What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 21:13? So David had the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan brought from there • After a three–year famine (2 Samuel 21:1), David discovers that Saul’s prior breach of covenant with the Gibeonites (cf. Joshua 9:15) has brought judgment; when restitution is complete, the king’s next step is to honor the dead. • “There” refers to Jabesh-gilead, where valiant men had rescued the bodies of Saul and Jonathan from the Philistines and buried them (1 Samuel 31:12-13; 1 Chronicles 10:12). David now relocates those remains to the family tomb in Benjamin, demonstrating covenant faithfulness to his predecessor and best friend (1 Samuel 18:1-4). • Respectful burial is a repeated biblical theme—Abraham for Sarah (Genesis 23:19), Joseph’s bones carried from Egypt (Exodus 13:19), Jesus’ burial by Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-60). By treating the dead with dignity, David affirms that Israel’s kings value life and covenant, even in death. • The action also heals national memory: Saul’s reign ended in defeat (1 Samuel 31:1-6), yet David’s retrieval of Saul’s bones publicly closes that sad chapter with honor rather than disgrace, echoing 2 Samuel 2:4-7 where he had earlier blessed those who buried Saul. and they also gathered the bones of those who had been hanged • The seven descendants of Saul had been executed “at the beginning of the barley harvest” (2 Samuel 21:9). Deuteronomy 21:22-23 required removal of hanged bodies by sunset to prevent the land from being defiled. Rizpah’s vigilant mourning beside the corpses (2 Samuel 21:10) stirred David’s compassion and underlined the unfinished task of burial. • By gathering these bones along with Saul’s, David unifies the family in death and satisfies both divine law and human decency. Isaiah 58:6-7 links true righteousness with caring for the oppressed; here David’s care for the dishonored dead echoes that principle. • Placing the executed men in the tomb of Kish (2 Samuel 21:14) proclaims that covenant justice and covenant mercy can coexist: the Gibeonites receive satisfaction, yet Saul’s house is not left in perpetual shame. • The concluding line, “After that, God was moved by prayer for the land” (2 Samuel 21:14), confirms the connection between righteous action and divine blessing, echoing 2 Chronicles 7:14. summary Verse 13 shows David remedying past wrongs by honoring the bodies of Saul, Jonathan, and the executed descendants. He brings their bones together for proper burial, fulfilling covenant duty, healing national wounds, and opening the door for God’s favor to return to Israel. |
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