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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Human Sacrifice - 2 Sam 21

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  • From: "Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Human Sacrifice - 2 Sam 21
  • Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 11:56:36 -0500

Dear Jack,

It must be pointed that this is some time after Sauls
death. None of the seven male descendents of Saul are
implicated in Sauls crime in the text. They did not commit
the sin but their death atones for Sauls (and Israels ?)
sin.

HH: I don't know that we can say none of the seven descendants are implicated in Saul's crime. Listen to this word from God:

2Sam. 21:1 ΒΆ During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death."

HH: The famine was not only due to Saul but also to his "blood-stained house." His "house" signifies his family. These seven people were quite close to Saul and presumably could have participated with Saul in the destruction of the Gibeonites, thus making themselves "blood-stained."

HH: I don't know that the seven were personally involved, but I don't know that they weren't. I know that God characterizes Saul's family as blood-stained. God consented to the request of the Gibeonites and He is righteous. So there must have been good grounds for it.

HH: There is a notion of corporate solidarity and responsibility that existed in the ancient world, and we see it at work in God's judgments sometimes. The thirty-six who died at Ai had not committed Achan's sin, but they were part of the nation that God had warned not to take things under the ban as Achan did. Achan's family had not necessarily plotted in the crime, yet they were also put to death for it (perhaps they knew of it and kept it a secret). God is the God of eternity, so we have to trust that He knows what He's doing, even if He doesn't explain every detail.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard









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