23 Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was secretary; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.
1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the LORD?” 4 The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “What do you say that I shall do for you?” 5 They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel, 6 let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.”
Comment: The end of the last chapter lists real people who held important positions in Israel at this time. They tie the story into history. Something is going on in the country and they, when turning to God presumably in prayer, find out what the problem is. Saul had broken a covenant and killed the Gibeonites. David humbly goes to them and asks forgiveness. They surprisingly but very reasonably say death must be paid for by death. It was Saul who had the covenant broken so the payment will be seven of Saul’s sons (?male descendants). David agreed! Was this justice? The Gibeonites could have asked for much more – so I think that this was justice not revenge.
Prayer: Thank You that You care for all people. Maybe the Jews are Your chosen people but thank You that You act justly to all.
As I read it! 