1 And it came to be after the death of Sha’ul, when Dawiḏ had returned from striking the Amalĕqites, that Dawiḏ remained two days in Tsiqlaḡ.
2 And it came to be on the third day, that see, a man came out of the camp from Sha’ul with his garments torn and dust on his head. And it came to be, when he came to Dawiḏ, that he fell to the ground and did obeisance.
3 And Dawiḏ said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Yisra’ĕl.”
4 And Dawiḏ said to him, “What was the matter? Please inform me.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Sha’ul and Yehonathan his son are dead too.”
5 And Dawiḏ said to the young man who informed him, “How do you know that Sha’ul and Yehonathan his son are dead?”
6 And the young man who informed him said, “By chance I was on Mount Gilboa and saw Sha’ul leaning on his spear. And see, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7 “And when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me, and I answered, ‘Here I am.’
8 “And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalĕqite.’
9 “And he said to me, ‘Please stand over me and put me to death, for agony has seized me, but my life is still in me.’
10 “So I stood beside him and put him to death, for I knew he would not live after he had fallen. And I took the diadem that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my master.”
11 And Dawiḏ took hold of his garments and tore them, and also all the men who were with him.
12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Sha’ul and for Yehonathan his son, and for the people of יהוה and for the house of Yisra’ĕl, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Then Dawiḏ asked the young man who informed him, “Where are you from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalĕqite.”
14 And Dawiḏ said to him, “How was it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the anointed of יהוה?”
15 And Dawiḏ called one of the young men and said, “Draw near and fall on him!” And he struck him so that he died.
16 And Dawiḏ said to him, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has witnessed against you, saying, ‘I myself have put to death the anointed of יהוה.’ ”
17 Then Dawiḏ lamented with this lamentation over Sha’ul and over Yehonathan his son,
18 and he ordered “The Bow” to be taught to the children of Yehuḏah. See, it is written in the Book of Yashar:
19 “The splendour of Yisra’ĕl Is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
20 “Declare it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashqelon, Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 “Mountains of Gilboa! No dew or rain be upon you, Nor fields of offerings. For there the shield of the mighty lay rejected, The shield of Sha’ul, not anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Yehonathan did not turn back, And the sword of Sha’ul did not return empty.
23 “Sha’ul and Yehonathan were beloved And pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
24 “Daughters of Yisra’ĕl — weep over Sha’ul, Who wrapped you in scarlet, with finery; Who decked your robes with ornaments of gold.
25 “How the mighty have fallen In the midst of the battle! Yehonathan was slain in your high places.
26 “I am distressed for you, my brother Yehonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wondrous, Surpassing the love of women.
27 “How the mighty have fallen, And the weapons of battle perish!”
1 And it came to be afterwards that Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Do I go up to any of the cities of Yehuḏah?” And יהוה said to him, “Go up.” And Dawiḏ said, “Where should I go up?” And He said, “To Ḥeḇron.”
2 And Dawiḏ went up there, as well as his two wives, Aḥino‛am the Yizre‛ĕlitess, and Aḇiḡayil the widow of Naḇal the Karmelite.
3 And Dawiḏ brought up the men who were with him, each man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Ḥeḇron.
4 And the men of Yehuḏah came, and anointed Dawiḏ sovereign over the house of Yehuḏah there. They also reported to Dawiḏ, saying, “The men of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ are they who buried Sha’ul.”
5 Dawiḏ then sent messengers to the men of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ, and said to them, “You are blessed of יהוה, for you have shown this loving-commitment to your master, to Sha’ul, that you buried him.
6 “And now, יהוה show loving-commitment and truth to you, and I am also going to do you good, because you have done this deed.
7 “And now, let your hands be strengthened and be brave, for your master Sha’ul is dead, and also the house of Yehuḏah has anointed me sovereign over them.”
8 But Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr, commander of the army of Sha’ul, took Ishbosheth the son of Sha’ul, and brought him over to Maḥanayim,
9 and set him up to reign over Gil‛aḏ, and over the Ashĕrites, and over Yizre‛ĕl, and over Ephrayim, and over Binyamin, and over all Yisra’ĕl.
10 Ishbosheth, son of Sha’ul, was forty years old when he began to reign over Yisra’ĕl, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Yehuḏah followed Dawiḏ.
11 And the time that Dawiḏ was sovereign in Ḥeḇron over the house of Yehuḏah was seven years and six new moons.
12 And Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr, and the servants of Ishbosheth son of Sha’ul, went out from Maḥanayim to Giḇ‛on.
13 And Yo’aḇ son of Tseruyah, and the servants of Dawiḏ, went out and met them by the pool of Giḇ‛on. And they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.
14 And Aḇnĕr said to Yo’aḇ, “Let the young men now rise and compete before us.” And Yo’aḇ said, “Let them rise.”
15 And they rose and went over by number, twelve from Binyamin, followers of Ishbosheth son of Sha’ul, and twelve from the servants of Dawiḏ.
16 And each man took hold of his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Giḇ‛on.
17 And the battle was fierce that day, and Aḇnĕr and the men of Yisra’ĕl were smitten before the servants of Dawiḏ.
18 And there were three sons of Tseruyah there, Yo’aḇ and Aḇishai and Asah’ĕl. And Asah’ĕl was light on his feet, as one of the gazelles in the field.
19 And Asah’ĕl pursued Aḇnĕr, and in going he did not turn aside to the right or to the left from following Aḇnĕr.
20 And Aḇnĕr looked behind him and said, “Are you Asah’ĕl?” And he answered, “I am.”
21 And Aḇnĕr said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armour for yourself.” But Asah’ĕl would not turn aside from following him.
22 And Aḇnĕr again said to Asah’ĕl, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Yo’aḇ?”
23 But he refused to turn aside, and Aḇnĕr struck him with the blunt end of the spear in the stomach, so that the spear came out of his back. And he fell down there and died on the spot. And it came to be that as many as came to the place where Asah’ĕl fell down and died, stood still.
24 And Yo’aḇ and Aḇishai pursued Aḇnĕr. And the sun was going down and they came to the hill of Ammah, which overlooks Giyaḥ by the way to the Wilderness of Giḇ‛on.
25 And the children of Binyamin gathered together behind Aḇnĕr and became a single company, and took their stand on top of a hill.
26 And Aḇnĕr called to Yo’aḇ and said, “Should the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it is bitter in the latter end? And when are you going to say to the people to turn back from pursuing their brothers?”
27 And Yo’aḇ said, “As Elohim lives, if you had not spoken, then all the people would have given up pursuing their brothers only the next morning.”
28 Yo’aḇ then blew with a shophar, and all the people halted and pursued Yisra’ĕl no further, nor did they fight any more.
29 And Aḇnĕr and his men went on all that night through the desert plain, and passed over the Yardĕn, and went through all Bithron. And they came to Maḥanayim.
30 And Yo’aḇ turned back from pursuing Aḇnĕr. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of Dawiḏ’s servants nineteen men and Asah’ĕl.
31 But the servants of Dawiḏ had stricken, of Binyamin and Aḇnĕr’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died.
32 And they brought Asah’ĕl and buried him in his father’s burial-site, which was in Bĕyth Leḥem. And Yo’aḇ and his men went all night, and they came to Ḥeḇron at daybreak.
1 And the fighting between the house of Sha’ul and the house of Dawiḏ was long drawn out. But Dawiḏ was going on and was strong, and the house of Sha’ul was going on and was weak.
2 And sons were born to Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron. And his first-born was Amnon by Aḥino‛am the Yizre‛ĕlitess;
3 and his second, Kil’aḇ, by Aḇiḡayil the widow of Naḇal the Karmelite; and the third, Aḇshalom son of Ma‛aḵah, the daughter of Talmai, sovereign of Geshur;
4 and the fourth, Aḏoniyah son of Ḥaggith; and the fifth, Shephatyah son of Aḇital;
5 and the sixth, Yithre‛am, by Dawiḏ’s wife Eḡlah. These were born to Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron.
6 And it came to be, while there was fighting between the house of Sha’ul and the house of Dawiḏ, that Aḇnĕr was strengthening himself in the house of Sha’ul.
7 And Sha’ul had a concubine, whose name was Ritspah, daughter of Ayah. And Ishbosheth said to Aḇnĕr, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8 And Aḇnĕr was very displeased at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Yehuḏah, that I show loving-commitment to the house of Sha’ul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends today, and have not let you fall into the hand of Dawiḏ, that you charge me today with a sin concerning this woman?
9 “Elohim does so to Aḇnĕr, and more also, if I do not do for Dawiḏ as יהוה has sworn to him:
10 to cause the reign to pass over from the house of Sha’ul, and to raise up the throne of Dawiḏ over Yisra’ĕl and over Yehuḏah, from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa.”
11 And he was unable to answer Aḇnĕr another word, because he feared him.
12 And Aḇnĕr sent messengers on his behalf to Dawiḏ, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and see, my hand is with you to bring all Yisra’ĕl to you.”
13 And Dawiḏ said, “Good, I make a covenant with you. Only one matter I am asking of you: you do not see my face unless you first bring Miḵal, daughter of Sha’ul, when you come to see my face.”
14 Dawiḏ then sent messengers to Ishbosheth son of Sha’ul, saying, “Give me my wife Miḵal, to whom I became engaged for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15 And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Palti’ĕl son of Layish.
16 But her husband went with her to Baḥurim, going on and weeping behind her. And Aḇnĕr said to him, “Go, turn back!” And he turned back.
17 And Aḇnĕr had a word with the elders of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “In time past you were seeking for Dawiḏ to be sovereign over you.
18 “And now, do it! For יהוה has spoken of Dawiḏ, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant Dawiḏ, I save My people Yisra’ĕl from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ”
19 And Aḇnĕr also spoke in the hearing of Binyamin. And Aḇnĕr also went to speak in the hearing of Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron all that seemed good to Yisra’ĕl and all the house of Binyamin.
20 And Aḇnĕr and twenty men with him came to Dawiḏ at Ḥeḇron. And Dawiḏ made a feast for Aḇnĕr and the men who were with him.
21 And Aḇnĕr said to Dawiḏ, “Let me arise and go, and gather all Yisra’ĕl to my master the sovereign, and let them make a covenant with you, and you shall reign over all that your being desires.” And Dawiḏ sent Aḇnĕr away, and he went in peace.
22 And see, the servants of Dawiḏ and Yo’aḇ came from a raid and brought much spoil with them. But Aḇnĕr was not with Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23 And Yo’aḇ and all the army that was with him came, and they reported to Yo’aḇ, saying, “Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr came to the sovereign, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24 And Yo’aḇ went to the sovereign and said, “What have you done? See, Aḇnĕr has come to you! Why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone?
25 “You know that Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
26 Yo’aḇ then left Dawiḏ, and he sent messengers after Aḇnĕr, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But Dawiḏ did not know it.
27 Thus Aḇnĕr returned to Ḥeḇron, and Yo’aḇ took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there struck him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asah’ĕl his brother.
28 And when Dawiḏ heard it afterwards, he said, “My reign and I are guiltless before יהוה forever of the blood of Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr.
29 “Let it rest on the head of Yo’aḇ and on all his father’s house. And let there never fail to be in the house of Yo’aḇ one who has a discharge or is a leper, or who is taking hold of a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
30 So Yo’aḇ and Aḇishai his brother killed Aḇnĕr, because he had killed their brother Asah’ĕl at Giḇ‛on in the battle.
31 And Dawiḏ said to Yo’aḇ and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Aḇnĕr.” And Sovereign Dawiḏ followed the coffin.
32 And they buried Aḇnĕr in Ḥeḇron. And the sovereign lifted up his voice and wept at the burial-site of Aḇnĕr, and all the people wept.
33 And the sovereign sang a lament over Aḇnĕr and said, “Should Aḇnĕr die as a fool dies?
34 “Your hands were not bound nor your feet put into shackles. As one falls before sons of evil, so you fell.” And all the people wept over him again.
35 And all the people came to cause Dawiḏ to eat food while it was still day, but Dawiḏ swore, saying, “Elohim do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or whatever else till the sun goes down!”
36 And all the people took note of it, and it was good in their eyes, since whatever the sovereign did was good in the eyes of all the people.
37 And all the people and all Yisra’ĕl knew that day that it had not been the sovereign’s intent to kill Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr.
38 The sovereign also said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great one has fallen in Yisra’ĕl today?
39 “And I am weak today, though anointed sovereign. And these men, the sons of Tseruyah, are too harsh for me. Let יהוה repay the evil-doer according to his evil.”
1 And the son of Sha’ul heard that Aḇnĕr had died in Ḥeḇron, and he lost heart, and all Yisra’ĕl was troubled.
2 And the son of Sha’ul had two men, commanders of bands, and the name of one was Ba‛anah and the name of the other Rĕḵaḇ, sons of Rimmon the Be’ĕrothite, of the children of Binyamin. For Be’ĕroth was also reckoned to Binyamin,
3 because the Be’ĕrothites fled to Gittayim and have been sojourners there until this day.
4 Now Yehonathan, son of Sha’ul, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Sha’ul and Yehonathan came from Yizre‛ĕl, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it came to be, as she hurried to flee, that he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephiḇosheth.
5 So the sons of Rimmon the Be’ĕrothite, Rĕḵaḇ and Ba‛anah, went and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon.
6 And they came into the midst of the house, to fetch wheat, and they struck him in the stomach, and Rĕḵaḇ and Ba‛anah his brother escaped.
7 Thus they came into the house when he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, and they struck him, and slew him, and beheaded him. And they took his head, and went the way of the desert plain all night,
8 and brought the head of Ishbosheth to Dawiḏ at Ḥeḇron, and said to the sovereign, “See, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Sha’ul your enemy, who sought your life. So יהוה has given my master the sovereign vengeance on Sha’ul and his seed this day.”
9 And Dawiḏ answered Rĕḵaḇ and Ba‛anah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Be’ĕrothite, and said to them, “As יהוה lives, who has ransomed my life out of all distress,
10 when someone reported to me, saying, ‘See, Sha’ul is dead,’ and he was a bearer of good news in his own eyes, I then took hold of him and killed him in Tsiqlaḡ, which was the reward I gave him for his news.
11 “How much more, when wrong men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood at your hand and remove you from the earth?”
12 And Dawiḏ commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Ḥeḇron. And they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the burial-site of Aḇnĕr in Ḥeḇron.
1 And all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl came to Dawiḏ at Ḥeḇron and spoke, saying, “Look, we are your bone and your flesh.
2 “Formerly, when Sha’ul was sovereign over us, you were the one who led Yisra’ĕl out and brought them in. And יהוה said to you, ‘Shepherd My people Yisra’ĕl, and be ruler over Yisra’ĕl.’ ”
3 And all the elders of Yisra’ĕl came to the sovereign at Ḥeḇron, and Sovereign Dawiḏ made a covenant with them at Ḥeḇron before יהוה. And they anointed Dawiḏ sovereign over Yisra’ĕl.
4 Dawiḏ was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
5 In Ḥeḇron he reigned over Yehuḏah seven years and six new moons, and in Yerushalayim he reigned thirty-three years over all Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah.
6 And the sovereign and his men went to Yerushalayim against the Yeḇusites, the inhabitants of the land. And they spoke to Dawiḏ, saying, “Except you take away the blind and the lame, you are not going to come in here,” thinking, “Dawiḏ is not going to come in here.”
7 But Dawiḏ captured the stronghold of Tsiyon, the City of Dawiḏ.
8 And Dawiḏ said on that day, “Anyone who strikes the Yeḇusites, let him go by the water-shaft and take the lame and the blind, who are hated by Dawiḏ’s being.” That is why they say, “The blind and the lame do not come into the house.”
9 And Dawiḏ dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of Dawiḏ. And Dawiḏ built all around from the Millo and inward.
10 And Dawiḏ went on and became great, and יהוה Elohim of hosts was with him.
11 Now Ḥiram sovereign of Tsor sent messengers to Dawiḏ, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built a house for Dawiḏ.
12 And Dawiḏ knew that יהוה had established him as sovereign over Yisra’ĕl, and that He had exalted His reign, because of His people Yisra’ĕl.
13 And Dawiḏ took more concubines and wives from Yerushalayim, after he had come from Ḥeḇron, and more sons and daughters were born to Dawiḏ.
14 And these were the names of those born to him in Yerushalayim: Shammua, and Shoḇaḇ, and Nathan, and Shelomoh,
15 and Yiḇḥar, and Elishua, and Nepheḡ, and Yaphiya,
16 and Elishama, and Elyaḏa, and Eliphelet.
17 And the Philistines heard that they had anointed Dawiḏ sovereign over Yisra’ĕl, and all the Philistines went up to search for Dawiḏ, but Dawiḏ heard and went down to the stronghold.
18 And the Philistines came and spread themselves out in the Valley of Repha’im.
19 And Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Do I go up against the Philistines? Do You give them into my hand?” And יהוה said to Dawiḏ, “Go up, for I shall certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”
20 And Dawiḏ came to Ba‛al Peratsim, and Dawiḏ struck them there. And he said, “יהוה has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” So he called the name of that place Ba‛al Peratsim.
21 And they left their images there, and Dawiḏ and his men took them away.
22 And the Philistines again came up and were spread out in the Valley of Repha’im.
23 And when Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, He said, “Do not go up, turn around behind them, and you shall come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.
24 “And it shall be, when you hear the sound of stepping in the tops of the mulberry trees, then act promptly, for then יהוה shall go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”
25 And Dawiḏ did so, as יהוה commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geḇa as far as Gezer.
1 Now Dawiḏ again gathered all the chosen men of Yisra’ĕl, thirty thousand.
2 And Dawiḏ rose up and went with all the people who were with him from Ba‛alĕ Yehuḏah, to bring up from there the ark of Elohim, that is called by the Name, the Name יהוה of Hosts, who dwells between the keruḇim.
3 And they placed the ark of Elohim on a new wagon, and brought it from the house of Aḇinaḏaḇ, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Aḥyo, sons of Aḇinaḏaḇ, were leading the new wagon.
4 And they brought it from the house of Aḇinaḏaḇ, which was on the hill, with the ark of Elohim. And Aḥyo was walking before the ark.
5 And Dawiḏ and all the house of Yisra’ĕl were dancing before יהוה, with all instruments of fir wood, and with lyres, and with harps, and with tambourines, and with sistrums, and with cymbals.
6 And when they came to the threshing-floor of Naḵon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of Elohim and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.
7 And the wrath of יהוה burned against Uzzah, and Elohim struck him there for the fault. And he died there by the ark of Elohim.
8 And Dawiḏ was displeased because יהוה had broken out against Uzzah. And he called the name of the place Perets Uzzah, until this day.
9 And Dawiḏ was afraid of יהוה on that day, and said, “How shall the ark of יהוה come to me?”
10 And Dawiḏ would not move the ark of יהוה with him into the City of Dawiḏ, but Dawiḏ turned it aside to the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom the Gittite.
11 And the ark of יהוה remained in the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom the Gittite three new moons, and יהוה blessed Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom and all his house.
12 And it was reported to Sovereign Dawiḏ, saying, “יהוה has blessed the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom and all that he has, because of the ark of Elohim.” Dawiḏ then went and brought up the ark of Elohim from the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom to the City of Dawiḏ with rejoicing.
13 And it came to be, when those bearing the ark of יהוה had gone six steps, that he slaughtered bulls and fatted sheep.
14 And Dawiḏ danced before יהוה with all his might. And Dawiḏ was wearing a linen shoulder garment.
15 Thus Dawiḏ and all the house of Yisra’ĕl brought up the ark of יהוה with shouting and with a voice of a shophar.
16 And it came to be, when the ark of יהוה came into the City of Dawiḏ, that Miḵal, daughter of Sha’ul, looked through a window and saw Sovereign Dawiḏ leaping and dancing before יהוה, and she despised him in her heart.
17 So they brought the ark of יהוה in, and set it in its place in the midst of the Tent that Dawiḏ had pitched for it. And Dawiḏ brought ascending offerings before יהוה, and peace offerings.
18 And when Dawiḏ had finished bringing ascending offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the Name of יהוה of hosts.
19 And he apportioned to all the people, to all the crowd of Yisra’ĕl, from man even to women, to each one a loaf of bread, and a measure, and a cake of raisins. And all the people left, each one to his house.
20 And Dawiḏ returned to bless his household, and Miḵal the daughter of Sha’ul came out to meet Dawiḏ, and said, “How esteemed was the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the female servants of his servants, as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!”
21 So Dawiḏ said to Miḵal, “Before יהוה, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, commanded me to be ruler over the people of יהוה, over Yisra’ĕl, so I danced before יהוה.
22 “And I shall be even more slight than this, and shall be humble in my own eyes. But as for the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I am esteemed.”
23 And Miḵal the daughter of Sha’ul had no children to the day of her death.
1 And it came to be when the sovereign was dwelling in his house, and יהוה had given him rest from all his enemies all around,
2 that the sovereign said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of Elohim dwells within curtains.”
3 And Nathan said to the sovereign, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for יהוה is with you.”
4 And it came to be that night that the word of יהוה came to Nathan, saying,
5 “Go and say to My servant Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?
6 “For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Yisra’ĕl up from Mitsrayim, even to this day, but have moved about in a Tent and in a Dwelling Place.
7 “Wherever I have walked with all the children of Yisra’ĕl, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’” ’
8 “And now, say to My servant Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler over My people, over Yisra’ĕl.
9 “And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth.
10 “And I shall appoint a place for My people Yisra’ĕl, and shall plant them, and they shall dwell in a place of their own and no longer be afraid, neither shall the children of wickedness oppress them again, as at the first,
11 even from the day I commanded rulers over My people Yisra’ĕl, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. And יהוה has declared to you that He would make you a house.
12 “When your days are filled and you rest with your fathers, I shall raise up your seed after you, who comes from your inward parts, and shall establish his reign.
13 “He does build a house for My Name, and I shall establish the throne of his reign forever.
14 “I am to be his Father, and he is My son. If he does perversely, I shall reprove him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
15 “But My loving-commitment does not turn aside from him, as I turned it aside from Sha’ul, whom I removed from before you.
16 “And your house and your reign are to be steadfast forever before you — your throne is established forever.” ’ ”
17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to Dawiḏ.
18 And Sovereign Dawiḏ went in and sat before יהוה and he said, “Who am I, O Master יהוה? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
19 “And yet this was a small matter in Your eyes, O Master יהוה. And You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. And is this the torah of man, O Master יהוה?
20 “And what more does Dawiḏ say to You? For You, Master יהוה, know Your servant.
21 “Because of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, to make it known to Your servant.
22 “You are great indeed, O Master יהוה. For there is none like You, and there is no Elohim but You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 “And who is like Your people, like Yisra’ĕl, the one nation on the earth whom Elohim went to ransom for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a Name, and to do for You greatness, and awesome deeds for Your land before Your people, whom You ransomed for Yourself from Mitsrayim, from the nations and their mighty ones?
24 “And You have established for Yourself Your people Yisra’ĕl as Your own people forever, and You, יהוה, have become their Elohim.
25 “And now, O יהוה Elohim, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.
26 “And let Your Name be made great forever, saying, ‘יהוה of hosts is the Elohim over Yisra’ĕl.’ And let the house of Your servant Dawiḏ be established before You.
27 “For You, O יהוה of hosts, the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has taken heart to pray this prayer to You.
28 “And now, O Master יהוה, You are Elohim, and Your words are true, and You have spoken this goodness to Your servant.
29 “And now, be pleased to bless the house of Your servant, to be before You, forever. For You, O Master יהוה, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”
1 And after this it came to be that Dawiḏ struck the Philistines and humbled them. And Dawiḏ took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 He also struck Mo’aḇ, and measured them off with a line, causing them to lie down on the earth. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one complete line those to be kept alive. And the Mo’aḇites became Dawiḏ’s servants, and brought presents.
3 Dawiḏ also struck Haḏaḏezer son of Reḥoḇ, sovereign of Tsoḇah, as he went to restore his rule at the River Euphrates.
4 And Dawiḏ captured from him one thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. And Dawiḏ destroyed all the chariots, but he left of them a hundred chariots.
5 And the Arameans of Dammeseq came to help Haḏaḏezer sovereign of Tsoḇah, and Dawiḏ struck twenty-two thousand of the Arameans.
6 Then Dawiḏ put watch-posts in Aram of Dammeseq. And the Arameans became Dawiḏ’s servants, and brought presents. And יהוה saved Dawiḏ wherever he went.
7 And Dawiḏ took the shields of gold which were on the servants of Haḏaḏezer, and brought them to Yerushalayim.
8 And from Betaḥ and from Bĕrothai, cities of Haḏaḏezer, Sovereign Dawiḏ took very much bronze.
9 And To‛i sovereign of Ḥamath heard that Dawiḏ had stricken all the army of Haḏaḏezer,
10 so To‛i sent Yoram his son to Sovereign Dawiḏ, to ask peace of him and bless him, because he had fought against Haḏaḏezer and struck him, for Haḏaḏezer had battles with To‛i. And Yoram brought with him objects of silver, and objects of gold, and objects of bronze.
11 Sovereign Dawiḏ also set these apart to יהוה, along with the silver and gold that he had set apart from all the nations which he had humbled:
12 from Aram, and from Mo’aḇ, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalĕq, and from the spoil of Haḏaḏezer son of Reḥoḇ, sovereign of Tsoḇah.
13 And Dawiḏ made a name for himself when he returned from striking eighteen thousand Arameans in the Valley of Salt.
14 And he put watch-posts in Eḏom. Throughout all Eḏom he put watch-posts, and all the Eḏomites became Dawiḏ’s servants. And יהוה saved Dawiḏ wherever he went.
15 And Dawiḏ reigned over all Yisra’ĕl, and Dawiḏ was doing right-ruling and righteousness to all his people.
16 And Yo’aḇ son of Tseruyah was over the army, and Yehoshaphat son of Aḥiluḏ was recorder,
17 and Tsaḏoq son of Aḥituḇ and Aḥimeleḵ son of Eḇyathar were the priests, and Serayah was the scribe,
18 and Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa was over both the Kerĕthites and the Pelĕthites, and Dawiḏ’s sons were priests.
1 And Dawiḏ said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Sha’ul, that I might show him loving-commitment, because of Yehonathan?”
2 And the house of Sha’ul had a servant whose name was Tsiḇa. And they had called him to Dawiḏ, and the sovereign said to him, “Are you Tsiḇa?” And he said, “Your servant!”
3 And the sovereign said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Sha’ul, so that I show him the loving-commitment of Elohim?” And Tsiḇa said to the sovereign, “There is still a son of Yehonathan, lame in his feet.”
4 So the sovereign said to him, “Where is he?” And Tsiḇa said to the sovereign, “See, he is in the house of Maḵir son of Ammi’ĕl, in Lo Ḏeḇar.”
5 And Sovereign Dawiḏ sent and brought him out of the house of Maḵir son of Ammi’ĕl, from Lo Ḏeḇar.
6 And Mephiḇosheth son of Yehonathan, son of Sha’ul, came to Dawiḏ, and fell on his face and did obeisance. And Dawiḏ said, “Mephiḇosheth!” And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
7 Dawiḏ then said to him, “Do not fear, for I shall certainly show you loving-commitment because of Yehonathan your father, and shall return to you all the land of Sha’ul your grandfather, and let you eat bread at my table continually.”
8 And he bowed himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should turn to such a dead dog as I?”
9 And the sovereign called Tsiḇa servant of Sha’ul, and said to him, “I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Sha’ul and to all his house.
10 “And you and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in its yield, and your master’s son shall have food to eat. But let Mephiḇosheth your master’s son eat bread at my table always.” And Tsiḇa had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 And Tsiḇa said to the sovereign, “According to all that my master the sovereign has commanded his servant, so your servant does.” “As for Mephiḇosheth,” said the sovereign, “he shall eat at my table as one of the sons of the sovereign.”
12 And Mephiḇosheth had a young son whose name was Miḵa. And all who dwelt in the house of Tsiḇa were servants of Mephiḇosheth.
13 And Mephiḇosheth was dwelling in Yerushalayim, for he ate continually at the sovereign’s table. And he was lame in both his feet.
1 And after this it came to be that the sovereign of the children of Ammon died, and Ḥanun his son reigned in his place.
2 And Dawiḏ said, “Let me show loving-commitment to Ḥanun son of Naḥash, as his father showed loving-commitment to me.” So Dawiḏ sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And when Dawiḏ’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon,
3 the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Ḥanun their master, “Is Dawiḏ esteeming your father in your eyes in that he has sent comforters to you? Has Dawiḏ not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”
4 So Ḥanun took Dawiḏ’s servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, as far as their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 And they informed Dawiḏ, and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the sovereign said, “Wait at Yeriḥo until your beards have grown, and then return.”
6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had become a stench to Dawiḏ, the children of Ammon sent and hired Arameans of Bĕyth Reḥoḇ and Arameans of Tsoḇa, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the sovereign of Ma‛aḵah, one thousand men, and men of Toḇ, twelve thousand men.
7 And Dawiḏ heard, and sent Yo’aḇ and the entire army, the mighty men.
8 And the children of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate. And the Arameans of Tsoḇa, and Reḥoḇ, and men of Toḇ, and Ma‛aḵah were by themselves in the field.
9 And Yo’aḇ saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, and he chose out of all the chosen men of Yisra’ĕl and put them in battle array against the Arameans.
10 And the rest of the people he gave under the hand of Aḇishai his brother, and he put them in battle array against the children of Ammon.
11 And he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me. But if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I shall come and help you.
12 “Be strong, and let us show strength for our people and for the cities of our Elohim, and let יהוה do what is good in His eyes.”
13 And Yo’aḇ drew near, and the people with him, to battle against Aram, and they fled before him.
14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they also fled before Aḇishai, and went into the city. And Yo’aḇ returned from the children of Ammon and came to Yerushalayim.
15 And Aram saw that they were smitten before Yisra’ĕl, and they gathered together,
16 and Haḏaḏezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, and they came to Ḥĕlam. And Shoḇaḵ the commander of the army of Haḏaḏezer went before them.
17 And it was reported to Dawiḏ, and he gathered all Yisra’ĕl, and passed over the Yardĕn, and came to Ḥĕlam. And Aram set themselves in battle array against Dawiḏ and they fought with him.
18 And Aram fled before Yisra’ĕl, and Dawiḏ killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand horsemen of Aram, and he struck Shoḇaḵ, commander of their army, who died there.
19 And all the sovereigns, the servants of Haḏaḏezer, saw that they were smitten by Yisra’ĕl, and made peace with Yisra’ĕl, and served them. And the Arameans were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.
1 And it came to be at the turn of the year, at the time sovereigns go out to battle, that Dawiḏ sent Yo’aḇ and his servants with him, and all Yisra’ĕl, and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But Dawiḏ remained at Yerushalayim.
2 And it came to be, at evening time, that Dawiḏ rose up from his bed and walked about on the roof of the sovereign’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very good to look at.
3 And Dawiḏ sent and asked about the woman, and one said, “Is this not Bathsheḇa, the daughter of Eliyam, the wife of Uriyah the Ḥittite?”
4 And Dawiḏ sent messengers, to fetch her. And she came to him, and he lay with her — for she was cleansing herself from her uncleanness — and she returned to her house.
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and informed Dawiḏ, and said, “I am pregnant.”
6 Then Dawiḏ sent to Yo’aḇ, “Send Uriyah the Ḥittite to me.” And Yo’aḇ sent Uriyah to Dawiḏ.
7 And Uriyah came to him, and Dawiḏ asked how Yo’aḇ was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the fighting was going.
8 And Dawiḏ said to Uriyah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriyah went out from the sovereign’s house, and a gift from the sovereign followed him.
9 But Uriyah lay down at the door of the sovereign’s house with all the servants of his master, and did not go down to his house.
10 And they informed Dawiḏ, saying, “Uriyah did not go down to his house,” So Dawiḏ said to Uriyah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
11 And Uriyah said to Dawiḏ, “The ark and Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah are dwelling in booths, and my master Yo’aḇ and the servants of my master are encamped in the open fields. And I, should I go to my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your being lives, let me not do this.”
12 And Dawiḏ said to Uriyah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I let you go.” So Uriyah remained in Yerushalayim, that day and the next.
13 And Dawiḏ called him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his master, but he did not go down to his house.
14 And it came to be in the morning that Dawiḏ wrote a letter to Yo’aḇ and sent it by the hand of Uriyah.
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriyah in the front of the toughest battle, and you shall turn away from him, and he shall be stricken and shall die.”
16 And it came to be, as Yo’aḇ watched the city, that he appointed Uriyah to the place where he knew there were brave men.
17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Yo’aḇ. And some of the people of the servants of Dawiḏ fell. And Uriyah the Ḥittite also died.
18 And Yo’aḇ sent and reported to Dawiḏ all the events of the battle,
19 and commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished reporting all the events of the battle to the sovereign,
20 then it shall be, if the sovereign’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?
21 Who struck Aḇimeleḵ the son of Yerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who threw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thĕḇĕts? Why did you go near the wall?’ Then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriyah the Ḥittite is also dead.’ ”
22 And the messenger went, and came and reported to Dawiḏ all with which Yo’aḇ had sent him.
23 And the messenger said to Dawiḏ, “The men have been mighty against us and came out to us in the field, but we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate.
24 “And the archers shot from the wall at your servants. And some of the sovereign’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriyah the Ḥittite is also dead.”
25 And Dawiḏ said to the messenger, “Say to Yo’aḇ, ‘Do not let this matter be evil in your eyes, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ And strengthen him.”
26 And the wife of Uriyah heard that Uriyah her husband was dead, and she lamented for her husband.
27 And when her mourning was over, Dawiḏ sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the deed that Dawiḏ had done was evil in the eyes of יהוה.
1 Then יהוה sent Nathan to Dawiḏ. And he came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.
2 “The rich one had flocks and herds, very many.
3 “But the poor one had only one little ewe lamb which he had bought and kept alive. And it grew up with him and with his children together. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom. And it was like a daughter to him.
4 “And a traveller came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 And the wrath of Dawiḏ burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As יהוה lives, the man who has done this is a son of death!
6 “Also, he has to repay fourfold for the lamb, because he did this deed and because he had no compassion.”
7 Then Nathan said to Dawiḏ, “You are the man! Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, ‘I anointed you sovereign over Yisra’ĕl, and I delivered you from the hand of Sha’ul.
8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah. And if that were not enough, I also would have given you much more!
9 Why have you despised the Word of יהוה to do evil in His eyes? You have struck Uriyah the Ḥittite with the sword, and his wife you took to be your wife, and you have killed him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 And now, the sword does not turn aside from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriyah the Ḥittite to be your wife.’
11 “Thus said יהוה, ‘See, I am raising up evil against you, from your own house, and shall take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For you did it in secret, but I shall do this deed before all Yisra’ĕl, and before the sun.’ ”
13 And Dawiḏ said to Nathan, “I have sinned against יהוה.” And Nathan said to Dawiḏ, “Also, יהוה has put away your sin, you shall not die.
14 “However, because by this deed you have greatly scorned יהוה, the child also who is born to you shall certainly die.”
15 And Nathan went to his house, and יהוה smote the child that Uriyah’s wife had born to Dawiḏ, and he was sick.
16 And Dawiḏ sought Elohim for the child, and Dawiḏ fasted and went in and spent all night lying on the ground.
17 So the elders of his house stood up over him, to raise him up from the earth. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
18 And on the seventh day it came to be that the child died. And the servants of Dawiḏ were afraid to inform him that the child was dead, for they said, “Look, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. And how do we say to him that the child is dead? Then he shall do evil!”
19 And Dawiḏ saw that his servants were whispering, and Dawiḏ perceived that the child was dead. Then Dawiḏ said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”
20 Dawiḏ then rose up from the ground, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his garments. And he went into the House of יהוה and bowed himself, then came to his own house, and asked, and they set food before him, so he ate.
21 And his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept because of the living child, but when the child died, you rose up and ate food.”
22 And he said, “While the child was alive I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether יהוה shows favour unto me, and the child shall live?’
23 “But now he is dead, why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I am going to him, but he does not return to me.”
24 And Dawiḏ comforted Bathsheḇa his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Shelomoh. And יהוה loved him,
25 and sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name Yeḏiḏeyah, because of יהוה.
26 And Yo’aḇ fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and captured the royal city.
27 And Yo’aḇ sent messengers to Dawiḏ, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have captured the city’s water supply.
28 “And now, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and capture it, lest I capture the city and it be called after my name.”
29 And Dawiḏ gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and captured it.
30 And he took their sovereign’s crown from his head. And its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones, and it was on Dawiḏ’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount.
31 And he brought out the people who were in it, and set them to the saw and to sharp instruments of iron and to axes of iron, and made them pass over to the brick works. And so he did with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And Dawiḏ and all the people returned to Yerushalayim.
1 And after this it came to be that Aḇshalom son of Dawiḏ had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, and Amnon son of Dawiḏ loved her.
2 And Amnon was distressed, even to become sick, because of his sister Tamar — for she was a maiden — and it was hard in the eyes of Amnon to do whatever to her.
3 And Amnon had a friend whose name was Yonaḏaḇ son of Shim‛ah, Dawiḏ’s brother. Now Yonaḏaḇ was a very wise man.
4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the sovereign’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Explain it to me.” And Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Aḇshalom’s sister.”
5 And Yonaḏaḇ said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and make the food before my eyes so that I see it, and eat it from her hand.’ ”
6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the sovereign came to see him, Amnon said to the sovereign, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me before my eyes, so that I eat from her hand.”
7 And Dawiḏ sent to Tamar, to the house, saying, “Please go to the house of your brother Amnon, and make food for him.”
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, while he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it, and made cakes before his eyes, and baked the cakes.
9 And she took the pan and turned them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Make everyone go away from me.” And they all went out from him.
10 And Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom.
11 And she brought them to him to eat, and he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12 And she answered him, “No, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Yisra’ĕl. Do not do this wickedness!
13 “And I, where could I take my shame? And you — you would be like one of the fools in Yisra’ĕl. And now, please speak to the sovereign, for he would not withhold me from you.”
14 But he would not listen to her voice, and being stronger than she, he humbled her and lay with her.
15 Amnon then hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, go!”
16 And she said to him, “No, for this evil of sending me away is worse than the other you have done to me.” But he would not listen to her.
17 And he called his young man serving him, and said, “Now put this one out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.”
18 And she had on a long coat, for the sovereign’s maiden daughters wore such garments. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her long coat that was on her, and put her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.
20 And Aḇshalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, keep silent, my sister. He is your brother, do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained in the house of her brother Aḇshalom, but was ruined.
21 And Sovereign Dawiḏ heard all these reports, and he was very wroth.
22 And Aḇshalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor evil. For Aḇshalom hated Amnon, because he had humbled his sister Tamar.
23 And it came to be, after two years, that Aḇshalom had sheep-shearers in Ba‛al Hatsor, which is beside Ephrayim, and Aḇshalom invited all the sons of the sovereign.
24 And Aḇshalom came to the sovereign and said, “See, your servant has sheep-shearers. Please, let the sovereign and his servants go with your servant.”
25 But the sovereign said to Aḇshalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be too heavy on you.” And he urged him, but he would not go. And he blessed him.
26 And Aḇshalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the sovereign said to him, “Why should he go with you?”
27 And Aḇshalom urged him, so he let Amnon and all the sons of the sovereign go with him.
28 And Aḇshalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch, and when the heart of Amnon is glad with wine, and I shall say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and brave.”
29 Then the servants of Aḇshalom did to Amnon as Aḇshalom had commanded. Then all the sons of the sovereign rose up, and each one mounted his mule and fled.
30 And it came to be, while they were on the way, that news came to Dawiḏ, saying, “Aḇshalom has stricken all the sons of the sovereign, and not one of them is left!”
31 And the sovereign rose up and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their garments torn.
32 And Yonaḏaḇ son of Shim‛ah, Dawiḏ’s brother, answered and said, “Do not let my master say they have killed all the young men, the sons of the sovereign, for only Amnon is dead. For by the mouth of Aḇshalom this has been appointed from the day that he humbled his sister Tamar.
33 “And now, let not my master the sovereign take the matter to his heart, to think that all the sons of the sovereign are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”
34 And Aḇshalom fled, and the young man who was watching lifted up his eyes and looked and saw many people were coming from the way behind him, on the side of the hill.
35 Then Yonaḏaḇ said to the sovereign, “Look, the sons of the sovereign are coming; as your servant said, so it is.”
36 And it came to be, as soon as he had finished speaking, that look, the sons of the sovereign came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. And the sovereign too, and all his servants wept very bitterly.
37 But Aḇshalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihuḏ, sovereign of Geshur. And Dawiḏ mourned for his son all the days.
38 So Aḇshalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39 Sovereign Dawiḏ then longed to go to Aḇshalom, for he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.
1 And Yo’aḇ son of Tseruyah knew that the heart of the sovereign was towards Aḇshalom.
2 And Yo’aḇ sent to Teqowa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead.
3 “Then you shall go to the sovereign and speak to him according to this word.” And Yo’aḇ put the words in her mouth.
4 And when the woman of Teqowa spoke to the sovereign, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, “Save, O sovereign!”
5 And the sovereign said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she answered, “Truly I am a widow, my husband is dead.
6 “And your female servant had two sons. And the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.
7 “And see, the entire clan has risen up against your female servant and said, ‘Give him who struck his brother, so that we put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would extinguish my burning coal that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.”
8 And the sovereign said to the woman, “Go to your house, and let me give commands concerning you.”
9 And the woman of Teqowa said to the sovereign, “My master, O sovereign, let the crookedness be on me and on my father’s house, and the sovereign and his throne be guiltless.”
10 And the sovereign said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and let him no longer touch you.”
11 And she said, “Please let the sovereign remember יהוה your Elohim, and the redeemer of blood not destroy any more, lest they destroy my son.” And he said, “As יהוה lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”
12 And the woman said, “Please, let your female servant speak a word to my master the sovereign.” And he said, “Speak.”
13 And the woman said, “And why have you reasoned like this against the people of Elohim? For in speaking this word the sovereign is as one who is guilty, in that the sovereign does not bring his outcast one home again.
14 “For we shall certainly die and become like water spilled on the ground, which is not gathered up again. Yet Elohim does not take away a life, but shall devise ways, so that His outcast ones are not cast out from Him.
15 “And now I have come to speak this word to my master the sovereign because the people have made me afraid. And your female servant said, ‘Please let me speak to the sovereign, it could be that the sovereign does what his female servant asks,
16 for the sovereign has listened to deliver his female servant from the hand of the man seeking to destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of Elohim.’
17 “Then your female servant said, ‘Please let the word of my master the sovereign be comforting, for my master the sovereign is as the messenger of Elohim, in discerning the good and the evil. And יהוה your Elohim is with you.’ ”
18 And the sovereign answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide from me the matter that I am asking you.” And the woman said, “Please, let my master the sovereign speak.”
19 And the sovereign said, “Is the hand of Yo’aḇ with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As your being lives, my master the sovereign, no one turns to the right or to the left from all that my master the sovereign has spoken. For your servant Yo’aḇ commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your female servant.
20 “Your servant Yo’aḇ has done this to change the appearance of the matter. But my master is wise, according to the wisdom of a messenger of Elohim, to know all that is in the earth.”
21 And the sovereign said to Yo’aḇ, “See now, you shall do this matter. And go, bring back the young man Aḇshalom.”
22 And Yo’aḇ fell to the ground on his face and did obeisance, and blessed the sovereign. And Yo’aḇ said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favour in your eyes, my master, O sovereign, in that the sovereign has done the word of his servant.”
23 And Yo’aḇ rose up and went to Geshur, and brought Aḇshalom to Yerushalayim.
24 And the sovereign said, “Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face.” And Aḇshalom went to his own house, and did not see the sovereign’s face.
25 And in all Yisra’ĕl there was no one who was praised as much as Aḇshalom for his handsomeness. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 And when he cut the hair of his head — for it was at every year’s end that he cut it because it was heavy on him — when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred sheqels by the sovereign’s weight.
27 And to Aḇshalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.
28 And Aḇshalom dwelt in Yerushalayim, two years, and he had not seen the sovereign’s face.
29 Then Aḇshalom sent for Yo’aḇ, to send him to the sovereign, but he would not come to him. And he sent again the second time, but he would not come.
30 And he said to his servants, “See, Yo’aḇ’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” And Aḇshalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Yo’aḇ rose up and came to the house of Aḇshalom, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”
32 And Aḇshalom said to Yo’aḇ, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I send you to the sovereign, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It was good for me while I was there.” ’ And now, let me see the sovereign’s face. And if there is any crookedness in me, then you shall put me to death.”
33 Yo’aḇ then went to the sovereign and informed him. And he called for Aḇshalom, and he came to the sovereign and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the sovereign. Then the sovereign kissed Aḇshalom.
1 And it came to be after this that Aḇshalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Aḇshalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. And it came to be, whenever anyone who had a complaint came to the sovereign for a right-ruling, that Aḇshalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And when he said, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Yisra’ĕl,”
3 Aḇshalom would say to him, “Look, your matters are good and right, but you have nobody from the sovereign to hear you.”
4 And Aḇshalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any complaint or case would come to me, and I shall let right be done to him.”
5 And it came to be, whenever anyone came near him to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
6 And Aḇshalom did this to all Yisra’ĕl who came to the sovereign for right-ruling. And Aḇshalom stole the hearts of the men of Yisra’ĕl.
7 And it came to be at the end of forty years that Aḇshalom said to the sovereign, “Please, let me go to Ḥeḇron and pay the vow which I vowed to יהוה.
8 “For your servant vowed a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If יהוה indeed brings me back to Yerushalayim, then I shall serve יהוה.’ ”
9 And the sovereign said to him, “Go in peace.” And he rose up and went to Ḥeḇron.
10 But Aḇshalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “As soon as you hear the voice of the shophar, then you shall say, ‘Aḇshalom is sovereign in Ḥeḇron!’ ”
11 And with Aḇshalom went two hundred men from Yerushalayim who were invited, and they went along unsuspectingly, and did not know the matter at all.
12 Aḇshalom also sent for Aḥithophel the Gilonite, counsellor of Dawiḏ, from his city, from Giloh, while he slaughtered slaughterings. And it came to be that the conspiracy became potent, for the people with Aḇshalom kept increasing.
13 Then a messenger came to Dawiḏ, saying, “The hearts of the men of Yisra’ĕl are with Aḇshalom.”
14 And Dawiḏ said to all his servants who were with him at Yerushalayim, “Rise up, and let us flee, for none of us shall escape from Aḇshalom. Go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly and bring evil upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15 And the sovereign’s servants said to the sovereign, “Look, your servants shall do according to all my master the sovereign chooses.”
16 And the sovereign went out, and all his household at his feet. But the sovereign left ten women, concubines, to look after the house.
17 So the sovereign went out, and all the people at his feet, and they stood still at the last house.
18 And all his servants were passing on at his side. And all the Kerĕthites, and all the Pelĕthites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, were passing on before the sovereign.
19 And the sovereign said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you go, you also, with us? Turn back and remain with the sovereign, for you are a foreigner, and also an exile from your own place.
20 “You came yesterday, and should I today make you wander up and down with us, when I am going wherever I am going? Return, and take your brothers back. Loving-commitment and truth be with you.”
21 And Ittai answered the sovereign and said, “As יהוה lives, and as my master the sovereign lives, in whatever place my master the sovereign is, whether in death or life, let your servant also be there.”
22 Therefore Dawiḏ said to Ittai, “Go, and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him passed over.
23 And all the land was weeping with a loud voice, and all the people were passing over. And the sovereign himself was passing over the wadi Qiḏron, and all the people were passing over toward the way of the wilderness.
24 And see, Tsaḏoq also came, and all the Lĕwites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of Elohim. And they set down the ark of Elohim, and Eḇyathar went up until all the people completed passing over from the city.
25 And the sovereign said to Tsaḏoq, “Take the ark of Elohim back to the city. If I find favour in the eyes of יהוה, then He shall bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling.
26 “But if He says thus, ‘I have not delighted in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good in His eyes.”
27 And the sovereign said to Tsaḏoq the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Aḥima‛ats your son, and Yehonathan son of Eḇyathar.
28 “See, I am waiting in the desert plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
29 And Tsaḏoq and Eḇyathar took the ark of Elohim back to Yerushalayim, and they remained there.
30 And Dawiḏ went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up. And he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.
31 And Dawiḏ was informed, saying, “Aḥithophel is among the conspirators with Aḇshalom.” And Dawiḏ said, “O יהוה, I pray You, make the counsel of Aḥithophel foolish!”
32 And it came to be that Dawiḏ came to the summit, where he bowed himself before Elohim, and saw Ḥushai the Arkite, coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
33 And Dawiḏ said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you shall become a burden to me,
34 but if you return to the city, and say to Aḇshalom, ‘I am your servant, O sovereign — once servant of your father, but now I am your servant,’ then you shall nullify the counsel of Aḥithophel for me.
35 “And are not Tsaḏoq and Eḇyathar the priests with you there? And it shall be that every matter you hear from the sovereign’s house, you should report to Tsaḏoq and Eḇyathar the priests.
36 “See, there with them are their two sons, Aḥima‛ats, Tsaḏoq’s son, and Yehonathan, Eḇyathar’s son. And by them you shall send me every matter you hear.”
37 And Ḥushai, Dawiḏ’s friend, went into the city. And Aḇshalom came into Yerushalayim.
1 And Dawiḏ had passed on a little from the summit, and saw Tsiḇa the servant of Mephiḇosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves, and one hundred cakes of raisins, and one hundred summer fruit, and a skin of wine.
2 And the sovereign said to Tsiḇa, “Why do you have these?” And Tsiḇa said, “The donkeys are for the sovereign’s household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.”
3 And the sovereign said, “And where is the son of your master?” And Tsiḇa said to the sovereign, “See, he remains in Yerushalayim, for he said, ‘Today the house of Yisra’ĕl is going to return the reign of my father to me.’ ”
4 And the sovereign said to Tsiḇa, “See, all that belongs to Mephiḇosheth is yours.” And Tsiḇa said, “I have bowed myself, let me find favour in your eyes, my master, O sovereign!”
5 And when Sovereign Dawiḏ came to Baḥurim he saw a man from the clan of the house of Sha’ul, whose name was Shim‛i son of Gĕra, coming from there. He came out, cursing as he came.
6 And he pelted, with stones, Dawiḏ and all the servants of Sovereign Dawiḏ. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left.
7 And this is what Shim‛i said as he cursed, “Get out! Get out! O man of blood, and man of Beliya‛al!
8 “יהוה has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Sha’ul, in whose place you have reigned. And יהוה has given the reign into the hand of Aḇshalom your son. And see, you are in your own evil, for you are a man of blood!”
9 And Aḇishai son of Tseruyah said to the sovereign, “Why should this dead dog curse my master the sovereign? Please, let me pass over and take off his head!”
10 And the sovereign said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Tseruyah? For let him curse, even because יהוה has said to him, ‘Curse Dawiḏ.’ And who should say, ‘Why did you do that?’ ”
11 And Dawiḏ said to Aḇishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life, and how much more now this Binyamite? Leave him alone, and let him curse, for יהוה has spoken to him.
12 “If so be, יהוה does look on my affliction, and יהוה shall return good to me for his cursing today.”
13 And as Dawiḏ and his men went in the way, Shim‛i walked alongside him on the hillside, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him and kicked up dust.
14 And the sovereign and all the people who were with him became weary, and they refreshed themselves there.
15 And Aḇshalom and all the people, the men of Yisra’ĕl, came to Yerushalayim, and Aḥithophel was with him.
16 And it came to be, when Ḥushai the Arkite, the friend of Dawiḏ, had come to Aḇshalom, that Ḥushai said to Aḇshalom, “Let the sovereign live! Let the sovereign live!”
17 And Aḇshalom said to Ḥushai, “Is this your loving-commitment to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”
18 And Ḥushai said to Aḇshalom, “No, I am for the one whom יהוה and this people and all the men of Yisra’ĕl have chosen, and with him I remain.
19 “And besides, whom should I serve? Should it not be before his son? As I have served before your father, so I am before you.”
20 And Aḇshalom said to Aḥithophel, “Give your advice. What should we do?”
21 And Aḥithophel said to Aḇshalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to look after the house. And all Yisra’ĕl shall hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father. And the hands of all who are with you shall be strong.”
22 So they pitched a tent for Aḇshalom on the top of the house, and Aḇshalom went in to his father’s concubines before the eyes of all Yisra’ĕl.
23 Now the advice Aḥithophel gave in those days was as if one had inquired at the word of Elohim. So was all the advice of Aḥithophel both to Dawiḏ and to Aḇshalom.
1 And Aḥithophel said to Aḇshalom, “Please let me choose twelve thousand men, and let me arise and pursue Dawiḏ tonight,
2 and come upon him while he is weary and weak. And I shall make him afraid and all the people who are with him shall flee. And I shall strike the sovereign alone,
3 and bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people should be at peace.”
4 And the saying pleased Aḇshalom and all the elders of Yisra’ĕl.
5 But Aḇshalom said, “Now call Ḥushai the Arkite also, and let us hear what he says too.”
6 And Ḥushai came to Aḇshalom, and Aḇshalom spoke to him, saying, “Aḥithophel has spoken according to this word. Should we do as he says? If not, speak up.”
7 And Ḥushai said to Aḇshalom, “The advice that Aḥithophel has given is not good at this time.”
8 And Ḥushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are as bitter in being as a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is a man of battle, and would not spend the night with the people.
9 “See, by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some place. And it shall be, when some of them fall at the first, that whoever hears it shall say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who are following Aḇshalom.’
10 “And even he who is brave, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, would utterly melt. For all Yisra’ĕl knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are brave men.
11 “But I advise: Let all Yisra’ĕl without fail be gathered to you, from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa, as numerous as the sand by the sea, and that you yourself go to battle.
12 “And we shall come upon him in some place where he is found, and fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And there shall be left of him and of all the men with him not even one.
13 “And if he withdraws into a city, then all Yisra’ĕl shall bring ropes to that city. And we shall pull it into the wadi, until there is not one small stone found there.”
14 Aḇshalom and all the men of Yisra’ĕl then said, “The advice of Ḥushai the Arkite is better than the advice of Aḥithophel.” For יהוה had ordained to nullify the good advice of Aḥithophel, for the sake of יהוה bringing evil upon Aḇshalom.
15 Ḥushai then said to Tsaḏoq and to Eḇyathar the priests, “Aḥithophel has advised Aḇshalom and the elders of Yisra’ĕl such and such, but I have advised so and so.
16 “And now, send hastily and inform Dawiḏ, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the desert plains of the wilderness, but pass over without fail, lest the sovereign and all the people with him be swallowed up.’ ”
17 And Yehonathan and Aḥima‛ats were stationed at Ěn Roḡĕl, and a female servant would come and inform them, and they would go and inform Sovereign Dawiḏ, for they could not be seen entering the city.
18 But a youth saw them, and informed Aḇshalom. So the two of them went away at once and came to a man’s house in Baḥurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it.
19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it, so the matter was not known.
20 And the servants of Aḇshalom came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Aḥima‛ats and Yehonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have passed over the stream of water.” And they looked and did not find them, and returned to Yerushalayim.
21 And it came to be, after they had left, that they came up out of the well and went and informed Sovereign Dawiḏ, and said to Dawiḏ, “Arise and pass over the water quickly. For thus Aḥithophel has advised against you.”
22 And Dawiḏ and all the people who were with him rose up and passed over the Yardĕn. And by morning light not even one remained who had not gone over the Yardĕn.
23 And Aḥithophel saw that his advice was not followed, so he saddled his donkey, and rose up and went home to his house, to his city. Then he gave command to his house, and hanged himself, and died. And he was buried in his father’s burial-site.
24 And Dawiḏ came to Maḥanayim. And Aḇshalom passed over the Yardĕn, he and all the men of Yisra’ĕl with him.
25 And Aḇshalom appointed Amasa over the army instead of Yo’aḇ. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Yithra, a Yisra’ĕli, who had gone in to Aḇiḡayil the daughter of Naḥash, sister of Tseruyah, Yo’aḇ’s mother.
26 And Yisra’ĕl and Aḇshalom encamped in the land of Gil‛aḏ.
27 And it came to be, when Dawiḏ had come to Maḥanayim, that Shoḇi son of Naḥash from Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Maḵir son of Ammi’ĕl from Lo Ḏeḇar, and Barzillai the Gil‛aḏite from Roḡelim,
28 brought beds and basins, and earthen vessels and wheat, and barley and flour, and roasted grain and beans, and lentils, and parched vegetables,
29 and honey and curds, and sheep and cheese of the herd, for Dawiḏ and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
1 And Dawiḏ mustered the people who were with him, and set commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them.
2 And Dawiḏ sent out one third of the people under the hand of Yo’aḇ, and one third under the hand of Aḇishai son of Tseruyah, Yo’aḇ’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the sovereign said to the people, “I shall certainly go out with you too.”
3 But the people answered, “Do not go out, for if we flee away, they would not set heart upon us. Even if half of us die, they would not set heart upon us. For now, ten thousand are like us. Therefore, it is better for you to support us from the city.”
4 And the sovereign said to them, “That which is good in your eyes I do.” And the sovereign stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 And the sovereign ordered Yo’aḇ, and Aḇishai and Ittai, saying, “Be gentle with the young man Aḇshalom for my sake.” And all the people heard when the sovereign gave all the commanders orders concerning Aḇshalom.
6 So the people went out into the field to meet Yisra’ĕl. And the battle was in the forest of Ephrayim,
7 and the people of Yisra’ĕl were smitten there before the servants of Dawiḏ. And the slaughter there that day was great — twenty thousand.
8 And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 And when Aḇshalom met the servants of Dawiḏ, Aḇshalom was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught hold in the terebinth. And he was suspended between the heavens and earth while the mule which was under him passed on.
10 And a certain man saw it and informed Yo’aḇ, and said, “Look, I saw Aḇshalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”
11 And Yo’aḇ said to the man who informed him, “Now look, you saw, and why did you not strike him to the earth there? Then I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”
12 But the man answered Yo’aḇ, “Though I were to receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the son of the sovereign. Because in our hearing the sovereign commanded you and Aḇishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Take heed, you who go against the youth, against Aḇshalom!’
13 “Otherwise I would have been untrue to my own life. For no matter is hidden from the sovereign, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
14 And Yo’aḇ said, “Let me not waste time here with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Aḇshalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
15 And ten young men who bore Yo’aḇ’s armour went around, and struck Aḇshalom and put him to death.
16 And Yo’aḇ blew with the shophar, and the people returned from pursuing Yisra’ĕl, for Yo’aḇ had held the people back.
17 And they took Aḇshalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest, and heaped a very large pile of stones over him. And all Yisra’ĕl fled, each one to his tent.
18 And Aḇshalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a monument for himself, which is in the Sovereign’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” And he called the monument after his own name. And to this day it is called Aḇshalom’s Monument.
19 And Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq said, “Please let me run and take the news to the sovereign, for יהוה has avenged him of his enemies.”
20 But Yo’aḇ said to him, “You are not the man to take the news today, but you shall take the news another day. But today you do not take news, because the sovereign’s son is dead.”
21 And Yo’aḇ said to the Kushite, “Go, inform the sovereign what you have seen.” And the Kushite bowed himself to Yo’aḇ and ran.
22 And Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq said again to Yo’aḇ, “And whatever might be, please let me also run after the Kushite.” And Yo’aḇ said, “Why would you run, my son, there is no news to bring you reward.”
23 “And whatever might be,” he said, “let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” And Aḥima‛ats ran by the way of the plain, and passed the Kushite.
24 Now Dawiḏ was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, and lifted his eyes and looked and saw a man, running alone.
25 So the watchman called out and told the sovereign. And the sovereign said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer.
26 And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called out to the gatekeeper and said, “See, a man, running by himself!” And the sovereign said, “This one is also bringing news.”
27 And the watchman said, “I see the running of the first is like the running of Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq.” And the sovereign said, “This is a good man, and he comes with good news.”
28 And Aḥima‛ats called out and said to the sovereign, “Peace!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the sovereign, and said, “Blessed be יהוה your Elohim, who has surrendered the men who raised their hand against my master the sovereign!”
29 And the sovereign said, “Peace to the young man, to Aḇshalom?” And Aḥima‛ats answered, “When Yo’aḇ sent the sovereign’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great crowd, but I did not know why.”
30 And the sovereign said, “Turn aside and stand here.” And he turned aside and stood still.
31 And see, the Kushite came, and the Kushite said, “Receive news, my master the sovereign! For יהוה has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.”
32 And the sovereign said to the Kushite, “Peace to the young man, to Aḇshalom?” And the Kushite answered, “Let the enemies of my master the sovereign, and all who rise against you for evil, be as that young man is!”
33 And the sovereign was shaken, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said this, “O my son Aḇshalom! My son, my son Aḇshalom, if only I had died instead of you! O Aḇshalom my son, my son!”
1 And it was reported to Yo’aḇ, “See, the sovereign is weeping and mourning for Aḇshalom.”
2 So the deliverance that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard on that day, saying, “The sovereign has been grieved for his son.”
3 And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4 And the sovereign covered his face, and the sovereign cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Aḇshalom! O Aḇshalom, my son, my son!”
5 And Yo’aḇ came into the house to the sovereign, and said, “Today you have put to shame all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines,
6 by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have made it clear today that you have neither commanders nor servants, for today I know that if Aḇshalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would be right in your eyes.
7 “And now, arise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants. For I swear by יהוה, if you do not go out, not one passes the night with you. And that is worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”
8 So the sovereign rose up and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “Look, the sovereign is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the sovereign. As for Yisra’ĕl, they had fled, each one to his tent.
9 And it came to be, that all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “The sovereign delivered us from the hand of the enemies, he rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Aḇshalom,
10 and Aḇshalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. And now, why are you silent about bringing back the sovereign?”
11 And Sovereign Dawiḏ sent to Tsaḏoq and Eḇyathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Yehuḏah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the sovereign back to his house, since the words of all Yisra’ĕl have come to the sovereign, to his house?
12 You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the sovereign?’
13 “And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? Elohim do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days in place of Yo’aḇ.’ ”
14 Thus he swayed the hearts of all the men of Yehuḏah as one man, so that they sent to the sovereign, saying “Return, you and all your servants!”
15 So the sovereign returned and came to the Yardĕn. And Yehuḏah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the sovereign, to bring the sovereign over the Yardĕn.
16 And Shim‛i son of Gĕra, a Binyamite, who was from Baḥurim, hastened and came down with the men of Yehuḏah to meet Sovereign Dawiḏ.
17 And with him were a thousand men of Binyamin, and Tsiḇa the servant of the house of Sha’ul, and his fifteen sons, and his twenty servants with him. And they rushed over the Yardĕn before the sovereign.
18 And they passed over the ford to bring over the sovereign’s household, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shim‛i son of Gĕra fell down before the sovereign when he had passed over the Yardĕn,
19 and said to the sovereign, “Do not let my master reckon crookedness to me, neither remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my master the sovereign left Yerushalayim, that the sovereign should take it to heart.
20 “For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. And see, I have come today, first of all the house of Yosĕph, to go down to meet my master the sovereign.”
21 But Aḇishai son of Tseruyah answered and said, “Should Shim‛i not be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of יהוה?”
22 And Dawiḏ said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Tseruyah, that you are to be adversaries to me today? Should any man be put to death in Yisra’ĕl today? For do I not know that I am sovereign over Yisra’ĕl today?”
23 So the sovereign said to Shim‛i, “You do not die.” And the sovereign swore to him.
24 And Mephiḇosheth son of Sha’ul came down to meet the sovereign. And he had not attended to his feet, nor trimmed his moustache, nor washed his garments, from the day the sovereign went away until the day he came back in peace.
25 And it came to be, when he had come to Yerushalayim to meet the sovereign, that the sovereign said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephiḇosheth?”
26 And he answered, “My master, O sovereign, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I am saddling a donkey for myself to ride on it and go to the sovereign,’ because your servant is lame.
27 “And he spoke slander against your servant to my master the sovereign, but my master the sovereign is as a messenger of Elohim. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.
28 “For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my master the sovereign. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out any more to the sovereign?”
29 Then the sovereign said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Tsiḇa share the land.’ ”
30 And Mephiḇosheth said to the sovereign, “Rather, let him take it all, since my master the sovereign has come back in peace to his own house.”
31 And Barzillai the Gil‛aḏite came down from Roḡelim and passed over the Yardĕn with the sovereign, to send him on his way over the Yardĕn.
32 And Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had sustained the sovereign while he was dwelling at Maḥanayim, for he was a very rich man.
33 And the sovereign said to Barzillai, “Pass over with me, and I shall provide for you with me in Yerushalayim.”
34 But Barzillai said to the sovereign, “How many are the days of my life, that I should go up with the sovereign to Yerushalayim?
35 “I am now eighty years old. Do I discern between the good and evil? Does your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Do I still hear the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my master the sovereign?
36 “Your servant would only pass over the Yardĕn with the sovereign for a short distance. And why should the sovereign repay me with such a reward?
37 “Please let your servant turn back again to die in my own city, near the burial-site of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham, let him pass over with my master the sovereign, and do for him what is good in your eyes.”
38 And the sovereign answered, “Kimham is passing over with me, and let me do for him what is good in your eyes. Now whatever you choose of me, I do for you.”
39 Then all the people went over the Yardĕn. And when the sovereign had passed over, the sovereign kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.
40 And the sovereign passed over to Gilgal, and Kimham passed over with him. And all the people of Yehuḏah brought the sovereign over, and also half the people of Yisra’ĕl.
41 And see, all the men of Yisra’ĕl were coming to the sovereign! And they said to the sovereign, “Why have our brothers, the men of Yehuḏah, stolen you away and brought the sovereign, and his household, and all Dawiḏ’s men with him over the Yardĕn?”
42 And all the men of Yehuḏah answered the men of Yisra’ĕl, “Because the sovereign is our relative. And why are you displeased over this matter? Have we at all eaten at the sovereign’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?”
43 And the men of Yisra’ĕl answered the men of Yehuḏah, and said, “We have ten parts in the sovereign, and in Dawiḏ too, we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Was it not our advice first to bring back our sovereign?” But the words of the men of Yehuḏah were harsher than the words of the men of Yisra’ĕl.
1 And there came to be a man of Beliya‛al, whose name was Sheḇa son of Biḵri, a Binyamite. And he blew with the shophar, and said, “We have no part in Dawiḏ, nor do we have inheritance in the son of Yishai — each one to his tents, O Yisra’ĕl!”
2 Then all the men of Yisra’ĕl deserted Dawiḏ, to follow Sheḇa the son of Biḵri. But the men of Yehuḏah, from the Yardĕn as far as Yerushalayim, clung to their sovereign.
3 And Dawiḏ came to his house at Yerushalayim. And the sovereign took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to look after the house, and put them in a protected house and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4 And the sovereign said to Amasa, “Call the men of Yehuḏah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.”
5 And Amasa went to call the men of Yehuḏah. But he delayed longer than the appointed time which Dawiḏ had appointed him.
6 And Dawiḏ said to Aḇishai, “Now Sheḇa son of Biḵri is going to do us more evil than Aḇshalom. Take the servants of your master, and pursue him, lest he find for himself walled cities, and escape us.”
7 Then the men of Yo’aḇ went out after him, with the Kerĕthites and the Pelĕthites, and all the mighty men. And they went out of Yerushalayim to pursue Sheḇa son of Biḵri.
8 When they were near the large stone which is in Giḇ‛on, Amasa came before them. And Yo’aḇ was dressed in battle armour, and on it was a girdle with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips. And as he went forward, it fell out.
9 And Yo’aḇ said to Amasa, “Peace, my brother?” And Yo’aḇ took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10 But Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Yo’aḇ’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his inward parts poured out on the ground, and he did not strike him again, and he died. Then Yo’aḇ and Aḇishai his brother pursued Sheḇa son of Biḵri.
11 And a man, one of Yo’aḇ’s men, stood beside him, and said, “Whoever is well pleased with Yo’aḇ and whoever is for Dawiḏ, let him follow Yo’aḇ!”
12 And Amasa was rolling in his blood in the middle of the highway. And the man saw that all the people stood still, so he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted.
13 When he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Yo’aḇ to pursue Sheḇa son of Biḵri.
14 And he passed over through all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl to Aḇĕl, and to Bĕyth Ma‛aḵah, and to all the Bĕrites. And they were assembled and went after him too.
15 And they went and besieged him in Aḇĕl of Bĕyth Ma‛aḵah, and they cast up a siege mound against the city. And it stood in a rampart, and all the people who were with Yo’aḇ battered the wall to throw it down.
16 Then a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen, listen! Please say to Yo’aḇ, ‘Come nearby, so that I speak to you.’ ”
17 And he came near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Yo’aḇ?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your female servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”
18 Then she spoke, saying, “In former times they often spoke, saying, ‘Let them inquire of Aḇĕl,’ and so they ended the matter.
19 “I am of the peaceable and trustworthy ones in Yisra’ĕl. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Yisra’ĕl. Why do you swallow up the inheritance of יהוה?”
20 And Yo’aḇ answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me to swallow up or to destroy!
21 “That is not the case. But a man from the mountains of Ephrayim, Sheḇa son of Biḵri by name, has raised his hand against the sovereign, against Dawiḏ. Hand him over, him alone, and I withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Yo’aḇ, “Look, his head is going to be thrown to you over the wall.”
22 So the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheḇa son of Biḵri, and threw it out to Yo’aḇ. Then he blew with the shophar, and they dispersed from the city, each one to his tent. And Yo’aḇ returned to the sovereign at Yerushalayim.
23 Now Yo’aḇ was over all the army of Yisra’ĕl, and Benayah son of Yehoyaḏa was over the Kerĕthites and the Pelĕthites,
24 and Aḏoram was over the compulsory labour, and Yehoshaphat son of Aḥiluḏ was recorder,
25 and Shewa was scribe, and Tsaḏoq and Eḇyathar were the priests,
26 and Ira the Ya‛irite was priest to Dawiḏ.
1 And there was a scarcity of food in the days of Dawiḏ for three years, year after year. And Dawiḏ sought the face of יהוה, and יהוה answered, “Because of Sha’ul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Giḇ‛onites.”
2 The sovereign therefore called the Giḇ‛onites and spoke to them. Now the Giḇ‛onites were not of the children of Yisra’ĕl, but of the remnant of the Amorites. And the children of Yisra’ĕl had sworn protection to them, but Sha’ul had sought to strike them in his ardour for the children of Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah.
3 So Dawiḏ said to the Giḇ‛onites, “What should I do for you? And with what do I make atonement, so that you bless the inheritance of יהוה?”
4 And the Giḇ‛onites said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Sha’ul, or his house, neither is it for us to put to death any man in Yisra’ĕl.” And he said, “Whatever you say I do for you.”
5 And they said to the sovereign, “The man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in all the border of Yisra’ĕl,
6 let seven men of his sons be given to us, and we shall hang them before יהוה in Giḇ‛ah of Sha’ul, whom יהוה chose.” And the sovereign said, “I give them.”
7 But the sovereign spared Mephiḇosheth son of Yehonathan, son of Sha’ul, because of the oath of יהוה that was between them, between Dawiḏ and Yehonathan son of Sha’ul.
8 And the sovereign took the two sons of Ritspah the daughter of Ayah, whom she bore to Sha’ul: Armoni and the other Mephiḇosheth, and the five sons of Miḵal the daughter of Sha’ul, whom she brought up for Aḏri’ĕl the son of Barzillai, the Meḥolathite,
9 and gave them into the hands of the Giḇ‛onites, and they hanged them on the hill before יהוה. So the seven fell together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
10 And Ritspah the daughter of Ayah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the heavens to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.
11 And Dawiḏ was informed what Ritspah the daughter of Ayah, the concubine of Sha’ul, had done.
12 And Dawiḏ went and took the bones of Sha’ul, and the bones of Yehonathan his son, from the men of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ who had stolen them from the street of Bĕyth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Sha’ul in Gilboa.
13 And he brought up the bones of Sha’ul and the bones of Yehonathan his son from there, and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged,
14 and buried the bones of Sha’ul and Yehonathan his son in the land of Binyamin in Tsela, in the burial-site of Qish his father, and did all that the sovereign commanded. And after that Elohim heard prayer for the land.
15 And the Philistines were again fighting against Yisra’ĕl, so Dawiḏ and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines. And Dawiḏ was weary,
16 and Yishbo-Benoḇ — who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred pieces, who was bearing a new sword — spoke of striking Dawiḏ.
17 But Aḇishai son of Tseruyah came to help him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then Dawiḏ’s men swore to him, saying, “Do not go out with us to battle any more, lest you put out the lamp of Yisra’ĕl.”
18 And it came to be afterward, that there was a battle again with the Philistines at Goḇ. Then Sibbeḵai the Ḥushathite struck Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant.
19 And there was a battle with the Philistines again at Goḇ, where Elḥanan son of Ya‛arĕy-Oreḡim the Bĕyth Leḥemite struck Golyath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
20 And there was a battle in Gath again, where there was a man of great height, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number. And he also was descended from the giants.
21 And he reproached Yisra’ĕl, and Yehonathan son of Shim‛i, the brother of Dawiḏ, struck him.
22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of Dawiḏ and by the hand of his servants.
1 Then Dawiḏ spoke to יהוה the words of this song, on the day when יהוה had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Sha’ul.
2 And he said, “יהוה is my rock and my stronghold and my deliverer.
3 “My Elohim is my rock, I take refuge in Him, My shield and the horn of my deliverance, My high tower and my refuge. My Saviour, You save me from violence.
4 “I call on יהוה, the One to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.
5 “For the waves of death surrounded me, Floods of Beliya‛al made me afraid,
6 “The cords of She’ol were all around me; The snares of death were before me.
7 “In my distress I called upon יהוה, And to my Elohim I cried. And from His Hĕḵal He heard my voice, And my cry was in His ears.
8 “And the earth shook and trembled, The foundations of the heavens were troubled, Because He was wroth.
9 “Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it.
10 “And He bowed the heavens and came down, And thick darkness was under His feet.
11 “And He rode upon a keruḇ, and flew, And was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 “And He put darkness around Him as booths, Darkness of waters, thick clouds.
13 “From the brightness before Him Coals of fire were kindled.
14 “יהוה thundered from the heavens, And the Most High sent forth His voice.
15 “And He sent out arrows and scattered them, Lightning, and confused them.
16 “And the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At the rebuke of יהוה, At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
17 “He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.
18 “He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those hating me, For they were stronger than I.
19 “They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But יהוה was my support.
20 “And He brought me out into a large place, He delivered me for He delighted in me.
21 “יהוה rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He repaid me.
22 “For I have guarded the ways of יהוה, And have not acted wrongly against my Elohim.
23 “For all His right-rulings are before me; As for His laws, I do not turn from them.
24 “And I am perfect before Him, And I guard myself from my crookedness.
25 “And יהוה repays me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness before His eyes.
26 “With the lovingly-commited ones You show Yourself lovingly-commited, With the perfect one You show Yourself perfect,
27 “With the clean You show Yourself clean, And with the crooked You show Yourself twisted.
28 “For You save the humble people, But Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
29 “For You are my lamp, O יהוה, And יהוה makes my darkness light.
30 “For with You I run against a band, With my Elohim I leap over a wall.
31 “The Ěl — His way is perfect; The Word of יהוה is proven; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
32 “For who is Ěl, besides יהוה? And who is a rock, besides our Elohim?
33 "Ěl is my mighty stronghold, And He makes my way perfect,
34 “Making my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places,
35 “Teaching my hands for battle, So that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
36 “And You give me the shield of Your deliverance, And Your lowliness makes me great.
37 “You enlarge my step under me, So that my feet shall not slip.
38 “I pursue my enemies and destroy them, And I do not turn back till they are destroyed.
39 “And I destroy them and crush them, So that they do not rise, And fall under my feet.
40 “And You gird me with strength for battle, You cause my adversaries to bow under me.
41 “And You make my enemies turn their backs, Those hating me, and I cut them off.
42 “They look but there is no saviour, Unto יהוה, but He shall not answer them.
43 “And I beat them as dust of the earth, I beat them small as dirt in the streets — I spread them out.
44 “And You deliver me from the strivings of my people, You safeguard me as the head of the nations; A people I have not known serve me.
45 “Sons of the foreigner submit to me, As soon as they hear they obey me.
46 “Sons of the foreigner fade away, And gird themselves from their strongholds.
47 “יהוה lives! And blessed is my Rock! And exalted is my Elohim, The Rock of my deliverance,
48 "Ěl who avenges me, And bringing peoples down under me,
49 “And bringing me out from my enemies; You raise me up above those rising up against me; You deliver me from a man of violence.
50 “Therefore I give thanks to You, O יהוה, among nations, And I sing praise to Your Name.
51 “A tower of deliverance is He to His sovereign, And showing loving-commitment to His anointed, To Dawiḏ and his seed, forever.”
1 And these are the last words of Dawiḏ, the saying of Dawiḏ son of Yishai, the saying of the man raised above, the anointed of the Elohim of Ya‛aqoḇ, and the sweet singer of Yisra’ĕl:
2 “The Spirit of יהוה has spoken through me, And His word is on my tongue.
3 “The Elohim of Yisra’ĕl said, The Rock of Yisra’ĕl spoke to me, ‘One who rules over man righteously,
4 “Who rules in the fear of Elohim, Is like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Tender grass from the earth From sunshine, from rain.’
5 “For is not my house so with Ěl? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, Ordered in all matters, and guarded. For all my deliverance and all desire, Shall He not make it send forth a Branch?
6 “But the worthless are all as thorns thrust away, For they are not taken with hands,
7 “But the man who touches them Uses iron or the shaft of a spear, And with fire they are burned up in their place.”
8 These are the names of the mighty men whom Dawiḏ had: Yoshĕḇ-Bassheḇeth the Taḥkemonite, chief among the officers, he was Aḏino the Etsnite, for eight hundred slain at one time.
9 And after him was El‛azar son of Doḏo, the Aḥoḥite, one of the three mighty men with Dawiḏ when they taunted the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Yisra’ĕl had gone up.
10 He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, but his hand clung to the sword, so יהוה brought about a great deliverance that day. And the people returned after him only to plunder.
11 And after him was Shammah son of Aḡĕ the Hararite. And the Philistines had gathered into a company where there was a plot of ground covered with lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he took his stand in the middle of the field, and delivered it, and struck the Philistines, and יהוה wrought a great deliverance.
13 And three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to Dawiḏ at the cave of Aḏullam, while the army of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Repha’im.
14 And Dawiḏ was then in the stronghold, while a watch-post of the Philistines was then in Bĕyth Leḥem.
15 And Dawiḏ longed and said, “Oh that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bĕyth Leḥem, which is by the gate!”
16 And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bĕyth Leḥem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to Dawiḏ. But he would not drink it, but poured it out to יהוה.
17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O יהוה, to do this — the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives!” So he would not drink it. This is what the three mighty men did.
18 And Aḇishai the brother of Yo’aḇ, son of Tseruyah, was chief of another three. And he lifted his spear against three hundred men whom he slew, and had a name among these three.
19 Was he not the most esteemed of three? And he became their commander, but he did not come to the first three.
20 And Benayahu was the son of Yehoyaḏa, son of a brave man from Qaḇtse’ĕl, great in deeds. He struck two lion-like men of Mo’aḇ. And he went down and struck a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
21 And he struck a Mitsrian, an impressive man. And the Mitsrian had a spear in his hand, so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Mitsrian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
22 This is what Benayahu son of Yehoyaḏa did, and had a name among three mighty men.
23 He was more esteemed than the thirty, but he did not come to the first three. And Dawiḏ set him over his guard.
24 Asah’ĕl the brother of Yo’aḇ was one of the thirty; Elḥanan son of Doḏo of Bĕyth Leḥem,
25 Shammah the Ḥaroḏite, Eliqa the Ḥaroḏite,
26 Ḥelets the Paltite, Ira son of Iqqĕsh the Teqowite,
27 Aḇi‛ezer the Anethothite, Meḇunnai the Ḥushathite,
28 Tsalmon the Aḥoḥite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Ḥĕleḇ son of Ba‛anah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Riḇai from Giḇ‛ah of the children of Binyamin,
30 Benayahu the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Ga‛ash,
31 Aḇi-Alḇon the Arbathite, Azmaweth the Barḥumite,
32 Elyaḥba the Sha‛albonite of the sons of Yashĕn, Yehonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Aḥyam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet son of Aḥasbai, son of the Ma‛aḵathite, Eliyam son of Aḥithophel the Gilonite,
35 Ḥetsrai the Karmelite, Pa‛arai the Arbite,
36 Yiḡ’al son of Nathan of Tsoḇah, Bani the Gaḏite,
37 Tseleq the Ammonite, Naḥarai the Be’ĕrothite, armour-bearer of Yo’aḇ son of Tseruyah,
38 Ira the Yithrite, Garĕḇ the Yithrite,
39 and Uriyah the Ḥittite — thirty-seven in all.
1 And again the displeasure of יהוה burned against Yisra’ĕl, and moved Dawiḏ against them to say, “Go, number Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah.”
2 And the sovereign said to Yo’aḇ the commander of the army who was with him, “Go please, throughout all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa, and register the people, so that I know the number of the people.”
3 And Yo’aḇ said to the sovereign, “Even if יהוה your Elohim does add to the people a hundredfold more than there are, and the eyes of my master the sovereign see it, but why does my master the sovereign delight in this matter?”
4 However, the sovereign’s word was strong towards Yo’aḇ and against the commanders of the army. And Yo’aḇ and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the sovereign to register the people of Yisra’ĕl.
5 And they passed over the Yardĕn and camped in Aro‛ĕr, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the wadi of Gaḏ, and toward Ya‛zĕr.
6 Then they came to Gil‛aḏ and to the land of Taḥtim Ḥoḏshi, and they came to Dan Ya‛an and around to Tsiḏon.
7 And they came to the stronghold of Tsor and to all the cities of the Ḥiwwites and the Kena‛anites, and went out to South Yehuḏah as far as Be’ĕrsheḇa.
8 And when they had gone through all the land, they came to Yerushalayim at the end of nine new moons and twenty days.
9 And Yo’aḇ gave the number of the registration of the people to the sovereign, and there were in Yisra’ĕl eight hundred thousand brave men who drew the sword, and the men of Yehuḏah were five hundred thousand men.
10 And the heart of Dawiḏ struck him after he had numbered the people. And Dawiḏ said to יהוה, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, I pray, O יהוה, take away the crookedness of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
11 And Dawiḏ rose up in the morning, and the word of יהוה came to the prophet Gaḏ, Dawiḏ’s seer, saying,
12 “Go, and you shall speak to Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה, “I hold three options before you. Choose one of them, and I do it to you.” ’ ”
13 Gaḏ then came to Dawiḏ and informed him. And he said to him, “Should seven years of scarcity of food come to you in your land? Or would you flee three new moons before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or should there be three days’ plague in your land? Now know and see what answer I take back to Him who sent me.”
14 And Dawiḏ said to Gaḏ, “I am in great trouble. Please let us fall into the hand of יהוה, for His compassion is great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
15 And יהוה sent a plague upon Yisra’ĕl from the morning till the appointed time, and from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa seventy thousand men of the people died.
16 And the messenger stretched out His hand over Yerushalayim to destroy it, and יהוה relented concerning the evil, and said to the messenger who was destroying the people, “It is enough, now stop Your hand.” And the messenger of יהוה was by the threshing-floor of Arawnah the Yeḇusite.
17 And Dawiḏ spoke to יהוה when he saw the messenger who was striking the people, and said, “See, I have sinned, and I have done perversely. But these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”
18 And Gaḏ came that day to Dawiḏ and said to him, “Go up, raise a slaughter-place to יהוה on the threshing-floor of Arawnah the Yeḇusite.”
19 And Dawiḏ, according to the word of Gaḏ, went up as יהוה commanded.
20 And Arawnah looked and saw the sovereign and his servants coming toward him. And Arawnah went out and bowed before the sovereign with his face to the ground.
21 And Arawnah said, “Why has my master the sovereign come to his servant?” And Dawiḏ said, “To buy the threshing-floor from you, to build a slaughter-place to יהוה, so that the plague be withdrawn from the people.”
22 And Arawnah said to Dawiḏ, “Let my master the sovereign take and offer that which seems good to him. Here are cattle for ascending offering, and threshing implements and the yokes of the cattle for wood.
23 “All these, O sovereign, Arawnah has given to the sovereign.” And Arawnah said to the sovereign, “יהוה your Elohim accept you!”
24 And the sovereign said to Arawnah, “No, let me buy it from you for a price, for certain. I am not offering ascending offerings to יהוה my Elohim without cost.” So Dawiḏ bought the threshing-floor and the cattle for fifty sheqels of silver.
25 And Dawiḏ built a slaughter-place to יהוה there, and offered ascending offerings and peace offerings. And יהוה answered the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Yisra’ĕl.