1For three years in a row there wasn’t enough food in the land. That was while David was king. So David asked the LORD why he wasn’t blessing his people. The LORD said, ‘It is because Saul and his family committed murder. He put the people of Gibeon to death.’2The people of Gibeon weren’t a part of Israel. Instead, they were some of the Amorites who were still left alive. The Israelites had promised to spare them. But Saul had tried to put an end to them. That’s because he wanted to make Israel and Judah strong. So now King David sent for the people of Gibeon and spoke to them.3He asked them, ‘What would you like me to do for you? How can I make up for the wrong things that were done to you? I want you to be able to pray that the LORD will once again bless his land.’4The people of Gibeon answered him. They said, ‘No amount of silver or gold can make up for what Saul and his family did to us. And we can’t put anyone in Israel to death.’ ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ David asked.5They answered the king, ‘Saul nearly destroyed us. He made plans to wipe us out. We don’t have anywhere to live in Israel.6So let seven of the males in his family line be given to us. We’ll kill them. We’ll put their dead bodies out in the open in the sight of the LORD. We’ll do it at Gibeah of Saul. Saul was the LORD’s chosen king.’ So King David said, ‘I’ll give seven males to you.’7The king spared Mephibosheth. He was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. David had made a promise in front of the LORD. He had promised to be kind to Jonathan and the family line of his father Saul.8But the king chose Armoni and another Mephibosheth. They were the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah. Saul was their father. The king also chose the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab. Adriel, the son of Barzillai, was their father. Adriel was from Meholah.9King David handed them over to the people of Gibeon. They killed them. They put their dead bodies out in the open on a hill in the sight of the LORD. All seven of them died together. They were put to death during the first days of the harvest. It happened just when people were beginning to harvest the barley.10Aiah’s daughter Rizpah took some rough cloth people wear when they’re sad. She spread it out for herself on a rock. She stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until it rained. The rain poured down from the sky on the dead bodies of the seven males. She didn’t let the birds touch them by day. She didn’t let the wild animals touch them at night.11Someone told David what Rizpah had done. She was Aiah’s daughter and Saul’s concubine.12David went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. He got them from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. They had stolen their bodies from the main street in Beth Shan. That’s where the Philistines had hung their bodies up on the city wall. They had done it after they struck Saul down on Mount Gilboa.13David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from Jabesh Gilead. The bones of the seven males who had been killed and put out in the open were also gathered up.14The bones of Saul and his son Jonathan were buried in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. The tomb was at Zela in the territory of Benjamin. Everything the king commanded was done. After that, God answered prayer and blessed the land.
Wars against the Philistines
15Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines. He became very tired.16Ishbi-Benob belonged to the family line of Rapha. The tip of his bronze spear weighed 3.5 kilograms. He was also armed with a new sword. He said he would kill David.17But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to save David. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men made a promise. They said to David, ‘We never want you to go out with us to battle again. You are the lamp of Israel’s kingdom. We want that lamp to keep on burning brightly.’18There was another battle against the Philistines. It took place at Gob. At that time Sibbekai killed Saph. Sibbekai was a Hushathite. Saph was from the family line of Rapha.19In another battle against the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan killed Goliath’s brother. Elhanan was the son of Jair from Bethlehem. Goliath was from the city of Gath. His spear was as big as a weaver’s rod.20There was still another battle. It took place at Gath. A huge man lived there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. So the total number of his toes and fingers was 24. He was also from the family of Rapha.21He made fun of Israel. So Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of David’s brother Shimeah.22Those four Philistine men lived in Gath. They were from the family line of Rapha. David and his men killed them.
1В Давидовите дни настана глад за три години подред. Когато Давид се допита до ГОСПОДА за причината, ГОСПОД му каза: Поради Саул е и поради кръвожадния му дом, когато изби гаваонците.2Тогава царят повика гаваонците. (А гаваонците не бяха от израилтяните, но от останалите аморейци. Израилците бяха им се заклели да ги оставят да живеят, а Саул от ревност към израилтяните и юдеите беше поискал да ги избие.) (Jos 9:3; Jos 9:15)3И така, Давид каза на гаваонците: Какво да ви сторя и с какво да извърша умилостивение, за да благословите ГОСПОДНЕТО наследство? (2Sa 20:19)4А гаваонците му отвърнаха: Не е въпрос за сребро или злато между нас и Саул или неговия дом, нито е наша работа да убием човек в Израил. И той каза: Каквото кажете, ще направя за вас.5Тогава те казаха на царя: От синовете на човека, който ни е погубвал, който е изхитрувал против нас с цел да бъдем изтребени, така че да не оставаме в никои от Израилевите предели,6от тях нека ни бъдат дадени седем човека и ще ги обесим пред ГОСПОДА в Гавая, града на Саул, ГОСПОДНИЯ избраник. И царят отвърна: Ще ги предам. (1Sa 10:24; 1Sa 10:26; 1Sa 11:4)7Обаче царят пожали Мемфивостей, син на Йонатан, Сауловия син, поради ГОСПОДНЯТА клетва помежду им, между Давид и Йонатан, Сауловия син. (1Sa 18:3; 1Sa 20:8; 1Sa 20:15; 1Sa 20:42; 1Sa 23:18)8Но царят взе Армоний и Мемфивостей, двамата сина на Ресфа, дъщеря на Айя, които тя беше родила на Саул, и петимата сина на Михала, Сауловата дъщеря, които тя беше родила на Адриил, син на меолатянина Верзелай, (2Sa 3:7)9и ги предаде в ръцете на гаваонците. И те ги обесиха на хълма пред ГОСПОДА. И седмината паднаха заедно, като бяха умъртвени в първите дни на жътвата, в началото на жътвата на ечемика. (2Sa 6:17)10Тогава Ресфа, дъщеря на Айя, взе вретище, постла го на канарата и от началото на жътвата, докато падна на телата дъжд от небето, не оставяше летящите птици да се допрат до тях денем, нито полските зверове нощем. (De 21:23; 2Sa 3:7; 2Sa 21:8)11И съобщиха на Давид онова, което стори Ресфа, дъщеря на Айя, Сауловата наложница.12Тогава Давид отиде, взе костите на Саул и на сина му Йонатан от мъжете на Явис-галаад, които ги бяха грабнали от улицата на Ветасан, където ги бяха обесили филистимците в деня, когато филистимците убиха Саул в Гелвуе, (1Sa 31:10; 1Sa 31:11)13и изнесе оттам костите на Саул и на сина му Йонатан. Събраха и костите на обесените.14И погребаха костите на Саул и на сина му Йонатан в Сила, във Вениаминовата земя, в гроба на баща му Кис; и изпълниха всичко, което заповяда царят. След това Бог се умилостиви към земята. (Jos 7:26; Jos 18:28; 2Sa 24:25)
Победи над филистимците
15А филистимците пак воюваха против Израил. Давид и слугите му слязоха и се биха против филистимците; и Давид се умори.16А Исви-венов, който беше от синовете на исполина, чието копие тежеше триста медни сикъла и който беше препасан с нов меч, се надяваше да убие Давид.17Обаче Ависей, Саруиният син, му помогна, порази филистимеца и го уби. Тогава Давидовите мъже му се заклеха: Ти няма вече да излезеш с нас на бой, да не би да изгасиш светилото на Израил. (2Sa 18:3; 1Ki 11:36; 1Ki 15:4; Ps 132:17)18След това пак избухна война с филистимците в Гов, където хусатецът Сивехай уби Сафа, който беше от синовете на исполина. (1Ch 11:29; 1Ch 20:4)19И пак избухна война с филистимците в Гов. Тогава Елханин, син на витлеемеца Яреорегим, уби брата на гетеца Голиат, на чието копие дръжката беше като кросно на тъкач. (1Ch 20:5)20Отново избухна война в Гет, където имаше един висок и снажен мъж, с по шест пръста на ръцете и на краката си, двадесет и четири на брой. Също и той се беше родил на исполина. (1Ch 20:6)21А когато хвърли презрение върху Израил, Йонатан, син на Давидовия брат Самай, го уби. (1Sa 16:9)22Тези четиримата се бяха родили на исполина в Гет. И всичките паднаха чрез ръката на Давид и на слугите му. (1Ch 20:8)