764. Armoni
Lexical Summary
Armoni: Armoni

Original Word: אַרְמֹנִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Armoniy
Pronunciation: ar-mo-NEE
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-mo-nee')
KJV: Armoni
NASB: Armoni
Word Origin: [from H759 (אַרמוֹן - citadels)]

1. palatial
2. Armoni, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Armoni

From 'armown; palatial; Armoni, an Israelite -- Armoni.

see HEBREW 'armown

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as armon
Definition
a son of Saul
NASB Translation
Armoni (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
אַרְמֹנִי proper name, masculine a son of Saul (palatinus) 2 Samuel 21:8.

I. ארן (compare Arabic alacer, laetus fuit; possible √ of following).

Topical Lexicon
Name and Family Lineage

Armoni (אַרְמֹנִי) is identified as a son of King Saul by Rizpah, daughter of Aiah (2 Samuel 21:8). He and his full brother Mephibosheth are the only offspring of Saul’s concubine recorded in Scripture.

Scriptural Occurrence

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

Narrative Context

A three-year famine strikes Israel because Saul violated Israel’s oath of protection to the Gibeonites (Joshua 9). Consulting the LORD, David learns the famine is “on account of Saul and his bloody house” (2 Samuel 21:1). The Gibeonites request the execution of seven male descendants of Saul as redress. David grants their petition, sparing Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, but delivering Armoni, his brother, and five grandsons of Saul. They are put to death “at the beginning of the barley harvest” (2 Samuel 21:9). Rizpah’s vigil over the bodies prompts David to gather the remains of Saul’s family for honorable burial, after which “God answered prayer for the land” (2 Samuel 21:14).

Historical Setting

The episode occurs during the latter part of David’s reign. Ancient Near Eastern treaty customs held the household of an offending king responsible for reparations. Armoni’s death illustrates that principle, reflecting both the communal aspect of covenant life in Israel and the seriousness with which God regards sworn oaths.

Theological Themes

1. Covenant Fidelity
• Armoni’s fate underscores that vows sworn in God’s name remain binding across generations. Breaking them incurs divine judgment (Joshua 9; Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).

2. Substitutionary Atonement
• The deaths of Saul’s descendants satisfy the Gibeonites’ claim, lifting God’s judgment from the land. Although imperfect, this act anticipates the perfect, once-for-all atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

3. Communal Responsibility
• Royal sin affects the nation and the royal household. Armoni’s death warns leaders that personal disobedience has corporate consequences (James 3:1).

4. Mercy within Justice
• Rizpah’s steadfast watch reveals motherly compassion, leading David to provide honorable burial. God’s justice is never divorced from mercy (Micah 6:8).

Applications for Ministry

• Emphasize integrity in vows and contracts, teaching that covenant faithfulness safeguards communities.
• Address generational patterns of sin, pointing to Christ’s redemptive work that breaks cycles of judgment.
• Urge those in authority to practice righteousness, noting how their actions impact families and congregations.
• Highlight Rizpah’s intercession as a model of persistent love and advocacy for the vulnerable.

Later Reception

Jewish tradition cites Armoni as a sobering reminder of the cost of Saul’s zeal. Early Christian writers viewed the seven executed descendants as typological pointers to the fullness of redemption in Christ, with Armoni representing the old order superseded by the new covenant.

Conclusion

Though mentioned only once, Armoni’s brief appearance illuminates enduring truths: the sanctity of covenant promises, the weight of leadership, and the shadow of substitutionary sacrifice ultimately fulfilled in the atoning death of the Messiah.

Forms and Transliterations
אַרְמֹנִ֖י ארמני ’ar·mō·nî ’armōnî armoNi
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
2 Samuel 21:8
HEB: לְשָׁא֔וּל אֶת־ אַרְמֹנִ֖י וְאֶת־ מְפִבֹ֑שֶׁת
NAS: of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth
KJV: unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth;
INT: had borne to Saul Armoni and Mephibosheth and the five

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 764
1 Occurrence


’ar·mō·nî — 1 Occ.

763
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