Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 6.7

משנה: כֵּיצַד תּוֹלִין אוֹתוֹ. מְשַׁקְּעִין אֶת הַקּוֹרָה בָאָרֶץ וְהָעֵץ יוֹצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ. וּמַקִּיף שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו זוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי זוֹ וְתוֹלֶה אוֹתוֹ. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר הַקּוֹרָה מֻטָּה עַל הַכֹּתֶל וְתוֹלֶה אוֹתוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַטַּבָּחִין עוֹשִׂין. תּוֹלִין וּמַתִּירִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד וְאִם לָן עוֹבֵר עָלָיו בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ עַל הָעֵץ כִּי קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי קִלְלַת אֱלֹהִים תָּלוּי כְּלוֹמַר מִפְּנֵי מַה זֶה תָּלוּי. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֶת הַשֵּׁם וְנִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל:

MISHNAH: How does one hang him? One sinks a stake into the ground, wood is sticking out from there. One binds both hands, one on top of the other, and hangs him. Rebbi Yose says, the beam is leaning on the wall; one hangs him in the way butchers do. One hangs him and takes him down immediately; if he were left overnight, one would transgress a prohibition, as it is said: Do not leave his corpse on the wood overnight, but certainly bury him on the same day, for a hanged person is blasphemy. This means, why was he hanged? Because he blasphemed; it turns out that the name of Heaven would be desecrated.

הלכה: תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר. זֶה חוֹמֶר בִּמְחַלֵּל מִבִּמְגַדֵּף וְזֶה חוֹמֶר בִּמְגַדֵּף מִבִּמְחַלֵּל. בִּמְגַדֵּף כְּתִיב לֹא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ עַל הָעֵץ. וּבִמְחַלֵּל כְּתִיב וַתִּקַּח רִצְפָּה בַת אַיָּה אֶת הַשַּׂק וַתַּטֵּהוּ עַל הַצּוּר מִתְּחִילַּת קָצִיר עַד נִתַּךְ מַיִם עֲלֵיהֶם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ תְלוּיִין מִי״ו בְּנִיסָן עַד י״ז בְּמַרחֶשְׁוָן.

HALAKHAH: It was stated: Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob said, this is worse for the desecrator than for the blasphemer and worse for the blasphemer than the desecrator. About the blasphemer it is written: Do not leave his corpse on the gallows overnight. But about the desecrator it is written: Riṣpa bat Aya took sackcloth and spread it on the rock from the start of harvest until waterwas poured on them. This teaches that they were hanging from the sixteenth of Nisan to the seventeenth of Marḥeshwan.

כְּתִיב וַיִּתְּנֵם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וְשׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִם לָעֵדָה. נִיחָא לָעֵדָה. וּלְמִזְבַּח יְי. אֶלָּא שֶׁתְּלָיָין יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בריפן. אָמַר. אֲנִי [לֹא] מַרְחִיקָן וְלֹא מְקָרְבָן. אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לִבְנוֹת בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה דְּאֶתדַּעְתּוֹ לְקָרֵב יְקָרֵב וְאֶת דַּעְתּוֹ לְרַחֵק יְרַחֵק. וּבָא דָוִד וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַגִּבְעוֹנִים לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה. וְלָמָּה רִיחֲקָן. עַל שֵׁם וַיְהִי רָעָב בִּימֵי דָוִד שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים וגו׳. אָמַר דָּוִד. בָּעֲוֹן שְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים גְּשָׁמִים נֶעֱצָרִין. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְגִילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דִּכְתִיב פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם. גִּילּוּי עֲרָיוֹת דִּכְתִיב וַיִּמָּנְעוּ רְבִיבִים וּמַלְקוֹשׁ לֹא הָיָה וּמֵצַח אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה הָיָה לָךְ. שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי הַדָּם הוּא יַחֲנִיף אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. אַף פּוֹסְקֵי צְדָקָה בָּרַבִּים וְאֵינָן נוֹתְנִין. דִּכְתִיב נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ וְגֶשֶׁם אָיִין אִישׁ מִתְהַלֵּל בְּמַתַּת שָׁקֶר. בָּדַק דָּוִד בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וְלֹא מָצָא אֶחָד מֵהֶן. הִתְחִיל שׁוֹאֵל בְּאוּרִים וְתוּמִּים. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְבַקֵּשׁ דָּוִד אֶת פְּנֵי יְי. אָמַר רִבִּי לָעְזָר. כְּתִיב בַּקְּשׁוּ יְי כָּל עַנְוֵי אָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטוֹ פָּעָלוּ וגו׳. וַיֹּאמֶר יְי עַל שָׁאוּל וְעַל בֵּית הַדָּמִים עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית אֶת הַגִּבְעוֹנִים. עַל שָׁאוּל. שֶׁלֹּא עֲשִׂיתֶם עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד. וְעַל בֵּית הַדָּמִים עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית אֶת הַגִּבְעוֹנִים. שָׁלַח דָּוִד וּקְרָאָן. אָמַר לָהֶם. מַה לָכֶם וּלְבֵית שָׁאוּל. אָמְרוּ לוֹ. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֵמִית מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁבְעָה אֲנָשִׁים שְׁנֵי חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וּשְׁנֵי שׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִם וְסוֹפֵר וַחַזָּן וְשַׁמָּשׁ. אֲמַר לוֹן. וּמַה תּוּן בְּעוּן. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. יוּתַּן לָנוּ שִׁבְעָה אֲנָשִׁים… וְהוֹקַעֲנוּם לַיי בְּגִבְעוֹן. אֲמַר לוֹן. וּמָה הֲנָיָיה יֵשׁ לְכוֹן אִין אִינּוּן מִתְקַטְּלִין. סְבוּ לְכוֹן כְּסַף וּדְהַב. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. אֵין לָנוּ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב עִם שָׁאוּל וְעִם בֵּיתוֹ. אָמַר. דִּילְמָא בְּהַתִּין אִילֵּין מִן אִילֵּין. הֲוָה נְסִיב כָּל חַד וְחַד מִינּוֹן וּמְפַיֵיס לֵיהּ קוֹמֵי נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְהוּא לָא מְקַבֵּל עֲלוֹי. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֵין [לָנוּ] כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב. אֵין לִי כְתִיב. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר דָּוִד. שָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. בּוֹיְישָׁנִין וְרַחֲמָנִין וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים. בּוֹיְישָׁנִין דִּכְתִיב לְבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם וגו׳. רַחֲמָנִין דִּכְתִיב וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ וְהִרְבֶּךָ. גּוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים דִּכְתִיב וְשָׁמַר יְי אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַבְּרִית וְאֶת הַחֶסֶד. וְאֵילּוּ אֵין בָּהֶן אַחַת מֵהֶן וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַגִּבְעוֹנִים לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה. וְאַף עֶזְרָא בָא וְרִיחֲקָן. וְהַנְּתִינִים הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין בָּעוֹפֶל וְצִיחָה וְגִישְׁפָּה מִן הַנְּתִינִים. וְאף לְעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְרַחֲקָן. דִּכְתִיב וְהָעוֹבֵד הָעִיר יַעַבְדוּהוּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. יַאֲבִידוּהוּ מִכָּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

It is written: At that moment Joshua dedicated them as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation. One understands “for the congregation.” But “for the Eternal’s altar”? But Joshua kept them in limbo. He said, I shall [neither] exclude nor include them. But he who sometime in the future will build the Temple, if he wants to include he may include, if he wants to exclude he may exclude. David came and excluded them as it is said: But the Gibeonites are not part of the Children of Israel. Why did he exclude them? Because there was a famine in David’s time, three years year after year. David said, for three sins the rains are locked away: Foreign worship, incest and adultery, and murder. Foreign worship, as it is written: Beware, lest you be seduced and next to it, He locks the sky up. Incest and adultery, as it is written Rain-showers were withheld, there was no late rain, for you had the forehead of a whoring woman. Murder, as it is written: Because blood will distort the Land. Some say, also those who publicly promise money for welfare but do not pay, as it is written: Clouds and wind but no rain means the man who boasts with lying gifts. David checked on all his ways and did not find any of them. He turned to ask the Urim and Tummim. That is what is written: David asked before the Eternal. Rebbi Eleazar said, it is written: Ask the Eternal, all the meek of the Land, who execute His Law, etc. The Eternal said, because of Saul and the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. Because of Saul, whom you did not grant the last favor, and because of the House of blood-guilt, for he had killed the Gibeonites. David sent and called them. He asked them, what is between you and the House of Saul? They told him, because he killed seven of our men, two hewers of wood, two drawers of water, a scribe, a religious leader, and a beadle. He asked them, what do you want now? They said to him, May there be given to us seven men … and we shall hang them before the Eternal in Gibeon. He said to them, what use is it to you that they be killed? Take silver and gold for yourselves! But they answered, there is no silver or gold for us from Saul and his house. He said, maybe they are afraid one of the other; he dealt which each of them separately, trying to mollify him by himself, but nobody accepted it. That is what is written, there is no silver or gold for us, it is written for me. At this moment, David said that the Holy One gave three good gifts to Israel: They are decent, merciful, and charitable. Decent, for it is written: that His fear be on your faces. Merciful, for it is written: He gave you mercy, had mercy on you and increased you. Charitable, for it is written: The Eternal, your God, kept for you covenant and charity. But these, nothing of this is found in them; he excluded them: But the Gibeonites are not of the Children of Israel. And Ezra also excluded them, as it is said: And the dedicated ones dwelt in the Ophel; Ziha and Gishpa were of the dedicated ones. Also in the future, the Holy One, praise to Him, will exclude them as it is written: The city worker will cultivate it, from all tribes of Israel. He will eliminate them from all tribes of Israel.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲנִי אֶתֵּן. וַיִּקַּח הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי רִצְפָּה. וּלְמִיכַל בַּת שָׁאוּל לֹא הָיָה לָהּ וָולֶד. וְתֵימַר אָכֵן. אֱמוֹר מֵעַתָּה. בְּנֵי מֵירַב הָיוּ וְגִידַּלְתָּם מִיכַל וְנִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמָהּ. וַיִּתְּנֵם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּיַד הַגִּבְעוֹנִים וַיּוֹקִיעוּם בָּהָר לִפְנֵי יְי וַיִּפְּלוּ שְׁבַעְתָּם יָחַד. שְׁבַעְתָּים כְּתִיב חָסֵר חָד. זֶה מְפִיבוֹשֶׁת שֶׁנִּתְפַּלֵּל עָלָיו דָּוִד וּקְלָטוֹ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. אָמַר לָהֶן. הֲרֵינִי מַעֲבִירָן לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. כָּל שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ קוֹלְטוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא שֶׁלּוֹ. מִפְּנֵי מְפִיבוֹשֶׁת שֶׁהָיָה גָדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה. וְהֶעֱבִירוֹ לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְקָלְטוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבִין. אֶקְרָא לֵאלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן לָאֵל גּוֹמֵר עָלָי. שֶׁהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִם דָּוִד. וְהֵמָּה הוּמְתוּ בִּימֵי קָצִיר בִּתְחִילַּת קְצִיר שְׂעֹרִים. וַתִּקַּח רִצְפָּה בַת אַיָּה אֶת הַבֶּגֶד וַתַּטֵּהוּ לָהּ עַל הַצּוּר. מָהוּ עַל הַצּוּר. אָמַר רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. שֶׁהָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ. רִבִּי בָּא בַּר זְמִינָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. גָּדוֹל הוּא קִידּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם מֵחִילּוּל הַשֵׁם. בְּקִידּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם כָּתוּב לֹא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ. וּבְחִילּוּל הַשֵׁם כָּתוּב וַיִּהְיוּ תְלוּיִים עַד נִתַּךְ מַיִם עֲלֵיהֶם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ תְלוּיִין מִי״ו בְּנִיסָן עַד י״ז בְּמַרחֶשְׁוָן. וְהָיוּ עוֹבְרִין וְשָׁבִין אוֹמְרִים. מַה חָטְאוּ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּנֶּה עֲלֵיהֶן מִידַּת הַדִּין. וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לָהֶן. עַל שֶׁפָּשְׁטוּ יְדֵיהֶן בְּגֵירִים אֲרוּרִים. וַהֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר. וּמָה אֵילּוּ שֶׁלֹּא נִתְגַּיְירוּ לְשׁוּם שָׁמַיִם תָּבַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דָּמָן. הַמִּתְגַּיְירִין לְשׁוּם שָׁמַיִם לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן. הַרְבֵּה גֵרִים נִתְגַּיְירוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְסַפֵּר שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים הַגֵּרִים וַיַּעַשׂ מֵהֶם שִׁבְעִים אֶלֶף נוֹשֵׂא סַבָּל וגו׳.

The king said, I shall give. The king took the two sons of Riṣpah bat Ayah. Michal, Saul’s daughter, did not have a child, and you say so? Say now that they were sons of Merab but Michal raised them, so they were named after her. The king gave them into the hand of the Gibeonites who hanged them on the mountain before the Eternal. All seven is written defective of one letter. That refers to Mephiboshet, for whom David prayed and whom the altar received. He told them, I let them pass by the altar and anyone whom the altar receives will be his, because of Mephiboshet who was great in Torah. He let him pass by the altar, which received him. Rebbi Avin said, I shall call to the Most High God, to the Power Who has the ultimate decision over me. For the Holy One, praise to Him, agreed with David. They were killed on the day of harvest …at the start of the barley harvest. Riṣpah bat Ayah took a garment and laid it out on the rock. What means on the rock? Rebbi Hoshaia said, she was reciting: The rock, perfect is His action. Rebbi Abba bar Zamina in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia: Sanctification of the Name is greater than desecration of the Name. Referring to sanctification of the Name it is written: Do not leave his corpse overnight. But referring to desecration of the Name it is written that they were left hanging until water was poured on them. This teaches that they were hanging from the sixteenth of Nisan to the seventeenth of Marḥeshwan. The passers-by were saying: How did these people sin that the rules of justice were changed for them? They were answered: Because these had attacked cursed proselytes. Is that not an argument de minore ad majus? Since even for those who did not convert for the sake of Heaven, the Eternal avenged their blood; if one would convert for the sake of Heaven not so much more? Many converts were converted at that time; that is what is written: Solomon counted all proselytes … and appointed from them 70’000 carriers, etc.