Reading for June 6th

Read 2 Samuel 21.1-14
In 21.1-14: The execution of Saul's heirs.
In verses 1-2: The Gibeonites has a special treaty with Israel (Josh 9).
This story assumes that the violation of that treaty brought divine wrath.
The Bible nowhere recounts Saul's attempted extermination of the Gibeonites.
In verse 3: the Lord's heritage is both the land and the people of Israel.
In verse 4: This is a matter for blood vengeance, but as resident aliens in Israel the Gibeonites do not have that right.
In verses 5-9: It was typical for the founder of a new dynasty to annihilate the potential claimants from the previous dynasty.
David does this here.
Saul's alleged offense provides a religious legitimization for this political act.
Only Meib-baal is spared (v. 7), probably because he was crippled and could not therefore be king, though this may also reflect David's affection for Jonathan.
This story originally came before 9.1, in which David asks if anyone is left in the house of Saul.
The even took place early in David's reign over Israel.
Sons (v. 6) may also include grandsons.
Mephibosheth or Merphibaal in v. 8 is the proper reading.
This was not Jonathan's son, Merib-baal who was spared.
The barley harvest was in April-May.
In verse 10: Rizpah was Saul's concubine.
In verses 11-14: As a result of Rizpah's action, David tries to honor the memory of Saul and Jonathan.
According to 1 Sam 31.12, their bones were burned.
This is either a contradiction, or David gathered only their ashes.
Comments or Questions..