2 Samuel 21 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible
2 Samuel 21 (WEBP)
[1] There was a famine in the days of David for 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 the Gibeonites to death.”
[2] The king called the Gibeonites and said to 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 to them; and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);
[3] and David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And with what should I make atonement, that you may bless Yahweh’s inheritance?”
[4] The Gibeonites said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” He said, “I will do for you whatever you say.”
[5] They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and who plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,
[6] let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh.” The king said, “I will give them.”
[7] But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
[8] But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
[9] He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites; and they hanged them on the mountain before Yahweh, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.
[10] Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night.
[11] David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
[12] So David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa;
[13] and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son. They also gathered the bones of those who were hanged.
[14] They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father; and they performed all that the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
[15] The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint;
[16] and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, he being armed with a new sword, thought he would kill David.
[17] But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “Don’t go out with us to battle any more, so that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel.”
[18] After this, there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.
[19] There was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
[20] There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on every hand and six toes on every foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was born to the giant.
[21] When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him.
[22] These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.
King James w/Strong’s #s
2 Samuel 21 (KJVS)
[1] Then there was a famine H7458 in the days H3117 of David H1732 three H7969 years H8141, year H8141 after H310 year H8141; and David H1732 enquired H1245 (8762) of H6440 the LORD H3068. And the LORD H3068 answered H559 (8799), [It is] for Saul H7586, and for [his] bloody H1818 house H1004, because he slew H4191 (8689) the Gibeonites H1393.
[2] And the king H4428 called H7121 (8799) the Gibeonites H1393, and said H559 (8799) unto them; (now the Gibeonites H1393 [were] not of the children H1121 of Israel H3478, but of the remnant H3499 of the Amorites H567; and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 had sworn H7650 (8738) unto them: and Saul H7586 sought H1245 (8762) to slay H5221 (8687) them in his zeal H7065 (8763) to the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and Judah H3063.)
[3] Wherefore David H1732 said H559 (8799) unto the Gibeonites H1393, What shall I do H6213 (8799) for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement H3722 (8762), that ye may bless H1288 (8761) the inheritance H5159 of the LORD H3068?
[4] And the Gibeonites H1393 said H559 (8799) unto him, We will have no silver H3701 nor gold H2091 of H5973 Saul H7586, nor of his house H1004; neither for us shalt thou kill H4191 (8687) any man H376 in Israel H3478. And he said H559 (8799), What ye shall say H559 (8802), [that] will I do H6213 (8799) for you.
[5] And they answered H559 (8799) the king H4428, The man H376 that consumed H3615 (8765) us, and that devised H1819 (8765) against us [that] we should be destroyed H8045 (8738) from remaining H3320 (8692) in any of the coasts H1366 of Israel H3478,
[6] Let seven H7651 men H582 of his sons H1121 be delivered H5414 (8714) unto us, and we will hang them up H3363 (8689) unto the LORD H3068 in Gibeah H1390 of Saul H7586, [whom] the LORD H3068 did choose H972. And the king H4428 said H559 (8799), I will give H5414 (8799) [them].
[7] But the king H4428 spared H2550 (8799) Mephibosheth H4648, the son H1121 of Jonathan H3083 the son H1121 of Saul H7586, because of the LORD’S H3068 oath H7621 that [was] between them, between David H1732 and Jonathan H3083 the son H1121 of Saul H7586.
[8] But the king H4428 took H3947 (8799) the two H8147 sons H1121 of Rizpah H7532 the daughter H1323 of Aiah H345, whom she bare H3205 (8804) unto Saul H7586, Armoni H764 and Mephibosheth H4648; and the five H2568 sons H1121 of Michal H4324 the daughter H1323 of Saul H7586, whom she brought up H3205 (8804) for Adriel H5741 the son H1121 of Barzillai H1271 the Meholathite H4259:
[9] And he delivered H5414 (8799) them into the hands H3027 of the Gibeonites H1393, and they hanged H3363 (8686) them in the hill H2022 before H6440 the LORD H3068: and they fell H5307 (8799) [all] seven H7651 (8675) H7659 together H3162, and were put to death H4191 (8717) in the days H3117 of harvest H7105, in the first H7223 [days], in the beginning H8462 of barley H8184 harvest H7105.
[10] And Rizpah H7532 the daughter H1323 of Aiah H345 took H3947 (8799) sackcloth H8242, and spread H5186 (8686) it for her upon the rock H6697, from the beginning H8462 of harvest H7105 until water H4325 dropped H5413 (8738) upon them out of heaven H8064, and suffered H5414 (8804) neither the birds H5775 of the air H8064 to rest H5117 (8800) on them by day H3119, nor the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 by night H3915.
[11] And it was told H5046 (8714) David H1732 what Rizpah H7532 the daughter H1323 of Aiah H345, the concubine H6370 of Saul H7586, had done H6213 (8804).
[12] And David H1732 went H3212 (8799) and took H3947 (8799) the bones H6106 of Saul H7586 and the bones H6106 of Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 from the men H1167 of Jabeshgilead H3003 H1568, which had stolen H1589 (8804) them from the street H7339 of Bethshan H1052, where the Philistines H6430 had hanged H8511 (8804) (8675) H8518 (8804) them, when H3117 the Philistines H6430 had slain H5221 (8687) Saul H7586 in Gilboa H1533:
[13] And he brought up H5927 (8686) from thence the bones H6106 of Saul H7586 and the bones H6106 of Jonathan H3083 his son H1121; and they gathered H622 (8799) the bones H6106 of them that were hanged H3363 (8716).
[14] And the bones H6106 of Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 buried H6912 (8799) they in the country H776 of Benjamin H1144 in Zelah H6762, in the sepulchre H6913 of Kish H7027 his father H1: and they performed H6213 (8799) all that the king H4428 commanded H6680 (8765). And after H310 that God H430 was intreated H6279 (8735) for the land H776.
[15] Moreover the Philistines H6430 had yet war H4421 again with Israel H3478; and David H1732 went down H3381 (8799), and his servants H5650 with him, and fought H3898 (8735) against the Philistines H6430: and David H1732 waxed faint H5774 (8799).
[16] And Ishbibenob H3430, which [was] of the sons H3211 of the giant H7497, the weight H4948 of whose spear H7013 [weighed] three H7969 hundred H3967 [shekels] of brass H5178 in weight H4948, he being girded H2296 (8803) with a new H2319 [sword], thought H559 (8799) to have slain H5221 (8687) David H1732.
[17] But Abishai H52 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 succoured H5826 (8799) him, and smote H5221 (8686) the Philistine H6430, and killed H4191 (8686) him. Then the men H582 of David H1732 sware H7650 (8738) unto him, saying H559 (8800), Thou shalt go H3318 (8799) no more out with us to battle H4421, that thou quench H3518 (8762) not the light H5216 of Israel H3478.
[18] And it came to pass after this H310, that there was again a battle H4421 with the Philistines H6430 at Gob H1359: then Sibbechai H5444 the Hushathite H2843 slew H5221 (8689) Saph H5593, which [was] of the sons H3211 of the giant H7497.
[19] And there was again a battle H4421 in Gob H1359 with the Philistines H6430, where Elhanan H445 the son H1121 of Jaareoregim H3296, a Bethlehemite H1022, slew H5221 (8686) [the brother of] Goliath H1555 the Gittite H1663, the staff H6086 of whose spear H2595 [was] like a weaver’s H707 (8802) beam H4500.
[20] And there was yet a battle H4421 in Gath H1661, where was a man H376 of [great] stature H4067 (8675) H4055, that had on every hand H3027 six H8337 fingers H676, and on every foot H7272 six H8337 toes H676, four H702 and twenty H6242 in number H4557; and he also was born H3205 (8795) to the giant H7497.
[21] And when he defied H2778 (8762) Israel H3478, Jonathan H3083 the son H1121 of Shimea H8092 the brother H251 of David H1732 slew H5221 (8686) him.
[22] These four H702 were born H3205 (8795) to the giant H7497 in Gath H1661, and fell H5307 (8799) by the hand H3027 of David H1732, and by the hand H3027 of his servants H5650.
Young’s Literal Translation
2 Samuel 21 (YLT)
[1] 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.’
[2] And the king calleth for the Gibeonites, and saith unto them-as to the Gibeonites, they are not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorite, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul seeketh to smite them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah-
[3] yea, David saith unto the Gibeonites, ‘What do I do for you? and with what do I make atonement? and bless ye the inheritance of Jehovah.’
[4] And the Gibeonites say to him, ‘We have no silver and gold by Saul and by his house, and we have no man to put to death in Israel;’ and he saith, ‘What ye are saying I do to you.’
[5] And they say unto the king, ‘The man who consumed us, and who devised against us-we have been destroyed from stationing ourselves in all the border of Israel-
[6] let there be given to us seven men of his sons, and we have hanged them before Jehovah, in the height of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah.’ And the king saith, ‘I do give;’
[7] and the king hath pity on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath of Jehovah that is between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul;
[8] and the king taketh the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul whom she bare to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite,
[9] and giveth them into the hand of the Gibeonites, and they hang them in the hill before Jehovah; and the seven fall together, and they have been put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, the commencement of barley-harvest.
[10] And Rizpah daughter of Aiah taketh the sackcloth, and stretcheth it out for herself on the rock, from the commencement of harvest till water hath been poured out upon them from the heavens, and hath not suffered a fowl of the heavens to rest upon them by day, or the beast of the field by night.
[11] And it is declared to David that which Rizpah daughter of Aiah, concubine of Saul, hath done,
[12] and David goeth and taketh the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the possessors of Jabesh-Gilead, who had stolen them from the broad place of Beth-Shan, where the Philistines hanged them, in the day of the Philistines smiting Saul in Gilboa;
[13] and he bringeth up thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, and they gather the bones of those hanged,
[14] and bury the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin, in Zelah, in the burying-place of Kish his father, and do all that the king commanded, and God is entreated for the land afterwards.
[15] And again have the Philistines war with Israel, and David goeth down, and his servants with him, and they fight with the Philistines; and David is weary,
[16] and Ishbi-Benob, who is among the children of the giant-the weight of his spear is three hundred shekels weight of brass, and he is girded with a new one-speaketh of smiting David,
[17] and Abishai son of Zeruiah giveth help to him, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death; then swear the men of David to him, saying, ‘Thou dost not go out again with us to battle, nor quench the lamp of Israel.’
[18] And it cometh to pass afterwards, that the battle is again in Gob with the Philistines, then hath Sibbechai the Hushathite smitten Saph, who is among the children of the giant.
[19] And the battle is again in Gob with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim, the Beth-Lehemite, smiteth a brother of Goliath the Gittite, and the wood of his spear is like a beam of weavers.
[20] And the battle is again in Gath, and there is a man of stature, and the fingers of his hands are six, and the toes of his feet are six, twenty and four in number, and he also hath been born to the giant,
[21] and he reproacheth Israel, and smite him doth Jonathan son of Shimeah, brother of David;
[22] these four have been born to the giant in Gath, and they fall by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.