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The Gibeonites Punish Saul’s Family

21 During the time David was king, there was a ·shortage of food [famine] that lasted for three years. So David ·prayed to [inquired of; consulted; L sought the face/presence of] the Lord.

The Lord answered, “Saul and his ·family of murderers [L bloody house] are the reason for this shortage, because he ·killed [murdered] the Gibeonites.” (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites; they were ·a group of Amorites who were left alive [L the remnant of the Amorites]. The Israelites had ·promised [sworn; vowed; Josh. 9:14–15] not to hurt the Gibeonites, but Saul had tried to ·kill [annihilate; exterminate] them, because ·he was eager to help [of his zeal for] the people of Israel and Judah.)

King David called the Gibeonites together and spoke to them.

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The Gibeonites Avenged

21 During the reign of David, there was a famine(A) for three successive years; so David sought(B) the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

The king summoned the Gibeonites(C) and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.)

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