Old Testament

New Testament

2 Samuel 21:8-17 God's Word Translation (GW)

8. The king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah (Aiah’s daughter) gave birth to for Saul, and five sons whom Merab (Saul’s daughter) gave birth to for Adriel, son of Barzillai from Meholah.

9. The king handed them over to the Gibeonites, who executed them on the mountain in the Lord’s presence. All seven died together. They were killed at the beginning of the harvest, when people started harvesting barley.

10. Rizpah (Aiah’s daughter) took sackcloth and stretched it out on the rock for herself from the beginning of the harvest until the sky rained on the dead bodies. She wouldn’t let any birds land on them during the day or any wild animals come near them during the night.

11. When David was told what Saul’s concubine Rizpah (Aiah’s daughter) had done,

12. David went and took the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth Shean, where the Philistines had hung them the day they killed Saul at Gilboa.

13. When David brought up the bones of Saul and Jonathan, his men gathered the bones of those who had been executed.

14. Then they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin, in Zela, in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. They did everything the king ordered. After that, God answered the prayers for the land.

15. Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. So David and his men went to fight the Philistines, but David became exhausted.

16. A descendant of Haraphah named Benob, who had a bronze spear weighing 7½ pounds which he wore on a new belt, captured David and intended to kill him.

17. But Abishai, son of Zeruiah, came to help David. He attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore an oath, saying, “You’ll never go into battle with us again. The lamp of Israel must never be extinguished.”

Read complete chapter 2 Samuel 21