ACV - II Samuel

Chapter 1

1:1  And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag,

1:2  it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head. And so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground, and did obeisance.

1:3  And David said to him, From where did thou come? And he said to him, I escaped out of the camp of Israel.

1:4  And David said to him, How did the matter go? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are also dead.

1:5  And David said to the young man who told him, How do thou know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

1:6  And the young man who told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear, and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed close after him.

1:7  And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here I am.

1:8  And he said to me, Who are thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

1:9  And he said to me, Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.

1:10  So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.

1:11  Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them, and likewise all the men who were with him.

1:12  And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they were fallen by the sword.

1:13  And David said to the young man who told him, From where are thou? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.

1:14  And David said to him, Why were thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?

1:15  And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him so that he died.

1:16  And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head, for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.

1:17  And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son

1:18  (and he bade them teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

1:19  Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen!

1:20  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.

1:21  Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

1:22  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.

1:23  Saul and Jonathan, men who were loved and pleasant, undivided; comely in their lives, and undivided in their death; swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

1:24  Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

1:25  How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.

1:26  I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan. Very pleasant thou have been to me. Thy love to me was wonderful, exceeding the love of women.

1:27  How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

Chapter 2

2:1  And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And he said, To Hebron.

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

2:3  And David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

2:4  And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were those who buried Saul.

2:5  And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah, that ye have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.

2:6  And now Jehovah show loving kindness and truth to you. And I also will reward you this kindness because ye have done this thing.

2:7  Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

2:8  Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim.

2:9  And he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

2:10  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.

2:11  And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

2:12  And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

2:13  And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them 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.

2:14  And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

2:15  Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

2:16  And each man caught 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, which is in Gibeon.

2:17  And the battle was very severe that day. And Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

2:18  And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

2:19  And Asahel pursued after Abner, and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

2:20  Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it thou, Asahel? And he answered, It is I.

2:21  And 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 his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

2:22  And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me. Why should I smite thee to the ground? How then would I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

2:23  However he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so 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.

2:24  But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. And the sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

2:25  And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.

2:26  Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? Know thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before thou bid the people return from following their brothers?

2:27  And Joab said, As God lives unless thou had spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up every man from following his brother.

2:28  So Joab blew the trumpet. And all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight any more.

2:29  And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah, and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

2:30  And Joab returned from following Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.

2:31  But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and sixty men died.

2:32  And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.

Chapter 3

3:1  Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

3:2  And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,

3:3  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,

3:4  and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital,

3:5  and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

3:6  And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.

3:7  Now 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?

3:8  Then Abner was very angry for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? This day I show kindness to the house of Saul thy father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

3:9  God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah has sworn to David, I do not even so to him,

3:10  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 Beersheba.

3:11  And he could not answer Abner another word because he feared him.

3:12  And 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.

3:13  And 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 unless thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou come to see my face.

3:14  And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver to me my wife Michal whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

3:15  And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.

3:16  And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, Go, return, and he returned.

3:17  And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you.

3:18  Now then do it, for Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

3:19  And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin. And Abner also went to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.

3:20  So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

3:21  And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou may reign over all that thy soul desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

3:22  And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them, but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

3:23  When Joab and all the army that was with him came, 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.

3:24  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?

3:25  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.

3:26  And when Joab came out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah, but David knew it not.

3:27  And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

3:28  And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

3:29  Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house. And let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.

3:30  So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

3:31  And David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier.

3:32  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.

3:33  And the king lamented for Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dies?

3:34  Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the sons of iniquity, so did thou fall. And all the people wept again over him.

3:35  And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day, but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, till the sun is down.

3:36  And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people.

3:37  So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

3:38  And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

3:39  And I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. Jehovah reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.

Chapter 4

4:1  And when Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

4:2  And Saul's son had two men who were captains of bands. The name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin, for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin.

4:3  And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have been sojourners there until this day.

4:4  Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news 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.

4:5  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, as he took his rest at noon.

4:6  And they came there into the midst of the house as though they would have fetched wheat, and they smote him in the body. And Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

4:7  Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.

4:8  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, thine enemy, who sought thy life. And Jehovah has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

4:9  And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Jehovah lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

4:10  when he who told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

4:11  How much more, when evil men have slain a righteous man in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

4:12  And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

Chapter 5

5:1  Then all the tribes of Israel came to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

5:2  In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou who led out and brought in Israel. And Jehovah said to thee, Thou shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou shall be prince over Israel.

5:3  So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron. And king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anointed David king over Israel.

5:4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

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

5:6  And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Unless thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shall not come in here, thinking, David cannot come in here.

5:7  Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David.

5:8  And David said on that day, Whoever smites the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and smite the lame and the blind, the hated by David's soul, because the blind and the lame say, He cannot come into the house.

5:9  And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.

5:10  And David grew greater and greater, for Jehovah, the God of hosts, was with him.

5:11  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons, and they built David a house.

5:12  And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.

5:13  And David took for him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

5:14  And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

5:15  and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

5:16  and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet.

5:17  And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.

5:18  Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

5:19  And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up, for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

5:20  And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there. And he said, Jehovah has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

5:21  And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away.

5:22  And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

5:23  And when David inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou shall not go up. Make a circuit behind them, and come upon them opposite the mulberry trees.

5:24  And it shall be, when thou hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shall bestir thyself, for then Jehovah has gone out before thee to smite the army of the Philistines.

5:25  And David did so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.

Chapter 6

6:1  And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

6:2  And David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Jehovah of hosts who sits above the cherubim.

6:3  And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

6:4  And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

6:5  And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah with all manner of instruments of fir-wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with castanets, and with cymbals.

6:6  And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth to the ark of God, and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.

6:7  And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error, and he died there by the ark of God.

6:8  And David was displeased, because Jehovah had broken forth upon Uzzah. And he called that place Perez-uzzah, to this day.

6:9  And David was afraid of Jehovah that day, and he said, How shall the ark of Jehovah come to me?

6:10  So David would not remove the ark of Jehovah to him into the city of David, but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

6:11  And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.

6:12  And it was told king David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy.

6:13  And it was so, that, when those who bore the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

6:14  And David danced before Jehovah with all his might. And David was girded with a linen ephod.

6:15  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

6:16  And it was so, as the ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Jehovah, and she despised him in her heart.

6:17  And they brought in the ark of Jehovah, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

6:18  And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts.

6:19  And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house.

6:20  Then David returned to bless his household. And 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!

6:21  And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Jehovah, over Israel. Therefore I will play before Jehovah.

6:22  And I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight, but of the handmaids of whom thou have spoken, of them I shall be had in honor.

6:23  And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

Chapter 7

7:1  And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies round about,

7:2  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.

7:3  And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thy heart, for Jehovah is with thee.

7:4  And it came to pass the same night, that the word of Jehovah came to Nathan, saying,

7:5  Go and tell my servant David, Thus says Jehovah, Shall thou build a house for me to dwell in?

7:6  For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

7:7  In all places in which I have walked with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built for me a house of cedar?

7:8  Now therefore thus thou shall say to my servant David, Thus says Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, that thou should be prince over my people, over Israel.

7:9  And I have been with thee wherever thou went, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee. And I will make thee a great name, like the name of the great ones that are on the earth.

7:10  And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more. Neither shall the sons of iniquity afflict them any more, as at the first,

7:11  and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover Jehovah tells thee that Jehovah will make thee a house.

7:12  When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shall sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

7:13  He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men,

7:15  but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul whom I put away before thee.

7:16  And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure forever before thee; thy throne shall be established forever.

7:17  According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

7:18  Then David the king went in, and sat before Jehovah. And he said, Who am I, O lord Jehovah, and what is my house, that thou have brought me thus far?

7:19  And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O lord Jehovah, but thou have spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and this too according to the manner of men, O lord Jehovah!

7:20  And what can David say more to thee? For thou know thy servant, O lord Jehovah.

7:21  For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, thou have wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it.

7:22  Therefore thou are great, O Jehovah God, for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

7:23  And what one nation on the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for thy land, before thy people whom thou redeemed to thee out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

7:24  And thou established to thyself thy people Israel to be a people to thee forever, and thou, Jehovah, became their God.

7:25  And now, O Jehovah God, the word that thou have spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as thou have spoken.

7:26  And let thy name be magnified forever, saying, Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel, and the house of thy servant David shall be established before thee.

7:27  For thou, O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house. Therefore thy servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee.

7:28  And now, O lord Jehovah, thou are God, and thy words are truth, and thou have promised this good thing to thy servant.

7:29  Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee, for thou, O lord Jehovah, have spoken it. And with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever.

Chapter 8

8:1  And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them. And David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.

8:2  And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground. And he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

8:3  David also smote Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

8:4  And David took from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. And David hocked all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for a hundred chariots.

8:5  And when the Syrians of Damascus came to aid Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men.

8:6  Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. And Jehovah gave victory to David wherever he went.

8:7  And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8:8  And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceedingly much brass.

8:9  And when Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the army of Hadadezer,

8:10  then Toi 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. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass.

8:11  These also king David dedicated to Jehovah with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued:

8:12  of Syria, and of Moab, and of the sons of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

8:13  And David got a name for him when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.

8:14  And he put garrisons in Edom. He put garrisons throughout all Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Jehovah gave victory to David wherever he went.

8:15  And David reigned over all Israel. And David executed justice and righteousness to all his people.

8:16  And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,

8:17  and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests, and Seraiah was scribe,

8:18  and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were chief ministers.

Chapter 9

9:1  And David said, Is there yet any who is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

9:2  And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, Are thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

9:3  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.

9:4  And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

9:5  Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

9:6  And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold, thy servant!

9:7  And David said to him, Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore to thee all the land of Saul thy father, and thou shall eat bread at my table continually.

9:8  And he did obeisance, and said, What is thy servant that thou should look upon such a dead dog as I am?

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

9:10  And thou shall till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants. And thou shall bring in the fruits that thy master's son may have bread to eat, but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall always eat bread at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

9:11  Then Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, the king said, he shall eat at my table as one of the king's sons.

9:12  And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

9:13  So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet.

Chapter 10

10:1  And it came to pass after this, that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

10:2  And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.

10:3  But the rulers of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Think thou that David honors thy father, in that he has sent comforters to thee? Has not David sent his servants to thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

10:4  So 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.

10:5  When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

10:6  And when the sons of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

10:7  And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

10:8  And the sons of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. And the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

10:9  Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose from all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

10:10  And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother. And he put them in array against the sons of Ammon.

10:11  And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.

10:12  Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God. And Jehovah do that which seems good to him.

10:13  So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians. And they fled before him.

10:14  And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

10:15  And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

10:16  And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadarezer at their head.

10:17  And it was told David. And he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

10:18  And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their army so that he died there.

10:19  And when all the kings who were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the sons of Ammon any more.

Chapter 11

11:1  And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they destroyed the sons of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

11:2  And it came to pass at 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 bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

11:3  And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

11:4  And 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.

11:5  And the woman conceived. And she sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

11:6  And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

11:7  And when Uriah came to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

11:8  And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and a gift from the king followed him.

11:9  But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

11:10  And when they had told David, saying, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Have thou not come from a journey? Why did thou not go down to thy house?

11:11  And Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. 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.

11:12  And David said to Uriah, Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

11:13  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 did not go down to his house.

11:14  And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

11:15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

11:16  And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

11:17  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. And there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David, and Uriah the Hittite died also.

11:18  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war.

11:19  And he charged the messenger, saying, When thou have made an end of telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

11:20  it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he says to thee, Why did ye go so near to the city to fight? Did ye not know that they would shoot from the wall?

11:21  Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did ye go so near the wall? Then thou shall say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

11:22  So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent him.

11:23  And the messenger said to David, 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.

11:24  And the shooters shot at thy servants from off the wall. And some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

11:25  Then David said to the messenger, Thus thou shall say to Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make thy battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it. And encourage thou him.

11:26  And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

11:27  And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Jehovah.

Chapter 12

12:1  And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

12:2  The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds,

12:3  but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him, and with his sons. It ate of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.

12:4  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 wayfaring man who came to him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who came to him.

12:5  And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die.

12:6  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou are the man. Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul.

12:8  And 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, I would have added to thee such and such things.

12:9  Why have thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? Thou have smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be thy wife, and have slain him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.

12:10  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.

12:11  Thus says Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. And I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

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

12:13  And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away thy sin; thou shall not die.

12:14  However, because by this deed thou have given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born to thee shall surely die.

12:15  And Nathan departed to his house. And Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.

12:16  David therefore besought God for the child. And David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the ground.

12:17  And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the ground, but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

12:18  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 did not hearken to our voice, how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead!

12:19  But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

12:20  Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel. And he came into the house of Jehovah, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.

12:21  Then his servants said to him, What thing is this that thou have done? Thou fasted and wept for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou arose and ate bread.

12:22  And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, Who knows whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

12:23  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.

12:24  And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him,

12:25  and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet. And he called his name Jedidiah, for Jehovah's sake.

12:26  Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and took the royal city.

12:27  And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yea, I have taken the city of waters.

12:28  Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it, lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.

12:29  And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

12:30  And he took the crown of their king from off his head. And the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones. And it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceedingly much.

12:31  And 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 sons of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Chapter 13

13:1  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.

13:2  And Amnon was so frustrated that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

13:3  But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very sly man.

13:4  And he said to him, Why, O son of the king, are thou emaciated this way from day to day? Will thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

13:5  And Jonadab said to him, Lie down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick. And when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.

13:6  So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.

13:7  Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and make food for him.

13:8  So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

13:9  And she took the pan, and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have all men out from me. And they went out every man from him.

13:10  And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

13:11  And when she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.

13:12  And she answered him, No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do thou this folly.

13:13  And I, where shall I carry my shame? 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.

13:14  However he would not hearken to her voice, but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.

13:15  Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone.

13:16  And she said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is worse than the other that thou did to me. But he would not hearken to her.

13:17  Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, Put this woman out from me now, and bolt the door after her.

13:18  And she had a garment of various colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

13:19  And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her. And she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

13:20  And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? But now hold thy peace, my sister. He is thy brother. Do not take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

13:21  But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

13:22  And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

13:23  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.

13:24  And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant has sheep-shearers. Let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

13:25  And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him. However he would not go, but blessed him.

13:26  Then Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

13:27  But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

13:28  And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Notice 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.

13:29  And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up upon his mule, and fled.

13:30  And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

13:31  Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

13:32  And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

13:33  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 only Amnon is dead.

13:34  But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill-side behind him.

13:35  And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons have come; as thy servant said, so it is.

13:36  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 very much.

13:37  But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

13:38  So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

13:39  And the soul of king David longed to go forth to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

Chapter 14

14:1  Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

14:2  And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched from there a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman who has a long time mourned for the dead.

14:3  And go in to the king, and speak on this manner to him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

14:4  And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

14:5  And the king said to her, What troubles thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

14:6  And 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 killed him.

14:7  And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who smote his brother that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus they will quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.

14:8  And the king said to the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

14:9  And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.

14:10  And the king said, Whoever says anything to thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

14:11  Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood not destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah lives, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

14:12  Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

14:13  And the woman said, Why then have thou devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as he who is guilty, in that the king does not fetch home again his banished one.

14:14  For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, neither does God take away life, but devises means that he who is banished be not an outcast from him.

14:15  Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word 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 servant.

14:16  For the king will hear to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

14:17  Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be gracious, for as an agent of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. And Jehovah thy God be with thee.

14:18  Then the king answered and said to the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, anything that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

14:19  And the king said, Is 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 anything 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.

14:20  Thy servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. And my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an agent of God, to know all things that are on the earth.

14:21  And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.

14:22  And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king. And Joab said, Today thy servant knows that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.

14:23  So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

14:24  And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and did not see the king's face.

14:25  Now 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.

14:26  And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.

14:27  And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of a fair countenance.

14:28  And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and he did not see the king's face.

14:29  Then Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

14:30  Therefore he said to his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

14:31  Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, Why have thy servants set my field on fire?

14:32  And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come here, that I may send thee to the king to say, Why have I come from Geshur? It were better for me to still be there. Now therefore let me see the king's face, and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.

14:33  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.

Chapter 15

15:1  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

15:2  And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. And it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city are thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.

15:3  And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right, but there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee.

15:4  Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or case might come to me, and I would do for him justice!

15:5  And it was so, that, when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

15:6  And on this manner Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

15:7  And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Jehovah, in Hebron.

15:8  For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.

15:9  And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

15:10  But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.

15:11  And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem who were invited, and went in their simplicity. And they did not know anything.

15:12  And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

15:13  And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.

15:14  And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, for otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

15:15  And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose.

15:16  And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

15:17  And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and they remained in Beth-merhak.

15:18  And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

15:19  Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do thou also go with us? Return, and abide with the king, for thou are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to thine own place.

15:20  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 brothers. Mercy and truth be with thee.

15:21  And Ittai answered the king, and said, As Jehovah lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there thy servant will also be.

15:22  And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

15:23  And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king himself also passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.

15:24  And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites 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 finished passing out of the city.

15:25  And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation.

15:26  But if he says thus, I have no delight in thee, behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.

15:27  The king said also to Zadok the priest, Are thou not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

15:28  See, I will remain at the fords of the wilderness until there comes word from you to report to me.

15:29  Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they abode there.

15:30  And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up, and he had his head covered, and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

15:31  And it was told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

15:32  And it came to pass, that, when David came to the top of the ascent, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and dirt upon his head.

15:33  And David said to him, If thou pass on with me, then thou will be a burden to me,

15:34  but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king. As I have been thy father's servant in time past, so I will now be thy servant, then thou will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

15:35  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.

15:36  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 everything that ye shall hear.

15:37  So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Chapter 16

16:1  And when David was a little past the top of the ascent, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

16:2  And the king said to Ziba, What do thou mean by these? And Ziba said, The donkeys 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.

16:3  And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will restore for me the kingdom of my father.

16:4  Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that pertains to Mephibosheth is thine. And Ziba said, I do obeisance. Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king.

16:5  And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, cursing as he came.

16:6  And 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.

16:7  And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow.

16:8  Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul in whose stead thou have reigned. And Jehovah has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son, and, behold, thou are taken in thine own mischief because thou are a man of blood.

16:9  Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said 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.

16:10  And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David, who then shall say, Why have thou done so?

16:11  And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse, for Jehovah has bidden him.

16:12  It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done to me, and that Jehovah will reward me good for his cursing of me this day.

16:13  So David and his men went by the way, and Shimei went along on the hill-side opposite him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

16:14  And the king, and all the people who were with him, came weary, and he refreshed himself there.

16:15  And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16:16  And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Live, O king. Live, O king.

16:17  And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why did thou not go with thy friend?

16:18  And Hushai said to Absalom, No, but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him I will abide.

16:19  And again, whom should I serve? Is it not in the presence of his son? As I have served in thy father's presence, so I will be in thy presence.

16:20  Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do.

16:21  And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines that he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that thou are abhorred by thy father. Then the hands of all who are with thee will be strong.

16:22  So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

16:23  And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

Chapter 17

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.

17:2  And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid. And all the people who are with him shall flee. And I will only smite the king,

17:3  and 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.

17:4  And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

17:5  Then Absalom said, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says.

17:6  And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken after this manner. Shall we do after his saying? If not, speak thou.

17:7  And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.

17:8  Hushai said moreover, Thou know thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, 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.

17:9  Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place. And it will come to pass, when some of them are fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.

17:10  And even he who 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 those who are with him are valiant men.

17:11  But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

17:12  So we shall 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 who are with him we will not leave so much as one.

17:13  Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river until there be not one small stone found there.

17:14  And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Jehovah had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.

17:15  Then Hushai said 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 counseled.

17:16  Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Do not lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.

17:17  Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En-rogel. And a maid-servant used to go and tell them, and they went and told king David, for they might not be seen to come into the city.

17:18  But a lad saw them, and told Absalom. And they went away quickly, both of them, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim who had a well in his court, and they went down there.

17:19  And the woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground grain on it. And nothing was known.

17:20  And Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, and they said, Where are 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.

17:21  And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David. And they said to David, Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water, for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.

17:22  Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who was not gone over the Jordan.

17:23  And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and got home to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself. And he died, and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.

17:24  Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

17:25  And Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

17:26  And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

17:27  And it came to pass, when David came to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

17:28  brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and roasted grain, and beans, and lentils, and roasted pulse,

17:29  and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat. For they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

Chapter 18

18:1  And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

18:2  And David sent forth the people, a third part 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 myself also.

18:3  But the people said, 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 thou are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that thou be ready to help us out of the city.

18:4  And the king said to them, What seems best to you I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

18:5  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.

18:6  So the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.

18:7  And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.

18:8  For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

18:9  And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak. And he was taken up between sky and earth, and the mule that was under him went on.

18:10  And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.

18:11  And Joab said to the man who told him, and, behold, thou saw it, and why did thou not smite him there to the ground? And I would have given thee ten pieces of silver, and a belt.

18:12  And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet I would 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.

18:13  Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself would have set thyself against me.

18:14  Then Joab said, I will not delay thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

18:15  And ten young men who bore Joab's armor encompassed about and smote Absalom, and killed him.

18:16  And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab held back the people.

18:17  And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every man to his tent.

18:18  Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king's valley, 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 Absalom's monument to this day.

18:19  Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.

18:20  And Joab said to him, Thou shall not be the bearer of news this day, but thou shall bear news another day. But this day thou shall bear no news, because the king's son is dead.

18:21  Then Joab said to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou have seen. And the Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.

18:22  Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will thou run, my son, seeing that thou will have no reward for the news?

18:23  But come what may, he said, I will run. And he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

18:24  Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

18:25  And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.

18:26  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 news.

18:27  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.

18:28  And Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

18:29  And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

18:30  And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

18:31  And, behold, the Cushite came. And the Cushite said, News for my lord the king, for Jehovah has avenged thee this day of all those who rose up against thee.

18:32  And the king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

18:33  And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Chapter 19

19:1  And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.

19:2  And the victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people, for the people heard say that day, The king grieves for his son.

19:3  And the people slipped away that day into the city, as people who are ashamed sneak away when they flee in battle.

19:4  And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

19:5  And 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,

19:6  in that thou love those who hate thee, and hate those who love thee. For thou have declared this day that rulers and servants are nothing to thee. For this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it would have pleased thee well.

19:7  Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak graciously to thy servants. For I swear by Jehovah, if thou do not go forth, there will not remain a man with thee this night. And that will be worse to thee than all the evil that has befallen thee from thy youth until now.

19:8  Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

19:9  And all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines. And now he fled out of the land from Absalom.

19:10  And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

19:11  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? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to bring him to his house.

19:12  Ye are my brothers, ye are my bone and my flesh. Why then are ye the last to bring back the king?

19:13  And say ye to Amasa, Are thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou not be captain of the army before me continually in the place of Joab.

19:14  And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, Return thou, and all thy servants.

19:15  So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

19:16  And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hastened and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

19:17  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 through the Jordan in the presence of the king.

19:18  And there went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he came over the Jordan.

19:19  And he said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither remember thou 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.

19:20  For thy servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

19:21  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?

19:22  And 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 I not know that I am this day king over Israel?

19:23  And the king said to Shimei, Thou shall not die. And the king swore to him.

19:24  And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

19:25  And it came to pass, when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?

19:26  And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For thy servant said, I will saddle for me a donkey, that I may ride on it, and go with the king, because thy servant is lame.

19:27  And he has slandered thy servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is as an agent of God; do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

19:28  For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet thou set thy servant among those who ate at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?

19:29  And the king said to him, Why do thou speak any more of thy matters? I say, thou and Ziba divide the land.

19:30  And Mephibosheth said to the king, Yea, let him take all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.

19:31  And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim. And he went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.

19:32  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 of wealth.

19:33  And the king said to Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem.

19:34  And Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

19:35  I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? 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?

19:36  Thy servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king, and why should the king recompense it to me with such a reward?

19:37  Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in my own city by the grave of my father and 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.

19:38  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 I will do for thee.

19:39  And all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.

19:40  So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. And all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.

19:41  And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen thee away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?

19:42  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 eaten at all at the king's cost, or has he given us any gift?

19:43  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 had first in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Chapter 20

20:1  And there happened to be there a base fellow whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel.

20:2  So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri, but the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

20:3  And 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 ward, and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

20:4  Then the king said to Amasa, Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be thou here present.

20:5  So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

20:6  And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.

20:7  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.

20:8  When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a belt with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath of it. And as he went forth it fell out.

20:9  And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with thee, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

20:10  But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand. So he smote him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again, and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

20:11  And there stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab.

20:12  And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

20:13  When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

20:14  And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites. And they were gathered together, and also went after him.

20:15  And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

20:16  Then a wise woman out of the city cried out, Hear, hear. Say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near here, that I may speak with thee.

20:17  And he came near to her, and the woman said, Are thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

20:18  Then she spoke, saying, They were accustomed to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel, and so they ended the matter.

20:19  I am of those who 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 Jehovah?

20:20  And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy.

20:21  The matter is not so, but a man of the hill-country of 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.

20:22  Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

20:23  Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,

20:24  and Adoram was over the men subject to task work, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,

20:25  and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests,

20:26  and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.

Chapter 21

21:1  And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.

21:2  And the king called the Gibeonites, and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and yet Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah),

21:3  and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?

21:4  And the Gibeonites said to him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house, neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that I will do for you.

21:5  And they said to the king, The man who consumed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,

21:6  let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give them.

21:7  But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Jehovah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

21:8  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 Merab the daughter of Saul whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.

21:9  And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them in the mountain before Jehovah, and they fell all seven together. And they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.

21:10  And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured upon them from heaven. And she neither allowed the birds of the heaven to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

21:11  And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

21:12  And 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 killed Saul in Gilboa,

21:13  and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son, and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged.

21:14  And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulcher of Kish his father. And they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.

21:15  And the Philistines had war again with Israel. And David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. And David grew faint,

21:16  and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

21:17  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 no more go out with us to battle, that thou not quench the lamp of Israel.

21:18  And it came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.

21:19  And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. And Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

21:20  And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, twenty-four in number, and he also was born to the giant.

21:21  And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, killed him.

21:22  These four were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Chapter 22

22:1  And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

22:2  And he said, Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine.

22:3  God, my rock, in him I will take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior. Thou save me from violence.

22:4  I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised. So I shall be saved from my enemies.

22:5  For the waves of death encompassed me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

22:6  The cords of Sheol were round about me. The snares of death came upon me.

22:7  In my distress I called upon Jehovah. Yea, I called to my God. And he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came into his ears.

22:8  Then the earth shook and trembled, the foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.

22:9  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it.

22:10  He bowed the heavens also, and came down, and thick darkness was under his feet.

22:11  And he rode upon a cherub, and flew. Yea, he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

22:12  And he made darkness pavilions round about him, gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

22:13  At the brightness before him coals of fire were kindled.

22:14  Jehovah thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice.

22:15  And he sent out arrows, and scattered them, lightning, and discomfited them.

22:16  Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

22:17  He sent from on high, he took me. He drew me out of many waters.

22:18  He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

22:19  They came upon me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my support.

22:20  He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

22:21  Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

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

22:23  For all his ordinances were before me. And as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

22:24  I was also perfect toward him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.

22:25  Therefore Jehovah has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his eyesight.

22:26  With the merciful thou will show thyself merciful. With the perfect man thou will show thyself perfect.

22:27  With the pure thou will show thyself pure. And with the perverse thou will show thyself contrary.

22:28  And the afflicted people thou will save, but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou may bring them down.

22:29  For thou are my lamp, O Jehovah. And Jehovah will lighten my darkness.

22:30  For by thee I run upon a troop. By my God do I leap over a wall.

22:31  As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Jehovah is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

22:32  For who is God, except Jehovah? And who is a rock, except our God?

22:33  God is my strong fortress, and he guides the perfect in his way.

22:34  He makes his feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places.

22:35  He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of brass.

22:36  Thou have also given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy gentleness has made me great.

22:37  Thou have enlarged my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.

22:38  I have pursued my enemies, and destroyed them, neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

22:39  And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise. Yea, they are fallen under my feet.

22:40  For thou have girded me with strength to the battle. Thou have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

22:41  Thou have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.

22:42  They looked, but there was none to save; even to Jehovah, but he did not answer them.

22:43  Then I beat them small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.

22:44  Thou have also delivered me from the strivings of my people. Thou have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

22:45  The foreigners shall submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.

22:46  The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their hiding places.

22:47  Jehovah lives. And blessed be my rock. And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

22:48  Even the God who executes vengeance for me, and who brings down peoples under me,

22:49  and who brings me forth from my enemies. Yea, thou lift me up above those who rise up against me. Thou deliver me from the violent man.

22:50  Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Jehovah, among gentiles, and will sing praises to thy name.

22:51  He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.

Chapter 23

23:1  Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, and the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:

23:2  The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me, and his word was upon my tongue.

23:3  The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me. He who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,

23:4  he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.

23:5  Truly my house is not so with God. Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. For it is all my salvation, and all my desire, though he does not make it to grow.

23:6  But the worthless shall be as thorns to be thrust away, all of them, because they cannot be taken with the hand.

23:7  But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.

23:8  These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.

23:9  And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.

23:10  He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And Jehovah wrought a great victory that day, and the people returned after him only to take spoil.

23:11  And after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop where was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.

23:12  But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines. And Jehovah wrought a great victory.

23:13  And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

23:14  And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

23:15  And David longed, and said, Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

23:16  And the three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah.

23:17  And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this, to drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

23:18  And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

23:19  Was he not most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain. However he did not attain to the first three.

23:20  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

23:21  And he killed an Egyptian, a good-looking 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 killed him with his own spear.

23:22  These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name among the three mighty men.

23:23  He was more honorable than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

23:24  Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

23:25  Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

23:26  Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

23:27  Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

23:28  Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

23:29  Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,

23:30  Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

23:31  Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

23:32  Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan,

23:33  Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

23:34  Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

23:35  Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

23:36  Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

23:37  Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armorbearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

23:38  Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

23:39  Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Chapter 24

24:1  And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.

24:2  And the king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people.

24:3  And Joab said to the king, Now Jehovah thy God add to the people, however many they may be, a hundredfold, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

24:4  Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. And Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.

24:5  And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer.

24:6  Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi. And they came to Dan-jaan, and round about to Sidon,

24:7  and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites. And they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba.

24:8  So when they had gone to and fro through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

24:9  And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

24:10  And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done, but now, O Jehovah, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.

24:11  And when David rose up in the morning, the word of Jehovah came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

24:12  Go and speak to David, Thus says Jehovah, I offer thee three things. Choose thee one of them, that I may do it to thee.

24:13  So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to thee in thy land? Or will thou flee three months before thy foes while they pursue thee? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now decide, and see what answer I shall return to him who sent me.

24:14  And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait. Let us fall now into the hand of Jehovah, for his mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hand of man.

24:15  So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed. And there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.

24:16  And when the agent stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Jehovah relented of the evil, and said to the agent who destroyed the people, It is enough. Now stay thy hand. And the agent of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:17  And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the agent who smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely, but these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

24:18  And Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:19  And David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Jehovah commanded.

24:20  And Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24:21  And Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor from thee, to build an altar to Jehovah that the plague may be halted from the people.

24:22  And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.

24:23  All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king. And Araunah said to the king, Jehovah thy God accept thee.

24:24  And the king said to Araunah, No, but I will truly buy it from thee at a price. Neither will I offer burnt offerings to Jehovah my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

24:25  And David built there an altar to Jehovah, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Jehovah was entreated for the land, and the plague was halted from Israel.