2 Samuel 21:4
in 2 Samuel 21The Gibeonites said to him, “We need no silver or gold from Saul or his house, nor should you put to death anyone in Israel for us.” “Whatever you ask, I will do for you,” he replied.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the Gibeonites said unto him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
KJV
And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 21
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
No silver, nor gold ... - Money payments as a compensation for blood-guilt were very common among many nations. The law, too, in Num 35:31-32, presupposes the existence of the custom which it prohibits. In like manner the speech of the Gibeonites implies that such a payment as they refuse would be a not unusual proceeding. Neither ... shalt thou kill any man in Israel - They mean that it is not against the nation of Israel, but against the individual Saul, that they cry for vengeance.
This site's exposition
How can I make amends
on 2 Samuel 21:3-4
David asks the Gibeonites how he can make amends and leaves the terms to the party that was wronged. They want “no silver or gold from Saul or his house”. They will have no one in Israel put to death, so the debt stays with Saul’s own house.
This site's exposition
We need no silver or gold
The Gibeonites need no silver or gold from Saul. Albert Barnes observes that the law of Numbers 35:31-32 forbids silver for blood, so such an offer was usual among the nations. Matthew Henry reads their words as a right value on life, for blood calls for blood (Genesis 9:6).
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, Money is no satisfaction for blood, see Num. xxxv. It is the ancient law that blood calls for blood ( Gen. ix. 6 ); and those over-value money and under-value life, that sell the blood of their relations for corruptible things, such as silver and gold.
And, the Gibeonites said unto him,....
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| ל֣וֹ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| הַגִּבְעֹנִ֗ים | hagivonim | the Gibeonites | H1393 → | 7 times |
| אֵֽין־ | ʾein- | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| לָ֜נוּ | lnu | to <the> us | ||
| כֶּ֤סֶף | kesef | silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וְזָהָב֙ | vezahav | and gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| שָׁא֣וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| וְעִם־ | veim- | and with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| בֵּית֔וֹ | beito | house his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְאֵֽין־ | veein- | and not | H369 → | 789 times |
| לָ֥נוּ | lanu | to <the> us | ||
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| לְהָמִ֣ית | lehamit | to put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
| בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | beyisrael | in Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיֹּ֛אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מָֽה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| אַתֶּ֥ם | ʾatem | [are] you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| אֹמְרִ֖ים | ʾomerim | saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה | ʾeeseh | I will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לָכֶֽם׃ | lakhem | for <the> you |
וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
ל֣וֹto <the> him
lo
הַגִּבְעֹנִ֗יםthe Gibeonites
hagivonimH1393 →7 times
אֵֽין־not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
לָ֜נוּto <the> us
lnu
כֶּ֤סֶףsilver
kesefH3701 →403 times
וְזָהָב֙and gold
vezahavH2091 →389 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
שָׁא֣וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
וְעִם־and with
veim-H5973 →1050 times
בֵּית֔וֹhouse his
beitoH1004 →2046 times
וְאֵֽין־and not
veein-H369 →789 times
לָ֥נוּto <the> us
lanu
אִ֖ישׁa man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
לְהָמִ֣יתto put to death
lehamitH4191 →839 times
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לin Israel
beyisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיֹּ֛אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
מָֽה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
אַתֶּ֥ם[are] you
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
אֹמְרִ֖יםsaying
ʾomerimH559 →5305 times
אֶעֱשֶׂ֥הI will do
ʾeesehH6213 →2628 times
לָכֶֽם׃for <the> you
lakhem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.