2 Samuel 21:10-14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:10-14

Here we have, I. Saul's sons not only hanged, but hanged in chains, their dead bodies left hanging, and exposed, till the judgment ceased, which their death was to turn away, by the sending of rain upon the land. They died as sacrifices, and thus they were, in a manner, offered up, not consumed all at once by fire, but gradually by the air. They died as anathemas, and by this ignominious usage they were represented as execrable, because iniquity was laid upon them. When our blessed Saviour was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:10

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth ,.... Both as a token of mourning for her sons, and as fittest to defend from the weather, the heat by day of cold by night: and spread it for her upon the rock ; the hill on which her sons were hanged; this she spread as a canopy or tent to sit under, and be covered with it; not to cover the bodies with it, but herself, and where she sat to mourn the loss of her sons, and to watch their bodies, that they might not be devoured by birds and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:11

And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. Whether this was told out of good will or ill will is not certain; however, it was not disagreeable to David, but served to move pity and compassion in him to the woman, and to stir him up to give an honourable interment to Saul and his sons; and which would show that this fact was not done out of personal pique and revenge to his family, but in obedience to the will of God, and the honour of his name. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:12

And David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabeshgilead ,.... Which, according to Bunting F20 Travels, &c.; p. 122, 143. , was fifty two miles from Jerusalem; though perhaps David did not go thither in person to fetch them, but by his messengers, see 2 Samuel 21:14 , which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa ; the history of all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:13

And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son ,.... Which had been buried there under an oak, 1 Chronicles 10:12 , and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged ; the seven sons of Saul, who had been lately hanged; who either had hung so long that their flesh was consumed, and the bones dropped upon the ground, from whence they gathered them; or they took them down and burnt the flesh off of them, and took the bones to bury them, which was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:14

And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son ,.... Together with those who had been hanged: buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah ; a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:28 , in the sepulchre of Kish his father ; the father of Saul, 1 Samuel 9:1 ; and which, according to Fuller F23 Pisgah-Sight, B. 2. c. 12. p. 258. , and the position of it in his map, was not far from the hill on which the seven sons of Saul were hanged: and they performed all that the king... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 21:10

Rizpah - took sackcloth - Who can read the account of Rizpah's maternal affection for her sons that were now hanged, without feeling his mind deeply impressed with sorrows? Did God require this sacrifice of Saul's sons, probably all innocent of the alleged crime of their father? Was there no other method of averting the Divine displeasure? Was the requisition of the Gibeonites to have Saul's sons sacrificed to God, to be considered as an oracle of God? Certainly not; God will not have... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 21:12

Took the bones of Saul - The reader will recollect that the men of Jabesh-gilead burned the bodies of Saul and his sons, and buried the remaining bones under a tree at Jabesh. See 1 Samuel 31:12 , 1 Samuel 31:13 . These David might have digged up again, in order to bury them in the family sepulcher. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:1-14

A story of deferred retribution. The facts are: 1 . A famine continuing for three years, and inquiry being made of the Lord by David, he is informed that it was in consequence of Saul's sin in slaying the Gibeonites. 2 . David, asking of the Gibeonites what he shall do for them by way of atonement for the wrong done, is informed that they seek not gold or the life of any man of Israel, but require that seven of Saul's family should be put to death, and hung up in Gibeah of Saul. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:1-14

( GIBEON , GIBEAH .) Famine. "And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year" ( 2 Samuel 21:1 ). [ Summary of the remaining portion (or appendix) of this book: 1 . The famine. 2 . Victorious acts in wars with the Philistines ( 2 Samuel 21:15-22 ). 3 . David's song of thanksgiving (looking backward); 2 Samuel 22:1-51 4. 2 Samuel His last prophetic words (looking forward); 2 Samuel 23:1-7 . These two lyrical and prophetic productions... read more

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