1

1 Scroll 07 Samuel-Kings (Samuel 2).
And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites,
and David had abode two days in Ziklag.

2 And it came even to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and ground upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground, and did obeisance.

3 David said to him, Whence come Thou? He said to him, Out of the camp of Israel have I escaped.

4 David said to him, How went the matter? I pray Thee, tell me. He answered, That the people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen, and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

5 David said to the young man that told him, How know Thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen pursued him.

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Behold me.

8 He said to me, Who are Thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

9 He said to me, Stand, I pray Thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and armlet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

12 and they mourned and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the House of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword.

13 David said to the young man that told him, Whence are Thou? He answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

14 David said to him, How were Thou not afraid to stretch forth Thy hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?

15 David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. He smote him that he died.

16 David said to him, Thy blood be upon Thy head; for Thy mouth has testified against Thee, saying, I have slain the LORD's anointed.

17
David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son:

18 (also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow:
behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher).
[Song of the Bow].

19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon Thy high places:
how are the mighty fallen!

20 Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21
Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew,
neither rain upon you, nor fields of offerings:
for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away,
the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

22
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan turned not back,
and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant,
in their lives, and in their death they were not divided:
they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.

24
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights,
who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the middle of the battle!
Jonathan Thou were slain in Thy high places.

26
I am distressed for Thee, my brother Jonathan:
very pleasant have Thou been to me:
Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 How have the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

2

1 And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying,
Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? The LORD said to him,
Go up. David said, where shall I go up? He said, To Hebron.

2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the House of Judah.
And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-Gilead were they that buried Saul.

5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and said to them,
Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him!

6 And now the LORD show kindness and truth to you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the House of Judah have anointed me king over them.

8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

9 he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years: but the House of Judah followed David.

11 And the time that David was king in Hebron, over the House of Judah, was seven years and six months.

12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon:
and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

14 Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. Joab said, Let them arise.

15 Then there arose, and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, who pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side: so they fell down together:
therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim[field of edges], which is in Gibeon.

17 And there was a very severe battle that day; and Abner was defeated, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

19 Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Are Thou Asahel? He answered, I am.

21 Abner said to him, Turn Thee aside to Thy right hand or to Thy left, and lay hold on one of the young men, and take to Thee his armour.
But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

22 Abner said again to Asahel, Turn Thee aside from following me: Why should I smite Thee to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab Thy brother?

23 But he refused to turn aside: therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place:
and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

24 Joab also, and Abishai pursued Abner: and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 And the children of Benjamin assembled themselves after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill.

26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Know Thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end?
Until when shall it be then, before Thou will bid the people return from following their brethren?

27 Joab said, As GOD lives, unless Thou had spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

28 So Joab blew a shofar and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

29 Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

30 Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had assembled all the people, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men, and Asahel.

31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred sixty men died.

32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem.
Joab and his men went all night, and the light broke upon them at Hebron.

3

1 Now there was long war between the House of Saul and the House of David:
but David grew stronger and stronger, and the House of Saul became weaker and weaker.

2 And to David were sons born in Hebron:
and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite;
and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

5 and the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife.
These were born to David in Hebron.

6
And it came to pass, while there was war between the House of Saul and the House of David,
that Abner made himself strong for the House of Saul.

7 Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner,
Why have Thou gone in to my father's concubine?

8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth,
and said, Am I a dog's head, who against Judah do show kindness this day to the House of Saul Thy father,
to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered Thee into the hand of David, that Thou charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?

9 May GOD do so to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD has sworn to David, even so I do to him;

10 to transfer the kingdom from the House of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-Sheba.

11 He could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

12 Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying,
Whose is the land? And saying, Make Thy league with me,
and behold, my hand shall be with Thee, to bring about all Israel to Thee.

13 He said, Well; I will make a league with Thee:
but one thing I require of Thee, that is, Thou shall not see my face,
except Thou shall first bring Michal, daughter of Saul, when Thou come to see my face.

14 David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying,
Deliver to me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15 Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish.

16 And her husband went with her, weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him, Go, return. He returned.

17 Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David yesterday and before to be king over you:

18 now then do it: for the LORD has spoken of David,
saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.

19 Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin:
and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole House of Benjamin.

20 So Abner came to David in Hebron, and twenty men with him: and David made Abner and the men that were with him, a feast.

21 Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a league with Thee,
and that Thou may reign over all that Thy soul desires. David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

22
And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them:
but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

23 When Joab and all the host that was with him had come, they told Joab,
saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.

24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have Thou done?
Behold, Abner came to Thee; why is it that Thou have sent him away, and he is quite gone?

25 Thou know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive Thee,
and to know Thy going-out and Thy coming-in, and to know all that Thou do.

26 And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner,
who brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

27 And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly,
and smote him there under the fifth rib that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28 And afterward when David heard it. He said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

29 let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the House of Joab one that has an issue,
or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls on the sword, or that lacks bread.

30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

31 David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him,
Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.
And king David himself followed the bier.

32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33
And the king lamented over Abner,
and said, Dead, as a fool dies Abner?

34 Thy hands were not bound,
nor Thy feet put into copper fetters:
as a man falls before wicked men, so fell Thou.
And all the people wept again over him.

35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day,
David swore, saying, So do GOD to me, and more also, If I taste bread or aught else, before the sun is down.

36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatever the king did pleased all the people.

37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

38 And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that there has a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

39 I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me.
The LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

4

1
And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

2 Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab,
the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (For Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:

3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have been sojourners there until this day).

4 Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet:
he was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel,
and his nurse took him up, and fled:
and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame.
And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went,
and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

6 And they came there into the middle of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat;
and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bed-chamber,
and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went away through the plain all night.

8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king,
Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul Thy enemy, who sought Thy life;
and the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed.

9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite,
and said to them, As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

10 when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, (thinking to have brought good tidings),
I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

11 how much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed?
Shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the Earth?

12 David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them over the pool in Hebron.
But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

5

1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are Thy bone and Thy flesh.

2 Also yesterday and before, even when Saul was king over us, Thou were he who led out and brought in Israel:
and the LORD said to Thee, Thou shall feed my people Israel, and Thou shall be a captain over Israel.

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron;
and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty three years over all Israel and Judah.

6
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: who spoke to David,
saying, Except Thou shall take away the blind and the lame, Thou shall not come in here: thinking, David cannot to come in here.

7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: which is the city of David.

8 David said on that day, Whoever gets up to the gutter, and smites the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated by David's soul,
he shall be chief and captain: Therefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. David built around from Millo and inward.

10 David went on, and grew great, and the LORD, God of Sabaoth was with him.

11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and stone-masons: and they built David a house.

12 David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake.

13
David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

14 And these are the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

15 Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

16 Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel,
all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.

18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

19 David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will Thou deliver them into my hand?
The LORD said to David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into Thy hand.

20 David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD has broken forth upon my enemies before me,
as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

21 And there they left their images, and David and his men took them away.

22 And the Philistines came yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

23 And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shall not go up: but turn around to their rear, and come upon them opposed to the mulberry-trees.

24 And let it be, when Thou hear the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees,
that then Thou shall bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before Thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

25 David did so as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until Thou come to Gazer.

6

1 Again, David assembled all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand,

2 David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the Ark of GOD,
whose name is called by the Name of the LORD of Sabaoth that dwells between the cherubim.

3 And they set the Ark of GOD upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzza and Ahio the sons of Abinadab drove the new cart.

4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was at Gibeah, accompanying the Ark of GOD: and Ahio went before the Ark.

5 David and all the House of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on sistra, and on cymbals.

6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzza put forth his hand to the Ark of GOD, and took hold of it: for the oxen stumbled.

7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and GOD smote him there for his error; and there he died by the Ark of GOD.

8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: and called the place Perez-Uzza to this day.

9 David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the Ark of the LORD come to me?

10 So David would not remove the Ark of the LORD to him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

11 And the Ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the Ark of GOD.
So David went and brought up the Ark of GOD from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with gladness.

13 And it was so, that when they that bore the Ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

14 David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

15 So David and all the House of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the voice of the shofar.

16 And as the Ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal, daughter of Saul, looked through a window,
and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

17 And they brought in the Ark of the LORD, and set it in its place,
in the middle of the Tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the LORD.

18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the Name of the LORD of Sabaoth.

19 He dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men,
to each a cake of bread, and one date cake and one raisin cake. So all the people departed every one to his house.

20 Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David,
and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants,
as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!

21 David said to Michal, It was before the LORD, who chose me before Thy father, and before all his house,
to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.

22 I shall yet be more vile than thus, and shall be base in my own sight: and by the maid-servants which Thou have spoken of, by them shall I be had in honour.

23 Therefore Michal, daughter of Saul, had no child until the day of her death.

7

1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest around from all his enemies;

2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the Ark of GOD dwells within curtains.

3 Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in Thy heart: for the LORD is with Thee.

4
And it came to pass the same night, that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,

5 Go and tell My servant David, Thus says the LORD, Will Thou build Me a House for Me to dwell in?

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any House since the time that I brought the children of Israel out of Egypt,
until this day, but have walked in a tent, and in a Tabernacle.

7 In all the places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel have I spoken a word with any of the tribes of Israel,
whom I commanded to feed My people Israel, saying, Why do ye not build me a house of cedar?

8 Now therefore so shall Thou say to My servant David, thus says the LORD of Sabaoth,
I took Thee from the sheep-cote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel:

9 I was with Thee wherever Thou went, and have cut off all Thy enemies out of Thy sight,
and have made Thee a great name, like to the name of the great men that are in the Earth.

10 Moreover, I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own,
and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as formerly.

11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused Thee to rest from all Thy enemies.
Also the LORD tells Thee that he will make Thee a house.

12 And when Thy days shall be fulfilled, and Thou shall sleep with Thy fathers,
I will set up Thy seed after Thee, which shall proceed out of Thy bowels, and I will establish His kingdom.

13 He shall build a House for My Name, and I will establish the throne of His Kingdom forever.

14 I will be to Him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son.
If he shall commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men,
and with the stripes of the children of men:

15 but My mercy shall not depart from Him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before Thee.

16 Thy House and Thy Kingdom shall be established forever before Thee: Thy throne shall be established forever.

17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

18 [David's prayer].
Then king David went in, and sat before the LORD,
and he said, Who am I, Lord JeHoVaH?
What is my house, that Thou have brought Me until now;

19
And this was yet a small thing in Thy sight, Lord JeHoVaH; but Thou have spoken also of the house of Thy servant,
for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, Lord JeHoVaH?

20 And what can David say more to Thee? For Thou, Lord JeHoVaH, know Thy servant.

21 For Thy word's sake, and according to Thy own heart,
have Thou done all these great things, to make Thy servant know them.

22 Therefore Thou are great, LORD GOD: for there is none like Thee,
neither is there any God besides Thee,
according to all that we have heard with our ears.

23 And what one nation in the Earth is like Thy people, even like Israel,
whom GOD went to redeem for a people to Himself, and to make Him a Name,
and to do for you great things and awesome, for Thy land,
before Thy people which Thou redeemed to Thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

24 For Thou have confirmed to Thyself Thy people Israel to be a people to Thee forever:
and Thou, LORD, are become their GOD.

25 And now, LORD GOD, the word that Thou have spoken concerning Thy servant,
and concerning his house, establish it forever, and do as Thou have said.

26 And let Thy Name be magnified forever, saying, The LORD of Sabaoth is the GOD over Israel:
and let the House of Thy servant David be established before Thee.

27 For Thou, LORD of Sabaoth, God of Israel, have revealed to Thy servant, saying,
I will build Thee a house: therefore has Thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to Thee.

28 And now, Lord JeHoVaH, Thou are that GOD,
and Thy words are true, and Thou have promised this goodness to Thy servant:

29 therefore now let it please Thee to bless the house of Thy servant,
that it may continue forever before Thee: for Thou, Lord JeHoVaH, have spoken:
and with Thy blessing let the house of Thy servant be blessed forever.

8

1 And it came to pass after this, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 He smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines he measured to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive.
And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

4 David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen:
and David hamstrung all the chariot-horses, but reserved of them for a hundred chariots. 1Ch 18:4

5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians twenty two thousand men.

6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. The LORD preserved David wherever he went.

7 David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took very much bronze.

9 When Toi[Tou] king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,

10 then Toi[Tou] sent Joram his son to king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer,
and smitten him: (for Hadadezer had wars with Toi[Tou]) and Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze:

11 which also king David dedicated to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;

12 of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 David made him a name when he returned from smiting of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand men. 1Ch 18:12

14 He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. The LORD preserved David wherever he went.

15 David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice to all his people.

16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

17 Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests: and Seraiah was the scribe;

18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

9

1 David said, Is there yet any that is left of the House of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2 And there was of the House of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba.
And when they had called him to David, the king said to him, Are Thou Ziba? He said, Thy servant!

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the House of Saul, that I may show the kindness of GOD to him?
And Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame in his feet.

4 And the king said to him, Where is he? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

5 Then king David sent, and brought him from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face, and did reverence.
David said, Mephibosheth. He answered, Behold Thy servant!

7 David said to him, Fear not: for I will surely show Thee kindness for Jonathan's sake Thy father,
and will restore Thee all the land of Saul Thy father; and Thou shall eat bread at my table continually.

8 He bowed himself, and said, What is Thy servant, that Thou should look upon such a dead dog as I am?

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, I have given to Thy master's son all that pertained to Saul, and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and Thy sons, and Thy servants, shall till the land for him,
and Thou shall bring in the fruits, that Thy master's son may have food to eat:
but Mephibosheth Thy master's son shall eat bread always at my table.
Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then said Ziba to the king, According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant,
so shall Thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micah. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he ate continually at the king's table; and was lame in both his feet.

10

1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

2 Then said David, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.
David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Think Thou that David does honour Thy father, that he has sent comforters to Thee?
Has not David rather sent his servants to Thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

4 Therefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return.

6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba,
twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men.

7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he selected of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

10 and the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.

11 He said, If the Syrians shall be too strong for me, then Thou shall help me: but if the children of Ammon shall be too strong for Thee, then I will come and help Thee.

12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seems him good.

13 Joab and the people that were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they assembled themselves.

16 Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadadezer went before them.

17 And when it was told David, he assembled all Israel, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

11

1
And it came to pass, after the year had expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel;
and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and destroyed Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2 [David and Bath-sheba].
And it came to pass in an evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house:
and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

3 David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned to her house.

5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am pregnant.

6 David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 And when Uriah had come to him, David inquired of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

8 David said to Uriah, Go down to Thy house, and wash Thy feet. Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess from the king.

9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down to his house,
David said to Uriah, Came Thou not from Thy journey? Why then did Thou not go down to Thy house?

11 Uriah said to David, The Ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into my house,
to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As Thou live, and as Thy soul lives, I will not do this thing.

12 David said to Uriah, Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let Thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day and the morrow.

13 And when David had called him, 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 lord, but went not down to his house.

14
And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 He wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the front of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16
And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

19 and charged the messenger, saying, When Thou have made an end of telling the matters of the war to the king,

20 and if the king's wrath shall rise, and he shall say to Thee, Why approached ye so near to the city for the fight? Knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez?
Why went ye near the wall? Then say Thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

22 So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

23 And the messenger said to David, Surely, the men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were upon them even to the entrance of the gate.

24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon Thy servants: and some of the king's servants are dead, and Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

25 Then David said to the messenger, Thus shall Thou say to Joab, Let not this thing displease Thee,
for the sword devours one as well as another: make Thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage Thou him.

26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and brought her to his house,
and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

12

1 [Parable of the ewe-lamb].
The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him,
There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

2 The rich man had very numerous flocks and herds:

3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe-lamb,
which he had bought and nourished: and it grew up together with him, and with his children:
it fed of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.

4 And there came a traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd,
to dress for the way-faring man that had come to him;
but took the poor man's ewe-lamb, and dressed it for the man that had come to him.

5
David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan,
As the LORD lives, the man that has done this thing he is a son of death:

6 he shall restore the ewe-lamb four-fold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

7 Nathan said to David, Thou are the man. Thus says the LORD, God of Israel,
I anointed Thee king over Israel, and I delivered Thee from the hand of Saul;

8 I gave Thee Thy master's house, and Thy master's wives into Thy bosom, and gave Thee the House of Israel and of Judah;
and if that had been too little, moreover, I would have given to Thee such and such things.

9 Why have Thou despised the Commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His eyes?
Thou have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be Thy wife,
and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from Thy house;
because Thou have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be Thy wife.

11 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against Thee out of Thy own house,
and I will take Thy wives before Thy eyes, and give them to Thy neighbour, and he shall lie with Thy wives in the sight of this sun.

12 For Thou did it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

13 David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.
Nathan said to David, The LORD also has put away Thy sin; Thou shall not die.

14 But, because by this deed Thou have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to Thee shall surely die.

15 Nathan departed to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was incurable.

16 David therefore besought GOD for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the ground.

17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

18
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died.
And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold while the child was yet alive,
we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice:
how will he then be grieved, if we tell him that the child is dead?

19 But when David saw that his servants whispered,
David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, he is dead.

20 Then David arose from the ground, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel,
and came into the House of the LORD, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.

21 Then said his servants to him, What thing is this that Thou have done? Thou did fast and weep for the child, while it was alive;
but after the child was dead, Thou did rise and eat bread.

22 He said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted, and wept:
for I said, Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

23 But now he is dead, Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.

24 David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

25 He sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah[beloved], because of the LORD.

26 Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

27 Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

28 Now therefore collect the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.

29 David collected all the people, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

30 He took their king's crown from off his head, the weight of which was a talent of gold with the precious stones:
and it was set on David's head. He brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.

31 He brought forth the people that were in it, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron,
and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus he did to all the cities of the children of Ammon.
So David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

13

1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 Amnon was so afflicted, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her.

3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtle man.

4 He said to him, Why are Thou, being the king's son, pining from morning to morning? Will Thou not tell me? Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

5 Jonadab said to him, Lay Thee down on Thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when Thy father comes to see Thee, say to him,
I pray Thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me food, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

6 So Amnon lay down and made himself sick: and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king,
I pray Thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make for me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to Thy brother Amnon's house, and make food for him.

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

10 Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from Thy hand. Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11 And when she had brought them to him to eat, 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 rape me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not Thou this folly.

13 I, where shall I cause my shame to go? And as for Thee, Thou will be as one of the fools in Israel.
Now therefore, I pray Thee, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from Thee.

14 He would not listen to her voice: but being stronger than she, raped her, and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone.

16 And she said to him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that Thou did to me. But he would not listen to her.

17 Then he called his servant that ministered to him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

18 And she had a garment of diverse colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

19 Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her coat of diverse colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

20 Absalom her brother said to her, has Amnon Thy brother been with Thee?
But hold now Thy peace, my sister: he is Thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

22 Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped his sister Tamar.

23
And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

24 Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, Thy servant has sheep-shearers; let the king, I beseech Thee, and his servants go with Thy servant.

25 And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable to Thee. He pressed him: yet he would not go, but blessed him.

26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray Thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with Thee?

27 But Absalom pressed him that he should let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you,
Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have I not commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant.

29 And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man rode upon his mule, and fled.

30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that information came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

32 Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons;
for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he raped his sister Tamar.

33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, there came many people by the way of the mountain-side behind him.

35 Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons come; as Thy servant said, so it is.

36
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept exceedingly.

37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And he mourned for his son every day.

38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

14

1 [Parable of the woman of Tekoa].
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was towards Absalom.

2 Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought thence a wise woman, and said to her,
I pray Thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil,
but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

3 and come to the king, and speak in this manner to him.
So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king,
she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, king.

5 And the king said to her, What ails Thee?
And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead.

6 Thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field,
and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other and slew him.

7 And behold, the whole family has risen against Thy handmaid,
and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew;
and we will destroy the heir also: and so they will quench my coal which is left,
and will not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the Earth.

8 And the king said to the woman, Go to Thy house, and I will give charge concerning Thee.

9 And the woman of Tekoah said to the king, my lord, king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house:
and the king and his throne be guiltless.

10 And the king said, Whoever said aught to Thee, bring him to me,
and he shall not touch Thee any more.

11 Then said she, I pray Thee, let the king remember the LORD Thy God,
that Thou would not allow the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son.
He said, As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of Thy son fall to the ground.

12 Then the woman said, Let Thy handmaid, I pray Thee,
speak one word to my lord the king. He said, Say on.

13 And the woman said, Why then have Thou thought such a thing against the people of GOD?
For the king does speak this thing as one who is faulty, in that the king does not bring back his banished.

14 For we must necessarily die, and are as water spilt on the ground,
which cannot be gathered up again; neither does GOD take away a soul:
yet does He devise means, that his banished be not expelled from Him.

15 Now therefore that I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king,
it is because the people have made me afraid: and Thy handmaid said,
I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid from the hand of the man,
that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of GOD.

17 Then Thy handmaid said, The word of my lord the king, will now be comfortable: for as an Angel of GOD,
so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD Thy God will be with Thee.

18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, Hide not from me, I pray Thee, the thing that I shall ask Thee.
And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

19 And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with Thee in all this?
And the woman answered and said,
As Thy soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king has spoken:
for Thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of Thy handmaid:

20 to bring about this form of speech has Thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise,
according to the wisdom of an Angel of GOD, to know all things that are on the Earth.

21
And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.

22 Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said,
Today Thy servant knows that I have found grace in Thy eyes, my lord, king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.

23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him,
therefore he polled it): he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight-stone.

27 And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful countenance.

28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, that he might send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

30 Therefore he said to his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom, to his house, and said to him, Why have Thy servants set my field on fire?

32 Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to Thee, saying, Come here, that I may send Thee to the king, to say, Why am I come from Geshur?
It had been good for me had I been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there is any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom,
he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

15

1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment,
then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city are Thou? He said, Thy servant is one of the tribes of Israel.

3 Absalom said to him, See, Thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear Thee.

4 Absalom said moreover, that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!

5 And it was so, that when any man came near to him to bow, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

6 And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And it came to pass after four years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray Thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. 2Sa 13:38 2Sa 5:4

8 For Thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me back indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.

9 And the king said to him, Go in peace, So he arose, and went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the voice of the shofar, then ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.

11 And with Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.

12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh,
while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.

14
David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom:
make speed to depart, lest he should overtake us suddenly, and bring calamity upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

15 And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, Thy servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall appoint.

16 And the king went forth, and all his household follow his steps. And the king left ten women who were concubines to keep the house.

17 And the king went forth, and all the people follow his steps, and tarried in a place that was far off.

18 And all his servants passed on by his side; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who follow his steps from Gath, passed on before the king.

19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Why go Thou also with us? Return to Thy place, and abide with the king; for Thou are a stranger, and also an exile.

20 Whereas Thou came but yesterday, should I this day make Thee go up and down with us?
Seeing I go where I may; return Thou, and take back Thy brethren: mercy and truth be with Thee.

21 Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be,
whether in death or life, even there also will Thy servant be.

22 David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

23 And all the country wept with a great voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron,
and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness.

24 And behold, Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him bearing the Ark of the Covenant of GOD: and they set down the Ark of GOD;
and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.

25 And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the Ark of GOD into the city:
if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back, and show me both it, and his habitation:

26 but if he shall thus say, I have no delight in Thee; behold me, let him do to me as seems good to him.

27 The king said also to Zadok the priest, Are not Thou a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you,
Ahimaaz Thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until word shall come from you to certify me.

29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the Ark of GOD back to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

30
David went up by the ascent of Mount Olives, and wept as he went, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot:
and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went.

31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.
David said, LORD, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

32 And it came to pass, that when David had come to the top, where he worshiped GOD,
behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and Earth upon his head;

33 to whom David said, If Thou shall pass on with me, then Thou will be a burden to me:

34 but if Thou shall return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be Thy servant, king;
as I have been Thy father's servant until now, so will I now also be Thy servant: then may Thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

35 And have Thou not there with Thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests?
Therefore it shall be, that whatever thing Thou shall hear out of the king's house, Thou shall tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send to me every thing that ye can hear.

37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

16

1
And when David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him,
with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 And the king said to Ziba, What mean Thou by these? Ziba said,
The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.

3 And the king said, And where is Thy master's son? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he stays at Jerusalem:
for he said, Today shall the House of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, Thy are all that pertained to Mephibosheth. Ziba said, I humbly beseech Thee that I may find grace in Thy eyes, my lord, king.

5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the House of Saul,
whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

6 He cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7 And thus says Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, Thou bloody man, and Thou man of Belial.

8 The LORD has returned upon Thee all the blood of the House of Saul, in whose stead Thou have reigned;
and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom Thy son:
and behold, Thou are taken in Thy mischief, because Thou are a bloody man.

9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray Thee, and take off his head.

10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah?
So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Why have Thou done so?

11 David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now may this Benjaminite do it?
Let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him.

12 It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the mountain's side opposed to him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

15
Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Live the king! Live the king!

17 Absalom said to Hushai, Is this Thy kindness to Thy friend? Why went Thou not with Thy friend?

18 Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

19 And again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in Thy father's presence, so will I be in Thy presence.

20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to Thy father's concubines, which he has left to keep the house;
and all Israel shall hear that Thou are abhorred by Thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with Thee be strong.

22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the Word of GOD:
so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

17

1 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night;

2 I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

3 I will bring back all the people to Thee: the man whom Thou seek is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

4 And the saying, pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he said.

6 And when Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying,
Ahithophel has spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? If not, speak Thou.

7 Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given, is not good at this time.

8 For, said Hushai, Thou know Thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are bitter of soul,
as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and Thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it shall come to pass, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.

10 He also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt: for all Israel knows that Thy father is a mighty man, and they who are with him are valiant men.

11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel should be generally gathered to Thee, from Dan even to Beer-Sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that Thou should go to battle in Thy own person.

12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falls on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

13 And if he shall have entered into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.

14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.
For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring calamity upon Absalom.

15 Then said Hushai to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a maid-servant went and told them; and they went and told king David.

18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; into which they descended.

19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground grain upon it; and the thing was not known.

20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan?
And the woman said to them, they have gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21
And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David,
and said to David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you.

22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that had not gone over the Jordan.

23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and went home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died.
And was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

24 Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25 And Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra, an Israelite,
that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 And it came to pass, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

28 brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched grain, and beans, and lentils, and parched,

29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of cows, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

18

1 David numbered the people that were with him, and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.

2 David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab,
and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother,
and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.
And the king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you, also I.

3 But the people answered, Thou shall not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us:
but now Thou are worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that Thou should help us out of the city.

4 And the king said to them, What seems to you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man,
even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

6
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;

7 where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his head caught hold of the terebinth,
and he was suspended between the Heaven and the Earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth.

11 Joab said to the man that told him, And behold, Thou saw him, and why did Thou not smite him there to the ground? And I would have given Thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.

12 And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son:
for in our hearing the king charged Thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against my own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and Thou thyself would have set thyself against me.

14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with Thee. He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the middle of the terebinth.

15 And ten young men that bore Joab's armour surrounded and smote Absalom, and slew him.

16 Joab blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing Israel: for Joab restrained the people.

17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.

18 Now Absalom in his life-time had taken and raised for himself a pillar, which is in the valley of the king:
for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called to this day, Absalom's place.

19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and inform the king, how the LORD has avenged himself of his enemies.

20 Joab said to him, Thou shall not bear tidings this day, but Thou shall bear tidings another day: but this day Thou shall bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go, tell the king what Thou have seen. Cushi bowed himself to Joab, and ran.

22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But whatever, let me also, I pray Thee, run after Cushi. Joab said,
Why will Thou run, my son, seeing that Thou have no tidings ready?

23 But whatever it be, said he, let me run. He said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran Cushi.

24 David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

25 And the watchman called, and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone there is tidings in his mouth. He came apace, and drew near.

26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called to the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, he also brings tidings.

27 And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, he is a good man, and comes with good news.

28 Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, All is well. He fell down to the ground upon his face before the king,
and said, Blessed be the LORD Thy God, who has delivered up the men that raised their hand against my lord the king!

29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me Thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

30 And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. He turned aside, and stood still.

31 And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD has avenged Thee this day of all them that rose up against Thee.

32 And the king said to Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? Cushi answered, May the enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against Thee to do Thee hurt, be as that young man is.

33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said,
my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! That I had died for Thee, Absalom, my son, my son!

19

1 And it was told to Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.

2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard it said that day how the king was grieved for his son.

3 And the people withdrew by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a great voice, my son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!

5
Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou have shamed this day the faces of all Thy servants,
who this day have saved Thy life, and the lives of Thy sons and of Thy daughters, and the lives of Thy wives, and the lives of Thy concubines;

6 in that Thou love Thy enemies, and hate Thy friends. For Thou have declared this day, that Thou regard neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive,
that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased Thee well.

7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to Thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if Thou shall not go forth, there will not tarry one with Thee this night:
and that will be worse to Thee than all the evil that has befallen Thee from Thy youth until now.

8 Then the king rose, and sat in the gate. And they told to all the people,
saying, Behold, the king does sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us from the hand of our enemies,
and he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land for Absalom.

10 Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle.
Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah,
saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house?
Seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.

12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: why then are ye the last to bring back the king?

13 And say ye to Amasa, Are Thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? May GOD do so to me, and more also, if Thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word to the king, Return Thou, and all Thy servants.

15 So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan.

16 Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjaminite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the House of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the Jordan before the king.

18 And there went over a ferry-boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he came over the Jordan;

19 and said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do Thou remember that which Thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

20 For Thy servant does know that I have sinned: therefore behold, I have come the first this day of all the House of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?

22 David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries to me?
Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

23 And the king said to Shimei, Thou shall not die. And the king swore to him.

24 Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in peace.

25
And it came to pass, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did Thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?

26 He answered, my lord, king, my servant deceived me: for Thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride on it, and go to the king; because Thy servant is lame.

27 He has slandered Thy servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an Angel of GOD: do therefore what is good in Thy eyes.

28 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet did Thou set Thy servant among them that ate at Thy own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more to the king?

29 And the king said to him, Why speak Thou any more of Thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

30 Mephibosheth said to the king, Yes, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.

31 Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.

32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a very great man.

33 And the king said to Barzillai, Come Thou over with me, and I will feed Thee with me in Jerusalem.

34 Barzillai said to the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 I am this day eighty years old: and can I discern between good and evil? Can Thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink?
Can I hear any more the voice of singing-men and singing-women? Why then should Thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?

36 Thy servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense me with such a reward?

37 Let Thy servant, I pray Thee, return back, that I may die in my own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother.
But behold Thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to Thee.

38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to Thee: and whatever Thou shall require of me, that will I do for Thee.

39 And all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

41
And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to him,
Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen Thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over the Jordan?

42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel,
Because the king is near of kin to us: why then are ye angry for this matter? Have we freely eaten by the king? Or has he given us any gift?

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us,
that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?
And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

20

1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite: and he blew a shofar,
and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, Israel.

2 So every man of Israel, withdrawing from David, followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah adhered to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house,
and put them in custody, and fed them, but went not in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble to me the men of Judah within three days, and be Thou here present.

5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom:
take Thou Thy lord's servants, and pursue him, lest he get for himself fortified cities, and escape us.

7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them.
Joab's garment that he had put on was girded to him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.

9 Joab said to Amasa, Are Thou in health, my brother? Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground,
and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, he who favours Joab, and he who is for David, let him go after Joab.

12 Amasa wallowed in blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field,
and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

13 When he was removed out of the highway, every man went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maachah, and all the Berites: and they were assembled, and went also after him.

15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-Maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city,
and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near here, that I may speak with Thee.

17 And when he was come near to her, the woman said, Are Thou Joab?
He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of Thy handmaid. He answered, I do hear.

18 Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They will surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: Thou seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why will Thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

20 Joab answered and said, Let it not be. Let it not be that I should swallow up or destroy.

21 The matter is not so: but a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David:
deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to Thee over the wall.

22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. He blew a shofar,
and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

24 Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:

25 Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

26 Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

21

1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD.
The LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said to them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites;
and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to slay them, in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah).

3 Then David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?

4 And the Gibeonites said to him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shall Thou kill any man in Israel. He said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.

5 And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining within the borders of Israel,

6 let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose. And the king said, I will give them.

7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal's sister, daughter of Saul,
whom she bore for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

9 He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest,
in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of Heaven,
and allowed neither the fowls of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah the concubine of Saul had done.

12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan,
where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa.

13 He brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son they buried in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father:
and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that GOD was entreated for the land.

15 Moreover, the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David became faint.

16 Ishbi-benob, who was of the children of the giant, the weight of whose glaive was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him.
Then the men of David swore to him, saying, Thou shall go out no more with us to battle, that Thou may not extinguish the light of Israel.

18
And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was of the children of the giant.

19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jair, slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear-staff was like a weavers' beam. 1Ch 20:5

20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, twenty four in number; and he also was born to the giant.

21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, slew him.

22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

22

1 [Song of David].
(David spoke to the LORD the words of this song:
in the day that the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul).

2 He said, The LORD is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer;

3 the God of my Rock;
I will be trusting in Him. Heb 2:13
My Shield, and my Horn of Salvation, my High Tower, and my Refuge, my Saviour;
Thou save me from violence.

4
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised:
so shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 When the waves of death surround me,
the floods of the worthless made me afraid.

6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
the snares of death seized me.

7
In my distress I called upon the LORD,
and cried to my God:
and He heard my voice out of His Temple,
and my cry entered into His ears.

8 Then the Earth shook and trembled:
the foundations of Heaven moved and shook,
because He was wroth.

9 There went up a smoke out of His nostrils,
and fire out of His mouth devoured:
coals were kindled by it.

10
He bowed the Heavens also, and came down;
and darkness was under His feet.

11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness pavilions around Him,
dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

14
The LORD thundered from Heaven,
and the Most High uttered His voice.

15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them;
lightning, and discomfited them.

16 And the channels of the sea appeared,
the foundations of the World were laid open,
at the rebuking of the LORD,
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 them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.

19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity:
but the LORD was my support.

20 He brought me forth also into a large place:
He delivered me, because He delighted in me.

21
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness:
according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all His Judgments were before me:
and as for His Statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also upright before Him,
and have kept myself from my iniquity.

25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness;
according to my cleanness in His eye-sight.

26
With the merciful Thou will show Thyself merciful.
With the upright man Thou will show thyself upright.

27 With the pure Thou will show Thyself pure;
and with the perverted Thou will contend.

28
And the afflicted people Thou will save:
but Thy eyes are upon the haughty, that Thou may bring them down.

29 For Thou are my Lamp, LORD:
and the LORD will lighten my darkness.

30 For by Thee I have run through a troop;
by my God have I leaped over a wall.

31
As for God, His way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is tried:
He is a Shield to all those that trust in Him.

32 For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a Rock, except our God?

33 God is my Strength and power:
and He makes my way perfect.

34 He makes my feet like hinds' feet:
and sets me upon my high places.

35 He teaches my hands to war;
so that a bow of bronze is broken by my arms.

36
Thou have also given me the Shield of Thy Salvation:
and Thy gentleness has made me great.

37 Thou have enlarged my steps under me;
so that my feet have not slipped.

38 I have pursued my enemies, and destroyed them;
and turned not again until I had consumed them.

39 I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise:
but, they have fallen under my feet.

40
For Thou have girded me with strength to battle:
Thou have subdued under me those that rose up against me.

41 Thou have also given me the necks of my enemies,
that I might destroy them that hate me.

42 They looked, but there was none to save;
even to the LORD, but He answered them not.

43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of the Earth,
I stamped them as the mire of the street, and spread them abroad.

44
Thou also have delivered me from the strivings of my people,
Thou have kept me to be head of the heathen:
a people which I knew not shall serve me.

45 Strangers shall submit themselves to me:
as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient to me.

46 Strangers shall fade away,
and they shall tremble from their close places.

47
The LORD lives; and blessed be my Rock;
and exalted be the God of the Rock of my Salvation.

48 It is God that avenges me,
and that brings down the people under me,

49 and that brings me forth from my enemies:
Thou also have lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me:
Thou have delivered me from the violent man.

50 LORD, Therefore I will confess to Thee among the Gentiles,
and sing-psalms to Thy Name. Rom 15:9

51
He is the Tower of Salvation for His king:
and He shows mercy to His anointed,
to David, and to his seed forever.
[End Song].

23

1 Now these are the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse said,
and the man who was raised on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
and the sweet singer of Israel, said,

2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
and His word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said,
the Rock of Israel spoke to me,
He who rules over men must be just,
ruling in the fear of God.

4 He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,
even a morning without clouds;
as the tender grass springing out of the Earth,
by clear shining after rain.

5 Although my house is not so with God;
yet He has made with me an Everlasting Covenant,
ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my Salvation,
and all my desire, although He makes it not to grow.

6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away,
because they cannot be taken with hands:

7 but the man that shall touch them,
must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear;
and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam a Hachmonite, chief among the captains;
he lifted up his spear against three hundred, whom he slew at one time. 1Ch 11:11

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David,
when they defied the Philistines that were there assembled to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away:

10 he arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand adhered to the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were collected into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the middle of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

14 David was then in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

15 David longed, and said, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

16 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate,
and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.

17 And he said, Let it not be, LORD, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went in jeopardy of their lives?
Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18
Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three.
He lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honourable of three? Therefore he was their captain: yet he attained not to the first three.

20
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lion-like men of Moab:
he went down also and slew a lion in the middle of a pit in time of snow:

21 he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff,
and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among three mighty men.

23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. David set him over his guard.

24 [David's thirty Champions].
(1)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty;
(2)Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

25 (3)Shammah the Harodite,
(4)Elika the Harodite,

26 (5)Helez the Paltite,
(6)Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 (7)Abi-ezer the Anethothite,
(8) Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 (9)Zalmon the Ahohite,
(10) Maharai the Netophathite,

29 (11) Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite,
(12) Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30 (13)Benaiah the Pirathonite,
(14)Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

31 (15)Abi-albon the Arbathite,
(16)Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 (17)Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen,
(18)Jonathan of Shammah the Hararite,

33 (19)Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

34 (20)Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite,
(21)Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 (22)Hezrai the Carmelite,
(23)Paarai the Arbite,

36 (24)Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah,
(25)Bani, the Gadite,

37 (26)Zelek the Ammonite,
(27) Naharai the Beerothite, armour-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 (28)Ira the Ithrite,
(29)Gareb the Ithrite,

39 (30)Uriah the Hittite:
thirty seven in all. 1Ch 11:41-47

24

1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and incited against David when he says, Go number Israel and Judah. 1Ch 21:1

2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him,
Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-Sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.

3 Joab said to the king, Now the LORD Thy God add to the people, of how many they may be, a hundred-fold,
and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host.
Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

5 And they passed over the Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lies in the middle of the river of Gad, and towards Jazer:

6 then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Sidon,

7 and came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-Sheba.

8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 Joab presented the sum of the number of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

10 David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people.
David said to the LORD, I have sinned greatly in what I have done: and now, I beseech Thee, LORD, take away the iniquity of Thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

11 For when David had risen in the morning,
and the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

12 Go and say to David, Thus says the LORD, I offer Thee three things; choose Thee one of them, that I may do it to Thee.

13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him,
Shall three years of famine come upon Thee in Thy land?
Or will Thou flee three months before Thy enemies, while they pursue Thee?
Or that there be three days' pestilence in Thy land?
Now consider, and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me. 1Ch 21:12

14 David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for His mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-Sheba seventy thousand men.

16 And when the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented of the evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now Thy hand.
And the Angel of the LORD was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 David spoke to the LORD when he saw the Angel that smote the people,
and said, Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? Let Thy hand,
I pray Thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

18 Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an Altar to the LORD in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

19 David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.

20 Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming towards him:
Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

21 Araunah said, Why is my lord the king come to his servant?
David said, To buy the threshing-floor of Thee, to build an Altar to the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

22 Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him:
behold, here are oxen for burnt-sacrifice, and threshing-instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give to the king. Araunah said to the king, May the LORD Thy God accept Thee.

24 And the king said to Araunah, No; but I will surely buy it of Thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt-offerings to the LORD my God of that which does cost me nothing.
So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

25 David built there an Altar to the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.