Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, September 4th, 2025
the Week of Proper 17 / Ordinary 22
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Read the Bible

Updated Bible Version

2 Samuel 21:3

and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Covenant;   David;   Gibeon;   Saul;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Atonement, under the Law;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mephibosheth;   Rizpah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gibeon;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Feasts and Festivals of Israel;   Murder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Joshua;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Adriel;   Beeroth;   Blessing and Cursing;   Court Systems;   Gibeon;   Mephibosheth;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Haggai;   Israel;   Rizpah;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ransom (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Gibeonites ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Gibeon;  

Encyclopedias:

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He asked the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? How can I make atonement so that you will bring a blessing on the Lord’s inheritance?”
Hebrew Names Version
and David said to the Giv`onim, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
King James Version
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 ?
Lexham English Bible
So David asked the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you, and with what can I make amends that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?"
English Standard Version
And David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord ?"
New Century Version
He asked, "What can I do for you? How can I make up for the harm done so you can bless the Lord 's people?"
New English Translation
David said to the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord 's inheritance?"
Amplified Bible
So David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? How can I make it good so that you will bless the LORD'S inheritance (Israel)?"
New American Standard Bible
David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I make amends, so that you will bless the inheritance of the LORD?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid said vnto the Gibeonites, What shall I doe for you, and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may blesse the inheritance of the Lord?
Legacy Standard Bible
Thus David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?"
Contemporary English Version
He said, "What can I do to make up for what Saul did, so that you'll ask the Lord to be kind to his people again?"
Complete Jewish Bible
David said to the Giv‘onim, "What should I do for you? With what should I make atonement, so that you will be able to bless Adonai 's heritage?"
Darby Translation
And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and with what shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
Easy-to-Read Version
David said to the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you? What can I do to take away Israel's sin, so that you can bless the Lord 's people?"
George Lamsa Translation
Wherefore David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make an atonement to you, that you may bless the heritage of the LORD?
Good News Translation
So David summoned the people of Gibeon and said to them, "What can I do for you? I want to make up for the wrong that was done to you, so that you will bless the Lord 's people."
Literal Translation
And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I atone, and you bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Dauid to the Gibeonites: What shal I do vnto you? And where withall shal I make the attonement, that ye maye blesse ye enheritaunce of ye LORDE?
American Standard Version
and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
Bible in Basic English
So David said to the Gibeonites, What may I do for you? how am I to make up to you for your wrongs, so that you may give a blessing to the heritage of the Lord?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore Dauid saide vnto the Gibeonites: What shall I do for you, & wherewith shall I make the attonement, that ye may blesse ye inheritaunce of the Lorde?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and David said unto the Gibeonites: 'What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?'
King James Version (1611)
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 ?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said to the Gabaonites, What shall I do to you? and wherewithal shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
English Revised Version
and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
Berean Standard Bible
So David asked the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
therfor Dauid seide to Gabaonytis, What schal Y do to you, and what schal be youre amendis, that ye blesse the eritage of the Lord?
Young's Literal Translation
yea, David saith unto the Gibeonites, `What do I do for you? and with what do I make atonement? and bless ye the inheritance of Jehovah.'
Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and with what shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
World English Bible
and 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 Yahweh?
New King James Version
Therefore 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?"
New Living Translation
David asked them, "What can I do for you? How can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord 's people again?"
New Life Bible
David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? How can I pay for the sin, so you may bring good to the land of the Lord?"
New Revised Standard
David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How shall I make expiation, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord ?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites - What shall I do for you, and wherewith shall I make propitiation, so that ye may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?
Douay-Rheims Bible
David therefore said to the Gabaonites: What shall I do for you? and what shall be the atonement or you, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
Revised Standard Version
And David said to the Gib'eonites, "What shall I do for you? And how shall I make expiation, that you may bless the heritage of the LORD?"
THE MESSAGE
David addressed the Gibeonites: "What can I do for you? How can I compensate you so that you will bless God 's legacy of land and people?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Thus David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"

Contextual Overview

1 And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. And Yahweh said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites. 2 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); 3 and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh? 4 And the Gibeonites said to him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What you shall say, that I will do for you. 5 And they said to the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us, [that] we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, 6 let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh. And the king said, I will give them. 7 But the king spared Mephibaal, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 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 bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: 9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Yahweh, and they fell [all] seven together. And they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wherewith: Exodus 32:30, Leviticus 1:4, 1 Samuel 2:25, Micah 6:6, Micah 6:7, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 10:4-12

bless: 2 Samuel 20:19

Reciprocal: Exodus 30:15 - give less than Numbers 25:13 - atonement 2 Samuel 24:21 - the plague 1 Kings 1:47 - bless Psalms 28:9 - bless Galatians 3:13 - for

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
And God said, No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son; and you shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.
Genesis 21:6
And Sarah said, God has made me laugh. Every one that hears will laugh with me.
Genesis 21:12
And God said to Abraham, Don't let it be grievous in your sight because of the lad, and because of your slave. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For in Isaac shall your seed be called.
Genesis 22:2
And he said, Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. And offer him there for a burnt-offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.
Joshua 24:3
And I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.
Matthew 1:2
Abraham begot Isaac; and Isaac begot Jacob; and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers;
Acts 7:8
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so [Abraham] begot Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac [begot] Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.
Romans 9:7
neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your seed be called.
Hebrews 11:18
even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall your seed be called:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, what shall I do for you,.... By way of satisfaction for the injuries done them:

and wherewith shall I make the atonement; for the offences committed, that so the wrath that was gone forth against the land in a famine might be appeased:

that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord? pray for a blessing upon the land which the Lord had chosen for his inheritance, and given as such to the people of Israel, that rain might descend upon it, and make it fruitful.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 21:3. Wherewith shall I make the atonement — It is very strange that a choice of this kind should be left to such a people. Why not ask this of God himself?


 
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