Shareware Overload Trio 2/Shareware Overload Trio Volume 2 (Chestnut CD-ROM).ISO/dir32/bib-msp.zip/IISAM

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                                SECOND SAMUEL



Chapter 1

1   Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned
    from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in
    Ziklag;
2   It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of
    the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and
    so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did
    obeisance.
3   And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto
    him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4   And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me.
    And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of
    the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are
    dead also.
5   And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that
    Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6   And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon
    mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots
    and horsemen followed hard after him.
7   And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me.  And I
    answered, Here am I.
8   And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an
    Amalekite.
9   He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for
    anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10  So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could
    not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon
    his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them
    hither unto my lord.
11  Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all
    the men that were with him:
12  And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for
    Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of
    Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13  And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And
    he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14  And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth
    thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?
15  And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall
    upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16  And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth
    hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed.
17  And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan
    his son:
18  (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow:
    behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
19  The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the
    mighty fallen!
20  Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest
    the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the
    uncircumcised triumph.
21  Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be
    rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the
    mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not
    been anointed with oil.
22  From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of
    Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23  Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in
    their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they
    were stronger than lions.
24  Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet,
    with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25  How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan,
    thou wast slain in thine high places.
26  I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast
    thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of
    women.
27  How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

Chapter 2

1   And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the Lord,
    saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said
    unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said,
    Unto Hebron.
2   So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the
    Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
3   And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his
    household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4   And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the
    house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of
    Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.
5   And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto
    them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto
    your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.
6   And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will
    requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
7   Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for
    your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me
    king over them.
8   But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the
    son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9   And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over
    Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10  Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over
    Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
11  And the time 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 Ish-bosheth the son of
    Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13  And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and
    met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the
    one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
14  And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before
    us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
15  Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which
    pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of
    David.
16  And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his
    sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together:  wherefore that
    place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
17  And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and
    the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18  And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and
    Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
19  And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the
    right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20  Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he
    answered, I am.
21  And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy
    left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his
    armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
22  And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me:
    wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up
    my face to Joab thy brother?
23  Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end
    of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out
    behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it
    came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down
    and died stood still.
24  Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when
    they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way
    of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25  And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after
    Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.
26  Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever?
    knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long
    shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their
    brethren?
27  And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then
    in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his
    brother.
28  So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued
    after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
29  And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and
    passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to
    Mahanaim.
30  And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all
    the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and
    Asahel.
31  But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's
    men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
32  And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his
    father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and
    they came to Hebron at break of day.

Chapter 3

1   Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of
    David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul
    waxed weaker and weaker.
2   And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon,
    of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3   And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite;
    and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of
    Geshur;
4   And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah
    the son of Abital;
5   And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to
    David in Hebron.
6   And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and
    the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of
    Saul.
7   And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah:
    and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my
    father's concubine?
8   Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I
    a dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the
    house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have
    not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me today
    with a fault concerning this woman?
9   So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to
    David, even so I do to him;
10  To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the
    throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.
11  And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
12  And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is
    the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand
    shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.
13  And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I
    require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first
    bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
14  And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver
    me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of
    the Philistines.
15  And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from
    Phaltiel the son of Laish.
16  And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim.
    Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.
17  And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye
    sought for David in times past to be king over you:
18  Now then do it: for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the
    hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of
    the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
19  And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to
    speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and
    that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.
20  So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David
    made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21  And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all
    Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and
    that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David
    sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
22  And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a
    troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with
    David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23  When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told
    Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent
    him away, and he is gone in peace.
24  Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done?  behold,
    Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is
    quite gone?
25  Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and
    to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou
    doest.
26  And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after
    Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it
    not.
27  And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the
    gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib,
    that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28  And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are
    guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of
    Ner:
29  Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and
    let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or
    that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the
    sword, or that lacketh bread.
30  So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain
    their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31  And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him,
    Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.
    And king David himself followed the bier.
32  And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice,
    and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
33  And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool
    dieth?
34  Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man
    falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept
    again over him.
35  And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was
    yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste
    bread, or aught else, till the sun be down.
36  And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as
    whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
37  For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not
    of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
38  And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a
    prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39  And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons
    of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil
    according to his wickedness.

Chapter 4

1   And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands
    were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2   And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of
    the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon
    a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was
    reckoned to Benjamin.
3   And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until
    this day.)
4   And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet.  He was
    five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of
    Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as
    she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was
    Mephibosheth.
5   And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and
    came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a
    bed at noon.
6   And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they
    would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and
    Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7   For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his
    bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took
    his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
8   And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and
    said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine
    enemy, which sought thy life; and the Lord hath avenged my lord the king
    this day of Saul, and of his seed.
9   And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon
    the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the Lord liveth, who hath
    redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
10  When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have
    brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who
    thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
11  How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his
    own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of
    your hand, and take you away from the earth?
12  And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off
    their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron.
    But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of
    Abner in Hebron.

Chapter 5

1   Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake,
    saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
2   Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that
    leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou
    shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
3   So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David
    made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed
    David king over Israel.
4   David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
    forty years.
5   In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in
    Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
6   And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the
    inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou
    take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither:
    thinking, David cannot come in hither.
7   Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city
    of David.
8   And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and
    smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of
    David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The
    blind and the lame shall not come into the house.
9   So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David.  And
    David built round about from Millo and inward.
10  And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with
    him.
11  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and
    carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
12  And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over
    Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's
    sake.
13  And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after
    he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to
    David.
14  And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem;
    Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
15  Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
16  And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
17  But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over
    Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of
    it, and went down to the hold.
18  The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of
    Rephaim.
19  And David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the
    Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said
    unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into
    thine hand.
20  And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said,
    The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of
    waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
21  And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
22  And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the
    valley of Rephaim.
23  And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up;
    but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the
    mulberry trees.
24  And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of
    the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself:  for then shall
    the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
25  And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the
    Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

Chapter 6

1   Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty
    thousand.
2   And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from
    Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is
    called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the
    cherubims.
3   And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the
    house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of
    Abinadab, drave the new cart.
4   And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah,
    accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
5   And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all
    manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on
    psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
6   And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his
    hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
7   And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him
    there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
8   And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon
    Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.
9   And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark
    of the Lord come to me?
10  So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city
    of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the
    Gittite.
11  And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the
    Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his
    household.
12  And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house
    of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of
    God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of
    Obededom into the city of David with gladness.
13  And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone
    six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
14  And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was
    girded with a linen ephod.
15  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord
    with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16  And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's
    daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing
    before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
17  And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in
    the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David
    offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
18  And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and
    peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of
    hosts.
19  And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of
    Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a
    good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.  So all the people departed
    every one to his house.
20  Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter
    of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of
    Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids
    of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth
    himself!
21  And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me
    before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over
    the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the
    Lord.
22  And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own
    sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall
    I be had in honour.
23  Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of
    her death.

Chapter 7

1   And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had
    given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2   That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an
    house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3   And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for
    the Lord is with thee.
4   And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto
    Nathan, saying,
5   Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me
    an house for me to dwell in?
6   Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up
    the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked
    in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7   In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of
    Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded
    to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of
    cedar?
8   Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the
    Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep,
    to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
9   And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all
    thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like
    unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
10  Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant
    them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more;
    neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as
    beforetime,
11  And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people
    Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the
    Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy
    fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of
    thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne
    of his kingdom for ever.
14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity,
    I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the
    children of men:
15  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul,
    whom I put away before thee.
16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before
    thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
17  According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so
    did Nathan speak unto David.
18  Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am
    I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me
    hitherto?
19  And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou
    hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And
    is this the manner of man, O Lord God?
20  And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest
    thy servant.
21  For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done
    all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
22  Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee,
    neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have
    heard with our ears.
23  And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like
    Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him
    a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land,
    before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the
    nations and their gods?
24  For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people
    unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.
25  And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy
    servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou
    hast said.
26  And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is
    the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be
    established before thee.
27  For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy
    servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant
    found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
28  And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and
    thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
29  Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant,
    that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast
    spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed
    for ever.

Chapter 8

1   And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and
    subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the
    Philistines.
2   And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to
    the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with
    one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's
    servants, and brought gifts.
3   David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he
    went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.
4   And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred
    horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot
    horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.
5   And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of
    Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
6   Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became
    servants to David, and brought gifts. And the Lord preserved David
    whithersoever he went.
7   And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of
    Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8   And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David
    took exceeding much brass.
9   When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of
    Hadadezer,
10  Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to
    bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for
    Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of
    silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
11  Which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord, with the silver and
    gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;
12  Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the
    Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob,
    king of Zobah.
13  And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians
    in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.
14  And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons,
    and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the Lord preserved
    David whithersoever he went.
15  And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and
    justice unto all his people.
16  And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the
    son of Ahilud was recorder;
17  And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were
    the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;
18  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the
    Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

Chapter 9

1   And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul,
    that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?
2   And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And
    when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou
    Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
3   And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I
    may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king,
    Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
4   And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king,
    Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
5   Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the
    son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
6   Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come
    unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence.  And David said,
    Mephibosheth.  And he answered, Behold thy servant!
7   And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee
    kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the
    land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
8   And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou
    shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
9   Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I
    have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all
    his house.
10  Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land
    for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may
    have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread
    alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11  Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king
    hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for
    Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the
    king's sons.
12  And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that
    dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
13  So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the
    king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

Chapter 10

1   And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon
    died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2   Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as
    his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the
    hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the
    land of the children of Ammon.
3   And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord,
    Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent
    comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee,
    to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
4   Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of
    their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their
    buttocks, and sent them away.
5   When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men
    were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your
    beards be grown, and then return.
6   And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the
    children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the
    Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand
    men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.
7   And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the
    mighty men.
8   And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the
    entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and
    Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
9   When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and
    behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array
    against the Syrians:
10  And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his
    brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.
11  And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt
    help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I
    will come and help thee.
12  Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for
    the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.
13  And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the
    battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
14  And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then
    fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab
    returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
15  And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they
    gathered themselves together.
16  And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the
    river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of
    Hadarezer went before them.
17  And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and
    passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in
    array against David, and fought with him.
18  And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven
    hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote
    Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
19  And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they
    were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served
    them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

Chapter 11

1   And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when
    kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with
    him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and
    besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
2   And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his
    bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he
    saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look
    upon.
3   And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this
    Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4   And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and
    he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she
    returned unto her house.
5   And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with
    child.
6   And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab
    sent Uriah to David.
7   And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did,
    and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8   And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And
    Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of
    meat from the king.
9   But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants
    of his lord, and went not down to his house.
10  And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his
    house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then
    didst thou not go down unto thine house?
11  And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in
    tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in
    the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink,
    and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will
    not do this thing.
12  And David said to Uriah, Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will
    let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
13  And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and
    he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the
    servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
14  And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to
    Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of
    the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and
    die.
16  And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned
    Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there
    fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite
    died also.
18  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
19  And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of
    telling the matters of the war unto the king,
20  And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee,
    Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye
    not that they would shoot from the wall?
21  Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a
    piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why
    went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is
    dead also.
22  So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had
    sent him for.
23  And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against
    us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto
    the entering of the gate.
24  And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some
    of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is
    dead also.
25  Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab,
    Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well
    as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow
    it: and encourage thou him.
26  And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she
    mourned for her husband.
27  And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his
    house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that
    David had done displeased the Lord.

Chapter 12

1   And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said
    unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other
    poor.
2   The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3   But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had
    bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his
    children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay
    in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4   And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of
    his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that
    was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the
    man that was come to him.
5   And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to
    Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall
    surely die:
6   And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and
    because he had no pity.
7   And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of
    Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of
    the hand of Saul;
8   And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy
    bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had
    been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such
    things.
9   Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil
    in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and
    hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of
    the children of Ammon.
10  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because
    thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to
    be thy wife.
11  Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of
    thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give
    them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of
    this sun.
12  For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all
    Israel, and before the sun.
13  And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord.  And
    Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt
    not die.
14  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the
    enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee
    shall surely die.
15  And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child
    that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16  David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and
    went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17  And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up
    from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died.  And the
    servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they
    said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he
    would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we
    tell him that the child is dead?
19  But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that
    the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child
    dead? And they said, He is dead.
20  Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself,
    and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and
    worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they
    set bread before him, and he did eat.
21  Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast
    done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but
    when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22  And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept:  for I
    said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child
    may live?
23  But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back
    again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
24  And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay
    with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the
    Lord loved him.
25  And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name
    Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
26  And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the
    royal city.
27  And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against
    Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
28  Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp
    against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called
    after my name.
29  And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and
    fought against it, and took it.
30  And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof
    was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's
    head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
31  And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under
    saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them
    pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the
    children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

Chapter 13

1   And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a
    fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved
    her.
2   And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for
    she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to
    her.
3   But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah
    David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
4   And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from
    day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love
    Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.
5   And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself
    sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee,
    let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my
    sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
6   So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come
    to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister
    come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her
    hand.
7   Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's
    house, and dress him meat.
8   So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And
    she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did
    bake the cakes.
9   And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to
    eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every
    man from him.
10  And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I
    may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and
    brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
11  And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her,
    and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.
12  And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such
    thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.
13  And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou
    shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee,
    speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.
14  Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than
    she, forced her, and lay with her.
15  Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he
    hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And
    Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
16  And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me
    away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not
    hearken unto her.
17  Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put
    now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
18  And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes
    were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant
    brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
19  And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers
    colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on
    crying.
20  And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been
    with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard
    not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's
    house.
21  But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.
22  And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad:  for
    Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
23  And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
    sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited
    all the king's sons.
24  And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath
    sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with
    thy servant.
25  And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go,
    lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would
    not go, but blessed him.
26  Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with
    us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
27  But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go
    with him.
28  Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when
    Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon;
    then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you?  be courageous, and
    be valiant.
29  And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded.
    Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule,
    and fled.
30  And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to
    David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not
    one of them left.
31  Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and
    all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
32  And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said,
    Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the
    king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom
    this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
33  Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart,
    to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
34  But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his
    eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the
    hill side behind him.
35  And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come:  as thy
    servant said, so it is.
36  And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that,
    behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and
    the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
37  But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of
    Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
38  So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39  And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom:  for he
    was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

Chapter 14

1   Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward
    Absalom.
2   And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said
    unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now
    mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman
    that had a long time mourned for the dead:
3   And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put
    the words in her mouth.
4   And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face
    to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.
5   And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am
    indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.
6   And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the
    field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and
    slew him.
7   And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and
    they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for
    the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also:
    and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to
    my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.
8   And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give
    charge concerning thee.
9   And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the
    iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne
    be guiltless.
10  And the king said, Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me,
    and he shall not touch thee any more.
11  Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the Lord thy God,
    that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any
    more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there
    shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
12  Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word
    unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
13  And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing
    against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one
    which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his
    banished.
14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which
    cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet
    doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
15  Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the
    king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid
    said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will
    perform the request of his handmaid.
16  For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of
    the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance
    of God.
17  Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be
    comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern
    good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God will be with thee.
18  Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I
    pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my
    lord the king now speak.
19  And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And
    the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none
    can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the
    king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these
    words in the mouth of thine handmaid:
20  To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this
    thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God,
    to know all things that are in the earth.
21  And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go
    therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
22  And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and
    thanked the king: and Joab said, Today thy servant knoweth that I have
    found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath
    fulfilled the request of his servant.
23  So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24  And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see
    my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's
    face.
25  But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for
    his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head
    there was no blemish in him.
26  And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he
    polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:)
    he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred skekels after the king's
    weight.
27  And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose
    name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.
28  So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's
    face.
29  Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he
    would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would
    not come.
30  Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine,
    and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants
    set the field on fire.
31  Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto
    him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?
32  And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come
    hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come
    from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now
    therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in
    me, let him kill me.
33  So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for
    Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the
    ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

Chapter 15

1   And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and
    horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2   And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and
    it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for
    judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou?
    And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3   And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but
    there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
4   Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that
    every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would
    do him justice!
5   And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance,
    he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6   And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for
    judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7   And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the
    king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the
    Lord, in Hebron.
8   For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying,
    If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve
    the Lord.
9   And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to
    Hebron.
10  But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying,
    As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom
    reigneth in Hebron.
11  And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were
    called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
12  And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor,
    from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the
    conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with
    Absalom.
13  And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of
    Israel are after Absalom.
14  And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem,
    Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make
    speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us,
    and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15  And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are
    ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
16  And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the
    king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
17  And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in
    a place that was far off.
18  And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites,
    and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came
    after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19  Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also
    with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a
    stranger, and also an exile.
20  Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up
    and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back
    thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
21  And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my
    lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be,
    whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
22  And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite
    passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with
    him.
23  And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed
    over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the
    people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
24  And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark
    of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar
    went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
25  And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the
    city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me
    again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
26  But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let
    him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
27  The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer?
    return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy
    son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28  See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come
    word from you to certify me.
29  Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to
    Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
30  And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went
    up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people
    that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping
    as they went up.
31  And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with
    Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of
    Ahithophel into foolishness.
32  And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the
    mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet
    him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
33  Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be
    a burden unto me:
34  But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy
    servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I
    now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of
    Ahithophel.
35  And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests?
    therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the
    king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36  Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's
    son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me
    every thing that ye can hear.
37  So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into
    Jerusalem.

Chapter 16

1   And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the
    servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and
    upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of
    raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2   And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba
    said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread
    and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be
    faint in the wilderness may drink.
3   And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto
    the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, Today shall the
    house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4   Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto
    Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace
    in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5   And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of
    the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera:
    he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
6   And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David:
    and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on
    his left.
7   And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody
    man, and thou man of Belial:
8   The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul,
    in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the
    kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in
    thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
9   Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this
    dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take
    off his head.
10  And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so
    let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who
    shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11  And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son,
    which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may
    this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord
    hath bidden him.
12  It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the
    Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13  And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the
    hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at
    him, and cast dust.
14  And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and
    refreshed themselves there.
15  And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem,
    and Ahithophel with him.
16  And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was
    come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God
    save the king.
17  And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why
    wentest thou not with thy friend?
18  And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the Lord, and this
    people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him
    will I abide.
19  And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of
    his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy
    presence.
20  Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall
    do.
21  And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines,
    which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that
    thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are
    with thee be strong.
22  So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom
    went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23  And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was
    as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of
    Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

Chapter 17

1   Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve
    thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
2   And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will
    make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I
    will smite the king only:
3   And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou
    seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.
4   And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
5   Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear
    likewise what he saith.
6   And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying,
    Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying?
    if not; speak thou.
7   And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given
    is not good at this time.
8   For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be
    mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her
    whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge
    with the people.
9   Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will
    come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that
    whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people
    that follow Absalom.
10  And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion,
    shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty
    man, and they which be with him are valiant men.
11  Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee,
    from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for
    multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
12  So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and
    we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and
    of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as
    one.
13  Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring
    ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be
    not one small stone found there.
14  And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the
    Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had
    appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that
    the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.
15  Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and
    thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus
    and thus have I counselled.
16  Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this
    night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the
    king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
17  Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be
    seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they
    went and told king David.
18  Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of
    them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a
    well in his court; whither they went down.
19  And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and
    spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.
20  And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they
    said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They
    be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not
    find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21  And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out
    of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise,
    and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled
    against you.
22  Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they
    passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them
    that was not gone over Jordan.
23  And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled
    his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put
    his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in
    the sepulchre of his father.
24  Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and
    all the men of Israel with him.
25  And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab:  which
    Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in
    to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.
26  So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
27  And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the
    son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of
    Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
28  Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley,
    and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,
29  And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and
    for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is
    hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

Chapter 18

1   And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of
    thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2   And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of
    Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah,
    Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.
    And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you
    myself also.
3   But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away,
    they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for
    us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us:  therefore now it is
    better that thou succour us out of the city.
4   And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do.  And the
    king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and
    by thousands.
5   And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently
    for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people
    heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6   So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle
    was in the wood of Ephraim;
7   Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David,
    and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
8   For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country:
    and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9   And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule,
    and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head
    caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the
    earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
10  And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw
    Absalom hanged in an oak.
11  And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest
    him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground?  And I would
    have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
12  And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand
    shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand
    against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and
    Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man
    Absalom.
13  Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for
    there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set
    thyself against me.
14  Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three
    darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while
    he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15  And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote
    Absalom, and slew him.
16  And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing
    after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
17  And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and
    laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one
    to his tent.
18  Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a
    pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep
    my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and
    it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.
19  Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king
    tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.
20  And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but
    thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no
    tidings, because the king's son is dead.
21  Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen.  And
    Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
22  Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever,
    let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt
    thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
23  But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run.  Then
    Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
24  And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the
    roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked,
    and behold a man running alone.
25  And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he
    be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew
    near.
26  And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called
    unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the
    king said, He also bringeth tidings.
27  And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is
    like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a
    good man, and cometh with good tidings.
28  And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell
    down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be
    the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their
    hand against my lord the king.
29  And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz
    answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a
    great tumult, but I knew not what it was.
30  And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned
    aside, and stood still.
31  And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king:
    for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against
    thee.
32  And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe?  And
    Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise
    against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
33  And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the
    gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son,
    my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my
    son!

Chapter 19

1   And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for
    Absalom.
2   And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people:
    for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
3   And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people
    being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4   But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O
    my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5   And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed
    this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy
    life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of
    thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
6   In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou
    hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor
    servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we
    had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
7   Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy
    servants: for I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not
    tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than
    all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.
8   Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the
    people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate.  And all the
    people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9   And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel,
    saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he
    delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out
    of the land for Absalom.
10  And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now
    therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
11  And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying,
    Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the
    king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the
    king, even to his house.
12  Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are
    ye the last to bring back the king?
13  And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh?  God
    do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me
    continually in the room of Joab.
14  And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of
    one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all
    thy servants.
15  So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal,
    to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
16  And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted
    and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17  And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the
    servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty
    servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
18  And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household,
    and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down
    before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
19  And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me,
    neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day
    that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take
    it to his heart.
20  For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am
    come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my
    lord the king.
21  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be
    put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?
22  And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that
    ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to
    death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over
    Israel?
23  Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king
    sware unto him.
24  And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had
    neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes,
    from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
25  And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king,
    that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me,
    Mephibosheth?
26  And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy
    servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go
    to the king; because thy servant is lame.
27  And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord
    the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine
    eyes.
28  For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the
    king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine
    own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the
    king?
29  And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy
    matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
30  And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch
    as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
31  And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over
    Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
32  Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old:  and he
    had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was
    a very great man.
33  And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will
    feed thee with me in Jerusalem.
34  And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I
    should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
35  I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and
    evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink?  can I hear any
    more the voice of singing men and singing women?  wherefore then should
    thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
36  Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king:  and why
    should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
37  Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine
    own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But
    behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and
    do to him what shall seem good unto thee.
38  And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will ddo
    to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt
    require of me, that will I do for thee.
39  And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over,
    the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own
    place.
40  Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him:  and
    all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of
    Israel.
41  And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto
    the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and
    have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him,
    over Jordan?
42  And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king
    is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have
    we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?
43  And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have
    ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why
    then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in
    bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer
    than the words of the men of Israel.

Chapter 20

1   And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba,
    the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have
    no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every
    man to his tents, O Israel.
2   So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba
    the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from
    Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3   And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten
    women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them
    in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up
    unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4   Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three
    days, and be thou here present.
5   So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than
    the set time which he had appointed him.
6   And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us
    more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue
    after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
7   And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the
    Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to
    pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8   When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went
    before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him,
    and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath
    thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
9   And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took
    Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
10  But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand:  so he
    smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the
    ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his
    brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11  And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab,
    and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
12  And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the
    man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the
    highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that
    every one that came by him stood still.
13  When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after
    Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14  And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to
    Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and
    went also after him.
15  And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast
    up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench:  and all the
    people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
16  Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you,
    unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
17  And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab?
    And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of
    thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
18  Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying,
    They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
19  I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel:  thou
    seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow
    up the inheritance of the Lord?
20  And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I
    should swallow up or destroy.
21  The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of
    Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against
    David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman
    said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
22  Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut
    off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he
    blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent.
    And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
23  Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of
    Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:
24  And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud
    was recorder:
25  And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
26  And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

Chapter 21

1   Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after
    year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for
    Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
2   And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the
    Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the
    Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul
    sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)
3   Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and
    wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance
    of the Lord?
4   And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of
    Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in
    Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.
5   And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised
    against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the
    coasts of Israel,
6   Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them
    up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did choose. And the
    king said, I will give them.
7   But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul,
    because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and
    Jonathan the son of Saul.
8   But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom
    she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal
    the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of
    Barzillai the Meholathite:
9   And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they
    hanged them in the hill before the Lord: and they fell all seven
    together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first
    days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
10  And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her
    upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon
    them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on
    them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
11  And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine
    of Saul, had done.
12  And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan
    his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the
    street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the
    Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
13  And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of
    Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
14  And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country
    of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they
    performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated
    for the land.
15  Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David
    went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the
    Philistines: and David waxed faint.
16  And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of
    whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being
    girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
17  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the
    Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him,
    saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench
    not the light of Israel.
18  And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with
    the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which
    was of the sons of the giant.
19  And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where
    Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of
    Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
20  And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature,
    that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and
    twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
21  And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of
    David slew him.
22  These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of
    David, and by the hand of his servants.

Chapter 22

1   And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that
    the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out
    of the hand of Saul:
2   And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3   The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn
    of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest
    me from violence.
4   I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be
    saved from mine enemies.
5   When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made
    me afraid;
6   The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented
    me;
7   In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did
    hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
8   Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and
    shook, because he was wroth.
9   There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth
    devoured: coals were kindled by it.
10  He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his
    feet.
11  And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the
    wings of the wind.
12  And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and
    thick clouds of the skies.
13  Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
14  The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
15  And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and
    discomfited them.
16  And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world
    were discovered, at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast of the breath
    of his nostrils.
17  He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
18  He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me:
    for they were too strong for me.
19  They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my
    stay.
20  He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because
    he delighted in me.
21  The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the
    cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
22  For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed
    from my God.
23  For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did
    not depart from them.
24  I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine
    iniquity.
25  Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to my righteousness;
    according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26  With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the
    upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
27  With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou
    wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
28  And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the
    haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
29  For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.
30  For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over
    a wall.
31  As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried:  he is
    a buckler to all them that trust in him.
32  For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
33  God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
34  He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high
    places.
35  He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine
    arms.
36  Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy
    gentleness hath made me great.
37  Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
38  I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again
    until I had consumed them.
39  And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not
    arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40  For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up
    against me hast thou subdued under me.
41  Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might
    destroy them that hate me.
42  They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the Lord, but he
    answered them not.
43  Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp
    them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.
44  Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou
    hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall
    serve me.
45  Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they
    shall be obedient unto me.
46  Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their
    close places.
47  The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of
    the rock of my salvation.
48  It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under
    me,
49  And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted
    me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me
    from the violent man.
50  Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen,
    and I will sing praises unto thy name.
51  He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his
    anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

Chapter 23

1   Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and
    the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and
    the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2   The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3   The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth
    over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4   And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even
    a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth
    by clear shining after rain.
5   Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an
    everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all
    my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
6   But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away,
    because they cannot be taken with hands:
7   But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the
    staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same
    place.
8   These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite
    that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the
    Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one
    time.
9   And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the
    three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were
    there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone
    away:
10  He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his
    hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that
    day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11  And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the
    Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of
    ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12  But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew
    the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.
13  And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the
    harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines
    pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14  And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines
    was then in Bethlehem.
15  And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the
    water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
16  And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines,
    and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and
    took it, and brought it to David:  nevertheless he would not drink
    thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.
17  And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this:  is
    not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?
    therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty
    men.
18  And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among
    three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them,
    and had the name among three.
19  Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain:
    howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of
    Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he
    went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
21  And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear
    in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear
    out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
22  These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among
    three mighty men.
23  He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the
    first three. And David set him over his guard.
24  Asahel the brother of Joab was one of 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 Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28  Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29  Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out
    of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30  Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31  Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32  Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of 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 Maachathite, Eliam the
    son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35  Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36  Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37  Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the
    son of Zeruiah,
38  Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39  Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

Chapter 24

1   And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he
    moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
2   For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him,
    Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and
    number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.
3   And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people,
    how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord
    the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this
    thing?
4   Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against
    the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out
    from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.
5   And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side
    of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward
    Jazer:
6   Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they
    came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,
7   And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the
    Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah,
    even to Beersheba.
8   So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at
    the end of nine months and twenty days.
9   And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king:
    and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew
    the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
10  And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people.
    And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done:
    and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant;
    for I have done very foolishly.
11  For when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came unto
    the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
12  Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three
    things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
13  So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven
    years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three
    months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee?  or that there be
    three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I
    shall return to him that sent me.
14  And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into
    the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall
    into the hand of man.
15  So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to
    the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to
    Beersheba seventy thousand men.
16  And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy
    it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that
    destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel
    of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
17  And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the
    people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these
    sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me,
    and against my father's house.
18  And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an
    altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.
19  And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord
    commanded.
20  And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on
    toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on
    his face upon the ground.
21  And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant?
    And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar
    unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.
22  And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up
    what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice,
    and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
23  All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king.  And
    Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee.
24  And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee
    at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of
    that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and
    the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25  And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt
    offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was entreated for the land,
    and the plague was stayed from Israel.