The Gibeonite affair in 2 Samuel 21 is a perplexing read. You will naturally wonder how the solution to this problem could possibly be an expression of God’s will. But there is no reason why we should understand it that way. The point of the story is that present blessing depends on our having dealt with the sins of the past. There was looming over Israel a terrible offense, and God would withhold blessing from his people until this matter was dealt with. The Israelites had made an enduring treaty of peace with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9) but Saul had broken that covenant and, at some point not recorded in the biblical text, had attacked and slaughtered many Gibeonites. It is upon David then to ensure that satisfaction is made, and this meant that he had to let the Gibeonites set the terms of satisfaction. Whether their request is right or not is beside the point. This is what they demanded, and David is forced, by his own offer, to agree with their terms. It is a terrible sequence of events, but it shows that a messy past makes for a messy present. You can’t just move on when wrong has been done. Are there things in your past that loom over you still? It is very important that you do whatever you can to make amends for these things. You may not ever be able to satisfy those you have hurt but you should certainly do whatever you can to make peace.
Reflect on what this might mean for you.
Read 2 Samuel 21:1-14
