2 Samuel 21:8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

◄ 2 Samuel 21:8 ►

New International Version
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

New Living Translation
But he gave them Saul’s two sons Armoni and Mephibosheth, whose mother was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. He also gave them the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, the wife of Adriel son of Barzillai from Meholah.

English Standard Version
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;

Berean Standard Bible
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

King James Bible
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

New King James Version
So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite;

New American Standard Bible
So the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

NASB 1995
So the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

NASB 1977
So the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had born to Saul, and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

Legacy Standard Bible
So the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

Amplified Bible
So 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 had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

Christian Standard Bible
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, who were the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, who were the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite

American Standard Version
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bare to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

Contemporary English Version
But Saul and Rizpah the daughter of Aiah had two sons named Armoni and Mephibosheth. Saul's daughter Merab had five sons whose father was Adriel the son of Barzillai from Meholah. David took Rizpah's two sons and Merab's five sons and

English Revised Version
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bare to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah (Aiah's daughter) gave birth to for Saul, and five sons whom Merab (Saul's daughter) gave birth to for Adriel, son of Barzillai from Meholah.

Good News Translation
However, he took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons that Rizpah the daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul; he also took the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai, who was from Meholah.

International Standard Version
Instead, the king arrested Aiah's daughter Rizpah's two sons Armoni and Mephibosheth, whom she had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Barzillai the Meholathite's son Adriel.

Majority Standard Bible
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

NET Bible
So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah whom she had born to Saul, and the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

New Heart English Bible
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mippibaal; and the five sons of Merob the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

World English Bible
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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and the king takes 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 bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite,

Young's Literal Translation
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,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will take the two sons of Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, which she bare to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal, Saul's daughter, which she bare to Adriel, son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
So the king took the two sons of Respha the daughter of Aia, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni, and Miphiboseth: and the five sons of Michol the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Hadriel the son of Berzellai, that was of Molathi:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so 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 Michal, the daughter of Saul, whom she conceived of Adriel, the son of Barzillai, who was from Meholath,

New American Bible
But the king took Armoni and Meribbaal, the two sons that Aiah’s daughter Rizpah had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merob that she had borne to Adriel, son of Barzillai the Meholathite,

New Revised Standard Version
The king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Ana, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Nadab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Azriel, the son of Barzillai the Meholathite;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King took two sons of Retspa, daughter of Ana, whom she bore to Shaul: Armuni and Maphibshath and five sons of Nadab, daughter of Shaul, whom she bore to Azreil son of Barzali who was from Mekhula

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king took the two sons of Respha the daughter of Aia, whom she bore to Saul, Hermonoi and Memphibosthe, and the five sons of Michol daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Esdriel son of Berzelli the Moulathite.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

David Avenges the Gibeonites
…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. 8But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Samuel 18:19
So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.

1 Samuel 18:20-27
Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him. / “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.” / Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’” ...

1 Samuel 25:44
But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

2 Samuel 3:14-16
Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” / So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. / Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.

1 Samuel 14:49
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab (his firstborn) and Michal (his younger daughter).

1 Samuel 31:2
The Philistines hotly pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

2 Samuel 6:23
And Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

1 Chronicles 8:33
Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

1 Chronicles 9:39
Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

1 Samuel 20:30-31
Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? / For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”

1 Samuel 14:50
His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.

1 Samuel 18:28-29
When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, / he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.

1 Samuel 19:11-17
Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” / So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped. / Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. ...

1 Samuel 25:42-43
So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David’s messengers and became his wife. / David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So she and Abigail were both his wives.

1 Samuel 21:8-9
Then David asked Ahimelech, “Is there not a spear or sword on hand here? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s mission was urgent.” / The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

Treasury of Scripture

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 Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

Rizpah

2 Samuel 3:7
And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?

1 Samuel 18:19
But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

Michal.

1 Samuel 18:19
But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

brought up for [heb] bare to

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Adriel Aiah Bare Barzillai Bore Daughter Five Meholathite Mephibosheth Michal Rizpah Saul

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.

Berean Study Bible

But the king took
This phrase refers to King David, who is acting in his capacity as the ruler of Israel. The Hebrew root for "took" is "laqach," which often implies taking possession or seizing. In this context, David is making a difficult decision to hand over Saul's descendants to the Gibeonites as a form of atonement for Saul's previous actions against them. This action underscores the king's responsibility to uphold justice and fulfill oaths, even when it involves personal sacrifice.

Armoni and Mephibosheth
These are the names of the two sons of Rizpah, Saul's concubine. "Armoni" is a name that appears only here in the Bible, and its meaning is uncertain, though it may be related to "Armon," meaning "chest" or "citadel." "Mephibosheth" means "dispeller of shame," and is a name shared with another of Saul's descendants, the son of Jonathan. The mention of these names highlights the personal cost of Saul's sin and the tragic consequences for his family.

the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul
Rizpah, a concubine of Saul, is a figure of great pathos in this narrative. Her name means "glowing coal," and she is remembered for her later vigil over the bodies of her sons. The mention of her lineage, "daughter of Aiah," situates her within the tribal and familial structures of ancient Israel, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these families and the broader implications of Saul's actions.

and the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite
Merab was Saul's eldest daughter, originally promised to David but given to Adriel. The mention of "five sons" indicates the extent of the sacrifice being made. Adriel's lineage, "son of Barzillai the Meholathite," connects him to a family from Meholah, a region in Israel. This detail underscores the widespread impact of Saul's broken covenant with the Gibeonites, affecting multiple families and tribes within Israel.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) Took the two sons of Rizpah.--The suggestion that David took advantage of this opportunity to strengthen himself further against the house of Saul is utterly set aside by two considerations: (1) David could not lawfully refuse the demand of the Gibeonites, since the Law absolutely required that blood-guiltiness should be expiated by the blood of the offender (Numbers 35:33), which, in this case, became that of his representatives; and (2) David's choice of victims was directly opposed to such a supposition. He spared, for Jonathan's sake, the only descendants of Saul in the male line, who only could have advanced any claim to the throne, and took (1) the two sons of Rizpah, a concubine of Saul, with whom Abner had committed adultery (2Samuel 3:7), and (2) five sons of Saul's eldest daughter Merab, who had been promised in marriage to David himself, and then given to another (1Samuel 18:17-19). The text has Michal instead of Merab; but this must be an error of the scribe, since it was Merab, not Michal, who was married to "Adriel the Meholathite" (1Samuel 18:19), and Michal was childless (2Samuel 6:23). The English phrase "brought up for" is taken from the Chaldee; the Hebrew, as noted in the margin, is bare to.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - Michal. It was Merab who became the wife of Adriel the Meholathite (1 Samuel 18:19). Michal was childless (see 2 Samuel 6:23). Whom she brought up for. This is one of the many cases of untrustworthiness in the renderings of the Authorized Version. We have noticed a very flagrant instance before in 2 Samuel 5:21. The object of these mistranslations is always the same, namely, to remove some verbal discrepancy in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew says here "five sons of Michal, whom she bare to Adriel;" but Michal never bore a child, therefore something must be substituted which will save the Hebrew from this verbal inaccuracy, and Michal must be represented as having taken Merab's place (perhaps at her death), and been foster mother to her children. This explanation is, it is true, taken from the Jewish Targum; but the Targum never professes to be an exact translation, and constantly perverts the meaning of the plainest passages for preconceived reasons.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

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

took
וַיִּקַּ֣ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

Armoni
אַרְמֹנִ֖י (’ar·mō·nî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 764: Armoni -- a son of Saul

and Mephibosheth,
מְפִבֹ֑שֶׁת (mə·p̄i·ḇō·šeṯ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4648: Mephibosheth -- 'dispeller of shame'

the two
שְׁ֠נֵי (nê)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

sons
בְּנֵ֨י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

whom
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Rizpah
רִצְפָּ֤ה (riṣ·pāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7532: Rizpah -- concubine of Saul

daughter
בַת־ (ḇaṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of Aiah
אַיָּה֙ (’ay·yāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 345: Aiah -- 'falcon', the name of a Horite, also of an Israelite

had borne
יָלְדָ֣ה (yā·lə·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

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

and the five
חֲמֵ֗שֶׁת (ḥă·mê·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2568: Five

sons
בְּנֵי֙ (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

whom
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Merab
מִיכַ֣ל (mî·ḵal)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4324: Michal -- wife of David

daughter
בַּת־ (baṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

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

had borne
יָלְדָ֛ה (yā·lə·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

to Adriel
לְעַדְרִיאֵ֥ל (lə·‘aḏ·rî·’êl)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5741: Adriel -- 'my help is God', son-in-law of Saul

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Barzillai
בַּרְזִלַּ֖י (bar·zil·lay)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1271: Barzillai -- 'man of iron', three Israelites

the Meholathite,
הַמְּחֹלָתִֽי׃ (ham·mə·ḥō·lā·ṯî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4259: Meholathite -- inhabitants of Abel-meholah

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OT History: 2 Samuel 21:8 But the king took the two sons (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)