perpetual bondage
so they might escape the doom of their neighbors.

Years passed on, and vicissitudes came to the Israelites of one kind and
another. Sometimes they were victorious in their battles and peaceful
among themselves; and again they fled before enemies or were embroiled
in civil dissensions. Ever, above, caring for them, and bringing them
safely on through all; instructing, guiding and disciplining, sat on
his throne, their mighty invisible King. They demanded an earthly
monarch, and in judgment he granted their desire. _In judgment_, and
miserable in many ways were the results of his reign. Among his other
evil acts not recorded, but alluded to in the history, was one of cruel
treachery to the Gibeonites. "It would seem that Saul viewed their
possessions with a covetous eye, as affording him the means of rewarding
his adherents, and of enriching his family, and hence, on some pretense
or other, or without any pretense, he slew large numbers of them, and
doubtless seized their possessions." In this wicked deed we gather that
many of the Israelites, and the members of Saul's family in particular,
had an active share, and were benefited by the spoils. The Almighty
beheld and took cognisance, but no immediate retribution followed.
Towards the close of David's reign, however, for some unknown reason,
the whole land was visited with a famine. Month after month it stalked
abroad, and year after year, until three years of want had afflicted the
chosen people. At the end of that time David, having resorted to all
possible means of providing food in vain, began to reflect that there
was meaning in the visitation, and "sought the face of the Lord," to
inquire why he was displeased with his people. The answer was explicit
and terrible. "It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he slew the
Gibeonites." Though men forget, the Lord does not. He will plead the
cause of the oppressed sooner or later, and though his vengeance sleep
long, yet will he reward to those that deal treachery sevenfold sorrow.

Driven by famine and by the expressed will of Jehovah, David sent to ask
of the injured people what should be done to satisfy their sense of
justice. "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.

"The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be
destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,