
The Second Book of Samuel

   {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 rent, and earth
upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to
the earth, and did obeisance. {1:3} And David said unto him, From
whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am
I escaped. {1:4} And David said unto him, How went the matter? 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 dead also. {1:5} And David said unto the young man that
told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
{1:6} And the young man that 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 hard after him. {1:7} And when
he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered,
Here am I. {1:8} And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him,
I am an Amalekite. {1:9} And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee,
beside me, and slay me; for anguish hath taken hold of me, because my
life is yet whole in me. {1:10} So I stood beside him, and slew him,
because I was sure that he could not live after that 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 hither unto my lord.

   {1:11} Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and
likewise all the men that were with him: {1:12} and they mourned, and
wept, and fasted until even, 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 unto the young man that
told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a
sojourner, an Amalekite. {1:14} And David said unto him, How wast 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 unto him,
Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath 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 children 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 were lovely and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided:
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
{1:24} Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,
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 hast thou been unto me:
Thy love to me was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.
{1:27} How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!



   {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 unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up?
And he said, Unto Hebron. {2:2} So David went up thither, and his two
wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the
Carmelite. {2:3} And his men that were with him did David bring up,
every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
{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 they that
buried Saul. {2:5} And David sent messengers unto the men of
Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah, that ye
have showed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have
buried him. {2:6} And now Jehovah show lovingkindness and truth unto
you: and I also will requite 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 host, 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 they caught every one his
fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so
they fell down together: wherefore that place was called
Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. {2:17} And the battle was very
sore 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 thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee 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:
wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up
my face to Joab thy brother? {2:23} Howbeit he refused to turn aside:
wherefore 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 were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah
by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. {2:25} And the children 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? knowest thou not that it will be
bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid
the people return from following their brethren? {2:27} And Joab said,
As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, surely then in the morning the
people had gone away, nor followed every one his brother. {2:28} So
Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued
after Israel no more, neither fought they 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 threescore
men died. {2:32} And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the
sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men
went all night, and the day brake upon them at Hebron.



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

   {3:2} And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his first-born
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, Wherefore hast
thou gone in unto my father's concubine? {3:8} Then was Abner very
wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that
belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul
thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered
thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a
fault concerning this woman. {3:9} God do so to Abner, and more also,
if, as Jehovah hath 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 Beer-sheba.
{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? saying [also], Make thy league with me, and, behold,
my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. {3:13}
And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee; but one thing I
require of thee: that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first
bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face. {3:14}
And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver
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
said Abner unto 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 hath 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 spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the
ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and 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 that were with
him a feast. {3:21} And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and
will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a
covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul
desireth. 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 host that was with him were come, they
told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath
sent him away, and he is gone in peace. {3:24} Then Joab came to the
king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why
is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? {3:25} Thou
knowest 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 doest.
{3:26} And when Joab was come 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 for ever 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 that
hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that
falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread. {3:30} So Joab and Abishai
his brother slew 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 that 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 dieth?
{3:34} Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters:
As a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst 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 sware,
saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught
else, till the sun be down. {3:36} And all the people took notice of
it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever 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 slay Abner the son of Ner. {3:38} And
the king said unto 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 evil-doer according to his wickedness.





   {4:1} And when [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead
in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were
troubled. {4:2} And [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, [had] two men that were
captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the
other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children 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 that was lame of his feet.
He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of
Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as
she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was
Mephibosheth.

   {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 thither 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 slew 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 unto 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 hath 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 unto them, As Jehovah
liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, {4:10} when one
told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good
tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the
reward I gave him for his tidings. {4:11} How much more, when wicked
men have slain a righteous person 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 slew 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.





   {5:1} Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and
spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. {5:2} In times
past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and
broughtest in Israel: and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt be shepherd
of my people Israel, and thou shalt 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
and 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 spake unto David, saying,
Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in
hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither. {5:7} Nevertheless David
took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. {5:8} And
David said on that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, let him get up
to the watercourse, and [smite] the lame and the blind, that are hated
of David's soul. Wherefore they say, There are the blind and the lame;
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 waxed 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 him more concubines and wives out of
Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and
daughters born to David. {5:14} And these are the names of those that
were born unto 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? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said unto
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 hath broken mine 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 shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon
them over against the mulberry-trees. {5:24} And it shall be, when thou
hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that
then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is Jehovah gone out before
thee to smite the host of the Philistines. {5:25} And David did so, as
Jehovah commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou
come to Gezer.



   {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 that were with him, from Baale-judah, to bring up from thence
the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Jehovah
of hosts that sitteth [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 in 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 in 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 made 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 [his hand] 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 there he died 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, unto this day. {6:9} And
David was afraid of Jehovah that day; and he said, How shall the ark of
Jehovah come unto me? {6:10} So David would not remove the ark of
Jehovah unto 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 hath blessed the
house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto 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 they that bare 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 to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the
handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly
uncovereth himself! {6:21} And David said unto 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
will I play before Jehovah. {6:22} And I will be yet more vile than
this, and will be base in mine own sight: but of the handmaids of whom
thou hast spoken, of them shall I be had in honor. {6:23} And Michal
the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.



   {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 unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of
cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth 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 unto Nathan, saying, {7:5} Go and tell my servant David,
Thus saith Jehovah, Shalt thou build me 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 children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked
in a tent and in a tabernacle. {7:7} In all places wherein I have
walked with all the children of Israel, spake I 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 me a house of cedar? {7:8} Now therefore
thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts,
I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou
shouldest be prince over my people, over Israel; {7:9} and I have been
with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine
enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a great name, like unto
the name of the great ones that are in 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
children of wickedness 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 telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house. {7:12} When
thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will
set up thy seed after thee, that 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 for ever. {7:14} I will
be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will
chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children
of men; {7:15} but my lovingkindness 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 for ever before thee: thy throne
shall be established for ever. {7:17} According to all these words, and
according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto 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 hast
brought me thus far? {7:19} And this was yet a small thing in thine
eyes, O Lord Jehovah; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house
for a great while to come; and this [too] after the manner of men, O
Lord Jehovah! {7:20} And what can David say more unto thee? for thou
knowest thy servant, O Lord Jehovah. {7:21} For thy word's sake, and
according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness, to
make thy servant know it. {7:22} Wherefore thou art 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 in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom
God went to redeem unto himself for a people, and to make him a name,
and to do great things for you, and terrible things for thy land,
before thy people, whom thou redeemest to thee out of Egypt, [from] the
nations and their gods? {7:24} And thou didst establish to thyself thy
people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, Jehovah,
becamest their God. {7:25} And now, O Jehovah God, the word that thou
hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm
thou it for ever, and do as thou hast spoken. {7:26} And let thy name
be magnified for ever, 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, hast revealed to thy
servant, saying, I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant
found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. {7:28} And now, O
Lord Jehovah, thou art God, and thy words are truth, and thou hast
promised this good thing unto thy servant: {7:29} now therefore let it
please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for
ever before thee; for thou, O Lord Jehovah, hast spoken it: and with
thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.



   {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 smote also 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 succor
Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians two and twenty
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 whithersoever 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 exceeding much brass. {8:9} And when Toi
king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
{8:10} then Toi sent Joram his son unto 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
did king David dedicate unto 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 children 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 gat him a name when he returned from smiting the
Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men. {8:14} And
he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all
the Edomites became servants to David. And Jehovah gave victory to
David whithersoever he went.

   {8:15} And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice
and righteousness unto all his people. {8:16} And Joab the son of
Zeruiah was over the host; 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.



   {9:1} And David said, Is there yet any that 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 unto David; and the king said unto him, Art 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 unto him? And Ziba
said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, who is lame of his feet.
{9:4} And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto 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 unto David, and fell on his
face, and did obeisance. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered,
Behold, thy servant! {9:7} And David said unto him, Fear not; for I
will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will
restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread
at my table continually. {9:8} And he did obeisance, and said, What is
thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

   {9:9} Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto
him, All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given unto
thy master's son. {9:10} And thou shalt till the land for him, thou,
and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in [the fruits],
that thy master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth thy
master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen
sons and twenty servants. {9:11} Then said Ziba unto the king,
According to all that my lord the king commandeth his servant, so shall
thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, [said the king], he shall eat at
my table, as one of the king's sons. {9:12} And Mephibosheth had a
young son, whose name was Mica. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba
were servants unto Mephibosheth. {9:13} So Mephibosheth dwelt in
Jerusalem; for he did eat continually at the king's table. And he was
lame in both his feet.



   {10:1} And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children
of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. {10:2} And David
said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father
showed kindness unto me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him
concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the
children of Ammon. {10:3} But the princes of the children of Ammon said
unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father,
in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his
servants unto 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
unto 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 children of Ammon saw that they were become
odious to David, the children 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 host
of the mighty men. {10:8} And the children 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 before
and behind, he chose of 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 children of Ammon. {10:11} And he said, If the
Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the
children 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
seemeth him good. {10:13} So Joab and the people that were with him
drew nigh unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before
him. {10:14} And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were
fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city.
Then Joab returned from the children 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 that were beyond the River: and they
came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host 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 slew of the
Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand
horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died
there. {10:19} And when all the kings that 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 feared to help the children of
Ammon any more.



   {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 children of Ammon, and
besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem.

   {11:2} And it came to pass at eventide, 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 send and inquired after the woman. And one said,
Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the
Hittite? {11:4} And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came
in unto him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her
uncleanness); and she returned unto 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 was come unto 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
there followed him a mess [of food] from the king. {11:9} But Uriah
slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his
lord, and went not down to his house. {11:10} And when they had told
David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto
Uriah, Art thou not come from a journey? wherefore didst thou not go
down unto thy house? {11:11} And Uriah said unto 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 livest,
and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. {11:12} And David
said to Uriah, Tarry here to-day also, and to-morrow I will let thee
depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. {11:13}
And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he
made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the
servants of his lord, but went not 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 unto 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 hast made an end of telling all the things concerning
the war unto the king, {11:20} it shall be that, if the king's wrath
arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore went ye so nigh unto the city to
fight? knew ye not 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 went
ye so nigh the wall? then shalt thou say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite
is dead also.

   {11:22} So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that
Joab had sent him for. {11:23} And the messenger said unto David, The
men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we
were upon them even unto 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 unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto
Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as
well as another; make thy battle more strong 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 bare him a son. But the thing that David had done
displeased Jehovah.



   {12:1} And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and
said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the
other poor. {12:2} The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;
{12:3} but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he
had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with
his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup,
and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. {12:4} And there
came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own
flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come
unto him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that
was come to him. {12:5} And David's anger was greatly kindled against
the man; and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that hath
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 art the man. Thus saith 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 unto thee
such and such things. {12:9} Wherefore hast thou despised the word of
Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Uriah
the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and
hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. {12:10} Now
therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou
hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be
thy wife. {12:11} Thus saith 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 unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy
wives in the sight of this sun. {12:12} For thou didst it secretly: but
I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. {12:13} And
David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said
unto David, Jehovah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
{12:14} Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to
the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto
thee shall surely die. {12:15} And Nathan departed unto his house.

   And Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto 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 earth.
{12:17} And the elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside him, to
raise him up from the earth: 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
spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto 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 unto 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 worshipped: then he came to his
own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did
eat. {12:21} Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that
thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was
alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
{12:22} And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept:
for I said, Who knoweth whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me,
that the child may live? {12:23} But now he is dead, wherefore 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 Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto
her, and lay with her: and she bare 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 children 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 thereof 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, exceeding much. {12:31} And he brought forth the people that were
therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under
axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he
unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the
people returned unto Jerusalem.



   {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 vexed that he fell sick because of
his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to
do anything unto her. {13:3} But Amnon had a friend, whose name was
Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very
subtle man. {13:4} And he said unto him, Why, O son of the king, art
thou thus lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said
unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. {13:5} And Jonadab
said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and
when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto 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 was come to see him,
Amnon said unto 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 dress him food. {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 did bake the cakes. {13:9} And she
took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat.
And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man
from him. {13:10} And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the
chamber, that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes which
she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
{13:11} And when she had brought them near unto him to eat, he took
hold of her, and said unto her, Come, lie with me, my sister. {13:12}
And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such
thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. {13:13} And
I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wilt be as one
of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the
king; for he will not withhold me from thee. {13:14} Howbeit he would
not hearken unto her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her,
and lay with her.

   {13:15} Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the
hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he
had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. {13:16} And she
said unto him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is
[worse] than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not
hearken unto her. {13:17} Then he called his servant that ministered
unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door
after her. {13:18} And she had a garment of divers colors upon her; for
with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled.
Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
{13:19} And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers
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 unto her, Hath Amnon thy
brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my sister: he is thy
brother; take not 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 wroth. {13:22} And Absalom spake unto 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 hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray
thee, and his servants go with thy servant. {13:25} And the king said
to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome unto
thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.
{13:26} Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go
with us. And the king said unto 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,
Mark ye now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I say unto
you, Smite Amnon, then kill him; fear not; have not I commanded you? be
courageous, and be valiant. {13:29} And the servants of Absalom did
unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose,
and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

   {13:30} And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the
tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons,
and there is not one of them left. {13:31} Then the king arose, and
rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by
with their clothes rent. {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 appointment of Absalom this hath 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 Amnon only is dead.

   {13:34} But Absalom fled. And the young man that 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 unto the
king, Behold, the king's sons are 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 sore.

   {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 unto Absalom: for he
was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.



   {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 thence a
wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a
mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not
thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for
the dead: {14:3} and go in to the king, and speak on this manner unto
him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

   {14:4} And when the woman of Tekoa spake 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 unto her, What aileth 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 that smote his brother, that we may
kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the
heir also. Thus will they 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 unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will
give charge concerning thee. {14:9} And the woman of Tekoa said unto
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, Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall
not touch thee any more. {14:11} Then said she, I pray thee, let the
king remember Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not
any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah liveth,
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 unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. {14:13} And the woman
said, Wherefore then hast thou devised such a thing against the people
of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one that is guilty, in
that the king doth not fetch home again his banished one. {14:14} For
we must needs die, and are as water split on the ground, which cannot
be gathered up again; neither doth God take away life, but deviseth
means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him. {14:15} Now
therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word unto my lord the
king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid
said, I will now speak unto 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 that 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
comfortable; for as an angel 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 unto the woman, Hide not
from me, I pray thee, aught 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 liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to
the left from aught that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant
Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy
handmaid; {14:20} to change the face of the matter hath thy servant
Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of
an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

   {14:21} And the king said unto 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, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found favor
in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath 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 saw not 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 unto
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 saw
not 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 unto his
servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath 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 unto his house, and said
unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire? {14:32} And
Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither,
that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from
Geshur? it were better for me to be there still. 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.



   {15:1} And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared 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 unto him, and said, Of what city art
thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
{15:3} And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right;
but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. {15:4} Absalom
said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man
who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him
justice! {15:5} And it was so, that, when any man came nigh to do him
obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.
{15:6} And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that 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 unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have
vowed unto 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
unto 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, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they
knew not anything. {15:12} And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the
Gilonite, David's counsellor, 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 unto all
his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee;
for else 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
unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever 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, that were concubines,
to keep the house. {15:17} And the king went forth, and all the people
after him; and they tarried 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 that came after him
from Gath, passed on before the king.

   {15:19} Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest
thou also with us? return, and abide with the king: for thou art a
foreigner, and also an exile; [return] to thine own place. {15:20}
Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up
and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back
thy brethren; mercy and truth be with thee. {15:21} And Ittai answered
the king, and said, As Jehovah liveth, and as my lord the king liveth,
surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or
for life, even there also will thy servant 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 also himself 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 done passing out of
the city. {15:25} And the king said unto 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 say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let
him do to me as seemeth good unto him. {15:27} The king said also unto
Zadok the priest, Art 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 tarry at the fords of the wilderness,
until there come word from you to certify me. {15:29} Zadok therefore
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 that were with him covered every man his head, and
they went up, weeping as they went up. {15:31} And one 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 was come to
the top [of the ascent], where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the
Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.
{15:33} And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me, then thou
wilt be a burden unto me: {15:34} but if thou return to the city, and
say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy
father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt
thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. {15:35} And hast thou not
there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be,
that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou
shalt 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 unto me everything
that ye shall hear. {15:37} So Hushai, David's friend, came into the
city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.



   {16:1} And when David was a little past the top [of the ascent],
behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of
asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred
clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of
wine. {16:2} And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these?
And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and
the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that
such as are faint in the wilderness may drink. {16:3} And the king
said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king,
Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day will the house of
Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. {16:4} Then said the king
to Ziba, Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. 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
thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei,
the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still 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 hath returned upon thee
all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned;
and Jehovah hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy
son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine own mischief, because thou
art a man of blood.

   {16:9} Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto 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 curseth, and because
Jehovah hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore
hast thou done so? {16:11} And David said to Abishai, and to all his
servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my
life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone,
and let him curse; for Jehovah hath bidden him. {16:12} It may be that
Jehovah will look on the wrong done unto me, and that Jehovah will
requite 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 over
against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast
dust. {16:14} And the king, and all the people that 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, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai
said unto Absalom, [Long] live the king, [Long] live the king. {16:17}
And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why
wentest thou not with thy friend? {16:18} And Hushai said unto Absalom,
Nay; but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel have
chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide. {16:19} And again,
whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son?
as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

   {16:20} Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we
shall do. {16:21} And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy
father's concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all
Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then will the
hands of all that are with thee be strong. {16:22} So they spread
Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto 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.



   {17:1} Moreover Ahithophel said unto 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 that are with
him shall flee; and I will smite the king only; {17:3} and I will bring
back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest 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 said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let
us hear likewise what he saith. {17:6} And when Hushai was come to
Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after
this manner: shall we do [after] his saying? if not, speak thou. {17:7}
And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given
this time is not good. {17:8} Hushai said moreover, Thou knowest 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
whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people
that follow Absalom. {17:10} And even he that is valiant, whose heart
is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knoweth
that thy father is a mighty man, and they that are with him are valiant
men. {17:11} But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto
thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for
multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. {17:12} So
shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we
will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground; and of him and of
all the men that are with him we will not leave so much as one. {17:13}
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel 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 said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests,
Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel;
and thus and thus have I counselled. {17:16} Now therefore send
quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night at the fords of
the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed
up, and all the people that 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 both of them away quickly, and came to the house
of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down
thither. {17:19} And the woman took and spread the covering over the
well's mouth, and strewed bruised grain thereon; 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 unto them,
They are 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
unto David, Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water; for thus hath
Ahithophel counselled against you. {17:22} Then David arose, and all
the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan: by the
morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over the
Jordan. {17:23} And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not
followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home, unto his
city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and
was buried in the sepulchre 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 host instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man,
whose name was Ithra the Israelite, that 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 was come to Mahanaim, that
Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children 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 parched [grain], and beans, and lentils, and
parched [pulse], {17:29} and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese
of the herd, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat:
for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the
wilderness.



   {18:1} And David numbered the people that 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 unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
{18:3} But the people said, Thou shalt 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 art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is
better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city. {18:4} And the
king said unto them, What seemeth you best 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 heaven 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 unto the man
that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not
smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [pieces
of] silver, and a girdle. {18:12} And the man said unto Joab, Though I
should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, yet would I
not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the
king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch
the young man Absalom. {18:13} Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against
his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself
wouldest have set thyself against [me]. {18:14} Then said Joab, I may
not tarry 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 that bare Joab's armor
compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew 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 one 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 dale; 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, unto this day.

   {18:19} Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear
the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemies.
{18:20} And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings
this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou
shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. {18:21} Then
said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And
the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. {18:22} Then said Ahimaaz
the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray
thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou
run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?
{18:23} But come what may, [said he], I will run. And he said unto 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 unto 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 be alone,
there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.
{18:26} And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman
called unto the porter, and said, Behold, [another] man running alone.
And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. {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
cometh with good tidings.

   {18:28} And Ahimaaz called, and said unto 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 hath delivered up the men that 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, Tidings
for my lord the king; for Jehovah hath avenged thee this day of all
them that rose up against thee. {18:32} And the king said unto the
Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite
answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that 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!



   {19:1} And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth
for Absalom. {19:2} And the victory that day was turned into mourning
unto all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king
grieveth for his son. {19:3} And the people gat them by stealth that
day into the city, as people that are ashamed steal 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 hast 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 lovest
them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast
declared this day, that princes and servants are nought unto thee: for
this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died
this day, then it had pleased thee well. {19:7} Now therefore arise, go
forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants; for I swear by Jehovah,
if thou go not forth, there will not tarry a man with thee this night:
and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen
thee from thy youth until now. {19:8} Then the king arose, and sat in
the gate. And they told unto 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 at strife 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 is 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 unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to
bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is
come to the king, [to bring him] to his house. {19:12} Ye are my
brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last
to bring back the king? {19:13} And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my
bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not
captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. {19:14}
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as [the heart of]
one man; so that they sent unto 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, hasted 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 was come over the Jordan.
{19:19} And he said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto
me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the
day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should
take it to his heart. {19:20} For thy servant doth know that I have
sinned: therefore, behold, I am 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 unto me? shall there any man be
put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day
king over Israel? {19:23} And the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not
die. And the king sware unto 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 was come to Jerusalem to
meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou
with me, Mephibosheth? {19:26} And he answered, My lord, O king, my
servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass,
that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is
lame. {19:27} And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king;
but my lord the king is as an angel 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 didst thou set thy servant among them that
did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet that I
should cry any more unto the king? {19:29} And the king said unto him,
Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I say, Thou and Ziba divide
the land. {19:30} And Mephibosheth said unto the king, yea, let him
take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come in peace unto 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 fourscore years old:
and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim;
for he was a very great man. {19:33} And the king said unto Barzillai,
Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem.
{19:34} And Barzillai said unto the king, How many are the days of the
years of my life, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
{19:35} I am this day fourscore 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? wherefore then
should thy servant be yet a burden unto 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 me with such a reward? {19:37} Let thy servant,
I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine 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
unto thee. {19:38} And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with
me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and
whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I 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 unto 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 unto the king, Why have our brethren 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: wherefore then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all
at the king's cost? or hath 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 first had in bringing back
our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words
of the men of Israel.



   {20:1} And there happened to be there a 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 clave unto 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 went not in
unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in
widowhood.

   {20:4} Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah
together within three days, and be thou here present. {20:5} So Amasa
went to call [the men of] Judah together; but he tarried 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 thereon was a girdle with a
sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; 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 therewith 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 that favoreth Joab, and he that 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 every one that 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 unto Abel, and
to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together,
and went also 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 that were with Joab battered
the wall, to throw it down. {20:16} Then cried a wise woman out of the
city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I
may speak with thee. {20:17} And he came near unto her; and the woman
said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him,
Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. {20:18}
Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying,
They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the
matter]. {20:19} I am of them that are peaceable and faithful in
Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt
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, hath lifted up his hand
against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will
depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head
shall be thrown to thee over the wall. {20:22} Then the woman went unto
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 unto the king.

   {20:23} Now Joab was over all the host 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 taskwork; 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 unto David.



   {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 said unto
them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the
remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto
them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of
Israel and Judah); {21:3} and David said unto the Gibeonites, What
shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may
bless the inheritance of Jehovah? {21:4} And the Gibeonites said unto
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 will I do for you. {21:5} And they said
unto the king, The man that consumed us, and that 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 unto us, and we
will hang them up unto 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 bare unto Saul, Armoni and
Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom
she bare 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 suffered neither the birds of the
heavens 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 slew Saul in Gilboa; {21:13} and he
brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his
son: and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. {21:14} And
they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of
Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulchre 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 waxed 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
succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of
David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to
battle, that thou quench not 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 slew 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
Beth-lehemite slew Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was
like a weaver's beam. {21:20} And there was again war at Gath, where
was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on
every foot six toes, four and twenty 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, slew 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.



   {22:1} And David spake unto 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 will I take refuge;
My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge;
My saviour, thou savest me from violence.
{22:4} I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised:
So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
{22:5} For the waves of death compassed 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 unto 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 wroth.
{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 did fly;
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 them that 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 stay.
{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 hath he recompensed 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 mine iniquity.
{22:25} Therefore hath Jehovah recompensed me according to my
      righteousness,
According to my cleanness in his eyesight.
{22:26} With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful;
With the perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect;
{22:27} With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure;
And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.
{22:28} And the afflicted people thou wilt save;
But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
{22:29} For thou art 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 unto all them that take refuge in him.
{22:32} For who is God, save Jehovah?
And who is a rock, save our God?
{22:33} God is my strong fortress;
And he guideth the perfect in his way.
{22:34} He maketh his feet like hinds' [feet],
And setteth me upon my high places.
{22:35} He teacheth my hands to war,
So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.
{22:36} Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation;
And thy gentleness hath made me great.
{22:37} Thou hast enlarged my steps under me;
And my feet have not slipped.
{22:38} I have pursued mine 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 hast girded me with strength unto the battle;
Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
{22:41} Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me,
That I might cut off them that hate me.
{22:42} They looked, but there was none to save;
Even unto Jehovah, but he answered them not.
{22:43} Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth,
I did crush them as the mire of the streets, and did spread them abroad.
{22:44} Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people;
Thou hast 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 unto 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 close places.
{22:47} Jehovah liveth; And blessed be my rock;
And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
{22:48} Even the God that executeth vengeance for me,
And that bringeth down peoples under me,
{22:49} And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies:
Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me;
Thou deliverest me from the violent man.
{22:50} Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the
      nations,
And will sing praises unto thy name.
{22:51} Great deliverance giveth he to his king,
And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed,
To David and to his seed, for evermore.



   {23:1} Now these are the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse saith,
And the man who was raised on high saith,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
{23:2} The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me,
And his word was upon my tongue.
{23:3} The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spake to me:
One that ruleth over men righteously,
That ruleth in the fear of God,
{23:4} [He shall be] as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth,
A morning without clouds,
[When] the tender grass [springeth] out of the earth,
Through clear shining after rain.
{23:5} Verily my house is not so with God;
Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things, and sure:
For it is all my salvation, and all [my] desire,
Although he maketh it not to grow.
{23:6} But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with the hand;
 {23:7} But the man that toucheth 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 that 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 clave unto 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
slew 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 unto 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 Beth-lehem. {23:15} And David longed, and said, Oh that one
would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the
gate! {23:16} And the three mighty men brake through the host of the
Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by
the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink
thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah. {23:17} And he said, Be it far
from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of
the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not
drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

   {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 slew them, and had a name among the three. {23:19} Was he not most
honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he
attained not unto 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 slew the two [sons of] Ariel of
Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time
of snow. {23:21} And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the
Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff,
and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his
own spear. {23:22} These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and
had a name among the three mighty men. {23:23} He was more honorable
than the thirty, but he attained not 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 Beth-lehem, {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
children 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, 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 and seven in all.



   {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 host, who was with
him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even
to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the
people. {24:3} And Joab said unto the king, Now Jehovah thy God add
unto the people, how many soever they may be, a hundredfold; and may
the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why doth my lord the king
delight in this thing? {24:4} Notwithstanding, the king's word
prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab
and the captains of the host 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 unto 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 Beer-sheba. {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 up the sum of the
numbering of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight
hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah
were five hundred thousand men.

   {24:10} And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the
people. And David said unto 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 unto the
prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, {24:12} Go and speak unto David,
Thus saith Jehovah, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them,
that I may do it unto thee. {24:13} So Gad came to David, and told him,
and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy
land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy foes while they pursue
thee? or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise
thee, and consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me.
{24:14} And David said unto 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 Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. {24:16}
And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy
it, Jehovah repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that
destroyed the people, It is enough; now stay thy hand. And the angel of
Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. {24:17} And
David spake unto Jehovah when he saw the angel that 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 unto him, Go up,
rear an altar unto 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, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And
David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar unto
Jehovah, that the plague may be stayed from the people. {24:22} And
Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what
seemeth good unto 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, doth Araunah give unto the king. And Araunah said
unto the king, Jehovah thy God accept thee. {24:24} And the king said
unto Araunah, Nay; but I will verily buy it of thee at a price. Neither
will I offer burnt-offerings unto 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 unto Jehovah, and
offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So Jehovah was entreated
for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.




