This chapter describes a famine in Israel that lasted three years. Verse 1b attributes the cause to a spiritual one under the reign of king Saul. And verse fourteen confirms the cause when the issue was resolved, and the famine ended. This generational baggage of Israel can be traced back to three consecutive mistakes made by their rulers.

It all started first in Joshua 9 after Joshua entered the promised land and overcame Jericho. For fear of also being destroyed by the Israelites, the Gibeonites came to them and deceived them that they were foreigners in a remote land seeking to find refuge. But the Gibeonites was also one of the inhabitants of the land that Israel would also have to fight. They tricked the Israelites into making a covenant to allow them to remain on the land. When the Israelites discovered the conspiracy of the Gibeonites, it was too late to destroy them like any other enemy because of the covenant made with them. But the Israelites did not consult God on this matter before they made a treaty with them (Josh 9:14-15). This is the first mistake made by Israel under Joshua.

Second, though there is no specific reference to indicate the killing of the Gibeonites by Israel, 2 Sam 21:1b tells us clearly that it was not only Saul but His house who was also involved in the ruthless killing of the Gibeonites. Though the Gibeonites was an enemy, Saul and his household violated the covenant made under Joshua’s time by killing them. This is the second mistake made by Israel under Saul.

Third, the Gibeonites were cunning in deceiving the Israelites (Josh 9:4). Here, on the one hand they told David that they were looking for compensation in the form of neither money nor human lives; yet on the other hand they asked for the seven sons of Saul to be hanged (2 Sam 21:3-6). God was only mentioned at the beginning (2 Sam 21:1b) and at the end (2 Sam 21:14b) of how justice was being meted out to the Gibeonites. In the negotiation with the Gibeonites, it is written that David like Joshua (Josh 9:14-15) did not seek the counsel of God to arbitrate this long-standing problem of Israel. This is the third mistake made by Israel under David.

God is just. In the way that he heard the cry of the Israelites when they were slaves and unfairly treated in Egypt, He also heard the cry of the merciless killing of the Gibeonites. Though the Gibeonites were not His people, the atrocities against them were committed by His people. God intervened in both situations; He delivered them out of Egypt in the first incident and the skies held back rain for three years in the second.

There are two possible explanations as to whether the resolution was justifiable with subsequent killing of the sons of Saul. First, David did not consult God as he meditated with the Gibeonites. In their shrewdness, the Gibeonites’ request could be seen as excessively vindictive, but David acceded to their suggestion without consulting God. Second, the seven sons that were hang might be directly involved and joined Saul in the killing of the Gibeonites. Therefore, they received due punishment for their crimes.

You may be facing a problem at school, work, home or church now that needs to be solved. But the issue is multi-faceted and traces its cause to something that has happened in the past. The Gibeonites deserved to be given justice for a wrong done to them. But three consecutive kings mishandled the matter and God was not in the picture of their decisions. As God’s follower, we can ask God wisdom to manage the situation in such a way that glorify Him and brings honor to His name.

Prayer : Dear God, You are just and holy. Grant me Your wisdom and favor in the situation that I am facing [describe your predicament and what kind of decision needed]. Help me to do it Your way. In going through this situation, I want to learn to be Your salt and light in this world that is filled with injustice and hatred. In Jesus’ name, Amen.