GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:10urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:10And it came to pass after the death of Saul , when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites , that David abode two days in Ziklag . And it came to pass on the third day , that behold , a man came out of the camp from Saul with his garments rent , and earth upon his head ; and as soon as he came to David , he fell to the earth and did obeisance . And David said to him , Whence comest thou ? And he said to him , Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped . And David said to him , What has taken place ? I pray thee , tell me . And he said that the people had fled from the battle , and many of the people also had fallen and died , and that Saul and Jonathan his son were dead also . And David said to the young man that told him , How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead ? And the young man that told him said , I happened by chance to be upon mount Gilboa , and behold , Saul leaned on his spear ; and behold , the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him . And he looked behind him , and saw me , and called to me . And I said , Here am I . And he said to me , Who art thou ? And I said to him , I am an Amalekite . He said to me again , Stand , I pray thee , over me , and slay me ; for anguish has seized me ; for my life is yet whole in me . So I stood over him , and put him to death , for I knew that he would not live after his fall ; and I took the crown that was upon his head , and the bracelet that was on his arm , and have brought them hither to my lord . Then David took hold of his garments and rent them ; and all the men that were with him [ did ] likewise . And they mourned , and wept , and fasted until even for Saul , and for Jonathan his son , and for the people of Jehovah , and for the house of Israel ; because they were fallen by the sword . And David said to the young man that told him , Whence art thou ? And he said , I am the son of an Amalekite stranger . And David said to him , How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed ? Then David called one of the young men and said , Draw near , [ and ] fall on him . And he smote him that he died . And David said to him , Thy blood be upon thy head ; for thy mouth has testified against thee , saying , I have slain Jehovah's anointed . And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son ; and he bade them teach the children of Judah [ the song of ] the bow . Behold , it is written in the book of Jasher : -- The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places : how are the mighty fallen ! Tell [ it ] not in Gath , carry not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon ; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice , Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph . Ye mountains of Gilboa , let there be no dew , no rain upon you , nor fields of heave-offerings ! For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away , The shield of Saul , [ as ] not anointed with oil . From the blood of the slain , from the fat of the mighty , The bow of Jonathan turned not back , And the sword of Saul returned not empty . Saul and Jonathan , beloved and pleasant in their lives , Even in their death were not divided ; They were swifter than eagles , they were stronger than lions . Ye daughters of Israel , weep over Saul , who clothed you in scarlet with splendour , Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel . How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle ! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places . I am distressed for thee , my brother Jonathan : very pleasant wast thou unto me ; Thy love to me was wonderful , passing women's love . How are the mighty fallen , and the instruments of war perished ! And it came to pass after this that David inquired of Jehovah , saying , Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah ? And Jehovah said to him , Go up . And David said , Whither shall I go up ? And he said , Unto Hebron . So David went up thither , and his two wives also , Ahinoam the Jizreelitess , and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite . And his men that were with him did David bring up , every man with his household ; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron . And the men of Judah came , and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah . And they told David , saying , It is the men of Jabesh-Gilead that have buried Saul . And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead , and said to them , Blessed be ye of Jehovah , that ye have shewn this kindness to your lord , to Saul , and have buried him ! And now Jehovah shew kindness and faithfulness to you ; and I also will requite you this good , because ye have done this thing . And now let your hands be strong , and be ye valiant ; for your master Saul is dead , and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them . And Abner the son of Ner , captain of Saul's host , took Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and brought him over to Mahanaim ; and made him king over Gilead , and over the Asshurites , and over Jizreel , and over Ephraim , and over Benjamin , and over all Israel . Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel , and he reigned two years . However , the house of Judah followed David . And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months . And Abner the son of Ner , and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul , went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon . And Joab the son of Zeruiah , and the servants of David , went out . And they met together by the pool of Gibeon ; and they sat down , these on the one side of the pool , and those on the other side of the pool . And Abner said to Joab , Let the young men now arise and make sport before us . And Joab said , Let them arise . And they arose and went over by number , twelve for Benjamin , and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and twelve of the servants of David . And they caught every one his fellow by the head , and [ thrust ] his sword in his fellow's side , and they fell down together . And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim , which is by Gibeon . And the battle that day was very severe ; and Abner and the men of Israel were routed before the servants of David . And there were three sons of Zeruiah there , Joab , and Abishai , and Asahel . Now Asahel was swift of foot , as one of the gazelles that are in the field . And Asahel pursued after Abner ; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from behind Abner . Then Abner looked behind him , and said , Art thou Asahel ? And he said , I am . And Abner said to him , Turn thee aside , to thy right hand or to thy left , and lay hold of one of the young men , and take for thyself his armour . But Asahel would not turn aside from following him . And Abner said again to Asahel , Turn thee aside from following me : why should I smite thee to the ground ? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother ? But he refused to turn aside ; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly , so that the spear came out behind him ; and he fell down there , and died in the same place . And it came to pass , that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still . And Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner ; and the sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah , which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon . And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner , and became one troop , and stood on the top of a hill . And Abner called to Joab , and said , Shall the sword devour for ever ? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end ? and how long shall it be ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren ? And Joab said , [ As ] God liveth , unless thou hadst spoken , surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother . And Joab blew the trumpet , and all the people stood still , and pursued after Israel no more , neither did they fight any more . And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain , and passed over the Jordan , and went through all Bithron , and they came to Mahanaim . And Joab returned from following Abner , and gathered all the people together ; and there lacked of David's servants nineteen men , and Asahel . And the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin , and of Abner's men , three hundred and sixty men , who had died . And they took up Asahel , and buried him in the sepulchre of his father , which was in Bethlehem . And Joab and his men went all night , and they came to Hebron at break of day . And the war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David ; but David became continually stronger , and the house of Saul became continually weaker . And to David were sons born in Hebron : his firstborn was Amnon , of Ahinoam the Jizreelitess ; and his second , Chileab , of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite ; and the third , Absalom the son of Maachah , daughter of Talmai king of Geshur ; and the fourth , Adonijah the son of Haggith ; and the fifth , Shephatiah the son of Abital ; and the sixth , Ithream , of Eglah David's wife . These were born to David in Hebron . And it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David , that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul . And Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah , the daughter of Aiah . And [ Ishbosheth ] said to Abner , Why hast thou gone in to my father's concubine ? Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth , and said , Am I a dog's head , I who against Judah do shew kindness this day to the house of Saul thy father , to his brethren , and to his friends , and have not delivered thee into the hand of David , that thou reproachest me this day with the fault of this woman ? So do God to Abner , and more also , if , as Jehovah has sworn to David , I do not so to him ; to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul , and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah , from Dan even to Beer-sheba ! And he could not answer Abner a word again , because he feared him . 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 turn all Israel to thee . And he said , Well , I will make a covenant with thee ; only I require one thing of thee , that is , Thou shalt not see my face , except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter , when thou comest to see my face . And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son , saying , Deliver me my wife Michal , whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines . And Ishbosheth sent , and took her from [ her ] husband , from Phaltiel the son of Laish . And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim . Then said Abner to him , Go , return . And he returned . Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel , saying , Ye sought for David aforetime to be king over you ; and now do [ it ] , for Jehovah has spoken of David , saying , By 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 . 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 to Israel , and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin . So Abner came to David to Hebron , and twenty men with him . And David made Abner and the men that were with him a repast . And Abner said to David , I will arise and go , and will gather all Israel to my lord the king , that they may make a covenant with thee , and that thou mayest reign over all that thy heart desires . And David sent Abner away ; and he went in peace . And behold , the servants of David and Joab came from an expedition , and brought in a great spoil with them ; but Abner was no longer with David in Hebron , for he had sent him away , and he had gone in peace . And Joab and all the host that was with him came ; and they told Joab , saying , Abner the son of Ner came to the king , and he has sent him away ; and he is gone in peace . Then Joab came to the king , and said , What hast thou done ? behold , Abner came to thee ; why is it [ that ] thou hast sent him away , and he is gone ? Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner , that he came to deceive thee , to know thy going out and thy coming in , and to know all that thou doest . And when Joab was come out from David , he sent messengers after Abner , who brought him again from the well of Sirah ; but David did not know it . And when Abner was returned to Hebron , Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him secretly , and smote him there in the belly , that he died , for the blood of Asahel his brother . And afterwards David heard [ it ] , and he said , I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner : let it fall on the head of Joab , and on all his father's house ; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that has an issue , or that is a leper , or that leans on a staff , or that falls by the sword , or that lacks bread ! So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner , because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle . And David said to Joab , and to all the people that were with him , Rend your garments , and gird yourselves with sackcloth , and mourn before Abner . And king David followed the bier . 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 . And the king lamented over Abner , and said , Should Abner die as a fool dieth ? Thy hands were not bound , Nor thy feet put into fetters ; As a man falleth before wicked men , Fellest thou ! And all the people wept again over him . And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day ; but David swore , saying , So do God to me , and more also , if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down ! And all the people remarked it , and it pleased them ; as whatever the king did pleased all the people . And all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death . And the king said to his servants , Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel ? And I am this day weak , though anointed king ; and these men , the sons of Zeruiah , are too hard for me : Jehovah reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness ! And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron , his hands were enfeebled , and all Israel was troubled . And Saul's son had two men , captains of bands : the name of the one was Baanah , and the name of the other Rechab , the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , of the children of Benjamin ; for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin . And the Beerothites had fled to Gittaim , and were sojourners there until this day . And Jonathan Saul's son had a son that was lame of [ his ] feet . He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jizreel ; and his nurse took him up and fled . And it came to pass , as she made haste to flee , that he fell , and became lame . And his name was Mephibosheth . And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , Rechab and Baanah , went and came in about the heat of the day into the house of Ishbosheth , who was taking his noonday rest . And they came thither into the midst of the house , [ as though ] they would fetch wheat ; and they smote him in the belly ; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped . They came into the house , as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber , and they smote him , and slew him , and beheaded him ; and they took his head , and went by the way of the plain all night . And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David in Hebron , and said to the king , Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul , thine enemy who sought thy life ; and Jehovah has given to my lord the king to be avenged this day of Saul and of his seed . Then David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother , the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite , and said to them , [ As ] Jehovah liveth , who has redeemed my soul out of all distress , when one told me , saying , Behold , Saul is dead ! and he was in his own sight a messenger of good , I took hold of him , and slew him in Ziklag -- to whom forsooth I should give a reward for his good tidings : how much more , when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed ? and should I not now demand his blood of your hand , and take you away from the earth ? And David commanded his young men , and they slew them , and cut off their hands and their feet , and hanged [ them ] up over the pool in Hebron . But they took the head of Ishbosheth , and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron . Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron , and spoke , saying , Behold , we are thy bone and thy flesh . Even aforetime , when Saul was king over us , thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel ; and Jehovah said to thee , Thou shalt feed my people Israel , and thou shalt be prince over Israel . And all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron ; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah ; and they anointed David king over Israel . David was thirty years old when he began to reign ; he reigned forty years . In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months ; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah . And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites , the inhabitants of the land ; and they spoke to David , saying , Thou shalt not come in hither , but the blind and the lame will drive thee back ; as much as to say , David will not come in hither . But David took the stronghold of Zion , which is the city of David . And David said on that day , Whoever smites the Jebusites and gets up to the watercourse , and the lame and the blind hated of David's soul . . . ! Therefore they say , The blind and the lame shall not come into the house . So David dwelt in the stronghold , and called it the city of David . And David built round about from the Millo and inward . And David became continually greater ; and Jehovah the God of hosts was with him . And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David , and timber of cedars , and carpenters , and masons ; and they built David a house . And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel , and that he had exalted his kingdom because of his people Israel . And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem , after he had come from Hebron ; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David . And these are the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem : Shammua , and Shobab , and Nathan , and Solomon , and Ibhar , and Elishua , and Nepheg , and Japhia , and Elishama , and Eliada , and Eliphelet . And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel , and all the Philistines went up to seek David ; and David heard [ of it ] , and went down to the stronghold . And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim . And David inquired of Jehovah , saying , Shall I go up against the Philistines ? wilt thou give them into my hand ? And Jehovah said to David , Go up ; for I will certainly give the Philistines into thy hand . And David came to Baal-perazim , and David smote them there ; and he said , Jehovah has broken in upon mine enemies before me , as the breaking forth of waters . Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim . And they left their images there , and David and his men took them away . And the Philistines came up yet again , and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim . And David inquired of Jehovah ; and he said , Thou shalt not go up ; turn round behind them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees . And it shall be , when thou hearest a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees , that then thou shalt bestir thyself ; for then will Jehovah have gone forth before thee , to smite the army of the Philistines . And David did so , as Jehovah had commanded him ; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou comest to Gezer . And David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel , thirty thousand . And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baale-Judah , to bring up from thence the ark of God which is called by the name , the name of Jehovah of hosts who sitteth between the cherubim . And they set the ark of God upon a new cart , and brought it out of the house of Abinadab , which was upon the hill ; and Uzzah and Ahio , the sons of Abinadab , drove the new cart . And they brought it with the ark of God out of the house of Abinadab which was upon the hill ; and Ahio went before the ark . And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah on all manner of [ instruments made of ] cypress wood , with harps , and with lutes , and with tambours , and with sistra , and with cymbals . And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor , Uzzah reached after the ark of God , and took hold of it ; for the oxen had stumbled . And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah ; and God smote him there for his error ; and there he died by the ark of God . And David was indignant , because Jehovah had made a breach upon Uzzah ; and he called that place Perez-Uzzah to this day . And David was afraid of Jehovah that day , and said , How shall the ark of Jehovah come to me ? So David would not bring the ark of Jehovah home unto himself into the city of David ; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite . And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months ; and Jehovah blessed Obed-Edom and all his household . And it was told king David , saying , Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-Edom , and all that is his , because of the ark of God . And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy . And it was so , that when they that bore the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces , he sacrificed an ox and a fatted beast . And David danced before Jehovah with all his might ; and David was girded with a linen ephod . And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting , and with the sound of the trumpet . And as the ark of Jehovah came into the city of David , Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window , and saw king David leaping and dancing before Jehovah ; and she despised him in her heart . And they brought in the ark of Jehovah , and set it in its place , in the midst of the tent that David had spread for it . And David offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah . And when David had ended offering up the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings , he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts . And he dealt to all the people , to the whole multitude of Israel , both men and women , to every one a cake of bread , and a measure [ of wine ] , and a raisin-cake . And all the people departed every one to his house . And David returned to bless his household . And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David , and said , How honourable did the king of Israel make himself to-day , who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants , as one of the lewd fellows shamelessly uncovers himself ! And David said to Michal , It was before Jehovah , who chose me rather than thy father , and than all his house , to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah , over Israel ; and I played before Jehovah . And I will make myself yet more vile than thus , and will be base in mine own sight ; and of the handmaids that thou hast spoken of , of them shall I be had in honour . And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death . And it came to pass when the king dwelt in his house , and Jehovah had given him rest round about from all his enemies , that the king said to Nathan the prophet , See now , I dwell in a house of cedars , and the ark of God dwells under curtains . And Nathan said to the king , Go , do all that is in thy heart ; for Jehovah is with thee . And it came to pass that night that the word of Jehovah came to Nathan , saying , Go and say to my servant , to David , Thus saith Jehovah : Wilt thou build me a house for me to dwell in ? For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt , even to this day , but I went about in a tent and in a tabernacle . In all my going about with all the children of Israel , did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel , whom I commanded to feed my people Israel , saying , Why build ye me not a house of cedars ? And now , thus shalt thou say unto my servant David , Thus saith Jehovah of hosts : I took thee from the pasture-grounds , from following the sheep , to be prince over my people , over Israel ; and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest , and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee , and have made thee a great name , like unto the name of the great men that are on the earth . And I will appoint a place for my people , for Israel , and will plant them , that they may dwell in a place of their own , and be disturbed no more ; neither shall the sons of wickedness afflict them any more , as formerly , and since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel . And I have given thee rest from all thine enemies ; and Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house . When thy days are fulfilled , and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers , I will set up thy seed after thee , which shall proceed out of thy bowels , and I will establish his kingdom . It is he who shall build a house for my name , and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever . I will be his father , and he shall be my son . If he commit iniquity , I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the sons of men ; but my mercy shall not depart away from him , as I took it from Saul , whom I put away from before thee . And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made firm for ever before thee : thy throne shall be established for ever . According to all these words , and according to all this vision , so did Nathan speak to David . And king David went in and sat before Jehovah , and said , Who am I , Lord Jehovah , and what is my house , that thou hast brought me hitherto ? And yet this hath been a small thing in thy sight , Lord Jehovah ; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come . And is this the manner of man , Lord Jehovah ? And what can David say more to thee ? for thou , Lord Jehovah , knowest thy servant . For thy word's sake , and according to thine own heart , hast thou done all this greatness , to make thy servant know [ it ] . Wherefore thou art great , Jehovah Elohim ; for there is none like thee , neither is there any God beside thee , according to all that we have heard with our ears . And who is like thy people , like Israel , the one nation in the earth that God went to redeem to be a people to himself , and to make himself a name , and to do for them great things and terrible , for thy land , before thy people , which thou redeemedst to thyself from Egypt , from the nations and their gods ? And thou hast established to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever ; and thou , Jehovah , art become their God . And now , Jehovah Elohim , the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house , fulfil it for ever , and do as thou hast said . And let thy name be magnified for ever , saying , Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel ; and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee . For thou , Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel , hast revealed to thy servant , saying , I will build thee a house ; therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee . And now , Lord Jehovah , thou art that God , and thy words are true , and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant ; and now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant , that it may be before thee for ever ; for thou , Lord Jehovah , hast spoken it ; and with thy blessing shall the house of thy servant be blessed for ever . And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines , and subdued them ; and David took the power of the capital out of the hand of the Philistines . And he smote the Moabites , and measured them with a line , making them lie down on the ground ; and he measured two lines to put to death , and one full line to keep alive . And the Moabites became David's servants , [ and ] brought gifts . And David smote Hadadezer , the son of Rehob , king of Zobah , as he went to recover his dominion by the river Euphrates . And David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen , and twenty thousand footmen ; and David houghed all the chariot [ horses ] , but reserved of them [ for ] a hundred chariots . And the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah , and David smote of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men . And David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus ; and the Syrians became servants to David , [ and ] brought gifts . And Jehovah preserved David whithersoever he went . And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer , and brought them to Jerusalem . And from Betah , and from Berothai , cities of Hadadezer , king David took exceeding much bronze . And Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the forces of Hadadezer ; and Toi sent Joram his son to king David , to inquire of his welfare , and to congratulate him , because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him ; for Hadadezer was continually at war with Toi . And he brought with him vessels of silver , and vessels of gold , and vessels of bronze . Them also king David dedicated to Jehovah , with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated of all the nations that he had subdued : of the Syrians , and of the Moabites , and of the children of Ammon , and of the Philistines , and of the Amalekites , and of the spoil of Hadadezer , the son of Rehob , king of Zobah . And David made him a name when he returned , after he had smitten the Syrians in the valley of salt , eighteen thousand [ men ] . And he put garrisons in Edom : throughout Edom did he put garrisons ; and all they of Edom became servants to David . And Jehovah preserved David whithersoever he went . And David reigned over all Israel ; and David executed judgment and justice to all his people . And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host ; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was chronicler ; and Zadok the son of Ahitub , and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar , were the priests ; and Seraiah was scribe ; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites ; and David's sons were chief rulers . And David said , Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul , that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake ? And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba ; and they called him to David . And the king said to him , Art thou Ziba ? And he said , Thy servant ! And the king said , Is there not yet any of the house of Saul , that I may shew the kindness of God to him ? And Ziba said to the king , Jonathan has yet a son , who is lame on [ his ] feet . And the king said to him , Where is he ? And Ziba said to the king , Behold , he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel , in Lodebar . And king David sent , and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel , from Lodebar . And Mephibosheth , the son of Jonathan , the son of Saul , came to David , and fell on his face and did obeisance . And David said , Mephibosheth . And he said , Behold thy servant ! And David said to him , Fear not ; for I will certainly shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake , and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father ; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually . And he bowed himself , and said , What is thy servant , that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am ? Then the king called Ziba , Saul's servant , and said to him , I have given to thy master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house . And thou , and thy sons , and thy servants , shall till the land for him , and thou shalt bring in [ the fruits ] , that thy master's son may have food to eat . And Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread at my table continually . Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants . And Ziba said to the king , According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant , so will thy servant do . And Mephibosheth [ said David ] shall eat at my table , as one of the king's sons . And Mephibosheth had a young son , whose name was Mica . And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth . So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem ; for he did eat continually at the king's table . And he was lame on both his feet . And it came to pass after this that the king of the children of Ammon died , and Hanun his son reigned in his stead . And David said , I will shew kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash , as his father shewed kindness to me . And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father . And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon . And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord , Is it , in thine eyes , to honour thy father that David has sent comforters to thee ? Is it not to search the city and to spy it out , and to overthrow it , that David has sent his servants to thee ? And Hanun took David's servants , and had the one half of their beards shaved off , and their raiment cut off in the midst , as far as their buttocks , and sent them away . And they told [ it ] to David ; and he sent to meet them , for the men were greatly ashamed . And the king said , Abide at Jericho until your beards be grown , and then return . And the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David ; and the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-Rehob , and the Syrians of Zoba , twenty thousand footmen , and the king of Maacah [ with ] a thousand men , and the men of Tob twelve thousand men . And David heard [ of it ] , and he sent Joab , and all the host , the mighty men . And the children of Ammon came out , and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate ; and the Syrians of Zoba and of Rehob , and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field . And Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind ; and he chose out of all the choice men of Israel , and put them in array against the Syrians ; and the rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother that he might array them against the children of Ammon . And he said , If the Syrians be too strong for me , then thou shalt help me ; and if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee , then I will come and help thee . Be strong , and let us shew ourselves valiant for our people and for the cities of our God ; and Jehovah do what is good in his sight . And Joab drew near , and the people that were with him , unto the battle against the Syrians ; and they fled before him . And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled , they fled before Abishai , and entered into the city . And Joab returned from the children of Ammon , and came to Jerusalem . And when the Syrians saw that they were routed before Israel , they gathered themselves together . And Hadarezer sent , and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river ; and they came to Helam ; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [ went ] before them . And it was told David ; and he gathered all Israel , and passed over the Jordan , and came to Helam . And the Syrians set themselves in array against David , and fought with him . And the Syrians fled before Israel ; and David slew of the Syrians seven hundred [ in ] chariots , and forty thousand horsemen , and smote Shobach the captain of their host , who died there . And all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were routed before Israel , and they made peace with Israel , and served them . And the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more . And it came to pass , at the return of the year , at the time when kings go forth , that David sent Joab , and his servants with him , and all Israel ; and they laid waste the [ land of the ] children of Ammon , and besieged Rabbah . But David abode at Jerusalem . And it came to pass at evening time that David arose from off his couch , and walked upon the roof of the king's house ; and from the roof he saw a woman bathing , and the woman was very beautiful ; and David sent and inquired after the woman . And one said , Is not this Bathsheba , the daughter of Eliam , the wife of Urijah the Hittite ? And David sent messengers , and took her ; and she came in to him , and he lay with her ; and she had purified herself from her uncleanness ; and she returned to her house . And the woman conceived , and sent and told David , and said , I am with child . And David sent to Joab [ saying ] , Send me Urijah the Hittite . And Joab sent Urijah to David . And when Urijah had come to him , David asked how Joab prospered , and how the people prospered , and how the war prospered . And David said to Urijah , Go down to thy house and wash thy feet . And Urijah departed out of the king's house , and there followed him presents from the king . And Urijah slept at the entrance of the king's house with all the servants of his lord , and went not down to his house . And they had told David saying , Urijah did not go down to his house ; and David said to Urijah , Art thou not come from a journey ? why didst thou not go down to thy house ? And Urijah said to David , The ark , and Israel , and Judah abide in booths ; and my lord Joab , and the servants of my lord , are encamped in the open fields : shall I then go into my house , to eat and to drink , and to lie with my wife ? [ As ] thou livest , and [ as ] thy soul liveth , I will not do this thing . And David said to Urijah , Abide here to-day also , and to-morrow I will let thee depart . And Urijah abode in Jerusalem that day and the morrow . And David invited him , and he ate and drank before him ; and he made him drunk . And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord , but did not go down to his house . And it came to pass in the morning , that David wrote a letter to Joab , and sent it by Urijah . And he wrote in the letter saying , Set Urijah in the front of the thickest fight , and withdraw from him , that he may be smitten and die . And it came to pass as Joab watched the city , that he assigned Urijah to a place where he knew that the valiant men were . 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 Urijah the Hittite died also . Then Joab sent and told David all the matters of the war ; and charged the messenger , saying , When thou hast ended telling the matters of the war to the king , and if so be that the king's wrath arise , and he say to thee , Why did ye go so near to the city to fight ? did ye not know that they would shoot from the wall ? Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth ? did not a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill from the wall , that he died in Thebez ? why did ye go near the wall ? -- then say thou , Thy servant Urijah the Hittite is dead also . And the messenger went ; and he came and told David all that Joab had sent him for . And the messenger said to David , The men prevailed against us , and came out against us into the field , and we were upon them as far as the entrance of the gate . And the shooters shot from upon the wall against thy servants ; and some of the king's servants are dead , and thy servant Urijah the Hittite is dead also . Then David said to the messenger , Thus shalt thou say to Joab : Let not this thing displease thee , for the sword devours one as well as another : make thy battle strong against the city , and overthrow it ; -- and encourage him . And the wife of Urijah heard that Urijah her husband was dead , and she mourned for her husband . And when the mourning was past , David sent and fetched her to his house , and she became his wife , and bore him a son . But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of Jehovah . And Jehovah sent Nathan to David . And he came to him , and said to him , There were two men in one city ; the one rich , and the other poor . The rich had very many flocks and herds ; but the poor man had nothing at all , but one little ewe lamb which he had bought , and was nourishing ; and it grew up with him , and together with his children : it ate of his morsel , and drank of his own cup , and slept in his bosom , and was to him as a daughter . And there came a traveller to the rich man , and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd , to dress for the wayfaring man that had come to him ; and he took the poor man's lamb , and dressed it for the man that had come to him . Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man ; and he said to Nathan , As Jehovah liveth , the man that hath done this thing is worthy of death ; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold , because he did this thing , and because he had no pity . And Nathan said to David , Thou art the man ! Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel : I anointed thee king over Israel , and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul ; and I gave thee thy master's house , and thy master's wives into thy bosom , and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah ; and if [ that ] had been too little , I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things . Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah to do evil in his sight ? thou hast smitten Urijah the Hittite with the sword , and hast taken his wife to be thy wife , and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon . Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house ; because thou hast despised me , and hast taken the wife of Urijah the Hittite to be thy wife . Thus saith Jehovah : Behold , I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house , and I will take thy wives before thine eyes , and give them unto thy neighbour , and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun . For thou didst [ it ] secretly ; but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun . And David said to Nathan , I have sinned against Jehovah . And Nathan said to David , Jehovah has also put away thy sin : thou shalt not die . Howbeit , because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme , even the child that is born to thee shall certainly die . And Nathan departed to his house . And Jehovah smote the child that Urijah's wife bore to David , and it became very sick . And David besought God for the child ; and David fasted , and went in , and lay all night on the earth . And the elders of his house arose , [ and went ] to him , to raise him up from the earth ; but he would not , and he ate no bread with them . And it came to pass on the seventh day , that the child died . And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead ; for they said , Behold , while the child was yet alive , we spoke to him , and he would not hearken to our voice ; and how shall we say to him , The child is dead ? he may do some harm . But David saw that his servants whispered , and David perceived that the child was dead ; and David said to his servants , Is the child dead ? And they said , He is dead . Then David arose from the earth , and washed , and anointed himself , and changed his clothing , and entered into the house of Jehovah and worshipped ; then he came to his own house and required them to set bread before him , and he ate . And his servants said to him , What thing is this which thou hast done ? thou didst fast and weep for the child alive ; but as soon as the child is dead , thou dost rise and eat bread . And he said , While the child was yet alive , I fasted and wept ; for I thought , Who knows ? [ perhaps ] Jehovah will be gracious to me , that the child may live . But now he is dead , why should I fast ? can I bring him back again ? I shall go to him , but he will not return to me . And David comforted Bathsheba his wife , and went in to her and lay with her ; and she bore a son , and he called his name Solomon ; and Jehovah loved him . And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet ; and he called his name Jedidiah , for Jehovah's sake . And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon , and took the royal city . And Joab sent messengers to David , and said , I have fought against Rabbah , and have taken the city of waters . And now gather the rest of the people , and encamp against the city and take it : lest I take the city and it be called by my name . And David gathered all the people , and went to Rabbah , and fought against it and took it . And he took the crown of their king from off his head , the weight of which was a talent of gold with [ the ] precious stones ; and it was [ set ] on David's head ; and he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance . And he brought out the people that were in it , and put them under the saw , and under harrows of iron , and under axes of iron , and made them pass through the brickkilns . And so did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon . And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem . And it came to pass after this , that Absalom the son of David having a beautiful sister , whose name was Tamar , Amnon the son of David loved her . And Amnon was so vexed , that he fell sick for his sister Tamar ; for she was a virgin ; and it seemed difficult for Amnon to do the least thing to her . And Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab , the son of Shimeah David's brother ; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man . And he said to him , Why dost thou , the king's son , get thinner from morning to morning ? Wilt thou not tell me ? And Amnon said to him , I love Tamar , my brother Absalom's sister . And Jonadab said to him , Lay thee down on thy bed and feign thyself sick ; and when thy father comes to see thee , say to him , I pray thee , let my sister Tamar come , and give me food , and dress the food in my sight , that I may see it , and eat it from her hand . So Amnon lay down and feigned himself sick ; and the king came to see him , and Amnon said to the king , I pray thee , let Tamar my sister come , and make a couple of cakes in my sight , that I may eat from her hand . And David sent home to Tamar , saying , Go , I pray thee , to thy brother Amnon's house , and dress him food . And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house ; and he had lain down . And she took flour and kneaded it , and made cakes in his sight , and baked the cakes . And she took the pan , and poured them out before him ; but he refused to eat . And Amnon said , Put every man out from me . And they went out every man from him . And Amnon said to Tamar , Bring the dish into the chamber , that I may eat of thy hand . And Tamar took the cakes that she had made , and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother . And she presented them to him to eat ; and he took hold of her , and said to her , Come , lie with me , my sister . And she said to him , No , my brother , do not humble me ; for no such thing is done in Israel : do not this infamy . And I , whither shall I carry my reproach ? and thou wouldest be as one of the infamous in Israel . And now , I pray thee , speak to the king ; for he will not withhold me from thee . But he would not hearken to her voice , and was stronger than she , and humbled her and lay with her . And Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred , for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her . And Amnon said to her , Arise , be gone . And she said to him , There is no cause for this evil in sending me away , [ which ] is greater than the other that thou didst to me . But he would not hearken to her . Then he called his young man that attended upon him , and said , Put now this [ woman ] out from me , and bolt the door after her . Now she had a vest of many colours upon her ; for so were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled . And his attendant brought her out , and bolted the door after her . And Tamar put ashes on her head , and rent her vest of many colours which was on her , and laid her hand on her head , and went away , crying out as she went . And Absalom her brother said to her , Has Amnon thy brother been with thee ? and now , my sister , be still : he is thy brother ; take not this thing to heart . And Tamar remained , and [ that ] desolate , in her brother Absalom's house . And king David heard of all these things , and he was very angry . And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad ; for Absalom hated Amnon , because he had humbled his sister Tamar . And it came to pass after two full years , that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-Hazor , which is beside Ephraim ; and Absalom invited all the king's sons . And Absalom came to the king , and said , Behold , now , thy servant has sheepshearers ; let the king , I pray thee , and his servants go with thy servant . And the king said to Absalom , No , my son , let us not all go , lest we be burdensome to thee . And he urged him , but he would not go ; and he blessed him . And Absalom said , If not , I pray thee , let my brother Amnon go with us . And the king said to him , Why should he go with thee ? But Absalom pressed him ; and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him . And Absalom commanded his servants , saying , Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine , and when I say to you , Smite Amnon ; then slay him , fear not : have not I commanded you ? be courageous , and be valiant . And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded . Then all the king's sons arose , and they rode each upon his mule and fled . And it came to pass , while they were in the way , that tidings came to David , saying , Absalom has smitten all the king's sons , and there is not one of them left . Then the king arose , and rent his garments , and lay on the earth ; and all his servants stood by with their garments rent . And Jonadab , the son of Shimeah David's brother , answered and said , Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons ; for Amnon only is dead ; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he humbled his sister Tamar . And now let not my lord the king take the thing to heart , to say , All the king's sons are dead ; for Amnon only is dead . And Absalom fled . And the young man that watched lifted up his eyes and looked , and behold , there came much people from the way behind him , from the hill-side . And Jonadab said to the king , Behold , the king's sons come : as thy servant said , so it is . And as soon as he had ended speaking , behold , the king's sons came , and lifted up their voice and wept ; and the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly . And Absalom fled , and went to Talmai , the son of Ammihud , king of Geshur . And [ David ] mourned for his son every day . Now Absalom fled , and went to Geshur , and was there three years . And king David longed to go forth to Absalom ; for he was comforted concerning Amnon , seeing he was dead . And Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom . And Joab sent to Tekoah , and fetched thence a wise woman , and said to her , I pray thee , feign thyself to be a mourner , and put on mourning garments , I pray , and anoint not thyself with oil , but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead ; and come to the king , and speak after this manner to him . And Joab put the words into her mouth . And the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king , and she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance , and said , Save , O king ! And the king said to her , What aileth thee ? And she said , I am indeed a widow woman , and my husband is dead . And thy bondmaid had two sons , and they two strove together in the field , and there was none to part them , but the one smote the other and slew him . And behold , the whole family is risen against thy bondmaid , and they say , Deliver him that smote his brother , that we may put him to death , for the life of his brother whom he killed ; and we will destroy the heir also : so they will quench my coal which is left , and will not leave to my husband a name or remnant on the earth . And the king said to the woman , Go to thy house , and I will give charge concerning thee . And the woman of Tekoah said to the king , Upon me , my lord , O king , be the iniquity , and upon my father's house ; and the king and his throne be guiltless . And the king said , Whoever speaks to thee , bring him to me , and he shall not touch thee any more . Then she said , I pray thee , let the king remember Jehovah thy God , that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more , lest they cut off my son . And he said , [ As ] Jehovah liveth , there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth . And the woman said , Let thy bondmaid , I pray thee , speak a word to my lord the king . And he said , Speak . And the woman said , Why then hast thou thought such a thing against God's people ? and the king in saying this thing , is as one guilty , in that the king does not bring back his banished one . For we must needs die , and are as water spilt on the ground , which cannot be gathered up again ; and God has not taken away his life , but devises means that the banished one be not expelled from him . And now that I am come to speak of this thing to my lord the king , it is because the people have made me afraid ; and thy bondmaid said , I will now speak to the king ; perhaps the king will perform the request of his handmaid . For the king will hear , to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God . And thy bondmaid said , Let the word of my lord the king now be comfortable ; for as an angel of God , so is my lord the king to discern good and bad ; and Jehovah thy God will be with thee . And the king answered and said to the woman , Hide not from me , I pray thee , the thing that I shall ask thee . And the woman said , Let my lord the king now speak . And the king said , Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this ? And the woman answered and said , [ As ] thy soul liveth , my lord , O king , there is no turning to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king has spoken ; for thy servant Joab , he bade me , and he put all these words into the mouth of thy bondmaid : in order to turn the appearance of the thing has thy servant Joab done this thing ; but my lord is wise , according to the wisdom of an angel of God , to know all that is in the earth . And the king said to Joab , Behold now , I have done this thing : so go , bring back the young man Absalom . And Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself , and blessed the king ; and Joab said , To-day thy servant knows that I have found favour in thy sight , my lord , O king , in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant . And Joab arose and went to Geshur , and brought Absalom to Jerusalem . And the king said , Let him turn to his own house , and let him not see my face . And Absalom withdrew to his own house , and saw not the king's face . But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty : from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him . And when he shaved his head ( for it was at every year's end that he shaved it , because it was heavy on him , therefore he shaved it ) , he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight . And to Absalom there were born three sons , and one daughter , whose name was Tamar : she was a woman of a beautiful countenance . So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem , and did not see the king's face . Then Absalom sent 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 . Then he said to his servants , See , Joab's allotment is near mine and he has barley there : go and set it on fire . And Absalom's servants set the allotment on fire . Then Joab arose , and came to Absalom to [ his ] house , and said to him , Why have thy servants set my allotment on fire ? And Absalom said to Joab , Behold , I sent to thee , saying , Come hither , that I may send thee to the king , to say , Why am I come from Geshur ? it would have been better for me to be there still . And now let me see the king's face ; and if there be iniquity in me , let him slay me . And Joab came to the king , and told him . And he called Absalom , and he came to the king , and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king ; and the king kissed Absalom . And it came to pass after this , that Absalom prepared for himself chariots and horses , and fifty men to run before him . And Absalom rose early , and stood beside the way of the gate ; and it was so , that when any man who had a controversy had to come to the king for judgment , then Absalom called him , and said , Of what city art thou ? And he said , Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel . And Absalom said to him , See , thy matters are good and right ; but there is no man to hear thee [ appointed ] by the king . And Absalom said , Oh that I were made judge in the land , that every man who has any controversy and cause might come to me , and I would do him justice ! And it was so , that when any man came near to do him obeisance , he put forth his hand , and took him , and kissed him . And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment ; and Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel . And it came to pass at the end of forty years , that Absalom said to the king , I pray thee , let me go and pay in Hebron my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah . For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode in Geshur in Syria , saying , If Jehovah shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem , then I will serve Jehovah . And the king said to him , Go in peace . And he rose up and went to Hebron . And Absalom sent emissaries into all the tribes of Israel , saying , When ye hear the sound of the trumpet , ye shall say , Absalom reigns in Hebron . And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem , that were invited ; and they went in their simplicity , and they knew nothing . And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite , David's counsellor , from his city , from Giloh , while he offered the sacrifices . And the conspiracy gathered strength ; and the people increased continually with Absalom . And there came one to David who reported saying , The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom . And David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem , Rise up and let us flee ; for we shall not [ else ] escape from Absalom . Be quick to depart , lest he overtake us quickly , and bring evil upon us , and smite the city with the edge of the sword . And the king's servants said to the king , Behold , thy servants [ will do ] whatever my lord the king shall choose . And the king went forth , and all his household after him , and the king left ten women , concubines , to keep the house . And the king went forth , and all the people after him , and stayed at the remote house . And all his servants passed on beside him ; and all the Cherethites , and all the Pelethites , and all the Gittites , six hundred men that came after him from Gath , passed over before the king . And the king said to Ittai the Gittite , Why dost thou also go with us ? return to thy place , and abide with the king ; for thou art a foreigner , and besides , thou hast emigrated to the place where thou [ dwellest ] . Thou didst come yesterday , and should I this day make thee go up and down with us , seeing I go whither I can ? Return and take back thy brethren . Mercy and truth be with thee ! And Ittai answered the king and said , [ As ] Jehovah liveth , and [ as ] my lord the king liveth , surely in what place my lord the king shall be , whether in death or life , even there also will thy servant be . And David said to Ittai , Go and pass over . And Ittai the Gittite passed over , and all his men , and all the little ones that were with him . And all the country wept with a loud voice , and all the people passed over ; the king also himself passed over the torrent Kidron , and all the people passed over , towards the way of the wilderness . And behold , Zadok also , and all the Levites with him , bearing the ark of the covenant of God ; and they set down the ark of God ; and Abiathar went up , until all the people had passed completely out of the city . And the king said to Zadok , Carry back the ark of God into the city . If I shall find favour in the eyes of Jehovah , he will bring me again , and shew me it , and its habitation . But if he thus say , I have no delight in thee ; behold , [ here am ] I , let him do to me as seemeth good to him . And the king said to Zadok the priest , Thou art the seer : return into the city in peace , and your two sons with you , Ahimaaz thy son , and Jonathan the son of Abiathar . See , I will stop in the plains of the desert , until there come word from you to inform me . And Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem ; and they abode there . But David went up by the ascent of the Olives , and wept as he went up , and had his head covered , and he went barefoot ; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head , and they went up , weeping as they went up . And one told David saying , Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom . Then said David , Jehovah , I pray thee , turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness . And it came to pass , when David had come to the summit , where he worshipped God , that behold , Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent , and earth upon his head . And David said to him , If thou passest on with me , thou wilt be a burden to me ; but if thou return to the city , and say to Absalom , I will be thy servant , O king ; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto , so now will I be thy servant ; then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel . And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests ? and it shall be , [ that ] whatsoever thing thou shalt hear out of the king's house , thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests . Behold , they have there with them their two sons , Ahimaaz Zadok's [ son ] , and Jonathan Abiathar's son ; and by them ye shall send to me everything that ye shall hear . And Hushai David's friend came into the city , and Absalom came into Jerusalem . And when David was a little past the summit , behold , Ziba , Mephibosheth's servant , met him , with a couple of asses saddled , and upon them two hundred [ loaves ] of bread , and a hundred raisin-cakes , and a hundred cakes of summer fruits , and a flask of wine . And the king said to Ziba , What meanest thou by these ? And Ziba said , The asses are for the king's household to ride on ; and the bread and summer fruits for the young men to eat ; and the wine , that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink . And the king said , And where is thy master's son ? And Ziba said to the king , Behold , he abides at Jerusalem ; for he said , To-day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father . And the king said to Ziba , Behold , thine are all that pertained to Mephibosheth . And Ziba said , I humbly bow myself : may I find favour in thy sight , my lord , O king . And when king David came to Bahurim , behold , there came out from thence a man of the family of the house of Saul , whose name was Shimei , the son of Gera : he came forth , and cursed , and cast stones at David , and at all the servants of king David ; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left . And thus said Shimei as he cursed : Away , away , thou man of blood and man of Belial ! Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul , in whose stead thou hast reigned ; and Jehovah has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son ; and behold , thou art [ taken ] in thine own evil , for thou art a man of blood . And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king , Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king ? let me go over , I pray thee , and take off his head . And the king said , What have I to do with you , ye sons of Zeruiah ? so let him curse , for Jehovah has said to him , Curse David ! Who shall then say , Why dost thou so ? And David said to Abishai , and to all his servants , Behold , my son , who came forth of my bowels , seeks my life : how much more now a Benjaminite ? let him alone and let him curse ; for Jehovah has bidden him . It may be that Jehovah will look on mine affliction , and that Jehovah will requite me good for my being cursed this day . And David and his men went by the way ; and Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him , and cursed as he went , and threw stones at him , and cast dust . And the king , and all the people that were with him , came weary , and refreshed themselves there . Now Absalom , and all the people , the men of Israel , came to Jerusalem , and Ahithophel with him . And it came to pass , when Hushai the Archite , David's friend , came to Absalom , that Hushai said to Absalom , Long live the king ! Long live the king ! And Absalom said to Hushai , Is this thy kindness to thy friend ? why didst thou not go with thy friend ? And Hushai said to Absalom , No ; but whom Jehovah , and this people , and all the men of Israel choose , his will I be , and with him will I abide . And again , whom should I serve ? should it not be in the presence of his son ? as I have served in thy father's presence , so will I be in thy presence . And Absalom said to Ahithophel , Give counsel among you what we shall do . And Ahithophel said to Absalom , Go in to thy father's concubines , whom he has left to keep the house ; and all Israel shall hear that thou art become odious with thy father ; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong . So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof ; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel . And the counsel of Ahithophel , which he counselled in those days , was as if a man had inquired of the word of God : so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom . And Ahithophel said to Absalom , Let me , I pray , choose out twelve thousand men , and I will arise and pursue after David to-night ; and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed , and will make him afraid ; and all the people that are with him shall flee ; and I will smite the king only ; and I will bring back all the people to thee . The man whom thou seekest is as if all returned : all the people shall be in peace . And the saying was right in the eyes of Absalom , and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel . And Absalom said , Call now Hushai the Archite also , and we will hear also what he says . And Hushai came to Absalom , and Absalom spoke to him saying , Ahithophel has spoken after this manner : shall we carry out his word ? If not , speak thou . And Hushai said to Absalom , The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good . And Hushai said , Thou knowest thy father and his men , that they are mighty men , and they are of exasperated spirit , as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field ; and thy father is a man of war , and will not lodge with the people . Behold , he is hid now in some pit , or some such place ; and it will come to pass , when some of them fall at the first , whoever heareth it will say , There has been slaughter among the people that follow Absalom , and even the valiant man whose heart is as the heart of a lion shall utterly melt ; for all Israel knows that thy father is a mighty man , and they that are with him are valiant men . But I counsel that all Israel be speedily gathered to thee , from Dan even to Beer-sheba , as the sand that is by the sea for multitude ; and that thou go to battle in thine own person . And we shall come upon him in some place where he shall be found , and we will light upon him as the dew falls on the ground ; and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one . And if he withdraw into a city , then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city , and we will draw it into the torrent , until there be not one small stone found there . And Absalom and all the men of Israel said , The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel . And Jehovah had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel , in order that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom . And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests , Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel ; and thus and thus have I counselled . And now send quickly , and tell David saying , Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness , but speedily pass over ; lest the king be swallowed up , and all the people that are with him . And Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel ; and the maid went and told them ; and they went and told king David , for they might not be seen to come into the city . But a lad saw them , and told Absalom . Then they went both of them away quickly , and came to the house of a man at Bahurim , who had a well in his court ; and they went down there . And the woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth , and spread ground corn on it ; and the thing was not known . And Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house , and said , Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan ? And the woman said to them , They have gone over the brook of water . And they sought and could not find [ them ] , and returned to Jerusalem . And it came to pass after they had departed , that they came up out of the well , and went and told king David ; and they said to David , Arise and pass quickly over the water ; for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you . Then David arose , and all the people that were with him , and they passed over the Jordan ; by the morning light there was not one of them missing that had not gone over the Jordan . And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed , he saddled his ass , and arose and went to his house , to his city , and gave charge to his household , and hanged himself , and he died ; and he was buried in the sepulchre of his father . And David came to Mahanaim . And Absalom passed over the Jordan , he and all the men of Israel with him . And Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Joab ; which Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra the Israelite , that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash , sister to Zeruiah , Joab's mother . And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead . And as soon as David came to Mahanaim , Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon , and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar , and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim , brought beds , and basons , and earthen vessels , and wheat , and barley , and flour , and parched [ corn ] , and beans , and lentils , and parched [ pulse ] , and honey , and cream , and sheep , and cheese of kine to David , and to the people that were with him , to eat ; for they said , The people is hungry , and weary , and thirsty in the wilderness . And David marshalled the people that were with him , and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them . And David sent forth the people , a third part under the hand of Joab , and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah , Joab's brother , and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite . And the king said to the people , I will surely go forth with you myself also . But the people said , Thou shalt not go forth , for if we should in any case flee , they will not care for us ; neither if half of us die , will they care for us ; for * thou * art worth ten thousand of us ; and now it is better that thou succour us out of the city . And the king said to them , I will do what is good in your sight . And the king stood by the gate-side , and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands . And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai , saying , [ Deal ] gently for my sake with the young man Absalom . And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom . And the people went out into the field against Israel ; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim . And the people of Israel were routed before the servants of David , and there was a great slaughter there that day : twenty thousand men . And the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country ; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured . And Absalom found himself in the presence of David's servants . And Absalom was riding upon a mule , and the mule went under the thick boughs of the great terebinth , and his head caught in the terebinth , and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth ; and the mule that was under him went away . And a man saw it , and told Joab , and said , Behold , I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth . And Joab said to the man that told him , And behold , thou sawest [ him ] , and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground ? and I would have given thee ten silver pieces and a girdle . And the man said to Joab , Though I should receive a thousand silver pieces in my hand , yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son ; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai , saying , Take care , whoever it be [ of you ] , of the young man Absalom . Or I should have acted falsely against mine own life , for there is no matter concealed from the king , and thou wouldest have set thyself against [ me ] . Then said Joab , I may not tarry thus with thee . And he took three spears in his hand , and thrust them into Absalom's body , while he was yet alive in the midst of the terebinth . And ten young men that bore Joab's armour surrounded and smote Absalom , and killed him . And Joab blew the trumpet , and the people returned from pursuing after Israel ; for Joab kept back the people . And they took Absalom , and cast him into a great pit in the wood , and raised a very great heap of stones upon him . And all Israel fled every one to his tent . Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a monument , which is in the king's dale ; for he said , I have no son to keep my name in remembrance ; and he called the monument after his own name ; and it is called unto this day , Absalom's memorial . And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said , Let me run , I pray , and carry the king the news that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies . And Joab said to him , Thou shalt not be a bearer of news to-day , but thou shalt carry the news another day ; but to-day thou shalt carry no news , because the king's son is dead . Then said Joab to the Cushite , Go , tell the king what thou hast seen . And the Cushite bowed himself to Joab , and ran . And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab , Come what may , let me , I pray thee , also run after the Cushite . And Joab said , Why wilt thou run , my son , seeing that there is no news suited [ to thee ] ? -- But , come what may , let me run . And he said to him , Run . And Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain , and outstripped the Cushite . And David sat between the two gates ; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate , on to the wall , and lifted up his eyes and looked , and behold , a man running alone . And the watchman cried , and told the king . And the king said , If he be alone , there is news in his mouth . And he came on and drew near . And the watchman saw another man running ; and the watchman called to the porter and said , Behold a man running alone . And the king said , He also is a bearer of news . And the watchman said , I see the running of the foremost like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok . And the king said , He is a good man ; and comes with good news . And Ahimaaz called and said to the king , Peace ! And he fell down to the earth on his face before the king , and said , Blessed be Jehovah thy God , who has delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king . And the king said , Is it well with the young man Absalom ? And Ahimaaz said , I saw a great tumult when Joab sent the king's servant , and me thy servant ; but I knew not what it was . And the king said , Turn aside [ and ] stand here . And he turned aside and stood still . And behold , the Cushite came ; and the Cushite said , Let my lord the king receive good tidings , for Jehovah has avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee . And the king said to the Cushite , Is it well with the young man Absalom ? And the Cushite said , The enemies of my lord the king , and all that rise against thee for evil , be as that young man . And the king was much moved , and went up to the upper chamber of the gate , and wept ; and as he went , he said thus : O my son Absalom , my son , my son Absalom ! would God I had died in thy stead , O Absalom , my son , my son ! And it was told Joab , Behold , the king weeps and mourns for Absalom . And the victory that day was [ turned ] into mourning for all the people ; for the people heard say that day , The king is grieved for his son . And the people stole away that day into the city , as people steal away when ashamed of fleeing in battle . And the king covered his face , and the king cried with a loud voice , My son Absalom ! Absalom , my son , my son ! And Joab came into the house to the king , and said , Thou hast put to shame this day the faces of all thy servants who have this day saved thy life , and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters , and the lives of thy wives and the lives of thy concubines ; in that thou lovest them that hate thee , and hatest those that love thee . For thou hast declared this day , that neither princes nor servants are anything to thee : for to-day I perceive , that if Absalom had lived , and all we had died to-day , then it would have been right in thine eyes . But now arise , go forth , and speak consolingly to thy servants ; for I swear by Jehovah , if thou go not forth , there will not tarry one with thee this night ; and that would be worse to thee than all the evil that has befallen thee from thy youth until now . Then the king arose , and sat in the gate . And they told all the people , saying , Behold , the king is sitting in the gate . And all the people came before the king . Now Israel had fled every man to his tent . And all the people were at strife throughout the tribes of Israel , saying , The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies , and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines ; and now he is fled out of the land because of Absalom . And Absalom , whom we anointed over us , is dead in battle ; and now why are ye silent as to bringing the king back ? And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests , saying , Speak to the elders of Judah saying , Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house ? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king , to his house . Ye are my brethren , ye are my bone and my flesh ; and why will ye be the last to bring back the king ? And say to Amasa , Art thou not my bone and my flesh ? God do so to me and more also , if thou be not captain of the host before me continually instead of Joab . And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah as of one man ; and they sent to the king , Return , thou and all thy servants . And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan . And Judah came to Gilgal , to go to meet the king , to conduct the king over the Jordan . And Shimei the son of Gera , the Benjaminite , who was of Bahurim , hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David . And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him , and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul , and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him ; and they forded the Jordan before the king . And a ferry boat passed to and fro to carry over the king's household , and to do what he thought good . And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was [ just ] crossing over the Jordan . And he said to the king , Let not my lord impute iniquity to me , neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem , that the king should take it to heart . For thy servant knows that I have sinned ; and behold , I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king . And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said , Should not Shimei be put to death for this , because he cursed Jehovah's anointed ? And David said , What have I to do with you , ye sons of Zeruiah , that ye should this day be adversaries to me ? Should there any man be put to death this day in Israel ? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel ? And the king said to Shimei , Thou shalt not die . And the king swore to him . And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king . Now he had neither washed his feet , nor trimmed his beard , nor washed his clothes , from the day the king departed until the day he came [ again ] in peace . And as soon as Jerusalem came to meet the king , the king said to him , Why didst thou not go with me , Mephibosheth ? And he said , My lord , O king , my servant deceived me ; for thy servant said , I will saddle me the ass , and ride thereon , and go with the king ; for thy servant is lame . And he has slandered thy servant to my lord the king ; but my lord the king is as an angel of God ; do therefore what is good in thy sight . For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king ; and thou didst set thy servant among them that eat at thine own table . What further right therefore have I ? and for what should I cry any more to the king ? And the king said to him , Why speakest thou any more of thy matters ? I have said , Thou and Ziba divide the land . And Mephibosheth said to the king , Let him even take all , since my lord the king is come again in peace to his own house . And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim , and went over the Jordan with the king , to conduct him over the Jordan . And Barzillai was very aged , eighty years old ; and it was he that had maintained the king while he abode at Mahanaim ; for he was a very great man . And the king said to Barzillai , Pass thou over with me , and I will maintain thee with me in Jerusalem . And Barzillai said to the king , How many are the days of the years of my life , that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem ? I am this day eighty years old : can I discern between good and bad ? can thy servant taste what I eat and what I drink ? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women ? and why should thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king ? Thy servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king ; and why should the king recompense it to me with this reward ? Let thy servant , I pray thee , turn back again , that I may die in mine own city , by the grave of my father and of my mother . But behold thy servant Chimham : let him go over with my lord the king ; and do to him what seems good to thee . And the king said , Chimham shall go over with me , and I will do to him that which seems good to thee ; and whatsoever thou shalt require of me , that will I do for thee . And all the people went over the Jordan ; and the king went over ; and the king kissed Barzillai , and blessed him ; and he returned to his own place . And the king went on to Gilgal , and Chimham went on with him ; and all the people of Judah conducted the king , and also half the people of Israel . And behold , all the men of Israel came to the king , and said to the king , Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away , and have brought the king , and his household , and all David's men with him , over the Jordan ? And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel , Because the king is near of kin to me ; and why then are ye angry for this matter ? have we eaten anything which came from the king , or has he given us any present ? And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said , I have ten parts in the king and I have also more right in David than thou ; and why didst thou slight me ? and was not my advice the first , to bring back my king ? And the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel . And there happened to be there a man of Belial , whose name was Sheba , the son of Bichri , a Benjaminite ; and he blew a trumpet , and said , We have no portion in David , neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse : every man to his tents , Israel . Then all the men of Israel went up from after David , following Sheba the son of Bichri . But the men of Judah clave to their king , from the Jordan even to Jerusalem . And David came to his house at Jerusalem ; and the king took the ten women , concubines , whom he had left to keep the house , and put them in a house of confinement and maintained them , but did not go in to them . So they were shut up unto the day of their death , living in widowhood . And the king said to Amasa , Call me the men of Judah together within three days , and do thou attend here . So Amasa went to call together [ the men of ] Judah ; but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him . And David said to Abishai , Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom . Take thou thy lord's servants , and pursue after him , lest he get him fortified cities and escape our sight . And there went out after him Joab's men , and the Cherethites , and the Pelethites , and all the mighty men ; and they went out of Jerusalem , to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri . When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon , Amasa came before them . And Joab was girded with his coat , his dress , and upon it was the girdle of the sword which was fastened on his loins in its sheath ; and as he went forth it fell out . And Joab said to Amasa , Art thou well , my brother ? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him . And Amasa had taken no notice of the sword that was in Joab's hand : so he smote him with it in the belly and shed out his bowels to the ground , and struck him not again ; and he died . And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri . And one of Joab's young men stood by [ Amasa ] and said , He that favours Joab , and he that is for David , let him follow Joab . Now Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway . And when the man saw that all the people stood still , he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field , and cast a cloth upon him , when he saw that every one that came by stood still . When he was removed out of the highway , all the people went on after Joab , to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri , who went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel , and to Beth-Maacah , and all the Berim ; and they gathered together , and went also after him . And they came and besieged him in Abel-Beth-Maacah , and they cast up a bank against the city , and it was raised in the trench ; and all the people that were with Joab sapped the wall , to throw it down . And a wise woman cried out of the city , Hear , hear : say , I pray you , unto Joab , Come near hither , that I may speak with thee . And he came near to her ; and the woman said , Art thou Joab ? And he said , I [ am he ] . And she said to him , Listen to the words of thy handmaid . And he said , I am listening . And she spoke saying , They were wont to speak in old time saying , Just inquire in Abel ; and so they ended . I am peaceable [ and ] faithful in Israel : thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel . Why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah ? And Joab answered and said , Far be it , far be it from me , that I should swallow up or destroy . The matter is not so ; but a man of mount Ephraim , Sheba the son of Bichri by name , has lifted up his hand against the king , against David : give up him only , and I will depart from the city . And the woman said to Joab , Behold , his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall . Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom . And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri , and cast it to Joab . And he blew a trumpet , and they dispersed from the city , every man to his tent . And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king . And Joab was over all the host of Israel ; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites ; and Adoram was over the levy ; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder ; and Sheva was scribe ; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests ; and Ira also , the Jairite , was David's chief ruler . And there was a famine in the days of David three years , year after year ; and David inquired of Jehovah . And Jehovah said , It is for Saul , and for [ his ] house of blood , because he slew the Gibeonites . And the king called the Gibeonites , and spoke to them . ( Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel , but of the remainder of the Amorites ; and the children of Israel had sworn to them ; and Saul sought to smite them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah . ) And David said to the Gibeonites , What shall I do for you ? and with what shall I make atonement , that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah ? And the Gibeonites said to him , As to Saul and his house , it is with us no question of receiving silver or gold , neither is it for us to have any man put to death in Israel . And he said , What ye say will I do for you . And they said to the king , The man that consumed us , and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in all the borders of Israel , let seven men of his sons be given up to us , and we will hang them up to Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul , the chosen of Jehovah . And the king said , I will give [ them ] . But the king spared Mephibosheth , the son of Jonathan the son of Saul , because of Jehovah's oath that was between them , between David and Jonathan the son of Saul . And the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah , whom she had borne to Saul , Armoni and Mephibosheth ; and the five sons of [ the sister of ] Michal the daughter of Saul , whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite ; and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites , and they hanged them on the hill before Jehovah . And they fell all seven together , and were put to death in the first days of the harvest , in the beginning of barley harvest . Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth , and spread it for her upon the rock , from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them out of the heavens , and suffered neither the fowl of the heavens to rest on them by day , nor the beasts of the field by night . And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah , the concubine of Saul , had done . And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-Gilead , who had stolen them from the open place of Beth-shan , where the Philistines had hanged them , the day the Philistines had smitten Saul in Gilboa ; and he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son ; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged . And they buried [ them ] with the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela , in the sepulchre of Kish his father ; and they did all that the king had commanded . And afterwards God was propitious to the land . And the Philistines had yet war again with Israel ; and David went down , and his servants with him , and fought with the Philistines . And David was exhausted . And Ishbibenob , who was of the children of Raphah -- the weight of his lance was three hundred shekels of bronze , and he was girded with new [ armour ] -- thought to smite David . And Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him , and smote the Philistine and killed him . Then the men of David swore to him , saying , Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle , that thou quench not the lamp of Israel . And it came to pass after this , that there was again a battle with the Philistines , at Gob ; then Sibbechai the Hushathite smote Saph , who was of the children of Raphah . And there was again a battle at Gob with the Philistines ; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim , a Bethlehemite , smote Goliath the Gittite ; now the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam . And there was again a battle , at Gath ; and there was a man [ there ] of great stature , that had on each hand six fingers , and on each foot six toes , four and twenty in number ; and he also was born to Raphah . And he defied Israel ; but Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother smote him . These four were born to Raphah , in Gath ; and they fell by the hand of David , and by the hand of his servants . And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies , and out of the hand of Saul . And he said , Jehovah is my rock , and my fortress , and my deliverer ; God is my rock , in him will I trust -- My shield , and the horn of my salvation , My high tower , and my refuge , My saviour : thou wilt save me from violence . I will call upon Jehovah , who is to be praised ; So shall I be saved from mine enemies . For the waves of death encompassed me , Torrents of Belial made me afraid . The bands of Sheol surrounded me ; The cords of death encountered me ; In my distress I called upon Jehovah , And I cried to my God ; And he heard my voice out of his temple , And my cry [ came ] into his ears . Then the earth shook , and quaked ; The foundations of the heavens trembled And shook because he was wroth . There went up a smoke out of his nostrils , And fire out of his mouth devoured : Coals burned forth from it . And he bowed the heavens , and came down ; And darkness was under his feet . And he rode upon a cherub , and did fly ; And he was seen upon the wings of the wind . And he made darkness round about him a tent , Gatherings of waters , thick clouds of the skies . From the brightness before him Burned forth coals of fire . Jehovah thundered from the heavens , And the Most High uttered his voice . And he sent arrows , and scattered [ mine enemies ] ; Lightning , and discomfited them . And the beds of the sea were seen , The foundations of the world were uncovered At the rebuke of Jehovah , At the blast of the breath of his nostrils . He reached forth from above , he took me , He drew me out of great waters ; He delivered me from my strong enemy , From them that hated me ; For they were mightier than I . They encountered me in the day of my calamity ; But Jehovah was my stay . And he brought me forth into a large place ; He delivered me , because he delighted in me . Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness , According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me . For I have kept the ways of Jehovah , And have not wickedly departed from my God . For all his ordinances were before me , And his statutes , I did not depart from them , And I was upright before him , And kept myself from mine iniquity . And Jehovah hath recompensed me according to my righteousness , According to my cleanness in his sight . With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious ; With the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright ; With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure ; And with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary . And the afflicted people thou dost save ; And thine eyes are upon the haughty , [ whom ] thou bringest down . For thou art my lamp , Jehovah ; And Jehovah enlighteneth my darkness . For by thee I have run through a troop ; By my God have I leaped over a wall . As for God , his way is perfect ; The word of Jehovah is tried : He is a shield to all that trust in him . For who is God , save Jehovah ? And who is a rock , save our God ? God is my strong fortress , And he maketh my way perfectly smooth . He maketh my feet like hinds' [ feet ] , And setteth me upon my high places . He teacheth my hands to war , And mine arms bend a bow of brass . And thou didst give me the shield of thy salvation , And thy condescending gentleness hath made me great . Thou enlargedst my steps under me ; And mine ankles did not slip . I pursued mine enemies , and destroyed them , And I turned not again till they were consumed . And I have consumed them and have crushed them , and they rose not again ; Yea , they fell under my feet . And thou girdedst me with strength to battle : Thou didst subdue under me those that rose up against me . And mine enemies didst thou make to turn their backs unto me , And those that hated me I destroyed . They looked , and there was none to save -- Unto Jehovah , and he answered them not . And I did beat them small as the dust of the earth , I trod them as the mire of the streets ; I stamped upon them . And thou hast delivered me from the strivings of my people , Thou hast kept me to be head of the nations : A people I knew not doth serve me : Strangers come cringing unto me : At the hearing of the ear , they obey me . Strangers have faded away , And they come trembling forth from their close places . Jehovah liveth ; and blessed be my rock ; And exalted be the God , the rock of my salvation , The God who hath avenged me , And hath brought the peoples under me . He brought me forth from mine enemies : Yea , thou hast lifted me up above them that rose up against me ; From the man of violence hast thou delivered me . Therefore will I give thanks to thee , Jehovah , among the nations , And will sing psalms to thy name . [ It is he ] who giveth great deliverances to his king , And sheweth loving-kindness to his anointed , To David , and to his seed for evermore . Now these are the last words of David : David the son of Jesse saith , And the man who was raised up on high , The anointed of the God of Jacob , And the sweet psalmist of Israel saith , The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me , And his word was on my tongue . The God of Israel said , The Rock of Israel spoke to me , The ruler among men shall be just , Ruling in the fear of God ; And [ he shall be ] as the light or the morning , [ like ] the rising of the sun , A morning without clouds ; [ When ] from the sunshine , after rain , The green grass springeth from the earth . Although my house be not so before God , Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant , Ordered in every way and sure ; For [ this is ] all my salvation , and every desire , Although he make [ it ] not to grow . But [ the sons ] of Belial [ are ] all of them as thorns thrust away , Because they cannot be taken with hands ; And the man that will touch them provideth himself with iron and the staff of a spear ; And they shall be utterly burned with fire in [ their ] place . These are the names of the mighty men whom David had : Joseb-Bassebeth , Tachkemonite the chief of the captains : he was Adino the Eznite ; he [ fought ] against eight hundred , slain [ by him ] at one time . And after him , Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite : he was one of the three mighty men with David , when they had defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle , and the men of Israel were gone up . He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary , and his hand clave to the sword ; and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance that day ; and the people returned after him only to spoil . And after him , Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite : the Philistines were gathered into a troop , and there was there a plot of ground full of lentils , and the people had fled before the Philistines ; and he stood in the midst of the plot and delivered it , and smote the Philistines , and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance . And three of the thirty chiefs went down , and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam , when the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim . And David was then in the stronghold ; and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem . And David longed , and said , Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem , which is in the gate ! And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines , and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem , which is in the gate , and took it , and brought it to David ; however he would not drink of it , but poured it out to Jehovah . And he said , Be it far from me , Jehovah , that I should do this thing ! is it not the blood of the men that went at the risk of their lives ? Therefore he would not drink it . These things did the three mighty men . And Abishai , the brother of Joab , the son of Zeruiah , was the chief of three ; and he brandished his spear against three hundred and slew them ; and he had a name among the three . Was he not most honourable of three ? and he was their captain ; but he did not attain to the [ first ] three . And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada , son of a valiant man , great in exploits , of Kabzeel : he it was that smote two lions of Moab ; and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day . He also smote the Egyptian , an imposing man : and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand ; and he went down to him with a staff , and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand , and slew him with his own spear . These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada , and he had a name among the three mighty men . He was honoured above the thirty , but he did not attain to the [ first ] three . And David set him in his council . Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty ; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem , Shammah the Harodite , Elika the Harodite , Helez the Paltite , Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite , Abiezer the Anathothite , Mebunnai the Hushathite , Zalmon the Ahohite , Maharai the Netophathite , Heleb the son of Baanah , the Netophathite , Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin , Benaiah a Pirathonite , Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash , Abi-albon the Arbathite , Azmaveth the Barhumite , Eliahba the Shaalbonite , of the sons of Jashen , Jonathan , Shammah the Ararite , Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite , Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai , the son of the Maachathite , Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite , Hezrai the Carmelite , Paarai the Arbite , Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah , Bani the Gadite , Zelek the Ammonite , Naharai the Beerothite , the armour-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah , Ira the Ithrite , Gareb the Ithrite , Uriah the Hittite : thirty-seven in all . And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel , and he moved David against them saying , Go , number Israel and Judah . And the king said to Joab the captain of the host , who was with him , Go , I pray thee , through all the tribes of Israel , from Dan even to Beer-sheba , and count the people , that I may know the number of the people . And Joab said to the king , May Jehovah thy God even add to the people , how many soever they be , a hundredfold , and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [ it ] ; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing ? But the king's word prevailed against Joab , and against the captains of the army . And Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel . And they passed over the Jordan , and encamped in Aroer , on the right side of the city that is in the midst of the ravine of Gad , and toward Jaazer . And they came to Gilead , and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi ; and came to Dan-jaan , and to the environs of Sidon ; and they came to the fortified city of Tyre , and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites ; and went out to the south of Judah , to Beer-sheba . And they went through all the land , and came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days . And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king ; and there were of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew sword ; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men . And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people . And David said to Jehovah , I have sinned greatly in what I have done ; and now , I beseech thee , Jehovah , put away the iniquity of thy servant ; for I have done very foolishly . And when David arose in the morning , the word of Jehovah came to the prophet Gad , David's seer , saying , Go and say to David , Thus saith Jehovah : I impose on thee three [ things ] ; choose one of them that I may do it unto thee . And Gad came to David , and told him , and said to him , Shall seven years of famine come to thee in thy land ? or wilt thou flee three months before thine adversaries while they pursue thee ? or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land ? Now be aware and consider what word I shall bring again to him that sent me . And David said to Gad , I am in a great strait : let us fall , I pray thee , into the hand of Jehovah ; for his mercies are great ; but let me not fall into the hand of man . And Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the set time ; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men . And the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it ; but Jehovah repented him of the evil , and said to the angel that destroyed among the people , It is enough : withdraw now thine hand . And the angel of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite . And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the angel that smote among the people , and said , Behold , it is I that have sinned , and it is I that have committed iniquity ; but these sheep , what have they done ? let thy hand , I pray thee , be on me , and on my father's house ! And Gad came that day to David , and said to him , Go up , rear an altar to Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite . And David , according to the saying of Gad , went up as Jehovah had commanded . And Araunah looked , and saw the king and his servants coming on towards him ; and Araunah went out , and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground . And Araunah said , Why is my lord the king come to his servant ? And David said , To buy the threshing-floor of thee , to build an altar to Jehovah , that the plague may be stayed from the people . And Araunah said to David , Let my lord the king take and offer up that which is good in his sight : see , [ here are ] oxen for the burnt-offering , and the threshing-sledges and implements of the oxen for wood . All these things , O king , doth Araunah give to the king . And Araunah said to the king , Jehovah thy God accept thee . And the king said to Araunah , No ; but I will in any case buy [ them ] of thee at a price : neither will I offer up to Jehovah my God burnt-offerings without cost . And David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver . And David built there an altar to Jehovah , and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings . And Jehovah was propitious to the land , and the plague was stayed from Israel .Public Domain