Gibeonites
2 Sam 21:1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
Bad weather and poor crops can be a punishment, especially upon Israel who agreed to abide by a covenant with God. If they obeyed and did well, they were to be blessed. But, if the disobeyed and sinned, it brought God's punishment and sometimes death. The law of sin and death. But in Christ Jesus we are free from this law.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
2 Sam 21:2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children 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 to the children of Israel and Judah.)
The Gibeonites made a covenant with Israel for protection, through deceit.
Josh 9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
Josh 9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
Josh 9:18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Josh 9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
Josh 9:20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
God expects us to honor our covenants. He holds us to them. God keeps his word. Every promise in the Bible he will keep, if we do what is required of us. We must keep our word as children of God. The devil is a liar, we are not to submit to him, but to be as our heavenly Father as Jesus also followed the Father's will.
Atonement
2 Sam 21:3 Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
What method of reconciliation do you require? How can we make things right after our nation broke the covenant, because of Saul's transgression? The Jewish law required blood for sins, a blood atonement from certain animals without spot or blemish.
Jesus has become our atonement for sins. Through his shed blood. we may be forgiven of our sins and restored in fellowship with God, the Father.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
The Jewish people still recognize the day of atonement, but they have no temple to sacrifice animals. Those Jews who have come to Messiah Jesus have his atonement. Only Jesus can forgive sins for all time. Trusting in Jesus makes us a child of God, with eternal life with our Lord Jesus.
2 Sam 21:4 And the Gibeonites said 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. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
2 Sam 21:5 And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,
That was the disobedient King Saul.
2 Sam 21:6 Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
They requested seven sons of the dead King Saul. The sins of the father would condemn his sons. They required human sacrifices, seven being the number of completion. They themselves were innocent of wrong doing, yet they had sin, as all have sinned. Only Jesus could die for our sins, being without sin.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Jesus was a human sacrifice, he was our completion for sins. God himself came into man, to be the perfect sacrifice, having no sin, he paid the price of sin, to make us free.
Revenge
The request for human sacrifices was not according to the laws of God. This was anger and revenge. The Gibeonites could have asked for wealth, land or freedom, but they chose to avenge bloodletting with more blood. After this they remained the servants of Israel. When we hold anger and bitterness towards another, we end up servants to the one we were angry at.
2 Sam 21:7 But 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.
Jonathan had been David's best friend and also the son of King Saul. They had sworn an oath that David would protect his family. King Saul made several oaths, but he was not honorable and broke them. You cannot make covenants with evil. Satan is evil and Jesus Christ has removed all curses and oaths that were against us, by his blood.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
2 Sam 21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
Adriel had married Michal's sister and Michal was given to David by Saul as a wife. Later, when David was under attack by Saul, Saul gave his daughter Michal to another man. David when becoming king took Michal back as a wife, but they were not joined as one heart. Maybe something happened to Michals sister, to where she became guardians of her sons.
2 Sam 21:9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: 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.
They were hanged to avenge the Gibeonites. Will the crops be harvested and will the drought cease?
Rizpah
2 Sam 21:10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
A mothers love watched over the hanged bodies of her two sons who were left to the elements. She chased away the birds and wild animals day and night until the rains came.
2 Sam 21:11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
2 Sam 21:12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
2 Sam 21:13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
David gave them all an honorable burial, including the bones of Saul and Jonathan.
2 Sam 21:14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.
This upsetting story ended and rain had returned to the land. The Gibeonites were avenged by the blood of Saul's sons.
Quench not the Light
2 Sam 21:15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
Having dealt with the sins of his own nation from within and paid the price of reconciliation; another battle comes from without. Satan never rests, we battle our sins within or we battle the ones sent to bring us down. Jesus wiould come with true forgiveness of sins and reconciliation through his atonement, and power comes to us by his spirit.
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Sam 21:16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
Another giant, as Goliath, comes against David, thinking that he had slain him. David had grown battle weary. As a young lad he fought Goliath with a single smooth stone in his sling, and complete trust in the Lord. Sin comes into a life and the trust relationship is weakened. But, God is faithful, he will uphold us with his power, he will bring help.
2 Sam 21:17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
David had good men around him to fight his battles. We need good men around us, that we can depend on. When we are down they lift us up. His mighty men were giant killers, as David was. There was a time when David faced the giant alone as his people were fearful. Now David had a mighty army to work with him.
As Jesus came, defeating the giant, the devil, he has given us strength to fight the giants of life. They referred to David as the light of Israel. He was a type of the light that would come. Jesus is that light that lights the world. As he said to us:
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
He has given his light and truth to us, for a sin darkened world. The power of God comes to us through his holy spirit.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Giants
David was now king of all Israel, there was unity and trust in the king. From this unity great courage and strength came upon the army. They were doing the mighty deeds of David. This is a picture of the army of God. When we are in unity under the King from David, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. We can do mighty works as he did.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
2 Sam 21:18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
This story is repeated in 1 Chronicles 20:4-8
2 Sam 21:19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
2 Sam 21:20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
2 Sam 21:21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.
2 Sam 21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
Both Jew and allied Gentiles, were able to subdue the giants under David's leadership.
2 Tim 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
2 Tim 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Tim 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
2 Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2 Cor 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Isa 26:12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
Isa 26:13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
Isa 26:14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
Isa 26:15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.
Superragman@aol.com
My Favorite Web sites
2 Samuel 22
2 Samuel 1 Table of Contents
Eaglewings Ministries
Eaglewings Daily Bible