“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.”
This verse is part of a larger passage that recounts a significant event during the reign of David as king of Israel. To fully understand the context let’s explore the surrounding verses.
In 2 Samuel 21, we find an account of a severe famine that occurred in the land of Israel for three consecutive years. David, seeking guidance from the Lord, inquired about the cause of the famine. The Lord revealed to him that it was a consequence of the bloodshed committed against the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites were a people with whom Israel had made a covenant during the time of Joshua (see Joshua 9). The Israelites had sworn not to harm them, but Saul, in his zeal for the children of Israel, had sought to destroy them.
Upon learning this, David sought to make amends and asked the Gibeonites what could be done to atone for Saul’s sin The Gibeonites requested the lives of seven of Saul’s descendants to be given to them for execution. David agreed to their request and spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, due to the covenant and the love he had for Jonathan. However, he handed over the other descendants of Saul to be put to death.
In verse 13, we see the aftermath of this event. David took the bones of Saul and Jonathan, along with the bones of those who had been executed and left unburied, and brought them up from their resting place. It was an act of honor and respect to give them a proper burial.
This act demonstrates David’s reverence for Saul who had been the first king of Israel and David’s predecessor. Despite the conflicts and challenges they had faced during Saul’s life, David chose to show honor to Saul and his family in death.
From a broader perspective, this passage highlights the importance of honoring agreements and covenants. The covenant made between Israel and the Gibeonites was taken seriously, and David recognized the need to rectify the broken promise made by Saul David’s actions in gathering the bones of those who were executed demonstrated his commitment to fulfilling his obligations and showing respect even in difficult circumstances.
