שמואל ב כ״א:ו׳-י״ד

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.”

ויחמל המלך. בקש רחמים שלא יקלטנו הארון, שהעבירם לפני הארון, כל שהארון קולטו, למיתה (יבמות עט א):

The king had pity. He prayed for pity on Mephivoshes that the Ark should not detain him; because Dovid had them [Shaul's children] pass before the Ark, whomever the Ark detained, was put to death.¹⁵i.e., was handed over to the Givonim who subsequently put them to death. Yevomos 79a.

בני מיכל בת שאול אשר ילדה לעדריאל. וכי מיכל ילדה, והלא מירב ילדה לו, אלא מירב ילדה, ומיכל גדלה, לפיכך נקרא על שמה, והמגדל יתום ויתומה בתוך ביתו, כאלו ילדו ונקרא על שמו (סנהדרין יט ב):

Sons of Michal, the daughter of Shaul who had bore them to Adriel. Did Michal give birth [to these children]? It was Meirav who bore [those children] to [Adriel]. [The explanation is] that Meirav gave birth [to them] and Michal¹⁶Meirav’s sister. raised them, that is why they are called by her name because someone who raises male and female orphans in their house it is considered as if that person gave birth [to the child] and [the child] is called by his name.¹⁷Sanhedrin 19a.

בתחלת קציר. בימי ניסן:

At the beginning of the harvest. During the days of Nisson.

עד נתך מים. בימות הגשמים בתשרי, שלא נתנו לקבורה והלא כתיב (דברים כא כג): לא תלין נבלתו, אלא אמרו מוטב תיעקר אות אחת מן התורה, ויתקדש שם שמים בפרהסיא, שהיו עוברין ושבין אומרים: מה טיבן של אלו, אומרים להם: מבני מלכים הם, ומה עשו, פשטו ידם בגרים גרורים, אומרים: אין לך אומה ראויה לידבק בה כאומה זו (יבמות עט א):

Until the rains fell on them. During the rainy season in Tishri. Their bones were not removed for burial. But is it not written, "His body should not remain [hanging] overnight"¹⁸Devorim 21:22. Why did Dovid let this happen?? However they reasoned that it is better that one of the letters of the Torah be uprooted in order that God's Name be publicly sanctified. Passersby would ask "Why have these people come to this fate?" They were told [in response], "They are royal sons." "What did they do [wrong]?" "They assaulted downtrodden foreigners." [The passersby] would say, "There is no people better to associate with then this people."¹⁹Yevomos 79a.

ויקח את עצמות שאול. שנאמר לו עליהם 'אל שאול', שלא נספד כהלכה:

He took Shaul's bones. He [Dovid] was told concerning them, "Because of Shaul"²⁰Earlier in 21:1. who was not eulogized according to halachah.

ויאספו את עצמות. שבעה המוקעין:

They gathered the bones. Of the seven people that were hung there.²¹In verse 9.

כל אשר צוה המלך. להספיד עליהם בכל ערי ישראל:

Everything that the king had commanded. To eulogize them in all of the cities of Yisroel.