Yevamot 79A

תריסר ירחי שתא, ולא דרכיה למספדיה.

the 12 months of the year of mourning, i.e., several years have elapsed since the 12-month mourning period for Saul, and it is not the proper way to eulogize after such a long time.

נתינים ניקרינהו ונפייסינהו: ״ויקרא המלך לגבעונים ויאמר אליהם. מה אעשה לכם ובמה אכפר וברכו את נחלת ה׳. ויאמרו לו הגבעונים אין לנו כסף וזהב עם שאול ועם ביתו ואין לנו איש וגו׳ יתן לנו שבעה אנשים מבניו והוקענום לה׳ וגו׳״, פייסינהו ולא מיפייסו.

As for the Gibeonites, let us call them and appease them. Consequently, the verse states: “And the king called the Gibeonites and said to them…What should I do for you, and with what should I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of YHWH? And the Gibeonites said to him: It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel…Let 7 men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to YHWH…” (II Samuel 21:1–6). He tried to appease them in other ways, but they would not be appeased.

אמר, שלשה סימנים יש באומה זו: הרחמנים, והביישנין, וגומלי חסדים. רחמנים ⁠— דכתיב: ״ונתן לך רחמים ורחמך והרבך״. ביישנין ⁠— דכתיב: ״בעבור תהיה יראתו על פניכם״. גומלי חסדים ⁠— דכתיב: ״למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו וגו׳״. כל שיש בו שלשה סימנים הללו ⁠— ראוי להדבק באומה זו.

David said: There are 3 distinguishing marks of this nation, the Jewish people. They are merciful, they are shamefaced, and they perform acts of kindness. They are merciful, as it is written: “And He will give you mercy, and have mercy upon you and multiply you” (Deuteronomy 13:18); not only will God have mercy upon you, but He will bestow the attribute of mercy upon you. They are shamefaced, as it is written: “And that His fear should be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is his shame. They perform acts of kindness, as it is written: “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of YHWH, to practice righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19), i.e., to perform acts of kindness. Whoever has these 3 distinguishing marks is fit to cleave to this nation. Those who lack these qualities, however, are unfit to be part of the Jewish people. When David saw the cruelty of the Gibeonites, he decreed that they may never enter into the congregation of Israel.