- The Beginning
- YisraYah
- Babylon
- Persia
- Greece
- Rome
- Yahchanan
The Second Book of Samuel
Chapter 1
1 It came to pass after the death of Saul, when David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David abode in Ziklag two days.
2 It came to pass on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3 David said to him: Where do you come from? He said to him: Out of the camp of Yisrayah I am escaped.
4 David said to him: How went the matter? I pray you, tell me. He answered: The people fled from the battle, many of the people also are fallen, and dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 David said to the young man who told him: How do you know Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
6 The young man who told him said: As I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear. Lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
7 When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered: Here I am.
8 He said to me: Who are you? I answered him: I am an Amalekite.
9 He said to me: I pray you, stand beside me, and kill me. Anguish takes hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure he could not live after he was fallen [on his sword]. I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and brought them here to my master.
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them. And likewise all the men with him.
12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, for Jonathan his son, for the people of Yahwah, and for the house of Yisrayah, because they were fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who told him: Where are you from? He answered: I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.
14 David said to him: How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy Yahwah's anointed?
15 David called one of the young men, and said: Go near, fall upon him. He smote him, so that he died.
16 David said to him: Your blood is upon your head. Your mouth testified against you, saying: I killed Yahwah's anointed.
17 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son
18 (and he bade them teach the children of Yahudah the use of the bow, behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
19 Your glory, O Yisrayah, is slain upon your high places!
How the mighty are fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon.
Unless the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Unless the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 You mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Neither fields of offerings.
For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
The sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,
In their death they were not divided.
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
24 You daughters of Yisrayah, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,
Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How the mighty are fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is slain upon your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.
Very pleasant you were to me.
Your love to me was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.
27 How the mighty are fallen,
The weapons of war perished!
1 It came to pass after this, David inquired of Yahwah, saying: Will I go up into any of the cities of Yahudah? Yahwah said to him: Go up. David said: Where will I go up? He said: To Hebron.
2 So David went up there, with his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
3 David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 The men of Yahudah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Yahudah. They told David, saying: The men of Jabesh-gilead were those who buried Saul.
5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them: Blessed are you of Yahwah, that you showed this kindness to your master, even to Saul, and buried him.
6 Now Yahwah show lovingkindness and truth to you. I also will requite you this kindness, because you did this thing.
7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant. Saul your master is dead, and also the house of Yahudah anointed me king over them.
8 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim.
9 He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephrayim, over Benjamin, and over all Yisrayah.
10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Yisrayah, and he reigned two years. But the house of Yahudah followed David.
11 The time David was king in Hebron over the house of Yahudah was seven years and six months.
12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 Yahuab [Joab] the son of Tseruyah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon. They sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
14 Abner said to Yahuab: I pray you, let the young men arise, and play before us. Yahuab said: Let them arise.
15 Then they arose, and went over by number. Twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 They caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
17 The battle was very sore that day. Abner was beaten, and the men of Yisrayah, before the servants of David.
18 The three sons of Tseruyah were there, Yahuab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
19 Asahel pursued after Abner. In going he did not turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Abner looked behind him, and said: Is it you, Asahel? He answered: It is I.
21 Abner said to him: Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, lay hold on one of the young men, and take his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
22 Abner said again to Asahel: Turn aside from following me. Why should I smite you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Yahuab your brother?
23 However he refused to turn aside. So Abner smote him in the body with the hind end of the spear, so the spear came out behind him. He fell down there, and died in the same place. It came to pass, as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
24 Yahuab and Abishai pursued after Abner. The sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.
26 Then Abner called to Yahuab, and said: Will the sword devour for ever? Do you know it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brothers?
27 Yahuab said: As Yahwah lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed every one his brother.
28 So Yahuab blew the trumpet. All the people stood still, and pursued after Yisrayah no more, neither did they fight any more.
29 Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They passed over the Jordan, went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
30 Yahuab returned from following Abner. When he gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men, and Asahel.
31 But the servants of David smote of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
32 They took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. Yahuab and his men went all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.
1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron. His first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.
3 His second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. The third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur.
4 The fourth, Adoniyah the son of Haggith. The fifth, Shepharyah the son of Abital.
5 The sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 It came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.
7 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner: Why did you go in to my father's concubine?
8 Abner was very angry for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said: Am I a dog's head that belongs to Yahudah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and did not deliver you into the hand of David. Yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman.
9 Yahwah do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahwah swore to David, I do not even so to him.
10 To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul. To set up the throne of David over Yisrayah and over Yahudah, from Dan even to Beersheba.
11 He could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
12 Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying: Whose is the land? Saying also: Make your league with me. Behold, my hand will be with you, to bring about all Yisrayah to you.
13 He said: Well. I will make a league with you. But one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face, except you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.
14 David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying: Deliver to me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15 Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him: Go, return. He returned.
17 Abner had communication with the elders of Yisrayah, saying: In times past you wanted David to be king over you.
18 Now then do it. Yahwah spoke of David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Yisrayah out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
19 Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin. Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Yisrayah, and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men with him a feast.
21 Abner said to David: I will arise, go, and gather all Yisrayah to my master the king, that they make a covenant with you, and that you reign over all your soul desires. David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
22 Behold, the servants of David and Yahuab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them. Abner was not with David in Hebron. For he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23 When Yahuab and all the host with him were come, they told Yahuab, saying: Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24 Then Yahuab came to the king, and said: What did you do? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it you sent him away, and he is quite gone?
25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, to know your going out, your coming in, and to know all you do.
26 When Yahuab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.
27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Yahuab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said: I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahwah forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 Let it fall upon the head of Yahuab, and upon all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Yahuab one that has an issue, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that lacks bread.
30 So Yahuab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 David said to Yahuab, and to all the people with him: Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier.
32 They buried Abner in Hebron. The king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner. All the people wept.
33 The king lamented for Abner, and said: Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell. All the people wept again over him.
35 All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying: Yahwah do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, till the sun is down.
36 All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them. As whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
37 So all the people and all Yisrayah understood that day it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.
38 The king said to his servants: Do you know there is a prince and a great man fallen today in Yisrayah?
39 I am weak today, though anointed king. These men the sons of Tseruyah are too hard for me. Yahwah reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.
1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Yisrayahites were troubled.
2 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, had two men that were captains of bands. The name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin,
3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and are sojourners there until this day).
4 Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel. His nurse took him up, and fled. It came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephi-bosheth.
5 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, as he took his rest at noon.
6 They came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat, and they smote him in the body. Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7 Now when they came into the house he lay on his bed in his bedchamber. They smote him, killed him, beheaded him, took his head, and went by the way of the wadi Arabah all night.
8 They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king: Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. Yahwah avenged my master the king today of Saul, and of his seed.
9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them: As Yahwah lives, who redeems my soul out of all adversity,
10 when one told me, saying; Behold, Saul is dead (thinking to have brought good tidings); I took hold of him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings.
11 How much more, when wicked men kill a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, will I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
12 David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
1 Then all the tribes of Yisrayah came to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying: Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Yisrayah. Yahwah said to you: You will be shepherd of my people Yisrayah, and you will be prince over Yisrayah.
3 So all the elders of Yisrayah came to the king to Hebron. King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahwah. They anointed David king over Yisrayah.
4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
5 In Hebron he reigned over Yahudah seven years and six months. In Yerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Yisrayah and Yahudah.
6 The king and his men went to Yerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying: Except you take away the blind and the lame, you will not come in here (thinking, David cannot come in here).
7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David.
8 David said on that day: Whosoever smites the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and smite the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul. Therefore they say: There are the blind and the lame. He cannot come into the house.
9 David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. David built round about from Millo and inward.
10 David waxed greater and greater, for Yahwah, the Father of hosts, was with him.
11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, with cedar-trees, carpenters, and masons. They built David a house.
12 David perceived Yahwah established him king over Yisrayah, and that He exalted his kingdom for His people Yisrayah's sake.
13 David took him more concubines and wives out of Yerusalem, after he was come from Hebron. There were yet sons and daughters born to David.
14 These are the names of those born to him in Yerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,
16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17 When the Philistines heard they anointed David king over Yisrayah, all the Philistines went up to seek David. David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.
18 Now the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
19 David inquired of Yahwah, saying: Will I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand? Yahwah said to David: Go up. I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.
20 David came to Lord-perazim, and David smote them there. He said: Yahwah broke my enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Lord-perazim.
21 The Philistines left their idols there. David and his men took them away.
22 The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23 When David inquired of Yahwah, He said: You will not go up. Make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees.
24 It will be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, then you will arouse yourself. For then Yahwah is gone out before you to smite the host of the Philistines.
25 David did so, as Yahwah commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.
1 David again gathered together all the chosen men of Yisrayah, thirty thousand.
2 David arose, and went with all the people with him, from Lord-judah, to bring up from there the ark of Yahwah, which is called by the Name, even the Name of Yahwah of hosts that sits above the cherubim.
3 They set the ark of Yahwah upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
4 They brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of Yahwah. Ahio went before the ark.
5 David and all the house of Yisrayah played before Yahwah with all manner of instruments made of fir-wood, with harps, with psalteries, with timbrels, with castanets, and with cymbals.
6 When they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of Yahwah, and steadied it. For the oxen stumbled.
7 The anger of Yahwah was kindled against Uzzah. Yahwah smote him there for his error. He died there by the ark of Yahwah.
8 David was displeased, because Yahwah broke forth upon Uzzah. He called that place Perez-uzzah, to this day.
9 David was afraid of Yahwah that day. He said: How will the ark of Yahwah come to me?
10 So David would not remove the ark of Yahwah to him into the city of David. David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
11 The ark of Yahwah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months. Yahwah blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.
12 It was told king David, saying: Yahwah blesses the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of Yahwah. David went and brought up the ark of Yahwah from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy.
13 It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of Yahwah went six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.
14 David danced before Yahwah with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod.
15 So David and all the house of Yisrayah brought up the ark of Yahwah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 It was so, as the ark of Yahwah came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahwah. She despised him in her heart.
17 They brought in the ark of Yahwah, and set it in its place, in the middle of the tent David pitched for it. David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Yahwah.
18 When David made an end of offering the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the Name of Yahwah of hosts.
19 He dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Yisrayah, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house.
20 Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said: How glorious was the king of Yisrayah today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!
21 David said to Michal: It was before Yahwah, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahwah, over Yisrayah. Therefore I will play before Yahwah.
22 I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight. But of the handmaids of whom you spoke, of them I will be had in honor.
23 Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
1 It came to pass, the king dwelt in his house, and Yahwah gave him rest from all his enemies round about.
2 The king said to Nathan the prophet: See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of Yahwah dwells within curtains.
3 Nathan said to the king: Go, do all that is in your heart, for Yahwah is with you.
4 It came to pass the same night, the Word of Yahwah came to Nathan, saying:
5 Go, tell my servant David: Thus says Yahwah; Will you build me a house for me to dwell in?
6 I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the children of Yisrayah out of Egypt, even to today, but have walked in a tent, and in a tabernacle.
7 In all places in which I walked with all the children of Yisrayah, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Yisrayah, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Yisrayah, saying: Why did you not build me a house of cedar?
8 Now therefore you will say this to my servant David: Thus says Yahwah of hosts; I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Yisrayah.
9 I was with you where ever you went, and cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like to the name of the great ones that are in the earth.
10 I will appoint a place for my people Yisrayah, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more. Neither will the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first.
11 As from the day I commanded judges to be over my people Yisrayah, I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahwah tells you He will make you a house.
12 When your days are fulfilled, and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, that will proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I will be his Father, and he will be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.
15 But my lovingkindness will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.
16 Your house and your kingdom are made sure before you forever. Your throne is established forever.
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
18 Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahwah. He said: Who am I, O Sovereign Yahwah, and what is my house, that you brought me this far?
19 This was yet a small thing in your eyes, O Heavenly Father Yahwah. You spoke of your servant's house for a great while to come. This too after the manner of men, O Sovereign Yahwah!
20 What can David say more to you? You know your servant, O Sovereign Yahwah.
21 For your Word's sake, and according to your own heart, you wrought all this greatness, to make your servant know it.
22 Therefore you are great, O Father Yahwah. There is none like you, neither is there any god like you, according to all we heard with our ears.
23 What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Yisrayah, whom Yahwah went to redeem to Himself for a people, to make Him a Name, to do great things for you, and terrible things for your land, before your people, whom you redeemed to you out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
24 You established to yourself your people Yisrayah to be a people to you forever. You, Yahwah, became their Father.
25 Now, O Yahwah our Father, the word you spoke concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it for ever, and do as you said.
26 Let your Name be magnified forever, saying: Yahwah of hosts is Father over Yisrayah. The house of your servant David is established before you.
27 O Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah, you revealed to your servant, saying: I will build you a house. Therefore your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
28 O Sovereign Yahwah, you are Master, your words are truth, and you promised this good thing to your servant.
29 Now let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you. O Sovereign Yahwah, you spoke it. With your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed forever.
1 After this it came to pass David smote the Philistines, and subdued them. David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 He smote Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground. He measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.
3 David also smote Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River Perath.
4 David took from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but saved enough for a hundred chariots.
5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to aid Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus. The Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahwah gave victory to David where ever he went.
7 David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Yerusalem.
8 King David took exceeding much bronze from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer.
9 Toi king of Hamath heard David smote all the host of Hadadezer.
10 Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he fought against Hadadezer and smote him. For Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze.
11 These also king David dedicated to Yahwah, with the silver and gold he dedicated of all the nations he subdued.
12 Of Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 David got him a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.
14 He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahwah gave victory to David everywhere he went.
15 David reigned over all Yisrayah. David executed justice and righteousness to all his people.
16 Yahuab the son of Tseruyah was over the host, Yahushaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,
17 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Serayah was scribe,
18 Benayah the son of Yahuyada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were chief ministers.
1 David said: Is there yet any left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?
2 There was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. The king said to him: Are you Ziba? He said: Your servant is he.
3 The king said: Is there yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of Yahwah to him? Ziba said to the king: Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet.
4 The king said to him: Where is he? Ziba said to the king: Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.
5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
6 Mephi-bosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face, and did obeisance. David said: Mephibosheth. He answered: Behold, your servant!
7 David said to him: Do not fear. I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, will restore you all the land of Saul your father, and you will eat bread at my table continually.
8 He did obeisance, and said: What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I am?
9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him: I give all that pertained to Saul and to all his house to your master's son.
10 You will till the land for him, you, your sons, and your servants. You will bring in the fruits, that your master's son may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son will eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Then Ziba said to the king: According to all my master the king commands his servant, so your servant will do. As for Mephibosheth, the king said: He will eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.
13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Yerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. He was lame in both his feet.
1 It came to pass after this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2 David said: I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their master: Do you think David honors your father, in that he sent comforters to you? Did David not sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
4 So Hanun took David's servants, shaved off the one half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 When they told it to David, he sent to meet them. For the men were greatly ashamed. The king said: Tarry at Yericho until your beards are grown, and then return.
6 When the children of Ammon saw they became odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.
7 When David heard of it, he sent Yahuab, and all the host of the mighty men.
8 The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
9 Now when Yahuab saw the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Yisrayah, and put them in array against the Syrians.
10 The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother, and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.
11 He said: If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you will help me. But if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.
12 Be of good courage, let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our Father. Yahwah do what seems good to Him.
13 So Yahuab and the people with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians. They fled before him.
14 When the children of Ammon saw the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Yahuab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Yerusalem.
15 When the Syrians saw they were put to the worse before Yisrayah, they gathered themselves together.
16 Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the River. They came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head.
17 It was told David. He gathered all Yisrayah together, passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
18 The Syrians fled before Yisrayah. David killed of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.
19 When all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Yisrayah, they made peace with Yisrayah, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
1 It came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Yahuab, his servants with him, and all Yisrayah. They destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Yerusalem.
2 It came to pass at evening, David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
3 David sent and inquired after the woman. One said: Is this not Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriyah the Hittite?
4 David sent messengers, and took her. She came in to him, and he had sex with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness). She returned to her house.
5 The woman conceived. She sent, told David, and said: I am with child.
6 David sent to Yahuab, saying: Send me Uriyah the Hittite. Yahuab sent Uriyah to David.
7 When Uriyah was come to him, David asked of him how Yahuab did, how the people fared, and how the war prospered.
8 David said to Uriyah: Go down to your house, and wash your feet. Uriyah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of food from the king.
9 But Uriyah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his master, and did not go down to his house.
10 When they told David, saying: Uriyah did not go down to his house. David said to Uriyah: Are you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?
11 Uriyah said to David: The ark, Yisrayah, and Yahudah, abide in booths. My master Yahuab, and the servants of my master, are camped in the open field. Will I then go into my house, to eat, to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.
12 David said to Uriyah: Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart. So Uriyah abode in Yerusalem that day, and the next.
13 When David called him, he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk. At evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his master, but did not go down to his house.
14 It came to pass in the morning, David wrote a letter to Yahuab, and sent it by the hand of Uriyah.
15 He wrote in the letter, saying: Set Uriyah in the forefront of the hottest battle. Retire from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16 It came to pass, when Yahuab kept watch upon the city, he assigned Uriyah to the place where he knew valiant men were.
17 The men of the city went out, and fought with Yahuab. There fell some of the people, even of the servants of David. Uriyah the Hittite died also.
18 Then Yahuab sent, and told David all the things concerning the war.
19 He charged the messenger, saying: When you make an end of telling all the things concerning the war to the king,
20 it will be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he say to you: Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you know they would shoot from the wall?
21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did a woman not cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall? Then you will say: Your servant Uriyah the Hittite is dead also.
22 So the messenger went, came, and showed David all Yahuab sent him for.
23 The messenger said to David: The men prevailed against us, came out to us into the field, and we were upon them even to the entrance of the gate.
24 The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall. Some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriyah the Hittite is dead also.
25 Then David said to the messenger: Thus you will say to Yahuab; Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it. You encourage him.
26 When the wife of Uriyah heard that Uriyah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.
27 When the mourning was past, David sent, took her home to his house, she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing David did displeased Yahwah.
1 Yahwah sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him: There were two men in one city. The one rich, and the other poor.
2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds.
3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb he bought, and nourished up. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own morsel, drank of his own cup, lay in his bosom, and was as a daughter to him.
4 There came a traveller to the rich man. He spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who came to him. He took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who came to him.
5 David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan: As Yahwah lives, the man that did this is worthy to die.
6 He will restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7 Nathan said to David: You are the man. Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: I anointed you king over Yisrayah, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
8 I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom. I gave you the house of Yisrayah, and of Yahudah. If that was too little, I would have added to you such and such things.
9 Why do you despise the Word of Yahwah, to do what is evil in His sight? You smote Uriyah the Hittite with the sword, took his wife to be your wife, and killed him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me, and took the wife of Uriyah the Hittite to be your wife.
11 Thus says Yahwah: Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. I will take your wives before your eyes, give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12 You did it secretly. But I will do this thing before all Yisrayah, and before the sun.
13 David said to Nathan: I sinned against Yahwah. Nathan said to David: Yahwah put away your sin, you will not die.
14 However, because by this deed you gave great occasion to the enemies of Yahwah to blaspheme, the child that is born to you will surely die.
15 Nathan departed to his house. Yahwah struck the child Uriyah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.
16 David begged Yahwah for the child. David fasted, went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17 The elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth. But he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18 It came to pass on the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him the child was dead. They said: Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not hearken to our voice. How will he vex himself then, if we tell him the child is dead!
19 When David saw his servants were whispering together, David perceived the child was dead. David said to his servants: Is the child dead? They said: He is dead.
20 Then David arose from the earth, washed, anointed himself, and changed his apparel. He came into the house of Yahwah, and worshipped. Then he came to his own house. When he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.
21 Then his servants said to him: What thing is this you did? You did fast and weep for the child while it was alive. But when the child was dead, you rose to eat bread.
22 He said: While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept. I said: Who knows whether Yahwah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.
24 David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon.
25 Yahwah loved him, and He sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet. He called his name Yedideyah, for Yahwah's sake.
26 Now Yahuab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27 Yahuab sent messengers to David, and said: I fought against Rabbah. Yea, I took the city of waters.
28 Now gather the rest of the people together, camp against the city, and take it, unless I take the city, and it is called after my name.
29 David gathered all the people together, went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it.
30 He took the crown of their king from off his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, and precious stones were in it. It was set on David's head. He brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much.
31 He brought forth the people in there, and put them under saws, under harrows of iron, under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln. Thus he did to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Yerusalem.
1 It came to pass after this, Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar. Amnon the son of David loved her.
2 Amnon was so vexed he fell sick because of his sister Tamar. She was a virgin. It seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.
3 Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. Jonadab was a very subtle man.
4 He said to him: Why, O son of the king, are you thus lean from day to day? Will you not tell me? Amnon said to him: I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.
5 Jonadab said to him: Lay you down on your bed, and feign yourself sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him: Let my sister Tamar come, I pray you, and give me bread to eat, dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.
6 So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick. When the king was come to see him, Amnon said to the king: Let my sister Tamar come, I pray you, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.
7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying: Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and dress him food.
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was laid down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.
9 She took the pan, and poured them out before him. But he refused to eat. Amnon said: Have all men go out from me. They went out every man from him.
10 Amnon said to Tamar: Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand. Tamar took the cakes she made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
11 When she brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her: Come, have sex with me, my sister.
12 She answered him: Nay, my brother, do not force me. No such thing ought to be done in Yisrayah. Do not do this folly.
13 I, where will I carry my shame? As for you, you will be as one of the fools in Yisrayah. I pray you, speak to the king. He will not withhold me from you [as wife].
14 However he would not hearken to her voice. Being stronger than she, he forced her, and raped her.
15 Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred. The hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her: Arise, be gone.
16 She said to him: Not so, this great wrong in putting me forth is worse than the other you did to me. But he would not hearken to her.
17 He called his servant that ministered to him, and said: Put this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
18 She had a garment of different colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
19 Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of diverse colors that was on her. She laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.
20 Absalom her brother said to her: Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother, do not take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
21 When king David heard of all these things, he was very angry.
22 Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he forced his sister Tamar.
23 It came to pass after two full years, Absalom had sheep-shearers in Lord-hazor, which is beside Ephrayim. Absalom invited all the king's sons.
24 Absalom came to the king, and said: Behold, your servant has sheep-shearers. I pray you, let the king and his servants go with your servant.
25 The king said to Absalom: Nay, my son, let us not all go, unless we are burdensome to you. He pressed him, however he would not go, but blessed him.
26 Then Absalom said: If not, I pray you, let my brother Amnon go with us. The king said to him: Why should he go with you?
27 Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
28 Absalom commanded his servants, saying: Mark you now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine. When I say to you: Smite Amnon. Then kill him. Do not fear. Do I not command you? Be courageous, and be valiant.
29 The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, every man got him up upon his mule, and fled.
30 It came to pass, while they were in the way, the tidings came to David, saying: Absalom killed all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
31 Then the king arose, tore his garments, and lay on the earth. All his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
32 Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said: Let my master not suppose they killed all the young men the king's sons. For only Amnon is dead. By the appointment of Absalom this was determined from the day he raped his sister Tamar.
33 Now let my master the king not take the thing to his heart, to think all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.
34 Absalom fled. The young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked. Behold, there came many people by the way of the hill-side behind him.
35 Jonadab said to the king: Behold, the king's sons are come. As your servant said, so it is.
36 It came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, behold, the king's sons came, lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept very sore.
37 Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.
38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39 The soul of King David longed to go forth to Absalom. He was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
1 Yahuab the son of Tseruyah perceived the king's heart was toward Absalom.
2 Yahuab sent to Tekoa, and fetched a wise woman from there, and said to her: I pray you, feign yourself to be a mourner. Put on mourning apparel, I pray you, and not anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman that has mourned for the dead a long time.
3 Go in to the king, and speak on this manner to him. So Yahuab put the words in her mouth.
4 When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, did obeisance, and said: Help, O king.
5 The king said to her: What ails you? She answered: Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.
6 Your handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field. There was none to separate them, but the one smote the other, and killed him.
7 Behold, the whole family is risen against your handmaid, and they say: Deliver him who smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother he killed; and so destroy the heir also. Thus they will quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.
8 The king said to the woman: Go to your house, and I will give charge concerning you.
9 The woman of Tekoa said to the king: My master, O king, the iniquity is on me, and on my father's house. The king and his throne is guiltless.
10 The king said: Whosoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you any more.
11 Then she said: I pray you, let the king remember Yahwah your Father, that the avenger of blood not destroy any more, unless they destroy my son. He said: As Yahwah lives, there will not one hair of your son fall to the earth.
12 Then the woman said: Let your handmaid, I pray you, speak a word to my master the king. He said: Say on.
13 The woman said: Why then do you devise such a thing against the people of Yahwah? In speaking this word the king is as one guilty, in that the king does not fetch home his banished one again.
14 We must needs die, and are as water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Neither does Yahwah take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished is not an outcast from Him.
15 Now seeing that I am come to speak this word to my master the king, it is because the people made me afraid. Your handmaid said: I will now speak to the king, it may be the king will perform the request of his servant.
16 The king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of Yahwah.
17 Then your handmaid said: Let, I pray you, the word of my master the king be comfortable. As a malak of Yahwah, so is my master the king to discern good and bad. Yahwah your Father is with you.
18 Then the king answered, and said to the woman: I pray you, do not hide from me anything I ask you. The woman said: Let my master the king now speak.
19 The king said: Is the hand of Yahuab with you in all this? The woman answered, and said: As your soul lives, my master the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything my master the king says. Your servant Yahuab bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid.
20 Your servant Yahuab did this thing to change the face of the matter. My master is wise, according to the wisdom of a malak of Yahwah, to know all things that are in the earth.
21 The king said to Yahuab: Behold, I did this thing. Go, bring the young man Absalom back.
22 Yahuab fell to the ground on his face, did obeisance, and blessed the king. Yahuab said: Today your servant knows I found favor in your sight, my master, O king, in that the king performed the request of his servant.
23 So Yahuab arose, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Yerusalem.
24 The king said: Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and did not see the king's face.
25 Now in all Yisrayah there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty. From the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.
27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of a fair countenance.
28 Absalom dwelt two full years in Yerusalem, and he did not see the king's face.
29 Then Absalom sent for Yahuab, to send him to the king. But he would not come to him. He sent again a second time, but he would not come.
30 Therefore he said to his servants: See, Yahuab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go, set it on fire. Absalom's servants set the field on fire. So Yahuab's servants came to him with their clothes torn, and said: Absalom's servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Yahuab arose, came to Absalom to his house, and said to him: Why did your servants set my field on fire?
32 Absalom answered Yahuab: Behold, I sent to you, saying: Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say; Why am I come from Geshur? It were better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face. If there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.
33 So Yahuab came to the king, and told him. When he called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. The king kissed Absalom.
1 It came to pass after this, Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run before him.
2 Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said: Of what city are you? He said: Your servant is of one of the tribes of Yisrayah.
3 Absalom said to him: See, your matters are good and right. But there is no man deputed of the king to hear you.
4 Absalom said moreover: Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!
5 It was so, that, when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.
6 On this manner Absalom did to all Yisrayah that came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Yisrayah.
7 It came to pass at the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king: I pray you, let me go and pay my vow, which I vowed to Yahwah, in Hebron.
8 Your servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying: If Yahwah will indeed bring me again to Yerusalem, then I will serve Yahwah.
9 The king said to him: Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Yisrayah, saying: As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you will say; Absalom is king in Hebron.
11 With Absalom went two hundred men out of Yerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity. They did not know anything.
12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 There came a messenger to David, saying: The hearts of the men of Yisrayah are after Absalom.
14 David said to all his servants with him at Yerusalem: Arise, and let us flee. Or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, unless he overtake us quickly, bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15 The king's servants said to the king: Behold, your servants are ready to do whatsoever my master the king will choose.
16 The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.
17 The king went forth, and all the people after him. They tarried in Beth-merhak.
18 All his servants passed on beside him. All the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite: Why do you also go with us? Return, and abide with the king. You are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place.
20 Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? Return you, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.
21 Ittai answered the king, and said: As Yahwah lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in what place my master the king will be, whether for death or for life, even there also your servant will be.
22 David said to Ittai: Go, pass over. Ittai the Gittite passed over, all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
23 All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
24 Lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahwah. They set down the ark of Yahwah. Abiathar went up, until all the people were done passing out of the city.
25 The king said to Zadok: Carry back the ark of Yahwah into the city. If I will find favor in the eyes of Yahwah, He will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation.
26 But if He say thus: I have no delight in you. Behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.
27 The king also said to Zadok the priest: Are you not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 See, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of Yahwah again to Yerusalem. They abode there.
30 David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up. He had his head covered, and went barefoot. All the people with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 One told David, saying: Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. David said: O Yahwah, I pray you, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 It came to pass, David came to the top of the ascent, where Yahwah was worshipped. Behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth upon his head.
33 David said to him: If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me.
34 But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom: I will be your servant, O king. As I was your father's servant in time past, so I will now be your servant. Then you will defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.
35 Have you not there with you Zadok and Abiathar the priests? Therefore it will be, whatever thing you hear out of the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. By them you will send to me everything you hear.
37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city. Absalom came into Yerusalem.
1 David was a little past the top of the ascent. Behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, upon them two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 The king said to Ziba: What do you mean by these? Ziba said: The asses are for the king's household to ride on. The bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat. The wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.
3 The king said: Where is your master's son? Ziba said to the king: Behold, he abides at Yerusalem. He said: Today the house of Yisrayah will restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then the king said to Ziba: Behold, yours is all that pertains to Mephibosheth. Ziba said: I do obeisance. Let me find favor in your sight, my master, O king.
5 King David came to Bahurim. Behold, there came out of there a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, and cursed still as he came.
6 He cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David. All the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7 Thus said Shimei when he cursed: Begone, begone, you man of blood, and base fellow.
8 Yahwah returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you reign. Yahwah delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. Behold, you are taken in your own mischief, because you are a man of blood.
9 Then Abishai the son of Tseruyah said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my master the king? Let me go over, I pray you, and take off his head.
10 The king said: What have I to do with you, you sons of Tseruyah? He curses because Yahwah said to him: Curse David. Who then will say: Why do you do so?
11 David said to Abishai, and to all his servants: Behold, my son seeks my life, who came forth from my bowels. How much more may this Benjamite now do it? Let him alone, and let him curse. Yahwah bid him.
12 It may be Yahwah will look on the wrong done to me, and Yahwah will requite me good for his cursing of me today.
13 So David and his men went by the way. Shimei went along on the hill-side over against him, cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and cast dust.
14 The king, and all the people with him, came weary. He refreshed himself there.
15 Absalom, and all the people, the men of Yisrayah, came to Yerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
16 It came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom: Long live the king, Long live the king.
17 Absalom said to Hushai: Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?
18 Hushai said to Absalom: Nay. But whom Yahwah, and this people, all the men of Yisrayah, chose, his I will be. I will abide with him.
19 Again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I served in your father's presence, so I will be in your presence.
20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel: Give your counsel what we will do.
21 Ahithophel said to Absalom: Go in to your father's concubines, that he has left to keep the house. All Yisrayah will hear you are abhorred of your father. Then the hands of all that are with you will be strong.
22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house. Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Yisrayah.
23 The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of Yahwah. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
1 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom: Let me now choose out twelve thousand men. I will arise and pursue after David tonight.
2 I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid. All the people with him will flee, and I will smite the king only.
3 I will bring back all the people to you. The man whom you seek is as if all returned. So all the people will be in peace.
4 The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Yisrayah.
5 Then Absalom said: Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says.
6 When Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying: Ahithophel spoke after this manner. Will we do after his saying? If not, speak.
7 Hushai said to Absalom: The counsel Ahithophel gives this time is not good.
8 Hushai said moreover: You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place. It will come to pass, when some of them are fallen at the first, that whosoever hears it will say: There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.
10 Even he that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt. All Yisrayah knows your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.
11 I counsel that all Yisrayah be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in your own person.
12 So we will come upon him in some place where he will be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falls on the ground. Of him and of all the men with him we will not leave so much as one.
13 Moreover, if he gets into a city, then all Yisrayah will bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.
14 Absalom and all the men of Yisrayah said: The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. Yahwah ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent Yahwah might bring evil upon Absalom.
15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests: Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Yisrayah. And thus and thus did I counsel.
16 Now send quickly, and tell David, saying: Do not lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, unless the king be swallowed up, and all the people with him.
17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En-rogel. A maidservant used to go and tell them. They went and told king David, for they might not be seen to come into the city.
18 But a lad saw them, and told Absalom. They went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court. They went down there.
19 The woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and strewed bruised grain over it. And nothing was known.
20 Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house. They said: Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? The woman said to them: They are gone over the brook of water. When they searched, and could not find them, they returned to Yerusalem.
21 It came to pass, after they were departed, they came up out of the well, went, and told king David. They said to David: Arise, pass over the water quickly, for thus Ahithophel counselled against you.
22 Then David arose, and all the people with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of those who was not gone over the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, arose, got him home, to his city, set his house in order, and hanged himself. He died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
24 Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Yisrayah with him.
25 Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Yahuab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Yisrayahite, that went in to Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister to Tseruyah, Yahuab's mother.
26 Yisrayah and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 It came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
28 brought beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched pulse,
29 honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David (and for the people with him) to eat. They said: The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
1 David numbered the people with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Yahuab, a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Tseruyah, Yahuab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people: I will surely go forth with you myself also.
3 But the people said: You will not go forth. If we flee away, they will not care for us. Neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you are ready to support us out of the city.
4 The king said to them: I will do what seems best to you. The king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds, and by thousands.
5 The king commanded Yahuab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying: Deal gently with the young man for my sake, even with Absalom. All the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6 So the people went out into the field against Yisrayah. The battle was in the forest of Ephrayim.
7 The people of Yisrayah were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8 The battle was spread over the face of all the country there. The forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak. His head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth. The mule that was under him went on.
10 A certain man saw it, told Yahuab, and said: Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.
11 Yahuab said to the man that told him: Behold, you saw it, and why did you not smite him to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.
12 The man said to Yahuab: Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet I would not put forth my hand against the king's son. The king charged you, Abishai, and Ittai, in our hearing, saying: Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
13 Otherwise if I dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would set yourself against me.
14 Then Yahuab said: I will not tarry with you. He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15 Ten young men that bore Yahuab's armor surrounded and smote Absalom, and killed him.
16 Yahuab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Yisrayah. Yahuab held the people back.
17 They took Absalom, cast him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. All Yisrayah fled every one to his tent.
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime took and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king's dale. He said: I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. He called the pillar after his own name. It is called Absalom's monument to this day.
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said: Let me run now, and bear the king tidings, how Yahwah avenged him of his enemies.
20 Yahuab said to him: You will not be the bearer of tidings this day, you will bear tidings another day. Today you will bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.
21 Then Yahuab said to the Cushite: Go, tell the king what you saw. The Cushite bowed himself to Yahuab, and ran.
22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Yahuab: But come what may, I pray you, let me also run after the Cushite. Yahuab said: Why will you run, my son, seeing you will have no reward for the tidings?
23 He said: But come what may, I will run. He said to him: Run. Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, lifted up his eyes, and looked. Behold, a man running alone.
25 The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said: If he is alone, there is tidings in his mouth. He came apace, and drew near.
26 The watchman saw another man running. The watchman called to the porter, and said: Behold, another man running alone. The king said: He also brings tidings.
27 The watchman said: I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. The king said: He is a good man, and comes with good tidings.
28 Ahimaaz called, and said to the king: All is well. He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said: Blessed is Yahwah your Father, who delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my master the king.
29 The king said: Is it well with the young man Absalom? Ahimaaz answered: When Yahuab sent the king's servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.
30 The king said: Turn aside, and stand here. He turned aside, and stood still.
31 Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said: Tidings for my master the king. Yahwah avenged you today of all those who rose up against you.
32 The king said to the Cushite: Is it well with the young man Absalom? The Cushite answered: The enemies of my master the king, and all that rise up against you to do you hurt, be as that young man is.
33 The king was much moved, went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said thus: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son!
1 It was told Yahuab: Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.
2 The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people. The people heard say that day: The king grieves for his son.
3 The people got them into the city by stealth that day, as people that are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice: O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5 Yahuab came into the house to the king, and said: Today you shamed the faces of all your servants, who saved your life, the lives of your sons, of your daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines.
6 You love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. You declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you. Today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and we all had died, then it would please you well.
7 Arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants. I swear by Yahwah, if you do not go forth, there will not tarry a man with you tonight. That will be worse to you than all the evil that befell you from your youth until now.
8 The king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying: Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. All the people came before the king. Now Yisrayah had fled every man to his tent.
9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Yisrayah, saying: The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he is fled out of the land from Absalom.
10 Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you not speak a word of bringing the king back?
11 King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying: Speak to the elders of Yahudah, saying; Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Seeing the speech of all Yisrayah is come to the king, to bring him to his house.
12 You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?
13 Say to Amasa, are you not my bone and my flesh? Yahwah do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Yahuab.
14 He bowed the heart of all the men of Yahudah, even as the heart of one man, so they sent to the king, saying: Return, and all your servants.
15 So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Yahudah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.
16 Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried, and came down with the men of Yahudah to meet king David.
17 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him. They went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.
18 There went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Jordan.
19 He said to the king: Let my master not impute iniquity to me, neither do you remember what your servant did perversely the day my master the king went out of Yerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20 Your servant knows I sinned. Behold, I am come today the first of all the house of Yahusef to go down to meet my master the king.
21 Abishai the son of Tseruyah answered, and said: Will Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahwah's anointed?
22 David said: What have I to do with you, you sons of Tseruyah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Will any man be put to death today in Yisrayah? Do I not know that I am king over Yisrayah?
23 The king said to Shimei: You will not die. The king swore to him.
24 Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.
25 It came to pass, when he was come to Yerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him: Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?
26 He answered: My master, O king, my servant deceived me. Your servant said: I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride on, and go with the king (because your servant is lame).
27 He slandered your servant to my master the king. But my master the king is as a malak of Yahwah. Do what is good in your eyes.
28 All my father's house were but dead men before my master the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. What right have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?
29 The king said to him: Why speak you any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.
30 Mephibosheth said to the king: Yea, let him take all, since my master the king is come in peace to his own house.
31 Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim. He went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.
32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old. He provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.
33 The king said to Barzillai: Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Yerusalem.
34 Barzillai said to the king: How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Yerusalem?
35 I am today fourscore years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat, or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men, and singing women? Why then should your servant be a burden to my master the king?
36 Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward?
37 I pray you, let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. Behold, your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my master the king, and do to him what will seem good to you.
38 The king answered: Chimham will go over with me, and I will do to him what will seem good to you. Whatsoever you will require of me, that I will do for you.
39 All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. The king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him. He returned to his own place.
40 So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Yahudah brought the king over, and also half the people of Yisrayah.
41 Behold, all the men of Yisrayah came to the king, and said to the king: Why do our brothers the men of Yahudah steal you away, and bring the king over the Jordan, with his household, and all David's men with him?
42 All the men of Yahudah answered the men of Yisrayah: Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry for this matter? Did we eat at all at the king's cost? Did he give us any gift?
43 The men of Yisrayah answered the men of Yahudah, and said: We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first in bringing back our king? The words of the men of Yahudah were fiercer than the words of the men of Yisrayah.
1 There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. He blew the trumpet, and said: We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Yisrayah.
2 So all the men of Yisrayah went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Yahudah clave to their king, from the Jordan even to Yerusalem.
3 David came to his house at Yerusalem. The king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, put them in ward, and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4 Then the king said to Amasa: Call me the men of Yahudah together within three days, and you be here present.
5 So Amasa went to call the men of Yahudah together. But he tarried longer than the set time he appointed him.
6 David said to Abishai: Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take you your master's servants, and pursue after him, unless he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.
7 There went out after him Yahuab's men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out of Yerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8 When they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Yahuab was girded with his apparel of war he had put on, and there was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath. As he went forth it fell out.
9 Yahuab said to Amasa: Is it well with you, my brother? Yahuab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10 Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Yahuab's hand. So he smote him in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and did not strike him again. He died. Yahuab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11 There stood by him one of Yahuab's young men, and said: He that favors Yahuab, and he that is for David, let him follow Yahuab.
12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Yahuab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 He went through all the tribes of Yisrayah to Abel, and to Bethmaacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him.
15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart. All the people with Yahuab battered the wall, to throw it down.
16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city: Hear, hear. Say, I pray you, to Yahuab: Come near here, that I may speak with you.
17 He came near to her. The woman said: Are you Yahuab? He answered: I am. Then she said to him: Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered: I do hear.
18 Then she spoke, saying: They were wont to speak in old time, saying; They will surely ask counsel at Abel. And so they ended the matter.
19 I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Yisrayah. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Yisrayah. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of Yahwah?
20 Yahuab answered, and said: Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21 The matter is not so. A man of the hill-country of Ephrayim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. The woman said to Yahuab: Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.
22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Yahuab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Yahuab returned to Yerusalem to the king.
23 Now Yahuab was over all the host of Yisrayah. Benayah the son of Yahuyada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites.
24 Adoram was over the men subject to taskwork. Yahushaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder.
25 Sheva was scribe. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
26 Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
1 There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year. David searched for the face of Yahwah. Yahwah said: It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.
2 The king called the Gibeonites. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Yisrayah, but of the remnant of the Amorites [Joshua 9:3-27]. The children of Yisrayah had sworn to them, but Saul tried to kill them in his zeal for the children of Yisrayah and Yahudah.)
3 David said to the Gibeonites: What will I do for you? How can I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahwah?
4 The Gibeonites said to him: It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house. Neither is it for us to put any man to death in Yisrayah. He said: What you will say, that I will do for you.
5 They said to the king: The man that consumed us, and that devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Yisrayah,
6 let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahwah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahwah. The king said: I will give them.
7 The king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahwah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
8 The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite;
9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. They hanged them in the mountain before Yahwah, and they fell all seven together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.
10 Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured upon them from heaven. She allowed neither the birds of the heavens to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
11 It was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, did.
12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who stole them from the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines hanged them, in the day the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa.
13 He brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son. They gathered the bones of those who were hanged.
14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulchre of Kish his father. They performed all the king commanded. After that Yahwah was entreated for the land.
15 The Philistines had war again with Yisrayah. David went down, his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David waxed faint.
16 Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
17 But Abishai the son of Tseruyah aided him, smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying: You will not go out with us to battle, that you not quench the lamp of Yisrayah.
18 It came to pass after this, there was war again with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushasite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.
19 There was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Beth-lehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
20 There was again war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on every hand, and six toes on every foot, four and twenty in number. He also was born to the giant.
21 When he defied Yisrayah, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, killed him.
22 These four were born to the giant in Gath. They fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
1 David spoke to Yahwah the words of this song in the day Yahwah delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.
2 He said:
Yahwah is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine.
3 Yahwah, my Rock, I take refuge in Him.
My shield, the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge.
My savior, you save me from violence.
4 I call upon Yahwah, who is worthy to be praised.
So I will be saved from my enemies.
5 The waves of death compassed me,
The floods of unrighteousness made me afraid,
6 The cords of the grave were round about me,
The snares of death came upon me.
7 In my distress I called upon Yahwah.
Yea, I called to my Father.
He heard my voice out of His temple.
My cry came into His ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled.
The foundations of heaven quaked, and were shaken, because He was wroth.
9 There went up a smoke out of His nostrils.
Fire devoured out of His mouth.
Coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens, and came down.
Thick darkness was under His feet.
11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew.
Yea, He was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness pavilions round about Him,
Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
13 At the brightness before Him coals of fire were kindled.
14 Yahwah thundered from heaven.
The Most High uttered His voice.
15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them.
Lightning, and discomfited them.
16 Then the channels of the sea appeared,
The foundations of the world were laid bare,
By the rebuke of Yahwah,
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
17 He sent from on high, He took me.
He drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hate me, for they were too mighty for me.
19 They came upon me in the day of my calamity.
But Yahwah was my stay.
20 He brought me forth also into a large place.
He delivered me, because He delights in me.
21 Yahwah rewarded me according to my righteousness.
According to the cleanness of my hands He recompensed me.
22 I kept the ways of Yahwah,
I did not wickedly depart from my Father.
23 All His ordinances were before me.
As for His statutes,
I did not depart from them.
24 I was also perfect toward Him.
I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore Yahwah recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness in His eyesight.
26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.
With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect.
27 With the pure you will show yourself pure.
With the perverse you will show yourself forward.
28 The afflicted people you will save.
But your eyes are upon the haughty,
That you may bring them down.
29 You are my lamp, O Yahwah.
Yahwah will lighten my darkness.
30 By you I run upon a troop.
By my Father I leap over a wall.
31 As for Yahwah, His Way is perfect.
The Word of Yahwah is tried.
He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him.
32 Who is Master, save Yahwah?
Who is a Rock, save our Father?
33 Yahwah is my strong fortress.
He guides the perfect in his way.
34 He makes his feet like hinds' feet,
He sets me upon my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to war,
So that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
36 You gave me the shield of your salvation.
Your gentleness made me great.
37 You enlarged my steps under me.
My feet did not slip.
38 I pursued my enemies, and destroyed them.
Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
39 I consumed them, and smote them through,
So they cannot arise.
Yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40 You girded me with strength to the battle.
You subdued under me those who rose up against me.
41 You also made my enemies turn their backs to me,
That I might cut off those who hate me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save.
Even to Yahwah, but He did not answer them.
43 Then I did beat them small as the dust of the earth,
I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.
44 You delivered me from the strivings of my people.
You kept me to be the head of the nations.
A people whom I did not know serve me.
45 The foreigners submit themselves to me.
As soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
46 The foreigners fade away,
And come trembling out of their close places.
47 Yahwah lives. Blessed is my Rock.
Exalted is Yahwah, the Rock of my salvation,
48 Even the Father who executes vengeance for me,
Who brings down peoples under me,
49 Who brings me forth from my enemies.
Yea, you lift me up above those who rise up against me.
You deliver me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I give thanks to you,
O Yahwah, among the nations,
I sing praises to your Name.
51 He gives great deliverance to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
To David, and to his seed, for evermore.
1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says:
The man who was raised on high says:
The anointed of the Father of Yaacob,
The sweet psalmist of Yisrayah.
2 The Spirit of Yahwah spoke by me,
His word was upon my tongue.
3 The Father of Yisrayah said:
The Rock of Yisrayah spoke to me:
One that rules over men righteously,
That rules in the fear of Yahwah,
4 He is as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
When the tender grass springs out of the earth,
Through clear shining after rain.
5 Verily my house is not so with Yahwah.
Yet He made an everlasting covenant with me,
Ordered in all things, and sure.
It is all my salvation, and all my desire,
Although He makes it to not grow.
6 The unrighteous will all of them be as thorns to be thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with the hand.
7 The man who touches them must be armed with iron, and the staff of a spear.
They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.
8 These are the names of the mighty men David had: Joshebbasshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.
9 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were gathered together to battle, and the men of Yisrayah were gone away.
10 He arose, smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. Yahwah wrought a great victory that day, and the people returned after him only to take spoil.
11 After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils. The people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines. Yahwah wrought a great victory.
13 Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam. The troop of the Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim.
14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
15 David longed, and said: Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!
16 The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, took it, and brought it to David. He would not drink it, but poured it out to Yahwah.
17 He said: Be it far from me, O Yahwah, that I should do this. Will I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
18 Abishai, the brother of Yahuab, the son of Tseruyah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed them, and had a name among the three.
19 Was he not most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain. However he did not attain to the first three.
20 Benayah the son of Yahuyada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who did mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
21 He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand. He went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.
22 These things Benayah the son of Yahuyada did, and had a name among the three mighty men.
23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. David set him over his guard.
24 Asahel the brother of Yahuab was one of the thirty, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushasite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophasite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophasite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30 Benayah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.
31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armorbearers to Yahuab the son of Tseruyah,
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 Uriyah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
1 The anger of Yahwah was kindled against Yisrayah again. He moved David against them, saying: Go, number Yisrayah, and Yahudah.
2 The king said to Yahuab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Yisrayah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number the people, that I may know the sum of the people.
3 Yahuab said to the king: Now Yahwah your Father add to the people, how ever many they may be, a hundredfold. And may the eyes of my master the king see it. But why does my master the king delight in this thing?
4 Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Yahuab, and against the captains of the host. Yahuab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Yisrayah.
5 They passed over the Jordan, encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer.
6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi. They came to Dan-jaan, round about to Sidon,
7 came to the stronghold of Tyre, to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites. They went out to the south of Yahudah, at Beer-sheba.
8 So when they went to and fro through all the land, they came to Yerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9 Yahuab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to the king. There were in Yisrayah eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword. The men of Yahudah were five hundred thousand men.
10 David's heart smote him after he numbered the people. David said to Yahwah: I sinned greatly in what I did. O Yahwah, I beg you, put away the iniquity of your servant, for I did very foolishly.
11 When David rose up in the morning, the Word of Yahwah came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying:
12 Go, speak to David: Thus says Yahwah; I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.
13 So Gad came to David, told him, and said to him: Will seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or will there be three days' pestilence in your land? Now advise you, and consider what answer I will return to Him who sent me.
14 David said to Gad: I am in a great strait. Let us now fall into the hand of Yahwah, for His mercies are great. Let me not fall into the hand of man.
15 So Yahwah sent a pestilence upon Yisrayah from the morning even to the time appointed. There died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.
16 When the malak stretched out his hand toward Yerusalem to destroy it, Yahwah repented Him of the evil, and said to the malak who destroyed the people: It is enough, now stay your hand. The malak of Yahwah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 David spoke to Yahwah when he saw the malak who smote the people, and said: Lo, I sinned, I did perversely. But these sheep, what did they do? I pray you, let your hand be against me, and against my father's house.
18 Gad came to David that day, and said to him: Go up, rear an altar to Yahwah in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
19 David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Yahwah commanded.
20 Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
21 Araunah said: Why is my master the king come to his servant? David said: To buy the threshing-floor of you, to build an altar to Yahwah, that the plague may be stayed from the people.
22 Araunah said to David: Let my master the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the oxen for the burnt-offering. Threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.
23 All this, O king, does Araunah give to the king. Araunah said to the king: Yahwah your Father accept you.
24 The king said to Araunah: Nay. But I will verily buy it of you at a price. I will not offer burnt-offerings to Yahwah my Father which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25 David built an altar to Yahwah there, offered burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings. So Yahwah was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Yisrayah.
