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the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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THE MESSAGE

2 Samuel 21:3

David addressed the Gibeonites: "What can I do for you? How can I compensate you so that you will bless God 's legacy of land and people?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Covenant;   David;   Gibeon;   Saul;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Atonement, under the Law;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mephibosheth;   Rizpah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gibeon;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Feasts and Festivals of Israel;   Murder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Joshua;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Adriel;   Beeroth;   Blessing and Cursing;   Court Systems;   Gibeon;   Mephibosheth;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Haggai;   Israel;   Rizpah;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ransom (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Gibeonites ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Gibeon;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Charm;   Heredity;   Magic;   Salvation;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Atonement;   Crime;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He asked the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? How can I make atonement so that you will bring a blessing on the Lord’s inheritance?”
Hebrew Names Version
and David said to the Giv`onim, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
King James Version
Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord ?
Lexham English Bible
So David asked the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you, and with what can I make amends that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?"
English Standard Version
And David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord ?"
New Century Version
He asked, "What can I do for you? How can I make up for the harm done so you can bless the Lord 's people?"
New English Translation
David said to the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord 's inheritance?"
Amplified Bible
So David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? How can I make it good so that you will bless the LORD'S inheritance (Israel)?"
New American Standard Bible
David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I make amends, so that you will bless the inheritance of the LORD?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid said vnto the Gibeonites, What shall I doe for you, and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may blesse the inheritance of the Lord?
Legacy Standard Bible
Thus David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?"
Contemporary English Version
He said, "What can I do to make up for what Saul did, so that you'll ask the Lord to be kind to his people again?"
Complete Jewish Bible
David said to the Giv‘onim, "What should I do for you? With what should I make atonement, so that you will be able to bless Adonai 's heritage?"
Darby Translation
And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and with what shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
Easy-to-Read Version
David said to the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you? What can I do to take away Israel's sin, so that you can bless the Lord 's people?"
George Lamsa Translation
Wherefore David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make an atonement to you, that you may bless the heritage of the LORD?
Good News Translation
So David summoned the people of Gibeon and said to them, "What can I do for you? I want to make up for the wrong that was done to you, so that you will bless the Lord 's people."
Literal Translation
And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I atone, and you bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Dauid to the Gibeonites: What shal I do vnto you? And where withall shal I make the attonement, that ye maye blesse ye enheritaunce of ye LORDE?
American Standard Version
and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?
Bible in Basic English
So David said to the Gibeonites, What may I do for you? how am I to make up to you for your wrongs, so that you may give a blessing to the heritage of the Lord?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore Dauid saide vnto the Gibeonites: What shall I do for you, & wherewith shall I make the attonement, that ye may blesse ye inheritaunce of the Lorde?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and David said unto the Gibeonites: 'What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?'
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore Dauid said vnto the Gibeonites, What shall I doe for you? and wherwith shall I make the atonement, that ye may blesse the inheritance of the Lord ?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said to the Gabaonites, What shall I do to you? and wherewithal shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
English Revised Version
and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
Berean Standard Bible
So David asked the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
therfor Dauid seide to Gabaonytis, What schal Y do to you, and what schal be youre amendis, that ye blesse the eritage of the Lord?
Young's Literal Translation
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.'
Update Bible Version
and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?
Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and with what shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
World English Bible
and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?
New King James Version
Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"
New Living Translation
David asked them, "What can I do for you? How can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord 's people again?"
New Life Bible
David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? How can I pay for the sin, so you may bring good to the land of the Lord?"
New Revised Standard
David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How shall I make expiation, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord ?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites - What shall I do for you, and wherewith shall I make propitiation, so that ye may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?
Douay-Rheims Bible
David therefore said to the Gabaonites: What shall I do for you? and what shall be the atonement or you, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?
Revised Standard Version
And David said to the Gib'eonites, "What shall I do for you? And how shall I make expiation, that you may bless the heritage of the LORD?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Thus David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"

Contextual Overview

1 There was a famine in David's time. It went on year after year after year—three years. David went to God seeking the reason. God said, "This is because there is blood on Saul and his house, from the time he massacred the Gibeonites." 2 So the king called the Gibeonites together for consultation. (The Gibeonites were not part of Israel; they were what was left of the Amorites, and protected by a treaty with Israel. But Saul, a fanatic for the honor of Israel and Judah, tried to kill them off.) 3 David addressed the Gibeonites: "What can I do for you? How can I compensate you so that you will bless God 's legacy of land and people?" 4 The Gibeonites replied, "We don't want any money from Saul and his family. And it's not up to us to put anyone in Israel to death." But David persisted: "What are you saying I should do for you?" 5Then they told the king, "The man who tried to get rid of us, who schemed to wipe us off the map of Israel—well, let seven of his sons be handed over to us to be executed—hanged before God at Gibeah of Saul, the holy mountain." And David agreed, "I'll hand them over to you." 7The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the promise David and Jonathan had spoken before God . But the king selected Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons that Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, plus the five sons that Saul's daughter Merab had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. He turned them over to the Gibeonites who hanged them on the mountain before God —all seven died together. Harvest was just getting underway, the beginning of the barley harvest, when they were executed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wherewith: Exodus 32:30, Leviticus 1:4, 1 Samuel 2:25, Micah 6:6, Micah 6:7, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 10:4-12

bless: 2 Samuel 20:19

Reciprocal: Exodus 30:15 - give less than Numbers 25:13 - atonement 2 Samuel 24:21 - the plague 1 Kings 1:47 - bless Psalms 28:9 - bless Galatians 3:13 - for

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
But God said, "That's not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac (Laughter). I'll establish my covenant with him and his descendants, a covenant that lasts forever.
Genesis 22:2
He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you."
Joshua 24:3
Israel served God through the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had themselves experienced all that God had done for Israel. Joseph's bones, which the People of Israel had brought from Egypt, they buried in Shechem in the plot of ground that Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor (who was the father of Shechem). He paid a hundred silver coins for it. It belongs to the inheritance of the family of Joseph. Eleazar son of Aaron died. They buried him at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the mountains of Ephraim.
Matthew 1:2
Abraham had Isaac, Isaac had Jacob, Jacob had Judah and his brothers, Judah had Perez and Zerah (the mother was Tamar), Perez had Hezron, Hezron had Aram, Aram had Amminadab, Amminadab had Nahshon, Nahshon had Salmon, Salmon had Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Boaz had Obed (Ruth was the mother), Obed had Jesse, Jesse had David, and David became king. David had Solomon (Uriah's wife was the mother), Solomon had Rehoboam, Rehoboam had Abijah, Abijah had Asa, Asa had Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat had Joram, Joram had Uzziah, Uzziah had Jotham, Jotham had Ahaz, Ahaz had Hezekiah, Hezekiah had Manasseh, Manasseh had Amon, Amon had Josiah, Josiah had Jehoiachin and his brothers, and then the people were taken into the Babylonian exile. When the Babylonian exile ended, Jeconiah had Shealtiel, Shealtiel had Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel had Abiud, Abiud had Eliakim, Eliakim had Azor, Azor had Zadok, Zadok had Achim, Achim had Eliud, Eliud had Eleazar, Eleazar had Matthan, Matthan had Jacob, Jacob had Joseph, Mary's husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ. There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ. The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us"). Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.
Acts 7:8
"Then he made a covenant with him and signed it in Abraham's flesh by circumcision. When Abraham had his son Isaac, within eight days he reproduced the sign of circumcision in him. Isaac became father of Jacob, and Jacob father of twelve ‘fathers,' each faithfully passing on the covenant sign.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, what shall I do for you,.... By way of satisfaction for the injuries done them:

and wherewith shall I make the atonement; for the offences committed, that so the wrath that was gone forth against the land in a famine might be appeased:

that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord? pray for a blessing upon the land which the Lord had chosen for his inheritance, and given as such to the people of Israel, that rain might descend upon it, and make it fruitful.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 21:3. Wherewith shall I make the atonement — It is very strange that a choice of this kind should be left to such a people. Why not ask this of God himself?


 
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