Day 20 of 90

¹Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.

²The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

³The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.

⁴Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me!" But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.

⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.

⁶So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together.

⁷When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.

⁸It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

⁹They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people.

¹⁰They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

¹¹When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,

¹²all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

¹³They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

¹It happened after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag;

²it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and showed respect.

³David said to him, "Where do you come from?" He said to him, "I have escaped out of the camp of Israel."

⁴David said to him, "How did it go? Please tell me." He answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."

⁵David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"

⁶The young man who told him said, "As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.

⁷When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, 'Here I am.'

⁸He said to me, 'Who are you?' I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'

⁹He said to me, 'Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.'

¹⁰So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord."

¹¹Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men who were with him.

¹²They mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

¹³David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite."

¹⁴David said to him, "How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?"

¹⁵David called one of the young men, and said, "Go near, and fall on him." He struck him, so that he died.

¹⁶David said to him, "Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have slain the Lord's anointed.'"

¹⁷David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son

¹⁸(and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

¹⁹"Your glory, Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!

²⁰Do not tell it in Gath. Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

²¹You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.

²²From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan's bow did not turn back. Saul's sword did not return empty.

²³Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.

²⁴You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet delicately, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

²⁵How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain on your high places.

²⁶I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

²⁷How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"

¹It happened after this, that David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?" The Lord said to him, "Go up." David said, "Where shall I go up?" He said, "To Hebron."

²So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

³David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.

⁴The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, saying, "The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul."

⁵David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, "Blessed are you by the Lord, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.

⁶Now may the Lord show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.

⁷Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them."

⁸Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

⁹and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

¹⁰Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

¹¹The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

¹²Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

¹³Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

¹⁴Abner said to Joab, "Please let the young men arise and play before us!" Joab said, "Let them arise!"

¹⁵Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

¹⁶They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: therefore that place was called Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

¹⁷The battle was very severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

¹⁸The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.

¹⁹Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he did not turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

²⁰Then Abner looked behind him, and said, "Is it you, Asahel?" He answered, "It is I."

²¹Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor." But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

²²Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?"

²³However he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. It happened, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

²⁴But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

²⁵The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.

²⁶Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?"

²⁷Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother."

²⁸So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

²⁹Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

³⁰Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.

³¹But the servants of David had struck of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred sixty men died.

³²They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.

¹Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

²To David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

³and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

⁴and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

⁵and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

⁶It happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.

⁷Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"

⁸Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman!

⁹God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the Lord has sworn to David, I do not do even so to him;

¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba."

¹¹He could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

¹²Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."

¹³He said, "Good; I will make a treaty with you; but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

¹⁴David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

¹⁵Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.

¹⁶Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go! Return!" and he returned.

¹⁷Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.

¹⁸Now then do it; for the Lord has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"

¹⁹Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.

²⁰So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

²¹Abner said to David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires." David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

²²Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

²³When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

²⁴Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?

²⁵You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do."

²⁶When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.

²⁷When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁸Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

²⁹Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."

³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

³¹David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier.

³²They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

³³The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?

³⁴Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell." All the people wept again over him.

³⁵All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."

³⁶All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people.

³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

³⁸The king said to his servants, "Do you not know that there a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

³⁹I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the Lord reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."

¹When Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

²Saul's son had two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:

³and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until this day).

⁴Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

⁵The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon.

⁶They came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

⁷Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.

⁸They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, "Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed."

⁹David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, "As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

¹⁰when someone told me, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

¹¹How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?"

¹²David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

¹Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, "Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

²In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. The Lord said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'"

³So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel.

⁴David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

⁵In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

⁶The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, "Unless you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here"; thinking, "David can't come in here."

⁷Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David.

⁸David said on that day, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul." Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame can't come into the house."

⁹David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. David built around from Millo and inward.

¹⁰David grew greater and greater; for the Lord, the God of Hosts, was with him.

¹¹Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house.

¹²David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.

¹³David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

¹⁴These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

¹⁵and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

¹⁶and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet.

¹⁷When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.

¹⁸Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

¹⁹David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The Lord said to David, "Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand."

²⁰David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, "The Lord has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

²¹They left their images there; and David and his men took them away.

²²The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

²³When David inquired of the Lord, he said, "You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them over against the mulberry trees.

²⁴It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall stir yourself up; for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."

²⁵David did so, as the Lord commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.

¹David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

²David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of the Lord of hosts who sits above the cherubim.

³They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

⁴They brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

⁵David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with castanets, and with cymbals.

⁶When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled.

⁷The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

⁸David was displeased, because the Lord had broken forth on Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah, to this day.

⁹David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, "How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?"

¹⁰So David would not move the ark of the Lord to be with him in the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

¹¹The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house.

¹²It was told king David, saying, "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God." David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy.

¹³It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

¹⁴David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.

¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

¹⁶It was so, as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷They brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

¹⁸When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

¹⁹He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house.

²⁰Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"

²¹David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore will I celebrate before the Lord.

²²I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me."

²³Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

¹It happened, when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around,

²that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains."

³Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for the Lord is with you."

⁴It happened the same night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,

⁵"Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord, "Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in?

⁶For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle.

⁷In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"'

⁸Now therefore you shall tell my servant David this, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Israel.

⁹I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

¹⁰I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,

¹¹and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord tells you that the Lord will make you a house.

¹²When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹³He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;

¹⁵but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

¹⁶Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever."'"

¹⁷According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁸Then David the king went in, and sat before the Lord; and he said, "Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

¹⁹This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord God; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this after the way of men, Lord God!

²⁰What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Lord God.

²¹For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it.

²²Therefore you are great, Lord God. For there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make himself a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to yourself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

²⁴You established for yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Lord, became their God.

²⁵Now, Lord God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken.

²⁶Let your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you.'

²⁷For you, the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.

²⁸"Now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁹Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord God, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing."

¹After this it happened that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.

²He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

³David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

⁴David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.

⁵When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

⁶Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

⁷David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

⁸From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took a very great amount of brass.

⁹When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,

¹⁰then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

¹¹King David also dedicated these to the Lord, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;

¹²of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³David earned a reputation when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.

¹⁴He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁵David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness to all his people.

¹⁶Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

¹⁷and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Seraiah was scribe;

¹⁸and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers.

¹David said, "Is there yet any who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

²There was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" He said, "Your servant is he."

³The king said, "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet."

⁴The king said to him, "Where is he?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar."

⁵Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.

⁶Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, "Mephibosheth." He answered, "Behold, your servant!"

⁷David said to him, "Do not be afraid of him; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You shall eat bread at my table continually."

⁸He bowed down, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?"

⁹Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master's son.

¹⁰You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread always at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

¹¹Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your shall servant do." So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table, like one of the king's sons.

¹²Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

¹³So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king's table. He was lame in both his feet.

¹It happened after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.

²David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

³But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn't David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?"

⁴So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵When they told it to David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, "Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

⁶When the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

⁷When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

⁸The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

⁹Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

¹⁰The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.

¹¹He said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

¹²Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and the Lord do that which seems good to him."

¹³So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

¹⁴When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

¹⁶Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

¹⁷It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

¹⁸The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians seven hundred charioteers, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there.

¹⁹When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

¹It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.

²It happened at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on.

³David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"

⁴David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

⁵The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."

⁶David sent to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." Joab sent Uriah to David.

⁷When Uriah had come to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

⁸David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." Uriah departed out of the king's house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

⁹But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

¹⁰When they had told David, saying, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Haven't you come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"

¹¹Uriah said to David, "The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!"

¹²David said to Uriah, "Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the next day.

¹³When David had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house.

¹⁴It happened in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

¹⁵He wrote in the letter, saying, "Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die."

¹⁶It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

¹⁷The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

¹⁸Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

¹⁹and he commanded the messenger, saying, "When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

²⁰it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he asks you, 'Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall,

²¹who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did a woman not cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?' Then you shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"

²²So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

²³The messenger said to David, "The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.

²⁴The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."

²⁵Then David said to the messenger, "Thus you shall tell Joab, 'Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.' Encourage him."

²⁶When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

²⁷When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

¹The Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

²The rich man had very many flocks and herds,

³but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.

⁴A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him."

⁵David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die!

⁶He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!"

⁷Nathan said to David, "You are the man. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

⁸I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.

⁹Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

¹⁰Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

¹¹"This is what the Lord says: 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

¹²For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'"

¹³David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin. You will not die.

¹⁴However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the Lord's enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."

¹⁵Nathan departed to his house. The Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.

¹⁶David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.

¹⁷The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

¹⁸It happened on the seventh day, that the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?"

¹⁹But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead."

²⁰Then David arose from the ground, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of the Lord, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.

²¹Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread."

²²He said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether the Lord will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?'

²³But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."

²⁴David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The Lord loved him;

²⁵and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him Jedidiah, for the Lord's sake.

²⁶Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

²⁷Joab sent messengers to David, and said, "I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.

²⁸Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name."

²⁹David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

³⁰He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David's head. He brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount.

³¹He brought out the people who were therein, and put them under saws, and under iron picks, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

¹It happened after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

²Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

³But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.

⁴He said to him, "Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won't you tell me?" Amnon said to him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

⁵Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.'"

⁶So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand."

⁷Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him."

⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. She took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

⁹She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have all men leave me." Every man went out from him.

¹⁰Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

¹¹When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister!"

¹²She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do this folly.

¹³I, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you."

¹⁴However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.

¹⁵Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Arise, be gone!"

¹⁶She said to him, "Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!" But he would not listen to her.

¹⁷Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, "Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her."

¹⁸She had a garment of various colors on her; for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

¹⁹Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

²⁰Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart." So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

²¹But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

²²Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

²³It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

²⁴Absalom came to the king, and said, "See now, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant."

²⁵The king said to Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you." He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.

²⁶Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

²⁷But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

²⁸Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "Mark now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid. Haven't I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant!"

²⁹The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up on his mule, and fled.

³⁰It happened, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, "Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left!"

³¹Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

³²Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered, "Do not let my lord suppose that they have killed 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 forced his sister Tamar.

³³Now therefore do not let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead."

³⁴But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him.

³⁵Jonadab said to the king, "Behold, the king's sons are coming! It is as your servant said."

³⁶It happened, as soon as he had finished speaking, that behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly.

³⁷But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.

³⁸So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

³⁹King David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.