2 Samuel 21:2-6 Meaning: A Broken Oath and the Famine That Followed
2The king called the Gibeonites and said to 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 to them; and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);
3and David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And with what should I make atonement, that you may bless Yahweh’s inheritance?”
4The Gibeonites said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” He said, “I will do for you whatever you say.”
5They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and who plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,
6let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh.” The king said, “I will give them.”
2And 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.)
3Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
4And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
5And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,
6Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
2And 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);
3and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
4And the Gibeonites said unto him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
5And they said unto the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,
6let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give them.
2And the king calleth for the Gibeonites, and saith unto them--as to the Gibeonites, they are not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorite, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul seeketh to smite them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah--
3yea, David saith unto the Gibeonites, `What do I do for you? and with what do I make atonement? and bless ye the inheritance of Jehovah.'
4And the Gibeonites say to him, `We have no silver and gold by Saul and by his house, and we have no man to put to death in Israel;' and he saith, `What ye are saying I do to you.'
5And they say unto the king, `The man who consumed us, and who devised against us--we have been destroyed from stationing ourselves in all the border of Israel--
6let there be given to us seven men of his sons, and we have hanged them before Jehovah, in the height of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah.' And the king saith, `I do give;'
2And the king called the Gibeonites, and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remainder of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to smite them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.)
3And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and with what shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
4And the Gibeonites said to him, As to Saul and his house, it is with us no question of receiving silver or gold, neither is it for us to have any man put to death in Israel. And he said, What ye say will I do for you.
5And they said to the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in all the borders of Israel,
6let seven men of his sons be given up to us, and we will hang them up to Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give [them].
Meaning in one sentence
Why did a three-year famine strike Israel? Discover the cost of Saul's broken oath to the Gibeonites and what it teaches us about keeping our word.
Context
This passage comes near the end of David's reign, after a three-year famine has gripped the land. David seeks the Lord and learns the cause: Saul, in his misguided zeal, had violated the solemn oath Israel made to the Gibeonites generations before (Joshua 9). Though Saul is dead, his sin has left bloodguilt on the nation. David must now approach the Gibeonites and ask what he can do to make atonement, so that they will bless the inheritance of the Lord. The scene sets up a confrontation between justice and mercy, as David offers to make things right with a people his predecessor wronged.
Key Words
David asks the Gibeonites how he can make atonement (kaphar), a Hebrew word that means to cover over or wipe away guilt. It is the same word used for the mercy seat in the tabernacle. David is not offering a small gift; he is seeking to remove the stain of blood from the land.
The Gibeonites' complaint uses a strong verb for how Saul treated them: he consumed us (kalah), which suggests he wore them down or made an end of them. This was no minor dispute, it was destruction of a people living in peace under Israel's protection.
And at the root of the whole crisis is an oath (shaba). Centuries earlier, Israel had sworn by God not to harm the Gibeonites. Saul broke that oath for political gain, but God remembered. The word reminds us that promises made in His name are binding, even when they become inconvenient.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have wrestled with this passage. Some see the Gibeonites' demand for seven of Saul's descendants as the rightful exercise of blood vengeance, since the law prohibited money payment for murder (Numbers 35:31-32). Others question why David did not ask God for guidance before agreeing. Many note that David sparing Mephibosheth shows how one oath (to Jonathan) could limit the consequences of another broken oath. Across traditions, the story is read as a sobering reminder that our promises carry weight with God, and that injustice done to the vulnerable cannot simply be swept aside.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think the Gibeonites were bloodthirsty and David weak for giving in to their demands. In fact, the Gibeonites were acting within the legal framework of ancient Israel. Since the crime was murder, no monetary compensation was permitted (Numbers 35:31). They were exercising their right as blood-avengers. David's response, while troubling to modern readers, was part of a process to remove the bloodguilt that had brought the famine. The text does not criticize either party; it shows the heavy cost of a broken covenant.
Living This Out
This passage asks you to consider the promises you have made, especially to those who have less power than you. A marriage vow, a signed contract, a commitment to a child, these are not casual. When you break them, you may think the effects fade. But God sees the bond. And sometimes, the only way forward is to go back, admit the wrong, and ask what can be done to make it right. That is not weakness. It is the beginning of healing.
Main takeaway: God holds us and our communities accountable for the promises we make, even long after we think they no longer matter.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
It is very important to keep our promises. In this story, a king broke a promise that his people had made long ago, and it caused trouble for everyone. God wants us to keep our word, even when it is hard.
For ages 9, 12
This story shows how serious a promise can be. Many years after Israel promised not to harm the Gibeonites, King Saul broke that promise and killed some of them. God allowed a famine to remind the nation that He sees when people are treated unfairly. David had to ask the Gibeonites what would make things right. Even though it was costly, he made amends. This teaches us that our words matter, and when we break them, we need to find a way to restore what was lost.
Questions People Ask
Why was there a famine in Israel because of Saul's sin?
The famine came because Saul, as king, had violated the solemn oath Israel swore to the Gibeonites. In the ancient Near East, the whole nation could bear the consequences of a leader's sin, especially when the sin involved bloodshed and broken covenant. God revealed to David that the land was guilty of blood because of Saul's action, and the famine would continue until atonement was made.
Why did the Gibeonites ask for seven of Saul's descendants to be executed?
The Gibeonites were exercising their legal right as blood-avengers. Under the law of Moses, no money payment could compensate for murder (Numbers 35:31-32). They demanded seven men from Saul's house because seven was a sacred number representing completeness. These were likely adult sons who may have assisted in the massacre, and their execution was a public act of justice to remove bloodguilt from the land.
Why did David spare Mephibosheth?
Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, David's close friend. David had sworn an oath to Jonathan that he would show kindness to his descendants forever (1 Samuel 20:14-17). That oath took precedence over the Gibeonites' demand, demonstrating that not all oaths were treated equally. David honored his promise even in a time of national crisis.
Is it fair for God to punish children for their father's sin?
The Bible often shows that the consequences of a leader's sin can affect their household and even the nation. This does not mean each child is personally guilty, but that families and communities are interconnected. In this case, the sons may have been involved in the crime. The passage highlights the gravity of sin and the ripple effects it can have, while also showing that God provides a way for atonement and restoration.
What does David mean by 'make atonement' in this passage?
David uses the Hebrew word 'kaphar,' which means to cover over or make amends for guilt. In the tabernacle, this word described the mercy seat where blood was sprinkled to atone for sin. Here, David is seeking to satisfy the justice owed to the Gibeonites so that the bloodguilt would be removed from the land and the famine would end.
For pastors & researchers
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