New Revised Standard Version
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.)

Contemporary English Version
The Gibeonites were not Israelites; they were descendants of the Amorites. The people of Israel had promised not to kill them, but Saul had tried to kill them because he wanted Israel and Judah to control all the land. David had the Gibeonites come, and he talked with them.

New American Bible
So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but survivors of the Amorites; and although the Israelites had given them their oath, Saul had sought to kill them off in his zeal for the Israelites and for Judah.)

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the king, calling for the Gabaonites, said to them: (Now the Gabaonites were not of the children of Israel, but the remains of the Amorrhites: and the children of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul sought to slay them out of zeal, as it were for the children of Israel and Juda:)

Then the king, calling for the Gabaonites, said to them: (Now the Gabaonites were not of the children of Israel, but the remains of the Amorrhites: and the children of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul sought to slay them out of zeal, as it were for the children of Israel and Juda:)

now the

Joshua 9:3-21 But they that dwelt in Gabaon, hearing all that Joshua had done to Jericho and Hai: . . .

Joshua 6:19 But whatsoever gold or silver there shall be, or vessels of brass and iron, let it be consecrated to the Lord, laid up in his treasures.

; but Amorites is a name often given to the Canaanites in general.

Genesis 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall return hither: for as yet the iniquities of the Amorrhites are not at the full until this present time.

in his zeal

Deuteronomy 7:16 Thou shalt consume all the people, which the Lord thy God will deliver to thee. Thy eye shall not spare them, neither shalt thou serve their gods, lest they be thy ruin.

1 Samuel 14:44 And Saul said: May God do so and so to me, and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O Jonathan.

1 Samuel 15:8,9 And he took Agag, the king of Amalec, alive: but all the common people he slew with the edge of the sword. . . .

2 Kings 10:16,31 And said to him: Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So he made him ride in his chariot, . . .

Luke 9:54,55 And when his disciples, James and John, had seen this, they said: Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? . . .

John 16:2 They will put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth a service to God.

Romans 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Galatians 4:17 They are zealous in your regard not well: but they would exclude you, that you might be zealous for them.