2 Samuel 21
David Avenges the Gibeonites
1During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD.
And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”
1And there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David inquired of YHWH. And YHWH answered, “Because of Saul and his house is the blood, on account that he killed the Gibeonites.”
2At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)
2And the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (And the Gibeonites, they were not of the sons of Israel, for they were only of the remnant of the Amorite. And the sons of Israel had sworn protection to them, and Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah.)
4The Gibeonites said to him, “We need no silver or gold from Saul or his house, nor should you put to death anyone in Israel for us.”
“Whatever you ask, I will do for you,” he replied.
4And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, and no man to put to death in Israel.” And he said, “What are you saying I can do for you.”
5And they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us to exterminate us from existing within any border of Israel,
5And they answered to the king, “The man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel,
6let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang thema before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.”
“I will give them to you,” said the king.
6let be given to us seven men of his sons, and we will hang them before YHWH in Gibeah of Saul, chosen by YHWH.” And the king said, “I will give them.”
7Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
7And the king had pity on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul, because of the oath of YHWH that was between them, between David and between Jonathan son of Saul.
8But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Meraba daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
8And the king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Merab daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite,
9And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
9and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the face of YHWH. And they fell seven together, and they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days in the beginning of the harvest of barley.
10And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain from heaven poured down on the bodies, she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
10And Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and she spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the heavens to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
12he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies after they had struck down Saul at Gilboa.
12And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead who had stolen them from the broad place of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them there after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa.
14And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in Zela in the land of Benjamin, in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish.
After they had done everything the king had commanded, God answered their prayers for the land.
14And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. And they performed all that the king commanded, and God heeded the prayer for the land after that.
Four Battles against the Philistines
15Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines. But David became exhausted.
15And again were the Philistines at war with Israel, and David went down, and his servants with him, and they fought against the Philistines, and David grew faint.
16Then Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Rapha,a whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekelsb and who was bearing a new sword, resolved to kill David.
16And Ishbi-benob, who was one of the sons of Rapha—and the weight of his spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, and he was bearing a new one—spoke of striking David.
17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him.
Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
17And Abishai son of Zeruiah came to aid him and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”
18Some time later at Gob, there was another battle with the Philistines. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph,a a descendant of Rapha.
18And it came to pass after thus, that the battle there was again at Gob with the Philistines. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of Rapha.
19Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaira the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliathb the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
19And there was war again at Gob with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite struck the brother of Goliath the Gittite, and the shaft of his spear was like a weavers’ beam.
20And there was also a battle at Gath, where there was a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha,
20And there was war again at Gath, where there was a man of stature, and the fingers of his hands were six, and the toes of his feet six—twenty-four in number. And also he was born from Rapha.