2 Samuel 21:1-6
1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the Lord. And the Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel had made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah).
3 David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And how can I make amends, so that you will bless the inheritance of the Lord?”
4 Then the Gibeonites said to him, “For us it is not a matter of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor is it for us to put anyone to death in Israel.” Nevertheless David said, “I will do for you whatever you say.”
5 So they said to the king, “The man who destroyed us and who planned to eliminate us so that we would not exist within any border of Israel—
6 let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”
Three-Year Famine
The Cause of the famine
2 Samuel chapters 21-24 are considered the appendix of the book of Samuel. The content is divided into six sections, though the order is not strictly chronological. Today’s passage focuses on the theme: “The cause of the famine and its resolution.” In the land of Canaan, rain represents God’s blessing, while famine signifies God’s judgment. A famine continued in the land of Canaan for three years. There had to be a cause. (1) The cause was that Saul and his house had put the Gibeonites to death. This massacre is mentioned only in this passage. (2) Numbers 35:33 says this: “So you shall not defile the land in which you live; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.” (3) The Gibeonites had made a covenant with the Israelites and had gained the right to live in peace (Josh. 9:3-27). Saul, however, spared the Amalekites, whom he was commanded to utterly destroy, and killed the Gibeonites, whom he was supposed to protect, thereby defiling the land.
Resolution for the issue
David summoned the Gibeonites and sought a way to resolve the issue. (1) The Gibeonites replied that the matter could not be settled with silver or gold, nor did they have the authority to put anyone in Israel to death. (2) So, David asked, “What should I do for you?” (3) The Gibeonites replied that they wanted seven of Saul’s descendants to be handed over to them. What is noteworthy is that the Gibeonites were not making this request out of a spirit of revenge. The issue was that a covenant before God had been broken, and as a result, the Promised Land had been defiled. (4) Understanding this, David reluctantly agreed to their request. This passage must not be misunderstood. It reveals what displeases God and what kind of response is necessary to resolve such matters. The principle of atoning for bloodshed with blood points forward to the cross of Jesus Christ. Our sins, too, could not be forgiven apart from the sacrificial blood of Jesus. Let us learn to resolve issues according to God’s way.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, may I walk today making Your joy my joy, and Your sorrow my sorrow. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.