1 And there was a scarcity of food in the days of Dawiḏ for three years, year after year. And Dawiḏ sought the face of יהוה, and יהוה answered, “Because of Sha’ul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Giḇ‛onites.”
2 The sovereign therefore called the Giḇ‛onites and spoke to them. Now the Giḇ‛onites were not of the children of Yisra’ĕl, but of the remnant of the Amorites. And the children of Yisra’ĕl had sworn protection to them, but Sha’ul had sought to kill them in his ardour for the children of Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah.
3 So Dawiḏ said to the Giḇ‛onites, “What should I do for you? And with what do I make atonement, so that you bless the inheritance of יהוה?”
4 And the Giḇ‛onites said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Sha’ul, or his house, neither is it for us to put to death any man in Yisra’ĕl.” And he said, “Whatever you say I do for you.”
5 And they said to the sovereign, “The man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in all the border of Yisra’ĕl,
6 let seven men of his sons be given to us, and we shall hang them before יהוה in Giḇ‛ah of Sha’ul, whom יהוה chose.” And the sovereign said, “I give them.”