David Makes Things Right for the People of Gibeon
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 seven and a half pounds. 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.
Agibiyoni Abwezera
1Pa nthawi ya ulamuliro wa Davide kunali njala kwa zaka zitatu zotsatana. Kotero Davide anapemphera kwa Yehova. Yehova anati, “Izi zachitika chifukwa chakuti Sauli ndi banja lake akanali ndi mlandu wakupha Agibiyoni.”
2Mfumu inayitanitsa Agibiyoni ndipo inayankhula nawo. (Tsono Agibiyoni sanali Aisraeli, koma otsala mwa Aamori. Aisraeli analumbira kuwasiya ndi moyo, koma Sauli chifukwa cha chikondi cha pa Israeli ndi Yuda, anafuna kuwawonongeratu). 3Davide anafunsa Agibiyoni kuti, “Kodi ine ndikuchitireni chiyani? Ndipepese bwanji kuti inu mudalitse cholowa cha Yehova?”
4Agibiyoni anamuyankha kuti, “Ife tilibe ufulu woti nʼkulamula Sauli ndi banja lake kuti atipatse siliva kapena golide, tilibenso ufulu woti nʼkupha wina aliyense mu Israeli.”
Davide anafunsa, “Mukufuna ine ndikuchitireni chiyani?”
5Iwo anayankha mfumu kuti, “Tsono za munthu amene anatiwononga ndi kukonza chiwembu choti titheretu ndi kukhala wopanda malo mu Israeli, 6mutipatse adzukulu ake aamuna asanu ndi awiri kuti tiwaphe ndi kuwapereka pamaso pa Yehova ku Gibeya wa Sauli, wosankhidwa wa Yehova.”
Choncho mfumu inati, “Ine ndidzakupatsani.”
7Koma mfumu inasunga Mefiboseti mwana wa Yonatani, mwana wa Sauli, chifukwa cha kulumbira kumene mfumu Davide ndi Yonatani mwana wa Sauli anachita pamaso pa Yehova. 8Ndipo mfumu inatenga Arimoni ndi Mefiboseti, ana aamuna awiri a Rizipa, mwana wamkazi wa Ayiwa, amene anaberekera Sauli pamodzi ndi ana asanu a Merabi mwana wamkazi wa Sauli, amene anabereka Adirieli mwana wa Barizilai Mmeholati. 9Iye anawapereka kwa anthu a ku Gibiyoni, amene anawapha nawayika pa phiri la Yehova. Onse asanu ndi awiri anafera limodzi. Iwo anaphedwa masiku oyamba kukolola barele.
10Rizipa mwana wamkazi wa Ayiwa anatenga chiguduli ndi kudziyalira pa mwala (pamene panali mitemboyo). Kuyambira nthawi yoyamba kukolola mpaka pamene mvula inayambanso kugwa, iye sanalole kuti mbalame zikhudze mitemboyo masana kapena nyama zakuthengo usiku. 11Davide atawuzidwa zimene Rizipa mwana wamkazi wa Ayiwa, mzikazi wa Sauli anachita, 12anapita kukatenga mafupa a Sauli ndi mwana wake Yonatani kwa anthu a ku Yabesi Giliyadi (iwo anawatenga mwamseri kuchoka pabwalo la ku Beti-Sani, kumene Afilisti anawapachika atapha Sauli ku Gilibowa). 13Davide anakatenga mafupa a Sauli ndi mwana wake Yonatani kumeneko ndiponso mafupa otayidwa a amene anaphedwa nawasonkhanitsa pamodzi.
14Iwo anayika mafupa a Sauli ndi mwana wake Yonatani mʼmanda a Kisi abambo ake a Sauli ku Zera mʼdziko la Benjamini, ndipo anachita zonse zimene mfumu inalamula. Atachita zimenezi, Mulungu anayankha pemphero lopempherera dzikolo.
Nkhondo ndi Afilisti
15Nthawi inanso panali nkhondo pakati pa Afilisti ndi Aisraeli, Davide anapita ndi ankhondo ake kukamenyana ndi Afilisti ndipo iye anatopa kwambiri. 16Ndipo Isibi-Benobi, mmodzi mwa zidzukulu za Rafa, amene mkondo wake unkalemera makilogalamu atatu ndi theka ndipo analinso ndi lupanga latsopano, anati adzapha Davide. 17Koma Abisai mwana wa Zeruya anabwera kudzapulumutsa Davide. Iye anamukantha Mfilisitiyo ndi kumupha. Pamenepo asilikali a Davide analumbira kwa iye kuti, “Inu simudzapita nafenso ku nkhondo, kuti nyale ya Israeli isadzazimitsidwe.”
18Patapita nthawi, panali nkhondo ina ndi Afilisti ku Gobu. Pa nthawi imeneyo Sibekai Mhusati anapha Safu, mmodzi mwa zidzukulu za Arefai.
19Pa nkhondo inanso ndi Afilisti ku Gobu, Elihanani mwana wa Yaare-Oregimu wa ku Betelehemu anapha Goliati Mgiti, amene anali ndi mkondo ngati ndodo yowombera nsalu.
20Pa nkhondo inanso imene inachitika ku Gati panali munthu wina wamtali kwambiri wa zala zisanu ndi chimodzi mʼmanja ndi mʼmapazi ndipo zonse pamodzi zinalipo 24. Iyenso anali chidzukulu cha Rafa. 21Pamene iye ankanyoza Aisraeli, Yonatani mwana wa Simea, mʼbale wake wa Davide anamupha.
22Anthu anayi amenewa anali zidzukulu za Rafa ku Gati, ndipo onse anaphedwa ndi Davide ndi ankhondo ake.
