The famine and the Gibeonites
During David's reign there was a famine for three years in a row. David sought the Lord, and the Lord said, It is because of Saul and his bloodstained house, because he put the Gibeonites to death. So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. The Gibeonites were not Israelites but survivors of the Amorites. Israel had sworn an oath to spare them, yet Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to wipe them out. David asked the Gibeonites, What can I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the Lord's inheritance? The Gibeonites answered, We don't want silver or gold from Saul or his family, and we have no right to put anyone in Israel to death. David said, Whatever you ask, I will do for you. They said to the king, As for the man who tried to destroy us and plotted to wipe us out so we could no longer live anywhere in Israel, let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us. We will put them to death before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the Lord's chosen. The king said, I will hand them over. But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. The king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul, whom she had brought up for Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. He handed them over to the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites killed them on the hill before the Lord. All seven died together in the first days of the barley harvest.
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year. And David asked of the Lord. And the Lord answered: It's for Saul and for his bloody house, because he killed the Gibeonites. And the king called the Gibeonites and said to them. Now the Gibeonites weren't of the people of Israel, but of what was left of the Amorites. And the people of Israel had sworn to them. But Saul had looked to kill them in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. So David said to the Gibeonites: What'll I do for you? And with what will I make it right, so you can bless the inheritance of the Lord? And the Gibeonites said to him: We won't have silver or gold of Saul or of his house, and it isn't for us to kill any man in Israel. And he said: What you say, I'll do for you. And they answered the king: The man who used us up and who planned against us, that we should be wrecked from staying in any of the borders of Israel — let seven men of his sons be handed over to us, and we'll hang them up to the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, the Lord's chosen. And the king said: I'll give them. But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul. But the king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, that she had to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul, that she brought up for Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. And he handed them over into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them in the hill in front of the Lord. And the seven fell together and were put to death in the days of the harvest, in the first days, at the start of the barley harvest.
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.) Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD? And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you. And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel, Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them. But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
During David's reign there was a famine for three years in a row. David sought the Lord, and the Lord said, It is because of Saul and his bloodstained house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year. And David asked of the Lord. And the Lord answered: It's for Saul and for his bloody house, because he killed the Gibeonites.
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. The Gibeonites were not Israelites but survivors of the Amorites. Israel had sworn an oath to spare them, yet Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to wipe them out.
And the king called the Gibeonites and said to them. Now the Gibeonites weren't of the people of Israel, but of what was left of the Amorites. And the people of Israel had sworn to them. But Saul had looked to kill them in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.
And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)
David asked the Gibeonites, What can I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the Lord's inheritance?
So David said to the Gibeonites: What'll I do for you? And with what will I make it right, so you can bless the inheritance of the Lord?
Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
The Gibeonites answered, We don't want silver or gold from Saul or his family, and we have no right to put anyone in Israel to death. David said, Whatever you ask, I will do for you.
And the Gibeonites said to him: We won't have silver or gold of Saul or of his house, and it isn't for us to kill any man in Israel. And he said: What you say, I'll do for you.
And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
They said to the king, As for the man who tried to destroy us and plotted to wipe us out so we could no longer live anywhere in Israel,
And they answered the king: The man who used us up and who planned against us, that we should be wrecked from staying in any of the borders of Israel —
And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,
let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us. We will put them to death before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the Lord's chosen. The king said, I will hand them over.
let seven men of his sons be handed over to us, and we'll hang them up to the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, the Lord's chosen. And the king said: I'll give them.
Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.
But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
The king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul, whom she had brought up for Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, that she had to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul, that she brought up for Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
He handed them over to the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites killed them on the hill before the Lord. All seven died together in the first days of the barley harvest.
And he handed them over into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them in the hill in front of the Lord. And the seven fell together and were put to death in the days of the harvest, in the first days, at the start of the barley harvest.
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
Rizpah's watch
Rizpah daughter of Aiah spread a piece of coarse mourning cloth on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until rain fell from heaven, she kept the birds away from the bodies by day and the wild animals by night. David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saul's concubine, had done. So David went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh Gilead. They had secretly recovered them from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung the bodies after killing Saul at Gilboa. David brought back the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and they also gathered the bones of the seven men who had been put to death. They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish at Zela in Benjamin. They did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
And Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the start of the harvest till water dropped on them out of the sky. And she wouldn't let the birds of the sky rest on them by day or the animals of the field by night. And David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saul's woman, had done. And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who'd stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up when the Philistines had killed Saul in Gilboa. And he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there. And they gathered the bones of the ones who were hanged. And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of Kish his father. And they did everything the king ordered. And after that God heard the prayer for the land.
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night. And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.
Rizpah daughter of Aiah spread a piece of coarse mourning cloth on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until rain fell from heaven, she kept the birds away from the bodies by day and the wild animals by night.
And Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the start of the harvest till water dropped on them out of the sky. And she wouldn't let the birds of the sky rest on them by day or the animals of the field by night.
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saul's concubine, had done.
And David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saul's woman, had done.
And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
So David went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh Gilead. They had secretly recovered them from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung the bodies after killing Saul at Gilboa.
And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who'd stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up when the Philistines had killed Saul in Gilboa.
And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
David brought back the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and they also gathered the bones of the seven men who had been put to death.
And he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there. And they gathered the bones of the ones who were hanged.
And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish at Zela in Benjamin. They did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of Kish his father. And they did everything the king ordered. And after that God heard the prayer for the land.
And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.
Wars with the Philistines
Once again there was war between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men and fought the Philistines, and David became exhausted. Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of the giants, carried a bronze spearhead weighing three hundred shekels and was armed with a new sword. He intended to kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's aid, struck the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, You are never coming out to battle with us again. We can't let the lamp of Israel be extinguished. Some time later another battle with the Philistines took place at Gob. There Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of the giants. In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam. There was another battle at Gath. A huge man there had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — twenty-four in all — and he too was descended from the giants. When he defied Israel, Jonathan son of David's brother Shimeah killed him. These four were descendants of the giants in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
What's more, the Philistines had war with Israel again. And David went down, and his servants with him, and fought the Philistines. And David went weak. And Ishbi-Benob, who was of the sons of the giant, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was strapped with a new sword, thought he'd kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah helped him and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him: You won't go out with us to battle any more, so you don't put out the lamp of Israel. And after this there was a battle with the Philistines again at Gob. Then Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. And there was a battle in Gob with the Philistines again, where Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim, a Bethlehemite, killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam. And there was a battle at Gath again, where there was a man of great height, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number. And he was born to the giant too. And when he insulted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him. These four were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant. And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him. These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
Once again there was war between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men and fought the Philistines, and David became exhausted.
What's more, the Philistines had war with Israel again. And David went down, and his servants with him, and fought the Philistines. And David went weak.
Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of the giants, carried a bronze spearhead weighing three hundred shekels and was armed with a new sword. He intended to kill David.
And Ishbi-Benob, who was of the sons of the giant, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was strapped with a new sword, thought he'd kill David.
And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's aid, struck the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, You are never coming out to battle with us again. We can't let the lamp of Israel be extinguished.
But Abishai son of Zeruiah helped him and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him: You won't go out with us to battle any more, so you don't put out the lamp of Israel.
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
Some time later another battle with the Philistines took place at Gob. There Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of the giants.
And after this there was a battle with the Philistines again at Gob. Then Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.
And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam.
And there was a battle in Gob with the Philistines again, where Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim, a Bethlehemite, killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam.
And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
There was another battle at Gath. A huge man there had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — twenty-four in all — and he too was descended from the giants.
And there was a battle at Gath again, where there was a man of great height, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number. And he was born to the giant too.
And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
When he defied Israel, Jonathan son of David's brother Shimeah killed him.
And when he insulted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him.
And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.
These four were descendants of the giants in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
These four were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.