1   When David returned from his victory over the Amalekites, he spent two days in Ziklag. 2   And on the third day after Saul's death a man came from the army with his clothes rent and dust on his head. When he came into David's presence he fell to the ground in obeisance, 3   and David asked him where he had come from. He answered, ‘I have escaped from the army of Israel.’ 4   And David said to him, ‘What news? Tell me.’ ‘The army has been driven from the field,’ he answered, ‘and many have fallen in battle. 5   Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.’ David said to the young man who brought the news, ‘How do you know that Saul and Jonathan are dead?’ 6   The man answered, ‘It so happened that I was on Mount Gilboa and saw Saul leaning on his spear with the chariots and horsemen closing in upon him. 7   He turned round and, seeing me, called to me. 8   I said, “What is it, sir?” He asked who I was, and I said, “An Amalekite.” 9   Then he said to me, “Come and stand over me and dispatch me. 10   I still live, but the throes of death have seized me.” So I stood over him and gave him the death-blow; for I knew that, broken as he was, he could not live. Then I took the crown from his head and the armlet from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, sir.’ 11   At that David caught at his clothes and rent them, and so did all the men with him. 12   They beat their breasts and wept, because Saul and Jonathan his son and the people of the Lord, the house of Israel, had fallen in battle; and they fasted till evening. 13   David said to the young man who brought the news, ‘Where do you come from?’, and he answered, ‘I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.’ 14   ‘How is it’, said David, ‘that you were not afraid to raise your hand to slay the Lord's anointed?’ 15   And he summoned one of his own young men and ordered him to fall upon the man. So the young man struck him down and killed him; 16   and David said, ‘Your blood be on your own head; for out of your own mouth you condemned yourself when you said, “I killed the Lord's anointed.”’

17    18   David made this lament over Saul and Jonathan his son; and he ordered that this dirge over them should be taught to the people of Judah. It was written down and may be found in the Book of Jashar: ^note

David's rule at Hebron

   19   O prince ^note of Israel, laid low ^note in death!
    How are the men of war fallen!


   20   Tell it not in Gath,
  proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
    lest the Philistine women rejoice,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.


   21   Hills of Gilboa, let no dew or rain fall on you,
    no showers on the uplands ^note!
  For there the shields of the warriors lie tarnished,
    and the shield of Saul, no longer bright with oil.
   22   The bow of Jonathan never held back
  from the breast of the foeman, from the blood of the slain;
  the sword of Saul never returned
    empty to the scabbard.


   23   Delightful and dearly loved were Saul and Jonathan;
    in life, in death, they were not parted.
  They were swifter than eagles,
    stronger than lions.


   24   Weep for Saul, O daughters of Israel!
    who clothed you in scarlet and rich embroideries,
    who spangled your dress with jewels of gold.


   25   How are the men of war fallen, fallen on the field!
    O Jonathan, laid low ^note in death!
   26   I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
    dear and delightful you were to me;
  your love for me was wonderful,
    surpassing the love of women.


   27   Fallen, fallen are the men of war;
    and their armour left on the field.

1   After this David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?’ The Lord answered, ‘Go.’ David asked, ‘To which city?’, and the answer came, ‘To Hebron.’ 2   So David went to Hebron with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3   David also brought the men who had joined him, with their families, and they settled in the city ^note of Hebron. 4   The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

Word came to David that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, and he sent them this message: 5   ‘The Lord bless you because you kept

David's rule at Hebron faith with Saul your lord and buried him. 6   For this may the Lord keep faith and truth with you, and I for my part will show you favour too, because you have done this. 7   Be strong, be valiant, now that Saul your lord is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me to be king over them.’

8   Meanwhile Saul's commander-in-chief, Abner son of Ner, had taken Saul's son Ishbosheth, ^note brought him across the Jordan to Mahanaim, and made him king over Gilead, 9   the Asherites, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, and all Israel. 10   Ishbosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, followed David. 11   David's rule over Judah in Hebron lasted seven years and a half.

12   Abner son of Ner, with the troops of Saul's son Ishbosheth, marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon, 13   and Joab son of Zeruiah marched out with David's troops from Hebron. ^noteThey met at the pool of Gibeon and took up their positions one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side. 14   Abner said to Joab, ‘Let the young men come forward and join in single combat before us.’ Joab answered, ‘Yes, let them.’ 15   So they came up, one by one, and took their places, twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth and twelve from David's men. 16   Each man seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his side; and thus they fell together. That is why that place, which lies in Gibeon, was called the Field of Blades.

17   There ensued a fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's troops. 18   All three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel, who was swift as a gazelle on the plains, 19   ran straight after Abner, swerving neither to right nor left in his pursuit. 20   Abner turned and asked, ‘Is it you, Asahel?’ Asahel answered, ‘It is.’ 21   Abner said, ‘Turn aside to right or left, tackle one of the young men and win his belt for yourself.’ But Asahel would not abandon the pursuit. 22   Abner again urged him to give it up. ‘Why should I kill you?’ he said. ‘How could I look Joab your brother in the face?’ 23   When he still refused to turn aside, Abner struck him in the belly with a back-thrust of his spear ^note so that the spear came out behind him, and he fell dead in his tracks. All who came to the place where Asahel lay dead stopped there. 24   But Joab and Abishai kept up the pursuit of Abner, until, at sunset, they reached the hill of Ammah, opposite Giah on the road leading to the pastures of Gibeon.

25   The Benjamites rallied to Abner and, forming themselves into a single company, took up their stand on the top of the hill of Ammah. ^note

David's rule at Hebron 26   Abner called to Joab, ‘Must the slaughter go on for ever? Can you not see that it will be all the more bitter in the end? Will you never recall the people from the pursuit of their kinsmen?’ 27   Joab answered, ‘As God lives, if you had not spoken, the people would not have given up the pursuit till morning.’ 28   Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the people abandoned the pursuit of the men of Israel and the fighting ceased. 29   Abner and his men moved along the Arabah all that night, crossed the Jordan and went on all the morning till they reached Mahanaim. 30   When Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner, he assembled his troops and found that, besides Asahel, nineteen of David's men were missing. 31   David's forces had routed the Benjamites and the followers of Abner, killing three hundred and sixty of them. 32   They took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men marched all night, and as day broke they reached Hebron.

1   The war between the houses of Saul and David was long drawn out, David growing steadily stronger while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

2    ^noteSons were born to David at Hebron. His eldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3   his second Chileab, whose mother was Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third Absalom, whose mother was Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4   the fourth Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; the fifth Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital; 5   and the sixth Ithream, whose mother was David's wife Eglah. These were all born to David at Hebron.

6   As the war between the houses of Saul and David went on, Abner made his position gradually stronger in the house of Saul. 7   Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ishbosheth asked Abner, ‘Why have you slept with my father's concubine?’ 8   Abner was very angry at this and exclaimed, ‘Am I a baboon in the pay of Judah? ^note Up to now I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers and friends, and I have not betrayed you into David's hands; yet you choose this moment to charge me with disloyalty over this woman. 9   But now, so help me God, I will do all I can to bring about what the Lord swore to do for David: I will set to work to bring down the house of Saul and to put David on the throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.’ 11   Ishbosheth could not say another word; he was too much afraid of Abner. 12   Then Abner, seeking to make friends where he could, instead of going to David himself sent envoys with this message: ‘Let us come to terms, and I will do all I can to bring the whole of Israel over to you.’ 13   David sent answer: ‘Good, I will come to

David's rule at Hebron terms with you, but on this one condition, that you do not come into my presence without bringing Saul's daughter Michal to me.’ 14   David also sent messengers to Saul's son Ishbosheth with the demand: ‘Hand over to me my wife Michal to whom I was betrothed at the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.’ 15   Thereupon Ishbosheth sent and took her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16   Paltiel followed her as far as Bahurim, weeping all the way, until Abner ordered him to go back home, and he went.

17   Abner now approached the elders of Israel and said, ‘For some time past you have wanted David for your king; 18   now is the time to act, for this is the word of the Lord about David: “By the hand of my servant David I will deliver my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their enemies.”’ 19   Abner spoke also to the Benjamites and then went on to report to David at Hebron all that the Israelites and the Benjamites had agreed. 20   When Abner was admitted to David's presence, there were twenty men with him and David gave a feast for them all. 21   Then Abner said to David, ‘I shall now go and bring the whole of Israel over to your majesty, and they shall make a covenant with you. Then you will be king over a realm after your own heart.’ David dismissed Abner, granting him safe conduct.

22   David's men and Joab returned from a raid bringing a great deal of plunder with them, and by this time Abner, after his dismissal, was no longer with David in Hebron. 23   So when Joab and his raiding party arrived, they were greeted with the news that Abner son of Ner had been with the king and had departed under safe conduct. 24   Joab went in to the king and said, ‘What have you done? Here you have had Abner with you. 25   How could you let him go? He has got clean away! You know Abner son of Ner: he came meaning to deceive you, to learn all about your movements and to find out what you are doing.’ 26   When he left David's presence, Joab sent messengers after Abner and they brought him back from the Pool of Sirah; but David knew nothing of all this. 27   On Abner's return to Hebron, Joab drew him aside in the gateway, as though to speak privately with him, and there, in revenge for his brother Asahel, he stabbed him in the belly, and he died. 28   When David heard the news he said, ‘I and my realm are for ever innocent in the sight of the Lord of the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29   May it recoil upon the head of Joab and upon all his family! May the house of Joab never be free from running sore or foul disease, nor lack a son fit only to ply the distaff or doomed to die by the sword or beg his bread!’ 30   So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in battle at Gibeon. 31   Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him to rend their clothes, put on sackcloth and beat their breasts for Abner, and the king himself walked behind the bier. 32   They

David's rule at Hebron buried Abner in Hebron and the king wept aloud at the tomb, while all the people wept with him. 33   The king made this lament for Abner:

  Must Abner die so base a death?
   34   Your hands were not bound,
  your feet not thrust into fetters;
  you fell as one who falls at a ruffian's hands.

And the people wept for him again.

35   They came to persuade David to eat something; but it was still day and he swore, ‘So help me God! I will not touch food of any kind before sunset.’ 36   The people took note of this and approved; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. 37   Everyone throughout Israel knew on that day that the king had had no hand in the murder of Abner son of Ner. 38   The king said to his servants, ‘Do you not know that a warrior, a great man, has fallen this day in Israel? 39   King though I am, I feel weak and powerless in face of these ruthless sons of Zeruiah; they are too much for me; the Lord will requite the wrongdoer as he deserves.’

1   When Saul's son Ishbosheth ^note heard that Abner had been killed in Hebron, his courage failed him and all Israel was dismayed. 2   Now Ishbosheth had ^note two officers, who were captains of raiding parties, and whose names were Baanah and Rechab; they were Benjamites, sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, Beeroth being reckoned part of Benjamin; 3   but the Beerothites had fled to Gittaim, where they have lived ever since.

4   (Saul's son Jonathan had a son lame in both feet. He was five years old when word of the death of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse had picked him up and fled, but in her hurry to get away he fell and was crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.)

5   Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, came to the house of Ishbosheth in the heat of the day and went in, while he was taking his midday rest. 6   Now the door-keeper had been sifting wheat, but she had grown drowsy and fallen asleep, so Rechab and his brother Baanah crept in, ^note 7   found their way to the room where he was asleep on the bed, and struck him dead. They cut off his head and took it with them, and, making their way along the Arabah all night, came to Hebron. 8   They brought Ishbosheth's head to David at Hebron and said to the king, ‘Here is the head of Ishbosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged your majesty today on Saul and on his family.’ 9   David answered Rechab and his brother

David's rule at Hebron Baanah, the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth, with an oath: ‘As the Lord lives, who has rescued me from all my troubles! 10   I seized the man who brought me word that Saul was dead and thought it good news; I killed him in Ziklag, and that was how I rewarded him for his news. 11   How much more when ruffians have killed an innocent man on his bed in his own house? Am I not to take vengeance on you now for the blood you have shed, and rid the earth of you?’ 12   David gave the word, and the young men killed them; they cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron, but the head of Ishbosheth they took and buried in Abner's tomb at Hebron. David king in Jerusalem

1    ^noteNow all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said to him, ‘We are your own flesh and blood. 2   In the past, while Saul was still king over us, you led the forces of Israel to war and you brought them home again. And the Lord said to you, “You shall be shepherd of my people Israel; you shall be their prince.”’ 3   All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; there David made a covenant with them before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4   David came to the throne at the age of thirty and reigned for forty years. 5   In Hebron he had ruled over Judah for seven years and a half, and for thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem over Israel and Judah together.

6   The king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, whose land it was. The Jebusites said to David, ‘Never shall you come in here; not till you have disposed of the blind and the lame’, meaning that David should never come in. 7   None the less David did capture the stronghold of Zion, and it is now known as the City of David. 8   David said on that day, ‘Everyone who would kill a Jebusite, let him use his grappling-iron to reach the lame and the blind, David's bitter enemies.’ That is why they say, ‘No blind or lame man shall come into the Lord's house.’ ^note

9   David took up his residence in the stronghold and called it the City of David. He built the city ^note round it, starting at the Millo and working inwards. 10   So David steadily grew stronger, for the Lord the God of Hosts was with him.

11    ^noteHiram king of Tyre sent an embassy to David; he sent cedar logs, and with them carpenters and stonemasons, who built David a house.

David king in Jerusalem 12   David knew by now that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had made his royal power stand higher for the sake of his people Israel.

13   After he had moved from Hebron he took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem; and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14    ^noteThese are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, 15   Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16   Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

17   When the Philistines learnt that David had been anointed king over Israel, they came up in force to seek him out. David, hearing of this, took refuge in the stronghold. 18   The Philistines had come and overrun the Vale of Rephaim. 19   So David inquired of the Lord, ‘If I attack the Philistines, wilt thou deliver them into my hands?’ And the Lord answered, ‘Go, I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.’ 20   So he went up and attacked them at Baal-perazim and defeated them there. ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies’ lines,’ David said, ‘as a river breaks its banks.’ That is why the place was named Baal-perazim. ^note 21   The Philistines left their idols behind them there, and David and his men carried them off.

22   The Philistines made another attack and overran the Vale of Rephaim. 23   David inquired of the Lord, who said, ‘Do not attack now but wheel round and take them in the rear opposite the aspens. 24   As soon as you hear a rustling sound in the tree-tops, then act at once; for the Lord will have gone out before you to defeat the Philistine army.’ 25   David did as the Lord had commanded, and drove the Philistines in flight all the way from Geba ^note to Gezer.

1   After that David again summoned the picked men of Israel, thirty thousand in all, 2    ^note and went with the whole army to Baalath-judah ^note to fetch the Ark of God which bears the name of the Lord of Hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. 3   They mounted the Ark of God on a new cart and conveyed it from the house of Abinadab on the hill, with Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, guiding the cart. 4   They took it with the Ark of God upon it from Abinadab's house on the hill, with Ahio walking in front. 5   David and all Israel danced for joy before the Lord without restraint to the sound of singing, ^note of harps and lutes, of tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6   But when they came to a certain threshing-floor, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out to the Ark of God and took hold of it. 7   The Lord was angry with Uzzah and struck him down there for his rash act. So he died there beside the

David king in Jerusalem Ark of God. 8   David was vexed because the Lord's anger had broken out upon Uzzah, and he called the place Perez-uzzah, ^note the name it still bears. 9   David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, ‘How can I harbour the Ark of the Lord after this?’ 10   He felt he could not take the Ark of the Lord with him to the City of David, but turned aside and carried it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11   Thus the Ark of the Lord remained at Obed-edom's house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his family.

12    ^noteWhen they told David that the Lord had blessed Obed-edom's family and all that was his because of the Ark of God, he went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with much rejoicing. 13   When the bearers of the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps he sacrificed an ox and a buffalo. 14   David, wearing a linen ephod, danced without restraint before the Lord. 15   He and all the Israelites brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and blowing of trumpets. 16   But as the Ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down through a window and saw King David leaping and capering before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17   When they had brought in the Ark of the Lord, they put it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David offered whole-offerings and shared-offerings before the Lord. 18   After David had completed these sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts and gave food to all the people, 19   a flat loaf of bread, a portion of meat, ^note and a cake of raisins, to every man and woman in the whole gathering of the Israelites. Then all the people went home. 20   When David returned to greet his household, Michal, Saul's daughter, came out to meet him and said, ‘What a glorious day for the king of Israel, when he exposed his person in the sight of his servants' slave-girls like any empty-headed fool!’ 21   David answered Michal, ‘But it was done in the presence of the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and his family and appointed me prince over Israel, the people of the Lord. 22   Before the Lord I will dance for joy, yes, and I will earn yet more disgrace and lower myself still more in your ^note eyes. But those girls of whom you speak, they will honour me for it.’ 23   Michal, Saul's daughter, had no child to her dying day.

1    ^noteAs soon as the king was established in his house and the Lord had given him security from his enemies on all sides, 2   he said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I live in a house of cedar, while the Ark of God is housed in curtains.’ 3   Nathan answered the king, ‘Very well, do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.’ 4   But that night the

David king in Jerusalem word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5   ‘Go and say to David my servant, “This is the word of the Lord: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? 6   Down to this day I have never dwelt in a house since I brought Israel up from Egypt; I made my journey in a tent and a tabernacle. 7   Wherever I journeyed with Israel, did I ever ask any of the judges ^note whom I appointed shepherds of my people Israel why they had not built me a house of cedar?” 8   Then say this to my servant David: “This is the word of the Lord of Hosts: I took you from the pastures, and from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel. 9   I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have destroyed all the enemies in your path. I will make you a great name among the great ones of the earth. 10   I will assign a place for my people Israel; there I will plant them, and they shall dwell in their own land. They shall be disturbed no more, never again shall wicked men oppress them as they did in the past, 11   ever since the time when I appointed judges over Israel my people; and I will give you peace from all your enemies. The Lord has told you that he would build up your royal house. 12   When your life ends and you rest with your forefathers, I will set up one of your family, one of your own children, to succeed you and I will establish his kingdom. 13   It is he shall build a house in honour of my name, and I will establish his royal throne for ever. 14   I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him as any father might, and not spare the rod. 15   My love will never be withdrawn from him as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed from your path. 16   Your family shall be established and your kingdom shall stand for all time in my ^note sight, and your throne shall be established for ever.”’

17   Nathan recounted to David all that had been said to him and all that had been revealed. 18   Then King David went into the presence of the Lord and took his place there and said, ‘What am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that thou hast brought me thus far? 19   It was a small thing in thy sight to have planned for thy servant's house in days long past. But such, O Lord God, is the lot of a man embarked on a high career. ^note 20   And now what more can I say? for well thou knowest thy servant David, O Lord God. 21   Thou hast made good thy word; it was thy purpose to spread thy servant's fame, and so thou hast raised me to this greatness. 22   Great indeed art thou, O Lord God; we have never heard of one like thee; there is no god but thee. 23   And thy people Israel, to whom can they be compared? Is there any other ^note nation on earth whom thou, O God, hast set out to redeem from slavery to be thy people? Any other for whom thou hast done great and terrible things

David king in Jerusalem to win fame for thyself? Any other whom thou hast redeemed for thyself from Egypt by driving out other nations and their gods to make way for them ^note? 24   Thou hast established thy people Israel as thy own for ever, and thou, O Lord, hast become their God. 25   But now, Lord God, perform what thou hast promised for thy servant and his house, and for all time; make good what thou hast said. 26   May thy fame be great for evermore and let men say, “The Lord of Hosts is God over Israel.” So shall the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 27   O Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, thou hast shown me thy purpose, in saying to thy servant, “I will build up your house”; and therefore I have made bold to offer this prayer to thee. 28   Thou, O Lord God, art God; thou hast made these noble promises to thy servant, and thy promises come true; 29   be pleased now to bless thy servant's house that it may continue always before thee; thou, O Lord God, hast promised, and thy blessing shall rest upon thy servant's house for evermore.’

1    ^noteAfter this David defeated the Philistines and conquered them, and took from them Metheg-ha-ammah. 2   He defeated the Moabites, and he made them lie along the ground and measured them off with a length of cord; for every two lengths that were to be put to death one full length was spared. The Moabites became subject to him and paid him tribute. 3   David also defeated Hadadezer the Rehobite, king of Zobah, who was on his way to re-erect his monument of victory by ^note the river Euphrates. 4   From him David captured seventeen hundred horse and twenty thousand foot; he hamstrung all the chariot-horses, except a hundred which he retained. 5   When the Aramaeans of Damascus came to the help of Hadadezer king of Zobah, David destroyed twenty-two thousand of them, and established garrisons among these Aramaeans; 6    they became subject to him and paid him tribute. Thus the Lord gave David victory wherever he went. 7   David took the gold quivers borne by Hadadezer's servants and brought them to Jerusalem; 8   and he also took a great quantity of bronze ^note from Hadadezer's cities, Betah and Berothai.

9   When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10   he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him on defeating Hadadezer in battle (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and he brought with him vessels of silver, gold, and copper, which King David dedicated to the Lord. 11   He dedicated also the silver and gold taken from all the nations he had subdued, from Edom ^note and Moab, 12   from the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek, as well as part of the spoil taken from Hadadezer the Rehobite, king of Zobah.

David king in Jerusalem

13   David made a great name for himself by the slaughter of eighteen thousand Edomites ^note in the Valley of Salt, 14   and on returning he stationed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to him. Thus the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

15    ^noteDavid ruled over the whole of Israel and maintained law and justice among all his people. 16   Joab son of Zeruiah was in command of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary of state; 17   Zadok and Abiathar son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, ^note were priests; Seraiah was adjutant-general; 18   Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded ^note the Kerethite and Pelethite guards. David's sons were priests.

1   David asked, ‘Is any member of Saul's family left, to whom I can show true kindness for Jonathan's sake?’ 2   There was a servant of Saul's family named Ziba; and he was summoned to David. The king asked, ‘Are you Ziba?’, and he answered, ‘Your servant, sir.’ 3   So the king said, ‘Is no member of Saul's family still alive to whom I may show the kindness that God requires?’ ‘Yes,’ said Ziba, ‘there is a son of Jonathan still alive; he is a cripple, lame in both feet.’ 4   ‘Where is he?’ said the king, and Ziba answered, ‘He is staying with Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.’

5   So the king sent and fetched him from Lo-debar, from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, 6   and when Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan and Saul's grandson, entered David's presence, he prostrated himself and did obeisance. David said to him, ‘Mephibosheth’, and he answered, ‘Your servant, sir.’ 7   Then David said, ‘Do not be afraid; I mean to show you kindness for your father Jonathan's sake, and I will give you back the whole estate of your grandfather ^note Saul; you shall have a place for yourself at my table.’ 8   So Mephibosheth prostrated himself again and said, ‘Who am I that you should spare a thought for a dead dog like me?’ 9   Then David summoned Saul's servant Ziba to his presence and said to him, ‘I assign to your master's grandson ^note all the property that belonged to Saul and his family. 10   You and your sons and your slaves must cultivate the land and bring in the harvest to provide for your master's household, ^note but Mephibosheth your master's grandson ^note shall have a place at my table.’ This man Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves. 11   Then Ziba answered the king, ‘I will do all that your majesty commands.’ So Mephibosheth took his place in the royal ^note household like one of the king's sons. 12   He had a young son, named Mica; and the members of Ziba's household were all Mephibosheth's servants, 13   while

David king in Jerusalem Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and had his regular place at the king's table, crippled as he was in both feet.

1    ^noteSome time afterwards the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun. 2   David said, ‘I must keep up the same loyal friendship with Hanun son of Nahash as his father showed me’, and he sent a mission to condole with him on the death of his father. 3   But when David's envoys entered the country of the Ammonites, the Ammonite princes said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you suppose David means to do honour to your father when he sends you his condolences? These men of his are spies whom he has sent to find out how to overthrow the city.’ 4   So Hanun took David's servants, and he shaved off half their beards, cut off half their garments up to the buttocks, and dismissed them. 5   When David heard how they had been treated, he sent to meet them, for they were deeply humiliated, and ordered them to wait in Jericho and not to return until their beards had grown again. 6   The Ammonites knew that they had fallen into bad odour with David, so they hired the Aramaeans of Beth-rehob and of Zobah to come to their help with twenty thousand infantry; they also hired the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and twelve thousand men from Tob. 7   When David heard of it, he sent out Joab and all the fighting men. 8   The Ammonites came and took up their position at the entrance to the city, while the Aramaeans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah took up theirs in the open country. 9   When Joab saw that he was threatened both front and rear, he detailed some picked Israelite troops and drew them up facing the Aramaeans. 10   The rest of his forces he put under his brother Abishai, who took up a position facing the Ammonites. 11   ‘If the Aramaeans prove too strong for me,’ he said, ‘you must come to my relief; and if the Ammonites prove too strong for you, I will come to yours. 12   Courage! Let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities ^note of our God. And the Lord's will be done.’ 13   But when Joab and his men came to close quarters with the Aramaeans, they put them to flight; 14   and when the Ammonites saw them in flight, they too fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from the battle against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem. 15   The Aramaeans saw that they had been worsted by Israel; but they rallied their forces, 16   and Hadadezer sent to summon other Aramaeans from the Great Bend of the Euphrates, and they advanced to Helam under Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army. 17   Their movement was reported to David, who immediately mustered all the forces of Israel, crossed the Jordan and advanced to meet them at Helam. There the Aramaeans took up positions facing David and engaged him, 18    but were put to flight by Israel. David slew seven hundred Aramaeans in chariots

David king in Jerusalem and forty thousand horsemen, mortally wounding Shobach, who died on the field. 19   When all the vassal kings of Hadadezer saw that they had been worsted by Israel, they sued for peace and submitted to the Israelites. The Aramaeans never dared help the Ammonites again.

1   At the turn of the year, when kings take the field, ^note David sent Joab out with his other officers and all the Israelite forces, and they ravaged Ammon and laid siege to Rabbah, while David remained in Jerusalem. 2   One evening David got up from his couch and, as he walked about on the roof of the palace, he saw from there a woman bathing, and she was very beautiful. 3   He sent to inquire who she was, and the answer came, ‘It must be Bathsheba daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ 4   So he sent messengers to fetch her, and when she came to him, he had intercourse with her, though she was still being purified after her period, and then she went home. 5   She conceived, and sent word to David that she was pregnant. 6   David ordered Joab to send Uriah the Hittite to him. 7   So Joab sent him to David, and when he arrived, David asked him for news of Joab and the troops and how the campaign was going; 8   and then said to him, ‘Go down to your house and wash your feet after your journey.’ As he left the palace, a present from the king followed him. 9   But Uriah did not return to his house; he lay down by the palace gate with the king's slaves. 10   David heard that Uriah had not gone home, and said to him, ‘You have had a long journey, why did you not go home?’ 11   Uriah answered David, ‘Israel and Judah are under canvas, ^note and so is the Ark, and my lord Joab and your majesty's officers are camping in the open; how can I go home to eat and drink and to sleep with my wife? 12   By your life, I cannot do this!’ David then said to Uriah, ‘Stay here another day, and tomorrow I will let you go.’ So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day. 13   The next day David invited him to eat and drink with him and made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to lie down in his blanket ^note among the king's slaves and did not go home.

14   The following morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent Uriah with it. 15   He wrote in the letter, ‘Put Uriah opposite the enemy where the fighting is fiercest and then fall back, and leave him to meet his death.’ 16   Joab had been watching the city, and he stationed Uriah at a point where he knew they would put up a stout fight. 17   The men of the city sallied out and engaged Joab, and some of David's guards fell; Uriah the Hittite was also killed. 18   Joab sent David a dispatch with all the news of the battle and gave the messenger these instructions: 19   ‘When you have finished your report to the king, 20   if he is angry and asks, “Why

David king in Jerusalem did you go so near the city during the fight? You must have known there would be shooting from the wall. 21   Remember who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth. ^noteIt was a woman who threw down an upper millstone on to him from the wall of Thebez and killed him! Why did you go so near the wall?”—if he asks this, then tell him, “Your servant Uriah the Hittite also is dead.”’

22   So the messenger set out and, when he came to David, he made his report as Joab had instructed. David was angry with Joab and said to the messenger, ‘Why did you go so near the city during the fight? You must have known you would be struck down from the wall. Remember who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth. Was it not a woman who threw down an upper millstone on to him from the wall of Thebez and killed him? 23   Why did you go near the wall?’ ^noteHe answered, ‘The enemy massed against us and sallied out into the open; we pressed them back as far as the gateway. 24   There the archers shot down at us from the wall and some of your majesty's men fell; and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’ 25   David said to the man, ‘Give Joab this message: “Do not let this distress you—there is no knowing where the sword will strike; press home your attack on the city, and you will take it and raze it to the ground”; and tell him to take heart.’

26   When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him; 27   and when the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her into his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. But what David had done was wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

1   The Lord sent Nathan the prophet ^note to David, and when he entered his presence, he said to him, ‘There were once two men in the same city, one rich and the other poor. 2   The rich man had large flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing of his own except one little ewe lamb. 3   He reared it himself, and it grew up in his home with his own sons. It ate from his dish, drank from his cup and nestled in his arms; it was like a daughter to him. 4   One day a traveller came to the rich man's house, and he, too mean to take something from his own flocks and herds to serve to his guest, took the poor man's lamb and served up that.’ 5   David was very angry, and burst out, ‘As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6   He shall pay for the lamb four times over, because he has done this and shown no pity.’ 7   Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man. This is the word of the Lord the God of Israel to you: “I anointed you king over Israel, I rescued you from the power of Saul, I gave you your master's daughter ^note and his wives to be your own, 8    I gave you the daughters ^note of Israel and Judah; and, had this not been

David king in Jerusalem enough, I would have added other favours as great. 9   Why then have you flouted the word of the Lord by doing what is wrong in my eyes? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; the man himself you murdered by the sword of the Ammonites, and you have stolen his wife. 10   Now, therefore, since you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own wife, your family shall never again have rest from the sword.” 11   This is the word of the Lord: “I will bring trouble upon you from within your own family; I will take your wives and give them to another man before your eyes, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. 12   What you did was done in secret; but I will do this in the light of day for all Israel to see.”’ 13   David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan answered him, ‘The Lord has laid on another the consequences of your sin: 14   you shall not die, but, because in this you have shown your contempt for the Lord, ^note the boy that will be born to you shall die.’

15   When Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the boy whom Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he was very ill. 16   David prayed to God for the child; he fasted and went in and spent the night fasting, lying on the ground. 17   The older men of his household tried to get him to rise from the ground, but he refused and would eat no food with them. 18   On the seventh day the boy died, and David's servants were afraid to tell him. ‘While the boy was alive,’ they said, ‘we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how can we now tell him that the boy is dead? 19   He may do something desperate.’ But David saw his servants whispering among themselves and guessed that the boy was dead. He asked, ‘Is the boy dead?’, and they answered, ‘He is dead.’ 20   Then David rose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and put on fresh clothes; he entered the house of the Lord and prostrated himself there. Then he went home, asked for food to be brought, and when it was ready, he ate it. 21   His servants asked him, ‘What is this? While the boy lived you fasted and wept for him, but now that he is dead you rise up and eat.’ 22   He answered, ‘While the boy was still alive I fasted and wept, thinking, “It may be that the Lord will be gracious to me, and the boy may live.” 23   But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him; he will not come back to me.’ 24   David consoled Bathsheba his wife; he went to her and had intercourse with her, and she gave birth to a son and called ^note him Solomon. And because the Lord loved him, 25   he sent word through Nathan the prophet that for the Lord's sake he should be given the name Jedidiah. ^note

26    ^noteJoab attacked the Ammonite city of Rabbah and took the King's Pool. 27   He sent messengers to David with this report: ‘I have attacked Rabbah

David king in Jerusalem and have taken the pool. 28   You had better muster the rest of the army yourself, besiege the city and take it; otherwise I shall take the city and the name to be proclaimed over it will be mine.’ 29   David accordingly mustered his whole forces, marched to Rabbah, attacked it and took it. 30   He took the crown from the head of Milcom, which weighed a talent of gold and was set with ^note a precious stone, and this he placed on his own head. 31   He also removed a great quantity of booty from the city; he took its inhabitants and set them to work with saws and other iron tools, sharp and toothed, and made them work in the brick-kilns. David did this to all the cities of the Ammonites; then he and all his people returned to Jerusalem. Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts

1   Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her. 2   Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick with love for his half-sister; for he thought it an impossible thing to approach her since she was a virgin. 3   But he had a friend named Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, who was a very shrewd man. 4   He said to Amnon, ‘Why are you so low-spirited morning after morning, my lord? Will you not tell me?’ So Amnon told him that he was in love with Tamar, his brother Absalom's sister. 5   Jonadab said to him, ‘Take to your bed and pretend to be ill. When your father comes to visit you, say to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and give me my food. Let her prepare it in front of me, so that I may watch her and then take it from her own hands.”’ 6   So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to visit him, he said, ‘Sir, let my sister Tamar come and make a few cakes in front of me, and serve them to me with her own hands.’ 7   So David sent a message to Tamar in the palace: ‘Go to your brother Amnon's quarters and prepare a meal for him.’ 8   Tamar came to her brother and found him lying down; she took some dough and kneaded it, made the cakes in front of him and baked them. 9   Then she took the pan and turned them out before him. But Amnon refused to eat and ordered everyone out of the room. 10   When they had all left, he said to Tamar, ‘Bring the food over to the recess so that I may eat from your own hands.’ Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to Amnon in the recess. 11   But when she offered them to him, he caught hold of her and said, ‘Come to bed with me, sister.’ 12   But she answered, ‘No, brother, do not dishonour me, we do not do such things in Israel; do

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts not behave like a beast. 13   Where could I go and hide my disgrace?— and you would sink as low as any beast in Israel. Why not speak to the king for me? 14   He will not refuse you leave to marry me.’ He would not listen, but overpowered her, dishonoured her and raped her.

15   Then Amnon was filled with utter hatred for her; his hatred was stronger than the love he had felt, and he said to her, ‘Get up and go.’ 16   She answered, ‘No. It is wicked to send me away. This is harder to bear than all you have done to me.’ 17   He would not listen to her, but summoned the boy who attended him and said, ‘Get rid of this woman, put her out and bolt the door after her.’ 18   She had on a long, sleeved robe, the usual dress of unmarried princesses; and the boy turned her out and bolted the door. 19   Tamar threw ashes over her head, rent the long, sleeved robe that she was wearing, put her hands on her head and went away, sobbing as she went. 20   Her brother Absalom asked her, ‘Has your brother Amnon been with you? Keep this to yourself, he is your brother; do not take it to heart.’ So Tamar remained in her brother Absalom's house, desolate. 21   When King David heard the whole story he was very angry; but he would not hurt Amnon because he was his eldest son and he loved him. ^note 22   Absalom did not speak a single word to Amnon, friendly or unfriendly; he hated him for having dishonoured his sister Tamar.

23   Two years later Absalom invited all the king's sons to his sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor, near Ephron. ^note 24   He approached the king and said, ‘Sir, I am shearing; will your majesty and your servants come?’ 25   The king answered, ‘No, my son, we must not all come and be a burden to you.’ Absalom pressed ^note him, but David was still unwilling to go and dismissed him with his blessing. 26   But Absalom said, ‘If you cannot, may my brother Amnon come with us?’ ‘Why should he go with you?’ 27   the king asked; but Absalom pressed ^note him again, so he let Amnon and all the other princes go with him.

28   Then Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king. ^noteHe gave his servants these orders: ‘Bide your time, and when Amnon is merry with wine I shall say to you, “Strike.” Then kill Amnon. You have nothing to fear, these are my orders; be bold and resolute.’ 29   Absalom's servants did as he had told them, whereupon all the king's sons mounted their mules in haste and set off for home.

30   While they were on their way, a rumour reached David that Absalom had murdered all the royal princes and that not one was left alive. 31   The king stood up and rent his clothes and then threw himself on the ground; all his servants were standing round him with their clothes

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts rent. 32   Then Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, said, ‘Your majesty must not think that they have killed all the young princes; only Amnon is dead; Absalom has looked black ever since Amnon ravished his sister Tamar. 33   Your majesty must not pay attention to a mere rumour that all the princes are dead; only Amnon is dead.’

34   Absalom made good his escape. Meanwhile the sentry looked up and saw a crowd of people coming down the hill from the direction of Horonaim. ^noteHe came and reported to the king, ‘I see men coming down the hill from Horonaim.’ ^note 35   Then Jonadab said to the king, ‘Here come the royal princes, just as I said they would.’ 36   As he finished speaking, the princes came in and broke into loud lamentations; the king and all his servants also wept bitterly.

37   But Absalom went to take refuge with Talmai son of Ammihur king of Geshur; and for a long while the king mourned for Amnon. 38   Absalom, having escaped to Geshur, stayed there for three years; 39   and David's heart ^note went out to him with longing, for he became reconciled to the death of Amnon.

1   Joab son of Zeruiah saw that the king's heart was set on Absalom, so he sent to Tekoah and fetched a wise woman. 2   He said to her, ‘Pretend to be a mourner; put on mourning, go without anointing yourself, and behave like a bereaved woman who has been long in mourning. 3   Then go to the king and repeat what I tell you.’ He then told her exactly what she was to say.

4   When the woman from Tekoah came into the king's presence, ^note she threw herself, face downwards, on the ground and did obeisance, and cried, ‘Help, your majesty!’ 5   The king asked, ‘What is it?’ She answered, ‘O sir, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6   I had two sons; they came to blows out in the country where there was no one to part them, and one of them struck the other and killed him. 7   Now, sir, the kinsmen have risen against me and they all cry, “Hand over the man who has killed his brother, so that we can put him to death for taking his brother's life, and so cut off the succession.” If they do this, they will stamp out my last live ember and leave my husband no name and no descendant upon earth.’ ^note 8   ‘Go home,’ said the king to the woman, ‘and I will settle your case.’ 9   But the woman continued, ‘The guilt be on me, your majesty, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be blameless.’ 10   The king said, ‘If anyone says anything more to you, bring him to me and he shall never molest you again.’ 11   Then the woman went on, ‘Let your majesty call upon the Lord your God, to prevent his kinsmen bound to vengeance from doing their worst and destroying my son.’

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts The king swore, ‘As the Lord lives, not a hair of your son's head shall fall to the ground.’

12   The woman then said, ‘May I add one word more, your majesty?’ 13   ‘Say on’, said the king. So she continued, ‘How then could it enter your head to do this same wrong to God's people? Out of your own mouth, your majesty, you condemn yourself: you have refused to bring back the man you have banished. 14   We shall all die; we shall be like water that is spilt on the ground and lost; but God will spare the man who does not set himself to keep the outlaw in banishment. 15    ^noteI came to say this to your majesty because the people have threatened me. I thought, “If I can only speak to the king, perhaps he will attend to my case; 16   for he will listen, and he will save me from the man who is seeking ^note to cut off me and my son together from Israel, God's own possession.” 17   I thought too that the words of my lord the king would be a comfort to me; for your majesty is like the angel of God and can decide between right and wrong. 18   The Lord your God be with you!’ Then the king said to the woman, ‘Tell me no lies: I shall now ask you a question.’ ‘Speak on, your majesty’, she said. 19   So he asked, ‘Is the hand of Joab behind you in all this?’ ‘Your life upon it, sir!’ she answered; ‘when your majesty asks a question, there is no way round it, right or left. Yes, your servant Joab did prompt me; it was he who put the whole story into my mouth. 20   He did it to give a new turn to this affair. Your majesty is as wise as the angel of God and knows all that goes on in the land.’

21   The king said to Joab, ‘You have my consent; go and fetch back the young man Absalom.’ 22   Then Joab humbly prostrated himself, took leave of the king with a blessing and said, ‘Now I know that I have found favour with your majesty, because you have granted my humble petition.’ 23   Joab went at once to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem, but the king said, ‘Let him go to his own quarters; 24   he shall not come into my presence.’ So Absalom went to his own quarters and did not enter the king's presence.

25   No one in all Israel was so greatly admired for his beauty as Absalom; he was without flaw from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot. 26   His hair, when he cut his hair (as he had to do every year, for he found it heavy), weighed two hundred shekels by the royal standard. 27   Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a very beautiful woman.

28   Absalom remained in Jerusalem for two whole years without entering the king's presence. 29   He summoned Joab to send a message by him to the king, but Joab refused to come; he sent for him a second time, but he still refused. 30   Then Absalom said to his servants, ‘You know that Joab

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts has a field next to mine with barley growing in it; go and set fire to it.’ 31   So Absalom's servants set fire to the field. Joab promptly came to Absalom in his own quarters and said to him, ‘Why have your servants set fire to my field?’ 32   Absalom answered Joab, ‘I had sent for you to come here, so that I could ask you to give the king this message from me: “Why did I leave Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there. Let me now come into your majesty's presence and, if I have done any wrong, put me to death.”’ 33   When Joab went to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom, who came and prostrated himself humbly before the king; and he greeted Absalom with a kiss.

1   After this, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and an escort of fifty men. 2   He made it a practice to rise early and stand beside the road which runs through the city gate. He would hail every man who had a case to bring before the king for judgement and would ask him what city he came from. When he answered, ‘I come, sir, from such and such a tribe of Israel’, 3   Absalom would say to him, ‘I can see that you have a very good case, but you will get no hearing from the king.’ 4   And he would add, ‘If only I were appointed judge in the land, it would be my business to see that everyone who brought a suit or a claim got justice from me.’ 5   Whenever a man approached to prostrate himself, Absalom would stretch out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6   By behaving like this to every Israelite who sought the king's justice, Absalom stole the affections of the Israelites.

7   At the end of four ^note years, Absalom said to the king, ‘May I have leave now to go to Hebron to fulfil a vow there that I made to the Lord? 8   For when I lived in Geshur, in Aram, I made this vow: “If the Lord brings me back to Jerusalem, I will become a worshipper of the Lord in Hebron.”’ ^note 9   The king answered, ‘Certainly you may go’; so he set off for Hebron at once. 10   Absalom sent runners through all the tribes of Israel with this message: ‘As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, “Absalom is king in Hebron.”’ 11   Two hundred men accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem; they were invited and went in all innocence, knowing nothing of the affair. 12   Absalom also sent to summon Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from Giloh his city, where he was offering the customary sacrifices. The conspiracy gathered strength, and Absalom's supporters increased in number.

13   When news reached David that the men of Israel had transferred their allegiance to Absalom, 14   he said to those who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘We must get away at once; or there will be no escape from Absalom for any of us. Make haste, or else he will soon be upon us and bring disaster on us, showing no mercy to anyone in the city.’ 15   The

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts king's servants said to him, ‘As your majesty thinks best; we are ready.’

16   When the king departed, all his household followed him except ten concubines, whom he left in charge of the palace. 17   At the Far House the king and all the people who were with him halted. 18   His own servants then stood ^note beside him, while the Kerethite and Pelethite guards and Ittai ^note with the six hundred Gittites under him marched past the king. 19   The king said to Ittai the Gittite, ‘Are you here too? Why are you coming with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and, what is more, an exile from your own country. 20   You came only yesterday, and today must you be compelled to share my wanderings? I do not know where I am going. Go back home and take your countrymen with you; and may the Lord ever be your steadfast friend.’ ^note 21   Ittai swore to the king, ‘As the Lord lives, your life upon it, wherever you may be, in life or in death, I, your servant, will be there.’ 22   David said to Ittai, ‘It is well, march on!’ So Ittai the Gittite marched on with his whole company and all the dependants who were with him. 23   The whole country-side re-echoed with their weeping. And the king remained standing ^note while all the people crossed the gorge of the Kidron before him, by way of the olive-tree in the wilderness. ^note

24   Zadok also was there with all the Levites; they were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God, which they set down beside Abiathar ^note until all the people had passed out of the city. 25   But the king said to Zadok, ‘Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find favour with the Lord, he will bring me back and will let me see the Ark and its dwelling-place again. 26   But if he says he does not want me, then here I am; let him do what he pleases with me.’ 27   The king went on to say to Zadok the priest, ‘Can you make good use of your eyes? You may safely go back to the city, you and Abiathar, ^note and take with you the two young men, Ahimaaz your son and Abiathar's son Jonathan. 28   Do not forget: I will linger at the Fords of the Wilderness until you can send word to me.’ 29   Then Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

30   David wept as he went up the slope of the Mount of Olives; he was bare-headed and went bare-foot. The people with him all had their heads uncovered and wept as they went. 31   David had been told ^note that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, and he prayed, ‘Frustrate, O Lord, the counsel of Ahithophel.’

32   As David was approaching the top of the ridge where it was the

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts custom to prostrate oneself to God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his tunic rent and earth on his head. 33   David said to him, ‘If you come with me you will only be a hindrance; 34   but you can help me to frustrate Ahithophel's plans if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, “I will be your majesty's servant; up to now I have been your father's servant, and now I will be yours.” 35   You will have with you, as you know, the priests Zadok and Abiathar; tell them everything that you hear in the king's household. 36   They have with them Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan, and through them you may pass on to me everything you hear.’ 37   So Hushai, David's friend, came to the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

1   When David had moved on a little from the top of the ridge, he was met by Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who had with him a pair of asses saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a flagon of wine. 2   The king said to him, ‘What are you doing with these?’ Ziba answered, ‘The asses are for the king's family to ride on, the bread and the summer fruit are for the servants to eat, and the wine for anyone who becomes exhausted in the wilderness.’ 3   The king asked, ‘Where is your master's grandson?’ ‘He is staying in Jerusalem,’ said Ziba, ‘for he thought that the Israelites might now restore to him his grandfather's throne.’ 4   The king said to Ziba, ‘You shall have everything that belongs to Mephibosheth.’ Ziba said, ‘I am your humble servant, sir; may I continue to stand well with you.’

5   As King David approached Bahurim, a man of Saul's family, whose name was Shimei son of Gera, came out, cursing as he came. 6   He showered stones right and left on David and on all the king's servants and on everyone, soldiers and people alike. 7   This is what Shimei said as he cursed him: ‘Get out, get out, you scoundrel! you man of blood! 8   The Lord has taken vengeance on you for the blood of the house of Saul whose throne you stole, and he has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. You murderer, see how your crimes have overtaken you!’

9   Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Why let this dead dog curse your majesty? 10   I will go across and knock off his head.’ But the king said, ‘What has this to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses and if the Lord has told him to curse David, who can question it?’ 11   David said to Abishai and to all his servants, ‘If my son, my own son, is out to kill me, who can wonder at this Benjamite? Let him be, let him curse; for the Lord has told him to do it. 12   But perhaps the Lord will mark my sufferings ^note and bestow a blessing on me in place of the curse laid on me this day.’ 13   David and his men continued on their way, and Shimei moved along the ridge of the hill parallel to David's path,

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts cursing as he went and hurling stones across the valley at him and kicking up the dust. 14   When the king and all the people with him reached the Jordan, ^note they were worn out; and they refreshed themselves there.

15   By now Absalom and all his Israelites had reached Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16   When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, met Absalom he said to him, ‘Long live the king! 17   Long live the king!’ But Absalom retorted, ‘Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with him?’ 18   Hushai answered Absalom, ‘Because I mean to attach myself to the man chosen by the Lord, by this people, and by all the men of Israel, and with him I will remain. 19   After all, whom ought I to serve? Should I not serve the son? I will serve you as I have served your father.’ 20   Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, ‘Give us your advice: how shall we act?’ 21   Ahithophel answered, ‘Have intercourse with your father's concubines whom he left in charge of the palace. Then all Israel will come to hear that you have given great cause of offence to your father, and this will confirm the resolution of your followers.’ 22   So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he lay with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23   In those days a man would seek counsel of Ahithophel as readily as he might make an inquiry of the word of God; that was how Ahithophel's counsel was esteemed by David and Absalom.

1   Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Let me pick twelve thousand men, and I will pursue David tonight. 2   I shall overtake him when he is tired and dispirited; I will cut him off from his people and they will all scatter; and I shall kill no one but the king. 3   I will bring all the people over to you as a bride is brought to her husband. It is only one man's life that you are seeking; ^note the rest of the people will be unharmed.’ 4   Absalom and all the elders of Israel approved of Ahithophel's advice; 5   but Absalom said, ‘Summon Hushai the Archite and let us hear what he too has to say.’ 6   Hushai came, and Absalom told him all that Ahithophel had said and asked him, ‘Shall we do what he says? If not, say what you think.’

7   Hushai said to Absalom, ‘For once the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good. 8   You know’, he went on, ‘that your father and the men with him are hardened warriors and savage as a bear in the wilds robbed of her cubs. Your father is an old campaigner and will not spend the night with the main body; 9   even now he will be lying hidden in a pit or in some such place. Then if any of your men are killed at the outset, anyone who hears the news will say, “Disaster has overtaken the followers of Absalom.” 10   The courage of the most resolute and lionhearted will melt away, for all Israel knows that your father is a man of

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts war and has determined men with him. 11   My advice is this. Wait until the whole of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, is gathered about you, countless as grains of sand on the sea-shore, and then you shall march with them in person. ^note 12   Then we shall come upon him somewhere, wherever he may be, and descend on him like dew falling on the ground, and not a man of his family or of his followers will be left alive. 13   If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into a ravine until not a stone can be found on the site.’ 14   Absalom and all the men of Israel said, ‘Hushai the Archite gives us better advice than Ahithophel.’ It was the Lord's purpose to frustrate Ahithophel's good advice and so bring disaster upon Absalom.

15   Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar the priests all the advice that Ahithophel had given to Absalom and the elders of Israel, and also his own. 16   ‘Now send quickly to David,’ he said, ‘and warn him not to spend the night at the Fords of the Wilderness but to cross the river at once, before a blow can be struck at the king and his followers.’ 17   Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel, and a servant girl would go and tell them what happened and they would pass it on to King David; for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 18   But this time a lad saw them and told Absalom; so the two of them hurried to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a pit in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19   The man's wife took a covering, spread it over the mouth of the pit and strewed grain over it, and no one was any the wiser. 20   Absalom's servants came to the house and asked the woman, ‘Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?’ She answered, ‘They went beyond the pool.’ ^noteThe men searched but could not find them; so they went back to Jerusalem. 21   When they had gone the two climbed out of the pit and went off to report to King David and said, ‘Over the water at once, make haste!’, and they told him Ahithophel's plan against him. 22   So David and all his company began at once to cross the Jordan; by daybreak there was not one who had not reached the other bank.

23   When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been taken he saddled his ass, went straight home to his own city, gave his last instructions to his household, and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's grave.

24   By the time that Absalom had crossed the Jordan with the Israelites, David was already at Mahanaim. 25   Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander-in-chief instead of Joab; he was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite, ^note by Abigal daughter of Nahash and sister to Joab's mother Zeruiah. 26   The Israelites and Absalom camped in the

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts district of Gilead. 27   When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from the Ammonite town Rabbah, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, bringing mattresses and blankets, bowls and jugs. ^note 28   They brought also wheat and barley, 29   meal and parched grain, beans and lentils, ^note honey and curds, sheep and fat cattle, and offered them to David and his people to eat, knowing that the people must be hungry and thirsty and weary in the wilderness.

1   David mustered the people who were with him, and appointed officers over units of a thousand and a hundred. 2   Then he divided the army in three, one division under the command of Joab, one under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and the third under Ittai the Gittite. The king announced to the army that he was coming out himself with them to battle. 3   But they said, ‘No, you must not come out; if we turn and run, no one will take any notice, nor will they, even if half of us are killed; but you ^note are worth ten thousand of us, and it would be better now for you to remain in the city ^note in support.’ 4   ‘I will do what you think best’, answered the king; and he then stood beside the gate, and the army marched past in their units of a thousand and a hundred. 5   The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: ‘Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.’ The whole army heard the king giving all his officers this order to spare Absalom.

6   The army took the field against the Israelites and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephron. ^note 7   There the Israelites were routed before the onslaught of David's men; so great was the rout that twenty thousand men fell that day. 8   The fighting spread over the whole country-side, and the forest took toll of more people that day than the sword.

9   Now some of David's men caught sight of Absalom. He was riding a mule and, as it passed beneath a great oak, ^note his head was caught in its boughs; he found himself in mid air and the mule went on from under him. 10   One of the men who saw it went and told Joab, ‘I saw Absalom hanging from an oak.’ 11   While the man was telling him, Joab broke in, ‘You saw him? Why did you not strike him to the ground then and there? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.’ 12   The man answered, ‘If you were to put in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lift a finger against the king's son; for we all heard the king giving orders to you and Abishai and Ittai that whoever finds himself near the young man Absalom must take great care of him. 13   If I had dealt him a treacherous blow, the king would soon have known, and you would have kept well out of it.’ 14   ‘That is a lie!’ said Joab.

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts ‘I will make a start and show you.’ ^noteSo he picked up three stout sticks and drove them against Absalom's chest while he was held fast in the tree and still alive. 15   Then ten young men who were Joab's armour-bearers closed in on Absalom, struck at him and killed him. 16   Joab sounded the trumpet, and the army came back from the pursuit of Israel because he had called it off. 17   They took Absalom's body and flung it into a great pit in the forest, and raised over it a huge pile of stones. The Israelites all fled to their homes.

18   The pillar in the King's Vale had been set up by Absalom in his lifetime, for he said, ‘I have no son to carry on my name.’ He had named the pillar after himself; and to this day it is called Absalom's Monument.

19   Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, ‘Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has avenged him and delivered him from his enemies.’ 20   But Joab replied, ‘This is no day for you to be the bearer of news. Another day you may have news to carry, but not today, because the king's son is dead.’ 21   Joab told a Cushite to go and report to the king what he had seen. The Cushite bowed low before Joab and set off running. 22   Ahimaaz pleaded again with Joab, ‘Come what may,’ he said, ‘let me run after the Cushite.’ ‘Why should you, my son?’ asked Joab. ‘You will get no reward for your news.’ 23   ‘Come what may,’ he said, ‘I will run.’ ‘Go, then’, said Joab. So Ahimaaz ran by the road through the Plain of the Jordan and outstripped the Cushite.

24   David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gatehouse by the wall and, looking out, saw a man running alone. 25   The watchman called to the king and told him. ‘If he is alone,’ said the king, ‘then he has news.’ The man came nearer and nearer. 26   Then the watchman saw another man running. He called down to the gate-keeper and said, ‘Look, there is another man running alone.’ 27   The king said, ‘He too brings news.’ The watchman said, ‘I see by the way he runs that the first runner is Ahimaaz son of Zadok.’ The king said, ‘He is a good fellow and shall earn the reward for good news.’ 28   Ahimaaz called out to the king, ‘All is well!’ He bowed low before him and said, ‘Blessed be the Lord your God who has given into your hands the men who rebelled against your majesty.’ 29   The king asked, ‘Is all well with the young man Absalom?’ Ahimaaz answered, ‘Sir, your servant Joab sent me, ^note I saw a great commotion, but I did not know what had happened.’ 30   The king told him to stand on one side; so he turned aside and stood there. 31   Then the Cushite came in and said, ‘Good news, your majesty! The Lord has avenged you this day on all those who rebelled against you.’ 32   The king said to the Cushite, ‘Is all

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts well with the young man Absalom?’ The Cushite answered, ‘May all the king's enemies and all rebels who would do you harm be as that young man is.’ 33    ^noteThe king was deeply moved and went up to the roofchamber over the gate and wept, crying out as he went, ‘O, my son! Absalom my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.’

1   Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom; and that day victory was turned to mourning for the whole army, 2    because they heard how the king grieved for his son; 3   they stole into the city like men ashamed to show their faces after a defeat in battle. 4   The king hid his face and cried aloud, ‘My son Absalom; O Absalom, my son, my son.’ 5   But Joab came into the king's quarters and said to him, ‘You have put to shame this day all your servants, who have saved you and your sons and daughters, your wives and your concubines. 6   You love those that hate you and hate those that love you; you have made us feel, officers and men alike, that we are nothing to you; for it is plain that if Absalom were still alive and all of us dead, you would be content. 7   Now go at once and give your servants some encouragement; if you refuse, I swear by the Lord that not a man will stay with you tonight, and that would be a worse disaster than any you have suffered since your earliest days.’ 8   Then the king rose and took his seat in the gate; and when the army was told that the king was sitting in the gate, they all appeared before him.

Various events of David's reign

Meanwhile the Israelites had all scattered to their homes. 9   Throughout all the tribes of Israel people were discussing it among themselves and saying, ‘The king has saved us from our enemies and freed us from the power of the Philistines, and now he has fled the country because of Absalom. 10   But Absalom, whom we anointed king, has fallen in battle; so now why have we no plans for bringing the king back?’

11   What all Israel was saying came to the king's ears. ^noteSo he sent word to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: ‘Ask the elders of Judah why they should be the last to bring the king back to his palace. 12   Tell them, “You are my brothers, my flesh and my blood; why are you last to bring me back?” 13   And tell Amasa, “You are my own flesh and blood. You shall be my commander-in-chief, so help me God, for the rest of your life in

Various events of David's reign place of Joab.”’ 14   David's message won all hearts in Judah, and they sent to the king, urging him to return with all his men.

15   So the king came back to Jordan; and the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the river. 16   Shimei son of Gera the Benjamite from Bahurim hastened down among the men of Judah to meet King David with a thousand men from Benjamin; 17   Ziba was there too, the servant of Saul's family, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants. 18   They rushed into the Jordan under the king's eyes and crossed to and fro conveying his household in order to win his favour. Shimei son of Gera, when he had crossed the river, fell down before the king and said to him, 19   ‘I beg your majesty not to remember how disgracefully your servant behaved when your majesty left Jerusalem; do not hold it against me or take it to heart. 20   For I humbly acknowledge that I did wrong, and today I am the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet your majesty.’ 21   But Abishai son of Zeruiah objected, ‘Ought not Shimei to be put to death because he cursed the Lord's anointed prince?’ 22   David answered, ‘What right have you, you sons of Zeruiah, to oppose me today? Why should any man be put to death this day in Israel? 23   I know now that I am king of Israel.’ Then the king said to Shimei, ‘You shall not die’, and confirmed it with an oath.

24   Saul's grandson Mephibosheth also went down to meet the king. He had not dressed his feet, ^note combed his beard or washed his clothes, from the day the king went out until he returned victorious. 25   When he came from ^note Jerusalem to meet the king, David said to him, ‘Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?’ 26   He answered, ‘Sir, my servant deceived me; I did intend to harness my ass and ride with the king (for I am lame), but his stories set your majesty against me. 27   Your majesty is like the angel of God; you must do what you think right. 28   My father's whole family, one and all, deserved to die at your majesty's hands, but you gave me, your servant, my place at your table. What further favour can I expect of the king?’ 29   The king answered, ‘You have said enough. My decision is that you and Ziba are to share the estate.’ 30   Mephibosheth said, ‘Let him have it all, now that your majesty has come home victorious.’

31   Barzillai the Gileadite too had come down from Rogelim, and he went as far as the Jordan with the king to send him on his way. 32   Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age; it was he who had provided for the king while he was at Mahanaim, for he was a man of high standing. 33   The king said to Barzillai, ‘Cross over with me and I will provide for your old age ^note in my household in Jerusalem.’ 34   Barzillai answered, ‘Your servant is far too old to go up with your majesty to

Various events of David's reign Jerusalem. 35   I am already eighty; and I cannot tell good from bad. I cannot taste what I eat or drink; I cannot hear the voices of men and women singing. Why should I be a burden any longer on your majesty? 36   Your servant will attend the king for a short way across the Jordan; and why should the king reward me so handsomely? 37   Let me go back and end my days in my own city near the grave of my father and mother. Here is my son ^note Kimham; let him cross over with your majesty, and do for him what you think best.’ 38   The king answered, ‘Kimham shall cross with me and I will do for him whatever you think best; and I will do for you whatever you ask.’

39   All the people crossed the Jordan while the king waited. ^noteThe king then kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing. Barzillai went back to his own home; the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham with him. 40   All the people of Judah escorted the king over the river, and so did half the people of Israel.

41   The men of Israel came to the king in a body and said, ‘Why should our brothers of Judah have got possession of the king's person by joining King David's own men and then escorting him and his household across the Jordan?’ 42   The men of Judah replied, ‘Because his majesty is our near kinsman. Why should you resent it? Have we eaten at the king's expense? 43   Have we received any gifts?’ The men of Israel answered, ‘We have ten times your interest in the king and, what is more, we are senior ^note to you; why do you disparage us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing the king back?’ The men of Judah used language even fiercer than the men of Israel.

1   There happened to be a man there, a scoundrel named Sheba son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. He blew the trumpet and cried out:

  What share have we in David?
    We have no lot in the son of Jesse.
  Away to your homes, O Israel.

2   The men of Israel all left David, to follow Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah stood by their king and followed him from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3   When David came home to Jerusalem he took the ten concubines whom he had left in charge of the palace and put them under guard; he maintained them but did not have intercourse with them. They were kept in confinement to the day of their death, widowed in the prime of life.

4   The king said to Amasa, ‘Call up the men of Judah and appear before me again in three days' time.’ 5   So Amasa went to call up the men

Various events of David's reign of Judah, but it took longer than the time fixed by the king. 6   David said to Abishai, ‘Sheba son of Bichri will give us more trouble than Absalom; take the royal bodyguard and follow him closely. If he has occupied some fortified cities, he may escape us.’ 7   Abishai was followed by Joab ^note with the Kerethite and Pelethite guards and all the fighting men; they left Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri. 8   When they reached the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa came towards them. Joab was wearing his tunic and over it a belt supporting a sword in its scabbard. 9   He came forward, concealing his treachery, and said to Amasa, ‘I hope you are well, my brother’, and with his right hand he grasped Amasa's beard to kiss him. 10   Amasa was not on his guard against the sword in Joab's hand. Joab struck him with it in the belly and his entrails poured out to the ground; he did not strike a second blow, for Amasa was dead. Joab and his brother Abishai went on in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri. 11   One of Joab's young men stood over Amasa and called out, ‘Follow Joab, all who are for Joab and for David!’ 12   Amasa's body lay soaked in blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw how all the people stopped, he rolled him off the road into the field and threw a cloak over him; for everyone who came by saw the body and stopped. 13   When he had been dragged from the road, they all went on after Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

14   Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel until he came to Abel-beth-maacah, ^note and all the clan of Bichri ^note rallied to him and followed him into the city. 15   Joab's forces came up and besieged him in Abel-beth-maacah, raised a siege-ramp against it and began undermining the wall to bring it down. 16   Then a wise woman stood on the rampart ^note and called from the city, ‘Listen, listen! Tell Joab to step forward and let me speak with him.’ 17   So he came forward and the woman said, ‘Are you Joab?’ He answered, ‘I am.’ ‘Listen to what I have to say, sir’, she went on, to which he replied, ‘I am listening.’ 18   ‘In the old days’, she said, ‘there was a saying, “Go to Abel for the answer”, and that settled the matter. 19   My city is known to be one of the most peaceable and loyal ^note in Israel; she is like a watchful mother in Israel, and you are seeking to kill her. 20   Would you destroy the Lord's own possession?’ Joab answered, ‘God forbid, far be it from me to ruin or destroy! 21   That is not our aim; but a man from the hill-country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bichri has raised a revolt against King David; surrender this one man, and I will retire from the city.’ The woman said to Joab, ‘His head shall be thrown to you over the wall.’ 22   Then the woman withdrew, and her

Various events of David's reign wisdom won over the assembled people; they cut off Sheba's head and threw it to Joab. Then he sounded the trumpet and the whole army left the city and dispersed to their homes, while Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

23    ^noteJoab was in command of the army, ^note and Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Kerethite and Pelethite guards. 24   Adoram was in charge of the forced levy, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary of state. 25   Sheva was adjutant-general, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26   Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

1   In David's reign there was a famine that lasted year after year for three years. So David consulted the Lord, and he answered, ‘Bloodguilt rests on Saul and on his family because he put the Gibeonites to death.’ 2   (The Gibeonites were not of Israelite descent; they were a remnant of Amorite stock whom the Israelites had sworn that they would spare. Saul, however, had sought to exterminate them in his zeal for Israel and Judah.) King David summoned the Gibeonites, therefore, and said to them, ‘What can be done for you? 3   How can I make expiation, so that you may have cause to bless the Lord's own people?’ 4   The Gibeonites answered, ‘Our feud with Saul and his family cannot be settled in silver and gold, and there is no one man in Israel whose death would content us.’ ‘Then what do you want me to do for you?’ asked David. 5   They answered, ‘Let us make an end of the man who caused our undoing and ruined us, so that he shall never again have his place within the borders of Israel. 6   Hand over to us seven of that man's sons, and we will hurl them down to their death before ^note the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, the Lord's chosen king.’ The king agreed to hand them over, 7   but he spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath that had been taken in the Lord's name by David and Saul's son Jonathan. 8   The king then took the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons whom Merab, ^note Saul's daughter, had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai of Meholah. 9   He handed them over to the Gibeonites, and they flung them down from the mountain before the Lord; the seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest at the beginning of the barley harvest. 10   Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out as a bed for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the rains came and fell from heaven upon the bodies. She allowed no bird to set upon them by day nor any wild beast by night. 11   When David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah the concubine of Saul had done, 12   he went and took the

Various events of David's reign bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square at Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them on the day they defeated Saul at Gilboa. 13   He removed the bones of Saul and Jonathan from there and gathered up the bones of the men who had been hurled to death. 14   They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the territory of Benjamin at Zela, in the grave of his father Kish. Everything was done as the king ordered, and thereafter the Lord was willing to accept prayers offered for the country.

15   Once again war broke out between the Philistines and Israel. David and his men went down to the battle, but as he fought with the Philistines he fell exhausted. 16   Then Benob, one of the race of the Rephaim, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels ^note and who wore a belt of honour, ^note took David prisoner and was about to kill him. 17   But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's help, struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David's officers took an oath that he should never again go out with them to war, for fear that the lamp of Israel might be extinguished.

18    ^noteSome time later war with the Philistines broke out again in Gob: it was then that Sibbechai of Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of the Rephaim. 19   In another war with the Philistines in Gob, Elhanan son of Jair ^note of Bethlehem killed Goliath of Gath, whose spear had a shaft like a weaver's beam. 20   In yet another war in Gath there appeared a giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all. 21   He too was descended from the Rephaim; and, when he defied Israel, Jonathan son of David's brother Shimeai killed him. 22   These four giants were the descendants of the Rephaim in Gath, and they all fell at the hands of David and his men.

1   These are the words of the song David sang to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from the power of Saul:

   ^note 2   The Lordis my stronghold, my fortress and my champion,
   3   my God, my rock where I find safety;
  my shield, my mountain fastness, my strong tower,
  my refuge, my deliverer, who saves me from violence.
   4   I will call on the Lord to whom all praise is due,
  and I shall be delivered from my enemies.
   5   When the waves of death swept round me,
  and torrents of destruction overtook me,

Various events of David's reign
   6   the bonds of Sheol tightened about me,
  the snares of death were set to catch me;
   7   then in anguish of heart I cried to the Lord,
  I called for help to my God;
  he heard me from his temple,
  and my cry rang in his ears.
   8   The earth heaved and quaked,
  heaven's foundations shook;
  they heaved, because he was angry.
   9   Smoke rose from his nostrils,
  devouring fire came out of his mouth,
  glowing coals and searing heat.
   10   He swept the skies aside as he descended,
  thick darkness lay under his feet.
   11   He rode on a cherub, he flew through the air;
  he swooped ^note on the wings of the wind.
   12   He curtained himself in darkness
  and made dense vapour his canopy.
   13   Thick clouds came out of the radiance before him;
  glowing coals burned brightly.
   14   The Lord thundered from the heavens
  and the voice of the Most High spoke out.
   15   He loosed his arrows, he sped them far and wide,
  his lightning shafts, and sent them echoing.
   16   The channels of the sea-bed were revealed,
  the foundations of earth laid bare
  at the Lord's rebuke,
  at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
   17   He reached down from the height and took me,
  he drew me out of mighty waters,
   18   he rescued me from my enemies, strong as they were,
  from my foes when they grew too powerful for me.
   19   They confronted me in the hour of my peril,
  but the Lord was my buttress.
   20   He brought me out into an open place,
  he rescued me because he delighted in me.
   21   The Lord rewarded me as my righteousness deserved;
  my hands were clean, and he requited me.
   22   For I have followed the ways of the Lord
  and have not turned wickedly from my God;
   23   all his laws are before my eyes,
  I have not failed to follow his decrees.

Various events of David's reign
   24   In his sight I was blameless
  and kept myself from wilful sin;
   25   the Lord requited me as my righteousness deserved
  and my purity in his eyes.


   26   With the loyal thou showest thyself loyal
  and with the blameless man blameless.
   27   With the savage man thou showest thyself savage,
  and ^note tortuous with the perverse.
   28   Thou deliverest humble folk,
  thou lookest with contempt upon the proud.
   29   Thou, Lord, art my lamp,
  and the Lord will lighten my darkness.
   30   With thy help I leap over a bank,
  by God's aid I spring over a wall.


   31   The way of God is perfect,
  the Lord's word has stood the test;
  he is the shield of all who take refuge in him.
   32   What god is there but the Lord?
  What rock but our God?—
   33   the God who girds me ^note with strength
  and makes my way blameless, ^note
   34   who makes me swift as a hind
  and sets me secure on the ^note mountains;
   35   who trains my hands for battle,
  and my arms aim an arrow tipped with bronze.


   36   Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation,
  in thy providence thou makest me great.
   37   Thou givest me room for my steps,
  my feet have not faltered.
   38   I pursue my enemies and destroy them,
  I do not return until I have made an end of them.
   39   I make an end of them, I strike them down;
  they rise no more, they fall beneath my feet.
   40   Thou dost arm me with strength for the battle
  and dost subdue my foes before me.
   41   Thou settest ^note my foot on my enemies' necks,
  and I bring to nothing those that hate me.
   42   They cry out ^note and there is no one to help them,
  they cry to the Lord and he does not answer.

Various events of David's reign
   43   I will pound them fine as dust on the ground,
  like mud in the streets will I trample them. ^note
   44   Thou dost deliver me from the clamour of the people, ^note
  and makest ^note me master of the nations.
  A people I never knew shall be my subjects.
   45   Foreigners shall come cringing to me;
  as soon as they hear tell of me, they shall obey me.
   46   Foreigners shall be brought captive to me,
  and come limping from their strongholds.


   47   The Lord lives, blessed is my rock,
  high above all is God my rock and safe refuge.


   48   O God, who grantest me vengeance,
  who dost subdue peoples under me,
   49   who dost snatch me from my foes and set me over my enemies,
  thou dost deliver me from violent men.
   50   Therefore, Lord, I will praise thee among the nations
  and sing psalms to thy name,
   51   to one who gives his king great victories
  and in all his acts keeps faith with his anointed king,
  with David and his descendants for ever.

1   These are the last words of David:

  The very word of David son of Jesse,
  the very word of the man whom the High God raised up,
  the anointed prince of the God of Jacob,
  and the singer of Israel's psalms:
   2   the spirit of the Lord has spoken through me,
  and his word is on my lips.
   3   The God of Israel spoke,
  the Rock of Israel spoke of me:
  ‘He who rules men in justice,
  who rules in the fear of God,
   4   is like the light of morning at sunrise,
  a morning that is cloudless after rain
  and makes the grass sparkle from the earth.’


   5   Surely, surely my house is true to God;
  for he has made a pact with me for all time,
  its terms spelled out and faithfully kept,
  my whole salvation, all my ^note delight.

Various events of David's reign
   6   But the ungodly put forth no shoots,
  they are all like briars tossed aside;
  none dare put out his hand to pick them up,
   7   none touch them but ^note with tool of iron or of wood;
  they are fit only for burning in the fire. ^note

8    ^noteThese are the names of David's heroes. First came Ishbosheth the Hachmonite, ^note chief of the three; ^note it was he who brandished his spear ^note over eight hundred dead, all slain at one time. 9   Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, ^note one of the heroic three. He was with David at Pas-dammim where the Philistines ^note had gathered for battle. 10   When the Israelites fell back, he stood his ground and rained blows on the Philistines until, from sheer weariness, his hand stuck fast to his sword; and so the Lord brought about a great victory that day. Afterwards the people rallied behind him, but it was only to strip the dead. 11   Next to him was Shammah son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field with a fine crop of lentils; and, 12   when the Philistines put the people to flight, he stood his ground in the field, saved it ^note and defeated them. So the Lord again brought about a great victory.

13   Three of the thirty went down towards the beginning of harvest to join David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Vale of Rephaim. 14   At that time David was in the stronghold and a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem. 15   One day a longing came over David, and he exclaimed, ‘If only I could have a drink of water from the well ^note by the gate of Bethlehem!’ 16   At this the heroic three made their way through the Philistine lines and drew water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem and brought it to David. But David refused to drink it; 17   he poured it out to the Lord and said, ‘God forbid that I should do such a thing! Can I drink ^note the blood of these men who risked their lives for it?’ So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the heroic three.

18   Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the thirty. ^note He once brandished his spear over three hundred dead, and he was famous among the thirty. ^note 19   Some think he even surpassed the rest of the thirty ^note in reputation, and he became their captain, but he did not rival the three. 20   Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was a hero of many

Various events of David's reign exploits. It was he who smote the two champions of Moab, and who went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. 21   It was he who also killed the Egyptian, a man of striking appearance armed with a spear: he went to meet him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own weapon. 22   Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, famous among the heroic thirty. ^note 23   He was more famous than the rest of the thirty, but he did not rival the three. David appointed him to his household.

24   Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, and Elhanan son of Dodo from ^note Bethlehem; 25   Shammah from Harod, and Elika from Harod; Helez from Beth-pelet, ^note and Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; 26    27   Abiezer from Anathoth, and Mebunnai from Hushah; 28   Zalmon the Ahohite, and Maharai from Netophah; 29   Heled ^note son of Baanah from Netophah, and Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin; 30   Benaiah from Pirathon, and Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash; 31   Abi-albon from Beth-arabah, ^note and Azmoth from Bahurim; ^note 32   Eliahba from Shaalbon, and Hashem the Gizonite; 33   Jonathan son of ^note Shammah the Hararite, and Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite; ^note 34   Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, and Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; 35   Hezrai from Carmel, and Paarai the Arbite; 36   Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, and Bani the Gadite; 37   Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai from Beeroth, armour-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah; 38   Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, and Uriah the Hittite: 39   there were thirty-seven in all.

1    ^noteOnce again the Israelites felt the Lord's anger, when he incited David against them and gave him orders that Israel and Judah should be counted. 2   So he instructed Joab and the officers of the army ^note with him to go round all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and make a record of the people and report the number to him. 3   Joab answered, ‘Even if the Lord your God should increase the people a hundredfold and your majesty should live to see it, what pleasure would that give your majesty?’ 4   But Joab and the officers were overruled by the king and they left his presence in order to count the people. 5   They crossed the Jordan and began at Aroer and the level land of the gorge, proceeding towards Gad ^note and Jazer. 6   They came to Gilead and to the land of the Hittites, to Kadesh, ^note and then to Dan and Iyyon ^note and so

Various events of David's reign round ^note towards Sidon. 7   They went as far as the walled city of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites, and then went on to the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba. 8   They covered the whole country and arrived back at Jerusalem after nine months and twenty days. 9   Joab reported to the king the total number of people: the number of able-bodied men, capable of bearing arms, was eight hundred thousand in Israel and five hundred thousand in Judah.

10   After he had counted the people David's conscience ^note smote him, and he said to the Lord, ‘I have done a very wicked thing: I pray thee, Lord, remove thy servant's guilt, for I have been very foolish.’ 11   He rose next morning, and meanwhile the command of the Lord had come to the prophet Gad, David's seer, to go and speak to David: 12   ‘This is the word of the Lord: I have three things in store for you; choose one and I will bring it upon you.’ 13   So Gad came to David and repeated this to him and said, ‘Is it to be three ^note years of famine in your land, or three months of flight with the enemy at your heels, or three days of pestilence in your land? Consider carefully what answer I am to take back to him who sent me.’ 14   Thereupon David said to Gad, ‘I am in a desperate plight; let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; and let me not fall into the hands of men.’ 15   So the Lord sent a pestilence throughout Israel from morning till the hour of dinner, and from Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand of the people died. 16   Then the angel stretched out his arm towards Jerusalem to destroy it; but the Lord repented of the evil and said to the angel who was destroying the people, ‘Enough! Stay your hand.’ At that moment the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17   When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, ‘It is I who have done wrong, the sin is mine; but these poor sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand fall upon me and upon my family.’ 18   That same day Gad came to David and said to him, ‘Go and set up an altar to the Lord on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’ 19   David did what Gad told him to do, and went up as the Lord had commanded. 20   When Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming over towards him, he went out, prostrated himself low before the king and said, 21   ‘Why has your majesty come to visit his servant?’ David answered, ‘To buy the threshing-floor from you to build an altar to the Lord, so that the plague which has attacked the people may be stopped.’ 22   Araunah answered David, ‘I beg your majesty to take it and sacrifice what you think fit. I have here the oxen for a whole-offering, and their harness and the threshing-sledges for the fuel.’ 23   Araunah ^note gave it all to the king for his own use and said to

Various events of David's reign him, ‘May the Lord your God accept you.’ 24   But the king said to Araunah, ‘No, I will buy it from you; I will not offer to the Lord my God whole-offerings that have cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25   He built an altar to the Lord there and offered whole-offerings and shared-offerings. Then the Lord yielded to his prayer for the land; and the plague in Israel stopped.

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