John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah , etc.] Saul’s concubine, ( 2 Samuel 3:7); whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth ; of whom we read nowhere else; after the name of the latter, it is probable, Jonathan’s son was called, before mentioned: and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite ; Michal had no children to the day of her death, nor was she the wife of Adriel, but Merab her sister, ( 1 Samuel 18:19); wherefore these sons were not whom she “bare”, as the word used signifies, but, as we rightly render it, whom she “brought up” or educated, so the Targum, her sister being dead; and so the Jews say f353 , Merab brought them forth, and Michal brought them up, therefore they were called by her name; or the words may be supplied thus, “and the five sons [of the sister of Michal]”, and, as in ( 2 Samuel 21:19), is supplied, “[the brother of] Goliath”. Barzillai is here called the Meholathite, to distinguish him from Barzillai the Gileadite, spoken of in a former chapter, (see 2 Samuel 17:27 19:31).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - Every affliction arises from sin, and should lead us to repent an humble ourselves before God; but some troubles especially show tha they are sent to bring sin to remembrance. God's judgments often look great way back, which requires us to do so, when we are under his rebukes. It is not for us to object against the people's smarting for the sin of their king; perhaps they helped him. Nor against thi generation suffering for the sin of the last. God often visits the sin of the fathers upon the children, and he gives no account of an matters. Time does not wear out the guilt of sin; nor can we buil hopes of escape upon the delay of judgments. If we cannot understan all the reasons of Providence in this matter, still we have no right to demand that God should acquaint us with those reasons. It must be right, because it is the will of God, and in the end it will be prove to be so. Money is no satisfaction for blood. It should seem, Saul' posterity trod in his steps, for it is called a bloody house. It wa the spirit of the family, therefore they are justly reckoned with for his sin, as well as for their own. The Gibeonites did not require thi out of malice against Saul or his family. It was not to gratify an revenge, but for the public good. They were put to death at the beginning of harvest; they were thus sacrificed to turn away the wrat of Almighty God, who had withheld the harvest-mercies for some year past, and to obtain his favour in the present harvest. In vain do we expect mercy from God, unless we do justice upon our sins. Execution must not be thought cruel, which are for the public welfare.
Original Hebrew ויקח3947 המלך4428 את853 שׁני8147 בני1121 רצפה7532 בת1323 איה345 אשׁר834 ילדה3205 לשׁאול7586 את853 ארמני764 ואת853 מפבשׁת4648 ואת853 חמשׁת2568 בני1121 מיכל4324 בת1323 שׁאול7586 אשׁר834 ילדה3205 לעדריאל5741 בן1121 ברזלי1271 המחלתי׃4259
