Dovid HaMelech and the Famine of the Givonim

The Gemara in Yevamos (78b) relates an incident that took place during the rule of Dovid HaMelech. There was a famine in Eretz Yisrael due to the lack of rain. Dovid HaMelech theorized that there are three sins that could possibly be the cause of the drought: (a) idolatry, (b) immoral and promiscuous behavior, or (c) the failure of people to follow through with their pledges for charity.

After three years of thorough investigation, Dovid HaMelech concluded that Klal Yisrael was free of these sins. Realizing that he could not ascertain the reason that Hashem was causing the famine, he turned to the Urim v’Tumim. It turns out that there were two causes for the famine: The first reason was as a punishment for the fact that King Shaul was not eulogized properly as befitting a tzaddik of his stature. The second reason was as a punishment for the complicity that King Shaul had in causing the death of members of the nation of Givonim.

The Gemara states that we don’t find anywhere that Shaul actually killed any Givonim. Rather, his culpability stems from a different event: Under his instruction, the city of Nov was annihilated for what he perceived to be a rebellion against his authority. The penalty for someone who rebels against a king is death. Ultimately, however, King Shaul was held accountable for this grievous error, since, in fact, the inhabitants of Nov were not rebelling against him. King Shaul was already forgiven and/or punished for this aveirah. However, the sin had an unforeseen effect, for which King Shaul was held accountable.