Beginning
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.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International