2 Samuel 21:1

2 Samuel 21:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
• New International Version (NIV)During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, "There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

Context of 2 Samuel 21:1

In the time of David, there was a famine for three successive years, and David asked the Lord’s advice about it. The Lord answered, “It’s because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.” 2(The Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were left over from the Amorites. Although the Israelites had sworn ⌞to spare them⌟, Saul, in his eagerness, tried to destroy them for Israel and Judah.) The king called the Gibeonites 3and asked them, “What can I do for you? What should I ⌞give you⌟ to make peace with you so that you will bless what belongs to the Lord?”

2 Samuel 21:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י רָעָב֩ בִּימֵ֨י דָוִ֜ד שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים שָׁנָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁנָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ דָּוִ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה ס וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ וְאֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַדָּמִ֔ים עַל־אֲשֶׁר־הֵמִ֖ית אֶת־הַגִּבְעֹנִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then there was a famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
• in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• enquiredבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• ofפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• for Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• bloodyדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• because he slewמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• the Gibeonitesגִּבְעֹנִיgib‛ônîy · GibeoniteH1393

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 21:1

• Genesis 12:10There was a famine in the land. Abram went to Egypt to stay awhile because the famine was severe.
• Genesis 26:1There was a famine in the land in addition to the earlier one during Abraham’s time. So Isaac went to King Abimelech of the Philistines in Gerar.
• Genesis 41:57The whole world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, since the famine was so severe all over the world.
• Genesis 42:1When Jacob found out that grain was for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at each other?
• Genesis 43:1The famine was severe in the land.
• Leviticus 26:19I will crush your arrogance. You will have no rain, and your land will be as hard as cement.
• 1 Kings 17:1Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord God of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so.”
• 1 Kings 18:2So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was particularly severe in Samaria.
• 2 Kings 6:25The shortages caused by the blockade of Samaria became so severe that a donkey’s head sold for two pounds of silver and a half-pint of dove manure for two ounces of silver.
• 2 Kings 8:1Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Go away with your family. Stay wherever you can. The Lord has decided to send a famine on this country, and it will last seven years.”
• Jeremiah 14:1The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah about the drought.
• 2 Samuel 5:19David asked the Lord, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord answered David, “Attack! I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”
• Numbers 27:21He will stand in front of the priest Eleazar, who will use the Urim to make decisions in the Lord’s presence. At his command Joshua and the whole community of Israel will go into battle. And at his command they will return.”
• 1 Samuel 23:2David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” “Go,” the Lord told David, “attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
• Job 5:8“But I would seek God’s help and present my case to him.
• Job 10:2I will say to God, ‘Don’t condemn me. Let me know why you are quarreling with me.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 21:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Then there was a famine - Of this famine we know nothing; it is not mentioned in any part of the history of David. Because he slew the Gibeonites - No such fact is mentioned in the life and transactions of Saul; nor is there any reference to it in any other part of Scripture.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1There is no note of time whatever, nor any clue as to what part of David‘s reign the events of this chapter ought to be assigned. Enquired of the Lord - Hebrew “sought the face of the Lord,” quite a different phrase from that so often used in Judges (e. g. Judges 1:1) and the Books of Samuel, and probably indicating that this chapter is from a different source; an inference agreeing with the indefinite “in the days of David,” and with the allusion to the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Gibeonites avenged. (1-9) Rizpah's care for the bodies of Saul's descendants. (10-14) Battles with the Philistines. (15-22) Verses 1-9 Every affliction arises from sin, and should lead us to repent and humble ourselves before God; but some troubles especially show that they are sent to bring sin to remembrance. God's judgments often look a great way back, which requires us to do so, when we are under his rebukes. It is not for us to object against the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1sought the face of the Lord: The Hebrew verb here is the same as when David "begged" for Bathsheba's child's life (2 Samuel 12:16). In these cases, "seeking" was done in a moment of crisis. However, in the Old Testament, "seeking God" usually means daily devotion and obedience to God (for example, Psalms 40:16; 105:4; Proverbs 28:5). the blood shed by Saul and his family: The famine happened because they broke an oath made before the Lord (Joshua…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-92Sa 21:1-9. The Three Years' Famine for the Gibeonites Cease by Hanging Seven of Saul's Sons. 1. the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites--The sacred history has not recorded either the time or the reason of this massacre. Some think that they were sufferers in the atrocity perpetrated by Saul at Nob (1Sa 22:19), where many of them may have resided as attendants of the priests; while others suppose it…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 21:1

• Canaan
• Covenant
• David
• Famine
• Gibeon
• Saul
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Alliance
• Dearth
• Famine
• Thummim
• Bloody
• Giants
• Gibeah

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