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2SA EN_ULT en_English_ltr Mon Sep 05 2022 10:57:03 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time) tc

1 And it happened after the death of Saul, and David returned from striking the Amalekites. And David remained in Ziklag for two days. 2 And it happened on the third day—and look, a man came from the camp, from with Saul, and his clothes were torn and dirt was on his head. And it happened, when he came to David, and he fell to the ground, and he prostrated himself.

3 And David said to him, “Where from this are you coming?”

And he said to him, “From the camp of Israel I escaped.”

4 And David said to him, “How was the matter? Inform me, please.”

And he said that the people fled from the war, and also many fell from the people and died, and even Saul and Jonathan his son died. 5 And David said to the young man, the one who informed him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son died?”

6 And the young man, the one who informed him, said, “I surely happened to be on the mountain of Gilboa, and look, Saul was leaning on his spear. And look, the chariots and the masters of the chariot horses overtook him. 7 And he turned behind him, and he saw me. And he called to me, and I said, ‘Here I am.’

8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’

And I said to him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

9 And he said to me, ‘Please, stand over me and kill me, for agony has grabbed me, although all my life is still in me.’

10 And I stood over him and I killed him, because I knew that he would not live after his having fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm and I brought them to my lord here.”

11 And David seized his clothes and tore them, and also all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and they wept and they fasted until the evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of Yahweh and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13 And David said to the young man, the one who informed him, “Where from this are you?”

And he said, “A son of a man, a foreigner, an Amalekite, am I.”

14 And David said to him, “How were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the anointed one of Yahweh?”

15 And David called to one of the young men, and he said, “Come near. Confront him.” And he struck him, and he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, because your mouth answered against you, saying, ‘I myself killed the anointed one of Yahweh.’ ”

17 Then David sang this funeral song for Saul and for Jonathan his son. 18 And he said to teach the sons of Judah ‘The Bow.’ Look, it is written on the Scroll of the Upright:

19 “The splendor of Israel on your high places—slain!

How the mighty have fallen!

20 “Let them not declare it in Gath;

let them not bear news in the streets of Ashkelon,

lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,

lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 “Mountains in Gilboa—

no dew and no rain on you,

nor fields of offerings,

for there, the shield of the mighty was defiled;

the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22 “From the blood of the slain,

from the fat of the mighty,

the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan—

the beloved ones and the delightful ones in their life

and in their death—they were not separated.

They were swifter than eagles;

they were mightier than lions.

24 “Daughters of Israel,

weep for Saul,

the one who clothed you with scarlet, with jewelry,

the one who put an ornament of gold on your clothing.

25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the war!

Jonathan on your high places is slain.

26 Distress belongs to me concerning you, my brother Jonathan.

You were very pleasant to me.

Your love was more wonderful to me

than the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen,

and perished the weapons of war!”

2 And it happened after this, and David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Should I go up into one of the cities of Judah?”

And Yahweh said to him, “Go up.”

And David said, “Where should I go up?”

And he said, “To Hebron.”

2 And David went up there and also two of his wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And his men who were with him, David brought up, each man and his house. And they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David as king over the house of Judah.

And they informed David, saying, “The men of Jabesh-Gilead are those who buried Saul.”

5 And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and he said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, because you did this kindness with your lord, with Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now may Yahweh do with you kindness and faithfulness. And also I myself will do with you this good thing because you have done this thing. 7 But now, let your hands be strong, and become sons of valor, for Saul your lord died, and also the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”

8 And Abner the son of Ner, the captain of the troop which belonged to Saul, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and he brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 And he made him king over Gilead and over the Ashurites and over Jezreel and over Ephraim and over Benjamin and over Israel—all of it.

10 A son of 40 years was Ishbosheth the son of Saul when he became king over Israel, and he was king two years. Nevertheless, the house of Judah was behind David. 11 And it happened, the number of the days that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 But Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and confronted them by the pool of Gibeon together. And they sat down—these by the pool on this side and these by the pool on this side.

14 And Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men get up and fight to our faces.”

And Joab said, “Let them get up.”

15 And they got up, and they crossed over by number—12 for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul and 12 from the servants of David. 16 And they seized, each one, his neighbor by the head, and his sword in the side of his neighbor, and they fell together. And he called that place, “Helkath Hazzurim,” which is in Gibeon.

17 And the war was extremely severe on that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were struck to the face of the servants of David.

18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was light on his feet, like one of the gazelles which are in the field. 19 And Asahel pursued after Abner. And he did not turn aside to go to the right or to the left from after Abner. 20 And Abner turned behind him, and he said, “Is this you, Asahel?”

And he answered, “It is I.”

21 And Abner said to him, “Turn aside, you, to your right or to your left and grab, you, one from the young men and take, you, his spoil.” But Asahel was not willing to turn from behind him.

22 And Abner still continued, saying to Asahel, “Turn aside, you, from behind me. Why should I strike you to the ground? And how could I lift my face to Joab, your brother?”

23 But he refused to turn aside, and Abner struck him with the back of the spear in the stomach, and the spear went out from his back. And he fell there, and he died under him. And it happened, all the people who came to the place where Asahel fell there and died—and they stood.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner (and the sun was going), and they themselves came to the hill of Ammah, which is on the face of Giah, the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves behind Abner, and they became one troop. And they stood on the top of one hill.

26 And Abner called to Joab, and he said, “Will the sword eat forever? Do you not know that bitterness will be in the end? And how long will you not say to the people to turn from after their brothers?”

27 And Joab said, “By the life of God, that if you had not spoken, surely then from the morning the people would have pulled back, each from after his brother.”

28 And Joab blasted on the trumpet, and all the people stood, and they did not again pursue after Israel. And they did not continue to fight again.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the Arabah. And they crossed the Jordan, and they walked all the morning, and they entered Mahanaim.

30 And Joab returned from after Abner, and he assembled all the people. And 19 men and Asahel were missing from the servants of David. 31 But the servants of David struck from Benjamin, from the men of Abner—360 men they killed. 32 And they took up Asahel, and they buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men walked all of the night, and it became light for them at Hebron.

3 And the war was long between the house of Saul and between the house of David. And David went strongly, but the house of Saul went poorly.

2 And sons were born to David in Hebron.

And it happened, his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite.

3 And his second was Kileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And the third was Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur.

4 And the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith.

And the fifth was Shephatiah the son of Abital.

5 And the sixth was Ithream by Eglah the wife of David.

These were born to David in Hebron.

6 And it happened, when the war was between the house of Saul and between the house of David, and Abner was strengthening himself in the house of Saul. 7 And a concubine belonged to Saul, and her name was Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. And he said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to the concubine of my father?”

8 And it was very hot to Abner concerning the words of Ishbosheth, and he said, “Am I the head of a dog who belongs to Judah? Today I am doing kindness with the house of Saul, your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and I will not let you fall into the hand of David. And today you charge against me the iniquity of the woman? 9 Thus may God do to Abner, and thus may he add to him, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, that thus I will do for him, 10 to take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan and to Beersheba.” 11 And he was still not able to return to Abner a word, because of his fearing him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, “To whom belongs the land?” saying, “Cut your covenant with me, and look, my hand is with you, to make all of Israel turn to you.”

13 And he said, “Good, I myself will cut a covenant with you. Only one thing I am asking from you, saying, ‘You will not see my face unless to my face you bring Michal the daughter of Saul when you come to see my face.’ ” 14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with 100 foreskins of Philistines.”

15 And Ishbosheth sent and took her from with her husband, from with Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 And her husband walked with her, walking and weeping behind her, until Bahurim. And Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.

17 But the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel saying, “Both yesterday and the day before, you were seeking David to be king over you. 18 And now do it, for Yahweh said concerning David, saying, ‘By the hand of David my servant, I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’ ”

19 And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that which was good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of all of the house of Benjamin. 20 And Abner came to David in Hebron, and with him 20 men. And David made a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “Let me get up, and let me go, and let me gather to my lord, the king, all of Israel that they may cut a covenant with you and that you may be king over everything that your soul desires.” And David sent Abner, and he went in peace.

22 And look, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid, and they brought with them much plunder. But Abner, he was not with David in Hebron because he had sent him, and he had gone in peace. 23 And Joab and all the army which was with him arrived, and they informed Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him, and he went in peace.”

24 And Joab came to the king, and he said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! Why is this you have let him go, and he is certainly gone? 25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to persuade you and to know your going out and your coming in and to know everything that you are doing?”

26 And Joab went out from with David, and he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, but David did not know. 27 And Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab turned him aside to the middle of the gate to speak with him in the quiet. And there he struck him in the stomach, and he died in exchange for the blood of Asahel, his brother.

28 And David heard after this, and he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent with Yahweh forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May it turn on the head of Joab and to the whole house of his father, and may not a person who is discharging or a leprous person or a person who is strong with the spindle or a person who falls by the sword or a person who lacks bread be excluded from the house of Joab.”

30 And Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner on account that he had murdered Asahel their brother in Gibeon during the war.

31 And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn to the face of Abner.” And King David was walking behind the funeral bed. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king raised his voice, and he wept at the tomb of Abner, and all the people wept.

33 The king lamented for Abner, and he said,

“Just as a fool dies, should Abner die?

34 Your hands were not bound,

and your feet were not put into shackles.

Like falling to the face of sons of injustice, you have fallen.”

And all the people continued to weep for him. 35 And all the people came to provide David with bread while it was still day, but David swore, saying, “Thus may God do to me, and thus may he continue, if, to the face of the going of the sun, I taste bread or any anything.”

36 And all the people recognized, and it was good in their eyes, just as everything that the king did was good in the eyes of all the people. 37 And all the people and all Israel knew on that day that it was not from the king to murder Abner the son of Ner.

38 And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a captain and a great person fell this day in Israel? 39 But I am tender today, though anointed king. But these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. May Yahweh repay the person who does evil according to his evil.”

4 And the son of Saul heard that Abner died in Hebron, and his hands failed, and all Israel was horrified. 2 And two men, captains of troops, were a son of Saul. The name of the one was Baanah and the name of the second was Recab—sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the sons of Benjamin (because Beeroth is also accounted to Benjamin, 3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and they have been sojourning there until this day).

4 And to Jonathan the son of Saul belonged a son who was crippled in his feet. He was a son of five years when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse carried him and fled. And it happened, when she hurried to flee, that he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Recab and Baanah, walked, and at about the heat of the day they went to the house of Ishbosheth, as he was lying down on the noonday bed. 6 And look, they came up to the midst of the house to take wheat, and they struck him in the stomach. And Recab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7 And they entered the house, and he was laying on his bed in the inner room of his bed, and they struck him, and they murdered him, and they removed his head. And they took his head, and they walked the way of the Arabah all night. 8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, “Look, the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life. And Yahweh has given to my lord the king vengeance this day against Saul and against his seed.”

9 And David answered Recab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and he said to them, “By the life of Yahweh, who delivered my life from every distress, 10 when the person who informed me, saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead’—and he was like a person bringing good news in his eyes—and I grabbed him, and I killed him at Ziklag, which was me giving good news to him. 11 How much more when men of wickedness have killed a man of righteousness in his house on his bed! And now, should I not seek his blood from your hand and purge you from the earth?”

12 And David commanded the young men, and they killed them, and they cut off their hands and their feet, and they hung them beside the pool in Hebron. But the head of Ishbosheth they took, and they buried in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

5 And all the tribes of Israel came to David, to Hebron. And they said, saying, “Look at us, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Both yesterday and the day before, when Saul was king over us, you yourself were the person who brought out and the person who brought in Israel. And Yahweh said to you, ‘You yourself will shepherd my people, Israel, and you yourself will become leader over Israel.’ ”

3 And all the elders of Israel came to the king, to Hebron, and King David cut for them a covenant in Hebron to the face of Yahweh. And they anointed David as king over Israel.

4 A son of 30 years was David when he became king. He was king 40 years. 5 In Hebron, he was king over Judah seven years and six months. And in Jerusalem, he was king 33 years over all Israel and Judah.

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, the people who lived in the land. And he said to David, saying, “You will not come here unless the blind people and the lame people remove you,” saying, “David will not come here.” 7 And David captured the mountain stronghold of Zion—it is the city of David.

8 And David said on that day, “Anyone striking the Jebusites (and let him touch the water shaft) and the lame people and the blind people, the people who are hated by the life of David.” Therefore, they say, “The blind person and the lame person will not come into the house.”

9 And David lived in the mountain stronghold, and he called it ‘the City of David.’ And David built on all sides from the terrace and to the house. 10 And David went, going and becoming great. And Yahweh the God of Hosts was with him.

11 And Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to David and trees of cedar and craftsmen of wood and craftsmen of wall stone. And they built a house for David. 12 And David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel and that he had raised his kingdom high for the sake of his people, Israel.

13 And David again took concubines and wives from Jerusalem after his coming from Hebron. And again sons and daughters were born to David. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua and Shobab and Nathan and Solomon 15 and Ibhar and Elishua and Nepheg and Japhia 16 and Elishama and Eliada and Eliphelet.

17 And the Philistines heard that they anointed David as king over Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard, and he went down to the mountain stronghold. 18 (And the Philistines came, and they overtook the Valley of Rephaim) 19 And David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Should I go up to the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?”

And Yahweh said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

20 And David came to Baal-Perazim, and David struck them there, and he said, “Yahweh broke through my enemies to my face like the breach of waters.” Therefore, he called the name of that place Baal-Perazim. 21 And they abandoned there their idols, and David and his men carried them.

22 And the Philistines still continued to go up, and they overtook the Valley of Rephaim. 23 And David inquired of Yahweh, and he said, “You will not go up. Wheel around to behind them, and you will come to them from opposite the balsam trees. 24 And it will be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you will pay attention, for then Yahweh will go out to your faces to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 25 And David did thus, just as Yahweh commanded him. And he struck the Philistines from Geba until your coming to Gezer.

6 And David again gathered all the chosen men in Israel—30,000. 2 And he got up, and David and all the people who were with him went from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the Box of God whose name is called the name of Yahweh of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim on it. 3 And they mounted the Box of God on a new cart, and they carried it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 4 And they carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, with the Box of God. And Ahio was walking to the face of the Box, 5 and David and all the house of Israel were celebrating to the face of Yahweh with all the trees of juniper and with harps and with lyres and with tambourines and with rattles and with cymbals.

6 And they came up to the threshing floor of Nakon. And Uzzah reached out to the Box of God, and he grabbed it because the oxen let it fall. 7 And the nose of Yahweh grew hot against Uzzah, and God struck him there on account of the error. And he died there by the Box of God.

8 And it grew hot for David because Yahweh broke out with an outburst against Uzzah. And he called that place Perez-Uzzah, up to this day.

9 And David feared Yahweh that day. And he said, “How will the Box of Yahweh come to me?” 10 And David was not willing to remove to himself the Box of Yahweh to the City of David. And David guided it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 And the Box of Yahweh sat in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, for three months. And Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom and all his house.

12 And it was declared to King David, saying, “Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and everyone who belongs to him for the sake of the Box of God.” And David went, and he brought up the Box of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with joy. 13 And it happened that the people who carried the Box of Yahweh marched six steps, and he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David danced to the face of Yahweh with all his strength. And David was wearing an ephod of linen. 15 And David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the Box of Yahweh with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 And the Box of Yahweh was entering the City of David. But Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window, and she saw King David leaping and dancing to the face of Yahweh, and she despised him in her heart.

17 And they brought the Box of Yahweh, and they placed it in its place in the midst of the tent that David pitched for it. And David lifted up burnt offerings to the face of Yahweh and peace offerings 18 And David ceased from lifting up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. And he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Hosts. 19 And he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, to both a man and to a woman, to each one cake of bread and one date cake and one raisin cake. And all the people went, each to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his house. And Michal the daughter of Saul went out to meet David, and she said, “How honored today was the king of Israel, who exposed himself today to the eyes of the female servants of his servants, like the uncovered exposing of one of the empty people!”

21 And David said to Michal, “To the face of Yahweh who chose me (rather than your father and rather than all his family) by commanding me as leader over the people of Yahweh, over Israel—and I celebrated to the face of Yahweh! 22 And I demeaned myself more than that, and I was low in my eyes. But with the female servants about whom you have spoken—with them, I will be honored.”

23 And to Michal the daughter of Saul there did not belong to her a child to the day of her death.

7 And it happened that the king lived in his house. And Yahweh gave rest to him all around from all his enemies. 2 And the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See, now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the Box of God is living in the midst of the curtain.”

3 And Nathan said to the king, “Everything that is in your heart, go, do, because Yahweh is with you.”

4 And it happened, during that night, and the word of Yahweh was to Nathan, saying,

5 “Go, and you will say to my servant, to David, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Will you build for me a house for my living? 6 For I have not lived in a house from the day of my bringing up the sons of Israel from Egypt and up to this day. And I was going about in tent and in tabernacle. 7 In every place that I went about with all the sons of Israel, did I say a word with one of the rods of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built for me a house of cedar?’ ” ’

8 “But now, thus you will say to my servant, to David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I myself took you from the grazing place, from following after the flock, to become leader over my people, over Israel. 9 And I have been with you in every place that you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from your face. And I will make for you a great name like the name of the great people who are in the land. 10 And I will put a place for my people, for Israel, and I will plant him that he may live in his place, and he will not tremble anymore, and the sons of iniquity will not continue to afflict him, as formerly, 11 and from the day when I commanded judges over my people, Israel. And I will give rest to you from all your enemies.

“And Yahweh declares to you that a house Yahweh will make for you. 12 When your days are filled, and you lie down with your fathers, and I will raise up your seed after you who will come out from your belly. And I will establish his kingdom. 13 He himself will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom until forever. 14 I myself will become a father to him, and he himself will become a son to me that, when he sins, and I will reproach him with a rod of men and with the blows of the sons of man. 15 But my kindness will not turn aside from you as I turned aside from with Saul, whom I turned aside from before your faces. 16 And your house and your kingdom will endure until forever to your face. Your throne will be established until forever.’ ”

17 According to all of these words and according to all of this vision, thus Nathan spoke to David.

18 And King David went, and he sat to the face of Yahweh, and he said,

“Who am I, my Lord Yahweh, and who is my house that you have brought me to here? 19 And still this was small in your eyes, my Lord Yahweh. And you spoke even about the house of your servant from long ago. And this is the law of humanity, my Lord Yahweh!

20 “What more will David continue to say to you? But you yourself know your servant, my Lord Yahweh. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your heart you have done all this greatness, by making your servant know it.

22 “Therefore, you are great, my Lord Yahweh, because there is no one like you and there is no God except you, in everything that we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like your people, like Israel—one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for himself as a people and to set for himself a name and to do for them the greatness and the fearful things for your land, from before the face of your people who you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 And you established for yourself your people Israel, for yourself, as a people until forever. And you yourself, Yahweh, became God for them.

25 “And now, Yahweh God, the word which you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm until forever and do just as you have spoken. 26 And may your name be great until forever, saying, ‘Yahweh of Hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established to your face.

27 “For you, Yahweh of Hosts are the God of Israel. You have uncovered the ear of your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ Therefore, your servant has found his heart to pray to you this prayer. 28 “And now, my Lord Yahweh, you are he, the God, and your words are true. And you have spoken concerning your servant this good thing. 29 And now, be resolved and bless the house of your servant to be to your face forever. For you yourself, my Lord Yahweh, have spoken and from your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

8 And it happened after thus, and David struck the Philistines, and he subdued them. And David took Metheg-Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.

2 And he struck Moab, and he measured them with the rope, making them lie down to the ground. And he measured two ropes to be killed and the fullness of the rope to let live. And Moab became servants to David, people who lift offering.

3 And David struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob the king of Zobah when he went to restore his hand at the river. 4 And David took from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 men on foot. And David hamstrung all the chariots, but he retained from them 100 chariots.

5 And Aram of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. And David struck 22,000 men among Aram. 6 And David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and Aram became servants for David, people who lift offering. And Yahweh saved David in every place that he went.

7 And David took the bow-cases of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and he brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, the cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

9 And Toi the king of Hamath heard that David had struck the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 and Toi sent Joram his son to King David to ask for himself for peace and to bless him on account that he had fought against Hadadezer and had struck him, because Hadadezer was a man of war with Toi. And in his hand were vessels of silver and vessels of gold and vessels of bronze.

11 King David even consecrated them to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold which he consecrated from all the nations which he subdued 12 from Aram and from Moab and from the sons of Ammon and from the Philistines and from Amalek and from the plunder of Hadadezer the son of Rehob the king of Zobah.

13 And David made a name when he returned from his striking Aram in the Valley of Salt—18,000.

14 And he put in Edom garrisons; in all Edom there were garrisons. And it happened, all Edom were servants for David. And Yahweh saved David in every place that he went.

15 And David was king over all Israel. And it happened, David did justice and righteousness for all his people. 16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshapat the son of Ahilud was the secretary. 17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was scribe. 18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were priests.

9 And David said, “Is it that there is yet anyone remaining to the house of Saul that I may do with him kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”

2 And to the house of Saul a servant belonged, and his name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

And he said, “Your servant.”

3 And the king said, “Is there no longer anyone of the house of Saul that I may do with him the kindness of God?”

And Ziba said to the king, “Still a son belongs to Jonathan, a cripple of feet.”

4 And the king said to him, “Where is he?”

And Ziba said to the king, “Look, he is at the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-Debar.”

5 And King David sent, and he brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-Debar.

6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul came to David, and he fell on his face, and he prostrated himself.

And David said, “Mephibosheth.”

And he said, “Look, your servant.”

7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will certainly do with you kindness for the sake of Jonathan your father, and I will restore to you the entire pasture of Saul your father. And you yourself will eat bread on my table continually.”

8 And he prostrated himself, and he said, “What is your servant that you turn to the dead dog, who is like me?”

9 And the king called to Ziba, the young man of Saul, and he said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to all his house, I have given to the son of your lord. 10 And you will work the ground for him, you and your sons and your servants, and you will bring in the produce, so that there will be bread for the son of your lord, so that he may eat it. But Mephibosheth the son of your lord will eat bread continually on my table.” (And to Ziba belonged 15 sons and 20 servants.)

11 And Ziba said to the king, “According to everything that my lord the king,] has commanded his servant, thus your servant will do. And Mephibosheth is eating on my table like one from the sons of the king.”

12 And to Mephibosheth was a young son, and his name was Mica. And all the people who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, because he was continually eating on the table of the king, but he was lame, the two of his feet.

10 And it happened after thus, and the king of the sons of Ammon died. And Hanun his son was king in his place. 2 And David said, “I will do kindness with Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father did kindness with me.” And David sent in order to comfort him by the hand of his servants concerning his father.

And the servants of David came to the land of the sons of Ammon. 3 And the captains of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Is David honoring your father in your eyes because he sent comforters to you? Is it not for the sake of exploring the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it that David has sent his servants to you?” 4 And Hanun took the servants of David, and he shaved half of their beards, and he cut their robes in half up to their buttocks. And he sent them away.

5 And they informed David, and he sent to call them, because the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “Live in Jericho until your beard grows, and you will return.”

6 And the sons of Ammon saw that they were made to stink to David. And the sons of Ammon sent, and they hired Aram of Beth-Rehob, and Aram of Zoba with 20,000 footmen, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men.

7 And David heard, and he sent Joab and the entire army, the mighty people. 8 And the sons of Ammon went out and they arranged for war at the opening of the gate. And Aram of Zoba and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were alone in the field.

9 And Joab saw that the face of the war was against him, from before the faces and from behind, and he chose from the entire chosen ones of Israel, and he arranged them to meet Aram. 10 And the remainder of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother. And he arranged them to meet the sons of Ammon. 11 And he said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you will become deliverance for me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will go to provide deliverance for you. 12 Be strong, and let us be strong for the benefit of our people and for the benefit of the cities of our God. And Yahweh will do what is good in his eyes.”

13 And Joab and the people who were with him approached the war against Aram, and they fled from before his face. 14 And the sons of Ammon saw that Aram fled, and they fled from before the face of Abishai, and they entered the city. And Joab returned away from the sons of Ammon, and he entered Jerusalem.

15 And Aram saw that he was struck to the face of Israel, and they assembled together. 16 And Hadadezer sent, and he brought out Aram, who was from beyond the River, and they came to Helam. And Shobak the captain of the army of Hadadezer was to their faces.

17 And it was declared to David, and he assembled all Israel, and he crossed the Jordan, and he came to Helam. And Aram arranged to meet David, and they fought with him. 18 And Aram fled from the face of Israel, and David killed from Aram 700 chariots and 40,000 horsemen, and he struck Shobak the captain of his army, and he died there. 19 And all the kings, the servants of Hadadezer, saw that they were struck to the face of Israel, and they made peace with Israel, and they served them.

And Aram was afraid to deliver the sons of Ammon anymore.

11 And it happened, at the return of the year, at the time of the going out of kings, and David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon, and they laid siege against Rabbah. But David lived in Jerusalem.

2 And it happened, at the time of the evening, and David got up from his bed, and he walked about on the roof of the house of the king, and he saw from the roof a woman bathing. And the woman was very good of appearance. 3 And David sent, and he inquired about the woman. And he said, “Is that not Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 And David sent messengers, and he took her. And she came to him, and he laid with her. (And she was keeping herself sanctified from her uncleanness.) And she returned to her house. 5 Αnd the woman became pregnant, and she sent, and she informed David, and she said, “I am pregnant.”

6 And David sent to Joab, “Send Uriah the Hittite to me.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 And Uriah came to him. And David asked for the welfare of Joab and for the welfare of the people and for the welfare of the war. 8 And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out from the house of the king, and a present from the king went out after him. 9 And Uriah lay down at the opening of the house of the king with all the servants of his lord. And he did not go down to his house.

10 And they informed David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house.” And David said to Uriah, “Are you not coming from a road? Why did you not go down to your house?”

11 And Uriah said to David, “The Box and Israel and Judah are living in tents, and my lord, Joab, and the servants of my lord are encamped on the face of the field. But I, will I go to my house to eat and to drink and to lay with my wife? By your life and by the life of your spirit, I will not do this thing!”

12 And David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will send you.” And Uriah stayed in Jerusalem on that day and from the following day. 13 And David called to him, and he ate to his face, and he drank, and he made him drunk. And he went out in the evening to lie down in his bed with the servants of his lord, but to his house, he did not go down.

14 And it happened in the morning, and David wrote a scroll to Joab. And he sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the scroll, saying, “Give Uriah to the front of the face of the strongest battle, and turn them back from behind him so that he will be struck and die.”

16 And it happened, when Joab kept watch over the city, and he gave Uriah to the place where he knew that men of military prowess were there. 17 And the men of the city went out, and they fought Joab, and some of the people from the servants of David fell. And also Uriah the Hittite died.

18 And Joab sent, and he informed David every word of the war. 19 And he commanded the messenger, saying, “As you are finishing every word of the war by speaking to the king, 20 it will be, if the heat of the king rises, and he says to you, ‘Why did you draw near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Did not a woman throw down on him an upper millstone from the wall, and he died in Thebez? Why did you draw near to the wall?’ And you will say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’ ”

22 And the messenger went, and he came, and he told David everything that Joab had sent him to say. 23 And the messenger said to David that the men prevailed against us, and they came out against us to the field. But we were against them up to the opening of the gate. 24 And the people who were shooting shot to your servants from the wall and some from the servants of the king died—and also your servant Uriah the Hittite died.”

25 And David said to the messenger, “Thus, you will say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter be grievous in your eyes, for like that one and like this one the sword devours. Strengthen your war against the city and tear it down.’ And strengthen him.”

26 And the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband died. And she lamented for her husband. 27 And the mourning period passed, and David sent, and he gathered her to his house, and she became a wife to him, and she bore a son for him. But the thing that David had done was grievous in the eyes of Yahweh.

12 And Yahweh sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and he said to him, “Two men were in one city—one was rich and one was poor. 2 To the rich man belonged very many sheep and cattle, 3 But to the poor man, there was not anything except one little ewe lamb which he had bought. And he kept it alive, and it grew with him and with his sons together. From his scrap it would eat; from his cup it would drink, and in his lap, it would lay down. And it was to him like a daughter.

4 And a traveler came to the rich man, and he spared taking from his flock or from his cattle to prepare for the wanderer who had come to him. And he took the ewe lamb of the poor man, and he prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

5 And the nose of David grew very hot against the man. And he said to Nathan, “By the life of Yahweh, surely the man who has done that is a son of death! 6 He will restore the ewe lamb fourfold on account that he has done this thing and on account that he did not spare.”

7 And Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘I myself anointed you as king over Israel, and I myself delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave to you the house of your lord and the wives of your lord in your lap, and I gave to you the house of Israel and Judah. But if this is little, let me add to you like them and like them. 9 Why have you despised the Word of Yahweh by doing that which is evil in my eyes? You struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and his wife you took for yourself as a wife. But him you have killed with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 And now, the sword will not turn away from your house until forever on account that you despised me, and you have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to become a wife for you.’

11 Thus says Yahweh: ‘Look at me raising up against you a disaster from your house. And I will take your wives to your eyes, and I will give them to your companions. And he will lay down with your wives to the eyes of this sun. 12 For you yourself have done in secret, but I myself will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’ ”

13 And David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.”

And Nathan said to David, “Yahweh has even allowed your sin to pass; you will not die. 14 Nevertheless, because you have utterly disrespected the enemies of Yahweh with this thing, the son who was born to you will also surely die.” 15 And Nathan went to his home.

And Yahweh afflicted the child whom the wife of Uriah had born to David, and he became sick. 16 And David sought God for the sake of the boy. And David fasted a fast, and he came, and he spent the night, and he laid down on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house got up beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was not wiling, nor would he eat bread with them.

18 And it happened on the seventh day, and the child died, and the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child died, for they said, ‘Look, while the child was living, we spoke to him, but he did not listen to our voice. And how will we say to him, ‘The child died?’ And he will do harm.”

19 And David saw that his servants were whispering together, and David discerned that the child died. And David said to his servants, “Did the child die?”

And they said, “He died.”

20 And David got up from the ground, and he washed, and he anointed, and he changed his clothes, and he entered the house of Yahweh, and he prostrated himself. And he came to his house, and he asked, and they put out bread for him, and he ate.

21 And his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? For the sake of the living child you fasted, and you wept, but just as the child dies, you get up, and you eat bread.”

22 And he said, “When yet the child was alive, I fasted, and I wept, because I said, ‘Who knows? Yahweh may be gracious to me, so that the child lives.’ 23 But now, he is dead. Why is this that I should fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I am going to him, but he—he will not return to me.”

24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and he came to her, and he laid down with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Yahweh loved him. 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah for the sake of Yahweh.

26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon. And he overthrew the city of the kingdom. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and he said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Also, I have overthrown the city of the waters. 28 And now, gather the remainder of the people and lay siege to the city and overthrow it, lest I take the city myself and my name is called to it.

29 And David gathered all the people, and he went to Rabbah. And he fought against it, and he overthrew it. 30 And David took the crown of their king from his head (and its weight was a talent of gold and a precious stone), and it was on the head of David. And the plunder of the city he brought out—very much. 31 But the people who were in it, he brought out, and he set them with the saw and with picks of iron and with axes of iron, and he made them pass through at the brick kiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

13 And it happened after thus, and to Absalom the son of David belonged a beautiful sister, and her name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 And there was distress to Amnon so that he made himself sick for the sake of Tamar his sister, for she was a virgin. But it was difficult in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.

3 But to Amnon belonged a friend, and his name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah the brother of David. And Jonadab was a very clever man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you so poor, son of the king, morning by morning? Will you not inform me?”

And Amnon said to him, “Tamar the sister of Absalom my brother I am loving.”

5 And Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and make yourself sick. And your father comes to see you, and you will say to him, ‘Please, let Tamar my sister come, and let her provide me with bread, and let her make the food to my eyes, so that I may see, and I will eat from her hand.’ ”

6 And Amnon lay down, and he made himself sick. And the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Please, let Tamar my sister come, and let her make to my eyes a couple of cakes, so that I may eat from her hand.”

7 And David sent to Tamar at the house, saying, “Now, go to the house of Amnon your brother and make food for him.” 8 And Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, and he was lying down, and she took the dough, and she kneaded it, and she made cakes to his eyes, and she boiled the cakes. 9 And she took the tray, and she poured it out to his face, but he refused to eat.

And Amnon said, “Make every person go away from me.” And every person went away from him.

10 And Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food to the bedroom so that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes that she made, and she brought them to Amnon her brother, into the bedroom 11 And she brought them close to him to eat. And he grabbed her, and he said to her, “Come, lay down with me, my sister.”

12 And she said to him, “No, my brother, do not humiliate me, for thus it is not done in Israel. Do not do this atrocity!” 13 But I—where will I bring my shame? And you—you would be like one of the godless fools in Israel. But now, please, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he was not willing to listen to her voice. And he was stronger than she, and he humiliated her, and he laid down with her.

15 And Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, go.”

16 And she said to him, “No, because this great evil is worse than the other thing that you did with me, to send me away.”

But he was not willing to listen to her. 17 And he called his young man who served him, and he said, “Now, send this woman away from me outside and lock the door behind her.” 18 And on her was a long robe that thus the daughters of the king, the virgins, wore as an outer garment. And the person who served him brought her outside, and he locked the door behind her. 19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and the long robe which was on her she tore. And she put her hands on her hand, and she walked, walking, and she cried out.

20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, my sister, keep silent—he is your brother. Do not put your heart to this matter.” And Tamar lived—and was desolate—in the house of Absalom her brother.

21 And King David heard all these things, and it grew very hot to him. 22 But Absalom did not speak with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom hated Amnon for the reason that he humiliated Tamar his sister.

23 And it happened after two years of days, and sheep shearers belonged to Absalom in Baal-Hazor, which is near Ephraim. And Absalom called to all the sons of the king. 24 And Absalom went to the king, and he said, “Look, please. Sheep shearers belong to your servant. Please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

25 And the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, now, let us not go—all of us, and let us not be heavy to you.” And he urged him, but he was not willing to go, and he blessed him.

26 And Absalom said, “But if not, please, let Amnon my brother go with us.”

And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 And Absalom urged him, and he sent Amnon and all the sons of the king with him.

28 And Absalom commanded his young men, saying, “Now, see, when Amnon is good of heart with the wine, and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ Then you will murder him. Do not be afraid. Is it not that I myself have commanded you? Be courageous and be as sons of military prowess.” 29 And the young men of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom commanded. And all the sons of the king got up, and they rode, each on his mule, and they fled.

30 And it happened, they were on the road, and the news came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck all the sons of the king, and not one from them is left.” 31 And the king got up, and he tore his clothes, and he laid down on the ground, and all his servants who were standing were tearing their clothes.

32 And Jonadab the son of Shimeah the brother of David answered, and he said, “Let my lord not say, ‘All the young men, the sons of the king, have been mudered,’ because Amnon alone is dead. For it was placed on the mouth of Absalom from the day of his humiliating Tamar his sister. 33 And now, let my lord, the king, not put the matter to his heart, saying, ‘All the sons of the king are dead,’ except only Amnon is dead.”

34 And Absalom fled.

And the young man who was keeping watch raised his eyes, and he saw, and look—many people were coming from the road behind him, from the side of the mountain.

35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king are coming. As your servant spoke, thus it is.”

36 And it happened, as he finished speaking, and look—the sons of the king came, and they raised their voice, and they wept. And also the king and all his servants wept a very great weeping.

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

38 And Absalom fled, and he went to Geshur. And he was there for three years. 39 And David the king longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, because he died.

14 And Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the heart of the king was on Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to Tekoa, and he brought from there a wise woman. And he said to her, “Now, mourn and please put on clothes of mourning. And you will not anoint yourself with oil, but you will be like this woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days.” 3 And you will go to the king, and you will speak to him, according to this word.” And Joab set the words in her mouth.

4 And the Tekoite woman spoke to the king, and she fell on her nose to the ground, and she prostrated herself. And she said, “Save, O king!”

5 And the king said to her, “What is to you?”

And she said, “Alas, I am a widow woman, and my husband has died. 6 And to your female servant belonged two sons, and they fought, the two of them, in the field, but there was no person who could deliver between them. And the one struck him, the one, and he killed him. 7 And, look, the entire clan has risen against your female servant, and they said, ‘Give the one who struck his brother, and we will kill him in exchange for the life of his brother who he killed, and let us destroy the heir also.’ And they would quench my coal that remains, no putting to my husband a name or remnant on the face of the ground.”

8 And the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I myself will command concerning you.”

9 And the Tekoite woman said to the king, “On me, my lord the king, is the iniquity, and on the house of my father, but the king and his throne are innocent.”

10 And the king said, “The one who speaks against you, and bring him to me, and he will not continue anymore to touch you.”

11 And she said, “Please, let the king remember Yahweh your God, so that the avenger of blood will not increase so as to cause ruin. Then they will not destroy my son.”

And he said, “By the life of Yahweh, the hair of your son will not fall to the ground.”

12 And the woman said, “Please, let your female servant speak a word to my lord the king.”

And he said, “Speak.”

13 And the woman said, “And why have you planned like this against the people of God? And because the king speaking this word is like a guilty person, because the king has not returned the one who he scattered. 14 For we will certainly die—and like water which is spilled on the ground, which is not gathered. But God will not take away a life, but he plans plans so that the one who was scattered will not be scattered from him.

15 “And now that I have come to speak this thing to the king my lord is because the people have frightened me. And your female servant says, ‘I will speak, please, to the king. Perhaps the king will do the word of his maidservant. 16 For the king will listen in order to save his maidservant from the palm of the man destroying me and my son together from the inheritance of God.’

17 “And your female servant said, ‘Please, let the word of my lord the king become a resting place, because like the angel of God, so is my lord the king to understand good and evil. And may Yahweh your God be with you!’ ”

18 And the king answered, and he said to the woman, “Now, you will not hide from me a word that I am asking you.”

And the woman said, “Please, let my lord the king speak.”

19 And the king said, “Was the hand of Joab with you in all this?”

And the woman answered, and she said, “By the life of your spirit, my lord the king, there is not turning to the right or turning to the left from everything that my lord the king spoke, for your servant, Joab—he himself commanded me, and he himself put in the mouth of your female servant all these words. 20 For the sake of turning the face of the matter, your servant Joab did this thing. But my lord is wise like the wisdom of an angel of God to know everything that is on earth.”

21 And the king said to Joab, “Look, now I will do this thing. And go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground, and he prostrated himself, and he blessed the king. And Joab said, “Today, your servant knows that I have found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, that the king does the word of his servant.”

23 And Joab got up, and he went to Geshur. And he brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “He will go around to his house, but my face he will not see.” And Absalom went around to his house, but the face of the king he did not see.

25 And like Absalom there was not a handsome person in all Israel to praise greatly. From the sole of his foot and to the crown of his head, there was no blemish on him. 26 And when he shaved his head (and it was at the end of years to years that he would shave, because it was heavy on him, and he would cut it), and he weighed the hair of his head: 200 shekels by the stone of the king.

27 And to Absalom were born three sons and one daughter, and her name was Tamar. She herself was a woman, beautiful of appearance.

28 And Absalom lived in Jerusalem two full years, and the face of the king he did not see. 29 And Absalom sent to Joab to send him to the king, but he was not willing to come to him. And Absalom sent again a second time, but he was not willing to come. 30 And he said to his servants, “See, the plot of Joab is to my hand, and barley belongs to him there. Go, and burn it with fire.” And the servants of Absalom burned the plot with fire.

31 And Joab got up, and he came to Absalom, to the house. And he said to him, “Why did your servants burn the plot which belongs to me with fire?”

32 And Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here that I may send you to the king, saying, “Why did I come from Geshur? It would be good for me if I were still there.” ’ And now, let me see the face of the king, and if there is iniquity in me, then let him kill me.”

33 And Joab came to the king, and he informed him. And he called to Absalom, and he came to the king, and he prostrated himself to him on his nose to the ground to the face of the king. And the king kissed Absalom.

15 And it happened after thus, and Absalom made for himself a chariot and horses. And 50 men were running to his face. 2 And Absalom would rise early, and he would stand beside the hand of the way of the gate. And it happened, each person that a dispute belonged to him to come to the king for judgment, and Absalom called to him, and he said, “From which city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 And Absalom would say to him, “See, your word is good and straight, but there is not for you someone who will listen from with the king.” 4 And Absalom would say, “Who will appoint me as judge in the land that every person that a dispute or case belongs to him would come to me, and I could declare him to be righteous.”

5 And it was, when a person would draw near to prostrate himself to him that he would send out his hand, and he would take hold of it, and he would kiss it. 6 And Absalom acted according to this word for all Israel who came for judgment to the king. And Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel.

7 And it happened at the end of four years, and Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go, and I will fulfill my vow that I vowed to Yahweh in Hebron. 8 For your servant vowed a vow when I lived in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If Yahweh will certainly bring me to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.”

9 And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” And he got up, and he went to Hebron.

10 And Absalom sent people who would spy on all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you will say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’ ” 11 And with Absalom went 200 men from Jerusalem who were called and who walked in their blamelessness, and they did not know the whole matter. 12 And Absalom sent Ahithophel the Gilohite, the person who counseled David, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And it happened, the conspiracy was strong, and the people were walking and increasingly with Absalom.

13 And the person who declared to David came, saying, “The heart of the man of Israel is behind Absalom.”

14 And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Get up, and let us flee, for there will not be for us an escape from before the face of Absalom. Hurry to leave lest he hurry and overtake us and swing on us a disaster and strike the city to the mouth of the sword.”

15 And the servants of the king said to the king, “According to everything that my lord the king chooses, look—your servants.”

16 And the king went out and all his family were at his feet. And the king left 10 women, concubines, to guard the house. 17 And the king went out and all the people were at his feet. And they stood at the furthest house. 18 And all his servants were crossing over beside his hand, and all the Kerethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites (600 men who came on his foot from Gath) were crossing over to the face of the king.

19 And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you yourself also coming with us? Return and live with the king, for you are a foreigner, and also you are an exile to your place. 20 Yesterday was your coming, but today will I make you wander about with us by going? But I am going because I am going. Return and make your brothers return with you—kindness and faithfulness.”

21 And Ittai answered the king, and he said, “By the life of Yahweh and by the life of my lord the king, surely in the place where my lord the king will be there, whether to death or to life, that there your servant will be.”

22 And David said to Ittai, “Go and cross over.” And Ittai the Gittite crossed over and all his men and all the little children who were with him.

23 And the whole land was weeping with a great voice, and all the people were crossing, and the king was crossing the river of Kidron, and all the people were crossing the desert by the face of the way.

24 And look—even Zadok and all the Levites with him were lifting the Box of the Covenant of God, and they set down the Box of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished crossing from the city.

25 And the king said to Zadok, “Make the Box of God return to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, then he will make me return, and he will make me see it and his dwelling place. 26 But if thus he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ look at me—he will do to me just as is good in his eyes.”

27 And the king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a person who sees? Return to the city in peace and Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons, with you. 28 See, I am hesitating at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from with you to inform me.” 29 And Zadok and Abiathar returned the Box of God to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.

30 And David was going up on the Mount of Olives, going up and weeping, and a head for him was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people who were with him, each one, covered his head, and they went up, going up and weeping. 31 And David declared, saying, “Ahithophel is among the people who are conspiring with Absalom.” And David prayed, “Please, Yahweh, make the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

32 And it happened, David came up to the top where he would prostrate himself there to God, and look—meeting him was Hushai the Archite. His tunic was torn and dirt was on his head. 33 And David said to him, “If you cross with me, you will become a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city, and you say to Absalom, ‘I am your servant, O king. I was the servant of your father, and I, previously. But now, and I will be your servant,’ then you will foil the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? But it will be, every word that you hear from the house of the king declare to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests. 36 Look, there with them are the two of their sons, Ahimaaz belonging to Zadok and Jonathan belonging to Abiathar. And you will send by their hand to me every word that you hear.”

37 And Hushai the friend of David came to the city. And Absalom came to Jerusalem.

16 And David crossed over a little from the top, and look—meeting him was Ziba the young man of Mephibosheth and a pair of saddled donkeys, and on them 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

2 And the king said to Ziba, “What are these to you?”

And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the house of the king to ride, and the bread and the summer fruits are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for the people who are faint in the wilderness to drink.”

3 And the king said, “And where is the son of your lord?”

And Ziba said to the king, “Look, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will return the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”

4 And the king said to Ziba, “Look, to you belongs everything that belongs to Mephibosheth.”

And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself—I have found favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

5 And King David came to Bahurim. And look—from there a man from the family of the house of Saul was going out, and his name was Shimei the son of Gera. He was going out, going out and cursing. 6 And he threw stones at David and all the servants of King David and all the people and all the mighty men on his right and on his left. 7 And thus Shimei said when he cursed: “Go out, go out, man of blood, man of worthlessness! 8 Yahweh has returned to you all the blood of the house of Saul who you are king in his place, and Yahweh has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. And look at you, at your evil, for you are a man of blood.”

9 And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me cross over and let me remove his head.”

10 And the king said, “What is to me and to you, sons of Zeruiah? For he curses because Yahweh said to him, ‘Curse David,’ and who will say, ‘Why have you done thus?’ ”

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Look, my son who went out from my belly is seeking my spirit. And how much more that now, this Benjaminite. Leave him and let him curse, for Yahweh said to him. 12 Perhaps Yahweh will look at my iniquity, and Yahweh will return to me good instead of his cursing this day.”

13 And David and his men walked on the road, and Shimei was walking on the side of the mountain opposite him, walking, and he cursed, and he threw stones opposite him, and he flung dust. 14 And the king and all the people who were with him came, weary. And he refreshed himself there.

15 And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16 And it happened when Hushai the Archite, a friend of David, came to Absalom, and Hushai said to Absalom, “May the king live! May the king live!”

17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “This is your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom Yahweh and this people have chosen and all the men of Israel—to him I will belong, and with him I will stay. 19 And the second thing: to whom will I myself serve? Is it not to the face of his son? Just as I served to the face of your father, thus I will be to your face.”

20 And Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give to us counsel. What will we do?”

21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go to the concubines of your father who he left to guard the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made your father stink, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 And they spread for Absalom the tent on the roof. And Absalom went to the concubines of his father to the eyes of all Israel.

23 And the counsel of Ahithphel that he counseled in those days was just as if he inquired of the word of God. Thus was all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.

17 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose, please, 12,000 men, and let me get up, and let me pursue after David tonight. 2 And I will come upon him, and he is weary and weak of hands, and I will startle him, and all the people who are with him will flee. And I will strike the king by himself. 3 And I will return all the people to you, like the returning of all, the man whom you are seeking. All the people will be safe.” 4 And the word was upright in the eyes of Absalom and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.

5 And Absalom said, “Now, call also to Hushai the Archite, and let us hear what is in his mouth, even him.” 6 And Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom said to him, saying, “According to this word, Ahithophel has spoken. Will we do his word? If not, you yourself, speak.”

7 And Hushai said to Absalom, “Not good is the counsel that Ahithophel has counseled at this time.” 8 And Hushai said, “You yourself know your father and his men—that they are mighty men, and they are bitter of spirit, like a bear bereaved in the field. And your father is a man of war, and he will not spend the night with the people.” 9 Look, now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in one of the places. And it will be when some among them fall in the beginning, the person who hears will hear and say, ‘A slaughter happened among the people who are behind Absalom.’ 10 And he—also, a son of military prowess who his heart is like a heart of the lion—will utterly melt, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and the sons of military prowess who are with him.

11 “For I will give counsel: All Israel will certainly be gathered to you, from Dan and up to Beersheba, as the sands which are by the sea, to the multitude. And your face will be walking in the battle. 12 And we will come upon him in one of the places where he will be found there, and we will be on him just as the dew falls on the ground. And we will not leave him or any of the men who are with him, even one. 13 And if he gathers into a city, and all Israel will bring ropes to that city. And we will drag it up to the river until even a pebble will not be found there.”

14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Better is the counsel of Hushai the Archite than the counsel of Ahithophel.” And Yahweh commanded to foil the good counsel of Ahithophel for the sake of Yahweh bringing the disaster to Absalom.

15 And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, “Like that and like that Ahithophel counsels Absalom and the elders of Israel. And like that and like that I myself have counseled. 16 But now, send quickly and declare to David, saying, ‘Do not spend tonight in the fords of the wilderness, and also certainly cross over lest the king and all the people who are with him will be swallowed up.’ ”

17 And Jonathan and Ahimaaz were standing in the spring of Rogel, and a female servant would come, and she would inform them, and they themselves would go, and they would inform King David, for they were not able to be seen entering the city. 18 And a young man saw them, and he informed Absalom. And the two of them went quickly, and they came to the house of a man in Bahurim, and a well belonged to him in his courtyard, and they went down there. 19 And the woman took and stretched out the cover over the face of the well, and she spread grain over it. And the matter was not known.

20 And the servants of Absalom came to the woman of the house, and they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

And the woman said to them, “They crossed over the brook of water.” And they sought, but they did not find, and they returned to Jerusalem.

21 And it happened after they went, they went up from the well, and they went, and they informed King David. And they said to David, “Get up and quickly cross over the waters, for thus Ahithophel counseled against you.” 22 And David and all the people who were with him got up, and they crossed the Jordan until the light of morning, until one was not remaining that had not crossed the Jordan.

23 And Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not done, and he saddled his donkey, and he got up, and he went to his house, to his city, and he gave commands to his house, and he hanged himself. And he died, and he was buried in the grave of his father.

24 And David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom appointed Amasa in the place of Joab over the army. And Amasa was the son of a man, and his name was Ithra the Israelite, who came to Abigail the daughter of Nahash the sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab. 26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 And it happened as David came to Mahanaim, and Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-Debar and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim— 28 beds and basins and vessels of the potter and wheat and barley and flour and roasted grain and beans and lentils and roasted grain 29 and honey and butter and sheep and cheese of the cattle they brought in to David and to the people who were with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

18 And David counted the people who were with him, and he appointed over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. 2 And David sent the people—the third in the hand of Joab and the third in the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah the brother of Joab and the third in the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I will certainly go out, even I, with you.”

3 But the people said, “You will not go out, for if we certainly flee, they will not put a heart to us. But if half of us die, they will not put a heart to us, for you are, compared to us, 10,000. But now, it is better that you become help for us from the city.”

4 And the king said to them, “That which is good in your eyes, I will do.”

And the king stood to the hand of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Be gentle for me to the young man, to Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.

6 And the people went out to the field to meet with Israel, and the war was in the forest of Ephraim. 7 And there the people of Israel were struck before the servants of David. And there the defeat was great on that day—20,000. 8 And there the war was dispersed over the face of the whole land. And the forest consumed more among the people than that which the sword consumed on that day.

9 And Absalom was met to the face of the servants of David. And Absalom was riding on the donkey, and the donkey went under the branches of the large terebinth, and his head was caught on the terebinth, and he was given between the heavens and between the earth, and the donkey that was under him passed through.

10 And one person saw, and he informed Joab. And he said, “Look, I saw Absalom hanging on the terebinth.”

11 And Joab said to the person who informed him, “And look—you saw, but why did you not strike him there to the ground? It is to me to give to you ten silver and one belt.”

12 And the man said to Joab, “Even if I was weighing on my palm 1,000 silver, I would not have sent out my hand to the son of the king. For in our ears the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Guard for me the young man Absalom.’ 13 Or if I had done in my spirit a falsehood—and every matter is not hidden from the king—and you yourself would have stood from before me.”

14 And Joab said, “Not thus will I wait to your face.” And he took three spears in his palm, and he thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was living in the heart of the terebinth. 15 And ten young men, those who carried the weapons of Joab, surrounded. And they struck Absalom, and they killed him.

16 And Joab blasted on the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab kept the people back. 17 And they took Absalom, and they threw him in the forest into the large pit, and they stood on him a very large pile of stones. And all Israel fled, each to his tent.

18 And Absalom had taken and set up for himself when he was living a pillar which was in the Valley of the King, for he said, “There is no son for me for the sake of causing my name to be remembered.” And he called the pillar according to his name, and it is called the Hand of Absalom up to this day.

19 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please, let me run and let me bring news to the king, for Yahweh has judged him against the hand of his enemies.”

20 And Joab said to him, “You are not a man of news this day, but you will bring news another day. But this day, you will not bring news because the son of the king is dead.”

21 And Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, declare to the king what you saw.” And the Cushite prostrated himself to Joab, and he ran.

22 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok continued again, and he said to Joab, “But whatever will be, please, let me run also myself after the Cushite.”

And Joab said, “Why is this that you will run, my son, and for you there is no news which finds a reward?”

23 “But whatever will be, let me run.”

And he said to him, “Run.” And Ahimaaz ran the way of the valley, and he passed by the Cushite.

24 And David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went to the roof of the gate to the wall, and he raised his eyes, and he saw, and look—a man was running by himself. 25 And the watchman called, and he informed the king, and the king said, “If he is by himself, news is in his mouth.” And he walked, walking and near.

26 And the watchman looked—another man was running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper, and he said, “Look, a man is running by himself.”

And the king said, “Also this person brings news.”

27 And the watchman said, “I am seeing the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”

And the king said, “This is a good man, and he comes with good news.”

28 And Ahimaaz called, and he said to the king, “Peace!” And he prostrated himself to the king with his nose to the ground. And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has shut up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.”

29 And the king said, “Does peace belong to the young man, to Absalom?”

And Ahimaaz said, “I saw a great commotion when Joab sent the servant of the king and your servant, but I do not know what.”

30 And the king said, “Turn, stand thus.” And he turned, and he stood.

31 And look—the Cushite came. And the Cushite said, “May my lord the king receive news, for Yahweh has judged you today against the hand of all those who rose up against you.”

32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Does peace belong to the young man, to Absalom?”

And the Cushite said, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all those who rose up against you for evil be like the young man.”

33 And the king trembled, and he went up to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And thus he said when he went:

“My son Absalom!

My son, my son Absalom!

Who will give my dying—me instead of you?

Absalom my son, my son!”

19 And it was declared to Joab, “Look, the king is weeping, and he is morning for Absalom.” 2 And the victory on that day became mourning for all the people, for the people heard on that day, saying, “The king grieves for his son.” 3 And the people stole away on that day to enter the city, like people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in war. 4 And the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son.”

5 And Joab came to the king, to the house, and he said, “You have shamed today the faces of all your servants, the ones who have saved your spirit today and the spirit of your sons and your daughters and the spirit of your wives and the spirit of your concubines 6 by loving those who hate you and by hating those who love you, for you have declared today that the captains and servants are nothing to you, for I know today that if only Absalom were living and all of us today were dead, that then it would be upright in your eyes. 7 But now, get up, go out and speak to the heart of your servants, for I swear by Yahweh that if you are not going out, a man will not remain with you tonight, and this will be more trouble for you than all the trouble which has come on you from your youth until now.”

8 And the king got up and sat in the gate. And all the people declared, saying, “Look, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came to the face of the king.

And Israel fled, each to his tent.

9 And it happened, all the people were arguing in all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the palm of our enemies, and he himself saved us from the palm of the Philistines. But now he has fled from the land away from Absalom. 10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the war. And now, why are you being silent about returning the king?”

11 And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to return the king to his house? And the word of all Israel has come to the king, to his house. 12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. And why are you last to return the king?’ 13 And to Amasa you will say, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? Thus may God do to me, and thus may he continue if you are not the captain of the army to the face of all the years in the place of Joab.’ ”

14 And he stretched out the heart of all the men of Judah as one man. And they sent to the king, “Return, you yourself, and all your servants.” 15 And the king returned, and he came up to the Jordan.

And Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan. 16 And Shimei the son of Gera the Benjaminite who was from Bahurim hurried. And he went down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 And 1,000 men were with him from Benjamin, and Ziba the young man of the house of Saul and 15 of his sons and 20 of his servants were with him. And they rushed into the Jordan to the face of the king. 18 And they crossed the ford to bring over the house of the king and to do what was good in his eyes.

And Shimei the son of Gera fell to the face of the king when he crossed in the Jordan. 19 And he said to the king, “May my lord not reckon to me iniquity, and may you not remember that your servant committed iniquity on the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem by the king putting it to his heart. 20 For your servant knows that I myself have sinned, and look—I have come today first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord, the king.”

21 And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, and he said, “Instead of this, will Shimei not be killed? For he belittled the anointed one of Yahweh.”

22 And David said, “What is to me and to you, sons of Zeruiah, that you have become to me today an accuser? Will today a person in Israel be killed? Indeed, do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 And the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” And the king swore to him.

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he did not do his feet, nor did he do his moustache, and his clothes he did not wash from the day the king went until the day that he came back in peace. 25 And it happened that he went to Jerusalem to meet the king. And the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 And he said, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said, ‘Let me saddle the donkey for myself, and let me ride on it, and let me go with the king.’ For your servant is lame. 27 And he slandered your servant to my lord the king. And my lord the king is like an angel of God. So do what is good in your eyes. 28 For all the house of my father was not except men of death to my lord the king, and you set your servant among those who ate at your table. And what more righteousness is there for me still to cry out to the king?”

29 And the king said to him, “Why do you speak still your words? I have said, ‘You and Ziba—you will divide the field.’ ”

30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Also let him take everything, after which my lord the king has come in peace to his house.”

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim. And he crossed the Jordan with the king to send him to the Jordan. 32 And Barzillai was very old—a son of 80 years. And he himself sustained the king in his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, “You, cross over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.”

34 And Barzillai said to the king, “How many are the days of the years of my life, that I may go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 A son of 80 years am I today. Do I know between good and evil, or can your servant taste that which he eats and that which I drink, or can I still hear the voice of the singing men and the singing women? And why will your servant further become a burden to my lord the king?” 36 Like a little thing, your servant will cross the Jordan with the king. And why will the king reward me with this reward? 37 Please, let your servant return, and let me die in my city with the grave of my father and my mother. And look, your servant Kimham—let him cross over with my lord the king. And do to him that which is good in your eyes.”

38 And the king said, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I myself will do for him that which is good in your eyes. And everything that you choose concerning me, I will do for you.”

39 And all the people crossed the Jordan, and the king crossed. And the king kissed Barzillai, and he blessed him, and he returned to his place.

40 And the king crossed over to Gilgal, and Kimham crossed over with him. And all the people of Judah brought the king over and also half the people of Israel.

41 And look—all the men of Israel were coming to the king. And they said to the king, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal you away? And they brought the king and his house over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him.”

42 And all the men of Judah answered to the men of Israel, “Because the king is near to me. And why does this burn to you concerning this matter? Have we surely eaten from the king? Or has he certainly lifted for us?”

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and he said, “Ten hands belong to me in the king, and also in David—I more than you. And why have you belittled me? Was not my word first to me to bring back my king?”

But the word of the men of Judah was harsher than the word of the men of Israel.

20 And there happened to be a man of worthlessness, and his name was Sheba the son of Bikri, a man of Benjamin. And he blasted on the trumpet, and he said,

“There is no portion for us in David,

and no inheritance belongs to us in the son of Jesse.

Each one, to his tents, Israel!”

2 And all the men of Israel went up from after David to after Sheba the son of Bikri. But the men of Judah clung to their king from the Jordan and up to Jerusalem.

3 And David came to his house, to Jerusalem, and the king took ten concubine wives whom he had stationed to guard the house, and he gave them a guarded house, and he provided for them, but he did not go to them. And they were locked up until the day of their death—a widowhood of life.

4 And the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to me—three days. And you, stand here.” 5 And Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the appointed time that he designated for him.

6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bikri will do more harm to us than Absalom. You, take the servants of your lord and pursue after him, lest he find for himself unassailable cities and remove our eyes.” 7 And the men of Joab and the Kerethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men went out after him. And they went out from Jerusalem to purse after Sheba the son of Bikri.

8 They were near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa came to their faces. And Joab was girded—his robe, his clothing, and on him was a belt of a sword strapped on his thigh in its sheath. And he himself went out, but it fell down.

9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Peace, you, my brother?” And the right hand of Joab held on to the beard of Amasa to kiss him. 10 But Amasa was not aware of the sword that was in the hand of Joab. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his intestines poured out to the ground, and he did not do it again to him, and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bikri.

11 And a man from the young men of Joab stood beside him, and he said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—after Joab.” 12 And Amasa was rolling around in blood in the midst of the highway. And the man saw that all the people stood, and he removed Amasa from the highway to a field, and he threw a garment on him when he saw everyone who came to him, and he stood. 13 When he was taken from the highway, each man crossed over after Joab to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikri.

14 And he crossed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth-Maacah and all the Berites. And they gathered, and they also came after him. 15 And they came, and they besieged against him in Abel of Beth-Maacah. And they heaped up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood on the wall. And all the people who were with Joab were destroying in order to make the wall fall down. 16 And a wise woman called from the city, “Listen, listen. Please, say to Joab, ‘Draw near to here, and let me speak to you.’ ”

17 And he drew near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?”

And he said, “I am.”

And she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.”

And he said, “I am listening.” 18 And she said, saying, “They would certainly speak in former times, saying, ‘They will certainly inquire in Abel,’ and thus they would settle it. 19 I am a peaceable and faithful person of Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow the inheritance of Yahweh?”

20 And Joab answered, and he said, “Far be it, far be it for me if I will swallow or if I will destroy. 21 The matter is not thus, for a man from the mountain of Ephraim—his name is Sheba the son of Bikri—he has lifted his hand against the king, against David. Give him alone and let us go from the city.”

And the woman said to Joab, “Look, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 And the woman went to all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bikri, and they threw it to Joab. And he blasted on the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, each to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem, to the king.

23 And Joab was over all the army of Israel. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and over the Pelethites. 24 And Adoniram was over the forced labor, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the secretary. 25 And Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests. 26 And also, Ira the Jairite was priest to David.

21 And there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of Yahweh, and Yahweh said, “To Saul and to the house belongs blood, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

2 And the king called to the Gibeonites, and he spoke to them. And the Gibeonites were not from the sons of Israel; they were rather from the remnant of the Amorites. But the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul sought to strike them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, “What can I do for you? And how can I atone that you would bless the inheritance of Yahweh?”

4 And the Gibeonites said to him, “There is no silver or gold for us with Saul or with his house. And there is not for us a person to kill in Israel.”

And he said, “What are you saying I can do for you?”

5 And they said to the king, “The man who finished us and who intended for us—we are destroyed so that we do not stand in all the borders of Israel— 6 let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before Yahweh at Gibeah of Saul, chosen of Yahweh.”

And the king said, “I myself will give.”

7 And the king had compassion on Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul on account of the oath of Yahweh which was between them, between David and between Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 And the king took two of the sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai, the Meholathite. 9 And he gave them into the hand of the Gibeonites, and they hung them on the mountain to the face of Yahweh, and they fell, the seven of them together. And they themselves died in the days of the harvest, in the first ones, the beginning of the harvest of barley.

10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and she spread it for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest until the waters poured out on them from the heavens. And she did not give a bird of the heavens to stop on them by day, or the animals of the field by night. 11 And it was declared to David that which Rizpah the daughter of Aiah the concubine of Saul had done.

12 And David went, and he took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the masters of Jabesh-Gilead, who had stolen them from the square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung them there on the day the Philistines had struck Saul at Gilboa. 13 And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son, and they gathered the bones of the people who had been hanged.

14 And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father, and they did everything that the king commanded. And God was entreated for the land after that.

15 And the war belonged again to the Philistines with Israel. And David went down and his servants with him, and they fought the Philistines. And David was weary. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, who was among the children of the giants, and the weight of his spear was 300 weights of bronze, and he was girded anew—and he said he would strike David. 17 And Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and he struck the Philistine, and he killed him. Then, the men of David swore to him, saying, “You will not go out anymore with us to war, that you will not quench the lamp of Israel.”

18 And it happened after thus, and the war was again at Gob with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck Saph, who was among the children of the giants.

19 And the war was again at Gob with the Philistines. And Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, struck Goliath the Gittite and the wood of his spear was like the beam of a weaver.

20 And a war was again at Gath, and there was a man of strife, and the fingers of his hand and the toes of his feet were six and six—24 in number. And he also was born to the giants. 21 And he taunted Israel, and Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David struck him.

22 These four were born to the giants in Gath. And they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

22 And David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song on the day Yahweh rescued him from the palm of all his enemies and from the palm of Saul. 2 And he said,

“Yahweh is my rock and my fortress

and the one who delivers me, even me.

3 God of my rock—I take refuge in him,

my shield and the horn of my salvation,

my elevated place and my refuge,

my savior—you save me from violence.

4 “Praiseworthy, I called to Yahweh,

and from my enemies, I was saved.

5 For the waves of death surrounded me,

the streams of worthlessness terrified me.

6 The ropes of Sheol surrounded me;

the snares of death met me.

7 “In the distress which belonged to me,

I called to Yahweh,

and to my God I called.

And he heard my voice from his temple,

and my cry was in his ears.

8 And the earth reeled, and it shook.

The foundations of the heavens trembled,

and they shook, because it became hot to him.

9 Smoke went up in his nose,

and fire from his mouth consumed.

Coals burned from him.

10 And he stretched out the heavens, and he came down,

and darkness was under his feet.

11 And he rode on a cherub,

and he flew.

He was seen on the wings of the wind.

12 And he put darkness all around him as a covering,

a sieve of waters, clouds of thick clouds.

13 From the brightness before him

coals of fire burned.

14 Yahweh thundered from heaven;

The Most High gave his voice.

15 And he sent out arrows, and he scattered them—

lightning, and he confused them.

16 And the channels of the sea were seen;

the foundations of the world were uncovered

at the rebuke of Yahweh,

from the breath of the wind of his nose.

17 “He sent out from the heights; he took me.

He drew me from the great waters.

18 He rescued me from my strong enemy,

from the people who hated me,

for they were stronger than me.

19 They met me on the day of my calamity,

but Yahweh was support for me.

20 And he brought me out to a broad place.

He delivered me because he delighted in me.

21 “Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands, he has returned to me,

22 for I have kept the paths of Yahweh,

and I have not acted wickedly away from my God.

23 For all his judgments are before me,

and his statutes—I have not turned away from them.

24 And I have been blameless toward him,

and I have kept myself from my iniquity.

25 And Yahweh returned to me according to my righteousness,

according to my cleanness in front of his eyes.

26 “With a faithful person, you show yourself faithful;

with a blameless mighty man, you prove yourself blameless.

27 With a purified person, you show yourself pure,

but with a crooked person, you show yourself deceptive.

28 You save afflicted people,

but your eyes are against the proud—you bring down.

29 “For you are my lamp, Yahweh,

and Yahweh lightens my darkness.

30 For by you, I can run against a troop of warriors;

by my God I can leap over a wall.

31 “This God—his path is perfect.

The word of Yahweh is refined.

He is a shield to everyone who takes refuge in him.

32 For who is God apart from Yahweh?

And who is a rock apart from our God?

33 This God is my stronghold of strength,

and he sets loose the blameless person, my path.

34 The one who makes my feet like the deer,

and on my high places he makes me stand.

35 The one who trains my hands for war,

and my arms pull back a bow of bronze.

36 And you gave to me the shield of your salvation,

and with your answering, you made me great.

37 You made my step wide under me,

and my feet did not slip.

38 “Let me pursue my enemies,

and let me destroy them,

and I will not return until they are finished.

39 And I will consume them,

and I will smash them,

and they will not rise.

And they will fall under my feet.

40 And you gird me with military prowess for the war;

you make the people who rise up under me bow down.

41 And my enemies—you give to me the back of their neck;

the people who hate me, and I destroy them.

42 They look, but there is no savior;

to Yahweh, but he does not answer them.

43 And I crush them like the dust of the earth.

Like the mud of the streets, I pulverize them;

I trample them.

44 “And you deliver me from the disputes of my people.

You keep me as the head of nations.

People whom I did not know—they serve me.

45 Sons of the foreigner—they cower in fear to me.

At the report of an ear, they obey me.

46 Sons of the foreigner wear out,

and they tremble from their prisons.

47 “Yahweh is living! And may my rock be blessed,

and may the God of the rock of my salvation be exalted.

48 This God is the one who gives vengeance to me,

and the one who brings down peoples under me,

49 and the one who brings me out from my enemies.

And from the ones who rise up against me, you lift me up;

from a man of violence, you deliver me.

50 “Therefore, I praise you, Yahweh, among the nations,

and to your name I sing praise.

51 The one who magnifies the salvation of his king,

and the one who does faithfulness to his anointed one,

to David, and to his seed until forever.”

23 And these are the words of David, the last ones:

“An oracle of David the son of Jesse,

and an oracle of the mighty man who was exalted highly,

the anointed one of the God of Jacob,

and the pleasant songs of Israel:

2 “The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me,

and his speech was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said;

to me, the Rock of Israel spoke:

‘The one who rules over humanity righteously,

who rules with the fear of God,

4 and like the light of morning, the sun rises;

a morning—no clouds;

from brightness, from rain,

grass from the earth.’

5 “For is not thus my house with God?

For he has put a perpetual covenant to me,

ordered in everything and guarded.

For all my salvation and every desire,

surely, does he not make it sprout?

6 But the worthless are like a thorn, being dissipated—all of them,

because not in the hand do they take.

7 And a man touches them;

he will be filled with iron or the wood of a spear.

And in the fire they are completely burned in the seat.”

8 These are the names of the mighty men who belonged to David:

Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was the head of the Three. He was wielding his spear against 800, slain at one time.

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi. Among the three mighty men with David, when they taunted the Philistines—they were gathered there for war. And the men of Israel went up. 10 He himself got up, and he struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And Yahweh did a great victory on that day, and the people returned after him only to plunder.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee, the Hararite. And the Philistines gathered to Lehi, and it happened—there was a portion of the field full of lentils, and the people fled from the face of the Philistines. 12 And he stood in the midst of the portion, and he delivered it, and he struck the Philistines. And Yahweh did a great victory.

13 And the Three of the 30 heads went down, and they came to the harvest, to David, to the cave of Adullam. And the troop of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of the Rephaim. 14 And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David craved, and he said, “Who will give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is at the gate?” 16 And the three mighty men cleaved the camp of the Philistines, and they drew water from the well of Bethlehem, which is at the gate. And they lifted it, and they brought it to David. But he was not willing to drink it, and he poured it out to Yahweh. 17 And he said, “Far be it for me, Yahweh, from my doing this—the blood of the men who went with their lives.” And he was not willing to drink it.

These things the three mighty men did.

18 And Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah—he was the head of the Three, and he was swinging his spear against 300, slain. And to him belonged a name among the Three. 19 More than the Three, is it that he was honored? And he became to them a captain. But as far as the Three, he did not come.

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a son of a man of military prowess—many deeds—from Kabzeel. He himself struck the Two of Ariel of Moab, and he himself went down, and he struck the lion in the midst of the pit on a day of snow. 21 And he himself struck a man of Egypt, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear, and he went down against him with a staff. And he seized the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and he killed him with his spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did. And to him belonged a name among the three mighty men. 23 More than the Thirty, he was honored, but to the Three, he did not come. And David put him to his bodyguard.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was among the Thirty;

Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite,

Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez the Paltite,

Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anathothite,

Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite,

Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite,

Hiddai of the streams of Gaash,

31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Jashen,

Jonathan,

33 Shammah the Hararite,

Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the son of the Maacathite,

Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 Hezro the Carmelite,

Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah,

Bani the Gadite,

37 Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Beerothite, the one who lifted the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite,

39 Uriah the Hittite—all, 37.

24 And the nose of Yahweh continued to be hot against Israel. And he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

2 And the king said to Joab, the captain of the army, who was with him, “Now, roam about among all the tribes of Israel, from Dan and up to Beersheba, and inspect the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

3 And Joab said to the king, “And may Yahweh your God add to the people like them and like them a hundred times, and the eyes of my lord the king are seeing. But my lord the king—why does he delight in this matter?”

4 And the word of the king prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. And Joab and the captains of the army went out to the face of the king to inspect the people, Israel.

5 And they crossed the Jordan, and they camped in Aroer, south of the city which is in the midst of the stream, to Gad and to Jazer. 6 And they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim-Hodshi. And they came to Dan-Jaan and around to Sidon. 7 And they came to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. And they went out to the Negev of Judah, to Beersheba.

8 And they roamed about in all the land. And they came, after the end of nine months and 20 days, to Jerusalem.

9 And Joab gave the number of the census of the people to the king. And Israel was 800,000 men of military prowess who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000 men.

10 And the heart of David struck him after thus he counted the people. And David said to Yahweh, “I have sinned greatly that I have done. But now, Yahweh, please cause the iniquity of your servant to pass, for I have been very foolish.”

11 And David got up in the morning, and the word of Yahweh was to Gad, the prophet, a seer of David, saying, 12 “Go, and you will say to David, ‘Thus Yahweh says: “Three I am laying on you. Choose for yourself one from them that I will do to you.” ’ ”

13 And Gad came to David, and he informed him. And he said to him, “Will seven years of famine come to you in your land or three months of your fleeing to the face of your foes and he is pursuing you or three days of plague being in your land? Now, know and see what word I will return to the one who sent me.”

14 And David said to Gad, “Distress belongs to me, greatly. Please, let us fall into the hand of Yahweh, for his mercies are many, but into the hand of man, do not let me fall.”

15 And Yahweh gave a plague to Israel from the morning and until the appointed time. And from the people, from Dan and up to Beersheba, 70,000 people died. 16 And the angel stretched out his hand to Jerusalem to destroy it, and Yahweh relented concerning the disaster. And he said to the angel, the destroyer among the many people, “Now lower your hand.” And the angel of Yahweh was near the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 And David said to Yahweh when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and he said, “Look, I myself have sinned, and I myself have done iniquity. But these sheep—what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and against the house of my father.”

18 And Gad came to David on that day, and he said to him, “Go up. Put up an altar for Yahweh on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 And David went up according to the word of Gad, just as Yahweh commanded. 20 And Araunah looked down, and he saw the king and his servants crossing over to him. And Araunah went out, and he prostrated himself to the king, his nose to the ground.

21 And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

And David said, “To acquire from you the threshing floor to build an altar for Yahweh, that the plague may be held back from against the people.”

22 And Araunah said to David, “May my lord the king take and cause to arise what is good in his eyes. See, the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing instruments and the equipment of the oxen for wood— 23 everything Araunah gives, O king, to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May Yahweh your God be pleased with you.”

24 And the king said to Araunah, “No, for I will certainly acquire it from you in exchange for a price. And I will not cause to rise to Yahweh my God burnt offerings for nothing.”

And David acquired the threshing floor and the oxen in exchange for 50 silver shekels. 25 And David built there an altar for Yahweh, and he caused burnt offerings and peace offerings to go up. And Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was restrained from against Israel.