2 Samuel 21:4

Contextual Overview

¹During David’s reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David inquired of the Lord. The Lord answered, “It is due to Saul and to his bloody family, because he killed the Gibeonites.” ¹ There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, It is for Sha'ul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Giv`onim. ¹ 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. ¹ There was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David inquired of Yahweh, and Yahweh said, "The bloodguilt is on Saul and on his household, because he killed the Gibeonites." ¹ Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. 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." ¹ During the time David was king, there was a shortage of food that lasted for three years. So David prayed to the Lord . The Lord answered, "Saul and his family of murderers are the reason for this shortage, because he killed the Gibeonites." ¹ During David's reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the Lord . The Lord said, "It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites." ¹There was famine in the days of David for three consecutive years; and David sought the presence (face) of the LORD [asking the reason]. The LORD replied, "It is because of Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death." ¹ Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the LORD. And the LORD said, "It is because of Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death." ¹ Then there was a famine in the dayes of Dauid, three yeeres together: and Dauid asked counsell of the Lorde, and the Lorde answered, It is for Saul, & for his bloodie house, because hee slewe the Gibeonites.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

We will: etc. 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. no silver. Psalms 49:6-8, 1 Peter 1:18, 1 Peter 1:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:31 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 21:10
Therefore she said to Avraham, "Cast out this handmaid and her son! For the son of this handmaid will not be heir with my son, even with Yitzchak."

Genesis 21:10
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

Genesis 21:10
Then she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac."

Genesis 21:10
So Sarah said to Abraham, "Throw out this slave woman and her son. Her son should not inherit anything; my son Isaac should receive it all."

Genesis 21:10
So she said to Abraham, "Banish that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!"

Genesis 21:10
Therefore she said to Abraham, "Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac."

Genesis 21:10
Therefore she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be an heir with my son Isaac!"

Genesis 21:10
Wherefore she saide vnto Abraham, Cast out this bond woman and her sonne: for ye sonne of this bonde woman shall not be heire with my sonne Izhak.

Genesis 21:10
Therefore she said to Abraham, "Drive out this maidservant and her son! The son of this maidservant shall not be an heir with my son, with Isaac."

Genesis 21:10
so Sarah said to Avraham, "Throw this slave-girl out! And her son! I will not have this slave-girl's son as your heir along with my son Yitz'chak!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And, the Gibeonites said unto him,.... In reply to his motion:

we will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; this shall not be the ransom or atonement; it was not silver and gold Saul took from them, but the lives of their brethren, and therefore they insist upon life for life:

neither for us shall thou kill any man in Israel; who were not of the house of Saul; they did not desire any man should die, but who were of that family by whom they had suffered:

and he said, what you shall say, [that] will I do for you; whether by inflicting pecuniary fines, or punishing with death, which latter seems to be what they suggested, and afterwards insisted on; whatever, according to law and justice, was required, he was ready to do it for them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

No silver, nor gold ... - Money payments as a compensation for blood-guilt were very common among many nations. The law, too, in Numbers 35:31-32, presupposes the existence of the custom which it prohibits. In like manner the speech of the Gibeonites implies that such a payment as they refuse would be a not unusual proceeding.

Neither ... shalt thou kill any man in Israel - They mean that it is not against the nation of Israel, but against the individual Saul, that they cry for vengeance. The demand for Saul’s sons is exactly similar to that which dictated David’s own expression in 2 Samuel 24:17, “against me, and against my father’s house.”