In what ways does this verse connect to honoring God's covenant with Israel? \Setting the Scene: A Famine Rooted in Covenant Violation\ – Saul’s zeal against the Gibeonites broke Israel’s oath of protection made in Joshua 9:15-20. – “There was a famine in the days of David for three consecutive years” (2 Samuel 21:1), revealing how seriously God guards covenant faithfulness. – David seeks God, learns the cause, and moves to make things right. \Verse Focus—2 Samuel 21:14\ “They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin at Zela, in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. After they had done everything the king commanded, God answered their prayers for the land.” \How the Verse Honors God’s Covenant with Israel\ • Restoring Broken Promises – The burial completes David’s atonement for Saul’s breach, showing that the covenant promise to the Gibeonites still stands (Joshua 9:19: “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them”). – By righting Saul’s wrong, David re-aligns the nation with its oath before God. • Respect for the Land Allotment – The bones are placed “in the land of Benjamin at Zela,” honoring tribal inheritance boundaries set by God (Joshua 18:21-28). – Returning Saul and Jonathan to their family tomb reaffirms God’s covenant gift of specific territories to Israel’s tribes. • Obedience to Burial Law – Deuteronomy 21:22-23 commands that executed bodies be buried the same day to avoid “defiling the land.” David’s care for Saul’s descendants’ remains echoes that principle, cleansing covenant land from defilement. • Covenant Blessing Restored – “God answered their prayers for the land.” This mirrors Leviticus 26:3-4: obedience brings rain and fruitfulness. – The famine lifts, signaling divine satisfaction that covenant justice has been served. • Foreshadowing the Davidic Covenant’s Integrity – David’s actions underline that the future promises tied to his line (2 Samuel 7:12-16) rest on covenant faithfulness. – His sensitivity to oath-keeping sets a pattern for righteous kingship in Israel. \Cross-References That Reinforce the Connection\ – Numbers 30:2: “When a man makes a vow to the LORD… he must not break his word.” – Psalm 15:4: the righteous man “keeps his oath even when it hurts.” – 1 Kings 8:34: when Israel repents, God “forgives” and “brings them back to the land.” – Hosea 6:7: Israel “like Adam, transgressed the covenant,” reminding us how grave oath-breaking is. \Takeaways for Today\ – God expects His people to honor every promise made in His name, even generations later. – National or personal hardship can be a divine prompt to examine covenant faithfulness. – Restoring wrongs—including giving proper honor to the dead—invites God’s renewed blessing. |
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