2 Samuel 21:3
1 During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”
2 At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)
So David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?”
4 The Gibeonites said to him, “We need no silver or gold from Saul or his house, nor should you put to death anyone in Israel for us.” “Whatever you ask, I will do for you,” he replied.
5 And they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us to exterminate us from existing within any border of Israel,
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?”
- KJV
- Wherefore 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?
- WEB
- and David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And with what should I make atonement, that you may bless the LORD’s inheritance?”
- ASV
- and 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?
- DARBY
- And 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?
- BLB
- And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you⁺, and with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of YHWH?”
- ÅB
- David sa til gibeonittene: Hva skal jeg gjøre for dere, og hvormed skal jeg gjøre soning, så dere velsigner Herrens arv?
- OTB
- Så sa David til gibeonittene, "Hva skal jeg gjøre for dere, og hvordan skal jeg gjøre soning, slik at dere kan velsigne Herrens arv?"
- B1930
- David sa til gibeonittene: Hvad skal jeg gjøre for eder, og hvormed skal jeg gjøre soning, så I velsigner Herrens arv?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Read in context2 Samuel 20:19
I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”
Read in context1 Samuel 26:19
Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
Read in contextMicah 6:6–7
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
Read in contextHebrews 10:4–12
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Read in contextExodus 32:30
The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
Read in context1 Samuel 2:25
If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the LORD intended to put them to death.
Read in contextLeviticus 1:4
He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
Read in context