Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

2 Samuel 21:2

And the king called the Gibeonites, and said vnto them, (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworne vnto them: and Saul sought to slay them, in his zeale to the children of Israel and Iudah)

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Amorites;   Covenant;   David;   Gibeon;   Israel;   Saul;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Amorites, the;   Gibeonites;   Zeal;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mephibosheth;   Rizpah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gibeon;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Murder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Alliance;   Amorites;   David;   Gibeon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Gittaim;   Joshua;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Adriel;   Beeroth;   Court Systems;   Gibeon;   Mephibosheth;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Gibeon;   Haggai;   Israel;   Rizpah;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Zeal;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Amorites ;   Gibeonites ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Gibeon;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Gib'eonites, the,;   Neth'inim;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amorites;   Heredity;   Rizpah;   Salvation;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Amorites;   Atonement;   Crime;   Saul;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them.
Hebrew Names Version
The king called the Giv`onim, and said to them (now the Giv`onim were not of the children of Yisra'el, but of the remnant of the Amori; and the children of Yisra'el had sworn to them: and Sha'ul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Yisra'el and Yehudah);
King James Version
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.)
Lexham English Bible
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not from the Israelites; they were from the remainder of the Amorites. Now the Israelites had sworn to them, but Saul tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah.
English Standard Version
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.
New Century Version
(Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites; they were a group of Amorites who were left alive. The Israelites had promised not to hurt the Gibeonites, but Saul had tried to kill them, because he was eager to help the people of Israel and Judah.) King David called the Gibeonites together and spoke to them.
New English Translation
So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke with them. (Now the Gibeonites were not descendants of Israel; they were a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had made a promise to them, but Saul tried to kill them because of his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.)
Amplified Bible
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons (descendants) of Israel but of the remnant (survivors) of the Amorites. The Israelites had sworn [an oath] to [spare] them, but Saul in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah had sought to strike down the Gibeonites).
New American Standard Bible
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel had made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah).
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then ye King called the Gibeonites and said vnto them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but a remnant of the Amorites, vnto whom ye children of Israel had sworne: but Saul sought to slay them for his zeale toward the children of Israel and Iudah)
Legacy Standard Bible
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah).
Contemporary English Version
The Gibeonites were not Israelites; they were descendants of the Amorites. The people of Israel had promised not to kill them, but Saul had tried to kill them because he wanted Israel and Judah to control all the land. David had the Gibeonites come, and he talked with them.
Complete Jewish Bible
The king summoned the Giv‘onim and said to them — these Giv‘onim were not part of the people of Isra'el but from the remnant of the Emori; and the people of Isra'el had sworn to them; but Sha'ul, in his zeal for the people of Isra'el and Y'hudah, had sought to exterminate them —
Darby Translation
And the king called the Gibeonites, and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remainder of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to smite them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.)
Easy-to-Read Version
(The Gibeonites were not Israelites. They were a group of Amorites. The Israelites had promised not to hurt them, but Saul tried to kill the Gibeonites. He did this because of his strong feelings for the people of Israel and Judah.) King David called the Gibeonites together and talked to them.
George Lamsa Translation
So 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 had sought to slay them in his zeal to cause the children of Israel and Judah to sin),
Good News Translation
(The people of Gibeon were not Israelites; they were a small group of Amorites whom the Israelites had promised to protect, but Saul had tried to destroy them because of his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.)
Literal Translation
And the king called for the Gibeonites and said to them (as to the Gibeonites, they were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them)and Saul sought to strike them in his zealfor the sons of Israel and Judah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then the kynge caused for to call the Gibeonites, and spake vnto them. (As for the Gibeonites, they were not of ye children of Israel, but a remnaunt of the Amorites: howbeit the children of Israel had sworne vnto the, and Saul soughte for to smyte them in his gelousy, for the childre of Israel and Iuda.)
American Standard Version
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 for the children of Israel and Judah);
Bible in Basic English
Then the king sent for the Gibeonites; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but were the last of the Amorites, to whom the children of Israel had given an oath; but Saul, in his passion for the children of Israel and Judah, had made an attempt on their lives:)
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king called the Gibeonites, and saide vnto them: (Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but a remnaunt of the Amorites, and the children of Israel sware vnto them: And Saul sought to slay them, for a zeale that he had to the children of Israel and of Iuda.)
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 for the children of Israel and Judah--
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And King David called the Gabaonites, and said to them; —(now the Gabaonites are not the children of Israel, but are of the remnant of the Amorite, and the children of Israel had sworn to them: but Saul sought to smite them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Juda.)
English Revised Version
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 for the children of Israel and Judah:)
Berean Standard Bible
At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor whanne Gabaonytis weren clepid, the kyng seide to hem; sotheli Gabaonytis ben not of the sones of Israel, but thei ben the relikys of Ammorreis; and the sones of Israel hadden swore to hem, `that is, that thei schulden not `be slayn, and Saul wolde smyte hem for feruent loue, as for the sones of Israel and of Juda;
Young's Literal Translation
And the king calleth for the Gibeonites, and saith unto them -- as to the Gibeonites, they [are] not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorite, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul seeketh to smite them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah --
Update Bible Version
And the king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the sons of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah);
Webster's Bible Translation
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.)
World English Bible
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 kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);
New King James Version
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.
New Living Translation
So the king summoned the Gibeonites. They were not part of Israel but were all that was left of the nation of the Amorites. The people of Israel had sworn not to kill them, but Saul, in his zeal for Israel and Judah, had tried to wipe them out.
New Life Bible
So the king called the Gibeonites. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the people who were left of the Amorites. The sons of Israel had made an agreement with them. But Saul had wanted to kill them because he thought so much of the sons of Israel and Judah.)
New Revised Standard
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.)
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The king therefore called the Gibeonites, and said unto them (now, the Gibeonites, were, not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, with whom, the sons of Israel, had entered into an oath, and Saul had sought to smite them, in his jealousy for the sons of Israel and Judah) -
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the king, calling for the Gabaonites, said to them: (Now the Gabaonites were not of the children of Israel, but the remains of the Amorrhites: and the children of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul sought to slay them out of zeal, as it were for the children of Israel and Juda:)
Revised Standard Version
So the king called the Gib'eonites. Now the Gib'eonites were not of the people of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to slay them in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.
THE MESSAGE
So the king called the Gibeonites together for consultation. (The Gibeonites were not part of Israel; they were what was left of the Amorites, and protected by a treaty with Israel. But Saul, a fanatic for the honor of Israel and Judah, tried to kill them off.)
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah).

Contextual Overview

1 Then there was a famine in the dayes of Dauid three yeeres, yeere after yeere, and Dauid enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloodie house, because he slew the Gibeonites. 2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said vnto them, (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworne vnto them: and Saul sought to slay them, in his zeale to the children of Israel and Iudah) 3 Wherefore Dauid said vnto the Gibeonites, What shall I doe for you? and wherwith shall I make the atonement, that ye may blesse the inheritance of the Lord ? 4 And the Gibeonites saide vnto him, We will haue no siluer nor golde of Saul, nor of his house, neither for vs shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What you shall say, that will I doe for you. 5 And they answered the king, The man that consumed vs, and that deuised against vs, that we should be destroied from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel, 6 Let seuen men of his sonnes bee deliuered vnto vs, and wee will hang them vp vnto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whome the Lord did chuse. And the king said, I will giue them. 7 But the king spared Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan the sonne of Saul, because of the Lords othe that was between them, betweene Dauid, and Ionathan the sonne of Saul. 8 But the king tooke the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare vnto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the fiue sonnes of Michal the daughter of Saul, whome she brought vp for Adriel the sonne of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9 And hee deliuered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord: and they fell all seuen together, and were put to death in the dayes of haruest, in the first dayes, in the beginning of barley haruest.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

now the: Joshua 9:3-21

the Amorites: The Gibeonites were Hivites, not Amorites, as appears from Joshua 6:19, but Amorites is a name often given to the Canaanites in general. Genesis 15:16

in his zeal: Deuteronomy 7:16, 1 Samuel 14:44, 1 Samuel 15:8, 1 Samuel 15:9, 2 Kings 10:16, 2 Kings 10:31, Luke 9:54, Luke 9:55, John 16:2, Romans 10:2, Galatians 4:17

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:7 - guiltless Exodus 23:32 - shalt make Deuteronomy 7:2 - make no Joshua 2:17 - General Joshua 5:1 - all the kings Joshua 6:22 - as ye sware unto her Joshua 9:15 - made peace 1 Kings 2:43 - Why 1 Kings 15:19 - break thy league 1 Chronicles 1:14 - Amorite 2 Chronicles 16:3 - break 2 Chronicles 36:13 - who had Nehemiah 3:7 - the Gibeonite Esther 9:27 - and upon their seed Psalms 15:4 - sweareth Ezekiel 17:16 - whose oath Acts 22:3 - was Philippians 3:6 - zeal Hebrews 6:16 - an oath

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
And God said, Sarah thy wife shall beare thee a sonne in deede, and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my couenant with him, for an euerlasting couenant, and with his seed after him.
Genesis 17:21
But my couenant wil I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall beare vnto thee, at this set time, in the next yeere.
Genesis 18:10
And he said, I will certainly returne vnto thee according to the time of life; and loe, Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne. And Sarah heard it in the tent doore, which was behind him.
Genesis 18:14
Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed will I returne vnto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall haue a sonne.
Genesis 21:16
And she went, and sate her downe ouer against him, a good way off, as it were a bow shoot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And shee sate ouer against him, and lift vp her voice, and wept.
Genesis 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad, and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of heauen, and said vnto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? feare not: for God hath heard the voice of the ladde, where he is.
Genesis 21:24
And Abraham saide, I will sweare.
Genesis 21:25
And Abraham reproued Abimelech, because of a well of water, which Abimelechs seruants had violently taken away.
Luke 1:36
And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceiued a sonne in her old age, and this is the sixt moneth with her, who was called barren.
Acts 7:8
And he gaue him the couenant of Circumcision: and so Abraham begate Isaac, and circumcised him the eight day: and Isaac begate Iacob, and Iacob begate the twelue Patriarchs.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king called the Gibeonites,.... Sent messengers unto them, and summoned them to come to him,

and said unto them; what is expressed in 2 Samuel 21:3; for what follows is in a parenthesis:

(now the Gibeonites [were] not of the children of Israel; originally, though they were proselyted to the Jewish religion, and were employed in the menial services of the sanctuary:

but of the remnant of the Amorites; they were the remains of the old Canaanites, who sometimes in general were called Amorites, otherwise the Gibeonites were called Hivites; see Joshua 9:7;

and the children of Israel had sworn unto them; by their princes, as Joshua; yet,

and Saul, contrary to this oath, sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah); pretending a great concern for them, for their honour and profit; that these men ought not to live in their cities, and take the bread out of their mouths, and be employed in the service of the sanctuary; but that they ought to be expelled, and even cut off, being the old inhabitants of the land, the Lord ordered to be destroyed; and that though the Israelites had given an oath to the contrary, they were drawn into it by guile and deceit, and therefore not binding upon them; hence he sought by all means to harass and oppress them, and slew many of them, and destroyed them out of their cities, that they might be possessed by Judah and Benjamin; see 2 Samuel 4:2, compared with Joshua 9:17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The way in which the writer here refers to the history of the league with the Gibeonites Joshua 9:0 shows that the Book of Joshua was not a part of the same work as the Books of Samuel.

Of the Amorites - The Gibeonites were Hivites Joshua 9:7; Joshua 11:19; and in many enumerations of the Canaanite nations the Hivites are distinguished from the Amorites. But “Amorite” is often used in a more comprehensive sense, equivalent to “Canaanite” (as Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 1:27), and denoting especially that part of the Canaanite nation which dwelt in the hill country Numbers 13:29; Deuteronomy 1:7, Deuteronomy 1:20, Deuteronomy 1:24, and so includes the Hivites.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 21:2. The remnant of the Amorites — The Gibeonites were Hivites, not Amorites, as appears from Joshua 11:19: but Amorites is a name often given to the Canaanites in general, Genesis 15:16; Amos 2:9, and elsewhere.


 
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