The Bible tells us that after Saul's death God sent a famine into the land mainly to get the attention of Saul's successor, King David. The breach of contract was serious enough that God sent the famine in response. All they wanted, they said, was a peace treaty with Israel; then they would return to their distant home. He says to watchbe aware, be awake, be vigilant; know what your spiritual state is. King David was compelled to hand over his own people to the power of Israel's ongoing enemies. WebThese lists are not concerned with the Gibeonites at Gibeon, but with the Benjaminite group which came to settle at Gibeon in the course of time. He just weakly said, "Oh okay, whatever you want. Gave 7 of Saul's sons to the Gibeonites. Jesus Christ should be everyone's ultimate hero. They had a more bloody and violent systemwhich often led to blood feuds that may not ever end until a whole family or generation was gone. They knew all the things God had stipulated about what they were to do when Israel was going to come into the land. fit into Creation? In fact, look down to verse 15, II Samuel 21:15-17 When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. Numbers 35:34 "Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.'". CONFLICT OF THE AGES ARTICLES And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites." He is able to judge justly. In 2 Samuel 21, we read of the tragic repercussion that followed when King Saul didnt honor the covenant and murdered some Gibeonites. Joshua and that generation did not do their entire job, and so they were stuck. Most, if not all, of those responsible were dead. This incident of the famine took place rather late in David's life. The last time Saul did swear not to kill David, Saul swore "by YHWH" not to kill david he broke it many times over since. It is very clear, and very simplejust two little verses. Throughout the centuries, the original Gibeonites continued to exist as a people, although King Saul schemed to destroy them. The Gibeonites, howev There was a great deal of turmoil in Israel leading up to this time. It is not genetic. By deluding himself that he could solve any problem; by presuming that the end justifies the means; by deliberately countermanding clear and specific orders from the Most High God; Saul not only failed to remove an evil people from the land, he also guaranteed the ultimate destruction of his own family. When this righteous ruler turned to God, the Lord showed him that arrogant error of his predecessor. He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit] (Psalm 15:1, 4; AMP). I know that is how I always read itas straight historyand I did not think about it very much. For all his misguided efforts and pains, Saul reaped the fruits of his delusion. We do not know how long before II Samuel 21 this incident happened. This was history now. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. Another possibility is that when Saul slew many of the priests at Nob he also executed many Gibeonites (1 Samuel 22:19). 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. It was not just Saul, but other members of his family. ", God answered immediately, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house. Some interesting similarities to New Testament times occur to me: The fact that David made a covenant with Jonathan regarding Jonathans house (1 Sam 20:14-16), would take precedence over all other reasons not to give up Mephibosheth, I would suppose. So let seven of Sauls sons or grandsons be handed over to us, and we will execute them before the Lord at Gibeon, on the mountain of the Lord.. II Samuel 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. I will do it." WebA famine lasting three years hit Israel during the earlier half of David 's reign at Jerusalem. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. Think about this for a moment. At most it was about ten miles awaynot very far at all. Or as the One is God's judgment upon the actual person for the actual sin; the other is God's punishment that He has automatically put into the law that allows the effects to last for a few generations. Their deceit, Israel's lack of vigilance and Saul's deep delusion caused God's people centuries of grief and embarrassment. So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Scripture has said this explicitly. Saul tried to get back his throne from God by doing what he thought was right, what he thought was zealous for God, by getting rid of the foreignersincluding the Gibeonitesthat were among them. Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! He resolved properlynot without a lot of death, with 70,000 dead in that plague, but at least he had the repentant attitude by the time it was over. It is not there in the Scriptures. Share The world's arsenal is growing daily in material strength and sophisticated intimidation. This would be in the spring during or after the Days of Unleavened Bread. And David sought the face of the Lord. WebVetus Testamentum 24:1 (January 1974):1-7.] And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD? Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty -two years over Israel. David asked. Forty years, at least, has passed, and had they been involved in it back when Saul was still kinglet us say they were 18 to 20 years oldthese men involved in this massacre, should they still be alive, might be 60, 65, or even 70 years old. They made their dust-covered clothes to look worn and ragged as if they had been on the road for many days, even months. There is no indication in II Samuel 21 that David got advice from any of his ministers about how to deal with this situation. The Jewish Encyclopedia asserts that one group of rabbis felt that Saul's punishment at God's hands is a sign of his weak moral character whose only virtue was being tall and handsome. He got a little weird, throwing spears at David (and Jonathan too, once). Only in one sense, there was a fall of man, but certainly not in the traditional sense. Verse 1 did say that it was "Saul and his bloodthirsty house" who had massacred the Gibeonites. For the Gibeonites, their wily guile and deception gained them survival and nothing more. The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. What have you been thinking about?". But, very few people can relate to sinless perfection. Israel had to live with those consequences for years to come. Because of what had been going on, all the turmoil in this life and the kingdom, David was not spiritually prepared to face it. The Gibeonites presented themselves to the invading Israelites, not as nearby neighbors, but as distant foreigners who lived in a far-off land. What did David do to end the famine caused by Saul breaking a treaty with the Gibeonites? The children of Israel gathered and went across the Jordan River, and set up camp at Gilgal. I think he was distracted by all the cares of his office of being king. King Saul would conscript them into the army, and off they would go in a bloodthirsty rage against somebody else. Nevertheless, he names a few of them. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. Even so, maybe there were even worse problems, perhaps, and David was blind to them for three years. God only let the rain cycle start again. There is no record in the Bible of Saul killing Gibeonites. 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. He sees the hearts of men and the hidden actions of men. 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. Notice verse 2 says that Saul tried to strike them down in his zeal (also means jealously or envy) for the people of Israel and Judah. This may have only been a couple of months later. The midrash states that when Saul learned of this, he was angry with his daughter and demanded of her: Why did you deceive me and let my enemy escape? Also David seems to have only spared Mephibosheth only because he made an oath, and not for the fact that he was only five years old and did not participate in killing the Gibeonites? For unknown reasons, Joshua and the elders of Israel quickly bit on this proposal. Now, if they participated in his sin, then of course, they will bear the guilt for their participation in that sin. The Gibeonites decided on a different strategy. And as the one righteous person in the whole nation, he could have cried out, God would have heard, and God would have saved. King Saul exhibited that hubris, that overweening pride in his own decisions and that unfounded confidence in his own good judgment that he brought certain and lasting disaster upon his own dynasty. What would be some verses from the Bible to save a marriage? lorraine goode. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God. It seems that modern Westerners want their heroes flawed. 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. I think that this was a test from God, and David failed spectacularly, except in keeping his promise to Jonathan. God told Joshua to get rid of all these foreigners in the land. Community answers are sorted based on votes. [And the answer is] Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. WebWhen Sauls agents came up, she pretended that David was ill and placed a household idol and a net of goats hair in his bed, as if her husband were still lying there (vv. They handed their enemies hard, stale, moldy bread and told them it had been freshly baked when they left home. I think he was very low. I Samuel 14:52 Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. Therefore, they arrive in the camp of Israel, and say, "Where's your leader? Therefore, one of the first things that Joshua and the Israelites do is they allow a big problem to linger in their midst. Jonathan and Saul led the For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.". 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