KJV King James Version
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
2 Samuel 21:1
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
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.”
WEB World English Bible
There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, “It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.”
ASV American Standard Version
And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And there is a famine in the days of David three years, year after year, and David seeketh the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah saith, ‘For Saul and for the bloody house, because that he put to death the Gibeonites.’
Surrounding context — 2 Samuel 21
1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
2 And 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.)
3 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?
4 And 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.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וַיְהִ֣יH1961 · ha.yahto beרָעָב֩H7458 · ra.avfamineבִּימֵ֨יH3117 · yomdayדָוִ֜דH1732 · da.vidDavidשָׁלֹ֣שׁH7969 · sha.loshthreeשָׁנִ֗יםH8141 · sha.nehyearשָׁנָה֙H8141 · sha.nehyearאַחֲרֵ֣יH310 · a.charafterשָׁנָ֔הH8141 · sha.nehyearוַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁH1245 · ba.qashto seekדָּוִ֖דH1732 · da.vidDavidאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]פְּנֵ֣יH6440 · pa.nehface: beforeיְהוָ֑ה סH3068 · ye.ho.vahLORDוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559 · a.marto sayיְהוָ֗הH3068 · ye.ho.vahLORDאֶל־H413 · elto(wards)שָׁאוּל֙H7586 · sha.ulSaulוְאֶל־H413 · elto(wards)בֵּ֣יתH1004 · betplaceהַדָּמִ֔יםH1818 · dambloodעַל־H5921 · aluponאֲשֶׁר־H834 · a.sherwhichהֵמִ֖יתH4191 · mutto dieאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]הַגִּבְעֹנִֽים׃H1393 · giv.o.niGibeonite
Cross-references
Joshua 7:11-12Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff.Genesis 12:10And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land.Genesis 26:1And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.Psalm 91:15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I [will be] with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.Jeremiah 14:1-18The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.2 Samuel 5:23And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; [but] fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.1 Samuel 22:17-19And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also [is] with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.Numbers 27:21And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask [counsel] for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, [both] he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.2 Kings 8:1Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.1 Kings 18:2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And [there was] a sore famine in Samaria.Job 5:8-10I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:Leviticus 26:26[And] when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver [you] your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.1 Samuel 23:2Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.1 Kings 17:1And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.2 Samuel 5:19And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.Job 10:2I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.Leviticus 26:19-20And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:1 Samuel 23:11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on 2 Samuel 21:1
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →