שמואל ב כ״א:א׳-ו׳

אל שאול. על עון שאול שנקבר פתאום בהחבא, שגנבוהו אנשי יבש גלעד וקברוהו, ולא נספד לפי כבודו:

On account of Shaul. On account of the sin regarding Shaul who was buried immediately and secretly as the men of Yovish Gilod stole his body and buried him. [Consequently] he was not eulogized with the respect due him.

ואל בית הדמים. שהרג נוב עיר הכהנים:

And his bloody House. Because he killed out Nov, the city of Kohanim.

על אשר המית את הגבעונים. כשהרג נוב עיר הכהנים, המית מהם שבעה, שני חוטבי עצים, ושני שואבי מים, ושמש וחזן וסופר, כך מפורש בגמרא ירושלמית בסנהדרין (יז) ורבותינו אמרו: מתוך שהרג את הכהנים שהיו מספיקין להם מזון, העלה עליו הכתוב כאלו המיתם. ואל תתמה שהרי היה הקב"ה תובע כבודו ותובע סרחונו, שכך כתוב (צפניה ב ג): אשר משפטו פעלו באשר משפטו, שם פעלו כך שנינו ביבמות (עח ב):

And because he killed the Givonim. When he killed out Nov, the city of Kohanim, he killed seven people from among them [the Givonim]. Two wood cutters, two water drawers, the sexton, the announcer and the scribe. This is what is explained in Yerushalmi Talmud, in Maseches Sanhedrin.¹Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 29a. [But] our Rabbis said,²Yevomos 78b. On account that he [Shaul] killed the Kohanim [of Nov] that provided food for them [the Givonim], consequently Scripture considers it as if he killed them [as well]. Do not wonder that God demanded retribution for the lack of respect given to him³i.e., the proper eulogy due him. and simultaneously demanded retribution for his sin,⁴of killing out Nov. because this what is what it is written, "Who has done His work,"⁵Tsafanyoh 2:3. when the person is being judged his good works [are remembered] this what we are taught in Maseches Yevomos.⁶Yevomos ibid, See Rashi there.

ויאמר אליהם. דברי ריצוי, שיעברו על מדותיהם וימחלו לשאול ולביתו:

And spoke to them. Words of appeasement [asking them] to put aside their feelings [of anger] and forgive Shaul and his household.

והגבעונים לא מבני ישראל המה. כלומר והן הראו בעצמם מדת אכזריות, שאינן מזרעו של אברהם אבינו, ואינן ראויין לידבק בישראל, ולכך גזר עליהם דוד שלא יבואו בקהל, אמר: שלשה סימנים יש באומה זו, רחמנים וביישנים וגומלי חסדים, מי שיש בו שלשה סימנים הללו, ראוי לידבק בו:

The Givonim were not part of the Bnei Yisroel. This is to say that they displayed how cruel they are, because they are not descendants of our forefather Avrohom. They have proven themselves unworthy to join with Yisroel and hence Dovid decreed that they not be permitted to marry into the Jewish community. He [Dovid] said, This nation [of Yisroel] has three characteristics, the people are merciful, they possess shame and perform kindful deeds for others. Whoever has these three characteristics is worthy of joining it [Yisroel].⁷They have shown themselves to be cruel and unmerciful and hence they do not deserve to join together with Yisroel. Yevomos 79a.

נשבעו להם. בימי יהושע כשנתנום חוטבי עצים ושואבי מים למזבח (יהושע ט טו):

Sworn to them [that they would let them live]. During the days of Yehoshua when he made woodcutters and water drawers for the Altar.⁸Yehoshua 9:27.

בקנאתו לבני ישראל. בתתו לב לנקות ולטהר את ישראל ולעשות צרכיהם, בקש להרגם וקנאה זו לטובה, כמו (במדבר יא כט:) המקנא אתה לי ; וכן (מלכים-ב י טז): בקנאתי לה' דיהוא זהו פשוטו. ולפי מדרשו, לא אמר להרוג אלא את הכהנים, וקנאה זו האמורה כאן, אינה לטובה כי אם לרעה, שידע שלא תמשוך מלכותו מיום שלא שמר מצות הקב"ה בעמלק, ומאז נתקנא בהם:

In his zeal to avenge the Bnei Yisroel. Because he [Shaul] intended to clean and purify Yisroel and to take care of their [Yisroel's] needs, he wanted to kill them. This anger was for a good purpose as we find "Are you zealous for my sake?"⁹Bamidbar 11:29. And we also find "by the zeal for God's sake" as was said of Yeihuh.¹⁰See Melochim I, 19:10. This is the simple explanation of our verse. [But] according to the Midrashic intepretation, he [Shaul] only ordered that the kohanim be killed. And the zeal described here was not for a good purpose but rather for a bad purpose because he [Shaul] knew that his kingdom would not continue further from the day that he did not heed God's commandment concerning Amoleik,¹¹Shmuel I, 15:9. and from that time on, he was angry [and persecuted] them.

וברכו את נחלת ה'. התפללו עליהם:

So that you should bless the heritage of Adonoy? Pray for them.

אין לנו כסף וזהב עם שאול. כי אם נפשות, ביקש לפייסם בממון, ולא רצו, אמר שמא הם מתביישין זה מזה, הלך ופייס כל אחד ואחד לעצמו, ולא נתפייסו, לכך כתיב: אין לי כסף וזהב וגו', לשון יחיד, זו ראיתי בירושלמי (סנהדרין ו ז):

We are not interested in silver or gold from Shaul. We are only interested in [retribution against] people. He [Dovid] wanted to appease them with money but they did not want [to accept it]. He [Dovid] said, "It may be that they are embarrassed of each other." [Therefore] he went and tried to appease each one individually [but] they [still] would not be appeased. That is why it is written here, "I am not interested in silver or gold etc" in singular form.¹²The verse is written with לִי in singular form, but is read with לָנוּ, plural form indicating that Dovid tried to appease them both collectively as a group and also on an individual basis. This I saw in the Yerushalmi Talmud.¹³Sanhedrin 29a.

ואין לנו איש להמית. בכל שאר בני ישראל, שלא חטאו לנו:

And we are interested in killing anyone. Among the rest of the Bnei Yisroel because they did not agrieve us.

ואשר דמה לנו נשמדנו. אשר אמר בלבו, שנשמדנו על ידו מהתיצב וגו', שחשב להשמידנו:

And intended to destroy us. He said in his heart that we should be destroyed [and prevented] by him "from establishing etc." He intended to destroy us.

דמה לנו. חשב עלינו להשמידנו:

Intended. He intended to destroy us.

והוקענום. תלייה:

We will hang them. Hanging.

לה'. לשמו של מקום, להודיע משפטו:

Before God. In the name of God, to publicize His edict.

בחיר ה'. בת קול יצאה ואמרה: בחיר ה' (ברכות יב ב):

The chosen one of God. A heavenly voice came forth and said, "The chosen one of God."¹⁴The Givonim who hated Shaul would be unlikely to call him, “the chosen one of God.”