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2 Samuel 21-22
GOD’S WORD Translation
2 Samuel 21-22
GOD’S WORD Translation
David and the People of Gibeon
21 In the time of David, there was a famine for three successive years, and David asked the Lord’s advice about it. The Lord answered, “It’s because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.”
2 (The Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were left over from the Amorites. Although the Israelites had sworn ⌞to spare them⌟, Saul, in his eagerness, tried to destroy them for Israel and Judah.)
The king called the Gibeonites 3 and asked them, “What can I do for you? What should I ⌞give you⌟ to make peace with you so that you will bless what belongs to the Lord?”
4 “We do not want silver or gold from Saul’s family,” the Gibeonites answered him. “And none of us wants to kill ⌞anyone⌟ in Israel.”
The king asked, “What are you saying that I should do for you?”
5 They answered the king, “Give us seven of the male descendants of the man who wanted to finish us off. He planned to wipe us out to keep us from staying anywhere in Israel’s territory. 6 We will execute them in the Lord’s presence at Saul’s town Gibeah.” (It was Saul whom the Lord had chosen.)
“I will give them ⌞to you⌟,” the king said.
7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson, because of the oath in the Lord’s name between David and Jonathan, son of Saul. 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 [a] (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 [b] 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.
The Giants of the Philistines Defeated(A)
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.”
18 After this, there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, another descendant of Haraphah. 19 When more fighting broke out with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan, son of Jaare Oregim from Bethlehem, killed Goliath of Gath. (The shaft of Goliath’s spear was like a beam used by weavers.) 20 In another battle at Gath, there was a tall man who had a total of 24 fingers and toes: six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He also was a descendant of Haraphah. 21 When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him. 22 These four were descendants of Haraphah from Gath, and David and his men killed them.
David’s Song of Deliverance(B)
22 David sang this song to the Lord when the Lord rescued him from all his enemies, especially from Saul. 2 He said,
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my Savior,
3 my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield,
the strength of my salvation, my stronghold,
my refuge, and my Savior who saved me from violence.
4 The Lord should be praised.
I called on him, and I was saved from my enemies.
5 The waves of death had surrounded me.
The torrents of destruction had overwhelmed me.
6 The ropes of the grave had surrounded me.
The clutches of death had confronted me.
7 I called on the Lord in my distress.
I called to my God for help.
He heard my voice from his temple,
and my cry for help reached his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and quaked.
Even the foundations of the heavens trembled.
They shook violently because he was angry.
9 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and a raging fire came out of his mouth.
Glowing coals flared up from it.
10 He spread apart the heavens
and came down with a dark cloud under his feet.
11 He rode on one of the angels [c] as he flew,
and he soared on the wings of the wind.
12 He surrounded himself with darkness.
He made the dark rain clouds his covering.
13 Out of the brightness in front of him, he made lightning.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven.
The Most High made his voice heard.
15 He shot arrows and scattered them.
He flashed streaks of lightning and threw them into confusion.
16 Then the ocean floor could be seen.
The foundations of the earth were laid bare
at the Lord’s stern warning,
at the blast of the breath from his nostrils.
17 He reached down from high above and took hold of me.
He pulled me out of the raging water.
18 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
because they were too strong for me.
19 On the day when I faced disaster, they confronted me,
but the Lord became my defense.
20 He brought me out to a wide-open place.
He rescued me because he was pleased with me.
21 The Lord rewarded me
because of my righteousness,
because my hands are clean.
He paid me back
22 because I have kept the ways of the Lord
and I have not wickedly turned away from my God,
23 because all his judgments are in front of me
and I have not turned away from his laws.
24 I was innocent as far as he was concerned.
I have kept myself from guilt.
25 The Lord paid me back
because of my righteousness,
because he can see that I am clean.
26 ⌞In dealing⌟ with faithful people you are faithful,
with innocent warriors you are innocent,
27 with pure people you are pure.
⌞In dealing⌟ with devious people you are clever.
28 You save humble people,
but your eyes bring down arrogant people.
29 O Lord, you are my lamp.
The Lord turns my darkness into light.
30 With you I can attack a line of soldiers.
With my God I can break through barricades.
31 God’s way is perfect!
The promise of the Lord has proven to be true.
He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
32 Who is God but the Lord?
Who is a rock other than our God?
33 God arms me with strength.[d]
His perfect way sets me free.
34 He makes my feet like those of a deer
and gives me sure footing on high places.
35 He trains my hands for battle
so that my arms can bend an ⌞archer’s⌟ bow of bronze.
36 You have given me the shield of your salvation.
Your help makes me great.
37 You make a wide path for me to walk on
so that my feet do not slip.
38 I chased my enemies and destroyed them.
I did not return until I had ended their lives.
39 I ended their lives by shattering them.
They were unable to get up.
They fell under my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle.
You made my opponents bow at my feet.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and I destroyed those who hated me.
42 They looked, but there was no one to save them.
They looked to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
43 I beat them into a powder as fine as the dust on the ground.
I crushed them and stomped on them like the dirt on the streets.
44 You rescued me from my conflicts with my people.
You kept me as the leader of nations.
A people I did not know will serve me.
45 Foreigners will cringe in front of me.
As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.
46 Foreigners will lose heart,
although they are armed in their fortifications.
47 The Lord lives!
Thanks be to my rock!
May God, the rock of my salvation, be glorified.
48 God gives me vengeance!
He brings people under my authority.
49 He frees me from my enemies.
You lift me up above my opponents.
You rescue me from violent people.
50 That is why I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the nations
and make music to praise your name.
51 He gives great victories to his king.
He shows mercy to his anointed,
to David, and to his descendant [e] forever.
Footnotes
- 21:8 1 Samuel 18:19, two Hebrew manuscripts, some Greek manuscripts, Syriac, Targum; other Hebrew and Greek manuscripts “Mical.”
- 21:11 A concubine is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law.
- 22:11 Or “cherubim.”
- 22:33 Dead Sea Scrolls, Psalm 18:33, Greek, Syriac, Latin; Masoretic Text “my refuge is strength.”
- 22:51 Or “to his descendants.”
2 Samuel 21-22
New International Version
2 Samuel 21-22
New International Version
The Gibeonites Avenged
21 During the reign of David, there was a famine(A) for three successive years; so David sought(B) the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
2 The king summoned the Gibeonites(C) and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) 3 David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”(D)
4 The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”(E)
“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.
5 They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, 6 let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed(F) before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen(G) one.”
So the king said, “I will give them to you.”
7 The king spared Mephibosheth(H) son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath(I) before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah,(J) whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab,[a] whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.(K) 9 He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death(L) during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.(M)
10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night.(N) 11 When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 12 he went and took the bones of Saul(O) and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead.(P) (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan,(Q) where the Philistines had hung(R) them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)(S) 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.
14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela(T) in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that,(U) God answered prayer(V) in behalf of the land.(W)
Wars Against the Philistines(X)
15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines(Y) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels[b] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai(Z) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp(AA) of Israel will not be extinguished.(AB)”
18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai(AC) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair[c] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of[d] Goliath the Gittite,(AD) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.(AE)
20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21 When he taunted(AF) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,(AG) David’s brother, killed him.
22 These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
David’s Song of Praise(AH)
22 David sang(AI) to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:
“The Lord is my rock,(AJ) my fortress(AK) and my deliverer;(AL)
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(AM)
my shield[e](AN) and the horn[f](AO) of my salvation.
He is my stronghold,(AP) my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.
4 “I called to the Lord, who is worthy(AQ) of praise,
and have been saved from my enemies.
5 The waves(AR) of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave(AS) coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 “In my distress(AT) I called(AU) to the Lord;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
8 The earth(AV) trembled and quaked,(AW)
the foundations(AX) of the heavens[g] shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire(AY) came from his mouth,
burning coals(AZ) blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds(BA) were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim(BB) and flew;
he soared[h] on the wings of the wind.(BC)
12 He made darkness(BD) his canopy around him—
the dark[i] rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning(BE) blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered(BF) from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot his arrows(BG) and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
16 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke(BH) of the Lord,
at the blast(BI) of breath from his nostrils.
17 “He reached down from on high(BJ) and took hold of me;
he drew(BK) me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued(BL) me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.(BM)
20 He brought me out into a spacious(BN) place;
he rescued(BO) me because he delighted(BP) in me.(BQ)
21 “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(BR)
according to the cleanness(BS) of my hands(BT) he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept(BU) the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me;(BV)
I have not turned(BW) away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless(BX) before him
and have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(BY)
according to my cleanness[j] in his sight.
26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure(BZ) you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(CA)
28 You save the humble,(CB)
but your eyes are on the haughty(CC) to bring them low.(CD)
29 You, Lord, are my lamp;(CE)
the Lord turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop[k];
with my God I can scale a wall.
31 “As for God, his way is perfect:(CF)
The Lord’s word is flawless;(CG)
he shields(CH) all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock(CI) except our God?(CJ)
33 It is God who arms me with strength[l]
and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(CK)
he causes me to stand on the heights.(CL)
35 He trains my hands(CM) for battle;
my arms can bend a bow(CN) of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;(CO)
your help has made[m] me great.
37 You provide a broad path(CP) for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed(CQ) them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.(CR)
41 You made my enemies turn their backs(CS) in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help,(CT) but there was no one to save them—(CU)
to the Lord, but he did not answer.(CV)
43 I beat them as fine as the dust(CW) of the earth;
I pounded and trampled(CX) them like mud(CY) in the streets.
44 “You have delivered(CZ) me from the attacks of the peoples;
you have preserved(DA) me as the head of nations.
People(DB) I did not know now serve me,
45 foreigners cower(DC) before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.(DD)
46 They all lose heart;
they come trembling[n](DE) from their strongholds.
47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted(DF) be my God, the Rock, my Savior!(DG)
48 He is the God who avenges(DH) me,(DI)
who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies.(DJ)
You exalted me(DK) above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises(DL) of your name.(DM)
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 21:8 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Samuel 18:19); most Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts Michal
- 2 Samuel 21:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
- 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew Jaare-Oregim.
- 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew does not have the brother of.
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Or sovereign
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- 2 Samuel 22:8 Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains
- 2 Samuel 22:11 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared
- 2 Samuel 22:12 Septuagint (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed
- 2 Samuel 22:25 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands
- 2 Samuel 22:30 Or can run through a barricade
- 2 Samuel 22:33 Dead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32); Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge
- 2 Samuel 22:36 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text shield; / you stoop down to make
- 2 Samuel 22:46 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text they arm themselves
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
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