David asks rather than commands to honor the Gibeonites’ right to define the terms of atonement, acknowledging Israel’s covenant obligation and seeking their blessing upon the nation. The question form recognizes their agency as the wronged party.

The Gibeonites responded by requesting seven of Saul’s male descendants to be hanged before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul. They explicitly refused silver or gold and disclaimed any right to execute Israelites generally, focusing their demand on Saul’s house alone (2 Samuel 21:4-6).

David’s double question addresses both immediate relief and ultimate restoration. ‘What shall I do for you?’ opens negotiation for practical recompense, while ‘how shall I make atonement?’ probes deeper theological ground. The Hebrew kaphar appears throughout Levitical sacrifice, yet here David employs it in a civil-covenantal context, recognizing that Saul’s crimes created both legal and spiritual debt. By asking rather than dictating terms, David honors the Gibeonites as covenant partners despite their subordinate status. The final clause reveals David’s concern extends beyond appeasing victims to securing divine favor; he wants them to ‘bless the inheritance of the LORD,’ transforming them from cursers of Israel into mediators of blessing. This question acknowledges that broken covenants create barriers to God’s favor that must be removed by those who hold the grievance.