2 Samuel 21:4 - Forerunner Commentary

2 Samuel 21:4

2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but ^aof the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them ^bin his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.

3 Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless ^athe inheritance of the Lord?”

4 And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.” So he said, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

5 Then they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel,

6 let seven men of his descendants be delivered ^ato us, and we will hang them before the Lord ^bin Gibeah of Saul, ^cwhom the Lord chose.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

7 But the king spared ^aMephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of ^bthe Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of ^aRizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of¹ Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she² brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite;

9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill ^abefore the Lord. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Now ^aRizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, ^bfrom the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.

Verse Comparison: 2 Samuel 21:4

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American Standard Version
And the Gibeonites said unto him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.

Amplified® Bible
The Gibeonites said to him, We will accept no silver or gold of Saul or of his house; neither for us shall you kill any man in Israel. David said, I will do for you what you say.

Contemporary English Version
The Gibeonites answered, "Silver and gold from Saul and his family are not enough. On the other hand, we don't have the right to put any Israelite to death." David said, "I'll do whatever you ask."

Darby English Version
And the Gibeonites said to him, As to Saul and his house, it is with us no question of receiving silver or gold, neither is it for us to have any man put to death in Israel. And he said, What ye say will I do for you.

Good News Bible
They answered, "Our quarrel with Saul and his family can't be settled with silver or gold, nor do we want to kill any Israelite." "What, then, do you think I should do for you?" David asked.

King James Version
And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.

New American Standard Bible
Then the Gibeonites said to him, "We have no {concern} of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, "I will do for you whatever you say.""

New International Version
The 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.

New King James Version
And the Gibeonites said to him, 'We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.' So he said, 'Whatever you say, I will do for you.'

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Then the Gibeonites said to him, "We have no concern of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor do we want to put any man to death in Israel." And he said, "I will do for you whatever you say."

Revised Standard Version
The Gib'eonites said to him, "It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel." And he said, "What do you say that I shall do for you?"

Young's Literal Translation
And the Gibeonites say to him, `We have no silver and gold by Saul and by his house, and we have no man to put to death in Israel;' and he saith, `What ye are saying I do to you.'

New English Translation
The Gibeonites said to him, “We¹ have no claim to silver or gold from Saul or from his family,² nor would we be justified in putting to death anyone in Israel.” David asked,³ “What then are you asking me to do for you?”

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