Episode 129: Seven of Saul's sons are hung up before the Lord

2 Samuel 21-22

21 ¹ There was a famine in David's kingdom for three years. When David asked God why, God said, "It’s because Saul slew the Gibeonites."

³ So David asked the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you to make atonement?"

⁶ The Gibeonites said, "Give us seven of Saul's sons, and we'll hang them up to the Lord."

⁸ So David gave two of Saul's sons and five of his grandsons to the Gibeonites.

⁹ And the Gibeonites hanged them on the hill before the Lord.

¹⁰ Rizpah, the mother Saul's two sons who were hanged, chased the flesh-eating birds and the beasts away from her sons' bodies as they hung before the Lord.

¹³ David gathered and buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan, and the bones of the Saul's sons and grandsons that were hung before the Lord.

¹⁴ After that God stopped starving people with the famine.

More wars and giant killing

¹⁵ Israel and the Philistines had another war. David went along, but he was just too tired to fight.

¹⁶ Meanwhile, Ishbibenob, who was the son of a giant, had a spear that weighed 300 shekels and planned to kill David with his new sword. ¹⁷ But Abishai killed Ishbibenob.

¹⁸ Then there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. But Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was also a son of a giant.

¹⁹ And then there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. In this battle, Elhanan killed [the brother of] Goliath.

²⁰ There was another battle in Gath, where a man of great stature was killed. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot and was also a son of a giant.

²² All four of these sons of the giant were killed by David and/or his men.

David’s song to God

22 ⁸ When God gets angry, the earth shakes and the foundation of heaven moves.

⁹ Smoke comes out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth.

¹⁰ God split the heavens and came down, with darkness under his feet.

¹¹ He rode on a cherub, and flew.

¹⁴ God thundered from heaven and the most High uttered his voice.

¹⁵ He shot out arrows and lightning, and he discomfited them.

¹⁶ The foundations of the world were discovered from a blast of his nostrils.

²¹ God rewarded me for my righteousness and clean hands.

²² I obeyed God in everything I ever did. I am completely clean in God's eyesight.

³⁵ God teaches my hands to war.

³⁸ God has helped me wound and kill my enemies.

³⁹ They have all fallen under my feet.