Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 21:2
2The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them.
2 Samuel 21:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.)
- New International Version (NIV)The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.)
- English Standard Version (ESV)So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.
Context of 2 Samuel 21:2
1During David’s reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David inquired of the Lord. The Lord answered, “It is due to Saul and to his bloody family, because he killed the Gibeonites.” The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. 3He asked the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? How can I make atonement so that you will bring a blessing on the Lord’s inheritance?” 4The Gibeonites said to him, “We are not asking for silver and gold from Saul or his family, and we cannot put anyone to death in Israel.” “Whatever you say, I will do for you,” he said.
Read all of 2 Samuel 212 Samuel 21:2 word by word
וַיִּקְרָ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לַגִּבְעֹנִ֖ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְהַגִּבְעֹנִ֞ים לֹ֣א מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֚י אִם־מִיֶּ֣תֶר הָאֱמֹרִ֔י וּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נִשְׁבְּע֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם וַיְבַקֵּ֤שׁ שָׁאוּל֙ לְהַכֹּתָ֔ם בְּקַנֹּאת֥וֹ לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- the Gibeonitesגִּבְעֹנִיgib‛ônîy · GibeoniteH1393
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- not of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- but of the remnantיֶ֫תֶרyether · remainderH3499
- of the Amoritesאֱמֹרִי'ĕmôrîy · AmoriteH567
- had swornשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- unto them: and Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- to slayנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- them in his zealקָנָאqânâ' · be jealousH7065
- and Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 21:2
- Joshua 9:3When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
- Joshua 6:19For all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to the Lord and must go into the Lord’s treasury.”
- Genesis 15:16In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
- Deuteronomy 7:16You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God is delivering over to you and not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
- 1 Samuel 14:44Saul declared to him, “May God punish me and do so severely if you do not die, Jonathan!”
- 1 Samuel 15:8He captured King Agag of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.
- 2 Kings 10:16Then he said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord!” So he let him ride with him in his chariot.
- Luke 9:54When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”
- John 16:2They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God.
- Romans 10:2I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
- Galatians 4:17They court you eagerly, but not for good. They want to exclude you from me, so that you would pursue them.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 21:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The 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 the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The way in which the writer here refers to the history of the league with the Gibeonites 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 especially that part of the Canaanite nation which dwelt in the hill country Numbers 13:29; Deuteronomy 1:7…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Though the Amorites were a specific group of people (Genesis 10:16), here it refers to the people living in Canaan before the Israelites. When zeal (strong devotion or passion) is directed in the right way, it is commendable. The Bible gives positive examples of this kind of zeal (Numbers 25:11; 1 Kings 19:10). Saul’s zeal, however, was misdirected. He showed clear disregard for Israel’s covenant (a binding agreement) with the Gibeonites.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah--Under pretense of a rigorous and faithful execution of the divine law regarding the extermination of the Canaanites, he set himself to expel or destroy those whom Joshua had been deceived into sparing. His real object seems to have been, that the possessions of the Gibeonites, being forfeited to the crown, might be divided among his own people (compare 1Sa 22:7). At all events, his proceeding against…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 21:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries