2 Samuel 21:6
New International Version
let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul—the LORD’s chosen one.” So the king said, “I will give them to you.”

New Living Translation
So let seven of Saul’s sons be handed over to us, and we will execute them before the LORD at Gibeon, on the mountain of the LORD.” “All right,” the king said, “I will do it.”

English Standard Version
let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

Berean Standard Bible
let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” “I will give them to you,” said the king.

King James Bible
Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.

New King James Version
let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose.” And the king said, “I will give them.

New American Standard Bible
let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.

NASB 1995
let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

NASB 1977
let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

Legacy Standard Bible
let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

Amplified Bible
let seven men [chosen] from his sons (descendants) be given to us and we will hang them before the LORD [that is, put them on display, impaled with broken legs and arms] in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen one of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

Christian Standard Bible
let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us so we may hang them in the presence of the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the LORD’s chosen.” The king answered, “I will hand them over.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us so we may hang them in the presence of the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the LORD’s chosen.” The king answered, “I will hand them over.”

American Standard Version
let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give them.

Contemporary English Version
Give us seven of his descendants. We will hang these men near the place where the LORD is worshiped in Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, the LORD's chosen king." "I'll give them to you," David said.

English Revised Version
let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD; And the king said, I will give them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
We will execute them in the LORD's presence at Saul's town Gibeah." (It was Saul whom the LORD had chosen.) "I will give them [to you]," the king said.

Good News Translation
So hand over seven of his male descendants, and we will hang them before the LORD at Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, the LORD's chosen king." "I will hand them over," the king answered.

International Standard Version
is to have seven of his sons turned over to us. We will hang them in the presence of the LORD at Gibeah, which belonged to Saul, whom the LORD chose." So the king answered, "I will give them."

Majority Standard Bible
let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.? ?I will give them to you,? said the king.

NET Bible
let seven of his male descendants be turned over to us, and we will execute them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, who was the LORD's chosen one." The king replied, "I will turn them over."

New Heart English Bible
let seven of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD at Gibeon on the mountain of the LORD." And the king replied, "I will do it."

Webster's Bible Translation
Let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose. And the king said, I will give them.

World English Bible
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.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
let there be given to us seven men of his sons, and we have hanged them before YHWH, in the height of Saul, the chosen of YHWH.” And the king says, “I give”;

Young's Literal Translation
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;'

Smith's Literal Translation
Seven men of his sons shall be given to us and we will hang them up before Jehovah in the hill of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king will say, I will give.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Let seven men of his children be delivered unto us, that we may crucify them to the Lord in Gabaa of Saul, once the chosen of the Lord. And the king said: I will give them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Let seven men from his sons be given to us, so that we may crucify them to the Lord in Gibeon of Saul, formerly the chosen place of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

New American Bible
let seven men from among his descendants be given to us, that we may execute them before the LORD in Gibeon, on the LORD’s mountain.” The king replied, “I will give them up.”

New Revised Standard Version
let seven of his sons be handed over to us, and we will impale them before the LORD at Gibeon on the mountain of the LORD.” The king said, “I will hand them over.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Let seven of his sons be delivered to us, and we will sacrifice them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul. And the king said, I will give them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Give us his seven sons, and we will sacrifice them before LORD JEHOVAH in the high place of Shaul.” The King said to them: “I shall give them”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.' And the king said: 'I will deliver them.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Let one give us seven men of his sons, and let us hang them up in the sun to the Lord in Gabaon of Saul, as chosen out for the Lord. And the king said, I will give them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Avenges the Gibeonites
5And they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us to exterminate us from existing within any border of Israel, 6let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” “I will give them to you,” said the king. 7Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.…

Cross References
Joshua 9:15-21
And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. / Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them. / So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. ...

1 Samuel 15:33
But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

Numbers 35:31-33
You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death. / Nor should you accept a ransom for the person who flees to a city of refuge and allow him to return and live on his own land before the death of the high priest. / Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.

Deuteronomy 21:1-9
If one is found slain, lying in a field in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him, / your elders and judges must come out and measure the distance from the victim to the neighboring cities. / Then the elders of the city nearest the victim shall take a heifer that has never been yoked or used for work, ...

Genesis 9:5-6
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man: / Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.

1 Kings 21:19
Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”

Exodus 21:12-14
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. / If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. / But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

Leviticus 24:17
And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death.

Deuteronomy 19:10-13
Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. / If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, / the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. ...

1 Samuel 24:12
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.

Matthew 5:38-39
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ / But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also;

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

Hebrews 10:30
For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”

Revelation 6:10
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?”

Acts 28:4
When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”


Treasury of Scripture

Let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.

hang

2 Samuel 17:23
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

2 Samuel 18:10
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

Genesis 40:19,22
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee…

in

1 Samuel 10:26
And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

1 Samuel 11:4
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.

whom the Lord did choose.

1 Samuel 9:16,17
To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me…

1 Samuel 10:1,24
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? …

Acts 13:21
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

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2 Samuel 21
1. The three year Gibeonite famine ceases, by hanging seven of Saul's sons.
10. Rizpah's kindness unto the dead
12. David buries the bones of Saul and Jonathan in his father's tomb
15. Four battles against the Philistines, wherein four men of David slay four giants.














let seven of his male descendants
The number seven in the Bible often symbolizes completeness or perfection, reflecting God's creation week. Here, it signifies a complete act of justice or retribution. The "male descendants" refer to the lineage of Saul, Israel's first king, whose actions led to a breach of covenant with the Gibeonites. This request underscores the importance of familial and generational responsibility in ancient Israelite culture, where the actions of one could impact many.

be delivered to us
This phrase indicates a transfer of responsibility and justice. The Gibeonites, wronged by Saul, seek reparation. In the ancient Near Eastern context, such acts of justice were often communal, involving the handing over of individuals to settle disputes or bloodguilt. This reflects the seriousness with which covenants and oaths were regarded, as well as the communal nature of justice.

so that we may hang them
The act of hanging, or impalement, was a public display of justice and a deterrent against future transgressions. In Hebrew culture, it was a severe punishment reserved for grave offenses. This act before the LORD signifies that the justice sought is not merely human but divine, seeking to restore balance and honor to a broken covenant.

before the LORD
This phrase emphasizes the theocratic nature of Israelite society, where actions, especially those involving justice, were performed with an awareness of God's presence and authority. It underscores the belief that God is the ultimate judge and arbiter of justice, and that human actions are accountable to Him.

at Gibeah of Saul
Gibeah was Saul's hometown and the seat of his kingship. Performing this act there is symbolic, as it ties the punishment directly to Saul's legacy and the location of his rule. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of Saul's failure to uphold the covenant with the Gibeonites, highlighting the importance of leadership accountability.

the chosen of the LORD
This phrase acknowledges Saul's initial divine appointment as king, despite his later failures. It serves as a poignant reminder of the tension between divine election and human responsibility. Saul was chosen by God, yet his actions led to dire consequences for his descendants, illustrating the complex interplay of divine sovereignty and human agency in biblical narratives.

(6) Let seven men of his sons.--The head of the house and his household were closely identified in all the ideas of antiquity. Saul being dead, his male descendants were considered as standing in his place, representing him, and responsible for his acts, just as is largely the case in legal affairs and matters of property at the present day. The number seven is, doubtless, fixed upon as being first, a considerable and sufficient number; and then, on account of its sacred associations, and as the representative of completeness.

We will hang them up.--The sons of Saul are only to be given up by David; their actual execution is to be by the Gibeonites, and the method is that of hanging or fastening to a stake, either by impaling or by crucifixion, the word being used for both methods of execution.

Unto the Lord--i.e., publicly. (Comp. a similar expression in Numbers 25:4.) The sin had been outrageous; its punishment must be conspicuous. The place of execution is fitly chosen in the home of Saul. It seems strange that he should be here spoken of as "the Lord's chosen;" but this and the expression "unto the Lord" go together; what Saul had done he had done as the head of the theocracy, as God's chosen ruler, and now his family must be punished in the presence of Him against whom he had offended--"before the Lord." The idea of regarding the execution of these men as a propitiatory human sacrifice is utterly destitute of any shadow of support.

Verse 6. - We will hang them. The punishment indicated here really was impalement, but in Numbers 25:4, where the same verb is used, we find that the criminals were put to death first, and that the impalement was for the purpose of exposing their bodies to view, like the practice a century ago of gibbeting. But the Gibeonites were probably very barbarous, and, when David had delivered the seven lads into their hands, would perhaps wreak upon them a cruel vengeance. Seven were chosen, because it is the perfect number, with many religious associations; and unto the Lord means "publicly." So among the Romans sub Jove meant "in the open air" (comp. Numbers 25:4). In Gibeah. This was Saul's native place and home, and was selected by the Gibeonites as the spot where the bodies should be exposed, to add to the humiliation and shame of the fallen dynasty. Saul, whom the Lord did choose. If this reading is correct, the phrase can only be used as a taunt. But in ver. 9 we find bahar, "on the hill," instead of behir, "chosen," and the right reading probably is, "in Gibeah, or, the hill of Jehovah."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
let seven
שִׁבְעָ֤ה (šiḇ·‘āh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

of his male descendants
מִבָּנָ֔יו (mib·bā·nāw)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

be delivered
יֻתַּן־ (yut·tan-)
Verb - QalPass - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

to us
לָ֜נוּ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

so that we may hang them
וְהוֹקַֽעֲנוּם֙ (wə·hō·w·qa·‘ă·nūm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3363: To sever oneself, to be dislocated, to abandon, to impale

before the LORD
לַֽיהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

in Gibeah
בְּגִבְעַ֥ת (bə·ḡiḇ·‘aṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1390: Gibeah -- 'hill', three cities in Palestine

of Saul,
שָׁא֖וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

the chosen
בְּחִ֣יר (bə·ḥîr)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 972: Select

of the LORD.”
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

“I
אֲנִ֥י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will give them to you,”
אֶתֵּֽן׃ (’et·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

said
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

the king.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king


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OT History: 2 Samuel 21:6 Let seven men of his sons be (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 21:5
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