October 17, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 2 Samuel? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Samuel 21 (NIV)
The Gibeonites Avenged
1 During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lordsaid, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
2 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.) 3 David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”.......Continue Reading
Well it took 3 years of famine but David finally goes back to seeking God for answers and he humbly goes to the Gibeonites to rectify a situation that Saul put them in when he tried to wipe out these people who were supposed to be protected.
This chapter also shows us the age of David and his inability to physically be in battle anymore. But God rises up new giant killers in his place…even ones with crazy characteristics like 6 toes and fingers :))
2 Samuel 21
Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.” High praise indeed for David.
The Gibeonites are the Hivites of Joshua 9 who deceived Joshua into swearing not to harm them. Saul, of course, broke that oath and angered the Lord when he slaughtered many of them. David restores the favor of God with the lives of seven of Saul’s descendants.
Thanks for the background, Steve! It is a bit of a odd practice here but is reflective of the standard given in the law of a life for a life. It is good when hardship draws us to consult God to see why things are happening. And often God is clear when we are experiencing discipline. It is interesting that God is addressing Saul’s sin now, but it just goes to show that things will always resurface as much as we would want them to be swept under the rug or forgotten. And the actions of a king are often internalized by the nation or his family. And as much as the loss here is tragic, even more tragic are the lives of the Gibeonites taken by Saul.
As the chapter closes with victories over one of Israel’s more common enemies, the significance of these battles is beating giants, just as David had done when he was young. But now David’s age is showing, but even as he is sidelined, God gives his armies similar victories.
Having to make restitution for the Gibeonites by killing people from Saul seems wrong to me. I think to myself that I am glad that now God tells us that vengeance is His, but then I am not always content in knowing this when I see injustice. I have not had any circumstance where I wanted person vengeance, so I cannot completely empathize. I have been praying more than ever before for justice and righteousness in our world/nation. I repent of my lack of taking our nation before the Lord in the past. I am guilty of just trusting the government to the powers in place.
…and yet God condoned it by blessing it……