2 Samuel 21
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Samuel 21
MacArthur points out that "These pagans were not bound by the law of Dt 21:22, 23, which forbade leaving a dead body hanging over night. (THIS NEXT STATEMENT SEEMS A BIT SPECULATIVE) Their intention was to let the bodies hang until God signaled He was satisfied and sent rain to end the famine. Such a heathen practice, designed to propitiate their gods, was a superstition of these Gibeonites. (Borrow The MacArthur Study Bible)
2 Samuel 21
MacArthur has an interesting note on the "Appendix" or "Epilogue"(words attached at the end)" - There is a striking literary arrangement of the sections in this division of the book. The first and last sections (2Sa 21:1-14; 2Sa 24:1-25) are narratives that describe two occurrences of the Lord's anger against Israel. The second and fifth sections (2Sa 21:15-22; 2Sa 23:8-39) are accounts of David's warriors. The third and fourth sections (2Sa 22:1-51; 2Sa 23:1-7) record two of David's songs....This event (2Sa 21:1-14) occurred after the display of David's kindness to Mephibosheth (2Sa 21:7; cf. 2Sa 9:1-13) and before Shimei's cursing of David (cf. 2Sa 16:7, 8). (Borrow The MacArthur Study Bible) Paul Apple's introduction - This look at the latter years of David’s reign picks up on some key aspects of the Lord’s Providence and Power in preparation for David’s glorious hymn of praise in Chapter 22. (“And David spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul” 2 Sam. 22:1) We see the wisdom and diplomacy of David in responding to the discipline of the Lord by humbly seeking the path of restoration rather than becoming stiff-necked and rebellious. Despite numerous failures and the severe consequences of sin, David never lost his focus on trying to orient his heart to pursuing after his God. His family story speaks to us of restoration and forgiveness and being used by God in spite of his many blemishes. We also see the courage and military exploits of David and his key warriors as they faced untold dangers on every side; yet found the power of God to be sufficient to uphold them, deliver them and establish His kingdom. Chuck Swindoll refers to chapters 21-24 as an appendix with miscellaneous narratives - A famine (ch. 21) A song (ch. 22) A prophecy (ch. 23) A failure (ch. 24). (As an aside as you come to the end of 2 Samuel, for review you might listen to Swindoll's message on 2 Samuel at the top of this page) Ryrie: This section is a non-chronological appendix to the book and records many events that occurred earlier in David’s reign. (Borrow The Ryrie study Bible ) Davis: The events described in these verses probably span a period from the revolt of Absalom to the last days of David. It is apparent (I AM NOT SURE THIS IS AS CLEAR AS HE MAKES IT SOUND, BUT IT IS A LOGICAL PRESUMPTION) that the Philistines took the occasion of Absalom’s revolt and the subsequent confusion to attack the borders of Israel. The record of these battles is a summary of a number of encounters that took place during this period of time. Gordon: Chs. 21-24, also dealing with David’s reign, comprise a variety of material which has not been integrated into the narrative of the preceding chapters. On the contrary, the symmetrical (concentric) arrangement of the several sections in the ‘appendix’ gives it an integrity of its own; it is anything but a haphazard assortment of traditions relating to David. At its centre stand two poetic pieces celebrating respectively Yahweh’s delivering acts on behalf of David (22:1-51), and the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and the house of David upon which so much of Israel’s hope for the future is based (23:1-7). These, we are reminded, are the secret of David’s greatness. The lists of heroes and heroic exploits that frame the poetic centre-piece represent human instrumentality, but not the underlying reality, which is Yahweh. Blaikie: In the concluding part of Samuel the principal things recorded are two national judgments, a famine and a pestilence, that occurred in David’s reign, the one springing from a transaction in the days of Saul, the other from one in the days of David. Then we have two very remarkable lyrical pieces, one a general song of thanksgiving, forming a retrospect of his whole career; the other a prophetic vision of the great Ruler that was to spring from him, and the effects of His reign. In addition to these, there is also a notice of certain wars of David’s, not previously recorded, and a fuller statement respecting his great men than we have elsewhere. Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year - Who causes (or allows) famines? Was this just an accident? Clearly God used famines in the lives of his saints - Moses Ge 12:10 Isaac in Ge 26:1 Joseph Ge 41:57. In the book of Ruth famine in the land drove Elimelech and his family to Moab, where Mahlon married Ruth the Moabitess who returns to Bethlehem with Naomi, marries Boaz and enters into the line of Messiah, all because of a famine in Bethlehem! So God uses famines in various ways in the lives of His children. Famine was one of the four judgments of God (Ezekiel 14:21; cp. 1 Ki 8:35-37). THOUGHT - God still uses "famines" in one form or another in our lives. Sometimes the "famine" may reflect discipline for sins we have committed and even confessed, but sins for which we must still face consequences much as David had done after his sin with Bathsheba (2Sa 12:10-14). Sometimes God allows "famines" for tests (cf Dt 8:2-3+) to drive us to Him and/or to strengthen our faith. Notice what this famine did in David's life! John Trapp on why David waited 3 years - “The first and second year he might look upon it as a punishment laid upon them for the common sins of the land: but when he saw it continuing a third year also, he thought there was something in it more than ordinary, and therefore, although he well knew the natural cause to be drought, yet he inquired after the supernatural, as wise men should do.”
2 Samuel 21
MacArthur - It was considered a disgrace for the bodies of the slain to become food for the birds and beasts (cf. Dt 28:26; 1Sa 17:44, 46; Rev 19:17, 18). (Borrow The MacArthur Study Bible) TSK note on until it rained - Some suppose that this means a providential supply of rain, in order to remove the famine; but from the manner in which it is introduced, it seems to denote the autumnal rains, which commence about October. For five months did this broken-hearted woman watch by the bodies of her sons! 2 Samuel 21:11 When it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, told David: 2Sa 2:4 Ru 2:11,12 2 Samuel 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DAVID COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE TO RIZPAH When it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done - Here we see another aspect of why David was a man after God's own heart, hearing of Rizpah's grief (and David knew grief himself!) and being mercifully moved to take action. 2 Samuel 21:12 then 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 open square of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them on the day the Philistines struck down Saul in Gilboa. the bones of Saul: 2Sa 2:5-7 1Sa 31:11-13 Bethshan: Jos 17:11, Beth-shean, 1Sa 31:10 in Gilboa: 2Sa 1:6,21 1Sa 28:4 31:1 1Ch 10:1,8 2 Samuel 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DAVID'S ACTIONS SYMBOLIZE HIS MERCY FILLED HEART then - Marks progression in David's response to Rizpah. It is almost like a "term of conclusion" in this context. David seemed have been moved by the woman's incredible example of dedication! Kirkpatrick adds "Touched by Rizpah’s maternal devotion, and wishing to shew that he had no personal enmity to the house of Saul." 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 open square of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them on the day the Philistines struck down Saul in Gilboa - The men of Jabesh-gilead boldly "stole" the bones in the sense they took them from the Philistines (who were still in control of the territory of Bethshan at the time). The men of Jabesh-gilead actually buried their bodies after cremating them (1Sa 31:12-13+).