1 Now there was 1a famine in the days of David for threeyears, yearafteryear; and 2Davidsought the presence of the LORD. And the LORDsaid, "It is for Saul and his bloodyhouse, because* he put the Gibeonites to death."
2
So the kingcalled the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and 3the sons of Israelmade a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah ).
3
Thus Davidsaid to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I makeatonement that you may bless4the inheritance of the LORD?"
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Then the Gibeonitessaid to him, "5We haveno concern of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor is it for us to putanyman to death in Israel." And he said, "I will do for you whatever you say."
5
So they said to the king, "6The manwhoconsumed us and whoplanned to exterminate us from remaining within anyborder of Israel,
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let sevenmen from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them 7before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, 8the chosen of the LORD." And the kingsaid, "I will give them."
7
But the kingspared9Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, 10because of the oath of the LORDwhich was between them, betweenDavid and Saul'ssonJonathan.
8
So the kingtook the twosons of 11Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephiboshethwhom she had borne to Saul, and the fivesons of 12Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the 13Meholathite.
9
Then he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountainbefore the LORD, so that the seven of them felltogether; and they were put to death in the firstdays of harvest at 14the beginning of barleyharvest.
10
15And Rizpah the daughter of Aiahtooksackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvestuntil it rained on them from the sky; and 16she allowedneither the birds of the sky to rest on them by daynor the beasts of the field by night.
11
When it was toldDavidwhatRizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done,
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then Davidwent and took17the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead*, who had stolen them from the opensquare of 18Beth-shan, 19where* the Philistines had hanged them on the day20the PhilistinesstruckdownSaul in Gilboa.
13
He brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there, and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged.
14
They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in 21Zela, in the grave of Kish his father; thus they didall that the kingcommanded, and after that 22God was moved by prayer for the land.
15
Now when 23the Philistines were at waragain with Israel, Davidwentdown and his servants with him; and as they foughtagainst the Philistines, Davidbecameweary.
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Then Ishbi-benob, who was 24among the descendants of the giant, the weight of whose spear was threehundred shekels of bronze in weight, was girded with a new sword, and he intended to killDavid.
17
But 25Abishai the son of Zeruiahhelped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of Davidswore to him, saying, "26You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish27the lamp of Israel."
18
28Now it came about afterthis that there was waragain with the Philistines at Gob; then29Sibbecai the HushathitestruckdownSaph, who was among the descendants of the giant.
19
There was war with the Philistinesagain at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the BethlehemitekilledGoliath the Gittite, 30the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver'sbeam.
20
There was war at Gathagain, where there was a man of great stature who had sixfingers on each hand and sixtoes on each foot, twenty-four* in number; and he also had been born31to the giant.
21
When he defiedIsrael, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David'sbrother, struck him down.
22
32Thesefour were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.