2 Samuel 21:1

Easy To Read Version

There was a famine while David was king. This time of hunger continued for three years. David prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered. The Lord said, “Saul and his family of murderers [119] are the reason for this time of hunger. This famine came because Saul killed the Gibeonites.” (

Cross References

Genesis 12:10

During this time, the land was very dry. There was no rain, and no food was able to grow. So Abram went down to Egypt to live.

Genesis 26:1

Once there was a famine. [151] This was like the famine that happened during Abraham’s life. So Isaac went to the town of Gerar, to Abimelech the king of the Philistine people.

Genesis 41:57

But the famine was bad everywhere! So people from the countries around Egypt had to come to Egypt to buy grain.

Genesis 42:5

The famine was very bad in Canaan, so there were many people from Canaan who went to Egypt to buy grain. Among them were the sons of Israel.

Genesis 43:1

The time of hunger was very bad in that country.

2 Samuel 16:8

The Lord is punishing you. Why? Because you killed people in Saul’s family. You stole Saul’s place as king. But now the same bad things are happening to you. The Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. Why? Because you are a murderer.” [95]

2 Samuel 20:26

And Ira the Jairite was David’s chief servant. [118]

2 Samuel 21:5

The Gibeonites said to King David, “Saul made plans against us. He tried to destroy all our people living in the land of Israel.

2 Samuel 24:1

The Lord was angry against Israel again. The Lord caused David to turn against the Israelites. {David} said, “Go count the people of Israel and Judah.”

2 Samuel 5:19

David asked the Lord, saying, “Should I go to war against the Philistines? Will you help me defeat the Philistines?”

2 Samuel 5:23

David prayed to the Lord. This time the Lord told David, “Don’t go up there. Go around them to the back of their army. Attack them from the other side of the balsam trees.

1 Kings 17:1

Elijah was a prophet from the town of Tishbe in Gilead. Elijah said to King Ahab, “I serve the Lord God of Israel. By his power, I promise that no dew or rain will fall during the next few years. The rain will fall only if I command it to fall.”

1 Kings 18:2

So Elijah went to meet Ahab.

2 Kings 6:25

{The soldiers would not let people bring food into the city.} So there was a time of terrible hunger in Samaria. It was so bad in Samaria that a donkey’s head was sold for 80 pieces of silver. And one pint [70] of dove’s dung sold for five pieces of silver.

2 Kings 8:1

Elisha talked to the woman whose son he had brought back to life. Elisha said, “You and your family should move to another country. Why? Because the Lord has decided that there will be a time of hunger here. This time of hunger will be in this country for seven years.”

Job 10:2

I will say to God:\par ‘Don’t blame me!\par Tell me,\par What have I done wrong?\par What do you have against me?\par

Psalm 27:8

Lord, I want to talk with you.\par I want to speak to you from my heart.\par I come before you to speak with you.\par

Psalm 50:15

\{God says,\}\par “Call for me when you have troubles!\par I will help you.\par And then you can honor me.”\par

Psalm 91:15

My followers will call to me for help,\par and I will answer them.\par I will be with them when they have trouble.\par I will rescue them and honor them.\par

Leviticus 26:26

I will give you a share of the grain {left in that city}. {But there will be very little food to eat.} Ten women will be able to cook all their bread in one oven. They will measure each piece of bread. You will eat, but you will still be hungry!

Numbers 27:21

If Joshua needs to make a decision, then he will go to Eleazar the priest. Eleazar will use the Urim [325] to learn the Lord’s answer. Then Joshua and all the people of Israel will do the things God says. If he says, ‘go to war,’ then they will go to war. And if he says, ‘go home,’ then they will go home.”

Joshua 7:1

But the people of Israel did not obey God. There was a man from the family group of Judah named Achan son of Carmi, grandson of Zimri. Achan kept some of the things that should have been destroyed. So the Lord became very angry at the people of Israel.

Joshua 9:20

This is what we must do. We must let them live. We cannot hurt them or God will be angry at us because we broke the promise we made to them.

Ruth 1:1

Long ago, during the time the judges [1] ruled, there was a bad time when there was not enough food to eat. A man named Elimelech left Bethlehem, Judah. He, his wife and his two sons moved to the hill country of Moab. [2]

1 Samuel 10:22

Then they asked the Lord, “Has Saul come here yet?”

1 Samuel 23:11

Will Saul come to Keilah? Will the people of Keilah give me to Saul? Lord God of Israel, I am your servant! Please tell me!”

1 Samuel 23:2

David asked the Lord, “Should I go and fight these Philistines?”

1 Samuel 23:4

David again asked the Lord. And the Lord answered David, “Go down to Keilah. I will help you defeat the Philistines.”