2 Samuel 21:2

And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites [were] not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

And the king {H4428} called {H7121} the Gibeonites {H1393}, and said {H559} unto them;(now the Gibeonites {H1393} were not of the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, but of the remnant {H3499} of the Amorites {H567}; and the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} had sworn {H7650} unto them: and Saul {H7586} sought {H1245} to slay {H5221} them in his zeal {H7065} to the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} and Judah {H3063}.)

The king summoned the Giv'onim and said to them - these Giv'onim were not part of the people of Isra'el but from the remnant of the Emori; and the people of Isra'el had sworn to them; but Sha'ul, in his zeal for the people of Isra'el and Y'hudah, had sought to exterminate them -

At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)

And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);

Commentary

2 Samuel 21:2 introduces a crucial background detail to understand the famine that has afflicted Israel for three years (mentioned in 2 Samuel 21:1). This verse explains the cause of God's judgment: King Saul's violation of a sacred oath made to the Gibeonites.

Context

The Gibeonites were not part of the children of Israel, but rather a surviving group from the Amorites, one of the indigenous Canaanite tribes. During the initial conquest of Canaan under Joshua, the Gibeonites, through deception, secured a peace treaty with the Israelites, which included a solemn oath. Despite realizing the deception, the Israelite leaders, including Joshua, honored their oath because it was made before the Lord. This commitment is detailed in Joshua 9:15-20, where the Israelites swore to let them live.

Centuries later, King Saul, in what is described as "zeal to the children of Israel and Judah," attempted to annihilate the Gibeonites. While his motive might have been to purify the land or consolidate Israelite power, his actions directly violated the long-standing, divinely-sanctioned covenant. This act of bloodguilt brought divine displeasure upon the nation, leading to the severe famine in David's time.

Key Themes

  • The Sanctity of Oaths and Covenants: God holds oaths made in His name with the utmost seriousness. The breaking of the covenant with the Gibeonites, even if decades or centuries later and by a new king, had severe national consequences. This highlights the enduring nature of divine law regarding truthfulness and commitment, a principle echoed in Psalm 15:4, which states one should keep an oath even to one's own hurt.
  • Misguided Zeal: Saul's "zeal" was not rooted in God's command or justice but in a human, perhaps nationalistic, ambition. This demonstrates that good intentions or strong fervor do not justify actions that contradict God's established laws or previous divine commitments. Such zeal, when not guided by wisdom and righteousness, can lead to grave sin and and disaster, as seen in Romans 10:2 concerning Israel's zeal without knowledge.
  • National Guilt and Divine Justice: The famine serves as a clear indication that Saul's sin was not merely personal but had national repercussions. God held the entire nation accountable for the actions of its king, especially when those actions involved breaking a sacred oath and shedding innocent blood. This concept of corporate responsibility is significant in Old Testament theology, illustrating how the sins of leaders or a portion of the populace can affect the whole community.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of integrity and truthfulness in our commitments, both personal and communal. It underscores that our words, especially promises and oaths, carry weight and can have lasting consequences. Furthermore, it cautions against acting out of a zeal that is not aligned with God's character and commands. True devotion must be accompanied by adherence to justice, mercy, and truth, ensuring that our actions truly honor God rather than merely serving human agendas.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 10:16

    And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

  • Joshua 9:3

    ¶ And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

  • Joshua 9:21

    And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

  • Galatians 4:17

    ¶ They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

  • Romans 10:2

    For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

  • Deuteronomy 7:16

    And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that [will be] a snare unto thee.

  • Luke 9:54

    And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
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