2 Samuel 21 8

2 Samuel 21:8 kjv

But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

2 Samuel 21:8 nkjv

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

2 Samuel 21:8 niv

But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

2 Samuel 21:8 esv

The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite;

2 Samuel 21:8 nlt

But he gave them Saul's two sons Armoni and Mephibosheth, whose mother was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. He also gave them the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, the wife of Adriel son of Barzillai from Meholah.

2 Samuel 21 verses

2 Samuel 21 8 Meaning

2 Samuel 21:8 describes the specific individuals from King Saul's lineage whom King David handed over to the Gibeonites for execution. These seven men—two sons of Rizpah, Saul's concubine (Armoni and Mephibosheth, a different Mephibosheth than Jonathan's son), and five sons of Merab, Saul's daughter—were put to death as an atonement for Saul's violation of a divine oath by attacking the Gibeonites. Their deaths, occurring "before the Lord" during the initial days of the barley harvest, marked the fulfillment of the Gibeonites' demand for retribution, which was divinely revealed as the cause of a three-year famine in Israel.

2 Samuel 21 8 Context

Chapter 21 of 2 Samuel opens with a severe three-year famine afflicting Israel, which prompts King David to inquire of the Lord. God reveals that the famine is a judgment for "Saul and for his house of bloodguilt, because he put the Gibeonites to death." This refers to Saul's actions in direct violation of a solemn covenant sworn by Joshua and the leaders of Israel (Jos 9). The Gibeonites, a non-Israelite people living among Israel, were granted peace and preserved under an oath in the name of the Lord, made during Joshua's time. Saul's subsequent attack on them, possibly out of zealous nationalism or misguided religious fervor, constituted a grave breach of this sacred oath. The Gibeonites, when consulted by David, demanded seven of Saul's descendants be given to them to be "hung up before the Lord" as a form of retribution and atonement for the spilled innocent blood. Verse 8 details which individuals from Saul's household were handed over by David, distinguishing them from Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, whom David spared due to his oath with Jonathan. The act was carried out at the "beginning of barley harvest," suggesting that the resolution of this issue would lead to the end of the famine and the restoration of God's blessing on the land, symbolized by the commencement of the harvest.

2 Samuel 21 8 Word analysis

• And he took/but the king took (וַיִּקַּח֩ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ - wayyiqqah ha-melek): "took" implies a decisive, active choice and action by David, in accordance with the Gibeonites' demands and God's will for atonement. The king's authority to mediate and execute justice is central.
• Armoni and Mephibosheth (אֶת־אַרְמֹנִ֨י וְאֶת־מְפִיבֹ֤שֶׁת - ʾet-ʾArmoni wəʾet-Məfîbōšet):
  • Armoni: (אָרְמֹנִ֛י - ʾArmōnî) His name might suggest connection to "palace" or "fortress," though specific details are scarce.
  • Mephibosheth: (מְפִיבֹ֖שֶׁת - Məfîbōšet) This is a distinct individual from Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, highlighting a common name or a family name that reappeared. It also underscores David's careful discernment based on his prior oath with Jonathan.
• the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah (שְׁנֵ֤י בְנֵֽי־רִצְפָה֙ בַּת־אַיָּ֔ה - šĕnê vənê-Riṣpâ vat-ʾAyyâ): Precise familial identification. Rizpah was Saul's concubine (2 Sam 3:7), emphasizing their direct lineage to Saul. Her tragic vigil later highlights the severe consequences.
• whom she bore to Saul (אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָֽלְדָה־לְשָׁא֑וּל - ʾăšer yāldâ-ləŠāʾûl): Explicitly states their paternal line to Saul.
• and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul (וְאֵ֡ת חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת בְּנֵי֩ מִיכַ֨ל בַּת־שָׁא֡וּל - wəʾet ḥămēšet bənê Mîḵal bat-Šāʾûl):
  • Merab: The Hebrew text (Masoretic Text) actually reads Michal (מִיכַ֨ל - Mîḵal) here, while the Greek Septuagint and some early Jewish traditions read Merab. Michal, David's wife, had no children (2 Sam 6:23), making "Merab" the favored reading among scholars as she was the one promised to David and married Adriel (1 Sam 18:19). This highlights a textual difficulty resolved by broader biblical context and scholarly consensus.
• whom she bore to Adriel the Meholathite (אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָֽלְדָ֗ה לְעַדְרִיאֵל֙ בֶּן־בַּרְזִלַּ֣י הַמְּחֹלָתִ֔י - ʾăšer yāldâ ləʿAdriʾēl ben Barzillay hammĕḥōlātî): The paternal line for this group, connecting them to Saul through his daughter Merab. Adriel was from Meholah. Note: the MT includes "ben Barzillai" (son of Barzillai) but Adriel's father was not Barzillai from Gilead (2 Sam 17:27) but probably a different Barzillai or simply a scribal addition.
• And he gave them (וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֕ם - wayyittənēm): David’s direct action in handing them over, demonstrating his compliance and submission to divine justice.
• into the hand of the Gibeonites (בְּיַד֙ הַגִּבְעֹנִ֔ים - bəyad hagGivʿōnîm): The agency through whom the retribution was exacted.
• and they hanged them (וַיֹּקִעֻ֥ם - wayyoqiʿûm): This verb can mean "to impale," "crucify," or "hang up," indicating a public, ritualized execution intended for public display and disgrace, and as a form of "curse" in the sense of Deut 21:23.
• on the mountain before the Lord (בָּהָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה - bāhār lifnê YHWH): "On the mountain" (or hill) signifies a prominent, public location. "Before the Lord" underscores that the act was a sacred, religiously sanctioned atonement, with divine witness and approval, restoring right relationship between God and Israel.
• and the seven of them perished together (וַֽיִּפְּל֥וּ שְׁבַעְתָּ֖ם יַחְדָּ֑ו - wayyiplû šivʿātām yaḥdāw): The number "seven" (שְׁבַע - ševaʿ) can symbolize completeness or perfection, suggesting the full extent of the required retribution. "Perished together" indicates their collective fate.
• They were put to death (וְהֵם֙ הֽוּמְת֖וּ - wəhēm hûmətû): Passive voice emphasizing the outcome rather than the executor in this specific phrase.
• in the first days of harvest (בִּימֵי֙ קְצִ֣יר רִֽאשֹׁנִ֔ים - bîmê qeṣîr riʾšōnîm): A precise temporal marker.
• at the beginning of barley harvest (תְּחִלַּ֖ת קְצִ֥יר שְׂעֹרִֽים - tĕḥillat qeṣîr śĕʿôrîm): The barley harvest typically falls in late March/early April, symbolizing new life and prosperity. This timing suggests that the act of atonement cleared the way for God's blessing to return, allowing the harvest to proceed and the famine to end.

2 Samuel 21 8 Bonus section

The mention of "Merab" (Saul's daughter) and "Michal" (another daughter, David's wife) presents a well-known textual issue in 2 Sam 21:8. The Masoretic Text (the standard Hebrew text) reads Michal ("מיכל"), while the Septuagint (the Greek translation) and the Aramaic Targums read Merab ("מירב"). Scholars widely agree that Merab is the original and correct reading. Michal had no children, as stated explicitly in 2 Sam 6:23, "Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death." Merab, on the other hand, was indeed married to Adriel the Meholathite (1 Sam 18:19). The error likely occurred because Michal was much more prominent in the biblical narrative, leading to a scribal error or unconscious substitution.

This verse also forces reflection on the theological tension between the concept of corporate punishment, where the consequences of sin extend beyond the individual offender to their family or nation, and individual accountability, as articulated in passages like Deut 24:16 ("Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers; each one shall be put to death for his own sin."). While Saul alone sinned, the seven sons suffered. Scholars interpret this tension by understanding that corporate solidarity was a stronger societal and theological reality in ancient Israel. The land itself, being God's gift, became defiled by unpunished bloodguilt (Num 35:33). Thus, the atonement required "corporate blood," specifically from Saul's house, to appease divine wrath and purify the land. This does not contradict the principle of individual justice for one's own sins but operates within the broader context of national covenant, shared consequences, and the holiness of the land itself before the Lord.

2 Samuel 21 8 Commentary

2 Samuel 21:8 describes a stark, visceral moment of divinely sanctioned justice, highlighting profound theological truths. It is a harsh reality for modern readers but essential for understanding biblical justice and the sacred nature of covenants. The severity of Saul's sin—breaking a holy oath to the Gibeonites—required a severe consequence to cleanse the land from bloodguilt (Num 35:33). This was not merely Gibeonite revenge, but God's judgment manifested through their demand, revealed to David through inquiry. The selection of Saul’s descendants (excluding Jonathan’s line due to David’s personal oath) embodies the principle of corporate responsibility, where the sin of a leader impacts the community and its descendants, until justice is fulfilled. The act was executed publicly, "on the mountain before the Lord," not in secret, emphasizing its role as a sacrifice of atonement witnessed by God and the people. The timing—"at the beginning of barley harvest"—is highly symbolic; the removal of the curse enabled the restoration of life and agricultural bounty, signifying God’s turning away from wrath and restoring favor, allowing the cycle of provision to resume after a famine directly caused by divine displeasure. The text subtly emphasizes David’s obedience in fulfilling this difficult demand, illustrating his commitment to righteous rule and upholding God’s covenantal principles. This event also distinguishes different layers of responsibility and oaths: David’s loyalty to Jonathan’s covenant overshadowed the corporate judgment against Saul’s wider house.