2 SAMUEL 21
JT The Spirit of God keeps David before us in these chapters. Whether it be in his godliness, prowess, weakness, failures or feelings, the Spirit of God keeps him steadily before us right through the book, inclusive of his own compositions in the next two chapters. The incident of the famine calls attention to “the days of David”. It occurred in his days. Then there are the Philistine conflicts recorded at the end of chapter 21, which would call attention to his prowess. We shall be instructed as we keep David in mind as the responsible element. This responsible element is owned of God in the assembly.
This first incident in verse 2 is formally linked up with earlier history by the Spirit of God. The Spirit intends us to view the history of the Gibeonites beginning with Joshua 9. They were not of the children of Israel, “but of the remainder of the [p. 224] Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to smite them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah”. That parenthesis is put in to remind us of their history and that we should have a judgment as to them, not only as to Israel’s history in relation to them, but as to their own history. It reminds us of the need of considering their whole history and judging for ourselves whether what they represent today has any intrinsic value before God, or whether they are preserved and avenged purely because they were under covenant without any regard to their virtue or otherwise. So far nothing has been said as to their quality. The Rechabites had a certain moral quality that God owned which is especially seen in their obedience in keeping the commandment of their father. The Gibeonites, so far, are viewed as protected by covenant. One of them was among David’s mighty men. There may be a correspondence between them and the Nethinim in Israel.
AR One of the greatest days in Israel’s history was perhaps in Joshua 10, when God owned the covenant and the sun stood still on Gibeon.
JT Quite so. It is very remarkable that it should be so. It was no accident. I think it is well to mention that side of the matter because we are prone to stress the failure in Israel in allowing them in among them undetected. Was there, at that time or later, any evidence of virtue in them? It seems as if there may be something, at least, in an anti-typical sense. Our entrance into the place of privilege outwardly may be very irregular, and yet God may work in us taking account of us as in that position. Roman Catholics are industrious in missionary work in Africa and Asia. Their baptism would be irregular, although it would be valid. This is also true of other irregular baptisms. That is, they would entitle those baptised, even although they might not be converted,
[p. 225] to a certain recognition, by God. God might work in them on account of their position outwardly in the place of privilege and thus they would become of spiritual value.
ANW Did you say you would link them with the Nethinim?
JT The word ‘Nethinim’ denotes ‘given’ or ‘dedicated’. These Gibeonites were appointed under a curse to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation of the Lord. That is a remarkable thing, that people should be under a curse and yet their appointed service is related to the tabernacle where God dwells. Being in the outward place of privilege, they may have come under special sovereign divine consideration. In fact we know that some of the Canaanites did. Uriah was a Hittite; he was of the accursed race. The Canaanitish woman was of the accursed race too. And doubtless many others came into the place of privilege, maybe irregularly, but God wrought in them because of this.
RWS Over against their craft and untruthfulness, in Joshua 9:9 they say that they came “from a very far country ... . because of the name of Jehovah thy God; for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond Jordan”. Does their fear of God offset their craft and untruthfulness in coming as they did?
JT Their speech is very like Rahab’s. She was also of the accursed race. All that is worthy of our attention as to whether it has not an application antitypically.
WB-w It would depend upon the work of God in them.
JT That is what I was thinking. Our forefathers may have been in the Roman Catholic church or any other nominal Christian system of man. Baptism by them would be to the name of the Father, and of [p. 226] the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and this was valid before God, and in a sense brought them under covenant, outwardly anyway. We know that in the history of Christendom all rites were administered irregularly from about the second century.
FSC Would you say that the Gibeonites were believers?
JT It would seem that we should give them some credit, for their belief was very like Rahab’s; although they dissembled and deceived Israel, what were their motives? They said to Joshua, “Because it was certainly told thy servants how that Jehovah thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we feared greatly for our lives because of you”, Joshua 9:24.
Rem They were not merely passive believers but energetic believers.
JT They were hewers of wood and drawers of water, not for domestic service, but for the congregation. Mr. Darby said that is what he was doing, hewing wood and drawing water, in making the New Translation of the Bible.
ANW It says, “to this day, in the place which he should choose”, Joshua 9:27. It is not haphazardly done, but definitely done.
RWS I would like some help on Gibeon: the sun stood still upon Gibeon.
JT Gibeon was attacked by five kings of other cities. These formed a league. “And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and along all the coast of the great sea as far as opposite to Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it, that they assembled together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel with one accord”, Joshua 9:1,2. Then the [p. 227] history of Gibeon comes in. And chapter 10 says, “And it came to pass when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it, that he had done to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them, that they feared greatly; for Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. And Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piream king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, Come up to me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon; for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel ... . And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, saying, Withdraw not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us and help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill-country are gathered against us”, Joshua 10:1-4; Joshua 10:6. So that the attack was on Gibeon; that is a very significant matter, and the great event comes in in relation to it. It directs our minds to that city. Hence Joshua says in verse 12, “Sun, stand still upon Gibeon”, Joshua 10:12; so that city has a great place in the war.
AR It is put on record; it is written in the book of Jasher. It is a special book; Joshua 10:13.
JT Yes; it refers to uprightness. If Israel had been half-hearted about the Gibeonites they might have let their own people smite them and destroy them, but they defended them and God acted in that war in a most remarkable way.
WB-w All the people of Israel came to them in answer to their appeal in verse 6. There was almost a division about them according to chapter 9; but this was avoided. “And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel”, Joshua 9:18. The issue was decided and Joshua let them live.
FSC In what light does Joshua stand in taking them on?
JT He was deceived with the rest, but in the main acting for God. He and the princes made a covenant with them, and God in our present chapter shows that He maintained all Joshua did. These Gibeonites must have been of value in Israel; and that is the reason I mentioned the matter of possible virtue in them, not only the question of the covenant, but they were worth preserving. It was virtually God’s covenant. Israel was committed to it. It was a covenant that Israel should have maintained, and God caused a famine because they did not. In Ezra’s time Artaxerxes exempted the Nethinim from taxes; Ezra 7:24.
FSC Verse 19 says: “We have sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel”.
JT It was a covenant made in the name of Jehovah, and Israel was bound to keep it if they were to be loyal.
AL Why do you think there was not a famine in Saul’s day? Why did God wait until David’s day?
JT No doubt it is to keep David before us and to bring out what he is in the presence of such circumstances. It is “in the days of David”, in his days. It must have been rather late in his years, but still we are not told what particular time it was. I think God would keep David before us whether in his good or evil qualities, that we should profit by his history.
AR It could hardly be historical. We were saying last week about Joab that David should have required the past. He did not, but God allowed it to remain until Solomon came; but here God requires what has taken place in the past.
ANW Does God act governmentally without the purpose of it being [p. 229] known?
JT That may be. He is not obliged to give an account of His matters. But this chapter gives the information needed. David is brought out in a peculiar way. All these chapters bring David before us in a sort of mixed state; he is not what he used to be. He is brought before us in deterioration. Therefore it is a solemn matter, and applied to ourselves it is a matter of whether we are gaining quality or losing. We are told there was a famine “three years, year after year”. It is a long period of discipline, severe discipline, and David does not inquire until late, which fact in itself seems to be wanting.
ANW Three years is a long time.
JT Quite so. Then he inquires urgently; the Spirit of God gives us that. “And David inquired”, or sought the face of Jehovah, evidently urgently. God answered immediately, and in strong language. Jehovah says, “It is for Saul, and for his house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites”. Did the king not know of this wrong? It seems that such an act of Saul against people sheltered by God should be known by David. There is no other inquiry from Jehovah in the whole chapter.
Ques Later on it says, “And David was exhausted”. Does that bring out the low-down condition of things?
JT He was getting weaker. God preserved him, but he was getting weaker.
RWS Does God often indicate some disapproval of how things are going in our local meetings and if we are sensitive we catch the thought in His mind? But if we do not, He blows harder until there is a whirlwind?
JT Quite so. It must have been painful to God; He had no pleasure in a famine year after year.
WB-w Does it have any bearing on the close of the dispensation?
JT [p. 230] No doubt it appears from the very beginning of the history of the assembly. It comes out strongly now. The point is for those through whom God is owned and who are in any sort of way leaders or in responsible positions among the people of God, as to whether they are becoming weaker or growing stronger and stronger? David grew stronger and stronger, as stated earlier, in 2 Samuel 3, but now he is growing weaker and weaker.
WB-w At the close of the chapter there are four very strong men who are sons of the giant. Does that have some reference to the end of the dispensation? Four overcomers destroy the four sons of the giant. I thought David getting weaker might suggest the close of the dispensation.
JT I think so.
AFM Verse 16 says, “And Ishbibenob, who was of the children of Raphah ... thought to smite David”. That is on the aggressive side.
JT Yes. He “was girded with new armour”. No doubt these giants would indicate the character of latter-day opposition. These four men mentioned are on the other side, and they overcome the giants.
WB-w They are victorious over the Philistines.
JT The Philistines are brought down by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants. These four servants of David would be a universal spiritual production.
WB-w They would be holding things in the last days universally against the great opposition in organised religion.
AR Perhaps these men represent Philadelphia?
JT Quite so; “a little strength”. They are acting with David. In the early part of his life he needed no personal support; you never hear of him having even an armour-bearer. Now he needs help, being exhausted. So that it is a weakened condition of things; which, of course, is very suggestive in our [p. 231] own times as to whether any of us whom God may have used among His people is becoming weaker. Why not become stronger and stronger? Caleb was as strong at eighty-five as he was at forty.
Ques Do we not see how severe the judgment of God is? It goes the full length, as it were. The judgment, of God is going on year after year.
JT Just so, year after year, as if God would say, Well I shall have to go on another year, and yet David is not doing anything. He is passive and the people are suffering. Why should it be so? Earlier David was quick to go to Jehovah, even asking what city he should attack; but here it takes years to seek the solution of a real difficulty.
RWS Then he does not bring God into the settlement.
JT This is a serious matter. But he does not ask God anything more, he inquires from the Gibeonites. There would be a danger of undue feeling in them. In such circumstances we want a fair judgment.
ABP Was there responsibility on the part of Israel? It is said of them earlier as to the Gibeonites, “they did not inquire at the mouth of Jehovah”, Joshua 9:14.
JT David should have had that before him. Surely he would look up Joshua 9 (he ought to) as to this matter, and he would see there that relations with the Gibeonites were entered into by the people without asking counsel of Jehovah.
ABP In a troublesome case we must not excuse ourselves when difficulty arises if we were neglectful at the time the person was allowed to break bread. So that door-keeping seems to enter into this matter.
JT Quite so. It is not very long since that God was calling attention to us as having had faulty door-keepers. We need to be careful in dealing with the persons who apply for fellowship. David had these [p. 232] people on his hands. He should get the mind of God now as to what is to be done.
JTJr Are you suggesting that deception is often present? We might deceive the brethren. We are apt to have a good appearance when we come in among the brethren.
JT It is a question of how many of us tell the whole truth; but God works in spite of that.
JTJr Does the public history come out in Gibeon? It goes back to the Amorite.
JT They are called Amorites here; they were really Hivites. They are said to be Amorites here, which does not flatter them at all. It does not add anything to them spiritually to say they are Amorites. In spite of that God is standing by them. If a man establishes his right to come in by the gates, he can enter; it is his right. But it is the business of the door-keepers to see that he does establish his right, namely, by washing his robes. Take the case of Simon Magus: there was great joy in Samaria because so many had apparently been converted; and no doubt if the breaking of bread was started, Simon would be allowed to break bread. He was counted among the believers. The Holy Spirit had not come yet. It is a great object lesson for us, put down in that chapter. Here is one man reckoned in fellowship and he is not a Christian at all. Why is that? That is the question: why is it? What comes out is that they had not received the Spirit yet. It requires the Spirit actively in us to discern whether a person has a right to enter by the gates.
JTJr The Rechabites kept the commandment of their father; the keeping of the commandment is the test today.
JT That is just the thing. The authorised version says, “Blessed are they that do his commandments”, Revelation 22:14. We use the word ‘reception’. It is not appropriate. We have no power to confer [p. 233] rights on anyone. There are keepers at the gates and they inquire of your right, but they are not conferring anything. It is for each one to establish his right to enter. Have we looked into the matter in the power of the Holy Spirit? I believe that is what was the matter at Samaria. They had not as yet received the Holy Spirit. This man was there, owned among them. It is for us to see that in having the Spirit we examine people wishing to break bread with us. How many we have lost! Where were they? Had they the Spirit? There were the same number of singers according to 1 Chronicles 23 as there were door-keepers. That means that we are genuine Christians if we are characteristically singers. We have spiritual sentiment and feeling. That is the thing to inquire of persons that want to break bread with us — can they truly take part in the song? That would be the test.
Ques Would door-keeping go on in the household too, in connection with young people coming into fellowship? There ought to be a certain amount of door-keeping by the parents.
JT Yes; the parents ought to be the best judges.
AR There are a large number among us that are never heard taking part in song or in the prayer meeting. You wonder what the difficulty is.
JT The thought of adding to our numbers is usually too much present with us, instead of the thought of adding singers — persons of spiritual quality.
AR The persons who are investigating have the Spirit and the applicant is to have the Spirit too. If a person has the Spirit it will not be long before he is saying something. Scripture says that the Lord added to the assembly such as should be saved.
JT That refers to the spared remnant of Israel, as you will observe, meaning that they are viewed [p. 234] from the side of sovereign selection. They are saved sovereignly. The Lord had all these in His mind. He said, as it were, You are worthy of them so I will add them to you. We get the quality of the three thousand before the Lord adds the spared ones. So that Paul says, “For this cause I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory”, 2 Timothy 2:10, showing that the sovereign side of the truth is peculiarly important to God.
Ques Is it wrong to admit now a hewer of wood and a drawer of water?
JT Well, you would like to be one of those. We were just remarking that there are a great many who do not do even that. The great servant who translated the Bible called himself one of them. It is work of this kind; it is not exactly spiritual, but necessary work for the assembly; it includes such services as preparing refreshment at special meetings.
Ques There is so much said about the singers — where do the sisters come in?
JT They sing better than the brothers, usually; but the sisters do not take part as speaking in the assembly.
ABP Is not a brother’s thanksgiving sometimes more excellent because of the expression of the feelings of the sisters.
JT The sisters are like a reservoir of spirituality. They add to the service. There is increased power in the service because of them.
Rem These are essential things — hewing wood and drawing water. They are essential things to the assembly.
JT In Nehemiah there was a wood offering. These Gibeonites must have had to do with that.
RWS They speak well here. They say, It is not for us to tell you what to do. David says, “What shall I do for you?” “And the Gibeonites said to [p. 235] him, As to Saul and his house, it is with us no question of receiving silver or gold, neither is it for us to have any man put to death in Israel”. That seems a good statement.
JT You can see they are equal to the position so far. But David put on them what should not have been put on them. You may put more on a person than he is equal to, and he may go too far. David put the whole matter on them. They should not have had the power of decision in the matter. They did not send the famine, God did that. He is the One to be inquired of. God was affected by Saul’s conduct as well as the Gibeonites. Thus God’s mind ought to have been sought.
JTJr Would Deuteronomy come in in the settlement of the matter? It says, “If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment ... thou shall come unto the priests ... and inquire”, Deuteronomy 17:8,9.
David put it on the Gibeonites instead of on the priests.
ANW Is not the answer of the Gibeonites in accordance with the government of God?
JT Well, that is a question. It is a very sorrowful proposal. The Spirit of God goes on to give us the history. The bodies of these seven men were hanging there for months. We are told in Deuteronomy that Israel should not leave one hanged on a tree to remain there over night, but he should be buried.
Ques Is that why it says, “And afterwards God was propitious to the land”, verse 14?
JT That is after David began to have right feelings. Rizpah seemingly is the only one who has right feelings about the men who were hung. The point is, there was not right feeling. David was right in asking the Lord about the matter in the beginning. He then calls for the Gibeonites, and then the Spirit of God stops and tells us about the Gibeonites. Then David says, “What shall I do for you?” Where is the governing principle in that? Where is God’s mind in this matter? There is no inquiry from God. The only one spared is Mephibosheth, and that is not because of any good quality in him, it is because of David’s oath with Jonathan. He is perhaps the most spiritual man in Israel, and he is saved only because of David’s oath with Jonathan. Why is it not said that Mephibosheth was a lover of David? That is not here at all. And these men are handed over to the Gibeonites to hang up in mid-air. They are left there to rot; the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air can come and devour them. It is want of right feeling that the chapter expresses. That is very often the case with us, the want of right feeling. So that Rizpah seems to lead in the position. She has right affections. She suffers all these months, exposed to the elements, as you might say, to keep the beasts of the field and the birds of the air from those bodies. And now David, hearing of her care for those hanged, is moved to do what is right and buries them with the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and as they are buried God is propitious to the land.
WB-w It was in the first days of barley harvest that this happened. See what they were missing when they were carrying on with all these unspiritual things!
ABP The whole thing seems to be brought back to the father, like the source. Kish is referred to. Would there be anything in that, in that Saul’s and Jonathan’s bones are brought up? The loose ends were drawn in and the whole matter was settled.
JT That is the way to look at it. The time was when God had His mind on Kish; and now his sons and grandsons are gathered up and buried in his sepulchre — by David himself. “And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-Gilead, who had [p. 237] stolen them from the open place of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged, them, the day the Philistines had smitten Saul in Gilboa; and he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. And they buried them with the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulchre of Kish his father; and they did all that the king had commanded”. Now notice we are brought back to the parent tribe, Benjamin, and to Kish and Saul and Jonathan. How often they had been mentioned! They had a place among the saints at one time. There is right feeling in David now. It is an important matter to have right feelings about everything. Love “does not behave in an unseemly manner”, 1 Corinthians 13:5.