2 Samuel 21:5-14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:1-9

Here I. Were are told of the injury which Saul had, long before this, done to the Gibeonites, which we had no account of in the history of his reign, nor should we have heard of it here but that it came now to be reckoned for. The Gibeonites were of the remnant of the Amorites (2 Sam. 21:2), who by a stratagem had made peace with Israel, and had the public faith pledged to them by Joshua for their safety. We had the story Josh. 9:1-27, where it was agreed (21-23) that they should have their... read more

Matthew Henry

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 21:5

And they answered the king ,.... Declaring expressly what they would have done: the man that consumed us; meaning Saul, who lessened their number by cruel oppressions of some, and by taking away the lives of others: and that devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel ; who had formed schemes, and published edicts, for banishing them out of the land; perhaps at the same time that he put away wizards and those that had familiar spirits... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:6

Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us ,.... They settled upon this number, either because they were seven, and no more of the Gibeonites, whom Saul slew, as the Jew say F9 T. Hieros. Kiddushin, fol. 65. 2. ; two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a keeper (of a synagogue), a scribe, and a servant; but perhaps the true reason was, they knew there were no more besides Mephibosheth, for whom David had a great respect, and therefore required no more: and we will hang them up... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:7

But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul ,.... As they did not name particular persons, only required seven sons, it was at the option of the king what sons to deliver to them, and therefore kept back Mephibosheth, who is thus described, to distinguish him from a son of Saul's of the same name, after mentioned: because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul ; not merely or only out of affection to Mephibosheth,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:8

But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah ,.... Saul's concubine, 2 Samuel 3:7 , whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth ; of whom we read nowhere else; after the name of the latter, it is probable, Jonathan's son was called, before mentioned: and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite ; Michal had no children to the day of her death, nor was she the wife of Adriel, but Merab her... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:9

And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites ,.... The two sons of Rizpah and the five sons of Merab, two sons of Saul and five grandsons: and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord ; in the hill at Gibeah, that they might be seen by all that passed by, and serve to deter from such evils, which brought on them that punishment; gibbetings or crucifixions were commonly made on hills and mountains F12 Vid. Lipsium de Cruce, l. 3. c. 13. : the phrase, "before the Lord",... 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

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