New International Version
2 Samuel 21:3
3David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”
2 Samuel 21:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)David asked them, “What can I do for you? How can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord’s people again?”
Context of 2 Samuel 21:3
1During 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.” 2The 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.) David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?” 4The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.” “What do you want me to do for you?” David asked. 5They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel,
Read all of 2 Samuel 212 Samuel 21:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־הַגִּבְעֹנִ֔ים מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לָכֶ֑ם וּבַמָּ֣ה אֲכַפֵּ֔ר וּבָרְכ֖וּ אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Wherefore Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the Gibeonitesגִּבְעֹנִיgib‛ônîy · GibeoniteH1393
- What shall I doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonementכִּפֶּרkâphar · to atoneH3722
- that ye may blessבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- the inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 21:3
- Exodus 32:30The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
- Leviticus 1:4You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you.
- 1 Samuel 2:25If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.
- Micah 6:6With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
- Hebrews 9:22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- Hebrews 10:4It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- 2 Samuel 20:19We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 21:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Wherewith shall I make the atonement - It is very strange that a choice of this kind should be left to such a people. Why not ask this of God himself?Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Saul’s actions had caused the Gibeonites to curse Israel (compare Romans 2:24). After David made things right with the Gibeonites, the Gibeonites would bless the Lord's people again.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 21:3
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
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