^24:1And it came to pass when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. ^24:2And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. ^24:3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet; and David and his men were abiding in the recesses of the cave. ^24:4And David's men said to him, Behold the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will give thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. And David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. ^24:5And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. ^24:6And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah. ^24:7And David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on [his] way. ^24:8David also arose afterwards, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. ^24:9And David said to Saul, Why dost thou listen to words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt? ^24:10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had given thee this day into my hand in the cave; and they bade me kill thee; but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Jehovah. ^24:11And see, my father, yes, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou liest in wait for my life to take it. ^24:12Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee. ^24:13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; but my hand shall not be upon thee. ^24:14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a single flea. ^24:15Jehovah therefore shall be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and do me justice [in delivering me] out of thy hand. ^24:16And as soon as David had ended speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. ^24:17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. ^24:18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou didst not kill me. ^24:19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good for that thou hast done to me this day. ^24:20And now behold, I know that thou shalt certainly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand. ^24:21Swear now therefore to me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. ^24:22And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

^25:1And Samuel died; and all Israel were gathered together, and lamented him; and they buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. ^25:2And there was a man at Maon, whose business was at Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep at Carmel. ^25:3And the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was a Calebite. ^25:4And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. ^25:5Then David sent out ten young men; and David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. ^25:6And thus shall ye say: Long life [to thee]! and peace be to thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be to all that thou hast! ^25:7And now I have heard that thou hast shearers; now thy shepherds who were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there aught missed by them, all the while they were in Carmel. ^25:8Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee. Therefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes; for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, what thy hand may find to thy servants, and to thy son David. ^25:9And David's young men came, and spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. ^25:10And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master. ^25:11And shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh which I have killed for my shearers, and give [it] to men whom I know not whence they are? ^25:12And David's young men turned their way, and went back, and came and reported to him according to all those words. ^25:13And David said to his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage. ^25:14And one of [Nabal's] young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our master; and he has insulted them. ^25:15And the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we companied with them, when we were in the fields. ^25:16They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the while we were with them feeding the sheep. ^25:17And now know and consider what thou wilt do, for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household; and he is such a son of Belial, that one cannot speak to him. ^25:18And Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two skin-bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched [corn], and a hundred raisin-cakes, and two hundred fig-cakes, and laid them on asses. ^25:19And she said to her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal. ^25:20And as she was riding on the ass, and coming down by the covert of the hill, behold, David and his men came down opposite to her; and she met them. ^25:21Now David had said, Surely, in vain have I kept all that this [man] had in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that was his; and he has requited me evil for good. ^25:22So and more also do God to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that is his by the morning light any male. ^25:23And when Abigail saw David, she hasted and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, ^25:24and fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, [upon] me let the iniquity be; but let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear the words of thy handmaid. ^25:25Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; and I thy handmaid did not see the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. ^25:26And now, my lord, [as] Jehovah liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, seeing Jehovah has restrained thee from coming with bloodshed, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. ^25:27And now this blessing which thy bondmaid has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men that follow my lord. ^25:28I pray thee, forgive the transgression of thy handmaid: for Jehovah will certainly make my lord a lasting house; because my lord fights the battles of Jehovah, and evil has not been found in thee all thy days. ^25:29And if a man is risen up to pursue thee and to seek thy life, the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with Jehovah thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out from the hollow of the sling. ^25:30And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah shall do to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning thee, and shall appoint thee ruler over Israel, ^25:31that this shall be no stumbling-block to thee, nor offence of heart for my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall deal well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid. ^25:32And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me. ^25:33And blessed be thy discernment, and blessed be thou, who hast kept me this day from coming with bloodshed, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. ^25:34But indeed, as Jehovah the God of Israel liveth, who has restrained me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, there had not been left to Nabal by the morning light any male. ^25:35So David received of her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person. ^25:36And Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was drunken to excess; so she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. ^25:37And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things; and his heart died within him, and he became [as] a stone. ^25:38And it came to pass in about ten days that Jehovah smote Nabal, and he died. ^25:39And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil; but Jehovah has returned Nabal's evil upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her as his wife. ^25:40And the servants of David came to Abigail to Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to thee, to take thee as his wife. ^25:41And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thy handmaid be a bondwoman to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. ^25:42And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. ^25:43David had also taken Ahinoam of Jizreel; and they became, even both of them, his wives. ^25:44But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

^26:1And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, facing the waste? ^26:2And Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. ^26:3And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which faces the waste, by the way side. And David abode in the wilderness; and when he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, ^26:4David sent out spies, and learned that Saul was certainly come. ^26:5And David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay within the wagon-defence, and the people were encamped round about him. ^26:6And David spake and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. ^26:7And David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the wagon-defence, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him. ^26:8And Abishai said to David, God has delivered thine enemy into thy hand this day; and now let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the ground once, and I will not do it the second time. ^26:9And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless? ^26:10And David said, [As] Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will surely smite him; either his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish. ^26:11Jehovah forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed! But now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go. ^26:12And David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they went away, and no man saw [it], and none knew [it], and none awaked, for they were all asleep; for a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen upon them. ^26:13And David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space [being] between them. ^26:14And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king? ^26:15And David said to Abner, Art not thou a man? and who is like to thee in Israel? and why hast thou not guarded thy lord the king? for one of the people came in to destroy the king thy lord. ^26:16This thing is not good which thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not guarded your master, Jehovah's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head. ^26:17And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. ^26:18And he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? ^26:19And now, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah have moved thee against me, let him accept an oblation; but if the sons of men, cursed be they before Jehovah; for they have driven me out this day from adhering to the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. ^26:20And now, let not my blood fall to the earth far from the face of Jehovah; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as when they hunt a partridge on the mountains. ^26:21And Saul said, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have acted foolishly, and have erred exceedingly. ^26:22And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear, and let one of the young men come over and fetch it. ^26:23And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Jehovah gave thee into [my] hand this day, and I would not stretch forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. ^26:24And behold, as thy life was highly esteemed this day in mine eyes, so let my life be highly esteemed in the eyes of Jehovah, that he may deliver me out of all distress. ^26:25And Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt certainly do [great things], and shalt certainly prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

^27:1And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me to seek me any more within all the limits of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand. ^27:2And David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. ^27:3And David abode with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household; David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. ^27:4And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; and he sought no more for him. ^27:5And David said to Achish, If now I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some country-town, that I may abide there; for why should thy servant abide in the royal city with thee? ^27:6And Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. ^27:7And the time that David abode in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months. ^27:8And David and his men went up and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Gerzites, and the Amalekites: for those were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, and as far as the land of Egypt. ^27:9And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. ^27:10So Achish said, Have ye not made a raid to-day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. ^27:11And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring [them] to Gath, for he said, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David. And such was his custom as long as he abode in the country of the Philistines. ^27:12And Achish trusted David, saying, He has made himself utterly odious among his people Israel; and he shall be my servant for ever.

^28:1And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines gathered together their armies for warfare to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Know thou assuredly that thou shalt go out with me to the camp, thou and thy men. ^28:2And David said to Achish, Thereby thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my person for ever. ^28:3(Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and they had buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away the necromancers and the soothsayers out of the land.) ^28:4And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. ^28:5And when Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. ^28:6And Saul inquired of Jehovah; but Jehovah did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. ^28:7Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman that has a spirit of Python, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a spirit of Python at En-dor. ^28:8And Saul disguised himself, and put on other garments, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, I pray thee, divine to me by the spirit of Python, and bring me [him] up whom I shall name to thee. ^28:9And the woman said to him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul has done, how he has cut off the necromancers and the soothsayers out of the land; and why layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? ^28:10And Saul swore unto her by Jehovah, saying, [As] Jehovah liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. ^28:11Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. ^28:12And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? Even thou art Saul. ^28:13And the king said to her, Be not afraid; but what didst thou see? And the woman said to Saul, I saw a god ascending out of the earth. ^28:14And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. ^28:15And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul said, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams; therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known to me what I shall do. ^28:16And Samuel said, Why then dost thou inquire of me, seeing Jehovah is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? ^28:17And Jehovah has done for himself as he spoke by me; and Jehovah has rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbour, to David. ^28:18Because thou didst not hearken to the voice of Jehovah, and didst not execute his fierce anger upon Amalek, therefore has Jehovah done this thing to thee this day. ^28:19And Jehovah will also give Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me; the army of Israel also will Jehovah give into the hand of the Philistines. ^28:20And Saul fell straightway his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night. ^28:21And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, thy bondmaid has hearkened to thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened to thy words which thou spokest to me. ^28:22And now, I pray thee, hearken thou also to the voice of thy bondmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength when thou goest on thy way. ^28:23But he refused and said, I will not eat. Then his servants, and the woman also, compelled him, and he hearkened to their voice; and he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. ^28:24And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread thereof; ^28:25and she brought it near before Saul, and before his servants, and they ate. And they rose up and went away that night.

^29:1And the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and Israel encamped by the spring that is in Jizreel. ^29:2And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish. ^29:3And the princes of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years, and I have found nothing in him since the day of his falling away [to me] to this day? ^29:4But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make the man return, that he may go again to his place where thou hast appointed him, that he go not down with us to the battle, that in the battle he be not an adversary to us; for wherewith should this [fellow] reconcile himself to his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? ^29:5Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul smote his thousands, and David his ten thousands? ^29:6And Achish called David, and said to him, [As] Jehovah liveth, thou art upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp is acceptable to me; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming to me to this day; but thou art not acceptable to the lords. ^29:7And now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines. ^29:8And David said to Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee to this day, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? ^29:9And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art acceptable to me, as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. ^29:10And now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee; and rise ye early in the morning, and when ye have daylight, depart. ^29:11And David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jizreel.

^30:1And it came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the south, and upon Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag and burned it with fire; ^30:2and had taken the women captives that were in it; both great and small: they had put none to death, but had carried them off, and went on their way. ^30:3And David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burnt with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives. ^30:4Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. ^30:5And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. ^30:6And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him; for the soul of all the people was embittered, every man because of his sons and because of his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God. ^30:7And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, Bring near to me, I pray thee, the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod near to David. ^30:8And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he said to him, Pursue; for thou shalt assuredly overtake [them] and shalt certainly recover. ^30:9So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor; and those that were left stayed behind. ^30:10And David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to go over the torrent Besor. ^30:11And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink, ^30:12and gave him a piece of fig-cake and two raisin-cakes, and he ate, and his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, for three days and three nights. ^30:13And David said to him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick. ^30:14We made a raid against the south of the Cherethites, and against what [belongs] to Judah, and against the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. ^30:15And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by God, that thou wilt neither put me to death nor deliver me up into the hand of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop. ^30:16And he brought him down, and behold, they were spread over the whole land, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. ^30:17And David smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day; and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels, and fled. ^30:18And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken: and David recovered his two wives. ^30:19And there was nothing missed by them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil nor anything that they had taken: David brought all back. ^30:20And David took all the flocks and the herds, [which] they drove before the other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil. ^30:21And David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and whom they had left behind at the torrent Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him; and David drew near to the people and saluted them. ^30:22And all the wicked men, and [men] of Belial, of those that had gone with David, answered and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them [aught] of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead [them] away and depart. ^30:23Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah has given us, who has preserved us, and given the troop that came against us into our hand. ^30:24And who will hearken to you in this matter? For as his share is that goes down to the battle, so shall his share be that abides by the baggage: they shall share alike. ^30:25And it was [so] from that day forward; and he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. ^30:26And David came to Ziklag, and he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah: ^30:27to those in Bethel, and to those in south Ramoth, and to those in Jattir, ^30:28and to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa, ^30:29and to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites, ^30:30and to those in Hormah, and to those in Chor-ashan, and to those in Athach, ^30:31and to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men went about.

^31:1And the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on mount Gilboa. ^31:2And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. ^31:3And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers came up with him; and he was much terrified by the archers. ^31:4Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it. ^31:5And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on his sword, and died with him. ^31:6So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that same day together. ^31:7And when the men of Israel that were on this side of the valley, and [they] that were on this side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. ^31:8And it came to pass the next day, that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa. ^31:9And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent [them] into the land of the Philistines round about, to announce the glad tidings in the houses of their idols, and to the people. ^31:10And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. ^31:11And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, ^31:12all the valiant men arose and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burned them there. ^31:13And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

2 Samuel

^1:1And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David abode two days in Ziklag. ^1:2And it came to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his garments rent, and earth upon his head; and as soon as he came to David, he fell to the earth and did obeisance. ^1:3And David said to him, Whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. ^1:4And David said to him, What has taken place? I pray thee, tell me. And he said that the people had fled from the battle, and many of the people also had fallen and died, and that Saul and Jonathan his son were dead also. ^1:5And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? ^1:6And the young man that told him said, I happened by chance to be upon mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. ^1:7And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called to me. And I said, Here am I. ^1:8And he said to me, Who art thou? And I said to him, I am an Amalekite. ^1:9He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me; for anguish has seized me; for my life is yet whole in me. ^1:10So I stood over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord. ^1:11Then David took hold of his garments and rent them; and all the men that were with him [did] likewise. ^1:12And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. ^1:13And David said to the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he said, I am the son of an Amalekite stranger. ^1:14And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed? ^1:15Then David called one of the young men and said, Draw near, [and] fall on him. And he smote him that he died. ^1:16And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed. ^1:17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son; ^1:18and he bade them teach the children of Judah [the song of] the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jasher: ^1:19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! ^1:20Tell [it] not in Gath, carry not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. ^1:21Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, no rain upon you, nor fields of heave-offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, [as] not anointed with oil. ^1:22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, And the sword of Saul returned not empty. ^1:23Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their lives, Even in their death were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. ^1:24Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with splendour, Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. ^1:25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places. ^1:26I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant wast thou unto me; Thy love to me was wonderful, passing women's love. ^1:27How are the mighty fallen, and the instruments of war perished!

^2:1And it came to pass after this that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. ^2:2So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. ^2:3And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. ^2:4And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It is the men of Jabesh-Gilead that have buried Saul. ^2:5And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and said to them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah, that ye have shewn this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him! ^2:6And now Jehovah shew kindness and faithfulness to you; and I also will requite you this good, because ye have done this thing. ^2:7And now let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them. ^2:8And Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; ^2:9and made him king over Gilead, and over the Asshurites, and over Jizreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. ^2:10Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. However, the house of Judah followed David. ^2:11And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. ^2:12And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ^2:13And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out. And they met together by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, these on the one side of the pool, and those on the other side of the pool. ^2:14And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and make sport before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. ^2:15And they arose and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. ^2:16And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side, and they fell down together. And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is by Gibeon. ^2:17And the battle that day was very severe; and Abner and the men of Israel were routed before the servants of David. ^2:18And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift of foot, as one of the gazelles that are in the field. ^2:19And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from behind Abner. ^2:20Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he said, I am. ^2:21And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside, to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold of one of the young men, and take for thyself his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. ^2:22And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: why should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? ^2:23But he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. ^2:24And Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner; and the sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. ^2:25And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill. ^2:26And Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? and how long shall it be ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? ^2:27And Joab said, [As] God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. ^2:28And Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight any more. ^2:29And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim. ^2:30And Joab returned from following Abner, and gathered all the people together; and there lacked of David's servants nineteen men, and Asahel. ^2:31And the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men, who had died. ^2:32And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

^3:1And the war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became continually stronger, and the house of Saul became continually weaker. ^3:2And to David were sons born in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jizreelitess; ^3:3and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maachah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; ^3:4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ^3:5and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. ^3:6And it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul. ^3:7And Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And [Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Why hast thou gone in to my father's concubine? ^3:8Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, I who against Judah do shew kindness this day to the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou reproachest me this day with the fault of this woman? ^3:9So do God to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah has sworn to David, I do not so to him; ^3:10to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba! ^3:11And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him. ^3:12And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make thy covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee, to turn all Israel to thee. ^3:13And he said, Well, I will make a covenant with thee; only I require one thing of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face. ^3:14And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. ^3:15And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from [her] husband, from Phaltiel the son of Laish. ^3:16And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him, Go, return. And he returned. ^3:17Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David aforetime to be king over you; ^3:18and now do [it], for Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. ^3:19And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. ^3:20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a repast. ^3:21And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy heart desires. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace. ^3:22And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from an expedition, and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ^3:23And Joab and all the host that was with him came; and they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away; and he is gone in peace. ^3:24Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came to thee; why is it [that] thou hast sent him away, and he is gone? ^3:25Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. ^3:26And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him again from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. ^3:27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him secretly, and smote him there in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. ^3:28And afterwards David heard [it], and he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: ^3:29let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that has an issue, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that lacks bread! ^3:30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. ^3:31And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier. ^3:32And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. ^3:33And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth? ^3:34Thy hands were not bound, Nor thy feet put into fetters; As a man falleth before wicked men, Fellest thou! And all the people wept again over him. ^3:35And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down! ^3:36And all the people remarked it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. ^3:37And all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. ^3:38And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? ^3:39And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me: Jehovah reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness!

^4:1And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were enfeebled, and all Israel was troubled. ^4:2And Saul's son had two men, captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin; for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin. ^4:3And the Beerothites had fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day. ^4:4And Jonathan Saul's son had a son that was lame of [his] feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jizreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. ^4:5And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came in about the heat of the day into the house of Ishbosheth, who was taking his noonday rest. ^4:6And they came thither into the midst of the house, [as though] they would fetch wheat; and they smote him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. ^4:7They came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him; and they took his head, and went by the way of the plain all night. ^4:8And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David in Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, thine enemy who sought thy life; and Jehovah has given to my lord the king to be avenged this day of Saul and of his seed. ^4:9Then David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, [As] Jehovah liveth, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, ^4:10when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead! and he was in his own sight a messenger of good, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag to whom forsooth I should give a reward for his good tidings: ^4:11how much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? and should I not now demand his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? ^4:12And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged [them] up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

^5:1Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. ^5:2Even aforetime, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel. ^5:3And all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah; and they anointed David king over Israel. ^5:4David was thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years. ^5:5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. ^5:6And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they spoke to David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither, but the blind and the lame will drive thee back; as much as to say, David will not come in hither. ^5:7But David took the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David. ^5:8And David said on that day, Whoever smites the Jebusites and gets up to the watercourse, and the lame and the blind hated of David's soul ! Therefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. ^5:9So David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from the Millo and inward. ^5:10And David became continually greater; and Jehovah the God of hosts was with him. ^5:11And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. ^5:12And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom because of his people Israel. ^5:13And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. ^5:14And these are the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, ^5:15and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, ^5:16and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet. ^5:17And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went down to the stronghold. ^5:18And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ^5:19And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou give them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up; for I will certainly give the Philistines into thy hand. ^5:20And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and he said, Jehovah has broken in upon mine enemies before me, as the breaking forth of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. ^5:21And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away. ^5:22And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ^5:23And David inquired of Jehovah; and he said, Thou shalt not go up; turn round behind them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees. ^5:24And it shall be, when thou hearest a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then will Jehovah have gone forth before thee, to smite the army of the Philistines. ^5:25And David did so, as Jehovah had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou comest to Gezer.

^6:1And David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ^6:2And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baale-Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God which is called by the name, the name of Jehovah of hosts who sitteth between the cherubim. ^6:3And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was upon the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. ^6:4And they brought it with the ark of God out of the house of Abinadab which was upon the hill; and Ahio went before the ark. ^6:5And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah on all manner of [instruments made of] cypress wood, with harps, and with lutes, and with tambours, and with sistra, and with cymbals. ^6:6And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah reached after the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen had stumbled. ^6:7And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. ^6:8And David was indignant, because Jehovah had made a breach upon Uzzah; and he called that place Perez-Uzzah to this day. ^6:9And David was afraid of Jehovah that day, and said, How shall the ark of Jehovah come to me? ^6:10So David would not bring the ark of Jehovah home unto himself into the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ^6:11And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months; and Jehovah blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. ^6:12And it was told king David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that is his, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy. ^6:13And it was so, that when they that bore the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatted beast. ^6:14And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. ^6:15And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. ^6:16And as the ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart. ^6:17And they brought in the ark of Jehovah, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had spread for it. And David offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah. ^6:18And when David had ended offering up the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts. ^6:19And he dealt to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a measure [of wine], and a raisin-cake. And all the people departed every one to his house. ^6:20And David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How honourable did the king of Israel make himself to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the lewd fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! ^6:21And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me rather than thy father, and than all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel; and I played before Jehovah. ^6:22And I will make myself yet more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight; and of the handmaids that thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. ^6:23And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

^7:1And it came to pass when the king dwelt in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest round about from all his enemies, ^7:2that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedars, and the ark of God dwells under curtains. ^7:3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thy heart; for Jehovah is with thee. ^7:4And it came to pass that night that the word of Jehovah came to Nathan, saying, ^7:5Go and say to my servant, to David, Thus saith Jehovah: Wilt thou build me a house for me to dwell in? ^7:6For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but I went about in a tent and in a tabernacle. ^7:7In all my going about with all the children of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye me not a house of cedars? ^7:8And now, thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I took thee from the pasture-grounds, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel; ^7:9and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are on the earth. ^7:10And I will appoint a place for my people, for Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and be disturbed no more; neither shall the sons of wickedness afflict them any more, as formerly, ^7:11and since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. And I have given thee rest from all thine enemies; and Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house. ^7:12When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. ^7:13It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. ^7:14I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the sons of men; ^7:15but my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before thee. ^7:16And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made firm for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. ^7:17According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David. ^7:18And king David went in and sat before Jehovah, and said, Who am I, Lord Jehovah, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? ^7:19And yet this hath been a small thing in thy sight, Lord Jehovah; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, Lord Jehovah? ^7:20And what can David say more to thee? for thou, Lord Jehovah, knowest thy servant. ^7:21For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, to make thy servant know [it]. ^7:22Wherefore thou art great, Jehovah Elohim; for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ^7:23And who is like thy people, like Israel, the one nation in the earth that God went to redeem to be a people to himself, and to make himself a name, and to do for them great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thyself from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? ^7:24And thou hast established to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, Jehovah, art become their God. ^7:25And now, Jehovah Elohim, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house, fulfil it for ever, and do as thou hast said. ^7:26And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel; and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. ^7:27For thou, Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house; therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. ^7:28And now, Lord Jehovah, thou art that God, and thy words are true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant; ^7:29and now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever; for thou, Lord Jehovah, hast spoken it; and with thy blessing shall the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

^8:1And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them; and David took the power of the capital out of the hand of the Philistines. ^8:2And he smote the Moabites, and measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became David's servants, [and] brought gifts. ^8:3And David smote Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion by the river Euphrates. ^8:4And David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David houghed all the chariot [horses], but reserved of them [for] a hundred chariots. ^8:5And the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, and David smote of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men. ^8:6And David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, [and] brought gifts. And Jehovah preserved David whithersoever he went. ^8:7And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ^8:8And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much bronze. ^8:9And Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the forces of Hadadezer; ^8:10and Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to inquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him; for Hadadezer was continually at war with Toi. And he brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze. ^8:11Them also king David dedicated to Jehovah, with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated of all the nations that he had subdued: ^8:12of the Syrians, and of the Moabites, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of the Amalekites, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. ^8:13And David made him a name when he returned, after he had smitten the Syrians in the valley of salt, eighteen thousand [men]. ^8:14And he put garrisons in Edom: throughout Edom did he put garrisons; and all they of Edom became servants to David. And Jehovah preserved David whithersoever he went. ^8:15And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice to all his people. ^8:16And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was chronicler; ^8:17and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was scribe; ^8:18and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

^9:1And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake? ^9:2And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba; and they called him to David. And the king said to him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant! ^9:3And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God to him? And Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame on [his] feet. ^9:4And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. ^9:5And king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. ^9:6And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face and did obeisance. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he said, Behold thy servant! ^9:7And David said to him, Fear not; for I will certainly shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. ^9:8And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? ^9:9Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, I have given to thy master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. ^9:10And thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master's son may have food to eat. And Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread at my table continually. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. ^9:11And Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will thy servant do. And Mephibosheth [said David] shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons. ^9:12And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. ^9:13So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he did eat continually at the king's table. And he was lame on both his feet.

^10:1And it came to pass after this that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. ^10:2And David said, I will shew kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. ^10:3And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Is it, in thine eyes, to honour thy father that David has sent comforters to thee? Is it not to search the city and to spy it out, and to overthrow it, that David has sent his servants to thee? ^10:4And Hanun took David's servants, and had the one half of their beards shaved off, and their raiment cut off in the midst, as far as their buttocks, and sent them away. ^10:5And they told [it] to David; and he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Abide at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. ^10:6And the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David; and the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-Rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah [with] a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men. ^10:7And David heard [of it], and he sent Joab, and all the host, the mighty men. ^10:8And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate; and the Syrians of Zoba and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field. ^10:9And Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind; and he chose out of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians; ^10:10and the rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother that he might array them against the children of Ammon. ^10:11And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; and if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee. ^10:12Be strong, and let us shew ourselves valiant for our people and for the cities of our God; and Jehovah do what is good in his sight. ^10:13And Joab drew near, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians; and they fled before him. ^10:14And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, they fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. And Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem. ^10:15And when the Syrians saw that they were routed before Israel, they gathered themselves together. ^10:16And Hadarezer sent, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river; and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] before them. ^10:17And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him. ^10:18And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven hundred [in] chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there. ^10:19And all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were routed before Israel, and they made peace with Israel, and served them. And the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

^11:1And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they laid waste the [land of the] children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David abode at Jerusalem. ^11:2And it came to pass at evening time that David arose from off his couch, and walked upon the roof of the king's house; and from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful; ^11:3and David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Urijah the Hittite? ^11:4And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her; and she had purified herself from her uncleanness; and she returned to her house. ^11:5And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. ^11:6And David sent to Joab [saying], Send me Urijah the Hittite. And Joab sent Urijah to David. ^11:7And when Urijah had come to him, David asked how Joab prospered, and how the people prospered, and how the war prospered. ^11:8And David said to Urijah, Go down to thy house and wash thy feet. And Urijah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him presents from the king. ^11:9And Urijah slept at the entrance of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. ^11:10And they had told David saying, Urijah did not go down to his house; and David said to Urijah, Art thou not come from a journey? why didst thou not go down to thy house? ^11:11And Urijah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah abide in booths; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields: shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? [As] thou livest, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. ^11:12And David said to Urijah, Abide here to-day also, and to-morrow I will let thee depart. And Urijah abode in Jerusalem that day and the morrow. ^11:13And David invited him, and he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house. ^11:14And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by Urijah. ^11:15And he wrote in the letter saying, Set Urijah in the front of the thickest fight, and withdraw from him, that he may be smitten and die. ^11:16And it came to pass as Joab watched the city, that he assigned Urijah to a place where he knew that the valiant men were. ^11:17And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab; and there fell some of the people, of the servants of David; and Urijah the Hittite died also. ^11:18Then Joab sent and told David all the matters of the war; ^11:19and charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast ended telling the matters of the war to the king, ^11:20and if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say to thee, Why did ye go so near to the city to fight? did ye not know that they would shoot from the wall? ^11:21Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why did ye go near the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Urijah the Hittite is dead also. ^11:22And the messenger went; and he came and told David all that Joab had sent him for. ^11:23And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us, and came out against us into the field, and we were upon them as far as the entrance of the gate. ^11:24And the shooters shot from upon the wall against thy servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Urijah the Hittite is dead also. ^11:25Then David said to the messenger, Thus shalt thou say to Joab: Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devours one as well as another: make thy battle strong against the city, and overthrow it; and encourage him. ^11:26And the wife of Urijah heard that Urijah her husband was dead, and she mourned for her husband. ^11:27And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of Jehovah.