So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. Should we make a covenant with them? The verb is used in this sense with respect to Joshua's action toward the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:27, where cultic servitude is involved ("for the altar of the Lord"). 2 Samuel 21:2 At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. How long was the average lifespan at the time? What have you been thinking about?". So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. Wherever he turned, he harassed them. They did not inquire. It does not seem to me that during this time of the three years of famine David was emulating the attitude that he wrote about in Psalm 34. About two years ago, Barry Watson, our lone member in Namibia, wrote me an email message in which this incident was at the heart of it. Then they replied, It was Saul who planned to destroy us, to keep us from having any place at all in Israel. What Saul did was commit another presumptuous sin. In verse 7 we see the only thing in the entire situation that was any good at all. According to a May 2007 George Barna Poll, 63% of Americans, mostly professing Christians, believe that Jesus sinned during His physical life! Other people do not carry the guilt for that person's sin. Saul and the heir to the throne, his son, Jonathan, were killed in a battle with the Philistines, and by popular acclamation, David became the King of Israel. As Christians living amidst spiritual famine, we dare not compromise with the culture around us. "Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaveswoodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." The words "thirty" and "forty" are not in the original Hebrew. They fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and they were stuck. Hebrews 11 exhibits a whole chapter of men and women just like us who, despite their humanity and frequent foibles, fought the good fight of faith and were victorious in the end through the grace of God. Her actions made David realize that he had violated another of God's commands by leaving the bodies of Saul, Jonathan, and the seven other sons unburied. Also, the Lord pronounced, It is a result of the massacre by Saul and welcome classification because Saul indeed destroyed the Gibeonites in the Bible. The historical narrative of King David is drawing to a close. WebSaul kills the gentile Gibeonites (2 Sam 21) & banishes mediums in preparation for Tabernacle being moved from Nob to Gibeon. (Mark 6:20). However, if they did not participate, they are not going to be given a black mark by God for something that they did not do. The Lord told them they had made a commitment to these people and they had to stand by it. He then tells David that he can't marry Michal until he brings Saul 100 Philistine foreskins, thinking that David will definitely die in this attempt. After that, they had their problems at Ai, and figured out that Achan was responsible for that. What is meaning of 2 Cor. God tells us that, spiritually, we have to go and wipe them out. But it does not say so here in so many words. WebTheir apostasy began with the Hivites from Gibeon, and in time, the leaven slowly spread. II Samuel 21:1-2 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. Now that we have established that there was a horrible massacre at some point in the past, remember there was sin, and there was a crime committed. the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the It provides the cities of refuge where he could go serve a type of prison sentenceif it was an accidental murderuntil the high priest died. That would be such a carnal thing to dojust let the Gibeonites kill seven of Saul's kids who could claim the Israelite throne and get them out of the way. What is the meaning of the parable of the rich man and his manager? It is not there in the Scriptures. He got a little weird, throwing spears at David (and Jonathan too, once). and for his bloody house. 2Samuel 21:1, There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.. he put the Gibeonites to death. Therefore, they arrive in the camp of Israel, and say, "Where's your leader? This is pretty clear. And that is why God heeded the prayer of the land. WebThe Lord answered, Saul and his family of murderers are the reason for this shortage, because he killed the Gibeonites. 2 Samuel 21:1 American Standard Version (ASV) 1 And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Jehovah. He came at this as though he were guilty with Saul; that all Israelites were guilty with Saul and his house. There is less bloodshed, and there will not be much opportunity like in Gentile nations for these blood feuds to last for years and generations. WebWe will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites." Saul became a bit strange in the head after this, if you will remember. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.". "No, we don't do things like that in Israel. 3. Saul had four sons. * Jonathanhe befriended David, died with Saul on Mount Gilboa * Abinadabdied with Saul on Mount Gilboa * Malchishuadied with The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Their representatives were not up front with the Israeli leaders. David represents usJoe Church Membertrue Christians in a time of spiritual famine, much like what Amos describes in Amos 8:11, with the famine of the word. 1. The Bible does not provide us the details of this killing. Their deceit, Israel's lack of vigilance and Saul's deep delusion caused God's people centuries of grief and embarrassment. Later, during a wasting famine, David, attempting a political rather than a righteous solution, yielded to the Gibeonites' request that descendants of Saul be hanged to avenge the slaughter. Much later, King Saul ignored this covenant of peace and killed some Gibeonites. Let's see what's in our bag of tricks. For many today, this time period is ancient history. 1316). These cagey enemies of God's people were destined to be destroyed, so they devised a simple, but clever scheme to deceive Israel in the hope of saving their own necks. II Samuel 21:14 So they performed all that the king commanded. How far away was Gilgal from Gibeon? He understood it. God did not perform a miracle to end this famine after these men were executed. He was distracted. It is in II Samuel 21. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. How many wars were fought? We don't hear much of the Gibeonites again until the reign of King Saul. And it would have been done quickly and easily. Over the years I've urged our Fellowship to check out, investigate and take to heart such biblical alarms. We have a very simple biblical principle here: God is just. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. Matt 24:4/Mk 13:5/Lk 21:8. Jeiel, Sauls great-grandfather, was the progenitor of the Gibeonites ( 1 Chron 8:29-33; 9:35-39 ), so Saul slaughtered his own relatives! Had him over to the palace a few times." 0 responses 4. There are things like destruction for their sin, and the family takes that long to recover from that destruction. And these men, they need to be buried. II Samuel 21:10-11 Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. Israel had to live with those consequences for years to come. fit into Creation? Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. But, you would think that after two years you would get the idea that this was not breaking. And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites." At the time the Israelites under Joshua invaded the Promised Land of Canaan, most of the inhabitants rose up in arms against them. So they answered Joshua and said, "Because your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you.". 21:1-11 ). The Gibeonites were not Israelites, but the remnant of the Amorites, which Saul pursued from within Israel. He gives them exactly what they want, and look at what happens. Gibeon was situated very close to Gibeah the home town of Sauls family. ", So David went out and said, "There are some things that have needed to be done. Even their empty wine skins were completely dried up and cracked. Leviticus 26:3-4 If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Completely ignoring God's explicit command to spare the Gibeonites, Saul decreed it was time to remove them completely by exterminating them. We are not finished with that yet, because, who were the Gibeonites? However, we have a great deal of trouble identifying with or understanding pure, innocent and perfect Galahad. Ezekiel 18:19-20 indicates that guilt for sin is not transferable, but the consequences can often touch several generations. Vote Up 'Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses [another layer that comes in]; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. He was distracted by the cares of this world, by the pulls of this, that, and the other thing, and so he gives in and compromises with the people of the land. If the Gibeonites brought guile and deceit into the land; it was Saul who set the example for deep and devastating This famine has been going on for three years, year after year. Then there are things of degeneracy. Now, if we would go through II Samuel 24, that even though David made a huge mistake in chapter 21, he did it right in chapter 24. In fact, it can be read as if David approached it as only a minor administrative matter. Scripture has said this explicitly. The Israelites had been dealing with the Gibeonites, who were Hivitesand as it says here, they were a part of the Amorite peoplesince the first days in the land under Joshua. With all the recent rebellions, he was probably worried that his alliances were going to fail, because he may have appeared to weaken. Another group, however, argues that as God's anointed king, Instead of warfare and bloodshed, their weapons were guile and deceit. The Gibeonites joined in the fight against the Philistines B. So you shall not pollute the land where you are [this is very important]; 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 him who shed it. When asked about the time of the end; when questioned about the signs that would precede His Second Coming, our blessed Lord instinctively cautioned: "Take heed that no man deceive you." He wanted to go do something else. And, that was that. This is what we have to learnunderstanding the distinction between guilt for sin, and the lingering effects of sin. It said earlier that they wanted them to be hung before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul. Because of their peace treaty and their oath with the Gibeonites, which included these people. They may not have been involved at all, depending on how early in Saul's reign this event took place. If we would go through Luke 21:7-12, we would see that Jesus gave His disciples indications of what would happen if the time of the end began. But that conclusion is a bit too sanguine once you begin to look into that which is not said, or what is said elsewhere. There were not very many of them left. If you read Psalm 51 it is very clear that he understood his own makeup. And the Lord said, There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death. 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and And the Lord said, "There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death. Then we have verses 34 through 36. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.) As we get to about verse 32 in Hebrews 11, Paul says that he does not have time to get to all the other heroes of faith that the Bible gives us. You had to go up quite a bit. Only when the Gibeonites were under siege from a common enemy and were calling in the marker on their mutual aid treaty did the Israelites turn to God for counsel and advice. I will do it." If what happened against Gibeon occurred during Saul's reign, even if it was in the latter half, it would mean it was at least (if we are in the last decade of King David's reign) that the massacre of Gibeonites occurred 40 or 50 years earlier. We have our own sins to pay for; we do not pay for theirs. So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. But talk about your flawed heroes! They did not seek God in this matter. Seven of Sauls descendants were hanged as a result. God isn't very pleased that these bodies have been exposed for six months against His law.". God would have said, "Kill them all!" David asked the Gibeonites what punishment would satisfy them and atone for (cover) Sauls sin of murder. I do not know. He was thinking about a lot of other things. the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the He tried to come up with a compromise, and that was basically, "Whatever you want, you can have." This was obviously later in his life and reign. And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?" He just let matters continue naturally and let it rub in for another six or seven months. We know that you said not to make a covenant with the people the land. In Rizpahs case, her husband, King Saul, broke his promise that the Israelites would spare the Gibeonites in battle; he ordered the Israelites to annihilate them. 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." WebThis points to their employment in the sanctuary; and possibly may shed some light on the massacre of the Gibeonites by Saul (2 Samuel 21:1). 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