2 Samuel 21:2

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

John Gill

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

And the king called the Gibeonites ,.... Sent messengers unto them, and summoned them to come to him: and said unto them ; what is expressed in 2 Samuel 21:3 ; for what follows is in a parenthesis: (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel ; originally, though they were proselyted to the Jewish religion, and were employed in the menial services of the sanctuary: but of the remnant of the Amorites ; they were the remains of the old Canaanites, who sometimes in... read more

Adam Clarke

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

The remnant of the Amorites - The Gibeonites were Hivites, not Amorites, as appears from Joshua 11:19 ; : but Amorites is a name often given to the Canaanites in general, Genesis 15:16 ; Amos 2:9 , and elsewhere. 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:2

Saul sought to slay them in his zeal. We gather from various incidental circumstances that Saul, in some part of his reign, manifested great zeal in an attempt to carry out literally the enactments of the Levitical Law; but he seems to have done so with the same ferocity as that which he displayed in slaughtering the priests at Nob with their wives and children. Thus he had put to death wizards and all who dealt with familiar spirits ( 1 Samuel 28:9 ), in accordance with Exodus 22:18 and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:2

( GIBEON .) Unrighteous zeal. "And Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah." When his attempt was made is not certainly known; possibly soon after his sparing Amalek (and to make amends for it); or at the time of his massacre of the priests at Nob (where the Gibeonites then assisted the Levites, before the removal of the altar and tabernacle to Gibeon); more probably at the time of his expulsion of the necromancers and soothsayers ( 1 Samuel 28:3 );... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Samuel 21:2

The way in which the writer here refers to the history of the league with the Gibeonites Joshua 9:0 shows that the Book of Joshua was not a part of the same work as the Books of Samuel.Of the Amorites - The Gibeonites were Hivites Joshua 9:7; Joshua 11:19; and in many enumerations of the Canaanite nations the Hivites are distinguished from the Amorites. But “Amorite” is often used in a more comprehensive sense, equivalent to “Canaanite” (as Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 1:27), and denoting... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Samuel 21:2

2 Samuel 21:2. In his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah When Joshua and the princes made a league with the Gibeonites, the people were greatly offended with them, as appears, Joshua chap. 9. Whatever the pretences of this resentment might be, the true reason seems sufficiently apparent; they were, by this league, deprived of the lands and spoils of the Gibeonites. Did these reasons cease in the days of Saul? Or rather, did they not still subsist, and with more force, in proportion... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:1-22

21:1-24:25 MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSThe writer of 2 Samuel has finished his historical record of David’s reign. Since the story of David’s sin with Bathsheba, the writer has mainly been concerned with showing how this one event changed the course of David’s life. He now returns and records various other stories and poems to show other difficulties David faced during his reign. He shows also how God cared for him during those difficulties. (The story of David’s closing years is given in the opening... read more

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