Kings of Israel-David

2 Samuel 21:1-14 ESV

WK 22 – “Payment for Saul’s Sin”

October 12, 2025

John Arobio

DAVID’S INQUIRY 

2 Samuel 21:1 ESV

Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

 

What was the famine seen as? It was seen as a ________ ______________.

The famine lasted ________ years.

David inquired to the Lord about what was causing the famine and what he could do to end it.

He was told by the Lord that the famine was because of what _____ had done to the ____________.

This promise can be seen in Joshua 9. It was to let them _______ and not _______ them.

DAVID’S ATONEMENT

2 Samuel 21:3-6 ESV

³ And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the heritage of the Lord?”  ⁴ The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a 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 do you say that I shall do for you?”  ⁵ They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel, ⁶ 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.”

 

David does three things after he talks to the Lord:

1. He talks to the _____________ and _____ them what they want to settle this.

2. They reject getting __________ and _______ to settle it.

3. What did they ask for? They asked for __________ _______ of Saul.

They wanted to _______ them in public.

DAVID KEEPS HIS COMMITMENTS

1. The first promise he keeps is his promise to _____________.

2. The second commitment he makes is their atonement for what was done

to the ____________ by giving up Saul’s sons and grandsons.

AFTERMATH AND RESOLUTION

2 Samuel 21:10 ESV

¹⁰ Then Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain fell down upon them from the heavens, And she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day or the beasts of the field by night

When David said what Rizpah had done, he was filled with _____________ and he took the bodies of the seven slain men and the bones of Saul and Jonathan and carried them back to Saul’s town, Gibeah, and buried them in the tomb of Saul’s father, Kish.

2 Samuel 21:10-14 ESV

¹⁴ And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. And they did everything the king commanded. After that, God responded to the plea for the land.

When God saw what was done he was satisfied and restored the land and ended the famines.

The Bottom Line:

Saul’s sin had caused famine and David’s atonement for it ended it.

 

Celebration of Life Service 

For Rosemary Rader

Saturday October 25^th at 3:30 PM

at the Bridge Church in Reno

1330 Foster Drive, Reno, NV 89509

 

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Digital Giving

 Zelle:  Zelle is a digital option for giving your tithes or offerings to support the church to fulfill the Great Commission.

If you would prefer to give digitally:

Go to your bank app on your phone or computer.  Go to the payments section.  Go to the Zelle payment option. If available, scan the link below in the payment section that lists Zelle as an option.  There should be an icon asking to “scan the pay” or something similar.

Zelle Link (scan from your bank app)

Account email is:  accounting@thebridgespanishsprings.com for the Account “The Bridge Church Spanish Springs”.  As a security measure, your bank may want to send you a text to verify your first payment.

 

 

1. Who is Saul in the Old Testament? What are some things you can recall about his life?

2. Can we be punished for other people’s sins? Why or why not?

3. If you wanted to look up who the Gibeonites are in the Bible, how would you do that? What are some of the things the scriptures tell us about the Gibeonites?

4. Read 2 Samuel 21: 1-6, who are the Amorites? What is the gripe that the Gibeonites have? Is what they propose as a solution just?  Why or why not?

5. Read 2 Samuel 21:7-10, do you think it is fair for these people to have to pay for someone else’s sins? Why or why not?

6. Read Deuteronomy 19:21, is this scripture still valid today? Why or why not?  Compare/contrast this to Jesus statement in Matthew 5:38-39.

7. Why did David spare Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth?

8. Read 2 Samuel 21:10-14, why do you think David buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan? Should Christians be buried or cremated?

9. Why do you think God responded only after burying the bones of Saul and Jonathan?

10. Please pray for the Children’s ministry. The future of the church is under that ministry and it is so exciting to watch the spiritual growth of all the kids!  If you would like to help out in any way please see Justin or one of the board members.

 

 

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.

Against such things there is no law.

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