Shmuel Bais 1:1-19:12

Orthodox Jewish Bible

1 Now it came to pass after the mot Sha’ul, when Dovid was returned from the slaughter of Amalek, and Dovid had abode two yamim in Tziklag;

² It came even to pass on Yom HaShlishi, that, hinei, an ish came out of the machaneh from Sha’ul with his clothes torn, and adamah upon his rosh; and so it was, when he came to Dovid, that he fell to the ground, and prostrated himself.

³ And Dovid said unto him, From where comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the machaneh Yisroel am I escaped.

⁴ And Dovid said unto him, How went the matter? Tell me now. And he answered, That the people are fled from the milchamah, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Sha’ul and Yonatan bno are dead also.

⁵ And Dovid said unto the na’ar that told him, How knowest thou that Sha’ul and Yonatan bno are dead?

⁶ And the na’ar that told him said, As I happened to be upon Mt Gilboa, hinei, Sha’ul leaned upon his khanit; and, hinei, the chariots and ba’alei haparashim followed hard after him.

⁷ And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Hineini.

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

⁹ He said unto me again, Stand, now, over me, and slay me; for shavatz (death through agony) is come upon me, because my nefesh is yet still in me.

¹⁰ So I stood over him, and slaughtered him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen; and I took the nezer (crown, diadem) that was upon his rosh, and the etzadah (bracelet, band) that was on his zero’a, and have brought them here unto adoni.

¹¹ Then Dovid took hold on his clothes, and made the kri’ah on them; and likewise all the anashim that were with him;

¹² And they mourned, and wept, and did a tzom until the erev, for Sha’ul, and for Yonatan bno, and for the Am Hashem, and for Bais Yisroel; because they were fallen by the cherev.

¹³ And Dovid said unto the na’ar that told him, From where art thou? And he answered, I am ben ish ger, an Amaleki.

¹⁴ And Dovid said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine yad to destroy Hashem’s moshiach?

¹⁵ And Dovid called one of the ne’arim, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he struck him so that he died.

¹⁶ And Dovid said unto him, Thy dahm be upon thy rosh; for thine own peh hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain Hashem’s moshiach.

¹⁷ And Dovid lamented with this kinah (lamentation) over Sha’ul and over Yonatan bno;

¹⁸ Also he bade them teach the Bnei Yehudah: The Keshet. Hinei, it is written in the Sefer HaYasher:

¹⁹ The glory of Yisroel is slain upon thy high places; how are the Gibborim fallen!

²⁰ Tell it not in Gat, proclaim it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the banot Pelishtim rejoice, lest the banot ha’arelim triumph.

²¹ Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no tal, neither let there be matar, upon you, nor fields of terumot; for there the mogen Gibborim is defiled, the mogen of Sha’ul, as though he had not been mashiach (anointed) with shemen.

²² From the dahm of the slain, from the chelev of the Gibborim, the keshet Yonatan turned not back, and the cherev Sha’ul returned not empty.

²³ Sha’ul and Yonatan were beloved and gracious in their lives, and in their mot they were not parted; they were swifter than nesharim, they were stronger than arayot.

²⁴ Ye banot Yisroel, weep over Sha’ul, who clothed you in scarlet, with fineries, who put on ornaments of zahav upon your apparel.

²⁵ How are the Gibborim fallen in the midst of the milchamah! O Yonatan, thou wast slain on thine heights.

²⁶ I am distressed for thee, my brother Yonatan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; thy ahavah was wonderful to me, passing ahavat nashim.

²⁷ How are the Gibborim fallen, and the k’lei milchamah (weapons of war) perished!

2 And it came to pass after this, that Dovid inquired of Hashem, saying, Shall I go up into any of the towns of Yehudah? And Hashem said unto him, Go up. And Dovid said, To where shall I go up? And he said, Unto Chevron.

² So Dovid went up there, and his two nashim also, Achinoam the Yizre’elit, and Avigal eshet Nabal the Carmeli.

³ And his anashim that were with him did Dovid bring up, every ish with his household; and they dwelt in the towns of Chevron.

⁴ And anshei Yehudah came, and there they anointed Dovid Melech over Bais Yehudah. And they told Dovid, saying, The Anshei Yavesh-Gilead were they that buried Sha’ul.

⁵ And Dovid sent malachim unto the Anshei Yavesh-Gilead, and said unto them, Berukhim atem of Hashem, that ye have showed this chesed unto adoneichem, even unto Sha’ul, burying him.

⁶ And now Hashem show chesed and emes unto you; and I also will repay you this tovah, because ye have done this thing.

⁷ Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, be ye bnei chayil; for adoneichem Sha’ul is dead, and also the Bais Yehudah have anointed me Melech over them.

⁸ But Avner ben Ner, Sar Tzava of Sha’ul, took Ishboshet Ben Sha’ul, and brought him over to Machanayim;

⁹ And made him melech over Gil‘ad, and over the Ashuri, and over Yizre’el, and over Ephrayim, and over Binyamin, and over all Yisroel.

¹⁰ Ishboshet ben Sha’ul was forty shanah when he began to reign over Yisroel, and reigned two shanim. But Bais Yehudah followed Dovid.

¹¹ And the time that Dovid was Melech in Chevron over Bais Yehudah was shivah shanah and shishah chodashim.

¹² And Avner ben Ner, and the avadim of Ishboshet Ben Sha’ul, went out from Machanayim to Giveon.

¹³ And Yoav Ben Tzeruyah, and the avadim of Dovid, went out, and met together by the pool of Giveon; 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 Avner said to Yoav, Let the young men now arise for a contest before us. And Yoav said, Let them arise.

¹⁵ Then there arose and went over by mispar twelve of Binyamin, which pertained to Ishboshet ben Sha’ul, and twelve of the avadim of Dovid.

¹⁶ And they caught every one his re’a by the rosh, and thrust his cherev in his re’a’s side; so they fell down together; therefore that makom was called Chelkat-Hatzurim, which is in Giveon.

¹⁷ And there was a very fierce milchamah that day; and Avner was defeated, and the Anshei Yisroel, before the Avadim of Dovid.

¹⁸ And there were three Bnei Tzeruyah there: Yoav, Avishai, Asahel; Asahel was as swift of foot as a gazelle.

¹⁹ Asahel pursued after Avner; and in going he turned not to the right nor to the left from following Avner.

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

²¹ And Avner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the ne’arim, and capture thee his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

²² And Avner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me; why should I strike thee to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Yoav achicha?

²³ Howbeit he refused to turn aside; therefore Avner with the butt end of the khanit struck him under the fifth rib, that the khanit came out his back; and he fell down there, and died in the same place; and it came to pass, that as many as came to the makom where Asahel fell down and died, stopped.

²⁴ Yoav also and Avishai pursued after Avner; and the shemesh went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giach by the derech midbar Giveon.

²⁵ And the Bnei Binyamin gathered themselves together after Avner, and became aguddah echat (one unit), and stood on the top of one hill.

²⁶ Then Avner called to Yoav, and said, Shall the cherev devour lanetzach (forever)? Knowest thou not that it will be marah in the latter end? Ad mosai shall it be then, until thou bid the people return from pursuing their brethren?

²⁷ And Yoav said, As HaElohim liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, HaAm would have continued every one following his brother, not stopping until haboker.

²⁸ So Yoav blew a shofar, and kol haAm stood still, and pursued after Yisroel no more, neither fought they any more.

²⁹ And Avner and his anashim marched kol halailah through the Aravah, and passed over Yarden, and went through all Bitron, and they came to Machanayim.

³⁰ And Yoav returned from following Avner; and when he had gathered kol HaAm together, there lacked of Dovid’s avadim nineteen ish and Asahel.

³¹ But the avadim of Dovid had struck down of Binyamin, and of anshei Avner, so that three hundred and threescore ish died.

³² And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the kever of aviv, which was in Beit-Lechem. And Yoav and his men marched kol halailah, and they came to Chevron at dawn.

3 Now there was long milchamah between the Bais Sha’ul and the Bais Dovid; but Dovid grew stronger and stronger, and the Bais Sha’ul grew weaker and weaker.

² And unto Dovid were banim born in Chevron; and his bechor was Amnon, of Achinoam the Yizre’elit;

³ And his second, Kile’av, of Avigal eshet Naval the Carmeli; and the third, Avshalom ben Maachah bat Talmai Melech Geshur;

⁴ And the fourth, Adoniyah Ben Chaggit; and the fifth, Shephatyah Ben Avital;

⁵ And the sixth, Yitre’am, by Eglah eshet Dovid. These were born to Dovid in Chevron.

⁶ And it came to pass, while there was milchamah between the Bais Sha’ul and the Bais Dovid, that Avner was strengthening his grip on the Bais Sha’ul.

⁷ And Sha’ul had a pilegesh (concubine), whose shem was Ritzpah Bat Ayah; and he [Ishboshet] said to Avner, why hast thou gone in unto pilegesh avi?

⁸ Then was Avner very angry at the devarim of Ishboshet, and said, Am I Yehudah’s rosh kelev? Today do I show chesed unto the Bais Sha’ul avicha, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the yad Dovid, and then thou chargest me today with an avon concerning this isha?

⁹ So do Elohim to Avner, and more also! As Hashem hath sworn to Dovid, even so I do for him [Dovid];

¹⁰ To transfer the Mamlachah from the Bais Sha’ul, and to set up the Kisse Dovid over Yisroel and over Yehudah, from Dan even to Beer-Sheva.

¹¹ And he could not answer Avner a davar again, because he feared him.

¹² And Avner sent malachim to Dovid on his behalf, saying, Whose is the eretz? Saying also, Cut thy brit with me, and, hinei, my yad shall be with thee, to bring about kol Yisroel unto thee.

¹³ And he [Dovid] said Tov; I will make a brit with thee; but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Bat Sha’ul, when thou comest to see my face.

¹⁴ And Dovid sent malachim to Ishboshet Ben Sha’ul, saying, Deliver ishti Michal, which I took in erusin to me for a hundred arlot (foreskins) of the Pelishtim (Philistines).

¹⁵ And Ishboshet sent, and took her from her ish, even from Phaltiel Ben Layish.

¹⁶ And her ish went with her going along weeping behind her to Bachurim. Then said Avner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

¹⁷ And Avner had communication with the Ziknei Yisroel, saying, Ye sought for Dovid in times past to be melech over you;

¹⁸ Now then do it; for Hashem hath spoken of Dovid, saying, By the yad of Avdi Dovid I will save My people Yisroel out of the yad Pelishtim, and out of the yad of all their oyevim.

¹⁹ And Avner also spoke in the oznayim of Binyamin; and Avner went also to speak in the oznayim of Dovid in Chevron all that seemed tov to Yisroel, and to the kol Bais Binyamin.

²⁰ So Avner came to Dovid to Chevron, and esrim anashim with him. And Dovid made Avner and the anashim that were with him a mishteh.

²¹ And Avner said unto Dovid, I will arise and go, and will gather kol Yisroel unto adoni HaMelech, that they may cut a Brit with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine lev desireth. And Dovid sent Avner away; and he went in shalom.

²² And, hinei, the avadim of Dovid and Yoav came from a raid, bringing in shalal rav (great plunder) with them; but Avner was not with Dovid in Chevron; he had sent him away, he was gone in shalom.

²³ When Yoav and all the tzava that was with him were come, they told Yoav, saying, Avner Ben Ner came to HaMelech, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in shalom.

²⁴ Then Yoav came to HaMelech, and said, What hast thou done? Hinei, Avner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

²⁵ Thou knowest Avner Ben Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to have da’as of thy going out and thy coming in, and to have da’as of all that thou doest.

²⁶ And when Yoav was come out from Dovid, he sent malachim after Avner, which brought him back from the well of Sirah; but Dovid knew it not.

²⁷ And when Avner was returned to Chevron, Yoav took him aside in the sha’ar to speak with him privately, and struck him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the dahm of Asahel his brother.

²⁸ And afterward when Dovid heard it, he said, I and my mamlachah are naki (innocent) before Hashem ad olam from the dahm of Avner Ben Ner;

²⁹ Let it rest on the rosh Yoav, and on kol Bais Aviv; and let there never fail from the Bais Yoav one that hath a discharge, or that is a metzora (leper), or that leaneth on a pelech (stick, crutch), or that falleth on the cherev, or that lacketh lechem.

³⁰ So Yoav, and Avishai his brother slaughtered Avner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Giveon in the milchamah.

³¹ And Dovid said to Yoav, and to kol HaAm that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Avner. And Dovid HaMelech himself followed the mittah (bier, frame or bed holding corpse).

³² And they buried Avner in Chevron; and HaMelech lifted up his voice and wept at the kever of Avner; and kol HaAm wept.

³³ And in a dirge HaMelech lamented over Avner, and said, Died Avner as a naval (fool) dieth?

³⁴ Thy hands were not bound, nor thy raglayim put into fetters; as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And kol HaAm wept again over him.

³⁵ And when kol HaAm came to cause Dovid to eat lechem while it was yet day, Dovid swore a shevua (oath), saying, So do Elohim to me, and more also, if I taste lechem, or anything else, till the shemesh go down.

³⁶ And kol HaAm took notice of it, and it pleased them; whatsoever HaMelech did pleased kol HaAm.

³⁷ For kol HaAm and kol Yisroel had da’as that day that it was not of HaMelech to murder Avner Ben Ner.

³⁸ And HaMelech said unto his avadim, Know ye not that there is sar and gadol fallen this day in Yisroel?

³⁹ And I am this day weak, though moshuach melech (being anointed king); and these anashim the Bnei Tzeruyah are too harsh for me; Hashem shall reward the doer of evil according to his ra’ah (evil).

4 And when Ben Sha’ul [Ish-Boshet] heard that Avner was dead in Chevron, his hands fell limp; kol Yisroel became alarmed.

² And Ben Sha’ul had two anashim that were sarei gedudim (captains of raiding parties); the shem of the one was Ba’anah, and the shem of the other Rechav; these were the Bnei Rimmon HaBe’eroti, of the Bnei Binyamin: (for [the town of] Be’erot was reckoned as part of Binyamin.

³ And the Be’eroti fled to Gittayim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

⁴ And Yonatan Ben Sha’ul had a ben that was nekheh raglayim (lame in both feet). He was five years old when the news came of Sha’ul and Yonatan from Yizre’el (Jezreel), and his nurse took him up, and fled; and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame, and shmo Mephivoshet.

⁵ And the Bnei Rimmon HaBe’eroti, Rechav and Baanah, went, and came about chom hayom (the heat of the day) to the bais Ish-Boshet, who lay on a bed at tzahorayim (noon).

⁶ And they came into the midst of the bais, as though they would have been getting chittim; and they stabbed him under the fifth rib; and Rechav and Baanah achiv (his brother) escaped.

⁷ For when they had gone into the bais, he lay on his mittah (bed) in his chedar mishkav (bedroom), and they stabbed him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his rosh, and got away through the derech HaAravah kol halailah.

⁸ And they brought the rosh Ish-Boshet unto Dovid at Chevron, and said to HaMelech, Hinei the rosh Ish-Boshet Ben Sha’ul thine oyev (enemy), which sought thy nefesh; and Hashem hath given nekamot (vengeance) against Shaul unto adoni HaMelech this day, and of his zera.

⁹ And Dovid answered Rechav and Baanah achiv, the Bnei Rimmon HaBe’eroti, and said unto them, As Hashem liveth, who hath padah (ransomed, redeemed) my nefesh out of kol tzarah,

¹⁰ When one told me, saying, Hinei, Sha’ul is dead, thinking he was like mevaser (one who brings glad tidings, good news, evangelist), I took hold of him, and slaughtered him in Tziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his besorah (good news);

¹¹ How much more, when anashim resh’im have slain an ish tzaddik in his own bais upon his mishkav (bed)? Shall I not therefore now require his dahm of your yad, and take you away from HaAretz?

¹² And Dovid commanded his ne’arim (young men), and they slaughtered them, and cut off their yadayim and their raglayim, and hung them up over the berekhah (pool) in Chevron. But they took the rosh Ish-Boshet, and buried it in the kever of Avner in Chevron.

5 Then came kol Shivtei Yisroel to Dovid unto Chevron, and spoke, saying, Hineni, we are thy etzem and thy basar.

² Also in time past, when Sha’ul was melech over us, thou wast he that didst lead out and brought in Yisroel; and Hashem said to thee, Thou shalt feed [like a shepherd] My people Yisroel, and thou shalt become Nagid over Yisroel.

³ So all the zekenim of Yisroel came to HaMelech at Chevron; and Dovid HaMelech cut a Brit with them in Chevron before Hashem; v’yimshechu (and they anointed) Dovid Melech Yisroel.

⁴ Dovid was in age shloshim shanah when he began to reign, and he reigned arba’im shanim.

⁵ In Chevron he reigned over Yehudah sheva shanim and shishah chodashim; and in Yerushalayim he reigned shloshim v’shalosh shanah over kol Yisroel and Yehudah.

⁶ And HaMelech and his anashim went to Yerushalayim unto the Yevusi, the inhabitants of the land; which spoke unto Dovid, saying, Thou shalt not come in here; but the ivrim (blind ones) and the pisechim (lame ones) shall repel thee; thinking, Dovid cannot come in here.

⁷ Nevertheless Dovid captured the Metzudat Tziyon (Fortress of Zion); the same is Ir Dovid (City of Dovid).

⁸ And Dovid said on that day, Anyone that striketh the Yevusi will have to reach the water shaft, the pisechim and the ivrim whom the nefesh Dovid hates ; thus the saying... The ivver and the piseach are here, he will not enter the bais.

⁹ So Dovid dwelt in the Metzudah, and called it Ir Dovid. And Dovid built [Ir Dovid] all around from Millo and inward.

¹⁰ And Dovid went on, and grew gadol, and Hashem Elohei Tzva’os was with him.

¹¹ And Chiram Melech Tzor sent malachim to Dovid, and cedar trees, and charashim of etz (carpenters) and charashim of even (stone masons) kir (wall, i.e., masons of wall stones); and they built Dovid a Bais (Palace).

¹² And Dovid had da’as that Hashem had established him Melech Yisroel, and that he had exalted his mamlachah for the sake of His people Yisroel.

¹³ And Dovid took him more pilagshim and nashim out of Yerushalayim after he was come from Chevron; and there were more banim and banot born to Dovid.

¹⁴ And these are the shmot of those that were born unto him in Yerushalayim: Shammua, and Shovav, and Natan, and Sh’lomo,

¹⁵ Yivchar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Yaphia,

¹⁶ And Elishama, and Elyada, and Eliphelet.

¹⁷ But when the Pelishtim heard that they had mashechu (anointed) Dovid Melech over Yisroel, all the Pelishtim came up to seek Dovid; but Dovid heard of it, and went down to the metzudah (stronghold).

¹⁸ The Pelishtim also came and spread themselves in the Emek Repha’im.

¹⁹ And Dovid inquired of Hashem, saying, Shall I go up against the Pelishtim? Wilt Thou deliver them into mine yad? And Hashem said unto Dovid, Go up; for I will doubtless deliver the Pelishtim into thine yad.

²⁰ So Dovid came to Baal-Peratzim, and Dovid struck them there, and said, Hashem hath paratz (broken out) upon mine enemies before me, as of peretz mayim. Therefore he called the shem of that place Baal-Peratzim.

²¹ And there they left their atzabim, and Dovid and his anashim burned them.

²² And the Pelishtim came up yet again, and spread themselves out in the Emek Repha’im.

²³ And when Dovid inquired of Hashem, He said, Thou shalt not go up; but circle around behind them, and come upon them opposite the mulberry trees.

²⁴ And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then shall Hashem go out before thee, to strike the machaneh of the Pelishtim.

²⁵ And Dovid did so, as Hashem had commanded him; and struck the Pelishtim from Geva until thou come to Gazer.

6 Again, Dovid gathered together kol bachur b’Yisroel, shloshim elef.

² And Dovid arose, and went with kol HaAm that were with him from Ba’ale-Yehudah, to bring up from there the Aron HaElohim which is called by the Shem; the Shem Hashem Tzva’os that is enthroned on the keruvim is upon it.

³ And they set the Aron HaElohim upon an agalah chadashah (new wagon, cart), and brought it out of the bais of Avinadav that was in Giveah; and Uzzah and Achyo, the Bnei Avinadav, guided the agalah chadashah.

⁴ And they brought it out of the bais Avinadav which was at Giveah, with the Aron HaElohim; and Achyo walked before the Aron.

⁵ And Dovid and all Bais Yisroel rejoiced before Hashem on all manner of instruments made of cypress, even on kinnorot, on nevalim (lyres), on tambourines, on castanets, and on cymbals.

⁶ And when they came to goren Nachon, Uzzah reached forth to the Aron HaElohim, and took hold of it; for the ox tilted it.

⁷ And the Af Hashem was kindled against Uzzah; and HaElohim struck him down there for the shal (error); and there he died by the Aron HaElohim.

⁸ And Dovid burned with anger, because Hashem had made a peretz (outburst), breaking out upon Uzzah; and he called the shem of the makom (place) Peretz-Uzzah, which is what it is called to this day.

⁹ And Dovid was afraid of Hashem that day, and said, How can the Aron Hashem come to me?

¹⁰ So Dovid would not move the Aron Hashem unto him in Ir Dovid; but Dovid carried it aside into the bais Oved-Edom the Gitti.

¹¹ And the Aron Hashem remained in the bais Oved-Edom the Gitti three months; and Hashem blessed Oved-Edom, and all his bais.

¹² And it was told Dovid HaMelech, saying, Hashem hath blessed the bais Oved-Edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the Aron HaElohim. So Dovid went and brought up the Aron HaElohim from the bais Oved-Edom into Ir Dovid with simchah.

¹³ And it was so, that when they that nosei Aron Hashem (carried the Aron HaShem) had gone six steps, he sacrificed ox and fattened calf.

¹⁴ And Dovid danced before Hashem with kol oz; and Dovid was girded with an ephod bad (linen ephod).

¹⁵ So Dovid and kol Bais Yisroel brought up the Aron Hashem with ter’uah (shout) and with the sound of the shofar.

¹⁶ And as the Aron Hashem came into Ir Dovid, Michal Bat Sha’ul looked through a chalon (window), and saw Dovid HaMelech leaping and dancing before Hashem; and she despised him in her lev.

¹⁷ And they brought in the Aron Hashem, and set it in its makom, inside the ohel that Dovid had pitched for it; and Dovid offered olot (burnt offerings) and shelamim (peace offerings) before Hashem.

¹⁸ And as soon as Dovid had made an end of offering the olah (burnt offering) and the shelamim (peace offering), he made brocha on HaAm b’Shem Hashem Tzva’os.

¹⁹ And he apportioned among kol HaAm, even among kol hamon Yisroel, to isha as well as ish, to every one challat lechem, a portion of meat, and a raisin cake. So kol HaAm departed, each to his bais.

²⁰ Then Dovid returned to make brocha on his bais. And Michal Bat Sha’ul came out to meet Dovid, and said, How distinquished was the Melech Yisroel today, who disrobed today in the eyes of the amehot (handmaids) of his avadim, as one of the rekim (vain, empty fellows, indecent boors) shamelessly uncovereth himself!

²¹ And Dovid said unto Michal, It was before Hashem, which chose me rather than thy av, and rather than all his bais, to appoint me Nagid over Am Hashem, over Yisroel: therefore will I rejoice before Hashem.

²² And I will yet be more undignified than this, and will be shafal (lowly) in mine own eyes; and of the amahot (maidservants) which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be held in honor.

²³ Therefore Michal Bat Sha’ul had no yeled unto her yom mot.

7 And it came to pass, when HaMelech sat in his Bais, and Hashem had given him rest round about from all his oyevim;

² That HaMelech said unto Natan HaNavi, See now, I dwell in a Bais of cedar, but the Aron HaElohim dwelleth within the curtain.

³ And Natan said to HaMelech, Go, do all that is in thine lev; for Hashem is with thee.

⁴ And it came to pass that lailah, that the Devar Hashem came unto Natan, saying,

⁵ Go and tell Avdi Dovid, Thus saith Hashem, Shalt thou build Me a Bais for Me to dwell in?

⁶ Whereas I have not dwelt in any Bais since the time that I brought up the Bnei Yisroel out of Mitzrayim, even to this day, but have walked in an Ohel and in a Mishkan.

⁷ In all the places wherein I have walked with kol Bnei Yisroel spoke I a word with any of the Shivtei Yisroel, whom I commanded, to shepherd My people Yisroel, saying, Why build ye not Me a Bais of cedar?

⁸ Now therefore so shalt thou say unto Avdi Dovid, Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os, I took thee from the sheepfold, from following the tzon, to be Nagid over My people, over Yisroel:

⁹ And I was with thee whithersoever thou didst go, and have cut off all thine oyevim out of thy sight, and have made thee a shem gadol, like unto the shem of the Gedolim that are on ha’aretz.

¹⁰ Moreover I will appoint makom (place, home) for My people Yisroel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and be disturbed no more; neither shall the bnei avlah (children of wickedness) afflict them any more, as in former times,

¹¹ Even since the time that I commanded Shofetim to be over My people Yisroel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine oyevim. Also Hashem declareth to thee that He will make thee a Bais.

¹² And when thy yamim be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy Avot, I will raise up thy Zera after thee, which shall proceed out of thy loins, and I will establish his Mamlachah (Kingdom).

¹³ He shall build a Bais for My Shem, and I will establish the kisse (throne) of his Mamlachah ad olam.

¹⁴ I will be his Av, and he shall be My Ben [HaElohim]. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the shevet anashim, and with the floggings of bnei adam;

¹⁵ But My chesed shall not be taken away from him, as I took it from Sha’ul, whom I removed from before thee.

¹⁶ And thine Bais and thy Mamlachah shall be established ad olam before thee; thy kisse (throne) shall be established ad olam (forever) [See Ps 89:36-39]).

¹⁷ According to all these devarim, and according to all this chizzayon (revelation), so did Natan speak unto Dovid.

¹⁸ Then went HaMelech Dovid in, and sat before Hashem, and he said, Who am I, Adonoi Hashem? And what is my Bais, that Thou hast brought me this far?

¹⁹ And as if this were a small thing in Thy sight, Adonoi Hashem, Thou hast spoken also the future of Bais Avdecha. And is this fitting for haAdam [such as me], Adonoi Hashem?

²⁰ And what can Dovid say more unto Thee? For Thou, Adonoi Hashem, knowest Avdecha.

²¹ For the sake of Thy word, and according to Thine own lev, hast Thou done all this gedullah (great thing), and made it known to Avdecha.

²² Wherefore Thou art great, Adonoi Hashem; for there is none like Thee, neither is there any Elohim but Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³ And what Goy echad in ha’aretz is like Thy people, even like Yisroel, whom Elohim went to redeem for an Am for Himself, and to make Him a Shem, and to do for Thee hagedullah (the great thing) and nora’ot, for Thy land, before Thy people, which Thou redeemedst to Thee from Mitzrayim, from the Goyim and their g-ds?

²⁴ For Thou hast confirmed to Thyself Thy people Yisroel to be an Am unto Thee ad olam; and Thou, Hashem, art become their Elohim.

²⁵ And now, Hashem Elohim, the davar (word, promise) that Thou hast spoken concerning Avdecha, and concerning his Bais, establish it ad olam, and do just as Thou hast said.

²⁶ And let Thy Shem be magnified ad olam, saying, Hashem Tzivos is Elohim over Yisroel; and let the Bais of Avdecha Dovid be established before Thee.

²⁷ For Thou, Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel, hast revealed to ozen Avdecha, saying, I will build thee a Bais; therefore hath Avdecha found in his lev to pray this tefillah unto Thee.

²⁸ And now, Adonoi Hashem Atah hu HaElohim, and Thy devarim are emes, and Thou hast promised hatovah hazot unto Avdecha;

²⁹ Therefore now let it please Thee to bless the Bais Avdecha, that it may continue l’olam before Thee; for Thou, Adonoi Hashem, hast spoken it; and with Thy brocha let the Bais Avdecha be blessed l’olam.

8 And after this it came to pass that Dovid struck the Pelishtim, and subdued them; and Dovid took Meteg Ammah out of the yad (hand, control) of the Pelishtim.

² And he struck Moav, and measured them with a chevel (cord, rope), casting them down to the ground; even with two chavalim (ropes, cords) measured he to put to death, and with one full chevel (cord) to keep alive. And so Moav became to Dovid as avadim, and brought minchah (gifts, tribute).

³ Dovid struck also Hadadezer Ben Rechov Melech Tzovah, as he went to recover his yad (rule) at the nahar (river) Euphrates.

⁴ And Dovid captured from him an elef and seven hundred parashim, and twenty elef foot soldiers; and Dovid hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.

⁵ And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer Melech Tzovah, Dovid struck down the Syrians two and twenty elef ish.

⁶ Then Dovid put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became avadim to Dovid, and brought minchah. And Hashem saved Dovid wherever he went.

⁷ And Dovid took the shields of zahav that were on the avadim of Hadadezer, and brought them to Yerushalayim.

⁸ And from Betach [Tivchat, 1 Chr18:8], and from Berotai [Kun, 1 Chr 18:8], cities of Hadadezer, Dovid HaMelech took exceeding much nechoshet.

⁹ When To’u Melech Chamat heard that Dovid had defeated all the army of Hadadezer,

¹⁰ Then To’u sent Yoram bno unto Dovid HaMelech, to give him shalom greetings, and to put a berachah on him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and defeated him; for Hadadezer had been at war with To’u. And Yoram brought with him vessels of kesef, and vessels of zahav, and vessels of nechoshet;

¹¹ Which also Dovid HaMelech did dedicate as kodesh unto Hashem, with the kesef and zahav that he had dedicated as kodesh of kol HaGoyim which he subdued;

¹² Of Syria, and of Moav, and of the Bnei Ammon, and of the Pelishtim, and of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer Ben Rechov Melech Tzovah.

¹³ And Dovid made himself a shem when he returned from striking down Edom in the Gey Melach, being eighteen elef men.

¹⁴ And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became avadim to Dovid. And Hashem saved Dovid wherever he went.

¹⁵ And Dovid reigned over kol Yisroel; and Dovid executed mishpat and tzedakah unto all his people.

¹⁶ And Yoav Ben Tzeruyah was over the army; and Yehoshaphat Ben Achilud was mazkir (secretary, recorder).

¹⁷ And Tzadok Ben Achituv, and Achimelech Ben Evyatar (Abiathar), were the kohanim; and Serayah was the sofer (scribe);

¹⁸ And Benayah Ben Yehoyada was over both the Kereti and the Peleti; and Benei Dovid were kohanim [See Ps 110:4].

9 And Dovid said, Is there yet any that is left of the Bais Sha’ul, that I may show him chesed for the sake of Yonatan?

² And there was of the Bais Sha’ul an eved and shmo was Tziva. And when they had called him unto Dovid, HaMelech said unto him, Art thou Tziva? And he replied, Thy eved.

³ And HaMelech said, Is there not yet any of the Bais Sha’ul, that I may show the chesed Elohim unto him? And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Yonatan hath yet a ben, which is nakheh (crippled, lame) raglayim (both feet).

⁴ And HaMelech said unto him, Eifoh hu (where is he)? And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Hinei, he is in the Bais Machir Ben Ammiel, in Lo-Devar.

⁵ Then HaMelech Dovid sent, and had him brought out of the Bais Machir Ben Ammiel, from Lo-Devar.

⁶ Now when Mephivoshet Ben Yonatan Ben Sha’ul, was come unto Dovid, he fell on his face, and prostated himself. And Dovid said, Mephivoshet. And he answered, Hinei, thy eved!

⁷ And Dovid said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show thee chesed for sake of Yonatan Avicha, and will restore thee kol sadeh Shaul Avicha; and thou shalt eat lechem at my shulchan tamid.

⁸ And he prostated himself, and said, What is thy eved, that thou shouldest look upon such a kelev hamet (dead dog) as I am?

⁹ Then HaMelech called to Tziva na’ar Sha’ul, and said unto him, I have given unto thy adon’s ben all that pertained to Sha’ul and to all his Bais.

¹⁰ Thou therefore, and thy banim, and thy avadim, shall till the adamah for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy adon’s ben may have lechem to eat; but Mephivoshet the ben adonecha shall eat lechem tamid at my shulchan. Now Tziva had fifteen banim and twenty avadim.

¹¹ Then said Tziva unto HaMelech, According to all that adoni HaMelech hath commanded his eved, so shall thy eved do. As for Mephivoshet, said HaMelech, he shall eat at my shulchan, as one of the Bnei HaMelech.

¹² And Mephivoshet had a ben katan, shmo Micha. And kol moshav Bais Tziva were avadim unto Mephivoshet.

¹³ So Mephivoshet dwelt in Yerushalayim; for he did eat continually at the shulchan HaMelech; and was pisei’ach (crippled) in both his raglayim.

10 And it came to pass after this, that Melech Bnei Ammon died, and Chanun bno reigned in his place.

² Then said Dovid, I will show chesed unto Chanun Ben Nachash, as aviv (his father) showed chesed unto me. And Dovid sent to console him by the yad of his avadim for aviv. And avadim of Dovid came into Eretz Bnei Ammon.

³ And the sarim (princes) of the Bnei Ammon said unto Chanun their adon, Thinkest thou that Dovid doth honor avicha, that he hath sent menachamim (comforters) unto thee? Hath not Dovid rather sent his avadim unto thee, to explore the Ir, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

⁴ Therefore, Chanun took the avadim of Dovid, and shaved off half of their zekanim (beards), and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵ When they told it unto Dovid, he sent to meet them, because the anashim were greatly humiliated; and HaMelech said, Tarry at Yericho until your zekanim be grown, and then return.

⁶ And when the Bnei Ammon saw that they became stench before Dovid, the Bnei Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beit-Rechov and the Syrians of Tzova, twenty elef foot soldiers, and of Melech Ma’akhah an elef ish, and of Ish-Tov, twelve elef ish.

⁷ And when Dovid heard of it, he sent Yoav, and all the tzava (host, army) of the Gibborim.

⁸ And the Bnei Ammon came out, arrayed for milchamah at the petach hasha’ar (city gate); and the Syrians of Tzova, and of Rechov, and Ish-Tov, and Ma’akhah, were by themselves in the sadeh.

⁹ When Yoav saw that the front of the milchamah (battle) was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Yisroel, and put them in array against the Syrians;

¹⁰ And the rest of the people he delivered under the yad (command) of Avishai achiv (his brother), that he might put them in array against the Bnei Ammon.

¹¹ And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt be for me for yeshuah (salvation, rescue); but if the Bnei Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come for you for yeshuah (salvation, rescue).

¹² Chazak (be strong)! And let us play the man for amenu (our people), and for the towns of Eloheinu; and Hashem do that which seemeth Him hatov in His einayim.

¹³ And Yoav drew near, and HaAm that were with him, unto the milchamah against the Syrians; and they fled before him.

¹⁴ And when the Bnei Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Avishai, and entered into the Ir. So Yoav returned from the Bnei Ammon, and came to Yerushalayim.

¹⁵ And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they gathered themselves together.

¹⁶ And Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the Nahar; and they came to Chelam; and Shovach the Sar Tzeva (commander of the army) of Hadadezer went before them.

¹⁷ And when it was told Dovid, he gathered kol Yisroel together, and crossed over Yarden, and came to Chelam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against Dovid, and fought against him.

¹⁸ And the Syrians fled before Yisroel; and Dovid slaughtered the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty elef parashim, and struck down Shovach the Sar of his Tzeva (army), who died there.

¹⁹ And when all the melachim that were avadim (vassals) to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they made shalom with Yisroel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the Bnei Ammon any more.

11 And it came to pass, at the teshuvah (turning) of the shanah (year), at the time when melachim go forth [to war], that Dovid sent Yoav, and his avadim with him, and kol Yisroel; and they destroyed the Bnei Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But Dovid tarried still at Yerushalayim.

² And it came to pass at haerev, that Dovid arose from off his mishkav (bed), and walked upon the gag of the Bais HaMelech; and from the gag (roof) he saw an isha bathing; and the isha was very good to look upon.

³ And Dovid sent and inquired after the isha. And one said, Is not this Bat-Sheva Bat Eli’am, eshet Uriyah the Chitti?

⁴ And Dovid sent malachim, and he got her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she had been purifying herself from her [menstruous] tumah (uncleanness); and she returned unto her bais.

⁵ And the isha conceived, and sent and told Dovid, and said, Harah anochi (I am with child, I am pregnant).

⁶ And Dovid sent to Yoav, saying, Send me Uriyah the Chitti. And Yoav sent Uriyah to Dovid.

⁷ And when Uriyah was come unto him, Dovid asked of him regarding the shalom Yo’av, and the shalom HaAm, and the shalom hamilchamah.

⁸ And Dovid said to Uriyah, Go down to thy bais, and wash thy feet. And Uriyah departed out of the Bais HaMelech and there followed after him a masat HaMelech (a present, gift, of the king, i.e. a royal feast).

⁹ But Uriyah slept at the petach Beis HaMelech (entrance of the King’s Palace) with all the avadim of his adon, and went not down to his bais.

¹⁰ And when they had told Dovid, saying, Uriyah went not down unto his bais, Dovid said unto Uriyah, Camest thou not from thy derech (journey)? Why then didst thou not go down unto thine bais?

¹¹ And Uriyah said unto Dovid, The Aron, and Yisroel, and Yehudah, abide in sukkot; and adoni Yoav, and the avadim of adoni are encamped in the open field; shall I then go into mine bais, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my isha? As thou livest, and as thy nefesh liveth, I will not do this thing [i.e., I will not break the soldier’s discipline of purity, Ex.19:14-15; Deut.23:9-14; I Sam 21:5].

¹² And Dovid said to Uriyah, Tarry here today also, and makhar (tomorrow) I will send thee back. So Uriyah abode in Yerushalayim that day, and the next.

¹³ And when Dovid had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him shikker; and at erev he went out to lie on his mishkav with the avadim of his adon, but went not down to his bais.

¹⁴ And it came to pass in the boker, that Dovid wrote a sefer to Yoav, and sent it by the yad of Uriyah.

¹⁵ And he wrote in the sefer, saying, Set ye Uriyah on the frontlines of the milchamah hachazakah (strongest battle), and withdraw from in back of him, that he may be struck down, and die.

¹⁶ And it came to pass, when Yoav was shomer with a siege on the Ir [Rabbah], he assigned Uriyah unto the makom where he knew that anshei chayil (valiant men [of Rabbah]) were.

¹⁷ And the Anshei HaIr came out, and fought with Yoav; and there fell some of HaAm of the Avdei Dovid; and Uriyah the Chitti died also.

¹⁸ Then Yoav sent and told Dovid all the things concerning the milchamah;

¹⁹ And charged the malach, saying, When thou hast made an end of reporting all the matters of the milchamah unto HaMelech,

²⁰ And if so be that the chamat HaMelech (wrath of the King) flare up, and he say unto thee, why approached ye so near unto the Ir when ye did fight? Knew ye not that they would shoot from the chomah (wall)?

²¹ Who struck Avimelech Ben Yerubeshet? Did not an isha throw down on him a millstone from the chomah, that he died in Tevetz? Why went ye near the chomah? Then say thou, Thy eved Uriyah the Chitti is dead also.

²² So the malach went, and came and told Dovid all that Yoav had sent him for.

²³ And the malach said unto Dovid, Surely the anashim prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the sadeh, and we were upon them even unto the petach hasha’ar.

²⁴ And the archers shot from off the chomah upon thy avadim; and some of the avadim of HaMelech are dead, and thy eved Uriyah the Chitti is dead also.

²⁵ Then Dovid said unto the malach, Thus shalt thou say unto Yoav, Let not this thing be evil in thy sight, for the cherev devoureth one as well as another; make thy milchamah more chazak (strong) against the Ir, and overthrow it; and give him [Yoav] a chazak encouragement.

²⁶ And when the eshet Uriyah heard that Uriyah her ish was dead, she mourned for her ba’al (husband).

²⁷ And when the evel (mourning) was past, Dovid sent and brought her to his bais, and she became his isha, and bore him ben. But the thing that Dovid had done was evil in the sight of Hashem.

12 And Hashem sent Natan unto Dovid. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two anashim in one town; the one an oisher, and the other poor.

² The oisher had exceeding many tzon and bakar;

³ But the poor man had nothing, except one kivsah ketanah (little ewe [female] lamb), which he had acquired and nourished; and she grew up together with him [the poor man], and with his banim; it did eat of his own bread, and drank of his own kos (cup), and slept in his kheyk (bosom), and was unto him as a bat.

⁴ And there came a helech (traveler) unto the oisher, and he refused to take of his own tzon and of his own bakar, to prepare for the ore’ach (wayfaring man, traveller, guest) that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s kivsah (ewe lamb), and prepared her for the ish that was come to him.

⁵ And af Dovid (Dovid’s anger) was greatly kindled against the ish; and he said to Natan, As Hashem liveth, the ish that hath done this thing is ben mavet (a son of death, worthy of death);

⁶ And he shall restore the kivsah fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no khamal (pity).

⁷ And Natan said to Dovid, Atah haIsh (thou art the Man). Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel: Meshachticha (I anointed thee) Melech over Yisroel, and I delivered thee out of the yad Sha’ul;

⁸ And I gave thee the bais adonecha, and the nashim of adonecha into thy kheyk (bosom), and gave thee Bais Yisroel and Yehudah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such as this and such as that.

⁹ Why hast thou despised the Davar Hashem, to do the rah in His eyes? Thou hast killed Uriyah the Chitti with the cherev, and hast taken his isha to be thy isha, and hast slain him with the cherev of the Bnei Ammon.

¹⁰ Now therefore the cherev shall not depart from thine Bais ad olam; because thou hast despised Me, hast taken the isha Uriyah the Chitti as thy isha.

¹¹ Thus saith Hashem, Hineni, I will raise up ra’ah (adversity) against thee out of thine own Bais, and I will take thy nashim before thine eyes, and give them unto thy re’a, and he shall lie with thy nashim in the sight of this shemesh.

¹² For thou didst it baseter (secretly); but I will do this thing before kol Yisroel, and before the shemesh.

¹³ And Dovid said unto Natan, I have sinned against Hashem. And Natan said unto Dovid, Hashem also hath put away thy chattat; thou shalt not die.

¹⁴ Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the oyevim of Hashem to ni’etz (deride, ridicule, revile, blaspheme), also haben (the son) that is born unto thee shall surely die.

¹⁵ And Natan departed unto his bais. And Hashem struck the yeled that Uriyah’s isha bore unto Dovid, and it was very ill.

¹⁶ Dovid therefore pleaded with HaElohim for the na’ar; and Dovid did a tzom, and went in, and lay all night upon ha’aretz.

¹⁷ And the zekenim of his Bais arose, and went to him, to raise him up from ha’aretz; but he would not, neither did he eat lechem with them.

¹⁸ And it came to pass on the yom hashevi’i, that the yeled died. And the avadim of Dovid feared to tell him that the yeled was dead; for they said, Hinei, while the yeled was yet chai (alive), we spoke unto him, and he would not pay heed unto koleinu (our voice); so if we tell him that the yeled is dead, will he then do something horrendous?

¹⁹ But when Dovid saw that his avadim were mitlachashim (whisperers), Dovid perceived that the yeled was dead; therefore Dovid said unto his avadim, Is the yeled dead? And they said, Met (dead, he is dead).

²⁰ Then Dovid arose from ha’aretz, and bathed [See 2 Sm 11:2], and put on lotion, and changed his apparel, and came into the Bais Hashem, and worshiped; then he came to his own Bais; and when he requested, they set lechem before him, and he did eat.

²¹ Then said his avadim unto him, What davar is this that thou hast done? Thou didst undergo a tzom and weep for the sake of the yeled, while it was alive; but when the yeled was dead, thou didst rise and eat lechem.

²² And he said, While the yeled was yet chai, I underwent a tzom and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether Hashem will be gracious to me, that the yeled may live?

²³ But now he is met (dead), why should I undergo a tzom? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

²⁴ And Dovid [Beloved] comforted Bat-Sheva his isha, and went in unto her, and lay with her; and she bore ben, and he called shmo Sh’lomo; and Hashem loved him.

²⁵ And He sent by the yad Natan HaNavi; and he called shmo Yedidyah (Beloved of Hashem), for the sake of Hashem.

²⁶ And Yoav fought against Rabbah of the Bnei Ammon, and captured ir hameluchah (the royal city).

²⁷ And Yoav sent malachim to Dovid, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the Ir HaMayim.

²⁸ Now therefore gather the rest of HaAm (the army) together, and encamp against the Ir, and capture it; lest I take the Ir, and it be called after my shem.

²⁹ And Dovid gathered kol haAm together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and captured it.

³⁰ And he took their melech’s ateret from off his rosh, the weight whereof was a talent of zahav with the precious stones; and it was set on Dovid’s rosh. And he brought forth the plunder of the ir (city) in great abundance.

³¹ And he brought forth ha’am that were therein, and put them under saws, and under threshing tools of barzel, and under axes of barzel, and made them go through the brickkilns; and thus did he unto all the towns of the Bnei Ammon. So Dovid and kol haAm returned unto Yerushalayim.

13 And it came to pass after this, that Avshalom Ben Dovid had an achot yafeh (beautiful sister), whose shem was Tamar; and Amnon Ben Dovid loved her.

² And Amnon was so distressed, that he fell ill for his achot Tamar; for she was betulah; but Amnon thought it impossible for him to do anything to her.

³ But Amnon had a re’a, shmo Yonadav Ben Shime’ah Achi Dovid; and Yonadav was an ish chacham (shrewd man).

⁴ And he said unto him, Why art thou, being Ben HaMelech, becoming dal (weak, wretched) from day to day? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, Ani ohev (I love) Tamar achot Avshalom achi.

⁵ And Yonadav said unto him, Lay thee down on thy mishkav, and make thyself sick; and when avicha cometh to see thee, say unto him, now, let my achot Tamar come, and cause me to eat lechem, and prepare the briyah (food) in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her yad.

⁶ So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick; and when HaMelech was come to see him, Amnon said unto HaMelech, Now, let Tamar my achot come, and make me a couple of [heart-shaped] cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her yad.

⁷ Then Dovid sent to Tamar to the palace, saying, Go now to the bais of thy brother Amnon, and prepare for him briyah (food).

⁸ So Tamar went to the bais of her brother Amnon; and he was lying down. And she took batzek (dough), and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the [heartshaped] cakes.

⁹ And she took a masret (pan), and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have kol ish go out from me. And they went out kol ish from him.

¹⁰ And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the briyah into the cheder ([bed] room), that I may eat from thine yad. And Tamar took the [heart-shaped] cakes which she had prepared, and brought them into the bedroom to Amnon her brother.

¹¹ And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my achot.

¹² And she answered him, No, achi, do not violate me; for no such thing ought to be done in Yisroel; do not thou this nevalah (foul deed, shameful thing).

¹³ And I, to where shall I cause my cherpah (shame, disgrace) to go? And as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the nevalim (wicked fools) in Yisroel. Now therefore, speak unto HaMelech; for he will not withhold me from thee.

¹⁴ Howbeit he would not pay heed unto her voice; but, being stronger than she, violated her and raped her, and lay with her.

¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the sinah (hatred) wherewith he hated her was gedolah me’od than the ahavah wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Get up, get out.

¹⁶ And she said unto him, No, do not this ra’ah in sending me away which is gedolah than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not pay heed unto her.

¹⁷ Then he called his na’ar that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this outside from me, and bolt the delet after her.

¹⁸ She had a kesones of various colors upon her; for with such were the banot HaMelech that were betulot apparelled. Then his mesharet (servant) brought her outside, and bolted the delet after her.

¹⁹ And Tamar put efer (ash) on her rosh (head) and made the kri’ah (tearing, rending) on her kesones of various colors that was on her, and laid her yad on her rosh, and went on weeping as she went.

²⁰ And Avshalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? But hold now thy peace, my achot; he is thy brother; this thing take not to heart. So Tamar remained shomemah (desolate) in the bais of her brother Avshalom.

²¹ But when Dovid HaMelech heard of all these things, he was very angry.

²² And Avshalom spoke unto his brother Amnon not a davar neither rah nor tov; for Avshalom hated Amnon, because he had violated and raped his achot Tamar.

²³ And it came to pass after two full shanim, that Avshalom had gozezim (sheepshearers) in Baal-Chazor, which is in Ephrayim; and Avshalom invited all the Bnei HaMelech.

²⁴ And Avshalom came to HaMelech, and said, Hinei now, thy eved hath gozezim; let HaMelech, now, and his avadim go with thy eved.

²⁵ And HaMelech said to Avshalom, No, beni (my son), let us not all now go, lest we be a burden unto thee. And he urged him; howbeit he would not go, but put a bracha on him.

²⁶ Then said Avshalom, If not, now, let achi Amnon go with us. And HaMelech said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

²⁷ But Avshalom urged him, that he let Amnon and kol Bnei HaMelech go with him.

²⁸ Now Avshalom had commanded his avadim, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s lev is high with yayin, and when I say unto you, Strike Amnon; then kill him, fear not; have not I commanded you? Be chazak (courageous), and be bnei chayil.

²⁹ And the na’arei Avshalom did unto Amnon as Avshalom had commanded. Then all the Bnei HaMelech arose, and every man mounted him up upon his pered (mule), and fled.

³⁰ And it came to pass, while they were baderech (on the way), that report came to Dovid, saying, Avshalom hath slain all the Bnei HaMelech, and there is not one of them left.

³¹ Then HaMelech arose, and made the kri’ah on his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his avadim stood by with their clothes torn.

³² And Yonadav Ben Shime’ah achi Dovid, answered and said, Let not adoni suppose that they have slain all the young men, the Bnei HaMelech; for Amnon only is dead; for by the command of Avshalom this hath been determined from the day that he violated and raped Tamar his achot.

³³ Now therefore let not adoni HaMelech take the thing to his lev, to think that all the Bnei HaMelech are dead; for Amnon only is dead.

³⁴ But Avshalom fled. And the na’ar tzofeh (watchman) lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, hinei, there came am rav (much people) by the derech of the hillside behind him.

³⁵ And Yonadav said unto HaMelech, Hinei, the Bnei HaMelech come; as the davar avdecha (word of thy servant), so it is.

³⁶ And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, hinei, the Bnei HaMelech came, and lifted up their voice and wailed; and HaMelech also and all his avadim wept gadol me’od.

³⁷ But Avshalom fled, and went to Talmai Ben Ammichud Melech Geshur. And Dovid mourned for bno kol hayamim.

³⁸ So Avshalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there shalosh shanim.

³⁹ And the nefesh of Dovid HaMelech longed to go forth unto Avshalom; for he was consoled concerning Amnon that died.

14 Now Yoav Ben Tzeruyah perceived that the lev HaMelech was toward Avshalom.

² And Yoav sent to Tekoah, and brought from there an isha chachamah, and said unto her, now, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with shemen, but be as an isha that had a long time mourned for the dead;

³ And come to HaMelech, and speak on this manner unto him. So Yoav put the devarim in her peh (mouth).

⁴ And when the isha of Tekoah spoke to HaMelech, she fell on her face to the ground, and prostrated herself, and said, Hoshi’ah (help), O Melech.

⁵ And HaMelech said unto her, What troubleth thee? She answered, I am indeed an almanah, and mine ish is dead.

⁶ And thy shifchah had two banim, and they two fought together in the sadeh, and there was none to separate them, but the one struck the other, and killed him.

⁷ And, hinei, kol hamishpakhah is risen against thine shifchah (handmaid), and they said, Deliver him that struck his brother, that we may kill him, for the nefesh of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the yoresh (heir) also; and so they shall quench my burning coal remaining, and shall not leave to my ish shem nor she’erit upon ha’adamah.

⁸ And HaMelech said to the isha, Go to thine bais; I will give charge concerning thee.

⁹ And the isha of Tekoah said unto HaMelech, Adoni, O Melech, the avon (guilt) be on me, and on my bais avi; and HaMelech and his kisse be guiltless.

¹⁰ And HaMelech said, Whoever saith anything unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

¹¹ Then said she, Now, let HaMelech remember Hashem Eloheicha, that thou wouldest not suffer the Go’el HaDahm to destroy any more, lest they destroy beni (my son). And he said, As Hashem liveth, there shall not one hair of thy ben fall to the ground.

¹² Then the isha said, Let thine shifchah, now, speak one word unto adoni Ha-Melech. And he said, Say on.

¹³ And the isha said, why then hast thou thought such a thing against the Am Elohim? For HaMelech doth speak this thing as one which is guilty, in that HaMelech doth not bring back home again his banished.

¹⁴ For we must needs die, are as mayim spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; yet Elohim doth not take away nefesh; but devises means, so that His banished be not expelled from Him.

¹⁵ Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto adoni HaMelech, it is because the people have made me afraid; and thy shifchah thought, I will now speak unto HaMelech; it may be that HaMelech will perform the request of his amah (servant).

¹⁶ For HaMelech will hear, to deliver his amah (servant) out of the palm of the ish that would destroy me and beni (my son) together out of the nachalat Elohim.

¹⁷ Then thine shifchah said, The devar adoni HaMelech shall now be as menuchah (rest, comfort); for as a malach HaElohim, so is adoni HaMelech to discern the tov and the rah; therefore Hashem Eloheicha will be with thee.

¹⁸ Then HaMelech answered and said unto the isha, Hide not from me, now, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the isha said, Let adoni HaMelech now speak.

¹⁹ And HaMelech said, Is not the yad Yoav with thee in all this? And the isha answered and said, As thy nefesh liveth, adoni HaMelech, none can turn to the right or to the left from anything that adoni HaMelech hath spoken; for thy eved Yoav, he instructed me, and he put all these devarim in the peh (mouth) of thine shifchah (handmaid);

²⁰ To bring about this matter for discussion hath thy eved Yoav done this thing; and adoni is chacham, according to the chochmat malach HaElohim, to know all things that are in ha’aretz.

²¹ And HaMelech said unto Yoav, Hinei now, I have granted this thing; go therefore, bring the na’ar Avshalom back!

²² And Yoav fell to the ground on his face, and prostrated himself, and put a bracha on HaMelech; and Yoav said, Today thy eved knoweth that I have found chen in thy sight, adoni, O Melech, in that HaMelech hath fulfilled the request of his eved.

²³ So Yoav arose and went to Geshur, and brought Avshalom to Yerushalayim.

²⁴ And HaMelech said, Let him turn to his own bais, and let him not see my face. So Avshalom returned to his own bais, and saw not the face of HaMelech.

²⁵ But in kol Yisroel there was none ish yafeh to be so much praised as Avshalom; from the sole of his regel even to the crown of his head there was no mum (blemish) in him.

²⁶ And when he cut the hair of his rosh, (for it was from time to time that he cut it; because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the se’ar (hair) of his rosh at two hundred shekels after the royal standard.

²⁷ And unto Avshalom there were born three banim, and one bat, whose shem was Tamar; she was an isha of a fair countenance.

²⁸ So Avshalom dwelt two full shanim in Yerushalayim, and saw not the face of HaMelech.

²⁹ Therefore Avshalom sent for Yoav, to have sent him to HaMelech; but he would not come to him; and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

³⁰ Therefore he said unto his avadim, See, the allotted land of Yoav is near mine, and he hath se’orim (barley) there; go and kindle it with eish. And the avadim of Avshelom set eish to the allotted land.

³¹ Then Yoav arose, and came to Avshalom unto his bais, and said unto him, Why have thy avadim set eish to my allotted land?

³² And Avshalom answered Yoav, Hinei, I sent unto thee, saying, Come here, that I may send thee to HaMelech, to say, why am I come from Geshur? It had been tov (better) for me to have been there still; now therefore let me see the face of HaMelech; and if there be any avon (iniquity) in me, let him kill me.

³³ So Yoav came to HaMelech, and told him; and when he had called for Avshalom, he came to HaMelech, and prostrated himself on his face to the ground before HaMelech; and HaMelech kissed Avshalom.

15 And it came to pass after this, that Avshalom prepared him merkavah and susim, and fifty ish to run before him.

² And Avshalom rose up early, and stood beside the derech hasha’ar; and it was so, that when any ish that had a riv (lawsuit, complaint) came to HaMelech for mishpat, then Avshalom called unto him, and said, Of what town art thou? And he said, Thy eved is of one of the Shivtei Yisroel.

³ And Avshalom said unto him, See, thy case is tovim and right; but there is no man deputy of HaMelech to hear thee.

⁴ Avshalom said moreover, Oh that I were made Shofet in the land, that every ish which hath any riv or mishpat might come unto me, and I would bring him justice!

⁵ And it was so, that when any ish came near to him to prostrate himself before him, he put forth his yad, and took him, and kissed him.

⁶ And on this manner did Avshalom to kol Yisroel that came to HaMelech for mishpat; so Avshalom stole the lev anshei Yisroel.

⁷ And it came to pass after arba’im shanah, that Avshalom said unto HaMelech, Now let me go and fulfill my neder, which I have vowed unto Hashem, in Chevron.

⁸ For thy eved vowed a neder (vow) while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Hashem shall bring me again indeed to Yerushalayim, then I will serve Hashem.

⁹ And HaMelech said unto him, Go in shalom. So he arose, and went to Chevron.

¹⁰ But Avshalom sent secret messengers throughout kol Shivtei Yisroel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the shofar, then ye shall say, Avshalom reigneth in Chevron.

¹¹ And with Avshalom went two hundred ish out of Yerushalayim, that were invited; and they went innocently, and they had da’as of not anything.

¹² And Avshalom sent for Achitophel the Giloni, Dovid’s yo’etz (counsellor), from his town, even from Giloh, while he offered zivakhim. And the kesher (conspiracy) was strong; for the people increased continually with Avshalom.

¹³ And there came a maggid to Dovid, saying, Lev Ish Yisroel are with Avshalom.

¹⁴ And Dovid said unto all his avadim that were with him at Yerushalayim, Arise, and let us flee; or else we shall not escape from Avshalom; make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring ra’ah (disaster) upon us, and strike the Ir with the edge of the cherev.

¹⁵ And the avadim of HaMelech said unto HaMelech, Hinei, thy avadim are ready to do whatsoever adoni HaMelech commands.

¹⁶ And HaMelech went forth, and all his Bais after him. And HaMelech left ten nashim, which were pilagshim (concubines), to be shomer over the Bais (palace).

¹⁷ And HaMelech went forth, and kol haAm after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.

¹⁸ And all his avadim passed on by his yad; and all the Kereti, and all the Peleti, and all the Gittim, six hundred men which came after him from Gat, passed on before HaMelech.

¹⁹ Then said HaMelech to Ittai the Gitti, Why goest thou also with us? Return to thy place, and abide with HaMelech; for thou art a nokhri (foreigner), and also an exile.

²⁰ Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee wander about with us? Seeing I go to where I may, shuv (return thou), and take back thy brethren; chesed and emes be with thee.

²¹ And Ittai answered HaMelech, and said, As Hashem liveth, and as adoni HaMelech liveth, surely in what makom adoni HaMelech shall be, whether in mavet or chayyim, even there also will thy eved be [Ruth 1:17].

²² And Dovid said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gitti passed over, and all his anashim, and all the little ones that were with him.

²³ And kol ha’aretz wept with a kol gadol (loud voice), and kol haAm crossed over; HaMelech also himself crossed over the brook Kidron, and kol haAm crossed over, toward the derech of the midbar.

²⁴ And hinei Tzadok also, and all the Levi’im were with him, bearing the Aron Brit HaElohim; and they set down the Aron HaElohim; and Evyatar (Abiathar) went up, until kol HaAm had done passing out of the Ir.

²⁵ And HaMelech said unto Tzadok, Carry back the Aron HaElohim into the Ir; if I shall find chen (grace) in the eyes of Hashem, He will bring me again, and show me both Him, and His habitation;

²⁶ But if He thus say, I have no delight in thee; hinei, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth tov unto Him.

²⁷ HaMelech said also unto Tzadok HaKohen, Art not thou the Ro’eh (seer)? Return into the Ir in shalom, and your two banim with you, Achima’atz binecha, and Yonatan Ben Evyatar (Abiathar).

²⁸ See, I will tarry in the fords of the wilderness, until there come davar from you to inform me.

²⁹ Tzadok therefore and Evyatar (Abiathar) carried the Aron HaElohim back to Yerushalayim; and they tarried there.

³⁰ And Dovid went up by the ascent of Ma’aleh HaZeitim (Mount of Olives), and wept as he went up, and had his rosh covered, and he went barefoot; and kol haAm with him covered every ish his rosh, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

³¹ And one told Dovid, saying, Achitophel is among the conspirators with Avshalom. And Dovid said, Hashem, turn now the etza (counsel) of Achitophel into foolishness.

³² And it came to pass, that when Dovid was come to the top of the mount, where he worshiped Elohim, hinei, Chushai the Arki came to meet him with his kesones torn, and adamah upon his rosh;

³³ Unto whom Dovid said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a massa (burden) unto me;

³⁴ But if thou return to the Ir, and say unto Avshalom, I will be thy eved, O melech; as I have been eved avicha hitherto, so will I now also be thy eved; then mayest thou for me bring to nought the etza (counsel) of Achitophel.

³⁵ And hast thou not there with thee Tzadok and Evyatar (Abiathar) the kohanim? Therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the Bais HaMelech, thou shalt tell it to Tzadok and Evyatar (Abiathar) the kohanim.

³⁶ Hinei, they have there with them their two banim, Achima’atz son of Tzadok, and Yonatan of Evyatar; by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye can hear.

³⁷ So Chushai the re’eh Dovid came into the Ir, and Avshalom came into Yerushalayim.

16 And when Dovid was a little past the top of the hill, hinei, Tziva the na’ar of Mephivoshet met him, with a couple of chamorim saddled, and upon them 200 lechem, and 100 bunches of tzimmukim, and 100 kayitz, and a skin of yayin.

² And HaMelech said unto Tziva, What meanest thou by these? And Tziva said, The chamorim are for the Bais HaMelech to ride on; and the lechem and kayitz for the ne’arim to eat; and the yayin, that such as be faint in the midbar may drink.

³ And HaMelech said, And where is the ben adoneicha [i.e., Sa’ul grandson Mephivoshet]? And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Hinei, he abideth at Yerushalayim; for he said, Today shall Bais Yisroel restore to me the mamlechut avi.

⁴ Then said HaMelech to Tziva, Hinei, thine are all that pertained unto Mephivoshet. Tziva said, I humbly prostrate myself. May I find chen in thy sight, adoni, O Melech.

⁵ When Dovid HaMelech came to Bachurim, hinei, from there came out an ish of the mishpakhat Bais Sha’ul; shmo Shimei Ben Gera; and he, cursing continuously, came.

⁶ And he cast avanim (stones) at Dovid, and at all the avadim of Dovid HaMelech; and at kol haAm and at all the Gibborim that were on his right and on his left.

⁷ And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou ish hadamim and thou ish habeliyya’al;

⁸ Hashem hath returned upon thee all the dahm of the Bais Sha’ul, in whose place thou hast reigned; and Hashem hath delivered the meluchah (kingdom) into the yad Avshalom binecha; and, behold, thou art taken in thy ra’ah, because thou art an ish damim.

⁹ Then said Avishai Ben Tzeruyah unto HaMelech, Why should this kelev hamet (dead dog) curse adoni HaMelech? Let me go over, now and cut off his rosh.

¹⁰ And HaMelech said, What have I to do with you, ye Bnei Tzeruyah? So let him curse, because Hashem hath said unto him, Curse Dovid. Who shall then say, why hast thou done so?

¹¹ And Dovid said to Avishai, and to all his avadim, Hinei, beni, which came forth from within me, seeketh my nefesh; how much more now may this Bin-Hayemini (Benjamite) do it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for Hashem hath bidden him.

¹² It may be that Hashem will look on mine affliction, that Hashem will repay me tovah for his cursing this day.

¹³ And as Dovid and his anashim went by the derech, Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, cursed as he went, threw avanim at him, and kicked up aphar.

¹⁴ And HaMelech, and kol HaAm that were with him, arrived weary, and refreshed themselves there [at the Yarden].

¹⁵ And Avshalom, and kol HaAm Ish Yisroel, came to Yerushalayim, and Achitophel with him.

¹⁶ And it came to pass, when Chushai the Archi, re’eh Dovid, was come unto Avshalom, that Chushai said unto Avshalom, Long live HaMelech, Long live HaMelech.

¹⁷ And Avshalom said to Chushai, Is this thy chesed (loyal loving-kindness) to thy re’a (friend)? Why wentest thou not with thy re’a (friend)?

¹⁸ Chushai said unto Avshalom, Lo; but whom Hashem, this people, and kol Ish Yisroel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

¹⁹ And again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of bno? As I have served in the presence of Avicha, so will I be in thy presence.

²⁰ Then said Avshalom to Achitophel, Give etza (counsel, advice, wisdom) among you what we shall do.

²¹ And Achitophel said unto Avshalom, Go in unto the pilagshim of Avicha, which he hath left to be shomer over the Bais (palace); and kol Yisroel shall hear that thou art a stench to Avicha; then shall the hands of all that are with thee be chazak (strong).

²² So they spread Avshalom an ohel upon the gag (roof); and Avshalom went in unto the pilagshim of Aviv in the sight of kol Yisroel.

²³ And the etza (counsel) of Achitophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if an ish had inquired at the davar HaElohim; so was all the etza (counsel) of Achitophel both with Dovid and with Avshalom.

17 Moreover Achitophel said unto Avshalom, Let me now choose out shneym asar elef ish, and I will arise and pursue after Dovid halailah (this night);

² And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak of hands, and will make him tremble with fear; and kol haAm that are with him shall flee; and I will strike HaMelech only;

³ When I return kol HaAm to you, all except the ish whom thou seekest, it is as if [kol HaAm] returned; so kol haAm shall be in shalom.

⁴ And the saying pleased Avshalom well, and kol Ziknei Yisroel.

⁵ Then said Avshalom, Call now Chushai the Archi also, and let us hear likewise from his peh (mouth).

⁶ And when Chushai was come to Avshalom, Avshalom spoke unto him, saying, Achitophel hath spoken after this manner; shall we do after his saying? If not; speak thou.

⁷ And Chushai said unto Avshalom, The etza (counsel) that Achitophel hath given is not tovah at this time.

⁸ For, said Chushai, thou knowest Avicha and his anashim, that they be Gibborim, and they be enraged in their nefesh, as a dov (bear) robbed of her cubs in the sadeh; and Avicha is ish milchamah, and will not spend the night with HaAm (the troops).

⁹ Hinei, he is hid now in one of the pits, or in some other makom; and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the outset, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a magefah (slaughter) among the people that follow Avshalom.

¹⁰ And he also that is chayil (valiant), whose lev is as the lev ha’aryeh (heart of a lion), shall utterly melt; for kol Yisroel knoweth that Avicha is a Gibbor, and they that be with him are Bnei Chayil (valiant men).

¹¹ Therefore, I counsel that kol Yisroel be fully gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-Sheva, as the chol (sand) that is by the yam for multitude; and that thou thyself go into battle in person.

¹² So shall we come upon him in some makom where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the tal (dew) falleth on the adamah; and of him and of kol ha’anashim that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

¹³ Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then shall kol Yisroel bring chavalim (ropes) to that city, and we will draw it into the ravine, until there be not one small stone found there.

¹⁴ And Avshalom and kol Ish Yisroel said, The etza (counsel) of Chushai the Arki is better than the etza of Achitophel. For Hashem had resolved to annul the etza of Achitophel, to the intent that Hashem might bring ra’ah upon Avshalom.

¹⁵ Then said Chushai unto Tzadok and to Evyatar (Abiathar) the kohanim, Thus and thus did Achitophel counsel Avshalom and the Ziknei Yisroel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

¹⁶ Now therefore send quickly, and tell Dovid, saying, Spend not halailah (this night) in the plains of the midbar, but speedily cross over; lest HaMelech be swallowed up, and kol haAm that are with him.

¹⁷ Now Yonatan and Achima’atz stayed by Ein-Rogel; for they dared not be seen to come into the Ir; and a shifchah went and told them; and they went and told Dovid HaMelech.

¹⁸ Nevertheless a na’ar saw them, and told Avshalom; but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a bais ish in Bachurim, which had a be’er (well) in his khatzer; to where they went down.

¹⁹ And the isha took and spread a masakh (covering, curtain) over the mouth of the be’er, and spread hulled grain thereon; and the thing was not known.

²⁰ And when the avadim of Avshalom came to the bais to the isha, they said, Where is Achima’atz and Yonatan? And the isha said unto them, They are gone over the brook of mayim. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Yerushalayim.

²¹ And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they climbed up out of the be’er (well), and went and told Dovid HaMelech, and said unto Dovid, Arise, and cross quickly over the mayim; for thus hath Achitophel counselled against you.

²² Then Dovid arose, and kol haAm that were with him, and they crossed over Yarden; by the ohr haboker there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Yarden.

²³ And when Achitophel saw that his etza (counsel, advice) was not followed, he saddled his chamor, and arose, and went home to his bais, to his town, and put his bais (household) in order, vayyekhanak (and he strangled, hanged himself), and died, and was buried in the kever aviv (tomb of his father).

²⁴ Then Dovid came to Machanayim. And Avshalom passed over Yarden, he and all the Ish Yisroel with him.

²⁵ And Avshalom appointed Amasa over the tzava (army) instead of Yoav; now Amasa was ben ish shmo Yitra a Yisroeli, that went in to Avigal Bat Nachash Achot Tzeruyah Em Yoav.

²⁶ So Yisroel and Avshalom encamped in Eretz Gil‘ad.

²⁷ And it came to pass, when Dovid was come to Machanayim, that Shovi Ben Nachash of Rabbah of the Bnei Ammon, and Machir Ben Ammiel of Lo-Devar, and Barzillai the Gileadi of Roglim,

²⁸ Brought mishkav (bedding) and sappot (bowls) and earthen vessels, and chittim (wheat), and se’orim (barley), and kemakh (flour), and roasted grain, and pol (beans), and adashim (lentils), and roasted seeds,

²⁹ And devash, and khemah (curds), and tzon, and cheeses of the herd, for Dovid, and for HaAm that were with him, to eat; for they said, HaAm are hungry, and weary, and tzameh (thirsty), in the midbar.

18 And Dovid mustered HaAm that were with him, and set sarei alafim, and sarei me’ot over them.

² And Dovid sent forth a third part of the people under the yad Yoav, and a third part under the yad Avishai Ben Tzeruyah (Yoav’s brother), and a third part under the yad Ittai the Gitti. And HaMelech said unto HaAm, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

³ But HaAm answered, Thou shalt not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not set their lev on us; neither if half of us die, will they set their lev on us; but now thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore, now it is better that thou support us from the Ir [i.e., Machanayim].

⁴ And HaMelech said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And HaMelech stood by the side of the sha’ar, and kol haAm came out by hundreds and by thousands.

⁵ And HaMelech commanded Yoav and Avishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the na’ar, even with Avshalom. And kol HaAm heard when HaMelech gave all the sarim charge concerning Avshalom.

⁶ HaAm went into the sadeh against Yisroel; the milchamah was in ya’ar (forest) of Ephrayim;

⁷ Where Am Yisroel were slain before the avadim of Dovid, and there was there a magefah gedolah that day of esrim elef.

⁸ For the milchamah was there scattered over the face of kol ha’aretz; and the ya’ar devoured more people that day than the cherev devoured.

⁹ And Avshalom met the avadim of Dovid. And Avshalom rode upon a pered (mule), and the pered went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his rosh (head) caught hold of elah (tree, oak), and he was suspended between HaShomayim and ha’aretz; the pered under him went on.

¹⁰ And a certain ish saw it, told Yoav, and said, Hinei, I saw Avshalom [ben Dovid] talui (hanged) b’elah (on a tree, oak) [ZECHARYAH 12:10].

¹¹ And Yoav said unto the ish that told him, And, hinei, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not strike him down to the ground there? And I would have given thee ten shekels of kesef, and a khagorah.

¹² And the ish said unto Yoav, Though I should receive elef kesef in mine palm, yet would I not put forth mine yad against the ben HaMelech; for in ozneinu (our hearing) HaMelech charged thee and Avishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the na’ar Avshalom.

¹³ Otherwise I should have dealt sheker against mine own nefesh; for there is no matter hid from HaMelech, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.

¹⁴ Then said Yoav, I will not tarry thus with thee. And he took three shevatim in his yad, and thrust them through the lev Avshalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak tree [Yn 19:34].

¹⁵ And ten ne’arim that bore the armor of Yoav surrounded Avshalom, struck and slaughtered him.

¹⁶ Then Yoav blew the shofar, and HaAm returned from pursuing after Yisroel; for Yoav held back HaAm.

¹⁷ And they took Avshalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and laid a very great heap of avanim upon him; and all Yisroel fled, every ish to his ohel.

¹⁸ Now Avshalom in his lifetime had taken and erected for himself a matzevet (monument), which is in the Emek HaMelech; for he said, I have no ben to keep my shem in remembrance; and he called the matzevet after shmo; and it is called unto this day, Avshalom’s Monument.

¹⁹ Then said Achima’atz Ben Tzadok, Let me now run, and take news to HaMelech, how that Hashem hath in justice vindicated him of his oyevim.

²⁰ And Yoav said unto him, Thou shalt not be ish besorah (bearer of news) this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the ben HaMelech is dead.

²¹ Then said Yoav to Cushi, Go tell HaMelech what thou hast seen. And Cushi prostrated himself unto Yoav, and ran.

²² Then said Achima’atz Ben Tzadok yet again to Yoav, But be what may, let me, now, also run after Cushi. And Yoav said, why wilt thou run, beni, seeing that thou hast no besorah to provide?

²³ But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Rutz! (run!). Then Achima’atz ran by the derech of the plain, outran Cushi.

²⁴ And Dovid sat between the two she’arim (gates); and the tzofeh (watchman) went up to the gag (roof) over the sha’ar (gate) unto the chomah (wall), and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and hinei an ish running alone.

²⁵ And the tzofeh (watchman) cried, and told HaMelech. And HaMelech said, If he be alone, there is besorah (news) in his peh (mouth). And he came rapidly, and drew near.

²⁶ And the tzofeh (watchman) saw another man running; and the tzofeh called unto the sho’er (gatekeeper), and said, Hinei, another man running alone. And HaMelech said, This is mevaser (one bringing good news, evangelist).

²⁷ And the tzofeh (watchman) said, I see the running of the foremost is like the running of Achima’atz Ben Tzadok. And HaMelech said, He is an ish tov, and cometh with besorah tovah (good news) [see 2Sm 18:10].

²⁸ And Achima’atz called, and said unto HaMelech, Shalom. And he fell down to ha’aretz upon his face before HaMelech, and said, Baruch Hashem Eloheicha, which hath delivered up the anashim that lifted up their yad against adoni HaMelech.

²⁹ And HaMelech said, Is the na’ar Avshalom shalom? And Achima’atz answered, When Yoav sent eved HaMelech, avdecha, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

³⁰ And HaMelech said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

³¹ And, hinei, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Yitbaser (be informed of news), adoni HaMelech; for Hashem hath in justice vindicated thee this day from the yad of all them that rose up against thee.

³² And HaMelech said unto Cushi, Is the na’ar Avshalom shalom? And Cushi answered, The enemies of adoni HaMelech, and all that rise against thee to do thee harm, be as that na’ar is.

19 And it was told Yoav, Hinei, HaMelech weepeth and mourneth for Avshalom.

^2 (3) And the teshu’ah (salvation, deliverance) on that day was turned into evel (mourning) unto kol HaAm; for the people heard say that day how HaMelech was grieved for bno.

^3 (4) And the people stole that day into the Ir [Machanayim] as people being ashamed steal in when they flee in milchamah.

^4 (5) But HaMelech covered his face, and HaMelech cried with a kol gadol, O beni Avshalom, O Avshalom, beni, beni!

^5 (6) And Yoav came into the bais to HaMelech, and said, Thou hast disgraced this day the faces of all thy avadim, which this day have saved thy nefesh, and the nefesh of thy banim and of thy banot, and the nefesh of thy nashim, and the nefesh of thy pilagshim (concubines);

^6 (7) In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou hast no regard for sarim nor avadim; for this day I perceive, that if Avshalom had lived, and this day all we were mesim (dead ones), then it would have been yashar in thy sight.

^7 (8) Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak to the lev unto thy avadim; for I swear by Hashem, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one ish with thee halailah (this night); and that will be worse unto thee than kol hara’ah that befell thee from thy youth until now.

^8 (9) Then HaMelech arose, and sat in the sha’ar. And they told unto kol haAm, saying, Hinei, HaMelech doth sit in the sha’ar. And kol haAm came before HaMelech: for Yisroel had fled every ish to his ohel.

^9 (10) And kol haAm were having dissension throughout kol Shivtei Yisroel saying, HaMelech saved us out of the palm of oyveinu (our enemies) and he delivered us out of the palm of the Pelishtim; and now he is fled from HaAretz because of Avshalom.

^10 (11) And Avshalom, whom mashachnu (we anointed) over us, is dead in milchamah. Now therefore why are ye not speaking of bringing back HaMelech?

^11 (12) And Dovid HaMelech sent to Tzadok and to Evyatar the kohanim, saying, Speak unto the Ziknei Yehudah, saying, Why are ye the last ones to bring HaMelech back to his Bais? Seeing the talk of kol Yisroel is come to HaMelech, even to his Bais.

^12 (13) Ye are my brethren, ye are my atzmot and my basar; why then are ye the last ones to bring back HaMelech?