Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

There was a famine in David's days that lasted for three years. He sought God's face for relief, but the Lord said it was because of Saul's bloodguilty household, which had slaughtered the Gibeonites when they were not part of the children of Israel but descendants of the Amorites who had been sworn to be protected.

The king called the Gibeonites and asked them what he could do to make amends. They told him that they did not want any silver or gold from Saul's household, nor should anyone in Israel be killed on their account. David agreed to their terms. The Gibeonites said they wanted seven of Saul's sons to be handed over to them so they could hang them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom God had chosen. The king agreed and gave them Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah, as well as the five sons of Michal from Saul.

David delivered these seven men into the hands of the Gibeonites, who hanged them on a hill overlooking the Lord's presence. As they died during the early days of the barley harvest, Rizpah, Saul's concubine and Aiah's daughter, spread sackcloth on a rock to protect their remains from birds and beasts.

David was informed about what Rizpah had done and went to retrieve the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. The men of Jabesh-gilead had secretly taken them from Beth-shan, where they had been hanged by the Philistines when Saul was killed in Gilboa. David buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan along with those of their companions in Zela, in Benjamin's country, following a command from the king.

After this, the Philistines went to war against Israel again, and David went down to fight them with his servants. However, he grew tired and weak. Ishbibenob, a giant of great stature, thought to kill him with his spear and new sword. But Abishai, David's nephew, came to his aid, striking down the Philistine and killing him.

The men then took an oath that David would no longer go out to battle with them, lest he put himself in harm's way. There was another battle at Gob where Sibbechai killed a member of the giant family. In yet another battle at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim from Bethlehem killed the brother of Goliath, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam.

Another battle took place in Gath against a man with extraordinary physical stature, born to the giant and having six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. Jonathan, son of Shimeah and David's cousin, killed him. The four sons of the giant were born in Gath and ultimately fell at the hands of David and his servants.