2 And the king H4428 called H7121 the Gibeonites, H1393 and said H559 unto them; (now the Gibeonites H1393 were not of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 but of the remnant H3499 of the Amorites; H567 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 had sworn H7650 unto them: and Saul H7586 sought H1245 to slay H5221 them in his zeal H7065 to the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and Judah.) H3063
And when the inhabitants H3427 of Gibeon H1391 heard H8085 what Joshua H3091 had done H6213 unto Jericho H3405 and to Ai, H5857 They did work H6213 wilily, H6195 and went H3212 and made as if they had been ambassadors, H6737 and took H3947 old H1087 sacks H8242 upon their asses, H2543 and wine H3196 bottles, H4997 old, H1087 and rent, H1234 and bound up; H6887 And old H1087 shoes H5275 and clouted H2921 upon their feet, H7272 and old H1087 garments H8008 upon them; and all the bread H3899 of their provision H6718 was dry H3001 and mouldy. H5350 And they went H3212 to Joshua H3091 unto the camp H4264 at Gilgal, H1537 and said H559 unto him, and to the men H376 of Israel, H3478 We be come H935 from a far H7350 country: H776 now therefore make H3772 ye a league H1285 with us. And the men H376 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto the Hivites, H2340 Peradventure H194 ye dwell H3427 among H7130 us; and how shall we make H3772 a league H1285 with you? And they said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 We are thy servants. H5650 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto them, Who are ye? and from whence H370 come H935 ye? And they said H559 unto him, From a very H3966 far H7350 country H776 thy servants H5650 are come H935 because of the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 for we have heard H8085 the fame H8089 of him, and all that he did H6213 in Egypt, H4714 And all that he did H6213 to the two H8147 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 that were beyond H5676 Jordan, H3383 to Sihon H5511 king H4428 of Heshbon, H2809 and to Og H5747 king H4428 of Bashan, H1316 which was at Ashtaroth. H6252 Wherefore our elders H2205 and all the inhabitants H3427 of our country H776 spake H559 to us, saying, H559 Take H3947 victuals H6720 with you H3027 for the journey, H1870 and go H3212 to meet H7125 them, and say H559 unto them, We are your servants: H5650 therefore now make H3772 ye a league H1285 with us. This our bread H3899 we took hot H2525 for our provision H6679 out of our houses H1004 on the day H3117 we came forth H3318 to go H3212 unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, H3001 and it is mouldy: H5350 And these bottles H4997 of wine, H3196 which we filled, H4390 were new; H2319 and, behold, they be rent: H1234 and these our garments H8008 and our shoes H5275 are become old H1086 by reason of the very H3966 long H7230 journey. H1870 And the men H582 took H3947 of their victuals, H6718 and asked H7592 not counsel at the mouth H6310 of the LORD. H3068 And Joshua H3091 made H6213 peace H7965 with them, and made H3772 a league H1285 with them, to let them live: H2421 and the princes H5387 of the congregation H5712 sware H7650 unto them. And it came to pass at the end H7097 of three H7969 days H3117 after H310 they had made H3772 a league H1285 with them, that they heard H8085 that they were their neighbours, H7138 and that they dwelt H3427 among H7130 them. And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed, H5265 and came H935 unto their cities H5892 on the third H7992 day. H3117 Now their cities H5892 were Gibeon, H1391 and Chephirah, H3716 and Beeroth, H881 and Kirjathjearim. H7157 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 smote H5221 them not, because the princes H5387 of the congregation H5712 had sworn H7650 unto them by the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478 And all the congregation H5712 murmured H3885 against the princes. H5387 But all the princes H5387 said H559 unto all the congregation, H5712 We have sworn H7650 unto them by the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel: H3478 now therefore we may H3201 not touch H5060 them. This we will do H6213 to them; we will even let them live, H2421 lest wrath H7110 be upon us, because of the oath H7621 which we sware H7650 unto them. And the princes H5387 said H559 unto them, Let them live; H2421 but let them be hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 unto all the congregation; H5712 as the princes H5387 had promised H1696 them.
And he took H8610 Agag H90 the king H4428 of the Amalekites H6002 alive, H2416 and utterly destroyed H2763 all the people H5971 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719 But Saul H7586 and the people H5971 spared H2550 Agag, H90 and the best H4315 of the sheep, H6629 and of the oxen, H1241 and of the fatlings, H4932 and the lambs, H3733 and all that was good, H2896 and would H14 not utterly destroy H2763 them: but every thing H4399 that was vile H5240 and refuse, H4549 that they destroyed utterly. H2763
And G1161 when his G846 disciples G3101 James G2385 and G2532 John G2491 saw G1492 this, they said, G2036 Lord, G2962 wilt thou G2309 that we command G2036 fire G4442 to come down G2597 from G575 heaven, G3772 and G2532 consume G355 them, G846 even G2532 as G5613 Elias G2243 did? G4160 But G1161 he turned, G4762 and rebuked G2008 them, G846 and G2532 said, G2036 Ye know G1492 not G3756 what manner G3634 of spirit G4151 ye G5210 are of. G2075
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 21
Commentary on 2 Samuel 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
The date of the events of this chapter is uncertain. I incline to think that they happened as they are here placed, after Absalom's and Sheba's rebellion, and towards the latter end of David's reign. That the battles with the Philistines, mentioned here, were long after the Philistines were subdued, appears by comparing 1 Chr. 18:1 with 20:4. The numbering of the people was just before the fixing of the place of the temple (as appears 1 Chr. 22:1), and that was towards the close of David's life; and, it should seem, the people were numbered just after the three years' famine for the Gibeonites, for that which is threatened as "three' years' famine (1 Chr. 21:12) is called "seven' years (2 Sa. 24:12, 13), three more, with the year current, added to those three. We have here,
2Sa 21:1-9
Here
2Sa 21:10-14
Here we have,
2Sa 21:15-22
We have here the story of some conflicts with the Philistines, which happened, as it should seem, in the latter end of David's reign. Though he had so subdued them that they could not bring any great numbers into the field, yet as long as they had any giants among them to be their champions, they would never be quiet, but took all occasions to disturb the peace of Israel, to challenge them, or make incursions upon them.