2 Samuel 21:1

Authorized King James Version (1611)

¶ Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew 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 ask [counsel] for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: 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] grievous in the land.
• Gen 26:1 : 1 ¶ And there was a famine in the land, beside 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 for to buy [corn]; because that the famine was [so] sore in all lands. 1 ¶ Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, 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 her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
• Lev 26:26 : 26 [And] when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver [you] 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 accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
• Josh 7:11-12 : 11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
• 1 Sam 22:17-19 : 17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also [is] with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. 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 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 enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
• 1 Sam 23:4 : 4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine 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 LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.
• 2 Sam 5:19 : 19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
• 2 Sam 5:23 : 23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; [but] fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
• 1 Kgs 17:1 : 1 ¶ And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD 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 shew himself unto Ahab. And [there was] a sore famine 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 cab of dove's dung for five [pieces] of silver.
• 2 Kgs 8:1 : 1 ¶ Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
• Job 5:8-9 : 8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: 9 Which 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; shew 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 honour him.
• Jer 14:1-9 : 1 ¶ The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. 2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. 3 And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, [and] found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads. 4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads. 5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook [it], because there was no grass. 6 And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because [there was] no grass. 7 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou [it] for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. 8 O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man [that] turneth aside to tarry for a night? 9 Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man [that] cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, [art] in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not. 10 ¶ Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11 Then said the LORD 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 an oblation, 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 GOD! 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 the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus saith the LORD 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 ¶ Therefore 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 blow. 18 If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.