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2 Samuel 1-19
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amal′ekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; 2 and on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilbo′a; and there was Saul leaning upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amal′ekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and slay me; for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen; and I took the crown which was on his head and the armlet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and so did all the men who were with him; 12 and they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amal′ekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, fall upon him.” And he smote him so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be upon your head; for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the Lord’s anointed.’”

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it[a] should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.[b] He said:

19 “Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
    How are the mighty fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
    publish it not in the streets of Ash′kelon;
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

21 “Ye mountains of Gilbo′a,
    let there be no dew or rain upon you,
    nor upsurging of the deep![c]
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
    the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

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

23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
    In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles,
    they were stronger than lions.

24 “Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
    who clothed you daintily in scarlet,
    who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 “How are the mighty fallen
    in the midst of the battle!

“Jonathan lies slain upon thy high places.
26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
    your love to me was wonderful,
    passing the love of women.[d]

27 “How are the mighty fallen,
    and the weapons of war perished!”

David Anointed King of Judah

2 After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahin′o-am of Jezre′el, and Ab′igail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, every one with his household; and they dwelt in the towns of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

When they told David, “It was the men of Ja′besh-gil′ead who buried Saul,” 5 David sent messengers to the men of Ja′besh-gil′ead, and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord, and buried him! 6 Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you! And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

Ishbaal King of Israel

8 Now Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bo′sheth[e] the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahana′im; 9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ash′urites and Jezre′el and E′phraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bo′sheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

The Battle of Gibeon

12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bo′sheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahana′im to Gibeon. 13 And Jo′ab the son of Zeru′iah, and the servants of David, went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 And Abner said to Jo′ab, “Let the young men arise and play[f] before us.” And Jo′ab said, “Let them arise.” 15 Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bo′sheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Hel′kath-hazzu′rim,[g] which is at Gibeon. 17 And the battle was very fierce that day; and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

18 And the three sons of Zeru′iah were there, Jo′ab, Abi′shai, and As′ahel. Now As′ahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle; 19 and As′ahel pursued Abner, and as he went he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, As′ahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men, and take his spoil.” But As′ahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 And Abner said again to As′ahel, “Turn aside from following me; why should I smite you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Jo′ab?” 23 But he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner smote him in the belly with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back; and he fell there, and died where he was. And all who came to the place where As′ahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24 But Jo′ab and Abi′shai pursued Abner; and as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Gi′ah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the Benjaminites gathered themselves together behind Abner, and became one band, and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Jo′ab, “Shall the sword devour for ever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you bid your people turn from the pursuit of their brethren?” 27 And Jo′ab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would have given up the pursuit of their brethren in the morning.” 28 So Jo′ab blew the trumpet; and all the men stopped, and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight any more.

29 And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; they crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole forenoon they came to Mahana′im. 30 Jo′ab returned from the pursuit of Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men besides As′ahel. 31 But the servants of David had slain of Benjamin three hundred and sixty of Abner’s men. 32 And they took up As′ahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Jo′ab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.

Abner Defects to David

3 There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

2 And sons were born to David at Hebron: his first-born was Amnon, of Ahin′o-am of Jezre′el; 3 and his second, Chil′e-ab, of Ab′igail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Ab′salom the son of Ma′acah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 and the fourth, Adoni′jah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephati′ah the son of Abi′tal; 5 and the sixth, Ith′re-am, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

6 While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Ai′ah; and Ish-bo′sheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bo′sheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head of Judah? This day I keep showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. 9 God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the Lord has sworn to him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.” 11 And Ish-bo′sheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron,[h] saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you.” 13 And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you; but one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-bo′sheth Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed at the price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ish-bo′sheth sent, and took her from her husband Pal′ti-el the son of La′ish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahu′rim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return”; and he returned.

17 And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. 18 Now then bring it about; for the Lord has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke to Benjamin; and then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do.

20 When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

Abner Is Killed by Joab

22 Just then the servants of David arrived with Jo′ab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Jo′ab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Jo′ab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Jo′ab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone? 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

26 When Jo′ab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know about it. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Jo′ab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he smote him in the belly, so that he died, for the blood of As′ahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are for ever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May it fall upon the head of Jo′ab, and upon all his father’s house; and may the house of Jo′ab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is leprous, or who holds a spindle, or who is slain by the sword, or who lacks bread!” 30 So Jo′ab and Abi′shai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother As′ahel in the battle at Gibeon.

31 Then David said to Jo′ab and to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. 32 They buried Abner at Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 33 And the king lamented for Abner, saying,

“Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound,
    your feet were not fettered;
as one falls before the wicked
    you have fallen.”

And all the people wept again over him. 35 Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to slay Abner the son of Ner. 38 And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; these men the sons of Zeru′iah are too hard for me. The Lord requite the evildoer according to his wickedness!”

Ishbaal Assassinated

4 When Ish-bo′sheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Ba′anah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Be-er′oth (for Be-er′oth also is reckoned to Benjamin; 3 the Be-er′othites fled to Gitta′im, and have been sojourners there to this day).

4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezre′el; and his nurse took him up, and fled; and, as she fled in her haste, he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephib′osheth.

5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Be-er′othite, Rechab and Ba′anah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bo′sheth, as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And behold, the doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she grew drowsy and slept; so Rechab and Ba′anah his brother slipped in.[i] 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him. They took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bo′sheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bo′sheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Ba′anah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Be-er′othite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and slew him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous man in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand, and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bo′sheth, and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

David Anointed King of All Israel

5 [j]Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you that led out and brought in Israel; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

Jerusalem Made Capital of the United Kingdom

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jeb′usites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame[k] will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would smite the Jeb′usites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built the city round about from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12 And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Sham′mu-a, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Eli′shu-a, Nepheg, Japhi′a, 16 Elish′ama, Eli′ada, and Eliph′elet.

Philistine Attack Repulsed

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; but David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the valley of Reph′aim. 19 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Wilt thou give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up; for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Ba′al-pera′zim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through[l] my enemies before me, like a bursting flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Ba′al-pera′zim.[m] 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread out in the valley of Reph′aim. 23 And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then bestir yourself; for then the Lord has gone out before you to smite the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

6 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Ba′ale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abin′adab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahi′o,[n] the sons of Abin′adab, were driving the new cart[o] 4 with the ark of God; and Ahi′o[p] went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the Lord with all their might, with songs[q] and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there because he put forth his hand to the ark;[r] and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzzah; and that place is called Pe′rez-uz′zah,[s] to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David; but David took it aside to the house of O′bed-e′dom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of O′bed-e′dom the Gittite three months; and the Lord blessed O′bed-e′dom and all his household.

12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of O′bed-e′dom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of O′bed-e′dom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13 and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the horn.

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat,[t] and a cake of raisins. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will make merry before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your[u] eyes; but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

God’s Covenant with David

7 Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart; for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges[v] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men; 15 but I will not take[w] my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in thy eyes, O Lord God; thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast shown me future generations,[x] O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to thee? For thou knowest thy servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of thy promise, and according to thy own heart, thou hast wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it. 22 Therefore thou art great, O Lord God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 What other[y] nation on earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name, and doing for them[z] great and terrible things, by driving out[aa] before his people a nation and its gods?[ab] 24 And thou didst establish for thyself thy people Israel to be thy people for ever; and thou, O Lord, didst become their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm for ever the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house, and do as thou hast spoken; 26 and thy name will be magnified for ever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of thy servant David will be established before thee. 27 For thou, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hast made this revelation to thy servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore thy servant has found courage to pray this prayer to thee. 28 And now, O Lord God, thou art God, and thy words are true, and thou hast promised this good thing to thy servant; 29 now therefore may 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, and with thy blessing shall the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.”[ac]

David’s Wars

8 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Meth′eg-am′mah out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 And he defeated Moab, and measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground; two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadade′zer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphra′tes. 4 And David took from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for a hundred chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadade′zer king of Zobah, David slew twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadade′zer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Bero′thai, cities of Hadade′zer, King David took very much bronze.

9 When To′i king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadade′zer, 10 To′i sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him, and to congratulate him because he had fought against Hadade′zer and defeated him; for Hadade′zer had often been at war with To′i. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze; 11 these also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold which he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Am′alek, and from the spoil of Hadade′zer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David won a name for himself. When he returned, he slew eighteen thousand E′domites[ad] in the Valley of Salt. 14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the E′domites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Officers

15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 And Jo′ab the son of Zeru′iah was over the army; and Jehosh′aphat the son of Ahi′lud was recorder; 17 and Zadok the son of Ahi′tub and Ahim′elech the son of Abi′athar were priests; and Serai′ah was secretary; 18 and Benai′ah the son of Jehoi′ada was over[ae] the Cher′ethites and the Pel′ethites; and David’s sons were priests.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

9 [af]And David said, “Is there still any one left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “Your servant is he.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still some one of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Am′mi-el, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Am′mi-el, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephib′osheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face and did obeisance. And David said, “Mephib′osheth!” And he answered, “Behold, your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear; for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father; and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he did obeisance, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog such as I?”

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him, and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephib′osheth your master’s son shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephib′osheth ate at David’s[ag] table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephib′osheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who dwelt in Ziba’s house became Mephib′osheth’s servants. 13 So Mephib′osheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.

The Ammonites and Arameans Are Defeated

10 After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. 3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off half the beard of each, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away. 5 When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become odious to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-re′hob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Ma′acah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob, twelve thousand men. 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Jo′ab and all the host of the mighty men. 8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate; and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Ma′acah, were by themselves in the open country.

9 When Jo′ab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Syrians; 10 the rest of his men he put in the charge of Abi′shai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11 And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” 13 So Jo′ab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians; and they fled before him. 14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abi′shai, and entered the city. Then Jo′ab returned from fighting against the Ammonites, and came to Jerusalem.

15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadade′zer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphra′tes;[ah] and they came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadade′zer at their head. 17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians arrayed themselves against David, and fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants of Hadade′zer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel, and became subject to them. So the Syrians feared to help the Ammonites any more.

David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba

11 [ai]In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Jo′ab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathshe′ba, the daughter of Eli′am, the wife of Uri′ah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am with child.”

6 So David sent word to Jo′ab, “Send me Uri′ah the Hittite.” And Jo′ab sent Uri′ah to David. 7 When Uri′ah came to him, David asked how Jo′ab was doing, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. 8 Then David said to Uri′ah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” And Uri′ah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. 9 But Uri′ah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 When they told David, “Uri′ah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uri′ah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 Uri′ah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths; and my lord Jo′ab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife?[aj] As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” 12 Then David said to Uri′ah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uri′ah remained in Jerusalem that day, and the next. 13 And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

David Has Uriah Killed

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Jo′ab, and sent it by the hand of Uri′ah. 15 In the letter he wrote, “Set Uri′ah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” 16 And as Jo′ab was besieging the city, he assigned Uri′ah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Jo′ab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uri′ah the Hittite was slain also. 18 Then Jo′ab sent and told David all the news about the fighting; 19 and he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, 20 then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who killed Abim′elech the son of Jerub′besheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uri′ah the Hittite is dead also.’”

22 So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Jo′ab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us, and came out against us in the field; but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. 24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall; some of the king’s servants are dead; and your servant Uri′ah the Hittite is dead also.” 25 David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Jo′ab, ‘Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another; strengthen your attack upon the city, and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”

26 When the wife of Uri′ah heard that Uri′ah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband. 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

Nathan Condemns David

12 And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds; 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his morsel, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul; 8 and I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have smitten Uri′ah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uri′ah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord,[ak] the child that is born to you shall die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.

Bathsheba’s Child Dies

And the Lord struck the child that Uri′ah’s wife bore to David, and it became sick. 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord, and worshiped; he then went to his own house; and when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Solomon Is Born

24 Then David comforted his wife, Bathshe′ba, and went in to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him, 25 and sent a message by Nathan the prophet; so he called his name Jedidi′ah,[al] because of the Lord.

The Ammonites Crushed

26 Now Jo′ab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and took the royal city. 27 And Jo′ab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28 Now, then, gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called by my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it. 30 And he took the crown of their king[am] from his head; the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31 And he brought forth the people who were in it, and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them toil at[an] the brickkilns; and thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Amnon and Tamar

13 [ao]Now Ab′salom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. 2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jon′adab, the son of Shim′e-ah, David’s brother; and Jon′adab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Ab′salom’s sister.” 5 Jon′adab said to him, “Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be ill; and when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.’” 6 So Amnon lay down, and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Pray let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out every one from me.” So every one went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me; for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this wanton folly. 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the wanton fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray you, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he would not listen to her; and being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred; so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone.” 16 But she said to him, “No, my brother; for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other which you did to me.”[ap] But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence, and bolt the door after her.” 18 Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves; for thus were the virgin daughters of the king clad of old.[aq] So his servant put her out, and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent the long robe which she wore; and she laid her hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she went.

20 And her brother Ab′salom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar dwelt, a desolate woman, in her brother Ab′salom’s house. 21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 But Ab′salom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Ab′salom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister

23 After two full years Ab′salom had sheepshearers at Ba′al-ha′zor, which is near E′phraim, and Ab′salom invited all the king’s sons. 24 And Ab′salom came to the king, and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers; pray let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25 But the king said to Ab′salom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Ab′salom said, “If not, pray let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Ab′salom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28 Then Ab′salom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Fear not; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29 So the servants of Ab′salom did to Amnon as Ab′salom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 While they were on the way, tidings came to David, “Ab′salom has slain all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 31 Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants who were standing by rent their garments. 32 But Jon′adab the son of Shim′e-ah, David’s brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead, for by the command of Ab′salom this has been determined from the day he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king so take it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead; for Amnon alone is dead.”

34 But Ab′salom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the Horona′im road[ar] by the side of the mountain. 35 And Jon′adab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept; and the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 But Ab′salom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammi′hud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38 So Ab′salom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And the spirit[as] of the king longed to go forth to Ab′salom; for he was comforted about Amnon, seeing he was dead.

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

14 Now Jo′ab the son of Zeru′iah perceived that the king’s heart went out to Ab′salom. 2 And Jo′ab sent to Teko′a, and fetched from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments; do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead; 3 and go to the king, and speak thus to him.” So Jo′ab put the words in her mouth.

4 When the woman of Teko′a came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, “Help, O king.” 5 And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 And your handmaid had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field; there was no one to part them, and one struck the other and killed him. 7 And now the whole family has risen against your handmaid, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew’; and so they would destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant upon the face of the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” 9 And the woman of Teko′a said to the king, “On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.” 10 The king said, “If any one says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.” 11 Then she said, “Pray let the king invoke the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood slay no more, and my son be not destroyed.” He said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Pray let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.” 13 And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again. 14 We must all die, we are like water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; but God will not take away the life of him who devises[at] means not to keep his banished one an outcast. 15 Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid; and your handmaid thought, ‘I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16 For the king will hear, and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.’ 17 And your handmaid thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest’; for my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!”

18 Then the king answered the woman, “Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king said, “Is the hand of Jo′ab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Jo′ab who bade me; it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid. 20 In order to change the course of affairs your servant Jo′ab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.”

21 Then the king said to Jo′ab, “Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Ab′salom.” 22 And Jo′ab fell on his face to the ground, and did obeisance, and blessed the king; and Jo′ab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.” 23 So Jo′ab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Ab′salom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Ab′salom dwelt apart in his own house, and did not come into the king’s presence.

David Forgives Absalom

25 Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his beauty as Ab′salom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. 27 There were born to Ab′salom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.

28 So Ab′salom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king’s presence. 29 Then Ab′salom sent for Jo′ab, to send him to the king; but Jo′ab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Jo′ab would not come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “See, Jo′ab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Ab′salom’s servants set the field on fire. 31 Then Jo′ab arose and went to Ab′salom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?” 32 Ab′salom answered Jo′ab, “Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king; and if there is guilt in me, let him kill me.’” 33 Then Jo′ab went to the king, and told him; and he summoned Ab′salom. So he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Ab′salom.

Absalom Usurps the Throne

15 After this Ab′salom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Ab′salom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate; and when any man had a suit to come before the king for judgment, Ab′salom would call to him, and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3 Ab′salom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear you.” 4 Ab′salom said moreover, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, and take hold of him, and kiss him. 6 Thus Ab′salom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Ab′salom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And at the end of four[au] years Ab′salom said to the king, “Pray let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. 8 For your servant vowed a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.’” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose, and went to Hebron. 10 But Ab′salom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Ab′salom is king at Hebron!’” 11 With Ab′salom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their simplicity, and knew nothing. 12 And while Ab′salom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for[av] Ahith′ophel the Gi′lonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Ab′salom kept increasing.

David Flees from Jerusalem

13 And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Ab′salom.” 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee; or else there will be no escape for us from Ab′salom; go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.” 15 And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” 16 So the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they halted at the last house. 18 And all his servants passed by him; and all the Cher′ethites, and all the Pel′ethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.

19 Then the king said to It′tai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile from[aw] your home. 20 You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, seeing I go I know not where? Go back, and take your brethren with you; and may the Lord show[ax] steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” 21 But It′tai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” 22 And David said to It′tai, “Go then, pass on.” So It′tai the Gittite passed on, with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23 And all the country wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.

24 And Abi′athar came up, and lo, Zadok came also, with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God, until the people had all passed out of the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his habitation; 26 but if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Look,[ay] go back to the city in peace, you and Abi′athar,[az] with your two sons, Ahim′a-az your son, and Jonathan the son of Abi′athar. 28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abi′athar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem; and they remained there.

30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered; and all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, “Ahith′ophel is among the conspirators with Ab′salom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahith′ophel into foolishness.”

Hushai Becomes David’s Spy

32 When David came to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent and earth upon his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city, and say to Ab′salom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahith′ophel. 35 Are not Zadok and Abi′athar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abi′athar the priests. 36 Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahim′a-az, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abi′athar’s son; and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Ab′salom was entering Jerusalem.

David’s Adversaries

16 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephib′osheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The asses are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephib′osheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I do obeisance; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

5 When King David came to Bahu′rim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shim′e-i, the son of Gera; and as he came he cursed continually. 6 And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 And Shim′e-i said as he cursed, “Begone, begone, you man of blood, you worthless fellow! 8 The Lord has avenged upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Ab′salom. See, your ruin is on you; for you are a man of blood.”

9 Then Abi′shai the son of Zeru′iah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeru′iah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11 And David said to Abi′shai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord has bidden him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my affliction,[ba] and that the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing of me today.” 13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shim′e-i went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him and flung dust. 14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan;[bb] and there he refreshed himself.

The Counsel of Ahithophel

15 Now Ab′salom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahith′ophel with him. 16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Ab′salom, Hushai said to Ab′salom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 And Ab′salom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 And Hushai said to Ab′salom, “No; for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

20 Then Ab′salom said to Ahith′ophel, “Give your counsel; what shall we do?” 21 Ahith′ophel said to Ab′salom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Ab′salom upon the roof; and Ab′salom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.[bc] 23 Now in those days the counsel which Ahith′ophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle[bd] of God; so was all the counsel of Ahith′ophel esteemed, both by David and by Ab′salom.

17 Moreover Ahith′ophel said to Ab′salom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged, and throw him into a panic; and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down the king only, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man,[be] and all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the advice pleased Ab′salom and all the elders of Israel.

The Counsel of Hushai

5 Then Ab′salom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6 And when Hushai came to Ab′salom, Ab′salom said to him, “Thus has Ahith′ophel spoken; shall we do as he advises? If not, you speak.” 7 Then Hushai said to Ab′salom, “This time the counsel which Ahith′ophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai said moreover, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. 9 Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits, or in some other place. And when some of the people fall[bf] at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Ab′salom.’ 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.” 14 And Ab′salom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahith′ophel.” For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahith′ophel, so that the Lord might bring evil upon Ab′salom.

Hushai Warns David to Escape

15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abi′athar the priests, “Thus and so did Ahith′ophel counsel Ab′salom and the elders of Israel; and thus and so have I counseled. 16 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’” 17 Now Jonathan and Ahim′a-az were waiting at En-ro′gel; a maidservant used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they must not be seen entering the city. 18 But a lad saw them, and told Ab′salom; so both of them went away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Bahu′rim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it. 19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and scattered grain upon it; and nothing was known of it. 20 When Ab′salom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahim′a-az and Jonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook[bg] of water.” And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, “Arise, and go quickly over the water; for thus and so has Ahith′ophel counseled against you.” 22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan; by daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 When Ahith′ophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and went off home to his own city. And he set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

24 Then David came to Mahana′im. And Ab′salom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Ab′salom had set Ama′sa over the army instead of Jo′ab. Ama′sa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ish′maelite,[bh] who had married Ab′igal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeru′iah, Jo′ab’s mother. 26 And Israel and Ab′salom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahana′im, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Am′mi-el from Lo-debar, and Barzil′lai the Gileadite from Ro′gelim, 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans and lentils,[bi] 29 honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

The Defeat and Death of Absalom

18 Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent forth the army, one third under the command of Jo′ab, one third under the command of Abi′shai the son of Zeru′iah, Jo′ab’s brother, and one third under the command of It′tai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3 But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us;[bj] therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.” 4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king ordered Jo′ab and Abi′shai and It′tai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Ab′salom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Ab′salom.

6 So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of E′phraim. 7 And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.

9 And Ab′salom chanced to meet the servants of David. Ab′salom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging[bk] between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Jo′ab, “Behold, I saw Ab′salom hanging in an oak.” 11 Jo′ab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a girdle.” 12 But the man said to Jo′ab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abi′shai and It′tai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Ab′salom.’ 13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life[bl] (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Jo′ab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Ab′salom, while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Jo′ab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Ab′salom and struck him, and killed him.

16 Then Jo′ab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel; for Jo′ab restrained them. 17 And they took Ab′salom, and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones; and all Israel fled every one to his own home. 18 Now Ab′salom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar which is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance”; he called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Ab′salom’s monument to this day.

David Hears of Absalom’s Death

19 Then said Ahim′a-az the son of Zadok, “Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the power of his enemies.” 20 And Jo′ab said to him, “You are not to carry tidings today; you may carry tidings another day, but today you shall carry no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Jo′ab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Jo′ab, and ran. 22 Then Ahim′a-az the son of Zadok said again to Jo′ab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Jo′ab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the tidings?” 23 “Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahim′a-az ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 And the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth.” And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings tidings.” 27 And the watchman said, “I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahim′a-az the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good tidings.”

28 Then Ahim′a-az cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” 29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Ab′salom?” Ahim′a-az answered, “When Jo′ab sent your servant,[bm] I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.” 30 And the king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” So he turned aside, and stood still.

David Mourns for Absalom

31 And behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, “Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the power of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Ab′salom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man.” 33 [bn] And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, “O my son Ab′salom, my son, my son Ab′salom! Would I had died instead of you, O Ab′salom, my son, my son!”

19 It was told Jo′ab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Ab′salom.” 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Ab′salom, O Ab′salom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Jo′ab came into the house to the king, and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you; for today I perceive that if Ab′salom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night; and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king arose, and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate”; and all the people came before the king.

David Recalled to Jerusalem

Now Israel had fled every man to his own home. 9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and saved us from the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Ab′salom. 10 But Ab′salom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

11 And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abi′athar the priests, “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?[bo]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:18 Gk: Heb the Bow
  2. 2 Samuel 1:18 Or The upright
  3. 2 Samuel 1:21 Cn: Heb fields of offerings
  4. 1.26 Vulgate adds, “As the mother loveth her only son, so did I love thee.”
  5. 2.8 Ish-bosheth: “Man of shame.” The name was really Ish-baal, “Man or servant of Baal,” but the writer could not bring himself to pronounce so profane a name, especially as it belonged to an Israelite; cf. 1 Chron 8.33; 9.39, where the name is given as Esh-baal.
  6. 2.14 play: He meant “do battle.” The idea was to settle the matter by a fight between two select groups of soldiers.
  7. 2 Samuel 2:16 That is the field of sword-edges
  8. 2 Samuel 3:12 Gk: Heb where he was
  9. 2 Samuel 4:6 Gk: Heb 6 And hither they came into the midst of the house fetching wheat; and they smote him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped
  10. 5.1 The two chapters 5–6 represent the climax of David’s career with the establishment of Jerusalem as the political and religious center of Israel.
  11. 5.6 the blind and the lame: The meaning is, that the place was so strong that it could be defended even by the blind and the lame. But David took it by a stratagem, his men climbing secretly up a shaft from the spring Gihon. The place was ideal for a capital city.
  12. 2 Samuel 5:20 Heb paraz
  13. 2 Samuel 5:20 That is Lord of breaking through
  14. 2 Samuel 6:3 Or and his brother
  15. 2 Samuel 6:3 Compare Gk: Heb the new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was on the hill
  16. 2 Samuel 6:4 Or and his brother
  17. 2 Samuel 6:5 Gk 1 Chron 13.8: Heb fir-trees
  18. 2 Samuel 6:7 1 Chron 13.10: Heb uncertain
  19. 2 Samuel 6:8 That is The breaking forth upon Uzzah
  20. 2 Samuel 6:19 Vg: Heb uncertain
  21. 2 Samuel 6:22 Gk: Heb my
  22. 2 Samuel 7:7 1 Chron 17.6: Heb tribes
  23. 2 Samuel 7:15 Gk Syr Vg 1 Chron 17.13: Heb shall not depart
  24. 2 Samuel 7:19 Cn: Heb this is the law for man
  25. 2 Samuel 7:23 Gk: Heb one
  26. 2 Samuel 7:23 Heb you
  27. 2 Samuel 7:23 Gk 1 Chron 17.21: Heb for your land
  28. 2 Samuel 7:23 Heb before thy people, whom thou didst redeem for thyself from Egypt, nations and its gods
  29. 7.1-29 The point of this prophecy is the establishment of David’s dynasty. Hence God says he will build David a house (verse 11). David thanks him suitably in a formal prayer (verses 18-29).
  30. 2 Samuel 8:13 Gk: Heb returned from smiting eighteen thousand Syrians
  31. 2 Samuel 8:18 Syr Tg Vg 20.23; 1 Chron 18.17: Heb lacks was over
  32. 9.1 2 Sam 9—1 Kings 2 (except 2 Sam 21–24) is the account of the struggle for the succession to David’s throne. It goes back to the early monarchy and is probably the oldest continuous prose narrative in the Old Testament.
  33. 2 Samuel 9:11 Gk: Heb my
  34. 2 Samuel 10:16 Heb river
  35. 11.1 The story of David’s double crime shows how he, too, unlike other contemporary monarchs, was under the divine law, not above it, and how God draws good from evil, since it was Bathsheba’s son who would succeed David.
  36. 11.11 It was a religious law that soldiers should remain continent in time of war; cf. 1 Sam 21.4-5.
  37. 2 Samuel 12:14 Heb the enemies of the Lord
  38. 2 Samuel 12:25 That is beloved of the Lord
  39. 2 Samuel 12:30 Or Milcom. See Zeph 1.5
  40. 2 Samuel 12:31 Cn: Heb pass through
  41. 13.1 The first signs of dissension become visible.
  42. 2 Samuel 13:16 Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb No, for this great wrong in sending me away is (worse) than the other which you did to me
  43. 2 Samuel 13:18 Cn: Heb clad in robes
  44. 2 Samuel 13:34 Cn Compare Gk: Heb the road behind him
  45. 2 Samuel 13:39 Gk: Heb David
  46. 2 Samuel 14:14 Cn: Heb and he devises
  47. 2 Samuel 15:7 Gk Syr: Heb forty
  48. 2 Samuel 15:12 Or sent
  49. 2 Samuel 15:19 Gk Syr Vg: Heb to
  50. 2 Samuel 15:20 Gk: Heb lacks may the Lord show
  51. 2 Samuel 15:27 Gk: Heb Are you a seer? or Do you see?
  52. 2 Samuel 15:27 Cn: Heb lacks and Abiathar
  53. 2 Samuel 16:12 Gk Vg: Heb iniquity
  54. 2 Samuel 16:14 Gk: Heb lacks at the Jordan
  55. 16.22 Absalom’s action meant that he was supplanting his father in the kingship; cf. 3.7; 12.8.
  56. 2 Samuel 16:23 Heb word
  57. 2 Samuel 17:3 Gk: Heb like the return of the whole (is) the man whom you seek
  58. 2 Samuel 17:9 Or when he falls upon them
  59. 2 Samuel 17:20 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  60. 2 Samuel 17:25 1 Chron 2.17: Heb Israelite
  61. 2 Samuel 17:28 Heb lentils and parched grain
  62. 2 Samuel 18:3 Gk Vg Symmachus: Heb for now there are ten thousand such as we
  63. 2 Samuel 18:9 Gk Syr Tg: Heb was put
  64. 2 Samuel 18:13 Another reading is at the risk of my life
  65. 2 Samuel 18:29 Heb the king’s servant, your servant
  66. 2 Samuel 18:33 Ch 19.1 in Heb
  67. 2 Samuel 19:11 Gk: Heb to the king, to his house
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2 Samuel 1-24
New King James Version

The Report of Saul’s Death

1 Now it came to pass after the (A)death of Saul, when David had returned from (B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2 on the third day, behold, it happened that (C)a man came from Saul’s camp (D)with his clothes [a]torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he (E)fell to the ground and prostrated himself.

3 And David said to him, “Where have you come from?”

So he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”

4 Then David said to him, (F)“How did the matter go? Please tell me.”

And he answered, “The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead, and Saul and (G)Jonathan his son are dead also.”

5 So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”

6 Then the young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance to be on (H)Mount Gilboa, there was (I)Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 Now when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me again, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for [b]anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.’ 10 So I stood over him and (J)killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and (K)tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they (L)mourned and wept and (M)fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the (N)people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13 Then David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”

And he answered, “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.”

14 So David said to him, “How (O)was it you were not (P)afraid to (Q)put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then (R)David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and execute him!” And he struck him so that he died. 16 So David said to him, (S)“Your blood is on your own head, for (T)your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”

The Song of the Bow

17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 (U)and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written (V)in the Book [c]of Jasher:

19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
(W)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (X)Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of (Y)Ashkelon—
Lest (Z)the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of (AA)the uncircumcised triumph.

21 “O (AB)mountains of Gilboa,
(AC)Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is [d]cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not (AD)anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
From the fat of the mighty,
(AE)The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their (AF)death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were (AG)stronger than lions.

24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
(AH)Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.

27 “How(AI) the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”

David Anointed King of Judah

2 It happened after this that David (AJ)inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?”

And the Lord said to him, “Go up.”

David said, “Where shall I go up?”

And He said, “To (AK)Hebron.”

2 So David went up there, and his (AL)two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up (AM)the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

4 (AN)Then the men of Judah came, and there they (AO)anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, (AP)“The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, (AQ)“You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now may (AR)the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

Ishbosheth Made King of Israel

8 But (AS)Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took [e]Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to (AT)Mahanaim; 9 and he made him king over (AU)Gilead, over the (AV)Ashurites, over (AW)Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. 11 And (AX)the [f]time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Israel and Judah at War

12 Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to (AY)Gibeon. 13 And (AZ)Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by (BA)the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.”

And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

15 So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called [g]the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. 17 So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

18 Now the (BB)three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was (BC)as fleet of foot (BD)as a wild gazelle. 19 So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?”

He answered, “I am.”

21 And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?” 23 However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him (BE)in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood (BF)still.

24 Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon. 25 Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became [h]a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”

27 And Joab said, “As God lives, [i]unless (BG)you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.” 28 So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore. 29 Then Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.

30 So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died. 32 Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb, which was in (BH)Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.

Joab Kills Abner

3 Now there was a long (BI)war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

Sons of David

2 Sons were born (BJ)to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon (BK)by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 his second, [j]Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, (BL)Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king (BM)of Geshur; 4 the fourth, (BN)Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins Forces with David

6 Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.

7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was (BO)Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you (BP)gone in to my father’s concubine?”

8 Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I (BQ)a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? 9 (BR)May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David (BS)as the Lord has sworn to him— 10 to transfer the kingdom from the [k]house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, (BT)from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”

13 And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: (BU)you shall not see my face unless you first bring (BV)Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 So David sent messengers to (BW)Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself (BX)for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from [l]Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Then her husband went along with her to (BY)Bahurim, [m]weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.

17 Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 Now then, do it! (BZ)For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, [n]I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ” 19 And Abner also spoke in the hearing of (CA)Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.

20 So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and (CB)gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may (CC)reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

22 At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much [o]spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? 25 Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know (CD)your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

26 And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. 27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab (CE)took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there [p]stabbed him (CF)in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of (CG)Asahel his brother.

28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are [q]guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 (CH)Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the [r]house of Joab one (CI)who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother (CJ)Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David’s Mourning for Abner

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, (CK)“Tear your clothes, (CL)gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said:

“Should Abner die as a (CM)fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound
Nor your feet put into fetters;
As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.”

Then all the people wept over him again.

35 And when all the people came (CN)to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, (CO)“God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else (CP)till the sun goes down!” 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, (CQ)are too harsh for me. (CR)The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

Ishbosheth Is Murdered

4 When Saul’s [s]son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, (CS)he[t] lost heart, and all Israel was (CT)troubled. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of troops. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin. (For (CU)Beeroth also was [u]part of Benjamin, 3 because the Beerothites fled to (CV)Gittaim and have been sojourners there until this day.)

4 (CW)Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came (CX)from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was (CY)Mephibosheth.[v]

5 Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the (CZ)house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon. 6 And they came there, all the way into the house, as though to get wheat, and they [w]stabbed him (DA)in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain. 8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, (DB)who sought your life; and the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.”

9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord lives, (DC)who has redeemed my life from all adversity, 10 when (DD)someone told me, saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news, I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag—the one who thought I would give him a reward for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous person in his own house on his bed? Therefore, shall I not now (DE)require his [x]blood at your hand and [y]remove you from the earth?” 12 So David (DF)commanded his young men, and they executed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the (DG)tomb of Abner in Hebron.

David Reigns over All Israel(DH)

5 Then all the tribes of Israel (DI)came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed (DJ)we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, (DK)you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, (DL)‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’ ” 3 (DM)Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, (DN)and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron (DO)before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was (DP)thirty years old when he began to reign, and (DQ)he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah (DR)seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

The Conquest of Jerusalem(DS)

6 (DT)And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against (DU)the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (DV)(that is, the City of David).

8 Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), (DW)he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”

9 Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it (DX)the City of David. And David built all around from [z]the Millo and inward. 10 So David went on and became great, and (DY)the Lord God of hosts was with (DZ)him.

11 Then (EA)Hiram (EB)king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house. 12 So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had (EC)exalted His kingdom (ED)for the sake of His people Israel.

13 And (EE)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now (EF)these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: [aa]Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, (EG)Solomon, 15 Ibhar, [ab]Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

The Philistines Defeated(EH)

17 (EI)Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it (EJ)and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in (EK)the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So David (EL)inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”

And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

20 So David went to (EM)Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place [ac]Baal Perazim. 21 And they left their [ad]images there, and David and his men (EN)carried them away.

22 (EO)Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 Therefore (EP)David inquired of the Lord, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 24 And it shall be, when you (EQ)hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then (ER)the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 25 And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from (ES)Geba[ae] as far as (ET)Gezer.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(EU)

6 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And (EV)David arose and went with all the people who were with him from [af]Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called [ag]by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, (EW)who dwells between the cherubim. 3 So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on (EX)the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new [ah]cart. 4 And they brought it out of (EY)the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. 5 Then David and all the house of Israel (EZ)played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.

6 And when they came to (FA)Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his (FB)hand to the ark of God and [ai]took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his [aj]error; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place [ak]Perez Uzzah to this day.

9 (FC)David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the (FD)City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the (FE)Gittite. 11 (FF)The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord (FG)blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

12 Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” (FH)So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, when (FI)those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed (FJ)oxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David (FK)danced[al] before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing (FL)a linen ephod. 15 (FM)So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, (FN)Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So (FO)they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in (FP)its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David (FQ)offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, (FR)he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 (FS)Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house.

20 (FT)Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, (FU)uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the (FV)base fellows [am]shamelessly uncovers himself!”

21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, (FW)who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the (FX)people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”

23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children (FY)to the day of her death.

God’s Covenant with David(FZ)

7 Now it came to pass (GA)when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in (GB)a house of cedar, (GC)but the ark of God dwells inside tent (GD)curtains.”

3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your (GE)heart, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: (GF)“Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house (GG)since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in (GH)a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have (GI)moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded (GJ)to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ 8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: (GK)“I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And (GL)I have been with you wherever you have gone, (GM)and have [an]cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will (GN)plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; (GO)nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11 (GP)since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord [ao]tells you (GQ)that He will make you a [ap]house.

12 (GR)“When your days are fulfilled and you (GS)rest with your fathers, (GT)I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 (GU)He shall build a house for My name, and I will (GV)establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 (GW)I will be his Father, and he shall be (GX)My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the [aq]blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, (GY)as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And (GZ)your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before [ar]you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

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

David’s Thanksgiving to God(HA)

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: (HB)“Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. (HC)Is this the manner of man, O Lord God? 20 Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, (HD)know Your servant. 21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. 22 Therefore (HE)You are great, [as]O Lord God. For (HF)there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our (HG)ears. 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, (HH)the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before (HI)Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 For (HJ)You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; (HK)and You, Lord, have become their God.

25 “Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26 So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.

28 “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and (HL)Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 29 Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed (HM)forever.”

David’s Further Conquests(HN)

8 After this it came to pass that David [at]attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took [au]Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.

2 Then (HO)he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s (HP)servants, and (HQ)brought tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of (HR)Zobah, as he went to recover (HS)his territory at the River Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, [av]seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David (HT)hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.

5 (HU)When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So (HV)the Lord preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took (HW)the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from [aw]Betah and from (HX)Berothai,[ax] cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.

9 When [ay]Toi king of (HY)Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 then Toi sent [az]Joram his son to King David, to [ba]greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. 11 King David also (HZ)dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued— 12 from [bb]Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the (IA)Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David made himself a (IB)name when he returned from killing (IC)eighteen thousand [bc]Syrians in (ID)the Valley of Salt. 14 He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and (IE)all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

David’s Administration(IF)

15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. 16 (IG)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; (IH)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 (II)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; [bd]Seraiah was the [be]scribe; 18 (IJ)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the (IK)Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were [bf]chief ministers.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

9 Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may (IL)show him [bg]kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was (IM)Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

He said, “At your service!”

3 Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show (IN)the kindness of God?”

And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is (IO)lame in his feet.”

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

And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of (IP)Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”

5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.

6 Now when (IQ)Mephibosheth[bh] the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?”

And he answered, “Here is your servant!”

7 So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”

8 Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such (IR)a dead dog as I?”

9 And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, (IS)“I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son (IT)shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had (IU)fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.”

“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at [bi]my table like one of the king’s sons.” 12 Mephibosheth had a young son (IV)whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, (IW)for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he (IX)was lame in both his feet.

The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated(IY)

10 It happened after this that the (IZ)king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show (JA)kindness to Hanun the son of (JB)Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.”

So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the people of Ammon. 3 And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

4 Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, (JC)at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly [bj]ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

6 When the people of Ammon saw that they (JD)had made themselves repulsive to David, the people of Ammon sent and hired (JE)the Syrians of (JF)Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand foot soldiers; and from the king of (JG)Maacah one thousand men, and from (JH)Ish-Tob twelve thousand men. 7 Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of (JI)the mighty men. 8 Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate. And (JJ)the Syrians of Zoba, Beth Rehob, Ish-Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

9 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 10 And the rest of the people he put under the command of (JK)Abishai his brother, that he might set them in battle array against the people of Ammon. 11 Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 (JL)Be of good courage, and let us (JM)be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may (JN)the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai, and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to (JO)Jerusalem.

15 When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together. 16 Then [bk]Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond [bl]the River, and they came to Helam. And [bm]Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand (JP)horsemen of the Syrians, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants to [bn]Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and (JQ)served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.

David, Bathsheba, and Uriah

11 It happened in the spring of the year, at the (JR)time when kings go out to battle, that (JS)David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged (JT)Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed (JU)and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he (JV)saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not [bo]Bathsheba, the daughter of [bp]Eliam, the wife (JW)of Uriah the (JX)Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and (JY)he lay with her, for she was (JZ)cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered. 8 And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and (KA)wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. 9 But Uriah slept at the (KB)door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”

11 And Uriah said to David, (KC)“The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and (KD)my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”

12 Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him (KE)drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed (KF)with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

14 In the morning it happened that David (KG)wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the [bq]hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may (KH)be struck down and die.” 16 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, 19 and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, 20 if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who struck (KI)Abimelech the son of [br]Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ”

22 So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him. 23 And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate. 24 The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”

25 Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing [bs]displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ So encourage him.”

26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she (KJ)became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done (KK)displeased[bt] the Lord.

Nathan’s Parable and David’s Confession

12 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And (KL)he came to him, and (KM)said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

5 So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this [bu]shall surely die! 6 And he shall restore (KN)fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I (KO)anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9 (KP)Why have you (KQ)despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? (KR)You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 Now therefore, (KS)the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will (KT)take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, (KU)but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ”

13 (KV)So David said to Nathan, (KW)“I have sinned against the Lord.”

And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has (KX)put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord (KY)to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” 15 Then Nathan departed to his house.

The Death of David’s Son

And the (KZ)Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and (LA)lay all night on the ground. 17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”

19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”

And they said, “He is dead.”

20 So David arose from the ground, washed and (LB)anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and (LC)worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”

22 And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; (LD)for I said, ‘Who can tell whether [bv]the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go (LE)to him, but (LF)he shall not return to me.”

Solomon Is Born

24 Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So (LG)she bore a son, and (LH)he[bw] called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him, 25 and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So [bx]he called his name [by]Jedidiah, because of the Lord.

Rabbah Is Captured(LI)

26 Now (LJ)Joab fought against (LK)Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply. 28 Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. 30 (LL)Then he took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the [bz]spoil of the city in great abundance. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Amnon and Tamar

13 After this (LM)Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was (LN)Tamar; and (LO)Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab (LP)the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?”

Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ” 6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and (LQ)make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, (LR)“Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, (LS)he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not [ca]force me, for (LT)no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this (LU)disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; (LV)for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he (LW)forced her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her [cb]exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”

16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”

But he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on (LX)a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.

19 Then Tamar put (LY)ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and (LZ)laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon (MA)neither good nor bad. For Absalom (MB)hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

Absalom Murders Amnon

23 And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom (MC)had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.

26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”

And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s (MD)heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and [cc]valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom (ME)did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on (MF)his mule and fled.

30 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!” 31 So the king arose and (MG)tore his garments and (MH)lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32 Then (MI)Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, (MJ)let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34 (MK)Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind [cd]him. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.” 36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled and went to (ML)Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to (MM)Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And [ce]King David [cf]longed to go to Absalom. For he had been (MN)comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

14 So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned (MO)about Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to (MP)Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, (MQ)and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead. 3 Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab (MR)put the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoa [cg]spoke to the king, she (MS)fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, (MT)“Help, O king!”

5 Then the king said to her, “What troubles you?”

And she answered, (MU)“Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead. 6 Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. 7 And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him (MV)for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let (MW)the [ch]iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, (MX)and the king and his throne be guiltless.”

10 So the king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.”

11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the Lord your God, and do not permit (MY)the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.”

And he said, (MZ)“As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.”

And he said, “Say on.”

13 So the woman said: “Why then have you schemed such a thing against (NA)the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring (NB)his banished one home again. 14 For we (NC)will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not (ND)take away a life; but He (NE)devises means, so that His banished ones are not [ci]expelled from Him. 15 Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant. 16 For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the (NF)inheritance of God.’ 17 Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for (NG)as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in (NH)discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’ ”

18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide from me anything that I ask you.”

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

19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and (NI)he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant. 20 To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, (NJ)according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”

21 And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and [cj]thanked the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose (NK)and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but (NL)do not let him see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king’s face.

David Forgives Absalom

25 Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. (NM)From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him—when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard. 27 (NN)To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, (NO)but did not see the king’s face. 29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he would not come. 30 So he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom’s house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

32 And Absalom answered Joab, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” ’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; but (NP)if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me.”

33 So Joab went 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. Then the king (NQ)kissed Absalom.

Absalom’s Treason

15 After this (NR)it happened that Absalom (NS)provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a (NT)lawsuit[ck] came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your [cl]case is good and right; but there is no [cm]deputy of the king to hear you.” 4 Moreover Absalom would say, (NU)“Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” 5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and (NV)kiss him. 6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. (NW)So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 Now it came to pass (NX)after [cn]forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to (NY)Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the Lord. 8 (NZ)For your servant (OA)took a vow (OB)while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’ ”

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

10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom (OC)reigns in Hebron!’ ” 11 And with Absalom went two hundred men (OD)invited from Jerusalem, and they (OE)went along innocently and did not know anything. 12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, (OF)David’s counselor, from his city—from (OG)Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom (OH)continually increased in number.

David Escapes from Jerusalem

13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, (OI)“The hearts of the men of Israel are [co]with Absalom.”

14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us (OJ)flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.” 16 Then (OK)the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left (OL)ten women, concubines, to keep the house. 17 And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. 18 Then all his servants passed [cp]before him; (OM)and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, (ON)six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

19 Then the king said to (OO)Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. 20 In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go (OP)I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

21 But Ittai answered the king and said, (OQ)“As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

22 So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the (OR)wilderness.

24 There was (OS)Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the (OT)ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and (OU)Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He (OV)will bring me back and show me both it and (OW)His dwelling place. 26 But if He says thus: ‘I have no (OX)delight in you,’ here I am, (OY)let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a (OZ)seer?[cq] Return to the city in peace, and (PA)your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, (PB)I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he (PC)had his head covered and went (PD)barefoot. And all the people who were with him (PE)covered their heads and went up, (PF)weeping as they went up. 31 Then someone told David, saying, (PG)“Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, (PH)turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the (PI)Archite coming to meet him (PJ)with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become (PK)a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, (PL)‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to (PM)Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Indeed they have there (PN)with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.”

37 So Hushai, (PO)David’s friend, went into the city. (PP)And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Mephibosheth’s Servant

16 When(PQ) David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was (PR)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?”

So Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for (PS)those who are faint in the wilderness to drink.”

3 Then the king said, “And where is your (PT)master’s son?”

(PU)And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”

4 So the king said to Ziba, “Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.”

And Ziba said, “I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!”

Shimei Curses David

5 Now when King David came to (PV)Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was (PW)Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You [cr]bloodthirsty man, (PX)you [cs]rogue! 8 The Lord has (PY)brought upon you all (PZ)the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a [ct]bloodthirsty man!”

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this (QA)dead dog (QB)curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

10 But the king said, (QC)“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because (QD)the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ (QE)Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”

11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how (QF)my son who (QG)came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on [cu]my affliction, and that the Lord will (QH)repay me with (QI)good for his cursing this day.” 13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and [cv]kicked up dust. 14 Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

The Advice of Ahithophel

15 Meanwhile (QJ)Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him. 16 And so it was, when Hushai the Archite, (QK)David’s friend, came to Absalom, that (QL)Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 So Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? (QM)Why did you not go with your friend?”

18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Furthermore, (QN)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

20 Then Absalom said to (QO)Ahithophel, “Give advice as to what we should do.”

21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s (QP)concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you (QQ)are abhorred by your father. Then (QR)the hands of all who are with you will be strong.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines (QS)in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel (QT)both with David and with Absalom.

The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai

17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is (QU)weary and weak, and make him [cw]afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will (QV)strike only the king. 3 Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the saying pleased Absalom and all the (QW)elders of Israel.

The Advice of Hushai

5 Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he (QX)says too.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up.”

7 So Hushai said to Absalom: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 8 For,” said Hushai, “you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like (QY)a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people. 9 Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will (QZ)melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, (RA)from Dan to Beersheba, (RB)like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will (RC)pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.”

14 So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For (RD)the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom.

Hushai Warns David to Escape

15 (RE)Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised. 16 Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night (RF)in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ” 17 (RG)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz (RH)stayed at (RI)En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house (RJ)in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it. 19 (RK)Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

So (RL)the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.”

And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21 Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, (RM)“Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.” 22 So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to (RN)his house, to his city. Then he [cx]put his (RO)household in order, and (RP)hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.

24 Then David went to (RQ)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made (RR)Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was [cy]Jithra, an [cz]Israelite, who had gone in to (RS)Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that (RT)Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, (RU)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and (RV)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, 29 honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty (RW)in the wilderness.”

Absalom’s Defeat and Death

18 And David [da]numbered the people who were with him, and (RX)set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, (RY)one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of (RZ)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I also will surely go out with you myself.”

3 (SA)But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city.”

4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” (SB)And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the (SC)woods of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and (SD)his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. 10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”

11 So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.”

12 But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. (SE)For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, [db]‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”

14 Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. 15 And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.

16 So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and (SF)laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel (SG)fled, everyone to his tent.

18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a [dc]pillar for himself, which is in (SH)the King’s Valley. For he said, (SI)“I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

David Hears of Absalom’s Death

19 Then (SJ)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the Lord has [dd]avenged him of his enemies.”

20 And Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.

22 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But [de]whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.”

So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?”

23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.”

So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

24 Now David was sitting between the (SK)two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone. 25 Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came rapidly and drew near.

26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!”

And the king said, “He also brings news.”

27 So the watchman said, [df]“I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”

And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with (SL)good news.”

28 So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, [dg]“All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, (SM)“Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!”

29 The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.”

30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

31 Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.”

32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”

David’s Mourning for Absalom

33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: (SN)“O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, (SO)my son!”

David Returns to Jerusalem

19 And Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and (SP)mourning for Absalom.” 2 So the victory that day was turned into (SQ)mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3 And the people [dh]stole back (SR)into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 But the king (SS)covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, (ST)“O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then (SU)Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, 6 in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you [di]regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. 7 Now therefore, arise, go out and speak [dj]comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king arose and sat in the (SV)gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king.

For everyone of Israel had (SW)fled to his tent.

David Returns to Jerusalem

9 Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from the hand of our (SX)enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the (SY)Philistines, and now he has (SZ)fled from the land because of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?”

11 So King David sent to (TA)Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house? 12 You are my brethren, you are (TB)my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13 (TC)And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? (TD)God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me [dk]continually in place of Joab.’ ” 14 So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, (TE)just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”

15 Then the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to (TF)Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort the king (TG)across the Jordan. 16 And (TH)Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were a thousand men of (TI)Benjamin with him, and (TJ)Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the Jordan before the king. 18 Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good.

David’s Mercy to Shimei

Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan. 19 Then he said to the king, (TK)“Do not let my lord [dl]impute iniquity to me, or remember what (TL)wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should (TM)take it to heart. 20 For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all (TN)the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, (TO)because he (TP)cursed the Lord’s anointed?”

22 And David said, (TQ)“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? (TR)Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 Therefore (TS)the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.

David and Mephibosheth Meet

24 Now (TT)Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. 25 So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, (TU)“Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame. 27 And (TV)he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, (TW)but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. 28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. (TX)Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to [dm]cry out anymore to the king?”

29 So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’ ”

30 Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

31 And (TY)Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And (TZ)he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, “Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am today (UA)eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant (UB)Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.”

38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king (UC)kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.

The Quarrel About the King

40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and [dn]Chimham went on with him. And all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel. 41 Just then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and (UD)brought the king, his household, and all David’s men with him across the Jordan?”

42 So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is (UE)a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have (UF)ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us—were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?”

Yet (UG)the words of the men of Judah were [do]fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

The Rebellion of Sheba

20 And there happened to be there a [dp]rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said:

(UH)“We have no share in David,
Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse;
(UI)Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

2 So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the (UJ)men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king.

3 Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, (UK)his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 And the king said to Amasa, (UL)“Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him. 6 And David said to (UM)Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take (UN)your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us.” 7 So Joab’s men, with the (UO)Cherethites, the Pelethites, and (UP)all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Are you in health, my brother?” (UQ)And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And (UR)he struck him with it (US)in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died.

Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 Meanwhile one of Joab’s men stood near Amasa, and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—follow Joab!” 12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted. 13 When he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to (UT)Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after [dq]Sheba. 15 Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they (UU)cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

16 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’ ” 17 When he had come near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”

He answered, “I am.”

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

And he answered, “I am listening.”

18 So she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes. 19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up (UV)the inheritance of the Lord?”

20 And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.”

So the woman said to Joab, “Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman (UW)in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

David’s Government Officers

23 And (UX)Joab was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 Adoram was (UY)in charge of revenue; (UZ)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 25 Sheva was scribe; (VA)Zadok and Abiathar were the priests; 26 (VB)and Ira the Jairite was [dr]a chief minister under David.

David Avenges the Gibeonites

21 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David (VC)inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his [ds]bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but (VD)of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them (VE)in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.

3 Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless (VF)the inheritance of the Lord?”

4 And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.”

So he said, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

5 Then they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, 6 let seven men of his descendants be delivered (VG)to us, and we will hang them before the Lord (VH)in Gibeah of Saul, (VI)whom the Lord chose.”

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

7 But the king spared (VJ)Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of (VK)the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of (VL)Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of [dt]Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she [du]brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill (VM)before the Lord. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Now (VN)Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, (VO)from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.

11 And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of (VP)Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of [dv]Beth Shan, where the (VQ)Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa. 13 So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in (VR)Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that (VS)God heeded the prayer for the land.

Philistine Giants Destroyed(VT)

15 When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. 16 Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of [dw]the (VU)giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 17 But (VV)Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, (VW)“You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the (VX)lamp of Israel.”

18 (VY)Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then (VZ)Sibbechai the Hushathite killed [dx]Saph, who was one of the sons of [dy]the giant. 19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where (WA)Elhanan the son of [dz]Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed (WB)the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

20 Yet again (WC)there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to [ea]the giant. 21 So when he (WD)defied Israel, Jonathan the son of [eb]Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

22 (WE)These four were born to [ec]the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

Praise for God’s Deliverance(WF)

22 Then David (WG)spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had (WH)delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he (WI)said:

(WJ)“The Lord is my rock and my (WK)fortress and my deliverer;
3 The God of my strength, (WL)in whom I will trust;
My (WM)shield and the (WN)horn[ed] of my salvation,
My (WO)stronghold and my (WP)refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.
4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 “When the waves of death surrounded me,
The floods of ungodliness [ee]made me afraid.
6 The (WQ)sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress (WR)I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He (WS)heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered His ears.

8 “Then (WT)the earth shook and trembled;
(WU)The foundations of [ef]heaven quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
9 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring (WV)fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
10 He (WW)bowed the heavens also, and came down
With (WX)darkness under His feet.
11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
And He [eg]was seen (WY)upon the wings of the wind.
12 He made (WZ)darkness canopies around Him,
Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
13 From the brightness before Him
Coals of fire were kindled.

14 “The Lord (XA)thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.
15 He sent out (XB)arrows and scattered them;
Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.
16 Then the channels of the sea (XC)were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered,
At the (XD)rebuke of the Lord,
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17 “He(XE) sent from above, He took me,
He drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me;
For they were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my (XF)support.
20 (XG)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He (XH)delighted in me.

21 “The(XI) Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the (XJ)cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
22 For I have (XK)kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all His (XL)judgments were before me;
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also (XM)blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore (XN)the Lord has [eh]recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to [ei]my cleanness in His eyes.

26 “With (XO)the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And (XP)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
28 You will save the (XQ)humble[ej] people;
But Your eyes are on (XR)the haughty, that You may bring them down.

29 “For You are my (XS)lamp, O Lord;
The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop;
By my God I can leap over a (XT)wall.
31 As for God, (XU)His way is perfect;
(XV)The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

32 “For (XW)who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
33 [ek]God is my (XX)strength and power,
And He (XY)makes [el]my way (XZ)perfect.
34 He makes [em]my feet (YA)like the feet of deer,
And (YB)sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands [en]to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You (YC)enlarged my path under me;
So my feet did not slip.

38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen (YD)under my feet.
40 For You have (YE)armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [eo]subdued under me (YF)those who rose against me.
41 You have also [ep]given me the (YG)necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save;
Even (YH)to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43 Then I beat them as fine (YI)as the dust of the earth;
I trod them (YJ)like dirt in the streets,
And I [eq]spread them out.

44 “You(YK) have also delivered me from the [er]strivings of my people;
You have kept me as the (YL)head of the nations.
(YM)A people I have not known shall serve me.
45 The foreigners submit to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 The foreigners fade away,
And [es]come frightened (YN)from their hideouts.

47 “The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let God be exalted,
The (YO)Rock of my salvation!
48 It is God who avenges me,
And (YP)subdues the peoples under me;
49 He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the (YQ)violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among (YR)the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your (YS)name.

51 “He(YT) is the tower of salvation to His king,
And shows mercy to His (YU)anointed,
To David and (YV)his descendants forevermore.”

David’s Last Words

23 Now these are the last words of David.

Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says (YW)the man raised up on high,
(YX)The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2 “The(YY) Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said,
(YZ)The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling (ZA)in the fear of God.
4 And (ZB)he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth,
By clear shining after rain.’

5 “Although my house is not so with God,
(ZC)Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
Will He not make it increase?
6 But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands.
7 But the man who touches them
Must be [et]armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

David’s Mighty Men(ZD)

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: [eu]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among [ev]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9 And after him was (ZE)Eleazar the son of [ew]Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was (ZF)weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to (ZG)plunder. 11 And after him was (ZH)Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. (ZI)The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Then (ZJ)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at (ZK)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in (ZL)the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in (ZM)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not (ZN)the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

18 Now (ZO)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of [ex]another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from (ZP)Kabzeel, [ey]who had done many deeds. (ZQ)He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he killed an Egyptian, [ez]a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him (ZR)over his guard.

24 (ZS)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (ZT)Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of (ZU)Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33 (ZV)Shammah the [fa]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of (ZW)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 [fb]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of (ZX)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38 (ZY)Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and (ZZ)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

David’s Census of Israel and Judah(AAA)

24 Again (AAB)the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, (AAC)“Go, [fc]number Israel and Judah.”

2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, (AAD)from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that (AAE)I may know the number of the people.”

3 And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God (AAF)add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” 4 Nevertheless the king’s word [fd]prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

5 And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in (AAG)Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward (AAH)Jazer. 6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to (AAI)Dan Jaan and around to (AAJ)Sidon; 7 and they came to the stronghold of (AAK)Tyre and to all the cities of the (AAL)Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. 8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. (AAM)And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

The Judgment on David’s Sin(AAN)

10 And (AAO)David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So (AAP)David said to the Lord, (AAQ)“I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have (AAR)done very foolishly.”

11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet (AAS)Gad, David’s (AAT)seer, saying, 12 “Go and tell David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ” 13 So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Shall (AAU)seven[fe] years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

14 And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, (AAV)for His mercies are great; but (AAW)do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

15 So (AAX)the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. 16 (AAY)And when the [ff]angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, (AAZ)the Lord relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of [fg]Araunah the Jebusite.

17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Surely (ABA)I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”

The Altar on the Threshing Floor(ABB)

18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, (ABC)“Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. 20 Now Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. So Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

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

(ABD)And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, that (ABE)the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

22 Now Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. (ABF)Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. 23 All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.”

And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God (ABG)accept you.”

24 Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So (ABH)David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. (ABI)So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and (ABJ)the plague was withdrawn from Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:2 To show grief
  2. 2 Samuel 1:9 agony
  3. 2 Samuel 1:18 Lit. of the Upright
  4. 2 Samuel 1:21 Lit. defiled
  5. 2 Samuel 2:8 Esh-Baal, 1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39
  6. 2 Samuel 2:11 Lit. number of days
  7. 2 Samuel 2:16 Heb. Helkath Hazzurim
  8. 2 Samuel 2:25 one band
  9. 2 Samuel 2:27 if you had not spoken
  10. 2 Samuel 3:3 Daniel, 1 Chr. 3:1
  11. 2 Samuel 3:10 family
  12. 2 Samuel 3:15 Palti, 1 Sam. 25:44
  13. 2 Samuel 3:16 Lit. going and weeping
  14. 2 Samuel 3:18 So with many Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Tg.; MT he
  15. 2 Samuel 3:22 booty
  16. 2 Samuel 3:27 Lit. struck
  17. 2 Samuel 3:28 innocent
  18. 2 Samuel 3:29 family
  19. 2 Samuel 4:1 Ishbosheth
  20. 2 Samuel 4:1 Lit. his hands dropped
  21. 2 Samuel 4:2 considered part of
  22. 2 Samuel 4:4 Merib-Baal, 1 Chr. 8:34; 9:40
  23. 2 Samuel 4:6 Lit. struck
  24. 2 Samuel 4:11 Or bloodshed
  25. 2 Samuel 4:11 Lit. consume you
  26. 2 Samuel 5:9 Lit. The Landfill
  27. 2 Samuel 5:14 Shimea, 1 Chr. 3:5
  28. 2 Samuel 5:15 Elishama, 1 Chr. 3:6
  29. 2 Samuel 5:20 Lit. Master of Breakthroughs
  30. 2 Samuel 5:21 idols
  31. 2 Samuel 5:25 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX Gibeon
  32. 2 Samuel 6:2 Baalah, Kirjath Jearim, Josh. 15:9; 1 Chr. 13:6
  33. 2 Samuel 6:2 LXX, Tg., Vg. omit by the Name; many Heb. mss., Syr. there
  34. 2 Samuel 6:3 LXX adds with the ark
  35. 2 Samuel 6:6 held it
  36. 2 Samuel 6:7 Or irreverence
  37. 2 Samuel 6:8 Lit. Outburst Against Uzzah
  38. 2 Samuel 6:14 whirled about
  39. 2 Samuel 6:20 openly
  40. 2 Samuel 7:9 destroyed
  41. 2 Samuel 7:11 declares to you
  42. 2 Samuel 7:11 Royal dynasty
  43. 2 Samuel 7:14 strokes
  44. 2 Samuel 7:16 LXX Me
  45. 2 Samuel 7:22 Tg., Syr. O Lord God
  46. 2 Samuel 8:1 Lit. struck
  47. 2 Samuel 8:1 Lit. The Bridle of the Mother City
  48. 2 Samuel 8:4 seven thousand, 1 Chr. 18:4
  49. 2 Samuel 8:8 Tibhath, 1 Chr. 18:8
  50. 2 Samuel 8:8 Chun, 1 Chr. 18:8
  51. 2 Samuel 8:9 Tou, 1 Chr. 18:9
  52. 2 Samuel 8:10 Hadoram, 1 Chr. 18:10
  53. 2 Samuel 8:10 Lit. ask him of his welfare
  54. 2 Samuel 8:12 LXX, Syr., Heb. mss. Edom
  55. 2 Samuel 8:13 LXX, Syr., Heb. mss. Edomites and 1 Chr. 18:12
  56. 2 Samuel 8:17 Shavsha, 1 Chr. 18:16
  57. 2 Samuel 8:17 secretary
  58. 2 Samuel 8:18 Lit. priests
  59. 2 Samuel 9:1 covenant faithfulness
  60. 2 Samuel 9:6 Or Merib-Baal
  61. 2 Samuel 9:11 LXX David’s table
  62. 2 Samuel 10:5 humiliated
  63. 2 Samuel 10:16 Heb. Hadarezer
  64. 2 Samuel 10:16 The Euphrates
  65. 2 Samuel 10:16 Shophach, 1 Chr. 19:16
  66. 2 Samuel 10:19 Heb. Hadarezer
  67. 2 Samuel 11:3 Bathshua, 1 Chr. 3:5
  68. 2 Samuel 11:3 Ammiel, 1 Chr. 3:5
  69. 2 Samuel 11:15 fiercest
  70. 2 Samuel 11:21 Jerubbaal (Gideon), Judg. 6:32ff.
  71. 2 Samuel 11:25 Lit. be evil in your sight
  72. 2 Samuel 11:27 Lit. was evil in the eyes of
  73. 2 Samuel 12:5 deserves to die, lit. is a son of death
  74. 2 Samuel 12:22 Heb. mss., Syr. God
  75. 2 Samuel 12:24 So with Kt., LXX, Vg.; Qr., a few Heb. mss., Syr., Tg. she
  76. 2 Samuel 12:25 Qr., some Heb. mss., Syr., Tg. she
  77. 2 Samuel 12:25 Lit. Beloved of the Lord
  78. 2 Samuel 12:30 plunder
  79. 2 Samuel 13:12 Lit. humble me
  80. 2 Samuel 13:15 with a very great hatred
  81. 2 Samuel 13:28 Lit. sons of valor
  82. 2 Samuel 13:34 LXX adds And the watchman went and told the king, and said, “I see men from the way of Horonaim, from the regions of the mountains.”
  83. 2 Samuel 13:39 So with MT, Syr., Vg.; LXX the spirit of the king; Tg. the soul of King David
  84. 2 Samuel 13:39 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. ceased to pursue after
  85. 2 Samuel 14:4 Many Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg. came
  86. 2 Samuel 14:9 guilt
  87. 2 Samuel 14:14 cast out
  88. 2 Samuel 14:22 Lit. blessed
  89. 2 Samuel 15:2 Lit. controversy
  90. 2 Samuel 15:3 Lit. words
  91. 2 Samuel 15:3 Lit. listener
  92. 2 Samuel 15:7 LXX mss., Syr., Josephus four
  93. 2 Samuel 15:13 Lit. after
  94. 2 Samuel 15:18 Lit. by his hand
  95. 2 Samuel 15:27 prophet
  96. 2 Samuel 16:7 Lit. man of bloodshed
  97. 2 Samuel 16:7 worthless man
  98. 2 Samuel 16:8 Lit. man of bloodshed
  99. 2 Samuel 16:12 So with Kt., LXX, Syr., Vg.; Qr. my eyes; Tg. tears of my eyes
  100. 2 Samuel 16:13 Lit. dusted him with dust
  101. 2 Samuel 17:2 tremble with fear
  102. 2 Samuel 17:23 Lit. gave charge concerning his house
  103. 2 Samuel 17:25 Jether, 1 Chr. 2:17
  104. 2 Samuel 17:25 So with MT, some LXX mss., Tg.; some LXX mss. Ishmaelite (cf. 1 Chr. 2:17); Vg. of Jezrael
  105. 2 Samuel 18:1 Lit. attended to
  106. 2 Samuel 18:12 Vss. ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me!’
  107. 2 Samuel 18:18 monument
  108. 2 Samuel 18:19 vindicated
  109. 2 Samuel 18:22 Lit. be what may
  110. 2 Samuel 18:27 Lit. I see the running
  111. 2 Samuel 18:28 Peace be to you
  112. 2 Samuel 19:3 went by stealth
  113. 2 Samuel 19:6 have no respect for
  114. 2 Samuel 19:7 Lit. to the heart of
  115. 2 Samuel 19:13 permanently
  116. 2 Samuel 19:19 charge me with iniquity
  117. 2 Samuel 19:28 complain
  118. 2 Samuel 19:40 MT Chimhan
  119. 2 Samuel 19:43 harsher
  120. 2 Samuel 20:1 Lit. man of Belial
  121. 2 Samuel 20:14 Lit. him
  122. 2 Samuel 20:26 Or David’s priest
  123. 2 Samuel 21:1 Lit. house of bloodshed
  124. 2 Samuel 21:8 Merab, 1 Sam. 18:19; 25:44; 2 Sam. 3:14; 6:23
  125. 2 Samuel 21:8 Lit. bore to Adriel
  126. 2 Samuel 21:12 Beth Shean, Josh. 17:11
  127. 2 Samuel 21:16 Or Rapha
  128. 2 Samuel 21:18 Sippai, 1 Chr. 20:4
  129. 2 Samuel 21:18 Or Rapha
  130. 2 Samuel 21:19 Jair, 1 Chr. 20:5
  131. 2 Samuel 21:20 Or Rapha
  132. 2 Samuel 21:21 Shammah, 1 Sam. 16:9 and elsewhere
  133. 2 Samuel 21:22 Or Rapha
  134. 2 Samuel 22:3 Strength
  135. 2 Samuel 22:5 Or overwhelmed
  136. 2 Samuel 22:8 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Syr., Vg. hills (cf. Ps. 18:7)
  137. 2 Samuel 22:11 So with MT, LXX; many Heb. mss., Syr., Vg. flew (cf. Ps. 18:10); Tg. spoke with power
  138. 2 Samuel 22:25 rewarded
  139. 2 Samuel 22:25 LXX, Syr., Vg. the cleanness of my hands in His sight (cf. Ps. 18:24); Tg. my cleanness before His word
  140. 2 Samuel 22:28 afflicted
  141. 2 Samuel 22:33 DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. It is God who arms me with strength (cf. Ps. 18:32); Tg. It is God who sustains me with strength
  142. 2 Samuel 22:33 So with Qr., LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:32); Kt. His
  143. 2 Samuel 22:34 So with Qr., LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:33); Kt. His
  144. 2 Samuel 22:35 Lit. for the war
  145. 2 Samuel 22:40 Lit. caused to bow down
  146. 2 Samuel 22:41 given me victory over
  147. 2 Samuel 22:43 scattered
  148. 2 Samuel 22:44 contentions
  149. 2 Samuel 22:46 So with LXX, Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:45); MT gird themselves
  150. 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. filled
  151. 2 Samuel 23:8 Lit. One Who Sits in the Seat (1 Chr. 11:11)
  152. 2 Samuel 23:8 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. the three
  153. 2 Samuel 23:9 Dodai, 1 Chr. 27:4
  154. 2 Samuel 23:18 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; some Heb. mss., Syr. thirty; Tg. the mighty men
  155. 2 Samuel 23:20 Lit. great of acts
  156. 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit. a man of appearance
  157. 2 Samuel 23:33 Or Ararite
  158. 2 Samuel 23:35 Hezro, 1 Chr. 11:37
  159. 2 Samuel 24:1 take a census of
  160. 2 Samuel 24:4 overruled
  161. 2 Samuel 24:13 So with MT, Syr., Tg., Vg.; LXX three (cf. 1 Chr. 21:12)
  162. 2 Samuel 24:16 Or Angel
  163. 2 Samuel 24:16 Ornan, 1 Chr. 21:15
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