March 31 A READ 2 SAMUEL 21–24
David’s Final Words and Acts
OVERVIEW
Today’s section covers six topics that, although out of strict chronological order, form an appendix supplementing the main body of 2 Samuel and, as such, provide a fitting conclusion to the book. The topics include a severe famine sent in judgment for Saul’s treatment of the Gibeonites (whom he was committed by oath to protect—21:1-2); a series of wars with Philistia (apparently toward the very end of David’s life—21:15-22); a beautiful psalm of deliverance and praise (including David’s last words—23:1-7); a list of David’s mighty men of valor (with one startling addition—Uriah—23:39); a sinful census (apparently motivated by pride—24:1-10); and the severe punishment by plague that followed it. The closing paragraph of the book portrays David in his most natural pose: worshiping the Lord in humility.
MY DAILY WALK
Are you on God’s list of “mighty men and women”? Don’t answer too quickly. God’s choices may surprise you.
David composed a list of thirty-seven soldiers from his vast armies, thirty-seven men who, in his estimation, deserved the title “mighty.” Most of his selections make good sense. After all, who could possibly leave off Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who killed eight hundred men single-handedly? Or Eleazar, the son of Dodai, who one day fought Philistines until his hand “was too tired to lift his sword”? These two, along with another warrior, broke through the Philistine lines to bring thirsty King David a cup of cold water from the well of Bethlehem—and for that they received the same praise as a warrior who slew hundreds.
Stop and think of one specific act you can do today that would be mighty in God’s eyes. (Remember, even a cup of cold water given in his name will not go unrewarded.) Now include it in your schedule, and do it.
A MAN CAN BE NO BIGGER THAN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR WHOM HE GENUINELY CARES.
INSIGHT
A Psalm away from Psalms | 2 Sam. 22
The books of Samuel open with Hannah’s song of deliverance, and they close with David’s. The latter is a slight variation of Psalm 18, the introduction of which identifies it as a song of deliverance composed on the day God rescued David from Saul and his other enemies.
INSIGHT
Real Estate Rich with Significance | 2 Sam. 24:18
The book closes with David purchasing the threshing floor on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem (24:18)—the place where Abraham offered Isaac centuries before and the place where Solomon’s Temple would soon stand (see Genesis 22:2 and 2 Chronicles 3:1).
David Avenges the Gibeonites
1There was a famine during David’s reign that lasted for three years, so David asked the LORD about it. And the LORD said, “The famine has come because Saul and his family are guilty of murdering the Gibeonites.”
2So the king summoned the Gibeonites. They were not part of Israel but were all that was left of the nation of the Amorites. The people of Israel had sworn not to kill them, but Saul, in his zeal for Israel and Judah, had tried to wipe them out. 3David asked them, “What can I do for you? How can I make amends so that you will bless the LORD’s people again?”
4“Well, money can’t settle this matter between us and the family of Saul,” the Gibeonites replied. “Neither can we demand the life of anyone in Israel.”
“What can I do then?” David asked. “Just tell me and I will do it for you.”
5Then they replied, “It was Saul who planned to destroy us, to keep us from having any place at all in the territory of Israel. 6So let seven of Saul’s sons be handed over to us, and we will execute them before the LORD at Gibeon, on the mountain of the LORD.*”
“All right,” the king said, “I will do it.” 7The king spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth,* who was Saul’s grandson, because of the oath David and Jonathan had sworn before the LORD. 8But 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. 9The men of Gibeon executed them on the mountain before the LORD. So all seven of them died together at the beginning of the barley harvest.
10Then Rizpah daughter of Aiah, the mother of two of the men, spread burlap on a rock and stayed there the entire harvest season. She prevented the scavenger birds from tearing at their bodies during the day and stopped wild animals from eating them at night. 11When David learned what Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 12he went to the people of Jabesh-gilead and retrieved the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. (When the Philistines had killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa, the people of Jabesh-gilead stole their bodies from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them.) 13So David obtained the bones of Saul and Jonathan, as well as the bones of the men the Gibeonites had executed.
14Then the king ordered that they bury the bones in the tomb of Kish, Saul’s father, at the town of Zela in the land of Benjamin. After that, God ended the famine in the land.
Battles against Philistine Giants
15Once again the Philistines were at war with Israel. And when David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted. 16Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants*; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds,* and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him. 17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?”
18After this, there was another battle against the Philistines at Gob. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, another descendant of the giants.
19During another battle at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair* from Bethlehem killed the brother of Goliath of Gath.* The handle of his spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam!
20In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man* with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants. 21But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.*
22These four Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.