Another Plot Against David

As a person gets older their body gradually stops functioning as it did when they were young.  As David approached seventy, his metabolism slowed downand his body produced less heat.  Since they didn’t have central heating or electric blankets, he got cold at night.  His wives were old also, and were probably barely able to keep themselves warm, so a young lady was found to care for him and keep him warm, in I Kings 1:1-4.  “Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.  Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.  So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.  And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.”  David was only interested in getting warm, and although the lady cared about him there was no sexual relationship between them.   

Two of David’s older sons had been killed, and seeing his father’s failing health, his fourth son, Adonijh decided he should be the next king and conspired to take usurp the throne, in I Kings 1:5-8.  “Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.  And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.  And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.  But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.”

 Two of his co conspirators were Joab, David’s general, and Abaithar the priest, both of whom had been faithful supporters of David in the past, but most of David’s supporters were not involved.  Adonijah held a big gathering at Enrogel where he he was to be declared king and they could plan their takeover if israel.  He deliberately did not invite those he though might oppose him in hopes of being able to take over before David realized what was happening, according to I Kings 1:9-10.  “And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants: But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.”

David was so focused on his physical problems he had neglected his office, and thus was unaware what was going on.  When Nathan learned about the plot, he enlisted Bathsheba and others to help him make David see the threat Adonijah posed, in I Kings 1:11-28.  “Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?  Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.  Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign? Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.  And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king.

And the king said, What wouldest thou?

And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.  And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.  And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.  Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.  And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?  For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.  But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.  Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

Nathan knew that David had told Bathsheba that Solomon was to be the next king.  He made a point of reminding David that if Adonijah became king, he would probably have Solomon and Bathsheba killed to remove any questions.  Though David’s health was failing, he was still sharp enough to understand what was happening and make plans to prevent the effort to unseat him, as I kings 1:28-3 informs us.  “Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.  And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.” 

David Sacrifices For The Sin Of The People

When David recognized the impact of his sin and asked God not to hurt the people any more, God directed him to build and altar and worship God and present offerings for his sin, and David obeyed.  The pleace where he built it belonged to one of the original inhabitants of the land who the Israeliteds had conquered.  Not holding any rancor against David for what had happened to his people, Araunah offered to donate the land and his own work animals and farming implements for the sacrifices, in II Samuel 24:18-23.  “And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.  And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.  And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant?

And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.   All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.”

David wanted to offer a sacrifice for his sin.   If he just offered what Araunah gave him, it would be Araunah making the sacrifice, not David.  He insisted on paying for those things so it would be his own sacrifice as II Samuel 24:24-25 tells us.  “And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.  And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”

 The primary cause of the epidemic had been the people’s sin and David’s lapse of faith was only the trigger, but God accepted David’s sacrifice for all the sin, ending the epidemic, just as he accepts Christ’s sacrifice for the sins of everyone who believes even though he was not the cause of the sin.   As I John 2:2 tells us, “…he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  He paid the price in full so no one else had to make the sacrifices.  Thanks to Christ’s sacrifice, we can receive eternal salvation freely. 

The Effects Of A “Minor Sin”

Throughout his reign, David had sought to follow God’s lawto the best of his ability.  Unfortunately, the people were not all as dedicated to the Lord as David, as is obvious from their having followed Saul when he was going against God, and as well as their readily turning to followIshbosheth, Absalon and Sheba.   Over the years, David’s pride had grown almost imperceptibly, and when the people continued to  turn away from the Lord, God used that pride to bring judgement on the people, as we see in II Samuel 24:1-2.  “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.  For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

Joab was not a spiritual man at all, having murdered at least three men, yet even he realized David’s motivation in taking the census was motivated by pride rather than any godly impulse, as II Samuel 24:3 tells us.  “And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?”  Knowing exactly how many people they had would serve no useful purpose unless they wer eplanning to invade some other country, and would cost a lot of unnecessary time and money. 

Even godly men can become focused on the wrong things, and David overruled Joab and all his advisors, with the result they took the census as commanded, in II Samuel 24:4-9.  “Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.  And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon, And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.  So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.  And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.”

When David saw the results and realized how much time and money he had wasted, he realized he had not been thinking about what was right, or about trusting God at all, but had been focusing on what he could do in his own power.  It was the same kind of sin many Christians today make, worrying about how big their retirement account is or how much insurance they have, rather than trusting to use what they have been able to save.  While we need to exercise good stewardship with what he gives us, we must not get to depending on our earthly things to save us. 

David did not fully realize what he had done until the prophet Gad told him what the consequences of his sin would be, in II Samuel 24:10-14.  “And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.  

For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.  So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.”

Given a choice as to which punishment he would prefer, David chose to allow the Lord to choose, knowing God was far more merciful than other people would be if they were allowed to invade Israel, as II Samuel 24:15 tells us.  “And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.  So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.”

God showed his mercy, stopping the epidemic before it affected Jerusalem, although seventy thousand people had already died.  David repented and took responsibility, asking that God not allow any others to be hurt by h is actions, in II Samuel 24:16-17,  “And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.”

Far too often we do not realize the impact even what we consider a minor sin has on the people around us.  David had understood the seriousness of his adultery and murder, but he only understood the seriousness of shifting his faith to hiwn power when he saw the effects on the people around him.  David’s heart was proken when he saw the effects of his sin. 

Expressing His Appreciation

At the end of his life, David looked back at how God had blessed him in spite of his failures and sinful nature and thanked the Lord for having had such a great life, and for the promises for the future, in II Samuel 23:1-5.  “Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.  And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.  Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.”

In his mercy and grace, God had promised an everlasting covenant with David’s family.   Even though they frequently were unfair and di not always obey God, he had honored their efforts to do what he said.  Those who refused to make such an effort could expect no such promises, as he stated in II Samuel 23:6-7.  “But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.”  Anyone who associated with the wicked would need to be constantly on guard against them, and eventually they face eternal destruction. 

One of the things that made David a great leader was his recognition of what it cost his people to follow and support him.  He went out of his way to avoid asking too much of them, and as a result they were willing to give everything they had for him, as we see in II Samuel 23:13-17.  “And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.  And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.  And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.”

David had just said he would like a drink from the well in Bethlehem and three of his most highly skilled special forces went to get it for him, risking their very lives to get him a drink.  David realized what they had risked, and refused to drink it just to satisfy his own desires, instead pouring it out as an offering to the Lord.  He realized he did not have the right to risk men’s lives just to satisfy a whim, although he appreciated their willingness.

Contented Or Complaining?

Throughout his reign, Saul had constantly sought to control everything, and was constantly unhappy and afraid someone would take his power.  Eventually that constant fear and unhappiness drove him crazy, resulting in an evil spirit controlling his thinking.  David had had it much harder than Saul, but he constantly gave God thanks for blessing him, and asked God what he wanted him to do.  As a result, David had a very satisfactory reign, and is remembered as one of Israel’s greatest kings. 

The book of Psalms, or songs of praise records many of David’s expressions of thankfulness.  II Samuel 22:1-51 records another.  “And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.   I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.  He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.  And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.  And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.  Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.  The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.  And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.  And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.  They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.  He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.  The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.  For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.  For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.  I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.  Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.

With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright.  With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavoury.  And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.  For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.  For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.  For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?  God is my strength and power: And he maketh my way perfect.  He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.  He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.  Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.  I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.  And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.  For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.  Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.  They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.  Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad. Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.  Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.  Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.

The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.  It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.  Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.  He is the tower of salvation for his king: and showeth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

Like many people in churches today, Saul spent his entire life trying to earn God’s favor so he would bless him with what he wanted, and was never happy.  David David just trusted the Lord to do what was right, and followed his commands, and as a result, he was able to face far worse problems than Saul had ever faced with confidence and enjoy far greater peace and satisfaction.  The difference between a blessed life and a miserable one is our attitude, as Proverbs 15:15 points out.  “All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.”  If we are focused on the problems, we seldom see the blessings through the problems, but if we are focused on the blessings, the problems fade into the background.  

Learning to Step Aside and Let Others Take Responsibility

Some people refuse to learn or to get along with others.  The Philistines had been soundly defeated repeatedly, but every time they recovered from the beating, they tried again.  As David aged, they hoped they would be able to defeat him and the Israelites more easily.  Although David could no longer do as much as he had in his youth, God enabled other men to step up and do great things as well, as we see in II Samuel 21:15-17.  “Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.   And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.”

Other men stepped up to take responsibility, realizing that effect David’s death would have on the nation.  They insisted David focus on governing and allow them to do the physical fighting, just as it was necessary for David to allow other men to lead the battles and do the physical fighting.  It is crucial for the pastor of a church to allow others to take responsibility and step out on thir own if the church is to survive.   Like the Phillistines, Satan mever stops trying to take over.  No matter how completely the present pastor may have defeated Satan, he will attack again when he gets a chance, and there needs to be somebody prepared to stand against him.  Exercising too much control prevents the development of potential leaders, and will eventually leave the church susceptible. 

When the Philistines attacked again, there were other men prepared to defeat their giants just as David had defeated Goliath years before, as II Samuel 21:18-32 demonstrates.  “And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.  And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.  And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.  And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.  These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.”

We need to realize it is God’s church and people and that its survival is not dependent on the pastor.  God is able to empower and guide other men to do what is needed.  When we don’t allow them to exercise their faith and allow God to lead them, we set them up to fail and the church to collapse. 

Dealing With The Effects Of Someone Else’s Sin

In Joshua 9, Israel had made a treaty with the people of Gibeon.  Five hundred years later, Saul had attacked Gibeon, apparently in an effort to purge Israel of foreign groups, violating the treaty and promises Israel had made.  The attasck had been forgotten until God brought attention back to it, in II Samuel 21:1.  “Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.”

After three years of insufficient rainfall, Israel was starting to suffer, and David prayed asking God why they were experiencing theis.  God said it was because of Saul’s murdering the Gibeonites.  David immediately sought how he could make things right, in II Samuel 21:2-6a.  “And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)  Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?

And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel.

 And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.

And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel, Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose…”

The Gibeonites were not trying to get rich or take advantage of innocent people, but wanted punishment for those who had committed the crime.  Sine Saul was already dead, they only asked that his family suffer a little of what they had suffered. 

God does not forget what people have done.  Sometimes he allows things to go for years before they have to face the consequences of their actions.  In this case, Saul was already dead, but God held the entire nation accountable for having not dealt with the murders as commanded in Numbers 35:30.  “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.   Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.  And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.  So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.  Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.” 

By letting Saul get by with murder, the entire nation was affected.  The Gibbeonites asked that seven of Saul’s descendants be executed as judgement on him.  David readily agreed, in order to Placate God, in II Samuel 21:6b-9.  “…And the king said, I will give them.   But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.  But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.”

Michal, David’s wife had developed a disrespect for David that had destroyed their relationship, even though they remained together.  She had raised some of Saul’s relatives as her own children, and David sent those five boys, as well as two of Saul’s sons by a concubine to be executed by the Gibeonites and satisfy their demands for justice.  It is hard to realize how bitter things can become in an unhappy marriage.   Because of his promise, Mephibosheth was spared. 

The mother of the other two boys, mourned their deaths, going out of her way to protect their bodies.  When David learned of her grief, he took pains to make sure not only they but Saul and Jonathan were properly buried in their family’s burial plot, as II Samuel 21:10-14.  “And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.  And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.  And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.  And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.”

God was mollified by the efforts to give the Gibeonites Justice, and caused the famine to end, and the burial of her husband and her sons helped to alleviate Rizpah’s grief, but probably did nothing to lessen the tensions between David and Michal.