^13:1And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David having a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the son of David loved her. ^13:2And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed difficult for Amnon to do the least thing to her. ^13:3And Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man. ^13:4And he said to him, Why dost thou, the king's son, get thinner from morning to morning? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. ^13:5And Jonadab said to him, Lay thee down on thy bed and feign thyself sick; and when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me food, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand. ^13:6So Amnon lay down and feigned himself sick; and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand. ^13:7And David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go, I pray thee, to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him food. ^13:8And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he had lain down. And she took flour and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. ^13:9And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Put every man out from me. And they went out every man from him. ^13:10And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the dish into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. ^13:11And she presented them to him to eat; and he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister. ^13:12And she said to him, No, my brother, do not humble me; for no such thing is done in Israel: do not this infamy. ^13:13And I, whither shall I carry my reproach? and thou wouldest be as one of the infamous in Israel. And now, I pray thee, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. ^13:14But he would not hearken to her voice, and was stronger than she, and humbled her and lay with her. ^13:15And Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone. ^13:16And she said to him, There is no cause for this evil in sending me away, [which] is greater than the other that thou didst to me. But he would not hearken to her. ^13:17Then he called his young man that attended upon him, and said, Put now this [woman] out from me, and bolt the door after her. ^13:18Now she had a vest of many colours upon her; for so were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. And his attendant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. ^13:19And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her vest of many colours which was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went away, crying out as she went. ^13:20And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, be still: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart. And Tamar remained, and [that] desolate, in her brother Absalom's house. ^13:21And king David heard of all these things, and he was very angry. ^13:22And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had humbled his sister Tamar. ^13:23And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king's sons. ^13:24And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold, now, thy servant has sheepshearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant. ^13:25And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him. ^13:26And Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee? ^13:27But Absalom pressed him; and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. ^13:28And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon; then slay him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. ^13:29And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and they rode each upon his mule and fled. ^13:30And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom has smitten all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left. ^13:31Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their garments rent. ^13:32And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he humbled his sister Tamar. ^13:33And now let not my lord the king take the thing to heart, to say, All the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead. ^13:34And Absalom fled. And the young man that watched lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there came much people from the way behind him, from the hill-side. ^13:35And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is. ^13:36And as soon as he had ended speaking, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept; and the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly. ^13:37And Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day. ^13:38Now Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. ^13:39And king David longed to go forth to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

^14:1And Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom. ^14:2And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments, I pray, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead; ^14:3and come to the king, and speak after this manner to him. And Joab put the words into her mouth. ^14:4And the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, and she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Save, O king! ^14:5And the king said to her, What aileth thee? And she said, I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead. ^14:6And thy bondmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other and slew him. ^14:7And behold, the whole family is risen against thy bondmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also: so they will quench my coal which is left, and will not leave to my husband a name or remnant on the earth. ^14:8And the king said to the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee. ^14:9And the woman of Tekoah said to the king, Upon me, my lord, O king, be the iniquity, and upon my father's house; and the king and his throne be guiltless. ^14:10And the king said, Whoever speaks to thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. ^14:11Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they cut off my son. And he said, [As] Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth. ^14:12And the woman said, Let thy bondmaid, I pray thee, speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Speak. ^14:13And the woman said, Why then hast thou thought such a thing against God's people? and the king in saying this thing, is as one guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one. ^14:14For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; and God has not taken away his life, but devises means that the banished one be not expelled from him. ^14:15And now that I am come to speak of this thing to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid; and thy bondmaid said, I will now speak to the king; perhaps the king will perform the request of his handmaid. ^14:16For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God. ^14:17And thy bondmaid said, Let the word of my lord the king now be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and Jehovah thy God will be with thee. ^14:18And the king answered and said to the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak. ^14:19And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, [As] thy soul liveth, my lord, O king, there is no turning to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king has spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words into the mouth of thy bondmaid: ^14:20in order to turn the appearance of the thing has thy servant Joab done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is in the earth. ^14:21And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: so go, bring back the young man Absalom. ^14:22And Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and blessed the king; and Joab said, To-day thy servant knows that I have found favour in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant. ^14:23And Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. ^14:24And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. And Absalom withdrew to his own house, and saw not the king's face. ^14:25But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. ^14:26And when he shaved his head (for it was at every year's end that he shaved it, because it was heavy on him, therefore he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight. ^14:27And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful countenance. ^14:28So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king's face. ^14:29Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him; and he sent again the second time, but he would not come. ^14:30Then he said to his servants, See, Joab's allotment is near mine and he has barley there: go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the allotment on fire. ^14:31Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to [his] house, and said to him, Why have thy servants set my allotment on fire? ^14:32And Absalom said to Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Why am I come from Geshur? it would have been better for me to be there still. And now let me see the king's face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him slay me. ^14:33And Joab came to the king, and told him. And he called Absalom, and he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

^15:1And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. ^15:2And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that when any man who had a controversy had to come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. ^15:3And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man to hear thee [appointed] by the king. ^15:4And Absalom said, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any controversy and cause might come to me, and I would do him justice! ^15:5And it was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. ^15:6And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. ^15:7And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay in Hebron my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah. ^15:8For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah. ^15:9And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he rose up and went to Hebron. ^15:10And Absalom sent emissaries into all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron. ^15:11And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew nothing. ^15:12And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy gathered strength; and the people increased continually with Absalom. ^15:13And there came one to David who reported saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. ^15:14And David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Rise up and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom. Be quick to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. ^15:15And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, thy servants [will do] whatever my lord the king shall choose. ^15:16And the king went forth, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house. ^15:17And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and stayed at the remote house. ^15:18And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed over before the king. ^15:19And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and besides, thou hast emigrated to the place where thou [dwellest]. ^15:20Thou didst come yesterday, and should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I can? Return and take back thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee! ^15:21And Ittai answered the king and said, [As] Jehovah liveth, and [as] my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. ^15:22And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. ^15:23And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over; the king also himself passed over the torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness. ^15:24And behold, Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had passed completely out of the city. ^15:25And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and shew me it, and its habitation. ^15:26But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, [here am] I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him. ^15:27And the king said to Zadok the priest, Thou art the seer: return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ^15:28See, I will stop in the plains of the desert, until there come word from you to inform me. ^15:29And Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they abode there. ^15:30But David went up by the ascent of the Olives, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. ^15:31And one told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. ^15:32And it came to pass, when David had come to the summit, where he worshipped God, that behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head. ^15:33And David said to him, If thou passest on with me, thou wilt be a burden to me; ^15:34but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so now will I be thy servant; then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. ^15:35And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it shall be, [that] whatsoever thing thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ^15:36Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's [son], and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send to me everything that ye shall hear. ^15:37And Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

^16:1And when David was a little past the summit, behold, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and a hundred raisin-cakes, and a hundred cakes of summer fruits, and a flask of wine. ^16:2And the king said to Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruits for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink. ^16:3And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. ^16:4And the king said to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly bow myself: may I find favour in thy sight, my lord, O king. ^16:5And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed, ^16:6and cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. ^16:7And thus said Shimei as he cursed: Away, away, thou man of blood and man of Belial! ^16:8Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Jehovah has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and behold, thou art [taken] in thine own evil, for thou art a man of blood. ^16:9And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. ^16:10And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, for Jehovah has said to him, Curse David! Who shall then say, Why dost thou so? ^16:11And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now a Benjaminite? let him alone and let him curse; for Jehovah has bidden him. ^16:12It may be that Jehovah will look on mine affliction, and that Jehovah will requite me good for my being cursed this day. ^16:13And David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. ^16:14And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. ^16:15Now Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ^16:16And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king! Long live the king! ^16:17And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why didst thou not go with thy friend? ^16:18And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. ^16:19And again, whom should I serve? should it not be in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence. ^16:20And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. ^16:21And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art become odious with thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong. ^16:22So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. ^16:23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired of the word of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

^17:1And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me, I pray, choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David to-night; ^17:2and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only; ^17:3and I will bring back all the people to thee. The man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: all the people shall be in peace. ^17:4And the saying was right in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel. ^17:5And Absalom said, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and we will hear also what he says. ^17:6And Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom spoke to him saying, Ahithophel has spoken after this manner: shall we carry out his word? If not, speak thou. ^17:7And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good. ^17:8And Hushai said, Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are of exasperated spirit, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. ^17:9Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or some such place; and it will come to pass, when some of them fall at the first, whoever heareth it will say, There has been slaughter among the people that follow Absalom, ^17:10and even the valiant man whose heart is as the heart of a lion shall utterly melt; for all Israel knows that thy father is a mighty man, and they that are with him are valiant men. ^17:11But I counsel that all Israel be speedily gathered to thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. ^17:12And we shall come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. ^17:13And if he withdraw into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the torrent, until there be not one small stone found there. ^17:14And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. And Jehovah had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, in order that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom. ^17:15And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. ^17:16And now send quickly, and tell David saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him. ^17:17And Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; and the maid went and told them; and they went and told king David, for they might not be seen to come into the city. ^17:18But a lad saw them, and told Absalom. Then they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there. ^17:19And the woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn on it; and the thing was not known. ^17:20And Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. And they sought and could not find [them], and returned to Jerusalem. ^17:21And it came to pass after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you. ^17:22Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan; by the morning light there was not one of them missing that had not gone over the Jordan. ^17:23And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose and went to his house, to his city, and gave charge to his household, and hanged himself, and he died; and he was buried in the sepulchre of his father. ^17:24And David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ^17:25And Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Joab; which Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra the Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother. ^17:26And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. ^17:27And as soon as David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, ^17:28brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched [corn], and beans, and lentils, and parched [pulse], ^17:29and honey, and cream, and sheep, and cheese of kine to David, and to the people that were with him, to eat; for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.

^18:1And David marshalled the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. ^18:2And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. ^18:3But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth, for if we should in any case flee, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us; for *thou* art worth ten thousand of us; and now it is better that thou succour us out of the city. ^18:4And the king said to them, I will do what is good in your sight. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. ^18:5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, [Deal] gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. ^18:6And the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. ^18:7And the people of Israel were routed before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day: twenty thousand men. ^18:8And the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. ^18:9And Absalom found himself in the presence of David's servants. And Absalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of the great terebinth, and his head caught in the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. ^18:10And a man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth. ^18:11And Joab said to the man that told him, And behold, thou sawest [him], and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten silver pieces and a girdle. ^18:12And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand silver pieces in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care, whoever it be [of you], of the young man Absalom. ^18:13Or I should have acted falsely against mine own life, for there is no matter concealed from the king, and thou wouldest have set thyself against [me]. ^18:14Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into Absalom's body, while he was yet alive in the midst of the terebinth. ^18:15And ten young men that bore Joab's armour surrounded and smote Absalom, and killed him. ^18:16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab kept back the people. ^18:17And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and raised a very great heap of stones upon him. And all Israel fled every one to his tent. ^18:18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a monument, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the monument after his own name; and it is called unto this day, Absalom's memorial. ^18:19And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me run, I pray, and carry the king the news that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies. ^18:20And Joab said to him, Thou shalt not be a bearer of news to-day, but thou shalt carry the news another day; but to-day thou shalt carry no news, because the king's son is dead. ^18:21Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran. ^18:22And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, Come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why wilt thou run, my son, seeing that there is no news suited [to thee]? ^18:23But, come what may, let me run. And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outstripped the Cushite. ^18:24And David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate, on to the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running alone. ^18:25And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is news in his mouth. And he came on and drew near. ^18:26And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter and said, Behold a man running alone. And the king said, He also is a bearer of news. ^18:27And the watchman said, I see the running of the foremost like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man; and comes with good news. ^18:28And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, Peace! And he fell down to the earth on his face before the king, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who has delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. ^18:29And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw a great tumult when Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant; but I knew not what it was. ^18:30And the king said, Turn aside [and] stand here. And he turned aside and stood still. ^18:31And behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Let my lord the king receive good tidings, for Jehovah has avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. ^18:32And the king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite said, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee for evil, be as that young man. ^18:33And the king was much moved, and went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said thus: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died in thy stead, O Absalom, my son, my son!

^19:1And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom. ^19:2And the victory that day was [turned] into mourning for all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king is grieved for his son. ^19:3And the people stole away that day into the city, as people steal away when ashamed of fleeing in battle. ^19:4And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son! ^19:5And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast put to shame this day the faces of all thy servants who have this day saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives and the lives of thy concubines; ^19:6in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest those that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that neither princes nor servants are anything to thee: for to-day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died to-day, then it would have been right in thine eyes. ^19:7But now arise, go forth, and speak consolingly to thy servants; for I swear by Jehovah, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night; and that would be worse to thee than all the evil that has befallen thee from thy youth until now. ^19:8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent. ^19:9And all the people were at strife throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land because of Absalom. ^19:10And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle; and now why are ye silent as to bringing the king back? ^19:11And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, to his house. ^19:12Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh; and why will ye be the last to bring back the king? ^19:13And say to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually instead of Joab. ^19:14And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah as of one man; and they sent to the king, Return, thou and all thy servants. ^19:15And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan. ^19:16And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. ^19:17And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they forded the Jordan before the king. ^19:18And a ferry boat passed to and fro to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was [just] crossing over the Jordan. ^19:19And he said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart. ^19:20For thy servant knows that I have sinned; and behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. ^19:21And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed? ^19:22And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries to me? Should there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? ^19:23And the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore to him. ^19:24And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. Now he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came [again] in peace. ^19:25And as soon as Jerusalem came to meet the king, the king said to him, Why didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth? ^19:26And he said, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, I will saddle me the ass, and ride thereon, and go with the king; for thy servant is lame. ^19:27And he has slandered thy servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God; do therefore what is good in thy sight. ^19:28For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; and thou didst set thy servant among them that eat at thine own table. What further right therefore have I? and for what should I cry any more to the king? ^19:29And the king said to him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land. ^19:30And Mephibosheth said to the king, Let him even take all, since my lord the king is come again in peace to his own house. ^19:31And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan. ^19:32And Barzillai was very aged, eighty years old; and it was he that had maintained the king while he abode at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. ^19:33And the king said to Barzillai, Pass thou over with me, and I will maintain thee with me in Jerusalem. ^19:34And Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ^19:35I am this day eighty years old: can I discern between good and bad? can thy servant taste what I eat and what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? and why should thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king? ^19:36Thy servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king; and why should the king recompense it to me with this reward? ^19:37Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham: let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what seems good to thee. ^19:38And the king said, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which seems good to thee; and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee. ^19:39And all the people went over the Jordan; and the king went over; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place. ^19:40And the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. ^19:41And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over the Jordan? ^19:42And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to me; and why then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten anything which came from the king, or has he given us any present? ^19:43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, I have ten parts in the king and I have also more right in David than thou; and why didst thou slight me? and was not my advice the first, to bring back my king? And the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.

^20:1And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite; and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, Israel. ^20:2Then all the men of Israel went up from after David, following Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clave to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. ^20:3And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in a house of confinement and maintained them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood. ^20:4And the king said to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and do thou attend here. ^20:5So Amasa went to call together [the men of] Judah; but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. ^20:6And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities and escape our sight. ^20:7And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. ^20:8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded with his coat, his dress, and upon it was the girdle of the sword which was fastened on his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out. ^20:9And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. ^20:10And Amasa had taken no notice of the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him with it in the belly and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. ^20:11And one of Joab's young men stood by [Amasa] and said, He that favours Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab. ^20:12Now Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by stood still. ^20:13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri, ^20:14who went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maacah, and all the Berim; and they gathered together, and went also after him. ^20:15And they came and besieged him in Abel-Beth-Maacah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it was raised in the trench; and all the people that were with Joab sapped the wall, to throw it down. ^20:16And a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. ^20:17And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I [am he]. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening. ^20:18And she spoke saying, They were wont to speak in old time saying, Just inquire in Abel; and so they ended. ^20:19I am peaceable [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah? ^20:20And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. ^20:21The matter is not so; but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give up him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. ^20:22Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. ^20:23And Joab was over all the host of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites; ^20:24and Adoram was over the levy; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; ^20:25and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ^20:26and Ira also, the Jairite, was David's chief ruler.

^21:1And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul, and for [his] house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites. ^21:2And the king called the Gibeonites, and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remainder of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to smite them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.) ^21:3And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and with what shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah? ^21:4And the Gibeonites said to him, As to Saul and his house, it is with us no question of receiving silver or gold, neither is it for us to have any man put to death in Israel. And he said, What ye say will I do for you. ^21:5And they said to the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in all the borders of Israel, ^21:6let seven men of his sons be given up to us, and we will hang them up to Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give [them]. ^21:7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Jehovah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. ^21:8And the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she had borne to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of [the sister of] Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; ^21:9and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before Jehovah. And they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the first days of the harvest, in the beginning of barley harvest. ^21:10Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them out of the heavens, and suffered neither the fowl of the heavens to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night. ^21:11And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. ^21:12And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-Gilead, who had stolen them from the open place of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, the day the Philistines had smitten Saul in Gilboa; ^21:13and he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. ^21:14And they buried [them] with the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulchre of Kish his father; and they did all that the king had commanded. And afterwards God was propitious to the land. ^21:15And the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought with the Philistines. And David was exhausted. ^21:16And Ishbibenob, who was of the children of Raphah the weight of his lance was three hundred shekels of bronze, and he was girded with new [armour] thought to smite David. ^21:17And Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel. ^21:18And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines, at Gob; then Sibbechai the Hushathite smote Saph, who was of the children of Raphah. ^21:19And there was again a battle at Gob with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, smote Goliath the Gittite; now the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam. ^21:20And there was again a battle, at Gath; and there was a man [there] of great stature, that had on each hand six fingers, and on each foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to Raphah. ^21:21And he defied Israel; but Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother smote him. ^21:22These four were born to Raphah, in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

^22:1And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul. ^22:2And he said, Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; ^22:3God is my rock, in him will I trust My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge, My saviour: thou wilt save me from violence. ^22:4I will call upon Jehovah, who is to be praised; So shall I be saved from mine enemies. ^22:5For the waves of death encompassed me, Torrents of Belial made me afraid. ^22:6The bands of Sheol surrounded me; The cords of death encountered me; ^22:7In my distress I called upon Jehovah, And I cried to my God; And he heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry [came] into his ears. ^22:8Then the earth shook, and quaked; The foundations of the heavens trembled And shook because he was wroth. ^22:9There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals burned forth from it. ^22:10And he bowed the heavens, and came down; And darkness was under his feet. ^22:11And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; And he was seen upon the wings of the wind. ^22:12And he made darkness round about him a tent, Gatherings of waters, thick clouds of the skies. ^22:13From the brightness before him Burned forth coals of fire. ^22:14Jehovah thundered from the heavens, And the Most High uttered his voice. ^22:15And he sent arrows, and scattered [mine enemies]; Lightning, and discomfited them. ^22:16And the beds of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At the rebuke of Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils. ^22:17He reached forth from above, he took me, He drew me out of great waters; ^22:18He delivered me from my strong enemy, From them that hated me; For they were mightier than I. ^22:19They encountered me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay. ^22:20And he brought me forth into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me. ^22:21Jehovah hath rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. ^22:22For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not wickedly departed from my God. ^22:23For all his ordinances were before me, And his statutes, I did not depart from them, ^22:24And I was upright before him, And kept myself from mine iniquity. ^22:25And Jehovah hath recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his sight. ^22:26With the gracious thou dost shew thyself gracious; With the upright man thou dost shew thyself upright; ^22:27With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; And with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary. ^22:28And the afflicted people thou dost save; And thine eyes are upon the haughty, [whom] thou bringest down. ^22:29For thou art my lamp, Jehovah; And Jehovah enlighteneth my darkness. ^22:30For by thee I have run through a troop; By my God have I leaped over a wall. ^22:31As for God, his way is perfect; The word of Jehovah is tried: He is a shield to all that trust in him. ^22:32For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God? ^22:33God is my strong fortress, And he maketh my way perfectly smooth. ^22:34He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], And setteth me upon my high places. ^22:35He teacheth my hands to war, And mine arms bend a bow of brass. ^22:36And thou didst give me the shield of thy salvation, And thy condescending gentleness hath made me great. ^22:37Thou enlargedst my steps under me; And mine ankles did not slip. ^22:38I pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them, And I turned not again till they were consumed. ^22:39And I have consumed them and have crushed them, and they rose not again; Yea, they fell under my feet. ^22:40And thou girdedst me with strength to battle: Thou didst subdue under me those that rose up against me. ^22:41And mine enemies didst thou make to turn their backs unto me, And those that hated me I destroyed. ^22:42They looked, and there was none to save Unto Jehovah, and he answered them not. ^22:43And I did beat them small as the dust of the earth, I trod them as the mire of the streets; I stamped upon them. ^22:44And thou hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, Thou hast kept me to be head of the nations: A people I knew not doth serve me: ^22:45Strangers come cringing unto me: At the hearing of the ear, they obey me. ^22:46Strangers have faded away, And they come trembling forth from their close places. ^22:47Jehovah liveth; and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God, the rock of my salvation, ^22:48The God who hath avenged me, And hath brought the peoples under me. ^22:49He brought me forth from mine enemies: Yea, thou hast lifted me up above them that rose up against me; From the man of violence hast thou delivered me. ^22:50Therefore will I give thanks to thee, Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing psalms to thy name. ^22:51[It is he] who giveth great deliverances to his king, And sheweth loving-kindness to his anointed, To David, and to his seed for evermore.

^23:1Now these are the last words of David: David the son of Jesse saith, And the man who was raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel saith, ^23:2The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me, And his word was on my tongue. ^23:3The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, The ruler among men shall be just, Ruling in the fear of God; ^23:4And [he shall be] as the light or the morning, [like] the rising of the sun, A morning without clouds; [When] from the sunshine, after rain, The green grass springeth from the earth. ^23:5Although my house be not so before God, Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in every way and sure; For [this is] all my salvation, and every desire, Although he make [it] not to grow. ^23:6But [the sons] of Belial [are] all of them as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands; ^23:7And the man that will touch them provideth himself with iron and the staff of a spear; And they shall be utterly burned with fire in [their] place. ^23:8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Joseb-Bassebeth, Tachkemonite the chief of the captains: he was Adino the Eznite; he [fought] against eight hundred, slain [by him] at one time. ^23:9And after him, Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite: he was one of the three mighty men with David, when they had defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone up. ^23:10He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword; and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. ^23:11And after him, Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite: the Philistines were gathered into a troop, and there was there a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people had fled before the Philistines; ^23:12and he stood in the midst of the plot and delivered it, and smote the Philistines, and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance. ^23:13And three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, when the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ^23:14And David was then in the stronghold; and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem. ^23:15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate! ^23:16And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; however he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah. ^23:17And he said, Be it far from me, Jehovah, that I should do this thing! is it not the blood of the men that went at the risk of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men. ^23:18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the chief of three; and he brandished his spear against three hundred and slew them; and he had a name among the three. ^23:19Was he not most honourable of three? and he was their captain; but he did not attain to the [first] three. ^23:20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man, great in exploits, of Kabzeel: he it was that smote two lions of Moab; and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. ^23:21He also smote the Egyptian, an imposing man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. ^23:22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he had a name among the three mighty men. ^23:23He was honoured above the thirty, but he did not attain to the [first] three. And David set him in his council. ^23:24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ^23:25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, ^23:26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ^23:27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, ^23:28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, ^23:29Heleb the son of Baanah, the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, ^23:30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, ^23:31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, ^23:32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, ^23:33Shammah the Ararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, ^23:34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, ^23:35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, ^23:36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, ^23:37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armour-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, ^23:38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ^23:39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

^24:1And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. ^24:2And the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go, I pray thee, through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people. ^24:3And Joab said to the king, May Jehovah thy God even add to the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see [it]; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing? ^24:4But the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. And Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel. ^24:5And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward Jaazer. ^24:6And they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and came to Dan-jaan, and to the environs of Sidon; ^24:7and they came to the fortified city of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites; and went out to the south of Judah, to Beer-sheba. ^24:8And they went through all the land, and came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. ^24:9And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king; and there were of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. ^24:10And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in what I have done; and now, I beseech thee, Jehovah, put away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. ^24:11And when David arose in the morning, the word of Jehovah came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, ^24:12Go and say to David, Thus saith Jehovah: I impose on thee three [things]; choose one of them that I may do it unto thee. ^24:13And Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine adversaries while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now be aware and consider what word I shall bring again to him that sent me. ^24:14And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Jehovah; for his mercies are great; but let me not fall into the hand of man. ^24:15And Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the set time; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. ^24:16And the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it; but Jehovah repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed among the people, It is enough: withdraw now thine hand. And the angel of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. ^24:17And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the angel that smote among the people, and said, Behold, it is I that have sinned, and it is I that have committed iniquity; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be on me, and on my father's house! ^24:18And Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. ^24:19And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as Jehovah had commanded. ^24:20And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on towards him; and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. ^24:21And Araunah said, Why is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar to Jehovah, that the plague may be stayed from the people. ^24:22And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up that which is good in his sight: see, [here are] oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing-sledges and implements of the oxen for wood. ^24:23All these things, O king, doth Araunah give to the king. And Araunah said to the king, Jehovah thy God accept thee. ^24:24And the king said to Araunah, No; but I will in any case buy [them] of thee at a price: neither will I offer up to Jehovah my God burnt-offerings without cost. And David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. ^24:25And David built there an altar to Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. And Jehovah was propitious to the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

1 Kings

^1:1And king David was old [and] advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he obtained no warmth. ^1:2And his servants said to him, Let there be found for my lord the king a young virgin; and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get warm. ^1:3And they sought for a fair damsel throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ^1:4And the damsel was very fair; and cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not. ^1:5And Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king; and he provided himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. ^1:6And his father had not grieved him at any time in saying, Why doest thou so? and he was also a very comely man; and [his mother] bore him after Absalom. ^1:7And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest; and they helped Adonijah and followed [him]. ^1:8But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men whom David had, were not with Adonijah. ^1:9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatted cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and invited all his brethren, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants; ^1:10but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he did not invite. ^1:11And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith is king, and David our lord does not know [it]? ^1:12And now, come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. ^1:13Go and get thee in to king David, and say to him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear to thy handmaid saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then does Adonijah reign? ^1:14Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee and confirm thy words. ^1:15And Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to the king. ^1:16And Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? ^1:17And she said to him, My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid, [saying,] Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. ^1:18And now behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not. ^1:19And he has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant has he not invited. ^1:20And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ^1:21Otherwise it shall come to pass when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders. ^1:22And behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. ^1:23And they told the king saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. ^1:24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? ^1:25For he is gone down this day, and has sacrificed oxen and fatted cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah! ^1:26But me, [even] me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, he has not invited. ^1:27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewn to thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? ^1:28Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. ^1:29And the king swore, and said, [As] Jehovah liveth, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, ^1:30even as I swore to thee by Jehovah the God of Israel, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. ^1:31And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever. ^1:32And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. ^1:33And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon; ^1:34and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, Long live king Solomon! ^1:35And ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit on my throne; for he shall reign in my stead, and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. ^1:36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen: Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, say so too. ^1:37As Jehovah has been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David. ^1:38And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. ^1:39And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon! ^1:40And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. ^1:41And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard [it] as they were finishing their repast; and Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, and he said, Wherefore this noise of the city in an uproar? ^1:42While he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said [to him], Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good news. ^1:43And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Indeed, our lord king David has made Solomon king. ^1:44And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule; ^1:45and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise which ye have heard. ^1:46And also Solomon is sitting on the throne of the kingdom. ^1:47And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon more excellent than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne! And the king bowed himself on the bed. ^1:48And also thus said the king: Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it. ^1:49And all Adonijah's guests were afraid, and rose up and went every man his way. ^1:50And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose and went and caught hold of the horns of the altar. ^1:51And it was told Solomon saying, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for behold, he has caught hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put his servant to death with the sword. ^1:52And Solomon said, If he be a worthy man, there shall not one of his hairs fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die. ^1:53And king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to thy house.

^2:1And the days of David were at hand that he should die; and he enjoined Solomon his son saying, ^2:2I go the way of all the earth: be of good courage therefore, and be a man; ^2:3and keep the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; ^2:4that Jehovah may confirm his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If thy sons take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee, said he, a man upon the throne of Israel. ^2:5And thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and upon his sandals that were on his feet. ^2:6And thou shalt do according to thy wisdom, and not let his hoar head go down to Sheol in peace. ^2:7But shew kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table; for so they came up to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother. ^2:8And behold, there is with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day that I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Jehovah saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. ^2:9And now hold him not guiltless; for thou art a wise man, and thou shalt know what thou oughtest to do to him; but bring his hoar head down to Sheol with blood. ^2:10And David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. ^2:11And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ^2:12And Solomon sat on the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly. ^2:13And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. ^2:14And he said, I have something to say to thee. And she said, Speak. ^2:15And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their faces on me that I should reign; but the kingdom is turned about and is become my brother's, for it was his from Jehovah. ^2:16And now I ask one petition of thee; refuse me not. And she said to him, Speak. ^2:17And he said, Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king for he will not refuse thee that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife. ^2:18And Bathsheba said, Well, I will speak for thee to the king. ^2:19And Bathsheba went to king Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne; and he caused a throne to be set for the king's mother, and she sat on his right hand. ^2:20Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; refuse me not. And the king said to her, Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse thee. ^2:21And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother as wife. ^2:22And king Solomon answered and said to his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. ^2:23And king Solomon swore by Jehovah saying, God do so to me, and more also, Adonijah has spoken this word against his own life! ^2:24And now [as] Jehovah liveth, who has established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day. ^2:25And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who fell on him, that he died. ^2:26And the king said to Abiathar the priest, Go to Anathoth, to thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death; but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of Adonai Jehovah before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. ^2:27And Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to fulfil the word of Jehovah, which he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. ^2:28And the report came to Joab (for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he had not turned after Absalom); and Joab fled to the tent of Jehovah, and caught hold of the horns of the altar. ^2:29And it was told king Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of Jehovah; and behold, he is by the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall on him. ^2:30And Benaiah came to the tent of Jehovah and said to him, Thus saith the king: Come forth. And he said, No; for I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. ^2:31And the king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall upon him, and bury him; and take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me and from the house of my father. ^2:32And Jehovah shall requite the blood which he shed upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, without my father David's knowledge: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah. ^2:33And their blood shall be requited upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever; but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from Jehovah. ^2:34And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell upon him, and put him to death; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. ^2:35And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his stead over the host; and Zadok the priest the king put in the stead of Abiathar. ^2:36And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and abide there, and go not forth thence anywhere. ^2:37And it shall be that on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the torrent of Kidron, know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head. ^2:38And Shimei said to the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king has said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. ^2:39And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two servants of Shimei's ran away to Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei saying, Behold, thy servants are in Gath. ^2:40Then Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath. ^2:41And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again. ^2:42And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Did I not make thee swear by Jehovah, and protest to thee, saying, Know for certain, that on the day thou goest forth, and walkest abroad anywhere, thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst to me, The word that I have heard is good. ^2:43Why then hast thou not kept the oath of Jehovah, and the commandment that I charged thee with? ^2:44And the king said to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness of which thy heart is conscious, which thou didst to David my father; and Jehovah returns thy wickedness upon thine own head; ^2:45and king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Jehovah for ever. ^2:46And the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who went out and fell upon him, and he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

^3:1And Solomon allied himself by marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had ended building his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. ^3:2Only, the people sacrificed on the high places; for there was no house built to the name of Jehovah, until those days. ^3:3And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father; only, he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. ^3:4And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer up upon that altar. ^3:5In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. ^3:6And Solomon said, Thou hast shewn unto thy servant David my father great loving-kindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great loving-kindness, that thou hast given him a son who sits upon his throne, as it is this day. ^3:7And now, Jehovah my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child: I know not to go out and to come in. ^3:8And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. ^3:9Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy numerous people? ^3:10And the word pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. ^3:11And God said to him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself discernment to understand judgment; ^3:12behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there hath been none like unto thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. ^3:13And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and glory; so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. ^3:14And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will prolong thy days. ^3:15And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. ^3:16Then came two women, harlots, to the king, and stood before him. ^3:17And the first woman said, Ah, my lord! I and this woman abode in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. ^3:18And it came to pass the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also; and we were together; no stranger was with us in the house, only we two were in the house. ^3:19And this woman's child died in the night; because she had lain upon it. ^3:20And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom. ^3:21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; and I considered it in the morning, and behold, it was not my son, whom I bore. ^3:22And the other woman said, No, for the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this one said, No, but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king. ^3:23Then said the king, The one says, This that is living is my son, and thy son is the dead; and the other says, No, for thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. ^3:24And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. ^3:25And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. ^3:26Then spoke the woman whose was the living child to the king, for her bowels yearned over her son, and she said, Ah, my lord! give her the living child, and in no wise put it to death. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine; divide it. ^3:27And the king answered and said, Give this one the living child, and in no wise put it to death: she is its mother. ^3:28And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.

^4:1And king Solomon was king over all Israel. ^4:2And these are the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok was priest; ^4:3Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, chronicler; ^4:4and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ^4:5and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the superintendents; and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, the king's friend; ^4:6and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the levy-service. ^4:7And Solomon had twelve superintendents over all Israel; and they provided food for the king and his household: each man his month in the year had to make provision. ^4:8And these are their names: Ben-Hur, in mount Ephraim. ^4:9Ben-Deker in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-Beth-hanan. ^4:10Ben-Hesed, in Arubboth; he had Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher. ^4:11Ben-Abinadab had all the upland of Dor; Taphath the daughter of Solomon was his wife. ^4:12Baana the son of Ahilud had Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zaretan beneath Jizreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-Meholah, as far as beyond Jokneam. ^4:13Ben-Geber, in Ramoth-Gilead; he had the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bars of bronze. ^4:14Ahinadab the son of Iddo, at Mahanaim. ^4:15Ahimaaz, in Nephtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon as wife. ^4:16Baanah the son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth. ^4:17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar. ^4:18Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin. ^4:19Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon the king of the Amorites, and of Og the king of Bashan; and [he was] the only superintendent that was in the land. ^4:20Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry. ^4:21And Solomon ruled over all kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. ^4:22And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal, ^4:23ten fatted oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl. ^4:24For he had dominion over all on this side the river, from Tiphsah as far as Gazah, over all the kings on this side the river; and he had peace on all sides round about. ^4:25And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon. ^4:26And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. ^4:27And those officers provided food for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they let nothing be wanting. ^4:28And the barley, and the straw for the horses and coursers, they brought to the place where [the superintendents] were, every man according to his charge. ^4:29And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. ^4:30And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. ^4:31For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the nations round about. ^4:32And he spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five. ^4:33And he spoke of the trees, from the cedar-tree that is on Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of cattle, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes. ^4:34And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

^5:1And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram always loved David. ^5:2And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, ^5:3Thou knowest that David my father could not build a house unto the name of Jehovah his God, because of the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet. ^5:4But now Jehovah my God has given me rest on every side: there is neither adversary nor evil event. ^5:5And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to David my father saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy stead, he shall build a house unto my name. ^5:6And now command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say; for thou knowest that there is not among us any that are experienced in cutting timber like to the Zidonians. ^5:7And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people. ^5:8And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the things which thou sentest to me for: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress. ^5:9My servants shall bring [them] down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will convey them by sea [in] rafts to the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them. And thou shalt accomplish my desire in giving food for my household. ^5:10So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees and cypress-trees [according to] all his desire. ^5:11And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food for his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. ^5:12And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league. ^5:13And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. ^5:14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy. ^5:15And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand stone-masons in the mountains; ^5:16besides the overseers whom Solomon had set over the work, three thousand three hundred, who ruled over the people that wrought in the work. ^5:17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house. ^5:18And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Giblites hewed them, and prepared timber and stones to build the house.

^6:1And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Jehovah. ^6:2And the house that king Solomon built for Jehovah was sixty cubits in length, and twenty in breadth, and thirty cubits in height. ^6:3And the porch, in front of the temple of the house, was twenty cubits in length, in front of the house broadways, [and] ten cubits was its breadth, in front of the house. ^6:4And for the house he made closed windows with fixed lattices. ^6:5And against the wall of the house he built floors round about, [against] the walls of the house, round about the temple and the oracle; and he made side-chambers round about. ^6:6The lowest floor was five cubits broad, and the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for in the [thickness of the wall of] the house he made resets round about outside, that nothing should be fastened in the walls of the house. ^6:7And the house, when it was being built, was built of stone entirely made ready before it was brought thither; so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was being built. ^6:8The entrance to the side-chambers of the middle [floor] was in the right side of the house; and they went up by winding stairs into the middle [floor], and out of the middle into the third. ^6:9And he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar. ^6:10And he built the floors against all the house, five cubits high; and they held to the house by the timbers of cedar. ^6:11And the word of Jehovah came to Solomon saying, ^6:12As to this house which thou art building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and practise mine ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them, then will I perform my word as to thee which I spoke unto David thy father; ^6:13and I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. ^6:14And Solomon built the house and finished it. ^6:15And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house to the walls of the roof; he overlaid [them] on the inside with wood, and overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress. ^6:16And he built twenty cubits of the innermost part of the house, both floor and walls, with boards of cedar; and he built [them] for it within, to [be] the oracle, the most holy place. ^6:17And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits [long]. ^6:18And the cedar of the house within was carved with colocynths and half-open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen. ^6:19And he prepared the oracle in the midst of the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah. ^6:20And the oracle within was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof; and he overlaid it with pure gold; and he overlaid the cedar-wood altar ^6:21and Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold, and shut off the oracle in front with chains of gold, and overlaid it with gold. ^6:22And the whole house he overlaid with gold, the whole house entirely; also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold. ^6:23And he made in the oracle two cherubim of olive-wood, ten cubits high; ^6:24and one wing of the cherub was five cubits, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub, ten cubits from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing; ^6:25and the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one form. ^6:26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so of the other cherub. ^6:27And he set the cherubim in the midst of the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, so that the wing of the one touched the wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched, wing to wing, in the midst of the house. ^6:28And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. ^6:29And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved sculptures of cherubim, and palm-trees, and half-open flowers, within and without. ^6:30And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without. ^6:31And for the entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive-wood: the lintel [and] side posts were the fifth part [of the breadth of the house]. ^6:32The two doors were of olive-wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, and palm-trees and half-open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm-trees. ^6:33And he also made for the doorway of the temple posts of olive-wood, of the fourth part [of the breadth of the house]. ^6:34And the two folding-doors were of cypress-wood: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. ^6:35And he carved on them cherubim, and palm-trees, and half-open flowers; and overlaid them with gold fitted on the carved work. ^6:36And he built the inner court of three rows of hewn stone, and a row of cedar-beams. ^6:37In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of Jehovah laid, in the month Zif; ^6:38and in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished in all its parts, and according to all the fashion of it. So he was seven years in building it.

^7:1And Solomon was thirteen years building his own house; and he finished all his house. ^7:2And he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; its length was a hundred cubits, and its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar-pillars, with cedar-beams upon the pillars; ^7:3and it was covered with cedar above upon the side-chambers, which were on forty-five pillars, fifteen in a row. ^7:4And there were cross-beams in three rows, and window was against window in three ranks. ^7:5And all the doors and posts were square, with an architrave; and window was against window in three ranks. ^7:6And he made the porch of pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits; and there was a porch in front of them; and there were pillars, and steps in front of them. ^7:7And he made the porch for the throne where he judged, the porch of judgment; and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor. ^7:8And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. And he made, like to this porch, a house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom Solomon had taken. ^7:9All these [buildings] were of costly stones, hewn stones, according to the measures, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation to the coping, and on the outside as far as the great court. ^7:10And the foundations were of costly stones, great stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits. ^7:11And above were costly stones, hewn stones, according to the measures, and cedar. ^7:12And the great court round about had three rows of hewn stones, and a row of cedar-beams; and so it was for the inner court of the house of Jehovah, and the porch of the house. ^7:13And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. ^7:14He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was full of wisdom and understanding and knowledge, to do all kinds of works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and made all his work. ^7:15And he formed the two pillars of brass; the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a line of twelve cubits encompassed the second pillar. ^7:16And he made two capitals of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits; ^7:17[and] nets of checker-work, wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital. ^7:18And he made pomegranates, namely two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars; and so he did for the other capital. ^7:19And the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily-work [as] in the porch, four cubits. ^7:20And the capitals upon the two pillars, above also, close to the enlargement which was behind the network, had two hundred pomegranates in rows round about, [also] on the other capital. ^7:21And he set up the pillars for the porch of the temple; and he set up the right pillar, and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called its name Boaz. ^7:22And upon the top of the pillars was lily-work; and the work of the pillars was finished. ^7:23And he made the sea, molten, ten cubits from brim to brim, round all about; and its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it round about. ^7:24And under the brim of it round about there were colocynths, encompassing it, ten in a cubit enclosing the sea round about; two rows of colocynths, cast when it was cast. ^7:25It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. ^7:26And its thickness was a hand-breadth, and its brim was like the work of the brim of a cup, with lily-blossoms; it held two thousand baths. ^7:27And he made ten bases of brass: four cubits was the length of one base, and the breadth four cubits, and the height three cubits. ^7:28And the work of the bases was this: they had panels, and the panels were between the fillets. ^7:29And on the panels that were between the fillets were lions, oxen and cherubim; and over the fillets there was a base above; and beneath the lions and oxen were garlands of festoon-work. ^7:30And every base had four wheels of brass, and axles of brass; and on its four corners were shoulder-pieces: under the laver were shoulder-pieces molten, behind every garland. ^7:31And the mouth of it within the crown and above was a cubit; and its mouth was rounded, [as] the work of the base, a cubit and a half; and also upon its mouth was sculpture; but their panels were square, not round. ^7:32And the four wheels were under the panels; and the supports of the wheels were in the base; and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. ^7:33And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their supports, and their rims, and their spokes and their naves were all molten. ^7:34And there were four shoulder-pieces to the four corners of one base; of the base itself were its shoulder-pieces. ^7:35And in the top of the base there was a circular elevation of half a cubit round about; and on the top of the base its stays and its panels were of the same. ^7:36And he engraved on the plates of its stays and on its panels cherubim, lions and palm-trees, according to the space upon each; and garlands were round about. ^7:37After this [manner] he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, one form. ^7:38And he made ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths; every laver was four cubits; upon every one of the ten bases one laver. ^7:39And he put the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house; and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, over against the south. ^7:40And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the bowls. So Hiram ended doing all the work that he made for king Solomon [for] the house of Jehovah: ^7:41two pillars, and the globes of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars, two; and the two networks, to cover the two globes of the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; ^7:42and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two globes of the capitals which were upon the pillars; ^7:43and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases; ^7:44and one sea, and the twelve oxen under the sea; ^7:45and the pots, and the shovels, and the bowls. And all these things, which Hiram made king Solomon for the house of Jehovah, were of bright brass. ^7:46In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay-ground between Succoth and Zaretan. ^7:47And Solomon left all the vessels [unweighed] from their exceeding number; the weight of the brass was not ascertained. ^7:48And Solomon made all the vessels that were [in] the house of Jehovah: the golden altar; and the table of gold, whereon was the shewbread; ^7:49and the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right, and five on the left, before the oracle; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, ^7:50and the basons, and the knives, and the bowls, and the cups, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, for the folding-doors of the inner house, the most holy place, [and] for the doors of the house, of the temple. ^7:51And all the work was finished that king Solomon made for the house of Jehovah. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated; the silver and the gold and the vessels he put among the treasures of the house of Jehovah.