\id 2SA The Second Book of Samuel 
\h 2 Samuel 
\toc1 The Second Book of Samuel Otherwise Called The Second Book of the Kings 
\toc2 2 Samuel 
\toc3 2Sa 
\mt1 The Second Book of Samuel Otherwise Called the Second Book of the Kings  
\c 1
\p
\v 1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from smiting the 'Amalekites, that David abode in Ziklag two days.  
\v 2 And 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 it happened, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and prostrated himself.  
\v 3 And David said unto him, From where comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.  
\v 4 And David said unto him, What took place there? I pray thee, tell me. And he said, That the people are fled from the battle, and that also many of the people are fallen and have died; and that also Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.  
\v 5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul is dead as also Jonathan his son?  
\v 6 And the young man that told him said, I happened entirely by chance to be upon mount Gilboa', when, behold, there was Saul leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen had overtaken him.  
\v 7 And he turned round, and he saw me, and called unto me, And I said, Here am I.  
\v 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou! And I answered him, An 'Amalekite am I.  
\v 9 And he said unto me, Place thyself, I pray thee, by me, and slay me; for a mortal tremor hath seized on me, although my life is yet whole in me.  
\v 10 So I placed myself by him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and I have brought them unto my lord hither.  
\v 11 David thereupon took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and [so did] likewise all the men that were with him:  
\v 12 And they lamented, and wept, and fasted until the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.  
\v 13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he said, The son of a stranger, an 'Amalekite, am I.  
\v 14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?  
\v 15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Come near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.  
\v 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood is upon thy own head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I myself have slain the Lord's anointed.  
\v 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:  
\v 18 And he said, That the children of Judah should be taught the bow; behold it is written in the book of Yashar.  
\v 19 O beauty of Israel! upon the high places slain: how are the mighty fallen!  
\v 20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; that the daughters of the Philistines may not be glad, that the daughters of the uncircumcised may not rejoice.  
\v 21 O mountains of Gilboa', no dew, nor rain be upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was stained, the shield of Saul, as though it had not been anointed with oil.  
\v 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned never back, and the sword of Saul never returned empty.  
\v 23 Saul and Jonathan, the beloved and the dear in their lives, were even in their death not divided: more than eagles were they swift, more than lions were they strong.  
\v 24 O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with beautiful dresses, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.  
\v 25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, on thy high places slain.  
\v 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very dear hast thou been unto me: wonderful was thy love for me, passing the love of women.  
\v 27 How are the mighty fallen, and lost the instruments of war!   
\c 2
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass after this, that David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.  
\v 2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Achino'am the Yizre'elitess, and Abigayil, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.  
\v 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.  
\v 4 And then came the men of Judah, and they anointed there David as king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Yabesh-gil'ad were those that buried Saul.  
\v 5 And David thereupon sent messengers unto the men of Yabesh-gil'ad, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have done this kindness unto your Lord, unto Saul, and have buried him.  
\v 6 And now may the Lord deal with you in kindness and truth: and as for me also, I will requite you this good deed, because ye have done this thing.  
\v 7 And now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant men; for your lord Saul is dead; and also me have the house of Judah anointed as king over them.  
\v 8 But Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of the army of Saul, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Machanayim;  
\v 9 And made him king over Gil'ad, and over the Ashurites, and over Yizre'el, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.  
\v 10 Forty years old was Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, when he became king over Israel, and two years he reigned. But the house of Judah followed David.  
\v 11 And the number of days that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.  
\v 12 And there went out Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, from Machanayim to Gib'on.  
\v 13 And Joab the son of Zeruyah and the servants of David also went out, and they met together by the pool of Gib'on: and they sat down, these on the one side of the pool, and the others on the other side of the pool.  
\v 14 And Abner said to Joab, Do let the young men rise up and play before us. And Joab said, They may rise up.  
\v 15 Then they rose up and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.  
\v 16 And they grasped every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; and they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Chelkath-hazzurim, which is by Gib'on.  
\v 17 And the battle was exceedingly fierce on that day; and Abner with the men of Israel was beaten, before the servants of David.  
\v 18 And there were at that place three sons of Zeruyah, Joab, and Abishai, and 'Asahel: and 'Asahel was as fleet of foot as any roe in the field.  
\v 19 And 'Asahel pursued after Abner; and he turned not in going to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.  
\v 20 And Abner turned round and said, Art thou 'Asahel? And he answered, I am.  
\v 21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold for thyself on one of the young men, and take thyself his armor. But 'Asahel would not turn aside from following him.  
\v 22 And Abner repeated again to say unto 'Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? and how should I then lift up my face to Joab thy brother?  
\v 23 But he refused to turn aside; and Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear under the fifth rib, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died on the spot: and it came to pass, that all who came to the place where 'Asahel had fallen down and died remained standing still.  
\v 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 Giach on the way to the wilderness of Gib'on.  
\v 25 And the children of Benjamin assembled themselves together behind Abner, and formed one solid body, and posted themselves on the top of a certain hill.  
\v 26 And Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall for everlasting the sword devour? knowest thou not that it will be bitter in the end? and how long shall it be, ere thou wilt bid the people to return from pursuing their brethren?  
\v 27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then already in the morning would the people have gone away every one from pursuing his brother.  
\v 28 So Joab blew the cornet, and all the people remained standing still, and pursued no more after Israel, and they continued no more to fight.  
\v 29 And Abner and his men walked through the plain all that night, and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Machanayim.  
\v 30 And Joab returned from pursuing Abner; and he gathered all the people together; and there were missed of David's servants nineteen men and 'Asahel.  
\v 31 But the servants of David had smitten [many] of Benjamin, and of Abner's men: three hundred and sixty men died.  
\v 32 And they took up 'Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lechem. And Joab and his men went all that night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.   
\c 3
\p
\v 1 And the war lasted a long time between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became continually stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul became continually weaker and weaker.  
\v 2 And there were born unto David sons in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Achino'am the Yizre'elitess;  
\v 3 And his second was Kilab, of Abigayil the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Abshalom, the son of Ma'achah the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur;  
\v 4 And the fourth, Adoniyah, the son of Chaggith; and the fifth, Shephatyah, the son of Abital;  
\v 5 And the sixth, Yithre'am, by 'Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.  
\v 6 And it came to pass, while the war lasted between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner upheld with all his strength the house of Saul.  
\v 7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Ayah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?  
\v 8 And Abner became very wroth because of the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I the chief of the dogs which belong to Judah? unto this day have I shown kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me today with a wrong committed with this woman?  
\v 9 May God do so to Abner, and continue to do yet more to him, that, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so will I surely do to him;  
\v 10 To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba'.  
\v 11 And he could not answer Abner a word more in reply, because of his fear of him.  
\v 12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also,] Make thy covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.  
\v 13 And he said, Well: I will indeed make a covenant with thee; but one thing I require of thee, namely, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.  
\v 14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, saying, Give up to me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.  
\v 15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from the man, from Paltiel the son of Layish.  
\v 16 And her husband went with her going along and weeping behind her as far as Bachurim: when Abner said unto him, Go, return. And he returned.  
\v 17 And Abner had used these words with the elders of Israel, saying, Already yesterday and even before ye have been desiring David as king over you:  
\v 18 And now do it; for the Lord hath said of David thus, By the hand of my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.  
\v 19 And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of the whole house of Benjamin.  
\v 20 And Abner came to David to Hebron, and with him were twenty men; and David made for Abner and for the men that were with him a feast.  
\v 21 And Abner said unto David, I will now arise and go, and I will assemble unto my Lord the king all Israel, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul longeth for. And David dismissed Abner: and he went in peace.  
\v 22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a predatory excursion, and brought in much booty with them; but Abner was no more with David in Hebron; for he had dismissed him, and he was gone in peace.  
\v 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath dismissed him, and he is gone in peace.  
\v 24 Then came Joab to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee: why is it that thou hast dismissed him, that he went freely away?  
\v 25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that to deceive thee did he come, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou art doing.  
\v 26 And Joab went out from David, and he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David knew it not.  
\v 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him in private; and he smote him there under the fifth rib, and he died, for the blood of 'Asahel his brother.  
\v 28 And when David heard it afterward, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:  
\v 29 May it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a crutch, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.  
\v 30 But Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother 'Asahel at Gib'on in the battle.  
\v 31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and [go] mourning before Abner. And king David walked behind the bier.  
\v 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.  
\v 33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, O, that Abner had to die, as the worthless dieth!  
\v 34 Thy hands were not bound, and thy feet were not put into fetters: as one falleth before men of wickedness art thou fallen. And all the people wept again over him.  
\v 35 And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, So do God to me, and thus may he continue, if before the sun be down I taste bread, or the least else.  
\v 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it was pleasing in their eyes: as whatsoever the king did was pleasing in the eyes of all the people.  
\v 37 And all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.  
\v 38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that a prince and a great man hath fallen this day in Israel?  
\v 39 And I am this day yet weak, and just anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruyah, are too strong for me: may the Lord pay the doer of evil according to his wickedness.   
\c 4
\p
\v 1 And when Saul's son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands became enfeebled, and all the Israelites were troubled.  
\v 2 And Saul's son had two men who were captains of bands; the name of the one was Ba'anah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:  
\v 3 And the Beerothites had fled to Gittayim, and remained sojourners there until this day.)  
\v 4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame on both feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan from Yizre'el, and his nurse took him up and fled: and it came to pass, in her haste to flee, that he fell, and was rendered lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.  
\v 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Ba'anah, went, and came at the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who was just lying in bed as usual at noon.  
\v 6 And they came thither into the interior of the house, as buyers of wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Ba'anah his brother escaped.  
\v 7 Namely, they came into the house, while he was lying on his bed in his sleeping-chamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and cut off his head, and took his head, and went by the way of the plain all the night.  
\v 8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and they said to the king, Behold, here is the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thy enemy, who sought thy life: and the Lord hath granted to my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul, and on his seed.  
\v 9 But David answered Rechab and Ba'anah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,  
\v 10 When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, and he was in his own eyes as though he brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who [thought] that I should give him a reward for his tidings:  
\v 11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous man in his own house upon his bed? and now, behold, I will require his blood of your hand, and I will remove you away from the earth.  
\v 12 And David gave the command to the young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up by the pool in Hebron. But the head of Ish-bosheth they took, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.   
\c 5
\p
\v 1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold us, thy bone and thy flesh are we;  
\v 2 Already yesterday, and even before, when Saul was king over us, thou wast the one that led out and brought in Israel: And the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt indeed feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a chief over Israel.  
\v 3 Thus came all the elders of Israel to the king unto Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David as king over Israel.  
\v 4 Thirty years was David old when he became king, [and] forty years he reigned.  
\v 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.  
\v 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; who said unto David, as followeth, Thou shalt not come in hither, except thou [first] remove away the blind and the lame: meaning, David cannot come in hither.  
\v 7 Nevertheless David captured the strong-hold of Zion; the same is the city of David.  
\v 8 And David said on that day, Whosoever will smite the Jebusites, and reach the aqueduct and the lame and the blind, that are hateful to David's soul,—Wherefore people usually say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.  
\v 9 And David dwelt in the fort, and he called it “The City of David.” And David built [it] round about from the Millo and inward.  
\v 10 And David went on, and became greater and greater, and the Lord the God of hosts was with him.  
\v 11 And Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and stone-masons: and they built a house for David.  
\v 12 And David felt conscious that the Lord has established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.  
\v 13 And David took yet more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were born to David yet [more] sons and daughters.  
\v 14 And these are the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shammua', and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,  
\v 15 And Yibchar, and Elishua', and Nepheg, and Yaphia',  
\v 16 And Elishama', and Elyada', and Eliphelet.  
\v 17 But when the Philistines heard that the people had anointed David as king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David: and David heard of it, and went down to the strong-hold.  
\v 18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.  
\v 19 And David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.  
\v 20 And David came to Ba'al-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken down my enemies before me, as a breach [is made by] water. Wherefore he called the name of that place Ba'al-perazim.  
\v 21 And they left behind there their idols, and David and his men burnt them.  
\v 22 And the Philistines came up once again, and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.  
\v 23 And when David asked counsel of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but turn about and fall in the rear of them, and come upon them opposite to the mulberry-trees.  
\v 24 And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of walking on the top of the mulberry-trees, that thou shalt then bestir thyself; for then will the Lord go out before thee, to smite in the camp of the Philistines.  
\v 25 And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and he smote the Philistines from Geba' until thou comest to Gezer.   
\c 6
\p
\v 1 And David assembled again all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.  
\v 2 And David arose, and went with all the people who were with him from Ba'ale-yehudah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the name of which was called by the name of the Lord of hosts, that dwelleth over the cherubim.  
\v 3 And they conveyed the ark of God in a new wagon, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was on the hill; and 'Uzzah and Achyo, the sons of Abinadab, guided the new wagon.  
\v 4 When they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was on the hill, [they were] near the ark of God; but Achyo went before the ark.  
\v 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir-wood, and on harps, and on psalteries, and on tambourines, and with bells, and with cymbals.  
\v 6 And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nachon, 'Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.  
\v 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against 'Uzzah; and God smote him there for the error; and he died there by the ark of God.  
\v 8 And it was grievous to David, because the Lord had suddenly taken away 'Uzzah; and he called that place Perez-'uzzah [[Breach of 'Uzzah]] until this day.  
\v 9 And David was afraid of the Lord on that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?  
\v 10 So David would not allow to have the ark of the Lord removed unto him into the city of David; but David had it carried round into the house of 'Obed-edom the Gittite.  
\v 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of 'Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed 'Obed-edom, and all his household.  
\v 12 And it was told to king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of 'Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God: and David then went and brought up the ark of God from the house of 'Obed-edom into the city of David with joy.  
\v 13 And it happened, that when the bearers of the ark of the Lord had progressed six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.  
\v 14 And David danced with all his might before the Lord; and David was girded with a linen ephod.  
\v 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the cornet.  
\v 16 And it happened, as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked through the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.  
\v 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt-offerings before the Lord and peace-offerings.  
\v 18 And when David had made an end of offering the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.  
\v 19 And he dealt out to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, to both men and women, to every person one cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine: and all the people departed every one to his house.  
\v 20 And David then returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and she said, How honored was today the king of Israel, who uncovered himself today before the eyes of the hand-maids of his servants, as only one of the low fellows can uncover himself!  
\v 21 And David said unto Michal, Before the Lord, who chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to ordain me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel:—yea, before the Lord will I yet farther play.  
\v 22 And should I be yet more vile than thus, and should I be base in my own eyes: yet among the maid-servants of whom thou hast spoken, yea, among them would I still be honored.  
\v 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day of her death.   
\c 7
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;  
\v 2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.  
\v 3 And Nathan said to the king, all that is in thy heart go and do; for the Lord is with thee.  
\v 4 And it came to pass during that night, That the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,  
\v 5 Go and say unto my servant, unto David, Thus hath said the Lord, Wilt thou indeed build me a house for my dwelling?  
\v 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even until this day; but have been moving about in a tent and in a tabernacle.  
\v 7 In all the places where I moved about among all the children of Israel, did I speak a word to any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I ordained to feed my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built for me a house of cedar?  
\v 8 Now therefore, thus shalt thou say unto my servant, to David, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheep-cote, from behind the flocks, to be a ruler over my people, over Israel;  
\v 9 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou didst go, and I have cut off all thy enemies from thy presence, and I have made thee a great name, like the name of the great who are on the earth;  
\v 10 And I have procured a place for my people, for Israel, and I have planted them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and be no more troubled; and that the children of wickedness shall not afflict them any more as aforetimes,  
\v 11 And [as it was] since the day that I ordained judges to be over my people Israel; and I have caused thee to rest from all thy enemies; and the Lord telleth thee that he, the Lord, will make thee a house.  
\v 12 When thy days will be completed, and thou wilt sleep with thy fathers: then will I set up thy seed after thee, who shall proceed out of thy body, and I will establish his kingdom.  
\v 13 He it is that shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.  
\v 14 I too will be to him as a father, and he shall indeed be to me as a son: so that when he committeth iniquity, I will chastise him with the rod of men, and with the plagues of the children of man;  
\v 15 But my kindness shall not depart from him, as I caused it to depart from Saul, whom I removed from before thee.  
\v 16 And thy house and thy kingdom shall be steadfast for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.  
\v 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.  
\v 18 Then went king David in, and sat down before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord Eternal? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me as far as hitherward?  
\v 19 And this was yet too small a thing in thine eyes, O Lord Eternal; and thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a distant time. And is this the desert of man, O Lord Eternal?  
\v 20 And what can David add yet more to speak unto thee? since thou, O Lord Eternal, knowest well thy servant?  
\v 21 For the sake of thy word, and in accordance with thy own heart, hast thou done all this great thing, so as to let thy servant know it.  
\v 22 Therefore art thou great, O Eternal God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God beside thee, in accordance with all that we have heard with our ears.  
\v 23 And who is like thy people, like Israel, the only nation on the earth, which God went to redeem for himself as a people, and to acquire for himself a name, and to do for you this great deed, and fearful things for thy land [to drive out], from before thy people which thou hast redeemed for thyself from Egypt, nations and their gods.  
\v 24 For thou hast established for thyself thy people Israel as a people unto thee for ever; and thou, O Lord, art indeed become their God.  
\v 25 And now, O Eternal God, let the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, stand firm for ever, and do as thou hast spoken.  
\v 26 And let thy name be magnified unto everlasting, that men may say, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and may the house of thy servant David be established before thee.  
\v 27 For thou, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying, A house will be built up for thee; therefore hath thy servant found the heart to pray unto thee this prayer.  
\v 28 And now, O Lord Eternal, thou art the [true] God, and thy words must become the truth, and thou hast spoken unto thy servant this goodness:  
\v 29 And now let it please thee and bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee; for thou, O Lord Eternal, hast spoken it; and from thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.   
\c 8
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass after this, that David smote the Philistines, and humbled them: and David took Metheg-haammah out of the hand of the Philistines.  
\v 2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, laying them down on the ground; and he measured with two lines to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became David's servants, bringing presents.  
\v 3 David smote also Hadad'ezer, the son of Rechob, the king of Zobah, as he went to extend his territory at the river Euphrates.  
\v 4 And David captured from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand men on foot: and David hamstringed all the chariot-teams, but reserved of them a hundred chariot-teams.  
\v 5 And the Syrians of Damascus then came to aid Hadad'ezer, the king of Zobah, when David slew of the Syrians twenty and two thousand men.  
\v 6 And David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, bearing presents. And the Lord helped David whithersoever he went.  
\v 7 And David took the shields of gold that belonged to the servants of Hadad'ezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.  
\v 8 And from Betach, and from Berothai, cities of Hadad'ezer, did king David take exceedingly much copper.  
\v 9 And when To'i the king of Chamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadad'ezer,  
\v 10 Then did To'i send Yoram his son unto king David, to ask him after his well-being, and to bless him, because that he had fought against Hadad'ezer, and smitten him; for Hadad'ezer had been engaged in wars with To'i; and he had in his hand vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of copper:  
\v 11 These also did king David sanctify unto the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had sanctified from all the nations which he subdued;  
\v 12 From Syria, and from Moab, and from the children of 'Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from 'Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadad'ezer, the son of Rechob, the king of Zobah.  
\v 13 And David acquired a name when he returned from his smiting the Syrians in the valley of salt, eighteen thousand men.  
\v 14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the Lord helped David whithersoever he went.  
\v 15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David did what is just and right unto all his people.  
\v 16 And Joab the son of Zeruyah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Achilud was recorder;  
\v 17 And Zadok the son of Achitub, and Achimelech the son of Ebyathar, were priests; and Serayah was scribe;  
\v 18 And Banayahu the son of Yehoyada' was over both the Kerethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were officers of state.   
\c 9
\p
\v 1 And David said, Is there yet any one that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for the sake of Jonathan?  
\v 2 And the house of Saul had a servant whose name was Ziba; and they called him unto David; and the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And be said, Thy servant [is it].  
\v 3 And the king said, Is there no one left any more of the house of Saul, that I may show him the kindness of God! And Ziba said unto the king, There is yet a son of Jonathan, lame on both feet.  
\v 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.  
\v 5 And king David sent, and had him taken out of the house of Machir, the son of 'Ammiel, from Lo-debar.  
\v 6 And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came unto David, and he fell on his face, and bowed himself. And David said, Mephibosheth; And he answered, Here is thy servant!  
\v 7 And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show thee kindness for the sake of Jonathan thy father, and I will restore unto thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.  
\v 8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldst turn thy regard unto such a dead dog as I am?  
\v 9 Then called the king for Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, all that hath pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given unto thy master's son.  
\v 10 And thou shalt till for him the land, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, and thou shalt bring in [the product], that thy master's son may have bread which he can eat; but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat continually bread at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.  
\v 11 And Ziba said unto the king, In accordance with all that my Lord the king may command his servant, so will thy servant do. And Mephibosheth [said the king] shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.  
\v 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.  
\v 13 And Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king's table; and he was lame on both his feet.   
\c 10
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of 'Ammon died, and Chanun his son reigned in his stead.  
\v 2 Then said David, I will show kindness unto Chanun the son of Nachash, as his father showed me kindness. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came unto the land of the children of 'Ammon.  
\v 3 And the princes of the children of 'Ammon said unto Chanun their Lord, Doth David honor thy father in thy eyes, that he hath sent comforters unto thee! hath David not sent his servants unto thee, in order to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?  
\v 4 Chanun thereupon took David's servants, and shaved off the one-half of their beard, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.  
\v 5 When they told it unto David, he sent [persons] to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed; and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beard be grown, and then return.  
\v 6 And when the children of 'Ammon saw that they were become in bad odor with David, the children of 'Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rechob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand men on foot, and the king of Ma'achah with a thousand men, and of the people of Tob twelve thousand men.  
\v 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army, [and] the mighty men.  
\v 8 And the children of 'Ammon came out, and put themselves in battle-array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rechob, and the people of Tob and Ma'achah, were by themselves in the field.  
\v 9 When now Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he selected from all the chosen men of Israel, and arrayed himself against the Syrians:  
\v 10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, who arrayed himself against the children of 'Ammon.  
\v 11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then shalt thou bring me help; but if the children of 'Ammon be too strong for thee, then will I go to help thee.  
\v 12 Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves in behalf of our people, and in behalf of the cities of our God: and may the Lord do that which seemeth good in his eyes.  
\v 13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians; and they fled from before him.  
\v 14 And when the children of 'Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then did they also fly before Abishai, and entered into the city. Joab then returned from the children of 'Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.  
\v 15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves altogether.  
\v 16 And Hadar'ezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river, and they came to Chelam; and Shobach the captain of the army of Hadar'ezer went before them.  
\v 17 And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Chelam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle-array against David, and fought with him.  
\v 18 And the Syrians fled from before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians [the men] of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen; and Shobach also the captain of their army he smote, and he died there.  
\v 19 And when all the kings, the vassals to Hadar'ezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them: and the Syrians feared to help the children of 'Ammon any more.   
\c 11
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass, at the return of the same season of the year, at the time when kings go forth, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of 'Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained behind at Jerusalem.  
\v 2 And it happened at evening-tide, that David arose from off his couch, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and he saw from the roof a woman bathing herself; and the woman was of a very beautiful appearance.  
\v 3 And David sent and inquired after the woman; and some one said, Behold, this is Beth-sheba', the daughter of Eli'am, the wife of Uriyah the Hittite.  
\v 4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her, and she had just purified herself from her uncleanness; and she returned unto her house.  
\v 5 And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, I am with child.  
\v 6 And David sent to Joab, Send unto me Uriyah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriyah to David.  
\v 7 And when Uriyah was come unto him, David asked after the well-being of Joab, and after the well-being of the people, and how the war prospered.  
\v 8 And David said to Uriyah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriyah went forth out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of food from the king.  
\v 9 But Uriyah laid himself down at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.  
\v 10 And they told David, saying, Uriyah is not gone down unto his house: and David said unto Uriyah, Art thou not come from a journey? why then art thou not gone down unto thy own house?  
\v 11 Then said Uriyah 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: and should I alone go unto 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.  
\v 12 And David said unto Uriyah, Tarry here also this day, and tomorrow will I send thee off. So Uriyah remained in Jerusalem on that day and the following.  
\v 13 And David invited him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunken; and he went out in the evening to lie down on his resting-place with the servants of his lord; but to his house he did not go down.  
\v 14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriyah.  
\v 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriyah in front, opposite to the hottest fight, and then withdraw from behind him, that he may be smitten and die.  
\v 16 And it came to pass, when Joab was enclosing the city, that he placed Uriyah toward the spot of which he knew that valiant men were there.  
\v 17 And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab; and there fell some of the people, of the servants of David, and there died also Uriyah the Hittite.  
\v 18 Then did Joab send, and told unto David all the events of the war.  
\v 19 And he charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast finished telling all the events of the war to the king,  
\v 20 And it happen that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore did you approach unto the city to fight? knew ye not, that they would shoot down from off the wall?  
\v 21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Yerubbesheth? did not a woman throw down upon him a piece of an upper mill-stone from off the wall so that he died at Thebez? why did ye approach unto the wall? then must thou say, Also thy servant Uriyah the Hittite is dead.  
\v 22 And the messenger went, and came and told unto David all for which Joab had sent him.  
\v 23 And the messenger said unto David, Because the men overpowered us and came out against us into the field; but we set upon them, as far as the entrance of the gate.  
\v 24 And the archers then shot at thy servants from off the wall; and there died some of the servants of the king, and also thy servant Uriyah the Hittite is dead.  
\v 25 Then said David to the messenger, Thus shalt thou say to Joab, Let this thing not be displeasing in thy eyes; for at times this, at other times the other will the sword devour; continue firmly in thy war against the city, and overthrow it: and thus do thou encourage him.  
\v 26 And when the wife of Uriyah heard that Uriyah her husband had died, she mourned for her lord.  
\v 27 And when the [time of] mourning was past, David sent and took her to his house, and she became his wife; and she bore him a son. But the thing which David had done was displeasing in the eyes of the Lord.   
\c 12
\p
\v 1 And the Lord sent Nathan unto David, and he came unto him and said to him, Two men were once in one city, the one rich and the other poor.  
\v 2 The rich man had flocks and herds, in great abundance.  
\v 3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe, which he had bought; and he nourished it, and it grew up with him and with his children together; of his bread it used to eat, and out of his cup it used to drink, and in his bosom it used to lie, and it was to him as a daughter.  
\v 4 And there came a traveler unto the rich man; and he felt compunction to take from his own flocks and from his own herds to dress for the wayfarer that was come to him; but he took the ewe of the poor man, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.  
\v 5 And the anger of David was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, surely the man that hath done this deserveth to die;  
\v 6 And the ewe he shall pay fourfold, for punishment that he hath done this thing, and because he had no compassion.  
\v 7 Then said Nathan to David, Thou art the man! Thus hath said the Lord, the God of Israel, It is I who anointed thee as king over Israel, and it is I who delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;  
\v 8 And I gave unto thee the house of thy master, and [put] the wives of thy master into thy bosom, and gave unto thee the house of Israel and Judah: and if this be too little, I could bestow on thee yet many more like these things.  
\v 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord to do what is evil in his eyes? Uriyah the Hittite hast thou smitten with the sword, and his wife hast thou taken unto thee for wife; but him hast thou slain with the sword of the children of 'Ammon.  
\v 10 And now, the sword shall not depart from thy house for ever; for the reason that thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriyah the Hittite to be thy wife.  
\v 11 Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against thee evil out of thy own house, and I will take away thy wives before thy eyes, and I will give them unto thy neighbor; and he shall lie with thy wives before the face of this sun.  
\v 12 For thou hast done it in secret; but I will surely do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.  
\v 13 Then said David unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, Also the Lord hath caused thy sin to pass away: thou shalt not die.  
\v 14 Nevertheless, because thou hast given great cause to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme through this thing, the child also that hath been born unto thee shall surely die.  
\v 15 And Nathan went to his house; and the Lord struck the child that Uriyah's wife had born unto David, that it became very sick.  
\v 16 And David besought God in behalf of the lad; and David kept a fast, and came home, and lay over night upon the earth.  
\v 17 And the elders of the house arose about him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he did not partake of any bread with them.  
\v 18 And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died; and the servants of David were afraid to tell him, that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice: how then shall we say to him, The child is dead! he might do [himself] a hurt.  
\v 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, David understood that the child was dead; wherefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, he is dead.  
\v 20 David then rose up from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his garments, and went into the house of the Lord and prostrated himself; and then he came to his own house, and asked that they should set food before him, and he ate.  
\v 21 And his servants then said unto him, What is this thing which thou hast done? On account of the child when living thou didst fast and weep; but as soon as the child was dead thou didst arise and eat bread!  
\v 22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; because I said, Who knoweth, but that the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?  
\v 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast then? can I restore him again? I am going to him; but he will not return to me.  
\v 24 And David comforted Bath-sheba' his wife, and he went in unto her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and called his name Solomon; and the Lord loved him.  
\v 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name, Yedideyah in behalf of the Lord.  
\v 26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of 'Ammon, and captured the royal city.  
\v 27 And Joab sent messengers to David; and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have also captured the water-town.  
\v 28 And now gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and capture it: lest I capture the city myself, and it be called by my name.  
\v 29 And David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and captured it.  
\v 30 And he took the crown of Malkam from off his head, and its weight was a talent of gold, and [on it was] a precious stone, and it was set on the head of David; and the booty of the city he brought out in great abundance.  
\v 31 And the people that were therein he brought forward, and put them under saws, and under iron threshing-wagons, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through brick-kilns; and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of 'Ammon: and David returned with them with all the people unto Jerusalem.   
\c 13
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass after this, that Abshalom the son of David had a handsome sister, whose name was Thamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.  
\v 2 And Amnon worried himself so that he fell sick on account of Thamar his sister; for she was a virgin; and it was impossible in the eyes of Amnon to do her the least [harm].  
\v 3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Yonadab, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother; and Yonadab was a very sensible man.  
\v 4 And he said to him, Why art thou so wasted, O prince, morning after morning? Wilt thou not tell me? Then said Amnon to him, Thamar the sister of Abshalom my brother do I love.  
\v 5 And Yonadab said to him, Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick; and when thy father cometh to see thee, thou must say unto him, Let, I pray thee, Thamar my sister come, and give me some food, and prepare the refreshment before my eyes, in order that I may see it, and eat it out of her hand.  
\v 6 So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, Thamar my sister come, and mix up before my eyes a couple of cakes, that I may enjoy them out of her hand.  
\v 7 Then did David send home to Thamar, saying, Do go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and prepare for him the refreshment.  
\v 8 So Thamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, and he was lying down; and she took the dough and kneaded, and mixed it up before his eyes, and baked the cakes;  
\v 9 And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat; and Amnon said, Cause every man to go out from me; and they went out, every man, from him.  
\v 10 And Amnon said to Thamar, Bring the refreshment into the chamber, that I may enjoy it out of thy hand. So Thamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them unto Amnon her brother into the chamber.  
\v 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.  
\v 12 But she said to him, No, my brother, do not violate me; for such a deed ought not to be done in Israel; do not this scandalous act!  
\v 13 And I, whither should I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wouldst be like one of the worthless in Israel; but now, O speak, I pray thee, unto the king, for he will not withhold me from thee.  
\v 14 Nevertheless, he would not hearken unto her voice; but he overpowered her, and violated her, and lay with her.  
\v 15 Then did Amnon hate her with a very great hatred; so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her; and Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.  
\v 16 And she said unto him, [Do] not add this yet greater wrong than the other which thou hast done with me, to send me [now] away! But he would not listen to her;  
\v 17 And he called his young man, his servant, and said, Do send this woman away from me, into the street, and lock the door behind her.  
\v 18 And she had on a garment of divers colors; for thus were usually appareled the king's daughters when virgins, in robes; and his servant brought her out into the street, and locked the door behind her.  
\v 19 And Thamar put ashes on her head, and the garment of divers colors which was on her she rent: and she placed her hand on her head, and went away and cried as she went along.  
\v 20 Then said to her Abshalom her brother, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now, my sister, keep silence, he is thy brother, take this thing not to thy heart. So Thamar remained, and was secluded in the house of Abshalom her brother.  
\v 21 And when king David heard all these things, it displeased him greatly.  
\v 22 And Abshalom spoke not with Amnon either bad or good; for Abshalom hated Amnon, because he had violated Thamar his sister.  
\v 23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Abshalom had sheep-shearers at Ba'al-chazor, which is near Ephraim; and Abshalom invited all the king's sons.  
\v 24 And Abshalom 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.  
\v 25 And the king said to Abshalom, No, my son, do not let us all go now, that we may not be a burden upon thee. And he urged him much, but he would not go, and he blessed him.  
\v 26 And Abshalom said, If not, let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?  
\v 27 But Abshalom urged him greatly, and he sent with him Amnon and all the sons of the king.  
\v 28 Now Abshalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye, I pray you, when Annon's heart is merry with wine, and I say unto you, Smite Amnon: then kill him, fear not; behold, it is I who command it you; be firm and show yourselves men of valor.  
\v 29 And the servants of Abshalom did unto Amnon as Abshalom had commanded. Then arose all the king's sons, and they rode off, every man on his mule, and fled.  
\v 30 And it happened, while they were on the way, that the report came to David, saying, Abshalom hath smitten all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.  
\v 31 Then arose the king and rent his garments, and laid himself on the earth: and all his servants were standing by with their garments rent.  
\v 32 But Yonadab the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, commenced and said, Let not my Lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons; since Amnon alone is dead; for by the command of Abshalom was this ordained from the day that he violated Thamar his sister.  
\v 33 And now let not my Lord the king take the thing to his heart, thinking, that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon alone is dead.  
\v 34 And Abshalom flew away. And the young man that was watching lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by the way behind him, by the side of the mount.  
\v 35 And Yonadab said to the king, The king's sons are come: according to the word of thy servant, so hath it come to pass.  
\v 36 And it happened, as he had just finished speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and they lifted up their voice and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept very much.  
\v 37 But Abshalom had fled; and he went to Talmai, the son of 'Ammihud, the king of Geshur: and [David] mourned for his son all the time.  
\v 38 So did Abshalom fly, and go to Geshur, and he remained there three years.  
\v 39 And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto Abshalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, that he was dead.   
\c 14
\p
\v 1 And when now Joab the son of Zeruyah perceived that the heart of the king was [turned] toward Abshalom:  
\v 2 Then sent Joab to Tekoa', and he fetched thence a wise woman, and said to her, Feign. I pray thee, as though thou mournest, and do put on mourning garments, and anoint thyself not with oil; but be as a woman that hath these many days been mourning for the dead.  
\v 3 And thou must come to the king and speak with him after these words: and Joab put the words into her mouth.  
\v 4 And the woman from Tekoa' spoke to the king, and fell on her face to the ground, and bowed herself, and said, Help, O king!  
\v 5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she said, Truly, I am a widow-woman; since my husband is dead.  
\v 6 And thy hand-maid had two sons, and they two quarreled together in the field, and there was no one between them to help [either]; so the one smote the other, and slew him.  
\v 7 And, behold, the whole family is risen up against thy handmaid, and they said, Give up the slayer of his brother, that we may have him put to death, for the life of his brother whom he hath killed; and we will destroy also the heir: and thus they will quench my coal which is remaining, so as not to allow to my husband either name or remainder upon the face of the earth.  
\v 8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will issue [my] charge concerning thee.  
\v 9 Then said the woman of Tekoa unto the king, On me, my Lord, O king, be the iniquity, and on my father's house: and may the king and his throne be guiltless.  
\v 10 And the king said, Whosoever speaketh aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.  
\v 11 Then said she, Let the king, I pray thee, remember the Lord thy God, so as not to suffer the avenger of the blood to cause yet more destruction, and that they may not destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not fall one hair of thy son to the earth.  
\v 12 Then said the woman, Let thy hand-maid, I pray thee, speak unto my Lord the king one word. And he said, Speak on.  
\v 13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? and since the king doth speak this thing, he is as a guilty man, if the king do not permit his banished one to return home.  
\v 14 For we must needs die, and are as water which is spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; and yet doth God not take away life; and he deviseth thoughts, so that the banished one may not remain banished from him.  
\v 15 And now that I am come to speak unto my Lord the king of this thing, [happened] because the people made me afraid; and therefore thy hand-maid said, I will still speak unto the king; perhaps the king may act [in accordance with] the word of his hand-maid.  
\v 16 For the king may hear [me], to deliver his hand-maid out of the hand of the man [that desireth] to exterminate me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.  
\v 17 And thy hand-maid said, May the word of my Lord the king now become [the means of giving] repose; for as an angel of God, so is my Lord the king to comprehend the good and the bad: and may the Lord thy God be with thee.  
\v 18 Then answered the king and said unto the woman, Conceal not, I pray thee, from me a word concerning what I am going to ask thee. And the woman said, Let my Lord the king but speak.  
\v 19 And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my Lord, O king! none can turn to the right or to the left from all that my Lord the king hath spoken; for it was thy servant Joab who hath bidden me, and it was he that hath put in the mouth of thy hand-maid all these words.  
\v 20 In order to change the appearance 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 that is [done] on the earth.  
\v 21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold, now, thou hast done this thing: go then, bring back the young man Abshalom.  
\v 22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself, and blessed the king: and Joab said, Today is thy servant convinced that I have found grace in thy eyes, my Lord, O king; since the king hath acted in accordance with the word of thy servant.  
\v 23 And Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Abshalom to Jerusalem.  
\v 24 And the king said, Let him repair to his own house, but my face he shall not see. So Abshalom repaired to his own house, but the king's face he did not see.  
\v 25 And like Abshalom there was no man as handsome in all Israel, so that he was greatly praised: from the sole of his foot up to the crown of his head there was no blemish on him.  
\v 26 And when he shaved off [the hair of] his head [and it was at the end of every year that he shaved it off; because it was too heavy on him, so that he had to shave it off:] he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king's weight.  
\v 27 And there was born unto Abshalom three sons and one daughter, whose name was Thamar: this one was a woman of handsome appearance.  
\v 28 And Abshalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and the king's face he did not see.  
\v 29 Abshalom sent out therefore for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again the second time; but he would not come.  
\v 30 He thereupon said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is alongside of mine, and he hath barley there: go and set it on fire. And Abshalom's servants set the field on fire.  
\v 31 Then did Joab arise, and he went to Abshalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set the field belonging to me on fire?  
\v 32 And Abshalom said to Joab, Behold, I had sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it would be better for me were I yet there: and now let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him put me to death.  
\v 33 So Joab went to the king, and told it to him: and he called for Abshalom, who came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Abshalom.   
\c 15
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass after this, that Abshalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men who ran before him.  
\v 2 And Abshalom rose up early, and stood on the side of the way to the gate: and it happened, that whenever a man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Abshalom called to him, and said, From what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.  
\v 3 And Abshalom said unto him, See, thy words are good and right; but no one listeneth to thee on the part of the king.  
\v 4 And Abshalom said, Oh, if there were but one to appoint me judge in the land, so that every man who may have any controversy or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!  
\v 5 And it happened, that when a man came nigh to bow down to him, he used to put forth his hand, and laid hold of him, and kissed him.  
\v 6 And Abshalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: and thus did Abshalom steal the heart of the men of Israel.  
\v 7 And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Abshalom said unto the king, Let me go, I pray thee, and fulfill my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, at Hebron.  
\v 8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord will ever bring me back again to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.  
\v 9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace: and he arose, and went to Hebron.  
\v 10 But Abshalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the cornet, then shall ye say, Abshalom is become king at Hebron.  
\v 11 And with Abshalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and going in their simplicity; and they knew of nothing whatever.  
\v 12 And Abshalom sent for Achithophel the Gilomite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy became strong; and the people increased continually with Abshalom.  
\v 13 And there came a news-bearer to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is turned after Abshalom.  
\v 14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for there will not [else] be any escape for us from Abshalom: make haste, to depart, lest he make haste and overtake us suddenly and overwhelm us with evil, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.  
\v 15 And the king's servants said unto the king, In accordance with all that my Lord the king may choose, are thy servants ready.  
\v 16 And the king went forth, and all his household in his train. And the king left behind ten women, who were concubines, to guard the house.  
\v 17 And the king went forth, and all the people in his train, and tarried in a place that was far off.  
\v 18 And all his servants passed on alongside of him, and all the Kerethites, and all the Pelethites; and all the Gittites, six hundred men, who were come in his train from Gath, passed on before the king.  
\v 19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore wilt thou also go with us? turn back and abide with the king; for thou art a stranger, and also an exile from thy place.  
\v 20 Yesterday thou camest; and today should I move thee about with us to wander? seeing that I go whither I may: return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee, in kindness and truth.  
\v 21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my Lord the king liveth, surely in whatever place my Lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, even there will thy servant be.  
\v 22 And David said then to Ittai, Go and pass on. And Ittai the Gittite passed on, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.  
\v 23 And all the [people of the] country wept with a loud voice, as all the people passed on: and the king passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, along the way to the wilderness.  
\v 24 And lo, Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, were bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Ebyathar went up, until all the people had finished passing out of the city.  
\v 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 the Lord, he will bring me back again, and show me both it, and his dwelling;  
\v 26 But if he should thus say, I have no delight in thee: here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good in his eyes.  
\v 27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, If thou see the justice of this, return to the city in peace: and your two sons, Achima'az thy son, and Jonathan the son of Ebyathar, are with you.  
\v 28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to bring me news.  
\v 29 Zadok therefore and Ebyathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they remained there.  
\v 30 And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, weeping as he went up, and had his head covered, and he was walking barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.  
\v 31 And some one told David, saying, Achithophel is among the conspirators with Abshalom. And David said, I pray thee, turn into foolishness the counsel of Achithophel, O Lord!  
\v 32 And it came to pass, that, when David was come to the top, where he used to bow himself down to God, behold, Chushai the Arkite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.  
\v 33 And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me, thou wouldst be a burden unto me;  
\v 34 But if thou shouldst return to the city, and say unto Abshalom, Thy servant will I be, O king; thy father's servant have I been this long time past, and now will I also be thy servant: then mightest thou defeat for me the counsel of Achithophel.  
\v 35 And, behold, thou hast with thee there Zadok and Ebyathar the priests; therefore shall it be, that what thing soever thou mayest hear out of the king's house, shalt thou tell to Zadok and Ebyathar the priests.  
\v 36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons. Achima'az for Zadok, and Jonathan for Ebyathar: and ye shall send by means of them unto me whatever thing ye can hear.  
\v 37 So Chushai, David's friend, came into the city, as Abshalom had just resolved to enter into Jerusalem.   
\c 16
\p
\v 1 And when David was passed a little beyond the top [of the mount], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth came toward him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred [cakes] of dried figs, and a bottle of wine.  
\v 2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou with these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and the dried figs for the young men to eat; and the wine to drink for such as may be faint in the wilderness.  
\v 3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he remaineth at Jerusalem; for he said, Today will the house of Israel restore unto me the kingdom of my father.  
\v 4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine shall be all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I prostrate myself; let me but find grace in thy eyes, my Lord, O king.  
\v 5 And when King David came as far as Bachurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shim'i, the son of Gera, coming forth, and cursing.  
\v 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 and on his left.  
\v 7 And thus said Shim'i as he cursed, Away, away, thou man of blood, and thou worthless man!  
\v 8 The Lord hath brought back upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou didst reign; and the Lord hath placed the kingdom into the hand of Abshalom thy son; and, behold, thou art now in thy misfortune, because a man of blood art thou.  
\v 9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruyah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and remove his head.  
\v 10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruyah? so let him curse; because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?  
\v 11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who hath come forth out of my own body, seeketh my life: how much more now this Benjamite? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath said it to him.  
\v 12 Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction, and the Lord will requite me good instead of his cursing this day.  
\v 13 And David and his men went [thus] on the way. And Shim'i went on the side of the mount opposite to him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones toward him, and cast dust.  
\v 14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, arrived weary, and refreshed themselves there.  
\v 15 And Abshalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Achithophel [also] with him.  
\v 16 And it came to pass, when Chushai the Arkite, David's friend, was come unto Abshalom, that Chushai said unto Abshalom, Long live the king! Long live the king!  
\v 17 And Abshalom said to Chushai, Is this thy kindness for thy friend? why art thou not gone with thy friend?  
\v 18 And Chushai said unto Abshalom, No; but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I remain.  
\v 19 And secondly, who is it whom I shall serve? is it not in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.  
\v 20 Then said Abshalom to Achithophel, Hold counsel among yourselves as to what we shall do.  
\v 21 And Achithophel said unto Abshalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, whom he hath left to guard the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art in bad odor with thy father: and then will the hands of all that are with thee become strong.  
\v 22 So they spread for Abshalom a tent upon the roof; and Abshalom went in unto his father's concubines before the eyes of all Israel.  
\v 23 And the counsel of Achithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had asked advice of the word of God: so was all the counsel of Achithophel both with David and with Abshalom.   
\c 17
\p
\v 1 Moreover Achithophel said unto Abshalom, Do let me now select twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night;  
\v 2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will terrify him; so that all the people that are with him will flee; and I will smite the king alone;  
\v 3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: when all return [except] the man whom thou seekest, all the people will be in peace.  
\v 4 And the thing was pleasing in the eyes of Abshalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.  
\v 5 Then said Abshalom, Do call now also Chushai the Arkite, and let us hear what he likewise beareth in his mouth.  
\v 6 And when Chushai was come to Abshalom, Abshalom said unto him, as followeth, Such words as these hath Achithophel spoken: shall we do after his words? if not, do thou speak.  
\v 7 And Chushai said unto Abshalom, The counsel that Achithophel hath given at this time is not good.  
\v 8 And Chushai said, Thou well knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and are of an embittered spirit, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is also a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.  
\v 9 Behold, he is now hidden in some one of the pits, or in some one of the [other] places: and it will come to pass, when some of them should fall at the first onset, that whosoever heareth it would say, There hath been slaughter among the people that follow Abshalom.  
\v 10 And he also that is most valiant, whose heart is as the heart of the lion, would become quite discouraged; for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they who are with him are valiant persons.  
\v 11 But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba', like the sand that is by the sea in multitude: while thou in thy own person goest into the fight.  
\v 12 And when we come upon him in some one of the places where he may be found, we will encamp around him as the dew falleth on the earth: and there shall not be left of him and of all the men that are with him so much as one.  
\v 13 And if he should withdraw into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the stream, until there be not found there even one small stone.  
\v 14 And Abshalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Chushai the Arkite is better than the counsel of Achithophel. But the Lord had ordained to frustrate the good counsel of Achithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring the evil upon Abshalom.  
\v 15 Then said Chushai unto Zadok and to Ebyathar the priests, Thus and thus did Achithophel counsel Abshalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counseled.  
\v 16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but rather pass over at once; lest the king be entirely ruined, and all the people that are with him.  
\v 17 Now Jonathan and Achima'az were staying by 'En-rogel; and a maid-servant had to go and tell them, that they should go and tell king David; for they dared not be seen to come into the city.  
\v 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told it to Abshalom; but they went, both of them, quickly away, and came to the house of a man in Bachurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down thither.  
\v 19 And the wife took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and scattered ground corn thereupon; so that nothing was perceived.  
\v 20 And Abshalom's servants came to the woman into the house, and they said, Where are Achima'az and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They are passed over the brook of water. And they sought, but could not find them; and they returned to Jerusalem.  
\v 21 And it came to pass, after they were gone, that they came up out of the well, and went and told it to king David, and they said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water; for thus hath Achithophel counseled against you.  
\v 22 Then did David arise, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan: by the time the morning was light, not even one was lacking who had not passed over the Jordan.  
\v 23 And when Achithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled the ass, and arose, and went home to his house, to his city, and gave his charge to his household, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.  
\v 24 Then came David to Machanayim: and Abshalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.  
\v 25 And Abshalom placed 'Amassa instead of Joab as captain over the army: and 'Amassa was the son of a man, whose name was Yithra the Israelite, who had gone in to Abigal the daughter of Nachash, the sister of Zeruyah Joab's mother.  
\v 26 And Israel and Abshalom encamped in the land of Gil'ad.  
\v 27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Machanayim, that Shobi the son of Nachash of Rabbah of the children of 'Ammon, and Machir the son of 'Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gil'adite of Rogelim,  
\v 28 Brought beds, and bowls, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse,  
\v 29 And honey, and cream, and sheep, and cow's cheese, 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.   
\c 18
\p
\v 1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and he set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.  
\v 2 And David sent forth the people a third part under the command of Joab, and a third part under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruyah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I myself also will without fail go forth with you.  
\v 3 But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth; for if we should have to flee away, they will not care for us; and if half of us die, they will not care for us; for now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou shouldst be a succor to us out of the city.  
\v 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth good in your eyes will I do. And the king placed himself by the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.  
\v 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Abshalom. And all the people heard when the king charged all the captains with respect to Abshalom.  
\v 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.  
\v 7 And the people of Israel were smitten there before David's servants, and the slaughter was great there on that day—twenty thousand men.  
\v 8 And the battle became extended there over the face of all the country: and the forest devoured yet more of the people than the sword had devoured on that day.  
\v 9 And Abshalom happened to come before the servants of David. And Abshalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule came under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was left hanging between the heaven and the earth: and the mule that was under him passed on.  
\v 10 And a certain man saw, and told it to Joab, and said, Behold, I have seen Abshalom hanging on an oak.  
\v 11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him: why then didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and it would have been obligatory on me to give thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle.  
\v 12 And the man said unto Joab, And though I should weigh on my hands a thousand shekels of silver, I would not stretch forth my hand against the king's son; for before our ears did the king charge thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take heed, whoever it be, of the young man, of Abshalom.  
\v 13 Or should I even have acted with falsehood against my own life, since there is no matter which can be hidden from the king; thou wouldst surely have placed thyself aloof.  
\v 14 Then said Joab, I will not wait thus before thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Abshalom, who was yet alive in the midst of the oak.  
\v 15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, encompassed and smote Abshalom, and slew him.  
\v 16 And Joab blew the cornet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab restrained the people.  
\v 17 And they took Abshalom, and cast him down in the forest, into the large pit, and erected upon him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled, every one, to his tents.  
\v 18 Now Abshalom had taken and reared up for himself in his lifetime, the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son, so as to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the pillar after his own name: and it was called Abshalom's monument, even until this day.  
\v 19 And Achima'az the son of Zadok said, Do let me run, I pray thee, and bear the king tidings, that the Lord hath done him justice from the power of his enemies.  
\v 20 And Joab said unto him, Thou art not the man to bear [good] tidings this day, and thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.  
\v 21 Then said Joab to the Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen, And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.  
\v 22 Then said Achima'az the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, Be it as it may, let me, I pray thee, run also after the Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore is it that thou wilt run, my son, seeing that thou hast no profitable tidings?  
\v 23 But be it as it may, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. And Achima'az ran by the way of the plain, and passed the Cushi.  
\v 24 And David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate, upon the wall, and as he lifted up his eyes, he saw, and behold, a man was running alone.  
\v 25 And the watchman cried, and told it to the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there are tidings in his mouth. And he came nearer and nearer continually.  
\v 26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the gate-keeper, and said, Behold, here is a man running alone. And the king said, Also this one bringeth tidings.  
\v 27 And the watchman said, I regard the running of the foremost as the running of Achima'az the son of Zadok. And the king said, That is a good man, and with good tidings must he come.  
\v 28 And Achima'az called, and said unto the king, Peace. And he prostrated himself to the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath surrendered the men that had lifted up their hand against my Lord the king.  
\v 29 And the king said, Is the young man Abshalom safe? And Achima'az answered, I saw the greatest crowd when Joab sent off the king's servant, and thy servant; but I know not what hath happened.  
\v 30 And the king said, Turn aside, place thyself here. And he turned aside, and remained standing.  
\v 31 And, behold, the Cushi came [next]; and the Cushi said, Let my lord the king receive the tidings, that the Lord hath done thee justice this day from the power of all those that had risen up against thee.  
\v 32 And the king said unto the Cushi, Is the young man Abshalom safe? And the Cushi answered, May like the young man be the enemies of my Lord the king, and all that have risen up against thee for evil.  
\v 33 (19:1) And the king was much moved, and he went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept: and thus he said as he went, O my son Abshalom, my son, my son Abshalom! who would grant that I had died in thy stead, O Abshalom, my son, my son!   
\c 19
\p
\v 1 (19:2) And it was told unto Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and he mourneth for Abshalom.  
\v 2 (19:3) And the victory on that day was turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people heard it said on that day, that the king was grieved for his son.  
\v 3 (19:4) And the people repaired by stealth on that day when coming into the city, as usually steal away the people who are ashamed when they flee in battle.  
\v 4 (19:5) But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Abshalom, O Abshalom, my son, my son!  
\v 5 (19:6) And Joab came to the king, into the house, and said, Thou hast covered with shame this day the faces of all thy servants, who have saved thy life this day, and the life of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines;  
\v 6 (19:7) Since thou lovest thy enemies, and hatest thy friends: for thou hast declared this day, that thou hast neither princes nor servants; for I perceive this day, that if Abshalom were but alive, and we all were dead this day, that then it would have been just right in thy eyes.  
\v 7 (19:8) And now arise, go forth, and speak to the heart of thy servants; for by the Lord have I sworn, that if thou go not forth, there shall not remain one man with thee this night: and this would be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now.  
\v 8 (19:9) Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told it unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king; but Israel fled, every man to his tents.  
\v 9 (19:10) And all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king hath saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he it was that hath delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from before Abshalom.  
\v 10 (19:11) And Abshalom, whom we had anointed over us, died in battle: and now why are ye silent about bringing the king back?  
\v 11 (19:12) And king David sent to Zadok and to Ebyathar the priests, saying, Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why will you be the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is already come to the king, to his house.  
\v 12 (19:13) My brothers are ye, my bone and my flesh are ye: wherefore then will you be the last to bring back the king?  
\v 13 (19:14) And to 'Amassa shall ye say, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and may he thus continue to do, if thou shalt not be captain of the army before me continually in the room of Joab.  
\v 14 (19:15) And he turned the heart of all the men of Judah, as of one man: and these sent unto the king, Return thou, with all thy servants.  
\v 15 (19:16) So the king returned, and came as far as the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal, to go forth to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan.  
\v 16 (19:17) Then hastened Shim'i the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bachurim, and went down with the men of Judah to meet king David.  
\v 17 (19:18) And there were with him a thousand men of Benjamin, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they set hastily over the Jordan before the king.  
\v 18 (19:19) And there went over the ferry-boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shim'i the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was passing over the Jordan;  
\v 19 (19:20) And he said unto the king, Let not my Lord impute it unto me as iniquity, neither do thou remember that in which thy servant acted perversely on the day that my Lord the king went forth out of Jerusalem, so that the king should lay it to his heart.  
\v 20 (19:21) For thy servant doth know that I have indeed sinned; and, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my Lord the king.  
\v 21 (19:22) But Abishai the son of Zeruyah spoke out and said, Shall Shim'i for this not be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?  
\v 22 (19:23) And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruyah, that ye should become a hindrance this day unto me? shall this day any man be put to death in Israel? for do I not know that this day I am king over Israel?  
\v 23 (19:24) And the king said unto Shim'i, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore unto him.  
\v 24 (19:25) And Mephibosheth the [grand] son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had not dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day that the king departed until the day that he came home in peace.  
\v 25 (19:26) And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?  
\v 26 (19:27) And he answered, My Lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, I will saddle for me the ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is lame.  
\v 27 (19:28) And he slandered thy servant unto my Lord the king; but my Lord the king is like an angel of God: do then what is good in thy eyes.  
\v 28 (19:29) For all of my father's house were nothing but men deserving death with my Lord the king: and yet didst thou set thy servant among those that eat at thy own table. What other merit therefore have I, and what to complain of yet farther unto the king?  
\v 29 (19:30) And the king said unto him, For what purpose speakest thou yet thy words? I have said, Thou and Ziba shall divide the field.  
\v 30 (19:31) And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take the whole, since that my Lord the king is come [back] in peace unto his own house.  
\v 31 (19:32) And Barzillai the Gil'adite came down from Rogelim; and he passed over the Jordan with the king, to accompany him over the Jordan.  
\v 32 (19:33) Now Barzillai was very aged, eighty years old: and he had sustained the king while he lay at Machanayim; for he was a very great man.  
\v 33 (19:34) And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee near me in Jerusalem.  
\v 34 (19:35) But Barzillai said unto the king, How many yet are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?  
\v 35 (19:36) I am eighty years old this day: can I discern between good and evil? or can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? or can I listen yet to the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant become yet a burden unto my Lord the king?  
\v 36 (19:37) Thy servant will pass a little way over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense me with this reward?  
\v 37 (19:38) Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the sepulchre of my father and of my mother. But, behold, thy servant Kimham will pass over with my Lord the king; and do to him what is good in thy eyes.  
\v 38 (19:39) And the king said, Kimham shall pass over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good in thy eyes: and whatsoever thou wilt desire of me, will I do for thee.  
\v 39 (19:40) And all the people passed over the Jordan, after the king had passed over; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.  
\v 40 (19:41) Then did the king pass on to Gilgal, and Kimham passed on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.  
\v 41 (19:42) 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 have conducted the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?  
\v 42 (19:43) And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then are ye so angry for this matter? have we eaten the least from the king? or hath he given us any gift?  
\v 43 (19:44) And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, Ten parts have we in the king, and also in David have we more right than ye: why then did ye esteem us lightly? and was not our word the very first to bring back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.   
\c 20
\p
\v 1 And there happened to be a worthless man, whose name was Sheba', the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the cornet, and said, We have no part in David, nor have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel!  
\v 2 So every man of Israel went off from David, following Sheba' the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah adhered unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.  
\v 3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, the concubines, whom he had left to guard the house, and put them in a guard-house, and provided for them, but went not in unto them. So they were confined until the day of their death, living in widowhood.  
\v 4 Then said the king to 'Amassa, Call together for me the men of Judah within three days, and thou present thyself here [then].  
\v 5 So 'Amassa went to call Judah together; but he remained out longer than the set time which he had appointed him.  
\v 6 And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba' the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Abshalom: take thou the servants of thy Lord, and pursue after him, lest he succeed in reaching fortified cities, and withdraw himself from our eyes.  
\v 7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Kerethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went forth out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba' the son of Bichri.  
\v 8 They were close by the great stone which is at Gib'on, as 'Amassa came before them. And Joab was girded with his coat, his [usual] garment, and upon it the girdle of the sword which was fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.  
\v 9 And Joab said to 'Amassa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab's right hand took hold of 'Amassa's beard to kiss him.  
\v 10 And 'Amassa did not guard himself against the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. But Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba' the son of Bichri.  
\v 11 And one man of Joab's people remained standing by him, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, follow Joab.  
\v 12 And 'Amassa was wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he put 'Amassa aside out of the highway into the field, and threw a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.  
\v 13 When he was removed out of the highway, every man passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba' the son of Bichri.  
\v 14 And this one passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, which is of Beth-ma'achah, and all the Berim: and they assembled themselves together, and went also after him.  
\v 15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-ma'achah, and they cast up a trench against the city, and it stood enclosed by the troops: and all the people that were with Joab were battering to throw down the wall.  
\v 16 Then called a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near as far as hither, that I may speak with thee.  
\v 17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I am. Then said she unto him, Hear the words of thy hand-maid. And he said, I do hear.  
\v 18 Then said she, thus, They ought surely first to have spoken, saying, “Let them ask at least in Abel:” and so would they have come to an end.  
\v 19 I am one of the peaceful and faithful [cities] in Israel; thou seekest to overthrow a city and a metropolis in Israel: why wilt thou destroy the inheritance of the Lord?  
\v 20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should destroy or ruin.  
\v 21 The matter is not so; but a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba' the son of Bichri is his name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be cast down to thee over the wall.  
\v 22 And the woman came unto all the people with her wisdom; and they cut off the head of Sheba' the son of Bichri, and cast it down to Joab: and he blew the cornet, and they scattered themselves from the city, every man to his tents. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.  
\v 23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benayah the son of Yehoyada' was over the Kerethites and over the Pelethites;  
\v 24 And Adoram was over the tribute; and Jehoshaphat the son of Achilud was recorder;  
\v 25 And Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Ebyathar were priests;  
\v 26 And 'Ira also the Yairite was an officer of state unto David.   
\c 21
\p
\v 1 And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David besought the presence of the Lord. And the Lord said, On account of Saul, and on account of the house of blood, is this; because he hath slain the Gib'onites.  
\v 2 And the king called for the Gib'onites, and said unto them: [now the Gib'onites are not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Emorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them; but Saul had sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of Israel in Judah:]  
\v 3 Wherefore David said unto the Gib'onites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?  
\v 4 And the Gib'onites said unto him, We have no concern of silver or gold with Saul and with his house: nor do we wish to kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye say, will I do for you.  
\v 5 And they said to the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed, so that we should have no footing in all the boundaries of Israel.  
\v 6 Let there be delivered unto us seven men of his sons, and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gib'ah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord. And the king said, I will give them.  
\v 7 But the king had pity on Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.  
\v 8 And the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Ayah, whom she had born unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she had brought up for 'Adriel the son of Barzillai the Mecholathite:  
\v 9 And he delivered them into the hand of the Gib'onites, and they hanged them on the mount before the Lord; and they fell, these seven, together; and they were put to death in the first days of harvest, in the beginning of the barley-harvest.  
\v 10 And Rizpah the daughter of Ayah took sackcloth, and spread out it for herself upon the rock, from the beginning of the harvest until water dropped down upon them out of heaven, and she suffered neither the birds of heaven to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.  
\v 11 And it was told to David what Rizpah the daughter of Ayah, the concubine of Saul, had done.  
\v 12 And David then went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Yabeshgil'ad, who had stolen them from the market-place of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them up, at the time the Philistines had smitten Saul at Gilboa':  
\v 13 And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered up the bones of those that had been hanged.  
\v 14 And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin at Zela', in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king had commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.  
\v 15 And the Philistines had again a war with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David became fatigued.  
\v 16 And Yishbi at Nob, who was of the children of the Raphah, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of copper, he being girded with a new armor, thought to slay David.  
\v 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruyah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then swore the men of David unto him, saying, Thou shalt go out no more with us to battle, that thou mayest not quench the lamp of Israel.  
\v 18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle at Gob, with the Philistines: then smote Sibbechai the Chushathite Saph, who was of the children of the Raphah.  
\v 19 And there was again a battle at Gob with the Philistines, when Elchanan the son of Ya'are-oregim, the Bethlechemite, slew Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.  
\v 20 And there was again a battle in Gath, where was a man of [great] stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, [in all] four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the Raphah.  
\v 21 And he defied Israel; but Jonathan the son of Shim'ah, the brother of David, slew him.  
\v 22 These four were born to the Raphah in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.   
\c 22
\p
\v 1 And David spoke unto the Lord the words of this song, and on the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.  
\v 2 And he said, Lord, my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer;  
\v 3 God, my rock, in whom I trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour! from violence dost thou save me!  
\v 4 Praised, I cried, be the Lord, and from my enemies was I saved.  
\v 5 For the waves of death encompassed me, the floods of destruction made me afraid;  
\v 6 The bonds of hell encircled me, the snares of death seized on me:  
\v 7 [When] in my distress I called upon the Lord, and to my God I cried; and he heard from his temple my voice, and my complaint [entered] into his ears.  
\v 8 Then shook and trembled the earth; the foundations of the heavens were moved; and they shook, because he was wroth.  
\v 9 Smoke went up in his anger, and consuming fire out of his mouth, coals flamed forth from him.  
\v 10 And he bent the heavens, and came down, and thick darkness was under his feet.  
\v 11 And he rode upon a cherub, and flew along, and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.  
\v 12 And he made darkness round about him into pavilions, heavy masses of waters, thick clouds of the skies.  
\v 13 From the brightness before him flamed forth coals of fire.  
\v 14 The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered forth his voice.  
\v 15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.  
\v 16 And then were seen the channels of the sea, there were laid open the foundations of the world; at the rebuke of the Lord, through the blast of the breath of his nostrils.  
\v 17 He stretched out from above [his hand], he took me; he drew me out from the mighty waters.  
\v 18 He delivered me from my enemy, the strong, from those that hated me, when they were too mighty for me.  
\v 19 They overcame me on the day of my calamity; but the Lord became my stay;  
\v 20 And he brought me forth into a large space: he delivered me, because he had delight in me.  
\v 21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the purity of my hands did he recompense me.  
\v 22 For I had kept the ways of the Lord, and had not wickedly departed from my God.  
\v 23 For all his ordinances were before me, and from none of his statutes did I depart.  
\v 24 I was also upright toward him, and I guarded myself against my iniquity.  
\v 25 Therefore did the Lord recompense me according to my righteousness, according to my purity before his eyes.  
\v 26 With the kind thou wilt show thyself kind; with the upright mighty man thou wilt show thyself upright.  
\v 27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt wage a contest.  
\v 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save; but thy eyes are upon the haughty, [that] thou mayest bring [them] down.  
\v 29 For thou art my lamp, O Lord! and the Lord will enlighten my darkness.  
\v 30 For [aided] by thee I run through a troop: [helped] by my God I leap over a wall.  
\v 31 As for God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried; he is a shield to all that trust in him.  
\v 32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?  
\v 33 God is my strength and power; and he rendereth free from obstruction my way.  
\v 34 He maketh my feet like those of the hinds, and upon my high places he causeth me to stand.  
\v 35 He teaches my hands for the war, so that a brazen bow is bent by my arms.  
\v 36 And thou gavest me the shield of thy salvation; and thy assistance hath made me great.  
\v 37 Thou enlargest my steps under me, so that my joints do not slip.  
\v 38 I pursue my enemies and destroy them; and I return not again until I have made an end of them.  
\v 39 And I make an end of them, and I crush them, that they cannot rise; and they fall under my feet.  
\v 40 For thou hast girded me with strength for the war; thou subduest my opponents under me.  
\v 41 And my enemies thou causest to turn their back to me; those that hate me,—that I may destroy them.  
\v 42 They look about, but there is none to help; unto the Lord—but he answereth them not.  
\v 43 And I beat them small as the dust of the earth; as the mire of the street, I stamp them, I tread them down.  
\v 44 Thou hast also delivered me from the contests of my people: thou preservest me to be the head of nations, a people which I know not shall serve me.  
\v 45 The children of the stranger shall utter flattery unto me; as soon as their ear heareth they shall be obedient unto me.  
\v 46 The children of the stranger shall fade away, and come forth tottering out of their close places.  
\v 47 The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God, the Rock of my salvation;  
\v 48 The God, that granteth me vengeance, and bringeth down nations under me;  
\v 49 And that bringeth me forth from my enemies: also above my opponents thou liftest me up, from the man of violence thou deliverest me.  
\v 50 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the nations, and unto thy name will I sing praises;  
\v 51 [To] the tower of salvation of his king, and who showeth kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed forever.   
\c 23
\p
\v 1 And these are the last words of David. Thus saith David the son of Jesse, and thus saith the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel:  
\v 2 The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, and his word was upon my tongue.  
\v 3 [Thus] said the God of Israel, concerning me spoke the Rock of Israel, That [I should be] ruler over men, be righteous, ruling in the fear of God;  
\v 4 And as in the light of morning the sun riseth, in a morning without clouds, with more than the brightness [reflected] by rain on the herbs that spring from the earth.  
\v 5 Truly is not so my house with God? since he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, firm in all, and sure? yea, will he not cause to grow all my salvation, and all my desire?  
\v 6 But the godless are all of them as waving thorns, which cannot be taken in the hand;  
\v 7 But the man that will touch them must protect his hand with iron and the staff of a spear: and they will be utterly burnt with fire in the dwelling.  
\v 8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Yosheb-bashebeth, the Thachkemonite, the chief among the captains,—the same as 'Adino the 'Eznite,—because of eight hundred slain at one time.  
\v 9 And after him was El'azar the son of Dodo, the son of Achochi, 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 had withdrawn themselves;  
\v 10 He then arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand did cleave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory on that day; and the people returned after him only to strip [the slain].  
\v 11 And after him was Shammah the son of Age the Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, and there was a piece of ground full of lentiles; and the people had fled from the Philistines;  
\v 12 But he placed himself in the midst of the ground, and delivered it, and smote the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.  
\v 13 And these three, the chiefs of the thirty, went down, and came to David at harvest-time unto the cave of 'Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.  
\v 14 And David was then in the strong-hold, and an outpost of the Philistines was then in Beth-lechem.  
\v 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would bring me water to drink out of the well at Beth-lechem, which is by the gate!  
\v 16 And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines; and drew water out of the well of Beth-lechem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but he would not drink thereof, and poured it out unto the Lord.  
\v 17 And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this: [is not this] the blood of the men that went at the risk of their life? and thus he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.  
\v 18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruyah, was the chief of these three; and he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain, and had a name among the three.  
\v 19 Although he was the most honored of the three, wherefore he became their captain: he nevertheless attained not unto the three [in prowess].  
\v 20 And Benayahu the son of Yehoyada', the son of a valiant man, great in many acts of Kabzeel; he it was that smote the two lion-like heroes of Moab; he also went down and slew a lion in the midst of a pit on a day when it snowed;  
\v 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of good appearance; and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and he snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.  
\v 22 These things did Benayahu the son of Yehoyada', and he had a name among the three mighty men.  
\v 23 He was more honored than the thirty; but he attained not to these three. And David appointed him in his private council.  
\v 24 'Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lechem,  
\v 25 Shammah the Charodite, Elika the Charodite,  
\v 26 Chelez the Paltite, 'Ira the son of 'Ikkesh the Teko'ite,  
\v 27 Abi'ezer the 'Anethothite, Mebunnai the Chushathite,  
\v 28 Zalmon the Achochite, Maharai the Netophathite,  
\v 29 Cheleb the son of Ba'anah, the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gib'ah of the children of Benjamin,  
\v 30 Benayahu the Pir'athonite, Hiddai of Nachale-Ga'ash,  
\v 31 Abi-'albon the 'Arbathite, 'Azmaveth the Barchumite,  
\v 32 Elyachba the Sha'albonite, Bne-yashen, Jonathan,  
\v 33 Shammah the Hararite, Achiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,  
\v 34 Eliphelet the son of Achasbai, the son of the Ma'achathite, Eli'am the son of Achithophel the Gilonite,  
\v 35 Chezrai, the Carmelite, Pa'arai the Arbite,  
\v 36 Yigal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,  
\v 37 Zelek the 'Ammonite, Nacharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruyah,  
\v 38 'Ira the Yithrite, Gareb the Yithrite,  
\v 39 Uriyah the Hittite: in all thirty and seven.   
\c 24
\p
\v 1 And again was the anger of the Lord kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.  
\v 2 And the king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Traverse, I pray thee, all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba', and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.  
\v 3 Then said Joab unto the king, Now may the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundred-fold more, and may the eyes of my Lord the king see it; but why doth my Lord the king find delight in this thing?  
\v 4 Nevertheless the king's word remained firm against Joab, and against the captains of the army: and Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.  
\v 5 And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped in 'Aro'er, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the valley of Gad, and toward Ya'zer:  
\v 6 Then they came to Gil'ad, and to the land of Tachtimchodshi; and they came to Dan-ya'an, and about to Zidon;  
\v 7 And they came to the strong-hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, up to Beer-sheba'.  
\v 8 And so they traversed all the land, and they came at the end of nine months and twenty days to Jerusalem.  
\v 9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number 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.  
\v 10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done; and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, cause the iniquity of thy servant to pass away; for I have acted very foolishly.  
\v 11 And when David was arisen in the morning, The word of the Lord came unto Gad the prophet, David's seer, saying,  
\v 12 Go and speak unto David, Thus hath said the Lord, Three things do I offer thee: choose for thyself one of them, and I will do it unto thee.  
\v 13 So Gad came to David, and told it unto him; and he said unto him, Shall there come unto thee seven years of famine in thy land? or three months, that thou flee before thy enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be for three days a pestilence in thy land? now consider and see what word I shall bring back to him that hath sent me.  
\v 14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall then into the hand of the Lord,—for his mercies are great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.  
\v 15 And the Lord sent a pestilence in Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba' seventy thousand men.  
\v 16 And when the angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord bethought himself of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed among the people, It is enough: now stay thy hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingfloor of Aravnah the Jebusite.  
\v 17 And David spoke unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote among the people, and said, Lo, I have indeed sinned, and I have truly done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.  
\v 18 And Gad came to David on that day, and said unto him, Go up, erect an altar unto the Lord on the threshing-floor of Aravnah the Jebusite.  
\v 19 And David went up, according to the word of Gad, as the Lord had commanded.  
\v 20 And Aravnah looked up, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Aravnah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.  
\v 21 And Aravnah said, Wherefore is my Lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy from thee the threshingfloor, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.  
\v 22 And Aravnah said unto David, Let my Lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good in his eyes: behold, the oxen are here for burnt-offerings, and the threshing rollers and the harness of the oxen for wood.  
\v 23 All these things did Aravnah, [for] the king, give unto the king. And Aravnah said unto the king, May the Lord thy God receive thee favorably.  
\v 24 And the king said unto Aravnah, No; but I will surely buy it from thee at the value; for I will not offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord my God without paying therefor. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.  
\v 25 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings: and the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.