba ... bare a son, and he called his name Solomon--**that is, "peaceable." But Nathan gave him the name of Jedediah, by command of God, or perhaps only as an expression of God's love. This love and the noble gifts with which he was endowed, considering the criminality of the marriage from which he sprang, is a remarkable instance of divine goodness and grace. 2Sa 12:26-31. Rabb...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 21 Chapter Outline David with Ahimelech.(1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad.(10-15) **Verses 1-9** David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scri...
Read full commentary →

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