4 Regum 21:1

Jerome's Latin Vulgate

Facta est quoque fames in diebus David tribus annis jugiter: et consuluit David oraculum Domini. Dixitque Dominus: Propter Saul, et domum ejus sanguinum, quia occidit Gabaonitas.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Venit autem David in Nobe ad Achimelech sacerdotem : et obstupuit Achimelech, eo quod venisset David. Et dixit ei : Quare tu solus, et nullus est tecum ?

Nova Vulgata (1979)
Facta est fames in diebus David tribus annis iugiter. Et consuluit David oraculum Domini, dixitque Dominus: "Super Saul et super domum eius est sanguis, quia occidit Gabaonitas".

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2986, bc 1018, An, Ex, Ex, Is, 473

a famine: Genesis 12:10, Genesis 26:1, Genesis 41:57, Genesis 42:1, Genesis 43:1, Leviticus 26:19, Leviticus 26:20, Leviticus 26:26, 1 Kings 17:1, 1 Kings 18:2, 2 Kings 6:25, 2 Kings 8:1, Jeremiah 14:1-18

inquired: Heb. sought the face, etc

of the Lord: 2 Samuel 5:19, 2 Samuel 5:23, Numbers 27:21, 1 Samuel 23:2, 1 Samuel 23:4, 1 Samuel 23:11, Job 5:8-10, Job 10:2, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 91:15

It is: Joshua 7:1, Joshua 7:11, Joshua 7:12

Saul: 1 Samuel 22:17-19

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:5 - visiting Exodus 20:7 - guiltless Exodus 23:32 - shalt make Exodus 33:7 - sought Leviticus 4:22 - a ruler hath sinned Deuteronomy 19:13 - but thou Joshua 2:17 - General Joshua 6:18 - and trouble it Joshua 9:3 - Gibeon Joshua 9:20 - lest wrath Ruth 1:1 - a famine 2 Samuel 21:5 - The man 2 Samuel 24:1 - again 2 Samuel 24:13 - seven 2 Kings 4:38 - a dearth 1 Chronicles 21:7 - he smote 1 Chronicles 21:12 - three years' famine Esther 9:27 - and upon their seed Psalms 15:4 - sweareth Psalms 26:9 - bloody men Psalms 27:4 - inquire Psalms 51:14 - Deliver Psalms 109:14 - Let the Proverbs 17:13 - General Jeremiah 32:18 - recompensest Jonah 1:11 - What Micah 6:9 - hear Haggai 1:6 - have Haggai 1:9 - Because 2 Timothy 3:3 - trucebreakers

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year,.... That is, three years running, one after another; some think this, though here related, was before the rebellions of Absalom and Sheba, and not after, and there are several things which may incline to it, as that the sin of Saul should otherwise be so long unpunished, and that the bones of Saul and Jonathan were not sooner removed, here related; and that there should be so many battles the Philistines after they were subdued, as recorded in this chapter; and in one of the Jewish e writings it is said, that this was the year after Saul was slain; though, in other copies of the same book, it is said to be thirty years after; and so in that Abarbinel used, and who is of the mind that what is here related stands in the order in which it was, and of the same opinion are some of our best chronologers f:

and David inquired of the Lord; before the high priest by Urim and Thummim, what should be the cause of the famine perhaps suspecting it was some sins of his; the first year he might take no notice of it, hoping for a more fruitful season the next year, it arising, as he might suppose, from some natural cause; the second year he might begin to think it was for some national sins, but might be remiss in his inquiry into them; but the third year he was alarmed, and concluded there was something extraordinary and special, and feared it was on his account, and this put him on making inquiry:

and the Lord answered, [it is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house; on account of the blood shed by him and his family; which answer must in a good measure relieve the mind of David, if he was fearful it was for his sins:

because he slew the Gibeonites: which was contrary to the oath that Joshua and all Israel had given them not to slay them, but save them alive, Joshua 9:15. When this was done is not certain; the Jews commonly say g that he slew them when he slew the priests at Nob, they being hewers of wood and drawers of water to them, and were slain with them; or because their maintenance depended on the priests, they being slain, it was in effect slaying them; but rather this refers to another time, and to other action or actions of Saul, who sought by various means to destroy these people, and root them out of the land. The Heathens had a notion that barrenness, unfruitfulness, and famine, were inflicted by God for murder. Philostratus h reports of the Ethiopian Indians, that for the murder of their king, Ganges, their ground was unfruitful, their cattle starved, their wives abortive, and their cities and houses fell to ruin, until the murderers were destroyed.

e Pirke Eliezer, c. 17. f Usser. Annal. Vet. Test. p. 55. Bedford's Scripture Chronology, p. 558. g T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 119. 1. h Vita Apollon. Tyanei, l. 3. c. 6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There is no note of time whatever, nor any clue as to what part of David’s reign the events of this chapter ought to be assigned.

Enquired of the Lord - Hebrew “sought the face of the Lord,” quite a different phrase from that so often used in Judges (e. g. Judges 1:1) and the Books of Samuel, and probably indicating that this chapter is from a different source; an inference agreeing with the indefinite “in the days of David,” and with the allusion to the slaughter of the Gibeonites, which has not anywhere been narrated.

And for his bloody house - literally, “the house of blood,” i. e., the house or family upon which rests the guilt of shedding innocent blood.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXI

A famine taking place three successive years in Israel, David

inquired of the Lord the cause; and was informed that it was

on account of Saul and his bloody house, who had slain the

Gibeonites, 1.

David inquires of the Gibeonites what atonement they require,

and they answer, seven sons of Saul, that they may hang them

up in Gibeah, 2 6.

Names of the seven sons thus given up, 7-9.

Affecting account of Rizpah, who watched the bodies through the

whole of the time of harvest, to prevent them frown being

devoured by birds and beasts of prey, 10.

David is informed of Rizpah's conduct, and collects the bones of

Saul, Jonathan, and the seven men that were hanged at Gibeah,

and buries them; and God is entreated for the land, 11-14.

War between the Israelites and Philistines, in which David is

in danger of being slain by Ishbi-benob, but is succoured by

Abishai, 15-17.

He, and several gigantic Philistines, are slain by David and his

servants, 18-22.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXI

Verse 2 Samuel 21:1. Then there was a famine — Of this famine we know nothing; it is not mentioned in any part of the history of David.

Because he slew the Gibeonites. — No such fact is mentioned in the life and transactions of Saul; nor is there any reference to it in any other part of Scripture.