Tyndale Open Study Notes2 Samuel 21

The final chapters of 2 Samuel form a coda (a concluding section). This section brings together and summarizes the main themes from earlier chapters.

These chapters are thematic, not chronological (arranged by topic, not by time). Because of this, not all the events happened at the end of David’s reign (for example, 2 Samuel 22:1).

The material is arranged using a common Hebrew literary pattern called a chiasm (a mirror-like structure). In a chiasm, the first and last sections match, and the middle section is the focus.

The structure of this chiasm is as follows:

• A: Saul’s sin against the Gibeonites and the punishment that affected the whole community (2 Samuel 21:1–14)

  • B: David’s warriors and their heroic deeds (2 Samuel 21:15–22)

    • C: David’s Psalm (2 Samuel 22:1–51)

    • C′: David’s Psalm (2 Samuel 23:1–7)

  • B′: David’s warriors and their heroic deeds (2 Samuel 23:8–39)

• A′: David’s sin involving the census and the punishment that affected the whole community (2 Samuel 24:1–25)

A chiasm draws attention to the center section. Here, the center is David’s hymns. These hymns do not focus on David himself. Instead, they focus on David’s God.

• sought 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 9:19–20).

• he killed the Gibeonites: This event is not recorded elsewhere. Unlawful bloodshed polluted the land, making it bleak and unproductive (compare Genesis 4:10–12; Numbers 35:30–34).

• Though 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.

Saul’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.

• seven of his male descendants: The law codes of other ancient Near Eastern nations sometimes permitted members of a family to be punished for crimes a guilty individual had committed. But Deuteronomy 24:16 did not allow this practice among the Israelites. Only God could impose such penalties (Deuteronomy 5:9).

  The few instances in the Bible when offspring were punished were not regular criminal cases. Instead, they involved offenses against God, such as violation of the kherem (a ban on goods in wars of total destruction ordered by God; Joshua 7:24–25) or of national oaths (as here).

• At Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD: This probably refers to the high place at Gibeon, which Solomon later visited (1 Kings 3:3–4; 2 Chronicles 1:3). If the Hebrew reading is correct, , the Gibeonites were likely speaking with irony (using words to mock rather than praise). They may have been calling Saul “the chosen of the Lord” in a sarcastic way.

the oath: See 1 Samuel 20:14–15. Unlike Saul, David kept his promise even as he faced the dangerous consequences of Saul breaking an oath.

• Armoni and Mephibosheth were Saul’s only two remaining sons.

• Merab daughter of Saul: Ancient manuscripts differ on the name of Saul’s daughter. The Hebrew text names Michal, but the Greek text names Merab. Many translations, including the Berean Standard Bible, follow the Greek reading. This is because Michal remained childless for the rest of her life (2 Samuel 6:22–23). Merab, not Michal, was married to Adriel (1 Samuel 18:19). Michal’s later husband was Palti (2 Samuel 3:15).

• Barzillai from Meholah (compare 1 Samuel 18:19) should not be confused with Barzillai of Gilead (2 Samuel 19:31).

• The barley harvest began in the spring, usually in April.

• before the LORD means "before the Lord's altar" (see study note on 2 Samuel 21:6).

The Gibeonites were not Israelites (2 Samuel 21:2), so they did not follow the Israelite law in Deuteronomy 21:22–23 about quickly and properly burying a criminal. Rizpah wanted to prevent her sons from being further shamed after their death.

Rizpah’s action shamed David into likewise honoring the dead of Saul’s family.

• We do not know the exact location of Zela.

• prayers for the land: This refers to the famine described earlier in the story in 2 Samuel 21:1–2.

The longer account of battles with the Philistines highlights important victories by David’s mighty warriors. A similar list of their deeds appears later in the chapter (see also 2 Samuel 23:8–39).

Describing David as weak and tired shifts the focus from his skills and achievements to God as the reason for his success (2 Samuel 22).

a descendant of Rapha: Compare Genesis 14:5; Deuteronomy 2:10–11, 20–21; 3:11.

• Abishai was a skilled warrior and very loyal to David, whom he bravely saved (see “Abishai” Profile).

• the lamp of Israel: Compare 2 Samuel 18:3. Both passages show the deep admiration David’s men had for him.

The location of Gob is uncertain.

Some traditions identify Elhanan as David. This view is mainly based on two points. Elhanan was from Bethlehem, and David is described elsewhere as the one who killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:48–51). However, a different explanation is more likely. The words brother of were probably left out of the Masoretic Text by a scribal error (a copying mistake). This would explain why Elhanan appears to be described as killing Goliath in another passage.