2 Samuel 21

2 Samuel 21:1

JL HEN there jvas a famine in the days of David, three years,. year after year. The Jewish doctors commonly say this famine was before the rebellion of Absalom. But Abarbindl will have it, that things are related here in the order wherein they were done; so that this was after’ that rebellion was ended. And David inquired of the Lord.] For what sin so grievous a punishment was inflicted: suspecting (as Abrirbinel thinks) God might still pnnisli him for those sins he committed in the matter of Uriah. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house.] God soon comforted him, by letting him know that this punishment was upon the account of Saul and his family", who had been deeply engaged in blood.. • w - Because he slew the Gibeonites.] When he slew the whole city of Nob (saith the same Abarbinel) where the Gibeonites lived, and served as hewers of wood and drawers of water to the priests, whom Saul then cut off, (1 Sam. xxii. 18, 19.) But the same great man.hereupon inquires, why God did not send this famine rather for the slaughter of the priests than of the Gibcohifes? Of which he gives this account, that the slaughter of the priests was punishedbefore, by the slaughter of Saul and of his sons in the battle with the Philistines, (1* Sam. xxxi.) and now lie was pu^ nished in the sons of his concubines, and all Israel suffered with them by faminfc, because they did not hinder him from murdering the Gibeonites, by remembering him of the oath which was made to them; nay, perhaps they approved of what he did, being glad to sec the land rid of foreigners. But why this judgment was not executed before, may seem strange, till we consider, as he observes, that the counsels of God are ^profound; and he hath excellent reasons why he punishes sinners not now, but hereafter: and knows which of their children are most worthy to be punished, and bear the iniquity of their fathers. And the longer he stays before he strikes, the more evident it is, that he doth not forget what the evil men have done; though he doth not presently declare his anger against it. He observes, also, that the Gibeonites being drawers of water, God put the Israelites in mind of their offence, by withholding rain from them: just as his refusing to answer, Saul by nrim, was a suitable punishment for his murdering the priests who consulted God by that oracle.

2 Samuel 21:2

And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them (now the Gibeonites were not of the chitdren 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 tothe children of Israel and Judah).] Which transported him to violate a solemn oath: as many since have done, under pretence of the public good. j

2 Samuel 21:3

Wherefore David said mito t the Gibeonites, What shall I do for thee?. He asks them what satisfaction; they desired, for the wrong that had been done them. Which may seem strange, unless we suppose, as Joscphus doth, that God told him when he consulted him, not only for what crime he sent this punishment, but that he should take, Sitcrjv fjv avrol %(\ov<xiv, such a revenge for it, as the Gibeonites would have. Besides, they had never made any complaint to David of the injury which had been done them: who might therefore be the kinder to’them, and give them leave to name the recompence that should be made them. • \r, And wherewith shall I make an atonement,’ that ye may bless the inheritance of theLord?] Pray to God to be par cified also; and to restore plenty unto Israel agaiti.

2 Samuel 21:4

And the Gibeonites a?tswered 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. Except those that they afterward mentioned. For they seem to have been people truly proselyted to the Jewish religion, who dc? sired nothing but equal justice; that men should suffer as they have done: and therefore Saul having not taken away their’ money, but their lives; they desired only that the lives of some of his family might pay for it. And he said, What you shall say, that will I do for you.] If they had desired money, or any thing else that was in his power, they might have had it.

2 Samuel 21:5

And, they answered the king, The man that conr sttmed us, and that devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel. H& intended, if not to kill, yet to banish them all: which had been worse than.death; for it would have deprived them of the liberty of worshipping tho tTue God. " Ver. C. Let seven men of his, sons be delivered zmto ns.] Some imagine, that at the first they demanded all the house of Saul to be delivered up unto them: but upon cooler thoughts they demanded only seven persons. And we will hang them iip unto the Lord.] To appease his anger, and vindicate his honour. Some think this was a barbarous custom in those days (which certainly prer vailed in future times) to hang men up, to appease the anger of their gods, in time of famine. Which Johannes Gcusius fancies the Gibeonites had formerly used, and now propounded it to David, as a means to make the earth iuore fruitful, (De Victimis Humanis, par. i. cap. 14. p.310,&c. and par. ii. cap. 14. p. 312.) which he imagines to be the reason why it is observed (ver. 2.) that the Gibeonites were “not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites:” to shew whence this horrid superstition proceeded; of which some tang still remained amongst themi The Vulgar here translates it, “ut crucifigamus eos,” that we may crucify them. Which misled Scrrarius and some Microsoft® 3B2 A COMMENTARY UPON [CHAP. XXL others into this error, that crucifixion was a punishment anciently among the Jews: which Casaubon, Selden, and several other great men, have shewn to be false, l’In GibeahofSaul] To make the punishment the more remarkable and shameful: this being the city where he lived, both before and after he was king, (1 Sam. x. 20. xi.4.) Whom the Lord did choose.] This aggravated his gnilt, that he. was so highly favoured by God, and yet obeyed not his commands: but spared the Amalekitcs, whom God commanded him to destroy; and killed these poor Gibeonites, whom he was bound by the oath of God to preserve. And the king said, I will give them.] This seems to be contrary to the Divine law, (Deut. xxiv. 16.) that the son should not die for his father’s fault To which some of the Jewish doctors thought it sufficient to answer, " It is better that one letter should be taken out of the law, than that the name of God should be publicly profaned:" that is, that one precept, rather than an oath, should be broken. But there is no need of this; for, as Abarbinel judiciously observes, the law in Deuteronomy is to be understood of proceedings in human courts; not of the Divine judgments: for God visits the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation/ (Exod. xx. 5.)

2 Samuel 21:7

And 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. Not merely his afFection to Jonathan, but his dread of breaking the oath he had made to him, moved him to preserve Mephibosheth; lest he himself should incur the same punishment which Saul fell under, for breaking the oath made to the Gibeonites. Vcr. 8. But the king took the two so)is ofjlizpah the daughter of Aj ah.] Who was a concubine of Saul, as we read afterward, ver. 11. • -Whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth.] After whose name, perhaps, Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan was called.’ And five sous of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up.] In the Hebrew, whom she bare, i. e. which were born: according to an usual manner of speaking among the Hebrews; of which see Dr. Hammond upon Luke xvi. note b. For Adriel.] It is plain from hence, that by was born is meant, as we translate it, was brought up. For Michal was not the wife of Adriel, but was given to Phaltiel, (1 Sam. xxv. 44.) Merab her elder sister heing married to Adriel, (1 Sam. xviii. 19.) by whom she had these five sons, whom Michal brought up, and therefore they are called her children. Thus the Jews say, in the Gemara Sanhedrin, cap. 2. Merab brought them forth, and Michal educated them. And the like we read (as they allege for the proof of this) Gen. xxx. 3. 1. 23. X^ cc Selden, de Uxore Ilebr. lib. i. cap. 6.) Kimchi also here alleges the words of the women in Ruth iv. 17. There is a son bom to Naomi; who was not the mother of it, but only laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it, as is said in the precedent verse.’ Thus also Rasi, Ralbag/and a great many other Jews, following the Chaldcc paraphrase.- And we have an example of this in the heathen writers. For Agamemnon and Menelaus are called sons of Atreus, because their father being dead, he took care to bring them up. So Eustathius on the second book of the Iliads: Plisthenes (who was thfcir father) being dead, the youths being bred up by Atreus, avrov Tra7&c iKkiifyaav, they were called his children. The son of Barzillai the Meholathite.] Tins last word is intended to distinguish him from the other Barzillai the Gileadite: for this was of the tribe of Benjamin, to which Abel-Meholah belonged. -Ver. 9. And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord.] In a conspicuous place, where they might be seen by all that passed by. David did not command his officers to hang them up, but delivered them to the Gibeonites, that they might dispose of them as they pleased. 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.] That is, say the Jews, on the sixteenth of Nisan, a little after the Passover.

2 Samuel 21:10

And Rizpah the daughter of Ajah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock. It is probable, she hoth made a tent of it to dwell in, and spread it upon the ground to lie upon iX L) From the beginning of harvest nntit water dropped upon them out of heaven.] From the sixteenth of Nisan (as the Hebrew doctors understand it) until the seventeenth of Marchesvan; that is, from the middle of our March tp the middle of October; when God shewed he was reconciled, by sending showers down upon the earth; which might be, for any thing we know, in the middle of summer. And, indeed, Abarbinel thinks this opinion of their doctors is not true; but that the plain meaning is, they hung from the beginning of harvest until God was entreated for the land, and was pleased to send them rain; for want of which they suffered by famine. And he thinks it probable, that not long after they were hung up, they had plentiful showers by the good providence of God, though it was summertime; whereby it appeared God was appeased: but by their hanging there several days, it is manifest this was not a legal punishment (and therefore David committed it to the Gibeonites, and did not execute it by his own officers), but an extraordinary one, inflicted by Jbose who were not bound by that law, Deut. xxii. 24. which in this case was violated. *. f And ^suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.] She had servants no doubt to attend her, who kept a constant watch day and night to fright away the birds and beasts….

2 Samuel 21:11

And it teas told David what Rizpah the daughter of Ajah, SauFs concubine, had done. Which did not displease him, nor the Gibeonites neither, (as far as appears), but was accounted a laudable thing, which excited David to the imitation of her. I observed before/that Saul had but one wife, and we read of no more than this one concubine, which shews his moderation in some things, which was praiseworthy……

2 Samuel 21:12

And David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan Jiisson,from the men of Jabcsh-Gilcad, which had stolen them from the street of Beth-slum, wliere the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa.] See 1 Sam. xxxi. 10. This noble act of Rizpah moved David to do some honour to the carcasses of her sons, and to the whole house of Saul: and for that end he sent for the bones of Saul and Jonathan, to in- ■*y CHAP. XXI.]. THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. ter them and those children of Saul’s with their ancestors. Which piece of generosity demonstrated that he had no personal enmity to the family of Saul..

2 Samuel 21:13

And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son. From under the tree where they were buried in Jabesh, (1 Sam. xxxi. 13.) And they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.’] Which seems to have been done some time after they were taken down, when nothing but their bones remained; and then they had all seven an honourable interment, as it here follows. •. ' >

2 Samuel 21:14

And the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son. Together with those now.mentioned. * Buried they in the country df Benjamin in Zelah.] Which was in that tribe, (Josh, xviii. 28.) In the sepulchre qf Kish his father.]. It was accounted very desirable to be buried with their parents, as appears by old Barzillai, (xix. 37.) And they performed all tltat the king commanded.] They that were employed in this business gave them a solemn burial, with all the mourning that was usual in the funerals of kings; as the Hebrew doctors expound it. And after that God was entreated for the land.] When satisfaction. was given to the Gibeonites for the injuries done to them, God restored plenty to the country.

2 Samuel 21:15

Moreover, the Philistines had yet war again with Israel. That is, after all the wars beforementioned in this book with the Philistines, they again disturbed David’s repose in. the latter end of his reign. Some, indeed, will have these wars to have been presently after the war with the Ammonites was ended; before the rebellion of Absalom. But Abarbinel, I think, well resolves, that the history of this war is not misplaced, but that it fell out not long after the famine beforementioned.. \ And David went down, and his servants with him.] It is not said where this battle was fought (as the place of the other three following is mentioned), but it is likely to have been near to the country of the Philistines; unto which David went down; for it lay low, towards the seaside. And fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.] Being in his declining years; or rather of a great age, and much worn out by various troubles and afflictions.

2 Samuel 21:16

And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant. That is, of Goliath; who by way of eminency is called the giant; though Boehartus thinks the Hebrew word rapha signifies any giant; and so these words should be translated, of the race of the giants, i. e. of the Anakims who fled into this country, particularly to Gath, when Joshua expelled them from Canaan, (Josh. xi. 22.) (lite weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in iveight).] This is to be understood of the head of his spear, which weighed half as much as that of Goliath, (1 Sam. xvii. 7.) He being girded with a new sword."] The word sivord is not in the Hebrew; nor is there any thing remarkable in his having a new sword; therefore it should be translated, with a new kind of weapon, or rather, with a new belt; which had been bestowed upon him as a reward of some great exploit which he had done; or as a token of some new honour, or command, conferred upon him in the army. (See xviii. 11.) Thought to have slain David.] Being stronger than he, and having him at an advantage; when, by some accident, he was separated from his army; as Josephus understands it.

2 Samuel 21:17

But Abishai succoured him. Came in seasonablyto his relief…., •: J And smote the Philistine, and killed him.] The words leave it doubtful whether he was slain by Abishai or by David. Our translation seems to incline. to the former; but if David was not the person that killed him, I do not see how that can be verified, which is said in the end of this chapter, that all these giants/eff by the hand of David and % of his servants; for he slew none of them, unless it were this. Then the men ofDavidWware to htm, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle.] They had advised this before, when they went to fight with Absalom, (xviii. 3.) but now. they peremptorily decreed it, and solemnly confirmed it with an oath. Tliat thou quench not the light of Israel.] Lest he should be killed, and thereby they should lose the glory of having such a king reign over them; for good kings are called the light of their people, 1 Kings xi. 36. xv. 4. because, by their wise government, conduct, and courage, they made their people happy and illustrious.

2 Samuel 21:18

And it came to pass after this, that there was a battle again with the Philistines at Gob. Which was also called Gezer, as Abarbinel thinks, 1 Chron. xx. 4. Or, they were so near one another, that the battle was in the confines of both. Then SibbechaitheHushathite.] One of David’s worthies, (1 Chron. xi. 29.), Slew Saph, which ivas of the sons of the giant.] One of the same race of the Rephaims; who seem to be descended from the Anakims.

2 Samuel 21:19

And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines. This was a place, it seems, very proper for armies to draw up in; for here they fought twice.* " Where Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim a Beth-lehemite.] He is simply called the son of Jair, 1 Chron. xx. 5. and is reckoned among David’s worthies, 1 Chron. xi. 26. and there said to be the son of Dodo; who, I suppose, was his grandfather. Slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite.] The word brother is supplied out of 1 Chron. xx. 5. where his name is said to be Lahmi. - ■ •’ The staff oj % whose spear xvas like a weaver’s beam.] See ISam, xvii. 7.

2 Samuel 21:20

And there was yet a battle in Gath.* In the territory belonging to.it. Where was a man of great stature.] The LXX. translate it, a man ofMadon: who was born, that is, in a place called. by that name. That had on every hand six fingers’, and on every foot six toes, twenty-four in number.] If we may believe Tavernier, (in his relation of the Grand Signior’s Seraglio, p. 95.) the eldest son of the emperor of Java, who reigned in the year 1648, when he was in that island, had six fingers on each hand, and as many toes on each foot; all of equal length. And he also was born to the giant*] Was one oftheRephaim of that country.

2 Samuel 21:21

And when he defied Israel. In imitation of the great giant Goliath, coufidingi as he did, in his monstrous strength.