THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
Question 42. Why were the Israelites punished after Saul executed the Gibeonites (2 Sam. 21:1)? The entire nation had entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites, with Eleazar the priest and Joshua the prophet involved in the oaths (Num. 9:15). Consequently, it was imperative for the progeny of those who had sworn to uphold the treaties, as well as for the king who violated the law, to be guided to honor their commitments. Thus, following the king's demise, the people of Israel faced a famine as retribution.
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In this manner, the One who possesses all wisdom instructs us that while He is patient and does not hastily dispense punishment for transgressions, He will ultimately deliver just retribution, similar to how, after forty years, He caused the heavens to withhold rain, rendered the earth barren, and inflicted famine upon its inhabitants. The king, unaware of the divine reason behind the punishment, questioned the righteous Judge. Upon discovering that this was the consequence of the wrongful slaughter of the Gibeonites, he appointed the wronged party as judges. For it is written: ‘And David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?’ (2 Sam. 21:3). Yet the Jews overlook this admonition, failing to recognize that even the descendants of Abraham required the blessing of the Canaanites. They hold their ancestors in high regard and neglect to comprehend that righteousness is far more illustrious than ancestral lineage; as the divine apostle states, ‘And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?’ (Rom. 2:27). Just as the Israelites in those times needed the Gibeonites' blessing, so too have those who crucified the Lord forfeited their ancestral blessing and now require instruction from the believing Gentiles. It is also important to note that Saul, in his zeal, killed the Gibeonites along with other Canaanites. This is confirmed in Sacred Scripture, which states that the Gibeonites were not among the children of Israel but rather remnants of the Amorites; ‘and the children of Israel swore unto them that they would not slay them. But Saul sought to slay them, in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah’ (2 Sam. 21:2). This passage teaches us the importance of adhering to oaths made in God’s name, even if the transgression seems to benefit others. The Gibeonites requested seven men from Saul's lineage, reflecting the number of days in a week, saying, ‘We will not give you silver or gold, nor kill any man in Israel; but we will deliver up seven men of his sons unto you, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose’ (2 Sam. 21:4-6). The main city of the Gibeonites was called Gibeon, which translates to ‘hill’ in our language. Therefore, the men handed over to them were executed at the site where Saul had previously committed his unlawful acts. The act of ‘hanging in the sun’ (2 Sam. 21:6) is expressed by Aquila as ‘strangled.’ Two of Saul's sons by his concubine and five of his grandsons were delivered to them; afterward, the righteous king honored them with burial. After the execution was completed, the Lord showed mercy, releasing the heavens from their hold and commanded the earth to yield its produce as per the norm. This teaches us that the Lord does not show favoritism among nations but justly avenges those who have been wronged, even if they are strangers.