DASV:  2 Samuel

                                                DASV:  2 Samuel 1

¹ After the death of Saul, when David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites,  he stayed two days in Ziklag.

² On the third day, a man arrived from the camp of Saul, with his clothes torn, and dirt on his head.  When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid him homage.

³ David asked him, "Where did you come from?" He replied, "I escaped from the camp of Israel."

⁴ David asked, "Tell me, how did it go?"  He answered, "The people fled from the battle.  Many of the them have fallen and are dead.  Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead."

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

⁶ The young man bringing him word said, "By chance, I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, Saul was leaning on his spear.  The chariots and the horsemen closed in on him.

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

⁸ Then he asked me, 'Who are you?'  I responded, 'I am an Amalekite.'

⁹ He said to me, 'Come over here and finish me off, for I am convulsing yet I am still alive.'

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

¹¹ Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.

¹² They mourned, wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD’s people and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

¹³ Then David said to the young man reporting to him, "Where are you from?" He replied, "I am the son of a resident foreigner, an Amalekite."

¹⁴ David confronted him, "Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?"

¹⁵ David called one of the young soldiers, "Come here and strike him down." So he struck him and he died.

¹⁶ David had said to him, "Your blood be on your own head.  Your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD’s anointed.'"

¹⁷ David composed this eulogy for Saul and his son Jonathan.

¹⁸ He ordered them to teach the children of Judah this “Song of the Bow”; it is written in the book of Jashar.

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

²⁰ Tell it not in Gath,
          don’t announce it in the streets of Ashkelon,
    or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
           the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.

²¹ You mountains of Gilboa,
           let there be no dew or rain on you,
               or fields of offerings:
        For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
              the shield of Saul, no more anointed with olive oil.

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

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

²⁴ Weep you daughters of Israel over Saul,
          who clothed you in scarlet luxury,
              who adorned your clothes with gold jewelry.

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

²⁶ I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan,
            how very dear you were to me.
    Your love to me was wonderful,
             surpassing the love of women.

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

                                         DASV:  2 Samuel 2

¹ After this, David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Should I go up into any of the towns of Judah?" The LORD said to him, "Go up."  David asked, "Where should I go?" He answered, "To Hebron."

² So David moved there, with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

³ David also brought up his men who were with him, each man along with his family and they settled in the towns of Hebron.

⁴ The men of Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah there. They told David, "The people of Jabesh-gilead were the ones who buried Saul."

⁵ David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead, and told them, "May the LORD bless you, because you have showed this kindness to your lord Saul by burying him.

⁶ May the LORD now show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I also will reward you  because you have done this.

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

⁸ Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

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

¹⁰ Ish-bosheth, 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.

¹¹ Now David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah for seven years and six months.

¹² Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, left Mahanaim for Gibeon.

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

¹⁴ Then Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men get up and grapple before us." Joab said, "Let them get up."

¹⁵ So they got up and crossed over counting off, twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.

¹⁶ Then they grappled, each one with his opponent grabbing them by the head, and stabbing his sword in his opponent's side.  So they fell down dead together.  That is why that place was called Helkath-hazzurim [field of swords], at Gibeon.

¹⁷ The battle was fierce that day.  Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by David's soldiers.

¹⁸ The three sons of Zeruiah were there:  Joab, Abishai and Asahel.  Asahel was as swift-footed as a gazelle.

¹⁹ Asahel chased Abner down, not turning to the right hand or to the left as he pursued him.

²⁰ Abner looked behind him and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" He answered, "Yes, it is I."

²¹ Then Abner told him, "Turn aside to your right or left, and grab hold of one of the young soldiers, and take his weapons." But Asahel would not turn aside from pursuing him.

²² Abner told Asahel again, "Stop chasing me.  Why should I strike you to the ground? How then would I ever show my face to your brother Joab?"

²³ But Asahel refused to stop his pursuit.  So Abner took the butt end of his spear struck him in the stomach, and the spear came out his back.  He fell down there and died in that very spot.  Everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died stood still in respect.

²⁴ But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner.  The sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.

²⁵ The children of Benjamin rallied behind Abner, regrouped into a single company and stood on the top of a hill.

²⁶ Then Abner called to Joab and asked, "Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that it will end in bitterness? How long will it be until you order your people to stop chasing their brothers?"

²⁷ Then Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the people would have pursued their brothers until morning."

²⁸ So Joab blew the trumpet and all the people stopped their pursuit of Israel.  They did not fight any longer.

²⁹ Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they crossed over the Jordan River, marching all morning and arrived at Mahanaim.

³⁰ Joab returned from chasing Abner. When he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David's soldiers were missing besides Asahel.

³¹ But the soldiers of David had killed 360 from Benjamin and Abner's men.

³² They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb that was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night, and reached Hebron at daybreak.

                                               DASV:  2 Samuel 3

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

² Sons were born to David in Hebron.  His firstborn was Amnon who was born to Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.

³ His second, Chileab was born to Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.  The third was Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

⁴ The fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital.

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

⁶ While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.

⁷ Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah.  Ish-bosheth complained to Abner, "Why have you slept with my father's concubine?"

⁸ Then Abner got very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? This day I am showing my loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and his friends, and have not delivered you to the hand of David; yet you are accusing me today with a crime concerning this woman.

⁹ God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do exactly what the LORD has sworn to David,

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

¹¹ Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.

¹² Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Who does the land belong to? Make an agreement with me and my hand will be with you, to bring all Israel under your control."

¹³ So David said, "Good, I will make an agreement with you.  But one thing I require from you: you must not see my face, except you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me."

¹⁴ So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, demanding, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I acquired for a hundred Philistine foreskins."

¹⁵ Then Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel the son of Laish.

¹⁶ Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner ordered him, "Go back home."  So he went back.

¹⁷ Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time you have wanted David to be king over you.

¹⁸ Now then make it happen.  For the LORD has spoken concerning David, 'By the hand of my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from all their enemies.'"

¹⁹ Abner also spoke to the Benjaminites.  Abner went to speak with David in Hebron with all Israel and the whole house of Benjamin supporting him.

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

²¹ Abner said to David, "Let me go and gather all Israel behind my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away and he went in peace.

²² Just then David's soldiers and Joab came back from a raid, bringing great spoil with them.  But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away and he had gone in peace.

²³ When Joab and all the troops that were with him arrived, Joab was told, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone away in peace."

²⁴ Then Joab came to the king, complaining, "What have you done? Abner came to you, why did you send him off, so that he escaped?

²⁵ You know Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, and to spy out your going out and your coming in, and to find out everything you are doing."

²⁶ After Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah.  But David was totally unaware of it.

²⁷ When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate pretending to speak privately with him.  There he stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died, avenging the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁸ Afterward, when David found out about it, he said, "I and my kingdom are innocent forever before the LORD of shedding the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

²⁹ Let the guilt fall upon the head of Joab and on all his father's house.  May there never be from the house of Joab one who does not have a running sore, or who is leperous, or who leans on a crutch, or falls by the sword, or who lacks food."

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

³¹ Then David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner."  Even king David followed the funeral bier.

³² So they buried Abner in Hebron.  The king cried aloud and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

³³ The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner have died like a fool?

³⁴ Your hands were not bound, or your feet put into fetters.  No, but as a man murdered by the wicked, is how you died." Then all the people wept again over Abner.

³⁵ All the people came to encourage David to eat bread while it was still day.  For David swore, "God do the same to me and even more, if I taste bread, or anything else till the sun goes down."

³⁶ All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them.  In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people.

³⁷ So all the people and all Israel understood that day that the king had nothing to do with the slaying of Abner the son of Ner.

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

³⁹ I am powerless this day, even though I am the anointed king.  These sons of Zeruiah are too violent for me.  May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his wickedness."

                                            DASV:  2 Samuel 4

¹ When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his courage failed, and all the Israelites were alarmed.

² Saul's son, had two men who were captains of the raiding bands.  The name of the one was Baanah and the other Rechab.  They were the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite the Benjaminite (for Beeroth was reckoned as belonging to Benjamin).

³ Now the Beerothites had fled to Gittaim and have been resident foreigners there until this day.

⁴ Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was crippled in both feet. He was five years old when the news came about Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel.  His nurse picked him up and fled.  In her haste to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

⁵ Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out during the heat of the day for the house of Ish-bosheth, as he took his midday rest.

⁶ They entered into the midst of the house, as if to get wheat, and instead they stabbed him in the stomach.  Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.

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

⁸ They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron, and told the king, "Look, here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life.  The LORD has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul, and on his descendants."

⁹ But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As the LORD lives, who has delivered my life out of every adversity,

¹⁰ when someone told me, 'Look, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good news,' I grabbed and slew him in Ziklag.  This was the reward I gave him for his news.

¹¹ How much more when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house in his own bed, should I not require his blood at your hand, and remove you from the earth?"

¹² So David commanded his young men, and they killed them.  They cut off their hands and their feet and hung their bodies beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

                                            DASV: 2 Samuel 5

¹ Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Look, we are your own flesh and bone.

² In the past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel in and out to battle.  The LORD said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.'"

³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron.  There they anointed David king over Israel.

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

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

⁶ The king and his men marched on Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of that region.  They taunted David, "You'll never get in here, even the blind and the lame could hold you off." They thought "There's no way David can get in here."

⁷ But David captured the fortress of Zion, that is now called the City of David.

⁸ David said on that day, "Whoever will strike down the Jebusites, will have to go up the water tunnel to attack the "lame" and "blind" enemies of David." That is why they still say, "The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace."

⁹ David lived in the fortress, and called it the City of David. David built all around it from the Millo terraces inward.

¹⁰ David grew greater and greater; for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

¹¹ Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees, carpenters and masons.  They built a palace for David.

¹² David realized that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came up from Hebron.  There even more sons and daughters were born to David.

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

¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David.  But David heard about it and went down to the fortress.

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

¹⁹ David inquired of the LORD, "Should I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The LORD answered David, "Go up.  For I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand."

²⁰ Then David came to Baal-perazim, and defeated them there.  He said, "The LORD has burst out on my enemies before me, like the burst of a flood before me." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim [the Lord burst out].

²¹ The Philistines abandoned their images there, and David and his men carried them away.

²² Then the Philistines came up again, and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.

²³ When David inquired of the LORD, he said, "Do not attack them straight on but circle around behind them and attack them across from the poplar trees.

²⁴ When you hear the sound of marching on the tops of the poplar trees, then act decisively; for then the LORD is going before you to strike the army of the Philistines."

²⁵ So David did just as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

                                              DASV:  2 Samuel 6

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

² David and all the people who were with him went to Baalah in Judah, to bring up the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned between the cherubim.

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

⁴ carrying the ark of God, and Ahio walked in front of the ark.

⁵ David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with songs and all kinds of musical instruments: lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.

⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark of God, and grabbed hold of it because the oxen stumbled.

⁷ But the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverent act.  He died there beside the ark of God.

⁸ David was angry because the LORD had burst out on Uzzah.  So he called that place Perez-uzzah [burst out against Uzzah] to this day.

⁹ Then David became afraid of the LORD that day.  He said, "How will the ark of the LORD ever come to me?"

¹⁰ So David was unwilling to bring the ark of the LORD to him into the city of David.  Instead David had it carried to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

¹¹ The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months.  Now the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.

¹² It was reported to king David, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went there and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with joy.

¹³ When those carrying the ark of the LORD had gone six steps, David sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

¹⁴ Then David danced before the LORD with all his might wearing a priestly linen ephod.

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

¹⁶ As the ark of the LORD entered the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out the window.  When she saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its proper place inside the tent David had pitched for it.  Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

¹⁸ When David finished offering the burnt offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

¹⁹ He gave to all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a date cake and a cake of raisins. So all the people went each one to their own home.

²⁰ Then David himself returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, sneering, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, shamelessly exposing himself in the eyes of the slave girls just like any vulgar fool would do!"

²¹ Then David replied to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and anyone from his house, to appoint me leader over the people of the LORD, Israel, so I will celebrate before the LORD.

²² I will make myself even more shameful than this, and will be humiliated in my own eyes, but by these slave girls you mentioned, I be held in honor."

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

                                          DASV:  2 Samuel 7

¹ Now when the king had settled into his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,

² the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent."

³ Nathan encouraged the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you."

⁴ That same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,

⁵ "Go and tell my servant David, This is what the LORD says, 'Will you be the one to build me a house to live in?

⁶ I have not lived in a house since the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt, even to this day, but have traveled using a tent for my dwelling place.

⁷ Wherever I have moved with the Israelites, did I ever say anything to any of the tribal leaders, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, complaining, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?'
⁸ Now therefore tell David my servant, 'This is what the LORD of hosts says, I took you  from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over my people Israel.

⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies before you; and I will make your name great, as famous as the greatest who have ever lived on earth.

¹⁰ I will establish a place for my people Israel, and will plant them there, so that they may live in their own place, and not be disturbed anymore; neither will violent men oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning,

¹¹ from the day that I appointed judges to be over my people Israel.  I will give you rest from all your enemies. Furthermore the LORD declares to you that he will build you a house.

¹² When your days are completed and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up one of your descendants after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.

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

¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son.  If he sins, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with stripes inflicted by human beings.

¹⁵ But my steadfast love will never be taken from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I ousted before you.

¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will be made secure forever before me.  Your throne will be established forever. '"

¹⁷ Nathan declared all these words according to this whole vision.

¹⁸ Then David the king went in, and sat before the LORD.  He said, "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?

¹⁹ Yet even this was a small thing in your eyes, O Sovereign LORD; for beyond that you have spoken also about your servant's house for a great while to come.  Is this the way you usually treat men, O Sovereign LORD?

²⁰ What more can I say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD.

²¹ For the sake of your promise, in accordance with your own heart, you have done all this great thing, revealing it to your servant.

²² How great you are, O Sovereign LORD for there is no one like you.  We have never heard of any God like you.

²³ What other nation on the earth is like your people Israel?  Is there another nation whom God redeemed as a people for himself, to make a name for himself, by performing great wonders and awesome deeds and by driving out nations and gods for those whom you redeemed from Egypt?

²⁴ You established your people Israel to be your people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God.

²⁵ Now, O Sovereign LORD, confirm forever the word you have promised concerning your servant and his house.  Do just as you have promised.

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

²⁷ For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, 'I will build you a house,' therefore your servant has had the courage to pray this prayer to you.

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

²⁹ Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken.  May the house of your servant be blessed with your blessing forever."

                                         DASV:  2 Samuel 8

¹ After this David attacked the Philistines and subdued them.  David took Metheg-ammah from the Philistines.

² He defeated Moab.  He measured them off with a rope, making them to lie down on the ground.  Two lengths of rope he put to death, and one length he kept alive. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.

³ David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his control of the Euphrates River.

⁴ David captured from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers.  He cut all the hamstrings of the chariot horses, but left enough of them for 100 chariots.

⁵ When the Arameans of Damascus came to the aid of Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 of them.

⁶ Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought him tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

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

⁸ From Tebah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took a large amount of bronze.

⁹ When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,

¹⁰ Toi sent his son Joram to king David, to greet and congratulate him, because he had fought against and defeated Hadadezer.  Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.  Joram brought with him objects of silver, gold and bronze.

¹¹ David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he had already subdued:

¹² Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines and Amalek, and the spoil from Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ David made a name for himself when he returned from killing 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

¹⁴ He put garrisons all over Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

¹⁵ David reigned over all Israel administering justice and righteousness for all his people.

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

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

¹⁸ and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites (royal guard); and David's sons were priests.

                                             DASV: 2 Samuel 9

¹ David asked, "Is there anyone left from the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

² Now there was from the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba.  They called him in to David, and the king asked him, "Are you Ziba?" He answered, "Yes, at your service."

³ The king asked, "Is there not someone from the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba answered the king, "Jonathan's son is still alive.  He is crippled in both feet."

⁴ So the king asked him, "Where is he?" Ziba replied to the king, "He is in the house of Makir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar."

⁵ Then king David sent, and brought him from of the house of Makir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

⁶ Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and paid him homage. David said, "Mephibosheth." He answered, "Yes, at your service."

⁷ Then David said to him, "Don't be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.  I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you will always eat at my table."

⁸ He bowed in respect, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look on a dead dog like me?"

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

¹⁰ You will farm the land for him, you, your sons and your servants.  You will bring its produce and it will be food for your master's grandson to eat.  But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson will always eat food at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

¹¹ Then said Ziba to the king, "Your servant will do everything my lord the king has ordered his servant."  So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons.

¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.

¹³ So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he always ate at the king's table. He was crippled in both his feet.

                                           DASV:  2 Samuel 10

¹ Some time later the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.

² David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent his servants to express sympathy concerning the loss of his father. David's servants came into the land of the Ammonites.

³ But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, "Do you really think that David is honoring your father by sending men with condolences to you? Hasn't David sent his servants to you to search and spy out the city, and to overthrow it?"

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

⁵ When David heard what had happened, he summoned them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, "Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.

⁶ When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zobah, along with 1,000 men from king of Maacah, and 12,000 men from Tob.

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

⁸ The Ammonites came out, and took up battle positions at the entrance of the gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the open field.

⁹ Now when Joab saw that the battle fronts were set against him both in front of him and behind, he chose some of the best troops of Israel, and deployed them against the Arameans.

¹⁰ The rest of the people he put under the charge of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites.

¹¹ Then he said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you come and help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

¹² Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people, and for the cities of our God.  May the LORD do whatever seems good to him."

¹³ So Joab and the people that were with him moved out for the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him.

¹⁴ When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and pulled back into the city. Then Joab stopped fighting with the Ammonites, and returned to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

¹⁶ Then Hadadezer sent for reinforcements from the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River.  They came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer as their head.

¹⁷ When David was told about this, he gathered all Israel together, and crossed over the Jordan River and came to Helam. The Arameans took up their battle positions against David, and fought with him.

¹⁸ But the Arameans fled before Israel and David slew 700 Aramean charioteers, 40,000 horsemen, and wounded Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.

¹⁹ When 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 Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

                                          DASV:  2 Samuel 11

¹ In the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to war, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army.  They defeated the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed back at Jerusalem.

² One evening David got up off his couch, and walked around on the roof of the king's palace.  From the roof he saw a woman bathing.  The woman was very good looking.

³ David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The person reported, "Isn't she Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"

⁴ So David sent messengers to get her.  She came to him and he slept with her.  Now she had been purified from her menstrual uncleanness.  Then she returned home.

⁵ The woman conceived and told David, "I'm pregnant."

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

⁷ When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab and the troops were doing, and how the war was going.

⁸ Then David told Uriah, "Go down to your house, and relax washing your feet." After Uriah left the king's house, the king sent him a gift.

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

¹⁰ When they told David, "Uriah didn't go down to his home," David asked Uriah, "Haven't you just come from a journey? Why didn't you go home?"

¹¹ Uriah replied to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camped in the open field.  Should I go to my house, eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As you live, I swear I will not do such a thing."

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

¹³ David invited him to eat and drink with him, and he got him drunk.  But in the evening Uriah went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but still would not go down to his house.

¹⁴ In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

¹⁵ He wrote in the letter, "Set Uriah on the front lines where the battle is the fiercest, and pull back from him, so that he may be struck down and killed."

¹⁶ Joab kept watch over the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew that the valiant warriors were.

¹⁷ When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of the servants of David fell there, and Uriah the Hittite also died.

¹⁸ Then Joab sent and reported to David all the news concerning the battle.

¹⁹ He instructed the messenger, "When you have finished telling the king all the news about the battle,

²⁰ if the king gets angry, and says to you, 'Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn't you realize they would shoot from the wall?

²¹ Wasn't Abimelech the son of Jerubaal killed when a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?' Then tell him, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.'"

²² So the messenger went and told David all that Joab had told him to say.

²³ Then the messenger said to David, "The men prevailed against us, and came out against us in the field.  But we forced them back to the entrance of the gate.

²⁴ The archers shot at your servants from the wall.  Some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too."

²⁵ Then David said to the messenger, "Tell Joab, 'Don't let this matter bother you, for the sword devours one as well as another.  Press your attack more strongly against the city, and overthrow it.' Encourage him with this message."

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

²⁷ After the period of mourning was over, David sent and brought her home to his palace, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

                                             DASV: 2 Samuel 12

¹ So the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.

² The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

³ But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb he had bought.  He raised it and it grew up with him and with his children.  It used to eat his food, and drank from his cup and slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

⁴ Now a traveler came to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare it for the visitor, so he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the guest who had come to him."

⁵ David’s anger burned against the man, and he ordered Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who did this is worthy of death.

⁶ He must make restitution for the lamb four times over, because he did this thing and had no pity. "

⁷ Then Nathan 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 from the hand of Saul.

⁸ I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your arms, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah.  And if that was too little, I would have added to you even more.

⁹ Why have you despised the word of the LORD, by doing what was evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your own wife.  You have murdered him with the sword of the Ammonites.

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

¹¹ This is what the LORD says, 'Look, I will bring disaster against you from your house.  I will take your wives before your very eyes, and give them to your neighbor.  He will lie with your wives in broad daylight.

¹² You did it secretly, but I will do this thing in front of all Israel, and in broad daylight.'"

¹³ David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied to David, "The LORD has forgiven your sin.  You will not die.

¹⁴ Nevertheless, because by this deed you have treated the LORD with contempt, the child that is born to you will surely die."

¹⁵ Then Nathan went home. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.

¹⁶ David pleaded with God for the child.  David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.

¹⁷ The elders of his house stood over him to get him up off the ground, but he refused, neither would he eat any food with them.

¹⁸ On the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "Look, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us, what will he do to himself if we tell him that the child is dead?"

¹⁹ But when David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead.  So David asked his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "He is dead."

²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself.  He changed his clothes and he went into the house of the LORD and worshipped.  Then he went home, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

²¹ Then his servants asked him, "What are you doing?  You fasted and wept for the child, while it was alive; but now the child is dead, you got up and ate food."

²² He replied, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I hoped, 'Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, and allow the child to live?'

²³ But 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."

²⁴ David comforted his wife Bathsheba.  He went in to her, and slept with her, and she gave birth to a son, and he called him Solomon.  The LORD loved him,

²⁵ and sent a message by the hand of Nathan the prophet that he should be called Jedidiah [beloved of the LORD] because of the LORD.

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

²⁷ Joab sent messengers to David, and said, "I have fought against Rabbah; yes, I have captured the city’s water supply."

²⁸ Now gather the rest of the troops and besiege the city, and take it; otherwise I will take the city, and it will be called by my name."

²⁹ So David gathered all the troops and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

³⁰ Then he took the crown off the head of their king and its gold weighed about seventy-five pounds, and there were gems set in it.  It was then put on David's head.  He also took a great deal of spoil from the city.

³¹ He brought out the people that were in it, and forced them to work with saws, iron picks and axes, and made them work in the brick kiln.  This was what he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.

                                               DASV:  2 Samuel 13

¹ Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, named Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her.

² Amnon was so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became sick, because she was a virgin and it seemed impossible for Amnon to do anything to her.

³ But Amnon had a friend, named Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd person.

⁴ He asked Amnon, "Why, O son of the king, are you so depressed morning after morning? Won't you tell me?"  Then Amnon said to him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

⁵ Jonadab told him, "Lay down on your bed, and pretend to be sick.  When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come, and give me some food to eat, and prepare food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.'"

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

⁷ Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace, "Go to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare some food for him."

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

⁹ Then she took the pan and set it before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, "Send everyone out of here." So everyone left.

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

¹¹ Now when she brought them near for him to eat, he grabbed hold of her, and said to her, "Come to bed with me, my sister."

¹² But she refused, "No, my brother, don't force me.  Such a thing should never be done in Israel.  Don't be so stupid.

¹³ Where could I ever get rid of my disgrace? And you will have a reputation like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you."

¹⁴ But he refused to listen to her, but being stronger than she was, he used force and raped her.

¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her with an intense hatred.  His hatred for her was greater than the love with which he had previously loved her.  Then Amnon sneered at her, "Get out of here."

¹⁶ But she objected, "No, for throwing me out is worse than what you just did to me." But he refused to listen to her.

¹⁷ Then he called his personal attendant and demanded, "Throw this woman out of here, and lock the door behind her."

¹⁸ She was wearing a long robe with sleeves for these were the robes the king's daughters who were virgins normally wore. Then his attendant forced her out and locked the door behind her.

¹⁹ Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe she was wearing.  She put her hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she went.

²⁰ Then Absalom her brother asked her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister.  He is your brother.  Don't let this thing get to you." So Tamar remained a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house.

²¹ But when king David heard about all these things, he was furious.

²² Absalom did not speak a word to Amnon either good nor bad.  Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped his sister Tamar.

²³ After two full years, Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, near Ephraim and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

²⁴ Absalom came to the king, and said, "Your servant's sheepshearers have begun their work; will the king and his servants please join your servant?"

²⁵ Then the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, we all shouldn't go or it would be too much of a burden for you." He continued to press him but the king would not go, but did give him his blessing.

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

²⁷ But Absalom continued pressing him until he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

²⁸ Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Watch now, when Amnon is happily drunk then I will tell you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him.  Do not be afraid because I am the one who has commanded you to do it. Be courageous and valiant."

²⁹ The servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.

³⁰ While they were on their way, news reached David, saying, "Absalom has slain all the king's sons, not one of them has been left alive."

³¹ Then the king got up, tore his clothes, and lay on the ground.  All his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

³² Then Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, said, "My lord should not assume that they have killed all the young men who are the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead.  Absalom has been planning this ever since the day that Amnon raped his sister Tamar.

³³ Now don’t let my lord the king become overly concerned about the report that all the king's sons are dead.  Amnon is the only one dead."

³⁴ Meanwhile Absalom fled. Now the young watchman looked up and saw many people coming from the west from the road along the side of the hill.

³⁵ Then Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons are coming.  It has happened just like your servant said it would."

³⁶ As soon as he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived.  They were weeping and wailing aloud, with the king and all his servants weeping bitterly with them.

³⁷ Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur.  But David grieved over his son day after day.

³⁸ After Absalom fled to Geshur, he remained there three years.

³⁹ The heart of king David longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled over the death of Amnon.

                                             DASV: 2 Samuel 14

¹ Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart longed to see Absalom.

² So Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, "Pretend that you are in mourning, and put on mourning clothes, do not anoint yourself with olive oil.  Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead for many days.

³ Go in to the king, and speak to him in this manner."  So Joab told her what to say.

⁴ When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and paid homage, pleading, "Help me, O king."

⁵ Then the king asked her, "What's bothering you?" She answered, "I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

⁶ Your servant had two sons.  They got into a fight in the field and there was no one to break it up.  One struck the other and killed him.

⁷ Now the whole family has risen up against your servant, and demanded, 'Turn over the one who killed his brother, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he murdered, and so destroy this unworthy heir.' Thus they will quench the only burning coal I have, and leave no one to carry on my husband's name or no descendant left on the face of the earth."

⁸ Then the king said to the woman, "Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you."

⁹ Then the woman of Tekoa replied to the king, "My lord, O king, let the guilt be on me, and on my father's house, may the king and his throne be guiltless."

¹⁰ Then the king said, "Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not bother you anymore."

¹¹ Then said she, "Let the king invoke the LORD your God swearing that the avenger of blood will not destroy anymore, so they will not destroy my son." He replied, "As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son's head will fall to the ground."

¹² Then the woman said, "Let your servant, please speak on the matter to my lord the king." He said, "Speak."

¹³ The woman said, "Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in rendering this judgment the king is the one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his own banished son.

¹⁴ For we must all die, and are like water split on the ground that cannot be gathered up again.  But God does take away life, but devises ways that the one who is banished not stay banished from him forever.

¹⁵ Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak about this issue with my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid; your servant thought, 'I will speak to the king; perhaps the king will do what his servant requests.

¹⁶ For the king will listen, and deliver his servant from the hand of the man that would destroy both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us.'

¹⁷ Then your servant thought, 'The word of my lord the king bring me peace; for my lord the king is like an angel of God, being able to discern good and evil.' May the LORD your God be with you."

¹⁸ Then the king answered the woman, "Do not hide from me, anything that I will ask you." The woman said, "Let my lord the king speak."

¹⁹ The king said, "Did Joab put you up to this?" The woman answered, "As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from anything that my lord the king has spoken.  For Joab, your servant, asked me and put all these words in the mouth of your servant.

²⁰ Your servant, Joab, did it in order to resolve this situation.  My lord is wise, having wisdom like an angel of God, knowing everything that is happening in the land."

²¹ The king said to Joab, "All right, I will do it.  Go, bring back the young man Absalom."

²² Joab fell with his face to the ground, paid homage and blessed the king.  Then Joab said, "Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has granted your servant's request."

²³ So Joab got up and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

²⁴ Then the king said, "Let him go to his own house, but let him not see my face." So Absalom went to his own house, and did not see the king's face.

²⁵ Now in all Israel there was no one praised for being as handsome as Absalom.  From the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no blemish in him.

²⁶ He would cut his hair once a year because it got so heavy he had cut it.  When he weighed his hair it was five pounds.

²⁷ Absalom had three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar.  She was a beautiful woman.

²⁸ Absalom stayed two full years in Jerusalem without seeing the king's face.

²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king but he would not come to him.  So he sent a second time but he still would not come.

³⁰ Therefore Absalom told his servants, "Look, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley growing there.  Go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

³¹ Then Joab got up and came to Absalom at his house, and complained to him, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"

³² Absalom replied to Joab, "Look, I sent for you, saying, 'Come here so that I may send you to the king, to say, "Why have I come back from Geshur? It would have been better for me to have stayed there."' Now, therefore, let me see the king's face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death."

³³ So Joab went to the king and told him.  The king summoned Absalom, so he came to the king, bowed himself with his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

                                            DASV:  2 Samuel 15

¹ After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses and fifty men to run before him.

² Absalom regularly got up early, and stood beside the road to the town gate. Whenever anyone brought a legal case to the king for judgment, then Absalom would call out to him, "What town are you from?" The person would respond, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."

³ Then Absalom would say to him, "Yes, your claims are good and right; but there is no representative of the king to hear you."

⁴ Absalom would continue, "If only I were made judge in the land, then everyone who had any case or cause could come to me, and I would give him justice!"

⁵ Whenever anyone came near to bow before him, he would put out his hand, and embrace and kiss him.

⁶ This is the way Absalom treated everyone in Israel who came to the king for judgment.  So Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

⁷ After four years, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hebron and fulfill my vow that I have made to the LORD.

⁸ For your servant made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will bring me back again to Jerusalem, then I will worship the LORD in Hebron.'"

⁹ The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he got up and went to Hebron.

¹⁰ But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the trumpet sound then you should proclaim, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'"

¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom.  They were invited, but went innocently knowing nothing of his subversion.

¹² While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, who was from the town of Giloh. The conspiracy grew strong as the number of people backing Absalom kept increasing.

¹³ A messenger came to David saying, "The hearts of the Israelites have gone over to Absalom."

¹⁴ David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Get up and let us flee, otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom.  Hurry up and leave or he will soon overtake and bring disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."

¹⁵ The king's servants said to the king, "Look, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides."

¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out. But the king left ten concubines to look after the palace.

¹⁷ Then the king left with all the people following him, and they stopped at the last house at the edge of the city.

¹⁸ All his officials passed on before him.  All the Cherethites and Pelethites royal guard, and 600 Gittites who followed him from Gath, led the way before the king.

¹⁹ Then the king asked Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you going with us? Return and stay with the king Absalom, for you are a foreigner, in exile from your homeland.

²⁰ You came only yesterday. Should I this day force you to wander around with us, seeing I am not sure where I am going? Go back, and take back your brothers too.  May kindness and faithfulness be with you."

²¹ Then Ittai answered the king, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means death or life, there also will your servant be."

²² David said to Ittai, "All right, go on then, cross over." So Ittai the Gittite went along with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

²³ The whole country wept aloud, and all the people crossed over.  The king also himself crossed over the Kidron Valley.  Then all the people crossed over on the road that leads to the desert.

²⁴ Zadok also came, along with all the Levites who were with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God.  They set down the ark of God and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

²⁵ Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city.  If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, then he will bring me back and allow me to see both the ark and his dwelling place again.

²⁶ But if he says, 'I have no delight in you,' look, I am here, let him do to me whatever seems best to him."

²⁷ The king asked Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Return to the city in peace, you and Abiathar along with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

²⁸ I will wait at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me."

²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back into Jerusalem and stayed there.

³⁰ David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went.  He covered his head and went barefoot.  Everyone who was with him covered their heads, and went up, weeping as they climbed.

³¹ Someone told David, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators siding with Absalom." David prayed, "O LORD, please turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness."

³² When David reached the summit, where God was worshipped, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and dirt on his head.

³³ David said to him, "If you go with me, you will only be a burden to me.

³⁴ But if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king, just as I have been your father's servant in the past, so now I will be your servant,' then you may be able to counter the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

³⁵ Won't Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you too? Whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

³⁶ Look, their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son are with them.  You can report to me everything that you hear through them.'"

³⁷ So Hushai, David's friend, went back into the city just as Absalom was arriving at Jerusalem.

                                             DASV:  2 Samuel 16

¹ When David was a little past the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled and on them 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit and a skin of wine.

² Then the king said to Ziba, "Why did you bring these?"  Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat; and the wine, are for those who get exhausted in the desert to drink."

³ The king asked, "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "He is staying in Jerusalem, telling himself, 'Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather Saul's kingdom.'"

⁴ Then the king said to Ziba, "All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours." Ziba said, "I bow before you only let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king."

⁵ When king David came to Bahurim, a man from the house of Saul came out whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out continually cursing as he came.

⁶ He threw stones at David, and at all the servants of king David, as well as at all the people and all the mighty men who were on his right and left.

⁷ This is what Shimei screamed when he cursed, "Get out, get out of here, you murderer, and scoundrel.

⁸ The LORD is repaying you for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned.  The LORD has given the kingdom over to the hand of Absalom your son.  Disaster has finally overtaken you, because you are a man of bloodshed."

⁹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head."

¹⁰ But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' who can say to him, 'Why have you done this?'"

¹¹ Then David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, "Look, my son, who came from my own flesh is trying to kill me, how much more this Benjaminite? Leave him alone.  Let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it.

¹² It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and the LORD may repay me good for his cursing me today."

¹³ So David and his men went down the road, and Shimei went along on the nearby hillside across from him, cursing as he went, throwing stones and dirt at David.

¹⁴ The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary at their destination.  There he refreshed himself.

¹⁵ Now Absalom and all the men of Israel, arrived at Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

¹⁶ When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king, long live the king."

¹⁷ Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this how you show your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"

¹⁸ Hushai replied to Absalom, "No, but to the one whom the LORD, these people and all the men of Israel have chosen, I will be loyal and I will stay in his service.

¹⁹ Anyway, whom should I serve? Should I not serve his son? As I have served your father, so will I serve you."

²⁰ Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, "Give your advice as to what we should do?"

²¹ Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go sleep with your father's concubines, that he left to look after the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all following you will be strengthened."

²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the palace.  Then Absalom went and had sex with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

²³ In those days the counsel Ahithophel gave was as good as if a person consulted an oracle of God.  The advice of Ahithophel was respected by both David and Absalom.

                                           DASV:  2 Samuel 17

¹  Ahithophel advised Absalom, "Let me now choose 12,000 men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight.

² I will overtake him while he is weary and weakened.  I will terrify him and all the people who are with him will flee, and I will kill only the king.

³ I will bring back all the people to you as a bride comes home to her husband.  You are seeking the life of only one man, then all the rest of people will be at peace."

⁴ The saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

⁵ Then said Absalom, "Call for Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he suggests."

⁶ When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, "This is what Ahithophel has suggested, should we do what he is advising?  If not, what do you think?"

⁷ Hushai said to Absalom, "The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good this time."

⁸ Hushai continued, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty warriors, and they are enraged like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field.  Your father is an experienced warrior, he will not spend the night with the troops.

⁹ Even now he is probably hiding out in some pit or some similar place.  If some of our troops are killed after the first attack, whoever hears it will say, 'The followers of Absalom have been slaughtered.'"

¹⁰ Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt in fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty warrior and they who are with him are also brave warriors.

¹¹ So I recommend that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and then you lead them into battle yourself.

¹² So we will corner David in some place where he is found, and we will fall on him as completely as the dew falls on the ground.  Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive.

¹³ If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down into the valley, until not a pebble of it can be found."

¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel." For the LORD was determined to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, in order that the LORD might bring disaster on Absalom.

¹⁵ Then Hushai reported to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, "This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have advised.

¹⁶ Now quickly send a message and tell David, 'Do not stay tonight at the Jordan River fords in the desert, but by all means cross over; or the king and all the people may be swallowed up.'"

¹⁷ Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel so that they would not be seen entering the city.  A servant girl was used to get a message to them, and they went and told king David.

¹⁸ But a boy saw them, and reported it to Absalom.  So both of them went away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard so they climbed down into it.

¹⁹ Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread grain on it.  No one knew anything about it.

²⁰ When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house; and they asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman told them, "They have gone over the stream." When they searched they could not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ After they had gone, the two men climbed up out of the well, and went and informed king David.  They advised David, "Get up, and quickly cross over the water; for this is what Ahithophel has advised against you."

²² Then David and all the people who were with him set out, and crossed over the Jordan River.  By daybreak, there was not one of them who had not crossed over the Jordan River.

²³ When Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went home to his town.  He set his house in order and hanged himself.  So he died and was buried in his father's tomb.

²⁴ David came to Mahanaim.  Absalom and all the men of Israel crossed the Jordan River.

²⁵ Absalom had put Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Jether, an Ishmaelite.  His mother was Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Joab's mother, Zeruiah.

²⁶ Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,

²⁸ brought bedding, basins, and pots, along with wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,

²⁹ honey and curds, sheep and cheese from the herd for David and those who were with him to eat.  For they said, "The people must be hungry, tired and thirsty from having traveled through the desert."

                                             DASV:  2 Samuel 18

¹ Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

² David sent out the troops, a third were under Joab's command, a third under Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, "I myself will go out too."

³ But the men said, "You should not go out.  For if we flee, they will not care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care much about us.  But you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore it is better that you be ready to send us support from the city."

⁴ Then the king said to them, "I will do whatever seems best to you." So the king stood by the town gate as all the people marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

⁵ Then the king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake." Now all the troops heard when the king gave all the commanders orders concerning Absalom.

⁶ So the troops went out into the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

⁷ The Israelite army was smitten there before David's men, and there was a great slaughter there that day, twenty thousand men died.

⁸ The battle spread over the face of the whole region; and more men died because of the forest that day than from the sword.

⁹ Absalom happened to meet David's men. Now Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak tree.  His head got stuck in the oak tree, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth as the mule that was under him ran off.

¹⁰ Someone saw it, and reported it to Joab, "I saw Absalom dangling from an oak tree."

¹¹ Joab said to the man who told him, "What, you saw him, why didn't you strike him to the ground right then and there? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a belt of honor."

¹² But the man replied to Joab, "Even if I should get a thousand pieces of silver, I would not strike the king's son.  We all heard the king order you, Abishai and Ittai, 'For my sake, spare the young man Absalom.'

¹³ If I had betrayed the king by taking his life, there is nothing hidden from the king, then even you yourself would have had to abandon me."

¹⁴ Then Joab said, "I will not waste any more time on you." He grabbed three spears in his hand, and thrust them into Absalom's heart, while he was still alive in the oak tree.

¹⁵ Then ten of Joab's young armor-bearers surrounded, struck and killed Absalom.

¹⁶ Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops withdrew from pursuing after Israel; for Joab recalled the troops.

¹⁷ They took Absalom, and threw him into the great pit in the forest, and piled a large heap of stones over him.  Meanwhile all Israel fled each to his home.

¹⁸ Now during Absalom's life he had set up a monument for himself in the King's Valley; for he reasoned, "I have no son to carry on my name." So he named the monument after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

¹⁹ Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run, and bring the good news to the king, that the LORD has vindicated him rescuing him from his enemies."

²⁰ But Joab said to him, "You should not be the bearer of good news today.  You will bear good news some other day.  Today, you will bear no good news, because the king's son is dead."

²¹ Then Joab ordered the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed himself before Joab, and ran.

²² Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok asked Joab again, "Whatever happens, please let me run after the Cushite."  Joab said, "Why do you want to run, my son, seeing your tidings will not bring you any reward?"

²³ "Whatever happens I want to run," he insisted.  So Joab told him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and outran the Cushite.

²⁴ Now David was sitting between the two gates.  The watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall.  When he raised his eyes, he saw a man running alone.

²⁵ The watchman shouted and told the king. The king said, "If he is alone, there must be good news in his mouth." And the runner came nearer.

²⁶ Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called down to the gatekeeper, and said, "Look, another man running alone." The king said, "He must also be bringing good news."

²⁷ The watchman said, "I think the one running first runs like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."

²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, "All is well." Then he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground, and said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king."

²⁹ The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom all right?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent me, the king's servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what the outcome was."

³⁰ Then the king said, "Step aside and stand here." So he stepped aside and stood there.

³¹ Then the Cushite came and said, "Good news for my lord the king; for the LORD has delivered you this day from all those who rose up against you."

³² Then the king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom all right?" The Cushite answered, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against you to do you harm, be like that young man."

³³ Then the king was devastated, and went up to the upper room over the gate, and wept.  As he went, he wept, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

                                              DASV:  2 Samuel 19

¹ Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom."

² So the victory of that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard that day, "The king is grieving for his son."

³ That day the troops snuck back into town, as when soldiers are ashamed when they sneak away fleeing in battle.

⁴ So the king covered his face, and the king cried out loud, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

⁵ But Joab came into the house to the king and complained, "Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and concubines.

⁶ You seem to love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day that princes and servants are nothing to you.  For today I imagine, that if Absalom had lived, and we had all died, then you would have been pleased.

⁷ Now therefore get up, go out, and congratulate your soldiers; for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not a single man will be left with you by this night.  This will be worse for you than all the calamity that has happened to you from your youth until now."

⁸ So the king got up and sat in the gate.  The people were told, "Look, the king is sitting in the gate," and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had all fled to their homes.

⁹ The people were arguing throughout all 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 has fled out of the land because of Absalom.

¹⁰ Now Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. So now why do you hesitate to say anything about bringing the king back?"

¹¹ Then king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, asking, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace?' Especially since all Israel's affirmations have come to the king at his house.

¹² You are my brothers, you are my flesh and bone.  Why then are you the last to bring back the king?

¹³ Tell Amasa, 'Are you not my flesh and bone? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not made commander of the army from now on in place of Joab.'"

¹⁴ So he won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as one.  They sent word to the king, "Return, both you and all your servants."

¹⁵ So the king returned, and came to the Jordan River. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king and bring him across the Jordan River.

¹⁶ Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, who was from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

¹⁷ There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and Ziba's fifteen sons and twenty servants.  They quickly crossed through the Jordan River in front of the king.

¹⁸ These crossed at the ford to help bring over the king's household, and to do whatever he wanted.  Then Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan River.

¹⁹ He said to the king, "May my lord not hold me guilty or remember the wrong your servant did on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.  Please put it out of the king's mind.

²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned.  That is why I have come down this day the first one of all the house of Joseph to meet my lord the king."

²¹ But Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded, "Should Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?"

²² But David answered, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be like my enemies? Should any man be put to death today in Israel? For don't I know that I am king today over Israel?"

²³ Then the king said to Shimei, "You will not die." The king promised him.

²⁴ Then Mephibosheth the grandson of Saul came down to meet the king.  He had neither dressed his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came home in peace.

²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?"

²⁶ He answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, 'I will saddle your donkey, that you may ride on it, and go with the king.'  For your servant is lame.

²⁷ But Ziba has slandered your servant to my lord the king.  But my lord the king is like an angel of God.  Therefore do whatever seems good to you.

²⁸ For all my father's house deserved death before my lord the king.  Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What right do I have that I ask the king for anything more?"

²⁹ Then the king said to him, "Why speak any more about your issues? I've decided that you and Ziba should divide the field."

³⁰ Then Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him have it all, it is enough that my lord the king has come home safely."

³¹ Then Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim.  He crossed the Jordan River with the king, to escort him across the river.

³² Now Barzillai was a very old, in fact, he was eighty.  He provided the king with provisions during his stay at Mahanaim; for he was a very wealthy man.

³³ The king invited Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for you while you stay with me in Jerusalem."

³⁴ But Barzillai said to the king, "How many years do I have left to live that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

³⁵ I am this day eighty years old.  Can I still discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I any longer hear the voices of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?"

³⁶ Your servant will just cross the Jordan River with the king.  Why should the king give me such a reward?

³⁷ Let your servant, return again, so that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham.  Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do to him whatever seems good to you.

³⁸ Then the king answered, "Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do to him whatever seems good to you.  Whatever you want, I will do for you."

³⁹ All the people crossed over the Jordan River, and the king crossed too.  Then the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him.  Then he returned to his own home.

⁴⁰ So the king crossed over to Gilgal, and Kimham went with him.  All the people of Judah and also half the people of Israel helped bring the king across.

⁴¹ Then all the men of Israel came to the king, complaining to the him, "Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king and his household across the Jordan River, and all David's men with him?"

⁴² All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is our close relative.  Why then are you angry over this? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Has he given us any special gift?"

⁴³ Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king, and we have more of a claim on David than you do.  Why then did you treat us with contempt?  Weren't we the first to speak about bringing our king back?" The words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.

                                           DASV: 2 Samuel 20

¹ Now there was a troublemaker, named Sheba, the son of Bicri, a Benjaminite.  He blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, "We have no portion in David, no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every one to his tents, O Israel."

² So all the men of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bicri.  But the men of Judah were loyal to their king, from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

³ When David came to his palace at Jerusalem, the king took the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace, and put them in a house under protection, and provided for them, but did not sleep any longer with them. So they remained in protective custody until the day of their death, living like widows.

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself."

⁵ Amasa went to summon Judah, but he waited longer than the time that had been set for him.

⁶ David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bicri will do us more harm than Absalom did.  Take your lord's servants and pursue him.  Otherwise he will get into fortified cities and escape from us."

⁷ Joab's men, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty warriors left Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba the son of Bicri.

⁸ When they arrived at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them.  Joab was wearing his military gear and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath strapped on his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out.

⁹ Then Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand as if to kiss him.

¹⁰ But Amasa was not on guard against the dagger that was in Joab's hand.  So Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and his insides spilled out on the ground.  He did not need to strike him again, as he died.  Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bicri.

¹¹ One of Joab's young soldiers stood over Amasa and announced, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab."

¹² Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the troops stopped there, he pulled Amasa off the road into a field, and covered him with a garment.

¹³ Once Amassa had been removed from the roadway, all the people went on with Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bicri.

¹⁴ Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel coming to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bekrites assembled, and followed him into the town.

¹⁵ Joab's forces arrived and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah.  They built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart.  All Joab's troops battered the wall, to knock it down.

¹⁶ Then a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, 'Come over here so that I may speak to you.'"

¹⁷ So he came near her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." He replied, "I am listening."

¹⁸ Then she said, "They used to say in the old days, 'Let them inquire for an answer at Abel,' and so that would settle a matter.

¹⁹ I am one of those who are peaceful and faithful in Israel.  You are seeking to destroy a town that is a mother in Israel.  Why do you want to devour the inheritance of the LORD?"

²⁰ Joab answered, "There is no way I want to devour and destroy.

²¹ That is not the case at all.  There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba the son of Bicri, who has lifted up his hand against the king David.  Hand over this one man to me and I will leave the town." The woman said to Joab, "Look, his head will be thrown over the wall to you."

²² Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew the trumpet, and they withdrew from the town, every man returning home, while Joab went back to Jerusalem to the king.

²³ Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, the royal guard;

²⁴ and Adoram was over the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the court historian;

²⁵ Sheva was the royal scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

²⁶ and Ira the Jairite was David's personal priest.

                                          DASV: 2 Samuel 21

¹ Now there was a famine in the days of David for three successive years.  So David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is for Saul, and for his bloodstained house, because he murdered the Gibeonites."

² So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them.  (Now the Gibeonites were not descendants of Israel, but were those left over from the Amorites.  The Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul sought to wipe them out in his zeal for Israel and Judah).

³ David asked the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?”

⁴ The Gibeonites replied, "It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his family; neither would we be right to put to death anyone in Israel." He asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"

⁵ They said to the king, "The man who devoured us, and plotted genocide against us, so that we should have no place in any of the borders of Israel,

⁶ let seven men of his sons be turned over to us, and we will impale them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD." The king replied, “All right, I will hand them over to you."

⁷ But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath David and Saul’s son Jonathan had made before the LORD.

⁸ But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite,

⁹ and he handed them over into the hands of the Gibeonites.  They impaled them on the mountain before the LORD.  So all seven died together on the first days of harvest, at the beginning of barley harvest.

¹⁰ Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out on a rock.  From the beginning of harvest until rain poured down on them from heaven, she did not allow the birds of the air to feed on them by day, or the wild animals of the field by night.

¹¹ When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done,

¹² he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Mount Gilboa.

¹³ David brought up from there the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan, along with the bones gathered from those who had just been impaled.

¹⁴ They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish Saul’s father; they did all that the king had ordered. After that, God answered the prayers for the land.

¹⁵ The Philistines again made war with Israel.  So David and his troops went down and fought against the Philistines.  David became exhausted.

¹⁶ Ishbibenob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed seven pounds of bronze, was armed with a new sword and he intended to kill David.

¹⁷ But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You should never again go out to war with us, so that you do not snuff out the lamp of Israel."

¹⁸ After this, there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob.  At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was also a descendant of the giants.

¹⁹ There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob.  Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was as massive as a weaver's beam.

²⁰ There was another battle at Gath, where they encountered a huge man who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in total; he too was a descendant of giants.

²¹ When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, killed him.

²² These four were descendants from giants in Gath; they fell by the hand of David and his soldiers.

                                          DASV: 2 Samuel 22

¹ David sang to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.

² He said,
            "The LORD is my rock,

                        my fortress and my deliverer,

³           God, is my rock, in him will I take refuge,

                        my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

            my high tower, my refuge and my saviour.
                        You save me from violence.

⁴           I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

                        and I am saved from my enemies.

⁵           The waves of death encompassed me,

                        the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

⁶           The ropes of Sheol tightened down on me,

                        the snares of death confronted me.

⁷           In my distress I called on the LORD,
                        I called to my God.

            From his temple he heard my voice,
                        and my cry came to his ears.

⁸           Then the earth quaked and trembled,

                        the foundations of heaven shook

                                    they quaked because he was angry.

⁹           Smoke went out of his nostrils,

                        and devouring fire from his mouth

                                    burning coals flamed out from him.

¹⁰         He split the heavens and came down;

                        thick darkness was under his feet.

¹¹         He mounted a cherub and flew,

                        gliding on the wings of the wind.

¹²         He made darkness around him his canopy,
                        in thick rain clouds of the sky.

¹³         Out of the brightness before him,

                        coals of fire flamed forth.

¹⁴         The LORD thundered from heaven,

                        the voice of Most High reverberated.

¹⁵         He shot arrows and scattered them,
                        lightning, and routed them.

¹⁶         Then the depths of the sea appeared,

                        the foundations of the world were laid bare,

            by the rebuke of the LORD,

                        by the blast of the breath from his nostrils.

¹⁷         He reached down from on high, he took me;

                        he drew me out of a deluge of waters.

¹⁸         He rescued me from my strong enemy,

                        from those who hated me;

                                    for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁹         They attacked me in the day of my calamity;

                        but the LORD was my support.

²⁰         He brought me out into a large open place;

                        he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²¹         The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;

                        according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

²²         For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

                        and have not wickedly turned from my God.

²³         For all his regulations were before me;

                        from his decrees, I have not turned aside.

²⁴         I was blameless before him,

                        I have kept myself from sin.

²⁵         Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

                        according to my cleanness in his sight.

²⁶         To the loyal you show yourself loyal,

                        to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

²⁷         to the pure you show yourself pure,

                        and to the crooked you show yourself perverse.

²⁸         You rescue the humble,

                        but your eyes are on the arrogant, to bring them down.

²⁹         For you are my lamp, O LORD,

                        The LORD lights up my darkness.

³⁰         With your strength I can charge an army,

                        with my God I can leap over a wall.

³¹        As for God, his way is perfect,

                        the word of the LORD proves true,

            he is a shield to all them who take refuge in him.

³²         For who is God, but the LORD alone?

                        Who is a rock, except our God?

³³         God is my strong fortress,

                        he makes my way perfect.

³⁴         He makes my feet as surefooted as a deer,

                        he sets me secure on mountain tops.

³⁵         He trains my hands for war,

                        so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶         You have also given me the shield of your salvation,

                        your support has made me great.

³⁷         You have widened the path for my steps under me,

                        and my feet have not slipped.

³⁸         I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them,

                        and I did not turn back until they were consumed.

³⁹         I have consumed them and struck them down,

                        so that they could not get up,

                                    they fell under my feet.

⁴⁰         You have clothed me with strength for the battle,

                        those who rose against me you subdued under me.

⁴¹         You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me in retreat,

                        I have destroyed those who hated me.

⁴²         They looked for help, but no one came to save them;

                        they cried to the LORD, but even he did not answer them.

⁴³         Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth,

                        I crushed and stomped them like mud in the streets.

⁴⁴         You also have rescued me from the strife with the peoples;

                        you have preserved me as head of the nations.   

                                    A people whom I have not known will serve me.

⁴⁵         The foreigners will submit themselves to me,

                        as soon as they hear about me, they obey me.

⁴⁶         Foreigners lose their heart,

                        they come trembling out of their strongholds.

⁴⁷         The LORD lives; blessed be my rock;

                        May God be exalted, the rock of my salvation,

⁴⁸         He is the God who avenges me,

                        he brings down peoples under me,

⁴⁹         He delivers me from my enemies,

                        you lift me up above those who rise up against me,

                                    you save me from the violent man.

⁵⁰         Therefore I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the nations,

                        I will sing praises to your name.

⁵¹         He gives great victories to his king,

                        he displays steadfast love to his anointed,

                                    to David and to his descendants forever."

                                            DASV:  2 Samuel 23

¹ Now these are the last words of David. "The oracle of David the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, anointed by the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel.

² The Spirit of LORD spoke through me, his word was on my tongue.

³ The God of Israel spoke, The Rock of Israel said to me, 'The one who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,

⁴ he is like the gleam of dawn, when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, when the tender grass sprouts out of the earth shining after a rain.'

⁵ Is not my house like this with God? For he has made an everlasting covenant with me, order in all things and secure.  Will he not deliver me and bring all that I desire to fruition?

⁶ But the ungodly will be like thorns thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand,

⁷ but whoever touches them must use an iron tool or the staff of a spear. They will be totally burned up with fire right where they are.

⁸ These are the names of David’s mighty men:  Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, he was the chief of the three.  He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed in one battle.

⁹ Next to him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the descendant of Ahohi.  He was one of the David’s three mighty men, when they defied the Philistines who were mustered there for battle, when the Israelite troops retreated.

¹⁰ He stood firm and slew the Philistines until his hand was so tired it stuck to his sword, and the LORD won a great victory that day.  When the troops returned to him, the only thing left to do was to take the spoil.

¹¹ Next to him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. When the Philistines mustered their troops at Lehi, there was a field full of lentils, and the army fled from the Philistines.

¹² But he took his stood in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory.

¹³ Once at harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to join David at the cave of Adullam.  A band of the Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim.

¹⁴ David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem.

¹⁵ David yearned saying, "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!"

¹⁶ The three mighty men broke through the Philistine force, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate.  They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.

¹⁷ He explained, "The LORD forbid that I should drink this.  Can I drink the blood of the men who went risking their own lives?" So he would not drink it. These are examples of the types of exploits the three mighty men did.

¹⁸ Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. With his spear he killed 300 of the enemy.  Such accomplishments made him as famous as the three.

¹⁹ He was most famous of the thirty and was made their commander even though he was not one of the three.

²⁰ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, was a valiant warrior from Kabzeel, who had done mighty feats.  He slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab.  He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.

²¹ He killed an Egyptian, an impressive warrior, who had a spear in his hand.  He went after him with a staff, and plucked the spear right out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.

²² These exploits gave Benaiah the son of Jehoiada a reputation as impressive as the three mighty men.

²³ He was more honorable than the thirty, but he had not attained to the level of respect as the first three. David set him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁴ The thirty were:  Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

²⁵ Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

²⁶ Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

²⁷ Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

²⁸ Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

²⁹ Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

³⁰ Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

³¹ Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

³² Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen,

³³ Jonathan the son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

³⁴ Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

³⁵ Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

³⁶ Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

³⁸ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

³⁹ Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.

                                              DASV: 2 Samuel 24

¹ Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go, number Israel and Judah."

² The king said to Joab and the commanders of the army who were with him, "Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, so that I may know how many people there are."

³ But Joab replied to the king, "Now the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are now, and right before the eyes of my lord the king, but why does my lord the king want to do this?"

⁴ The king's word however overruled Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

⁵ They passed over the Jordan, and camped in Aroer, on the south side of the town that is in the middle of the valley toward Gad, then on to Jazer.

⁶ Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi, proceeding to Dan-jaan, and around to Sidon.

⁷ Then they came to the fortress of Tyre, and to all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites.  Then they went on to the Negev of Judah, as far as Beersheba.

⁸ After nine months and twenty days of having gone through all the land, they returned to Jerusalem.

⁹ Joab reported the total number of the people to the king.  There were 800,000 valiant warriors who drew the sword in Israel, and 500,000 in Judah.

¹⁰ But David's heart felt guilty after he had numbered the people. So David confesed to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done.  But now, O LORD, please remove the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly."

¹¹ When David got up in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

¹² "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says, "I am offering you three options. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you."'"

¹³ So Gad came to David and told him, "Shall seven years of famine come on you in your land? Or will you flee for three months before your enemies while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? Now think about it and decide what answer I should bring back to him who sent me."

¹⁴ David said to Gad, "I am in quite a quandary.  Let us fall now into the hand of the LORD, for his mercies are great.  Don't let me not fall into the hand of man."

¹⁵ So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time.  There were 70,000 people who died from Dan to Beersheba.

¹⁶ When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented of the calamity, and told the angel who was destroying the people, "That's enough! Pull back your hand." The angel of LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

¹⁷ David pleaded with the LORD when he saw the angel striking down the people, "I alone am the one who sinned and have done this wickedness.  But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand of judgment be on me and my father's house."

¹⁸ Then Gad came that day to David, and said to him, "Go up and build an altar to the LORD at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."

¹⁹ So David went up just as the LORD had instructed through Gad.

²⁰ Now Araunah looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him.  Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

²¹ Then Araunah asked, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David replied, "To buy your threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the LORD, so that the plague may be averted from the people."

²² Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him.  Look, here are oxen for the burnt offering, and threshing sledges and yokes from the oxen for the wood.

²³ All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king."  Araunah continued speaking to the king, "The LORD your God accept you."

²⁴ The king responded to Araunah, "No, but I insist on buying it from you. For I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

²⁵ There David built an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD answered the prayers for the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.