שמואל ב, פרק כ״א, פסוק ה׳

The Gibeonites stand before King David, demanding justice for the severe persecution they endured under King Saul's rule. Their grievance goes far beyond past physical injuries; it addresses the lasting impact of a royal decree meant to erase them completely. The primary approach among commentators is that Saul's initial offense involved actual physical killing and forcing the Gibeonites out of their homeland [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד]. However, another perspective suggests that the damage was not necessarily the direct murder of the entire population. Instead, Saul stripped away their livelihood and food sources. This deprivation was effectively a death sentence that directly claimed the lives of seven of their men [אלשיך]. Since Saul is no longer alive, the Gibeonites now direct their demand for justice at his descendants [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Beyond the physical toll, the Gibeonites point to a second, even more severe layer of Saul's actions: his malicious intent. He actively plotted their absolute destruction [רש״י, מצודת ציון]. They argue that his underlying plans were worse than the actual deeds he managed to carry out. His ultimate goal was to uproot them entirely, ensuring they could not survive anywhere within the borders of Israel, which forced them to flee just to stay alive [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because the Gibeonites harbored no ill will themselves, God views Saul's evil plot as if it had fully come to pass. Consequently, the Gibeonites declare that they were, in practical terms, completely destroyed [אלשיך].

This demand for justice is not merely about settling a score from the past; it is a matter of future survival. The Gibeonites make it clear that they cannot simply forgive the persecution, because Saul's decree continues to threaten their current standing. Without a public act of justice, they remain vulnerable, viewed as easy targets. The Israelites would have no reason to stop harming them or to allow them back to their rightful properties. Therefore, their call for punishment serves as a necessary deterrent. It ensures that others will see the consequences and be afraid, ultimately guaranteeing the Gibeonites' safety and their right to exist in the land [מלבי״ם].