Wherefore 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?
So David said to the Gibeonites, 'What can I do for you? How can I make things right with you, so that you will bless the Lord's people?'
David is asking the Gibeonites what he can do to repair the wrong done to them, so they will stop cursing Israel and instead bless God's people.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of King David, a severe famine afflicted Israel for three years, which God revealed was due to King Saul's earlier violation of a covenant made with the Gibeonites during Joshua's era. The Gibeonites, descendants of the Hivites, had tricked the Israelites into a peace treaty that was supposed to protect them, but Saul attempted to wipe them out, breaking that sacred oath and bringing divine judgment. In this verse, David is actively seeking to make atonement by consulting the Gibeonites to restore harmony and invite God's blessing upon the land of Israel.
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