And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites— David had given Saul his oath, that "he would not cut off his seed after him, nor destroy his name out of his father's house." Had Saul's family committed crimes worthy of death, David's oath would have been no reason against punishing them according to their deserts; and such punishment, if deserved, had been no breach of his oath. If David did not cut off his seed after him, so as to destroy his name out of his father's house, he did not violate his oath to Saul. Now David did not cut off one single person of Saul's family, whose death had a tendency to destroy his name out of his father's house. The seed is always reckoned by the males, and not the females of a family; and the name in a father's house could only be preserved by the male descendants. But David gave up only two bastards, the sons of Rizpah, Saul's concubine, who were not the legal seed of Saul; and five of the sons of his eldest daughter by Adriel, (who could only keep up Adriel's name, and not Saul's;) and hereby observed, without the least violation, his oath to Saul. Not one of the persons whom he surrendered was capable of succeeding Saul, especially whilst any of the male branches were alive. Now at this time he spared Mephibosheth, who had a son named Micha, that was now old enough to have children, and had four sons, from whom descended a numerous posterity, amounting to about one hundred and fifty, sons and grandsons. This is a second proof, that David did not violate his oath to Saul in his treaty with the Gibeonites. Those who are inclined to enter more fully into a discussion of this difficult question, will find ample satisfaction in Dr. Waterland's Scripture Vindicated, part 2: page 102.
REFLECTIONS.—We have here,
1. The cause of this famine; namely, the sin of Saul. Three years the famine had continued, before David inquired of the Lord. At last, the continuance of it awakens his solicitude to examine into the cause, and God informs him. Note; (1.) Sin soon makes a fruitful land barren. (2.) God's judgments should bring us to our knees, that we may find why he contendeth with us. (3.) Sins are not forgotten of God, because they are old: though not immediately visited, the time of recompence will come, if pardon be not obtained.
2. The methods taken to give the Gibeonites satisfaction, and to turn away wrath from the land. Note; (1.) Though the poor oppressed may be without power to relieve themselves, God will plead their injured cause. (2.) Satisfaction must be made them, before we can hope for a blessing from God. (3.) The sin of parents often entails misery on their posterity. (4.) No execution must be pursued under the spirit of private revenge; for then, though the sentence be just on the offender, it would be murder in the prosecutor. (5.) They who maliciously design the ruin of others, often bring themselves and families into the pit that they have digged. (6.) A murderer, though of the blood royal, ought not to be spared. (7.) Severe executions for the public good, are sometimes a needful severity.