Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 21:4
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.
4. no silver nor gold ] No money compensation could expiate Saul’s offence. Money-compensation for murder is allowed by the laws of most nations in a primitive stage, e.g. of the ancient Germans (Tac. Germ. 21); the Anglo-Saxons; and the Arabs of the present day. It was expressly forbidden by the Mosaic Law (Num 35:31-32), because a mere money fine is insufficient to enforce strict regard for life, and such a custom may easily be abused by the rich. See Mozley’s Lectures on the Old Testament, p. 207 ff.
neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel ] Our cry for vengeance is against the house of Saul, and not against the nation at large.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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. The demand for Sauls sons is exactly similar to that which dictated Davids own expression in 2Sa 24:17, against me, and against my fathers house.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Any man in Israel; except Sauls family, as it here follows.
What you shall say, to wit, in any reason, and as far as Gods law will permit.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And, the Gibeonites said unto him,…. In reply to his motion:
we will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; this shall not be the ransom or atonement; it was not silver and gold Saul took from them, but the lives of their brethren, and therefore they insist upon life for life:
neither for us shall thou kill any man in Israel; who were not of the house of Saul; they did not desire any man should die, but who were of that family by whom they had suffered:
and he said, what you shall say, [that] will I do for you; whether by inflicting pecuniary fines, or punishing with death, which latter seems to be what they suggested, and afterwards insisted on; whatever, according to law and justice, was required, he was ready to do it for them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) No silver nor gold.Money compensations for sins of blood were extremely common among all ancient nations, but were expressly forbidden in the Law of Moses (Num. 35:31), and in this respect the Gibeonites appear to have accepted the teaching of the law of Israel.
Kill any man in Israel.Notwithstanding that the guilt of Sauls sin, until it should be expiated, rested upon all Israel, the Gibeonites recognise that it had been committed by him, and do not seek that, apart from their connection with him, any Israelite should suffer on their account. David appreciates the fairness of their view of the matter, and promises beforehand to do whatever they shall require.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. No silver nor gold The marginal reading is more liberal. The meaning is, The price of blood is not to be paid to us in silver or gold: we will have blood for blood. The law said: “Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer.” Num 35:31.
Neither any man in Israel That is, We wish not to take innocent blood, but the blood of those who helped devise our destruction, and now live upon the lands they violently took from us.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(4) 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. (5) And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel, (6) Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
Their rejection of gold and silver, was meant to show that nothing so contemptible could be equivalent for the wrongs they had sustained. And by telling David, that they did not expect that he, or his people, should be the executioners of justice, evidently showed that they were looking to the divine precept, blood for blood. Gen 9:6 . And that they would, if the king approved, execute the sentence themselves.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 21:4 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.
Ver. 4. We will have no silver nor gold of Saul. ] It is not pecuniary satisfaction that we seek, neither would we suck any man’s blood in way of private revenge, but only to make atonement unto the Lord, who is displeased, and hath declared that this way he will be pacified; and that the famine may be removed, we thus demand and desire.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
any man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
We will: etc. or, It is not silver nor gold that we have to do with Saul, or his house; neither pertains it to us to kill, etc. no silver. Psa 49:6-8, 1Pe 1:18, 1Pe 1:19
Reciprocal: Gen 30:31 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 21:4. We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, &c. Neither silver nor gold was a just equivalent for the loss they had sustained by Saul and his bloody house. Neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel Except of Sauls family, as it here follows. The marginal reading, however, seems preferable, Neither pertains it to us to kill any man, &c. They were in such a state of servitude as did not allow them to take the only proper retribution, blood for blood. This appears to be the meaning, because David immediately replies, What you shall say, that will I do.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
21:4 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 {c} any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, [that] will I do for you.
(c) Save only of Saul’s stock.