Second Samuel.txt

Second Samuel

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; 1:2 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.

1:3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto
him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

1:4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell
me.

And he answered, 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.

1:5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou
that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?  1:6 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.

1:7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And
I answered, Here am I.

1:8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an
Amalekite.

1:9 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.

1:10 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.

1:11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise
all the men that were with him: 1:12 And they mourned, and wept, and
fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the
people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were
fallen by the sword.

1:13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou?
And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

1:14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch
forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?  1:15 And David
called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And
he smote him that he died.

1:16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy
mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’s
anointed.

1:17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over
Jonathan his son: 1:18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah
the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
1:19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the
mighty fallen!  1:20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the
streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

1:21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, 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.

1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow
of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

1:23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in
their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they
were stronger than lions.

1:24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in
scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your
apparel.

1:25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan,
thou wast slain in thine high places.

1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast
thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of
women.

1:27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!  2:1
And it came to pass after this, that David enquired 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.

2:2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.

2:3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with
his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

2:4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over
the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of
Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

2:5 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.

2:6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will
requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

2:7 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.

2:8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth
the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 2:9 And made him
king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over
Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

2:10 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.

2:11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of
Judah was seven years and six months.

2:12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son
of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

2:13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out,
and met 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.

2:14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play
before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

2:15 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.

2:16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his
sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that
place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

2:17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten,
and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

2:18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai,
and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

2:19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the
right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

2:20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he
answered, I am.

2:21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to
thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his
armour.

But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

2:22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following
me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I
hold up my face to Joab thy brother?  2:23 Howbeit he refused to turn
aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him
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.

2:24 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.

2:25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after
Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

2:26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for
ever?  knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end?
how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from
following their brethren?  2:27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless
thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up
every one from following his brother.

2:28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and
pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

2:29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain,
and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to
Mahanaim.

2:30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered
all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men
and Asahel.

2:31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s
men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

2:32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his
father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night,
and they came to Hebron at break of day.

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.

3:2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was
Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3:3 And his second, Chileab, of
Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the
son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 3:4 And the
fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son
of Abital; 3:5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These
were born to David in Hebron.

3:6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul
and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house
of Saul.

3:7 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?  3:8 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 to day with a fault concerning this
woman?  3:9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD
hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 3:10 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.

3:11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared
him.

3:12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose
is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my
hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

3:13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing
I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou
first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

3:14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying,
Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred
foreskins of the Philistines.

3:15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from
Phaltiel the son of Laish.

3:16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to
Bahurim.

Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

3:17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye
sought for David in times past to be king over you: 3:18 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.

3:19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also
to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to
Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

3:20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And
David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

3:21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather
all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with
thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth.
And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

3:22 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.

3:23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told
Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent
him away, and he is gone in peace.

3:24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done?
behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away,
and he is quite gone?  3:25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he
came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and
to know all that thou doest.

3:26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after
Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew
it not.

3:27 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.

3:28 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: 3:29 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.

3:30 So Joab, and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain
their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

3:31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him,
Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before
Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

3:32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his
voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

3:33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool
dieth?  3:34 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.

3:35 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 ought else, till the sun be down.

3:36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as
whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

3:37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was
not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

3:38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a
prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?  3:39 And I am this
day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be
too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to
his wickedness.

4:1 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands
were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

4:2 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.

4:3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there
until this day.)  4:4 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.

4:5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went,
and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay
on a bed at noon.

4:6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they
would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and
Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

4:7 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.

4:8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and
said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth 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.

4:9 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, 4:10 When one told me,
saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I
took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would
have given him a reward for his tidings: 4:11 How much more, when
wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his
bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and
take you away from the earth?  4:12 And David commanded his young men,
and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged
them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth,
and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

5:1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and
spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

5:2 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.

5:3 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.

5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
forty years.

5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in
Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

5:6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem 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.

5:7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the
city of David.

5:8 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.

5:9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And
David built round about from Millo and inward.

5:10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was
with him.

5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees,
and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.

5:12 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.

5:13 And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem,
after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters
born to David.

5:14 And these be the names of those that were born unto him in
Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 5:15 Ibhar
also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 5:16 And Elishama, and
Eliada, and Eliphalet.

5:17 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.

5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of
Rephaim.

5:19 And David enquired 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.

5:20 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.

5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned
them.

5:22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in
the valley of Rephaim.

5:23 And when David enquired 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.

5:24 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.

5:25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the
Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

6:1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel,
thirty thousand.

6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him
from Baale 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.

6:3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of
the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons
of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

6:4 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.

6:5 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.

6:6 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.

6:7 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.

6:8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon
Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

6:9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the
ark of the LORD come to me?  6:10 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.

6:11 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.

6:12 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.

6:13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had
gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David
was girded with a linen ephod.

6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the
LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

6:16 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.

6:17 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.

6:18 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.

6:19 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.

6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the
daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was
the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of
the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly
uncovereth himself!  6:21 And David said unto Michal, It was before
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.

6:22 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.

6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day
of her death.

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; 7:2 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.

7:3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart;
for the LORD is with thee.

7:4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came
unto Nathan, saying, 7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the
LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?  7:6 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.

7:7 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?  7:8 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: 7:9
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.

7:10 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, 7:11 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.

7:12 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.

7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the
throne of his kingdom for ever.

7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit
iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes
of the children of men: 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from
him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever
before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision,
so did Nathan speak unto David.

7:18 Then 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?  7:19 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?  7:20 And
what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy
servant.

7:21 For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou
done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

7:22 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.

7:23 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?  7:24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy
people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art
become their God.

7:25 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.

7:26 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.

7:27 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.

7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true,
and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 7:29 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.

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.

8:2 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.

8:3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he
went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

8:4 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.

8:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of
Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

8:6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians
became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved
David whithersoever he went.

8:7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of
Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8:8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David
took exceeding much brass.

8:9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host
of Hadadezer, 8:10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to
salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer,
and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought
with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
8:11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver
and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; 8:12
Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the
Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of
Rehob, king of Zobah.

8:13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the
Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

8:14 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.

8:15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment
and justice unto all his people.

8:16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat
the son of Ahilud was recorder; 8:17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and
Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the
scribe; 8:18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the
Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers.

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?  9:2 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.

9:3 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.

9:4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the
king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in
Lodebar.

9:5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir,
the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

9:6 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!  9:7 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.

9:8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou
shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?  9:9 Then the king called
to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy
master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

9:10 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.

9:11 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.

9:12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all
that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

9:13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at
the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.

10:1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of
Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

10:2 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.

10:3 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?
10:4 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.

10:5 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.

10:6 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.

10:7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the
mighty men.

10:8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array
at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob,
and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

10:9 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: 10:10 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.

10:11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou
shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee,
then I will come and help thee.

10:12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and
for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him
good.

10:13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the
battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

10:14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled,
then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab
returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

10:15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel,
they gathered themselves together.

10:16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond
the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host
of Hadarezer went before them.

10:17 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.

10:18 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.

10:19 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.

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.

11:2 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.

11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not
this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
11:4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto
him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness:
and she returned unto her house.

11:5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am
with child.

11:6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And
Joab sent Uriah to David.

11:7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab
did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

11:8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet.
And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a
mess of meat from the king.

11:9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the
servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

11:10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto
his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey?
why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?  11:11 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.

11:12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I
will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the
morrow.

11:13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him;
and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with
the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

11:14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to
Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the
forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may
be smitten, and die.

11:16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he
assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

11:17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and
there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the
Hittite died also.

11:18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
11:19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of
telling the matters of the war unto the king, 11:20 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?  11:21 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.

11:22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab
had sent him for.

11:23 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.

11:24 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.

11:25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto
Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one
as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and
overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was
dead, she mourned for her husband.

11:27 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.

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.

12:2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 12:3 But the
poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought
and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his
children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and
lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

12:4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to
take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring
man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed
it for the man that was come to him.

12:5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he
said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing
shall surely die: 12:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because
he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee
out of the hand of Saul; 12:8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and
thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel
and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have
given unto thee such and such things.

12:9 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.

12:10 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.

12:11 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.

12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all
Israel, and before the sun.

12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And
Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou
shalt not die.

12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to
the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto
thee shall surely die.

12:15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the
child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

12:16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted,
and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

12:17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him
up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with
them.

12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And
the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for
they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him,
and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself,
if we tell him that the child is dead?  12:19 But when David saw that
his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead:
therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they
said, He is dead.

12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed
himself, and changed his apparel, and 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.

12:21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou
hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive;
but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

12:22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept:
for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the
child may live?  12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast?
can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return
to me.

12:24 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.

12:25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his
name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

12:26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and
took the royal city.

12:27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought
against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

12:28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp
against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called
after my name.

12:29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah,
and fought against it, and took it.

12:30 And he took 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.

12:31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them
under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and
made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the
cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned
unto Jerusalem.

13:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had
a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved
her.

13:2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar;
for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything
to her.

13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of
Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

13:4 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.

13:5 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.

13:6 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.

13:7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother
Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.

13:8 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.

13:9 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.

13:10 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.

13:11 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.

13:12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no
such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

13:13 And I, whither shall I 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.

13:14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger
than she, forced her, and lay with her.

13:15 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.

13:16 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.

13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said,
Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

13:18 And she had a garment of divers 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.

13:19 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.

13:20 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.

13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very
wroth.

13:22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad:
for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom
invited all the king’s sons.

13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant
hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go
with thy servant.

13:25 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.

13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go
with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
13:27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s
sons go with him.

13:28 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.

13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had
commanded.

Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his
mule, and fled.

13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings
came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and
there is not one of them left.

13:31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the
earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and
said, Let not my lord suppose that they have 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.

13:33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his
heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is
dead.

13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted
up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the
way of the hill side behind him.

13:35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as
thy servant said, so it is.

13:36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking,
that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and
wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.

13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king
of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

13:39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for
he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was
toward Absalom.

14:2 And Joab sent to 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: 14:3 And come to the
king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her
mouth.

14:4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her
face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

14:5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I
am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

14:6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in
the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the
other, and slew him.

14:7 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.

14:8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will
give charge concerning thee.

14:9 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.

14:10 And the king said, Whoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to
me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

14:11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember 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.

14:12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one
word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

14:13 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.

14:14 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.

14:15 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.

14:16 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.

14:17 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.

14:18 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.

14:19 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 ought
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: 14:20 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.

14:21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing:
go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

14:22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and
thanked the king: and Joab said, To day 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.

14:23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to
Jerusalem.

14:24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him
not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the
king’s face.

14:25 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.

14:26 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 shekels
after the king’s weight.

14:27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter,
whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

14:28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the
king’s face.

14:29 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.

14:30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab’s field is near
mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom’s
servants set the field on fire.

14:31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said
unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?  14:32 And
Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither,
that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from
Geshur? it 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.

14:33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called
for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the
ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

15:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him
chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

15:2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate:
and it was so, that when any man 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.

15:3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right;
but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.

15:4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land,
that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I
would do him justice!  15:5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh
to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and
kissed him.

15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the
king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

15:7 And it came to pass 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.

15:8 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.

15:9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to
Hebron.

15:10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel,
saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall
say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

15:11 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.

15:12 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.

15:13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the
men of Israel are after Absalom.

15:14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at
Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for 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.

15:15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants
are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.

15:16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And
the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.

15:17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and
tarried in a place that was far off.

15:18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the
Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred
men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

15:19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou
also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou
art a stranger, and also an exile.

15:20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee
go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and
take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.

15:21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As 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.

15:22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite
passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with
him.

15:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people
passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and
all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

15:24 And lo Zadok also, 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.

15:25 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: 15:26 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.

15:27 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.

15:28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there
come word from you to certify me.

15:29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to
Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

15:30 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.

15:31 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.

15:32 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: 15:33 Unto whom
David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden
unto me: 15:34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I
will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant
hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me
defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

15:35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the
priests?  therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt
hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar
the priests.

15:36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz
Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send
unto me every thing that ye can hear.

15:37 So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came
into Jerusalem.

16:1 And when David was a little past the top of the 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.

16:2 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.

16:3 And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said
unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day
shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

16:4 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.

16:5 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.

16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king
David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right
hand and on his left.

16:7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou
bloody man, and thou man of Belial: 16:8 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.

16:9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should
this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and
take off his head.

16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of
Zeruiah?  so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse
David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?  16:11 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.

16:12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that
the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

16:13 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.

16:14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary,
and refreshed themselves there.

16:15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to
Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16:16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend,
was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the
king, God save the king.

16:17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend?
why wentest thou not with thy friend?  16:18 And Hushai said unto
Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of
Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

16:19 And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the
presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so
will I be in thy presence.

16:20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we
shall do.

16:21 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.

16:22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and
Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all
Israel.

16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those
days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all
the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

17:1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out
twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this
night: 17:2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak
handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him
shall flee; and I will smite the king only: 17:3 And I will bring back
all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all
returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

17:4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of
Israel.

17:5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us
hear likewise what he saith.

17:6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him,
saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after
his saying? if not; speak thou.

17:7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath
given is not good at this time.

17:8 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.

17:9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it
will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that
whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people
that follow Absalom.

17:10 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.

17:11 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.

17:12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found,
and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of
him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so
much as one.

17:13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel
bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until
there be not one small stone found there.

17:14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of
Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the
LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the
intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

17:15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus
and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and
thus and thus have I counselled.

17:16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not
this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over;
lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.

17:17 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.

17:18 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.

17:19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth,
and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

17:20 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.

17:21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up
out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David,
Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel
counselled against you.

17:22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and
they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of
them that was not gone over Jordan.

17:23 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.

17:24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he
and all the men of Israel with him.

17:25 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.

17:26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

17:27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi
the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the
son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
17:28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and
barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and
parched pulse, 17:29 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.

18:1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set
captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.

18:2 And David sent forth 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.

18:3 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.

18:4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And
the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by
hundreds and by thousands.

18:5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal
gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the
people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning
Absalom.

18:6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the
battle was in the wood of Ephraim; 18:7 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.

18:8 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.

18:9 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.

18:10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw
Absalom hanged in an oak.

18:11 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.

18:12 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.

18:13 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.

18:14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took
three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom,
while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

18:15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and
smote Absalom, and slew him.

18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing
after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

18:17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into 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.

18:18 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.

18:19 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.

18:20 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.

18:21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen.
And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

18:22 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?  18:23 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.

18:24 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.

18:25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If
he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and
drew near.

18:26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman
called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone.
And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.

18:27 And the watchman said, 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.

18:28 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.

18:29 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.

18:30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he
turned aside, and stood still.

18:31 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.

18:32 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.

18:33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the
gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my
son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son,
my son!  19:1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and
mourneth for Absalom.

19:2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the
people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for
his son.

19:3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as
people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

19:4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud
voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!  19:5 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; 19:6 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.

19:7 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.

19:8 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.

19:9 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.

19:10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now
therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?  19:11
And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying,
Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring
the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to
the king, even to his house.

19:12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then
are ye the last to bring back the king?  19:13 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.

19:14 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.

19:15 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.

19:16 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.

19:17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the
servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty
servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

19:18 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; 19:19 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.

19:20 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.

19:21 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?  19:22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons
of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall
there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know
that I am this day king over Israel?  19:23 Therefore the king said
unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and
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.

19:25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the
king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me,
Mephibosheth?  19:26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant
deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may
ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.

19:27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my
lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in
thine eyes.

19:28 For all 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?  19:29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any
more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

19:30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all,
forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own
house.

19:31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went
over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

19:32 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.

19:33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I
will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

19:34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that
I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?  19:35 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?  19:36 Thy servant will
go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king
recompense it me with such a reward?  19:37 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.

19:38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will
do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou
shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

19:39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come
over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto
his own place.

19:40 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.

19:41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said
unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee
away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s
men with him, over Jordan?  19:42 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?  19:43 And the men of Israel
answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king,
and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise
us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?
And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the
men of Israel.

20:1 And there happened to be there a 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.

20:2 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.

20:3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the
ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put
them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were
shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

20:4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within
three days, and be thou here present.

20:5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer
than the set time which he had appointed him.

20:6 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.

20:7 And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and
the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of
Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

20:8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa 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.

20:9 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.

20:10 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.

20:11 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.

20:12 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.

20:13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on
after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

20:14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to
Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and
went also after him.

20:15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of 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.

20:16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray
you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

20:17 And 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.

20:18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time,
saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the
matter.

20:19 I am 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?  20:20 And Joab answered and
said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or
destroy.

20:21 The matter is not so: but a man of 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.

20:22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they
cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and 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.

20:23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: 20:24 And
Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was
recorder: 20:25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the
priests: 20:26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

21:1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year
after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It
is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

21:2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the
Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of
the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul
sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)
21:3 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?  21:4 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.

21:5 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, 21:6 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.

21:7 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.

21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah,
whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of
Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of
Barzillai the Meholathite: 21:9 And he delivered them into the hands
of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the 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.

21:10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it
for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water
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.

21:11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the
concubine of Saul, had done.

21:12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of
Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them
from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them,
when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: 21:13 And he brought up
from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and
they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

21:14 And 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
intreated for the land.

21:15 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.

21:16 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.

21:17 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.

21:18 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.

21:19 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.

21:20 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.

21:21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the
brother of David slew him.

21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand
of David, and by the hand of his servants.

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: 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock,
and my fortress, and my deliverer; 22:3 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.

22:4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I
be saved from mine enemies.

22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men
made me afraid; 22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the
snares of death prevented me; 22:7 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.

22:8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven
moved and shook, because he was wroth.

22:9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his
mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

22:10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under
his feet.

22:11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the
wings of the wind.

22:12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and
thick clouds of the skies.

22:13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

22:14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his
voice.

22:15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and
discomfited them.

22:16 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.

22:17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
22:18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated
me: for they were too strong for me.

22:19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my
stay.

22:20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me,
because he delighted in me.

22:21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to
the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

22:22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly
departed from my God.

22:23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I
did not depart from them.

22:24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine
iniquity.

22:25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my
righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.

22:26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the
upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.

22:27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward
thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.

22:28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon
the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

22:29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my
darkness.

22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped
over a wall.

22:31 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.

22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
22:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

22:34 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high
places.

22:35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by
mine arms.

22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy
gentleness hath made me great.

22:37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not
slip.

22:38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not
again until I had consumed them.

22:39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not
arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.

22:40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose
up against me hast thou subdued under me.

22:41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might
destroy them that hate me.

22:42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but
he answered them not.

22:43 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.

22:44 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.

22:45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear,
they shall be obedient unto me.

22:46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their
close places.

22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God
of the rock of my salvation.

22:48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people
under me.

22:49 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.

22:50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the
heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

22:51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to
his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

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, 23:2 The Spirit of
the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

23:3 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.

23:4 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.

23:5 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.

23:6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust
away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 23:7 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.

23:8 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.

23:9 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: 23:10 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.

23:11 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.

23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and
slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

23:13 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.

23:14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the
Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

23:15 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!  23:16 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.

23:17 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.

23:18 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.

23:19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their
captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

23:20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of
Kabzeel, who had done 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:
23:21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a
spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked
the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

23:22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name
among three mighty men.

23:23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to
the first three. And David set him over his guard.

23:24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the
son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the
Harodite, 23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
23:27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 23:28 Zalmon
the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 23:29 Heleb the son of Baanah,
a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children
of Benjamin, 23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of
Gaash, 23:31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 23:32
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 23:33
Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 23:34
Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the
son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the
Arbite, 23:36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 23:37
Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the
son of Zeruiah, 23:38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 23:39 Uriah
the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

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.

24:2 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.

24:3 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?  24:4 Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against
Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains
of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the
people of Israel.

24:5 And they passed over 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: 24:6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of
Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon, 24:7 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.

24:8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to
Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the 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.

24:10 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.

24:11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came
unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 24:12 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.

24:13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall
seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee
three months before 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.

24:14 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.

24:15 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.

24:16 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.

24:17 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.

24:18 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.

24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD
commanded.

24:20 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.

24:21 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.

24:22 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.

24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And
Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

24:24 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.

24:25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land,
and the plague was stayed from Israel.