One verse. Three ways to understand.
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah (who was Aiah's daughter and had these children with Saul) - Armoni and Mephibosheth. He also took the five sons of Michal, Saul's daughter, whom she had raised for Adriel, the son of Barzillai from Meholah.
King David selected seven descendants of Saul to hand over, including sons from two different women connected to Saul's family.
These are AI-assisted adaptations, not separate Bible editions. Compare them with the KJV source and read our methodology. How these readings are made →
Read the KJV source
King James Version · EnglishBut the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:Ask the AI Assistant
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📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Samuel 21, King David faced a three-year famine in Israel, which God revealed was due to Saul's earlier violation of a covenant with the Gibeonites, a group that had been spared and protected since Joshua's conquest. To make atonement and end the famine, David agreed to hand over seven of Saul's descendants to the Gibeonites for justice, as requested. This event underscores the serious consequences of breaking oaths and the importance of addressing past wrongs in ancient Israelite society.