2 Samuel 21

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 During David's reign there was a famine for three successive years. David had recourse to the LORD, who said, "There is bloodguilt on Saul and his family because he put the Gibeonites to death."	1 In the days of David there was a famine which lasted for three years on end. David consulted Yahweh,and Yahweh said, 'Saul and his family have incurred blood-guilt, by putting the Gibeonites to death.'
2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but survivors of the Amorites; and although the Israelites had given them their oath, Saul had attempted to kill them off in his zeal for the men of Israel and Judah.)	2 Then the king summoned the Gibeonites and said-now, the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but were aremnant of the Amorites, to whom the Israelites had bound themselves by oath; Saul, however, in his zeal for theIsraelites and for Judah, had done his best to exterminate them -- hence David said to the Gibeonites,
3 David said to the Gibeonites, "What must I do for you and how must I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"	3 'What can I do for you? How can I make amends, so that you wil cal a blessing down on Yahweh'sheritage?'
4 The Gibeonites answered him, "We have no claim against Saul and his house for silver or gold, nor is it our place to put any man to death in Israel." Then he said, "I will do for you whatever you propose."	4 The Gibeonites replied, 'Our quarrel with Saul and his family cannot be settled for silver or gold, nor byputting to death one man in Israel.' David said, 'Say what you want and I wil do it for you.'
5 They said to the king, "As for the man who was exterminating us and who intended to destroy us that we might have no place in all the territory of Israel,	5 Then they replied to the king, 'The man who dismembered us and planned to annihilate us, so that weshould not exist anywhere in Israelite territory-
6 let seven men from among his descendants be given to us, that we may dismember them before the LORD in Gibeon, on the LORD'S mountain." The king replied, "I will give them up."	6 we want seven of his descendants handed over to us; and we shal dismember them before Yahwehat Gibeon on Yahweh's hill.' 'I shal hand them over,' said the king.
7 The king, however, spared Meribbaal, son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that formed a bond between David and Saul's son Jonathan.	7 The king, however, spared Meribbaal son of Jonathan, son of Saul, on account of the oath by Yahwehbinding them together, binding David and Jonathan son of Saul.
8 But the king took Armoni and Meribbaal, the two sons that Aiah's daughter Rizpah had borne to Saul, and the five sons of Saul's daughter Merob that she had borne to Adriel, son of Barzillai the Meholathite,	8 The king took the two sons born to Saul by Rizpah daughter of Aiah: Armoni and Meribbaal; and thefive sons borne by Merab daughter of Saul to Adriel son of Barzil ai, of Meholah.
9 and surrendered them to the Gibeonites. They then dismembered them on the mountain before the LORD. The seven fell at the one time; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest--that is, at the beginning of the barley harvest.	9 He handed these over to the Gibeonites who dismembered them before Yahweh on the hil . Theseven of them perished together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of thebarley harvest.
10 Then Rizpah, Aiah's daughter, took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest until rain came down on them from the sky, fending off the birds of the sky from settling on them by day, and the wild animals by night.	10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah, wearing sacking and spreading some out for herself on the rock, from thebeginning of the barley harvest until the rain fel on them from heaven, kept the birds of the sky away from themin the daytime, and the wild animals away at night.
11 When David was informed of what Rizpah, Aiah's daughter, the concubine of Saul, had done,	11 David was told of what Saul's concubine, Rizpah daughter of Aiah, had done.
12 he went and obtained the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh-gilead, who had carried them off secretly from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them at the time they killed Saul on Gilboa.	12 David went and recovered the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the notables of Jabesh inGilead. The latter had stolen them from the square in Beth-Shean, where the Philistines had hung them, whenthe Philistines had defeated Saul at Gilboa.
13 When he had brought up from there the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan, the bones of those who had been dismembered were also gathered up.	13 David fetched the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. The bones of the men who had beendismembered were col ected
14 Then the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan were buried in the tomb of his father Kish at Zela in the territory of Benjamin. After all that the king commanded had been carried out, God granted relief to the land.	14 and these, with the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan, were buried in the territory of Benjamin, atZela, in the tomb of Saul's father, Kish. The king's orders were carried out to the letter and after that, God tookpity on the country.
15 There was another battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his servants and fought the Philistines, but David grew tired.	15 Once again the Philistines made war on Israel. David went down with his retainers; they fought thePhilistines and David began to tire.
16 Dadu, one of the Rephaim, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels, was about to take him captive. Dadu was girt with a new sword and planned to kill David,	16 There was a champion, one of the sons of Rapha. His spear weighed three hundred shekels ofbronze; he was wearing a new sword and was confident of kil ing David.
17 but Abishai, son of Zeruiah, came to his assistance and struck and killed the Philistine. Then David's men swore to him, "You must not go out to battle with us again, lest you quench the lamp of Israel."	17 Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his rescue, however, attacking the Philistine and kil ing him. Then itwas that David's men swore the fol owing oath to him, 'You are never to go into battle with us again, in case youshould extinguish the lamp of Israel!'
18 After this there was another battle with the Philistines in Gob. On that occasion Sibbecai, from Husha, killed Saph, one of the Rephaim.	18 After this, war with the Philistines broke out again at Gob. This was when Sibbecai of Hushah kil edSaph, one of the sons of Rapha.
19 There was another battle with the Philistines in Gob, in which Elhanan, son of Jair from Bethlehem, killed Goliath of Gath, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's heddle-bar.	19 Again, war with the Philistines broke out at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jair, of Bethlehem, kil ed Goliathof Gath, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
20 There was another battle at Gath in which there was a man of large stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot--twenty-four in all. He too was one of the Rephaim.	20 There was further warfare at Gath, where there was a man of huge stature with six fingers on eachhand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in al . He too was a son of Rapha.
21 And when he insulted Israel, Jonathan, son of David's brother Shimei, killed him.	21 When he defied Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, brother of David cut him down.
22 These four were Rephaim in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his servants.	22 These four were sons of Rapha in Gath and fel at the hands of David and his retainers.