2 Samuel 21:1

American Standard Version (1901)

And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְהִ֣י רָעָב֩ בִּימֵ֨י דָוִ֜ד שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים שָׁנָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁנָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ דָּוִ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה ס וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ וְאֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַדָּמִ֔ים עַֽל־אֲשֶׁר־הֵמִ֖ית אֶת־הַגִּבְעֹנִֽים

Transliteration

And wayĕhî rāʿāb in yĕmê Dāwid three šānîm, šānâ after šānâ, and wayĕbaqqêš Dāwid ʾet-face of YHWH; and wayyōʾmer YHWH, "To-Šāʾûl and to-bêt the-dāmîm, because that-he-hēmît ʾet-the-Gibʿōnîm."

Grammar Details

• *wayĕhî*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect 3ms - and it was/came to pass
• *rāʿāb*: noun, masculine singular - famine/hunger
• *yĕmê*: construct plural of *yôm* - days of
• *Dāwid*: proper noun - David
• *šānîm*: noun, feminine plural - years
• *šānâ*: noun, feminine singular - year
• *wayĕbaqqêš*: waw-consecutive + piel imperfect 3ms - and he sought
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *YHWH*: proper noun - divine name
• *wayyōʾmer*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect 3ms - and he said
• *Šāʾûl*: proper noun - Saul
• *bêt*: noun, masculine singular construct - house of
• *dāmîm*: noun, masculine plural - bloods
• *hēmît*: hiphil perfect 3ms - he killed/caused to die
• *Gibʿōnîm*: proper noun, plural - Gibeonites

Word Meanings

• *wayĕhî*: it happened/there was/came to pass
• *rāʿāb*: famine/hunger
• *bêt* *dāmîm*: house of blood/bloodshed/bloodguilt
• *wayĕbaqqêš*: sought/inquired of/consulted

Referenced Verses

• Num 27:21 : 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Jehovah: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
• Gen 12:10 : 10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.
• Gen 26:1 : 1 And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.
• Gen 41:57-42:1 : 57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was sore in all the earth. 1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
• Gen 43:1 : 1 And the famine was sore in the land.
• Lev 26:19-20 : 19 And I will break the pride of your power: and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass; 20 and your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.
• Lev 26:26 : 26 When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
• Josh 7:1 : 1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.
• Josh 7:11-12 : 11 Israel hath sinned; yea, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also; and they have even put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except ye destroy the devoted thing from among you.
• 1 Sam 22:17-19 : 17 And the king said unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of Jehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah. 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
• 1 Sam 23:2 : 2 Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
• 1 Sam 23:4 : 4 Then David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.
• 1 Sam 23:11 : 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
• 2 Sam 5:19 : 19 And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said unto David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.
• 2 Sam 5:23 : 23 And when David inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees.
• 1 Kgs 17:1 : 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
• 1 Kgs 18:2 : 2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And the famine was sore in Samaria.
• 2 Kgs 6:25 : 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore [pieces] of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five [ [pieces] of silver.
• 2 Kgs 8:1 : 1 Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for Jehovah hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
• Job 5:8-9 : 8 But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause; 9 Who doeth great things and unsearchable, Marvellous things without number: 10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields;
• Job 10:2 : 2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.
• Ps 50:15 : 15 And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
• Ps 91:15 : 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him.
• Jer 14:1-9 : 1 The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought. 2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they sit in black upon the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. 3 And their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads. 4 Because of the ground which is cracked, for that no rain hath been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads. 5 Yea, the hind also in the field calveth, and forsaketh [her young], because there is no grass. 6 And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage. 7 Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name's sake, O Jehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. 8 O thou hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a sojourner in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? 9 Why shouldest thou be as a man affrighted, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O Jehovah, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not. 10 Thus saith Jehovah unto this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Jehovah doth not accept them; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11 And Jehovah said unto me, Pray not for this people for [their] good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. 13 Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. 14 Then Jehovah said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart. 15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them--them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them. 17 And thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound. 18 If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, they that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.