2 Samuel 1—1 Kings 2

After the death of Saul, when David had returned afrom striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. And on the third day, behold, ba man came from Saul’s camp, cwith his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, dhe fell to the ground and paid homage. David said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel. And David said to him, eHow did it go? Tell me. And he answered, The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead. Then David said to the young man who told him, How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead? And the young man who told him said, fBy chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here I am. And he said to me, Who are you? I answered him, I am an Amalekite. And he said to me, gStand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers. 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. hAnd I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and itore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept jand fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, Where do you come from? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite. 14 David said to him, How is it you were not kafraid to put out your hand to destroy lthe Lord’s anointed? 15 Then mDavid called one of the young men and said, Go, execute him. And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, nYour blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, I have killed othe Lord’s anointed.

17 And David plamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it1 should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in qthe Book of Jashar.2 He said:

19  Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!

rHow the mighty have fallen!

20  sTell it not in Gath,

tpublish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,

ulest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,

lest the daughters of vthe uncircumcised exult.

21  wYou mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew or rain upon you,

nor fields of offerings!3

For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,

the shield of Saul, not xanointed with oil.

22  From the blood of the slain,

from the fat of the mighty,

ythe bow of Jonathan turned not back,

and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

23  Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!

In life and in death they were not divided;

they were zswifter than eagles;

they were astronger than lions.

24  You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,

bwho put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25  cHow the mighty have fallen

in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan lies slain on your high places.

26  I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;

very pleasant have you been to me;

dyour love to me was extraordinary,

surpassing the love of women.

27  cHow the mighty have fallen,

and the weapons of war perished!

After this David einquired of the Lord, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up. David said, To which shall I go up? And he said, To fHebron. So David went up there, and ghis two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David brought up hhis men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David iking over the house of Judah.

When they told David, jIt was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul, David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, kMay you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and ithe house of Judah has anointed me king over them.

But lAbner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to mMahanaim, and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and 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 nAnd the time that David was king in Hebron over ithe house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at othe pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men arise and compete before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. 15 Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim,4 which is at Gibeon. 17 And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

18 And the pthree sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was qas swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, Is it you, Asahel? And he answered, It is I. 21 Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab? 23 But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him rin the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers? 27 And Joab said, As God lives, if syou had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning. 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore.

29 And Abner and his men went all that night through tthe Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to uMahanaim. 30 Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men. 32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.

There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

vAnd sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of wAhinoam of Jezreel; and his second, Chileab, of wAbigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah xthe daughter of Talmai king of yGeshur; and the fourth, zAdonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine whose name was aRizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, bWhy have you gone in to my father’s concubine? Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, Am I ca dog’s head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. dGod do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David ewhat the Lord has sworn to him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ffrom Dan to Beersheba. 11 And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,5 saying, To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you. 13 And he said, Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, gyou shall not see my face unless you first bring hMichal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face. 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Give me my wife Michal, ifor whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15 And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to jBahurim. Then Abner said to him, Go, return. And he returned.

17 And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. 18 Now then bring it about, kfor the Lord has promised David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies. 19 Abner also spoke to lBenjamin. And then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do.

20 When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, I will arise and go and mwill gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may nreign over all that your heart desires. So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22 Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace. 24 Then Joab went to the king and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone? 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know oyour going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.

26 When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, pand there he struck him qin the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 rMay it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may the house of Joab never be without sone who has a discharge or who is tleprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread! 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because uhe had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, vTear your clothes and wput on sackcloth and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier. 32 They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king xlamented for Abner, saying,

yShould Abner die zas a fool dies?

34  Your hands were not bound;

your feet were not fettered;

as one falls before the wicked

you have fallen.

And all the people wept again over him. 35 Then all the people came ato persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, bGod do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ctill the sun goes down! 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. 38 And the king said to his servants, Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I was gentle today, though anointed king. dThese men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. eThe Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!

When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, fhis courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (gfor Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; hthe Beerothites fled ito Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

jJonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan kcame from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him lin the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.6 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of mthe Arabah all night, and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, nwho sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring. But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, oAs the Lord lives, pwho has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 qwhen one told me, Behold, Saul is dead, and thought he was bringing good news, rI seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now srequire his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth? 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it tin the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

Then all the tribes of Israel ucame to David at Hebron and said, Behold, vwe are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, wit was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, xYou shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince7 over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, yand King David made a covenant with them at Hebron zbefore the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ahe reigned forty years. aAt Hebron he reigned over Judah bseven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.8

cAnd the king and his men went to Jerusalem dagainst the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you offthinking, David cannot come in here. Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, ethat is, the city of David. And David said on that day, Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul. Therefore it is said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. And David lived in the stronghold and called it ethe city of David. And David built the city all around from the fMillo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

11 gAnd hHiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12 And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 And David took more iconcubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 jAnd 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 David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down kto the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in lthe Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David minquired of the Lord, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand? And the Lord said to David, Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand. 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood. nTherefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.9 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again oand spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 pAnd when David inquired of the Lord, he said, You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And qwhen you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, rfor then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines. 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba sto Gezer.

tDavid again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from uBaale-judah vto bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts wwho sits enthroned on the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God xon a new cart and brought it yout of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,10 the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, with the ark of God,11 and Ahio went before the ark.

And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with zsongs12 and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of aNacon, Uzzah bput out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and cGod struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah13 to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, How can the ark of the Lord come to me? 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside dto the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, eand the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 And it was told King David, The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God. fSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom gto the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when hthose who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, ihe sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David jdanced before the Lord with all his might. And David was kwearing a 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 horn.

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it lin its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. mAnd David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, nhe blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,14 and a cake of raisins to each one. oThen all the people departed, each to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, How the king of Israel honored himself today, puncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the qvulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! 21 And David said to Michal, It was before the Lord, rwho chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince15 over Israel, the people of the Lordand I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your16 eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor. 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

sNow when the king lived in his house and the Lord thad given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to uNathan the prophet, See now, I dwell vin a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells win a tent. And Nathan said to the king, xGo, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, Go and tell my servant David, Thus says the Lord: yWould you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house zsince the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about ain a tent for my dwelling. In all places where bI have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with cany of the judges17 of Israel, whom I commanded dto shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord of hosts, eI took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince18 over my people Israel. fAnd I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel gand will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place hand be disturbed no more. iAnd violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 jfrom the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And kI will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that lthe Lord will make you a house. 12 mWhen your days are fulfilled and nyou lie down with your fathers, oI will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 pHe shall build a house for my name, and qI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 rI will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, sI will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 sbut my steadfast love will not depart from him, tas I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 uAnd your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.19 uYour throne shall be established forever. 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, vWho am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. wYou have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? xFor you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 yTherefore you are great, O Lord God. zFor there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 aAnd who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name band doing for them20 great and awesome things by driving out before your people,21 whom cyou redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 dAnd you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will 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 made this revelation to your servant, saying, I will build you a house. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and eyour words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, fand with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.

gAfter this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took hMetheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

iAnd he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites jbecame servants to David and kbrought tribute.

David also defeated lHadadezer the son of Rehob, king of mZobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. nAnd David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David ohamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. pAnd when the qSyrians of Damascus came to help lHadadezer king of mZobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians rbecame servants to David and brought tribute. sAnd the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. And David took tthe shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

When Toi king of uHamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 vThese also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, wMoab, xthe Ammonites, ythe Philistines, zAmalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of mZobah.

13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in athe Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, band all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 cJoab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and dJehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and eZadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and fSeraiah was secretary, 18 and gBenaiah the son of Jehoiada was over22 the hCherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.

And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may ishow him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was jZiba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am your servant. And the king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show kthe kindness of God to him? Ziba said to the king, There is still a son of lJonathan; he is crippled in his feet. The king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is in the house of mMachir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And nMephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold, I am your servant. And David said to him, Do not fear, ifor I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and oyou shall eat at my table always. And he paid homage and said, What is your servant, that you should show regard for pa dead dog such as I?

Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson oshall always eat at my table. Now Ziba had qfifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do. So Mephibosheth oate at David’s23 table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, rwhose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for ohe ate always at the king’s table. Now lhe was lame in both his feet.

sAfter this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. And David said, I will deal loyally24 with Hanun the son of tNahash, as his father dealt loyally with me. So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it? So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, uat their hips, and sent them away. When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.

When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of vBeth-rehob, and wthe Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of xMaacah with 1,000 men, and the men of yTob, 12,000 men. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of zthe mighty men. And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and wthe Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and ythe men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 10 The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11 And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 aBe of good courage, and blet us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and cmay the Lord do what seems good to him. 13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond dthe Euphrates.25 They came to Helam, with eShobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded fShobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel gand became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.

hiIn the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged jRabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on kthe roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, Is not this lBathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of mUriah the Hittite? So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (nNow she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, I am pregnant.

So David sent word to Joab, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and owash your feet. And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 When they told David, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house? 11 Uriah said to David, pThe ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and qthe servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and ras your soul lives, I will not do this thing. 12 Then David said to Uriah, Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back. So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, sso that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with qthe servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

14 In the morning David twrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, uthat he may be struck down, and die. 16 And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. 19 And he instructed the messenger, When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, 20 then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 vWho killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall? then you shall say, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

22 So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger said to David, The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. 24 Then 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 also. 25 David said to the messenger, Thus shall you say to Joab, Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it. And encourage him.

26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and wshe became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

And the Lord sent xNathan to David. He came to him and said to him, yThere were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms,26 and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him. Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, zAs the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb afourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

Nathan said to David, You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, bI anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. cWhy have you despised the word of the Lord, dto do what is evil in his sight? eYou have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and fhave taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. 11 Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, gbut I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun. 13 hDavid said to Nathan, iI have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, jThe Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly kscorned the Lord,27 the child who is born to you shall die. 15 Then Nathan went to his house.

And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David lfasted and went in mand lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm. 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the child dead? They said, He is dead. 20 Then David arose from the earth nand washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord oand worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food. 22 He said, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, pWho knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, qbut he will not return to me.

24 Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and rshe bore a son, and he called his name sSolomon. And the Lord loved him 25 and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah,28 because of the Lord.

26 tNow Joab ufought against vRabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28 Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name. 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30 And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent29 of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at30 the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Now wAbsalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was xTamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of yShimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. And he said to him, O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me? Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. Jonadab said to him, Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand. So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come and zmake a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, aSend out everyone from me. So everyone went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand. And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister. 12 She answered him, No, my brother, do not violate31 me, for bsuch a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this coutrageous thing. 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of dthe outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you. 14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Get up! Go! 16 But she said to him, No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.32 But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her. 18 Now she was wearing ea long robe with sleeves,33 for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar fput ashes on her head and gtore the long robe that she wore. And hshe laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

20 And her brother Absalom said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart. So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.34 22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon ineither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

23 After two full years Absalom had jsheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 And Absalom came to the king and said, Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant. 25 But the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you. He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with you? 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, Mark when Amnon’s kheart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Strike Amnon, then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant. 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 While they were on the way, news came to David, Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left. 31 Then the king arose and ltore his garments and mlay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32 But nJonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king so otake it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.

34 pBut Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him35 by the side of the mountain. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about. 36 And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 qBut Absalom fled and went to rTalmai the son of Ammihud, king of sGeshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38 qSo Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And the spirit of the king36 longed to go out37 to Absalom, because the was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew uthat the king’s heart went out to Absalom. And Joab sent to vTekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. wDo not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. Go to the king and speak thus to him. So Joab xput the words in her mouth.

When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, yshe fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, zSave me, O king. And the king said to her, What is your trouble? She answered, aAlas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed. And so they would bdestroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor cremnant on the face of the earth.

Then the king said to the woman, Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you. And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, dOn me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless. 10 The king said, If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again. 11 Then she said, Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that ethe avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed. He said, fAs the Lord lives, gnot one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.

12 Then the woman said, Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king. He said, Speak. 13 And the woman said, Why then have you planned such a thing against hthe people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring ihis banished one home again. 14 We must all die; we are jlike water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means kso that the banished one will not remain an outcast. 15 Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16 For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from lthe heritage of God. 17 And your servant thought, The word of my lord the king will set me at rest, for my lord the king is mlike the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!

18 Then the king answered the woman, Do not hide from me anything I ask you. And the woman said, Let my lord the king speak. 19 The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? The woman answered and said, nAs surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; oit was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of mthe angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.

21 Then the king said to Joab, Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom. 22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage pand blessed the king. And Joab said, Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant. 23 So Joab arose and went to qGeshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence. So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king’s presence.

25 Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. rFrom the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he scut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels38 by the king’s weight. 27 There were born tto Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.

28 So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king’s presence. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come. 30 Then he said to his servants, See, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.39 31 Then Joab arose and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire? 32 Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent word to you, Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, Why have I come from qGeshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, uand if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death. 33 Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

After this Absalom vgot himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside wthe way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, From what city are you? And when he said, Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel, Absalom would say to him, See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you. Then Absalom would say, xOh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice. And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And at the end of four40 years Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. For your servant zvowed a vow awhile I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to41 the Lord. The king said to him, bGo in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Absalom is king at Hebron! 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem cwho were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for42 dAhithophel the Gilonite, eDavid’s counselor, from his city fGiloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom gkept increasing.

13 And a messenger came to David, saying, hThe hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom. 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us iflee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword. 15 And the king’s servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides. 16 So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left jten concubines to keep the house. 17 And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.

18 And kall his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from lGath, passed on before the king. 19 Then the king said to mIttai the Gittite, Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. 20 You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go nI know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show43 steadfast love and faithfulness to you. 21 But Ittai answered the king, oAs the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, pwherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be. 22 And David said to Ittai, Go then, pass on. So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23 And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed qthe brook rKidron, and all the people passed on toward sthe wilderness.

24 And tAbiathar came up, and behold, uZadok came also with all the Levites, vbearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of 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, he will wbring me back and let me see both it and his xdwelling place. 26 But if he says, I have no ypleasure in you, behold, here I am, zlet him do to me what seems good to him. 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, Are you not a aseer? Go back44 to the city in peace, with byour two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait at cthe fords of sthe wilderness until word comes from you to inform me. 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, dbarefoot and ewith his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, fweeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, please gturn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

32 While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai hthe Archite came to meet him iwith his coat torn and idirt on his head. 33 David said to him, If you go on with me, you will be ja burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, kI will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant, then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, ltell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, mtheir two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, mand by them you shall send to me everything you hear. 37 So Hushai, nDavid’s friend, came into the city, ojust as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

When David had passed a little beyond pthe summit, qZiba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, ra hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. And the king said to Ziba, Why have you brought these? Ziba answered, sThe donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who tfaint in the wilderness to drink. And the king said, And where is your master’s son? uZiba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father. Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours. And Ziba said, I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.

When King David came to vBahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was wShimei, the son of Gera, and as he came xhe cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he xcursed, Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The Lord yhas avenged on you all zthe blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this adead dog bcurse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head. 10 But the king said, cWhat have I to do with you, dyou sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, Curse David, who then shall say, Why have you done so? 11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, Behold, emy own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me,45 and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today. 13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and fcursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. 14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, garrived weary at the Jordan.46 And there he refreshed himself.

15 hNow Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And when Hushai the Archite, hDavid’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, iLong live the king! Long live the king! 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your loyalty to your friend? jWhy did you not go with your friend? 18 And Hushai said to Absalom, No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 And again, kwhom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your counsel. What shall we do? 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to lyour father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and mthe hands of all who are with you will be strengthened. 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom non the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines oin the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, pboth by David and by Absalom.

Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. I will come upon him while he is qweary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. rI will strike down only the king, and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man,47 and all the people will be at peace. And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

Then Absalom said, Call sHushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say. And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he says? If not, you speak. Then Hushai said to Absalom, This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good. Hushai said, You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged,48 tlike a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall49 at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom. 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly umelt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, vfrom Dan to Beersheba, was the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there. 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. xFor the Lord had ordained50 to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.

15 yThen Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so have I counseled. 16 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, Do not stay tonight at zthe fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be aswallowed up. 17 Now bJonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at cEn-rogel. A female servant was to go and tell them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they were not to be seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly and came to the house of a man at dBahurim, who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it. 19 eAnd the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it. 20 When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have gone over the brook51 of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, fArise, and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you. 22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to ghis own city. He hset his house in order and ihanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

24 Then David came to jMahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had set kAmasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite,52 who had married Abigal the daughter of lNahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, mShobi the son of Nahash from nRabbah of the Ammonites, and oMachir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and pBarzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils,53 29 honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, The people are hungry and qweary and thirsty rin the wilderness.

Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the command of sIttai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, I myself will also go out with you. tBut the men said, You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city. The king said to them, Whatever seems best to you I will do. So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. uAnd all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the vforest of Ephraim. And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.

And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak,54 wand his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak. 11 Joab said to the man who told him, What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt. 12 But the man said to Joab, Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for xin our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, For my sake protect the young man Absalom. 13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life55 (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof. 14 Joab said, I will not waste time like this with you. And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.

16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him ya very great heap of stones. And all Israel zfled every one to his own home. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself athe pillar that is in bthe King’s Valley, for he said, cI have no son to keep my name in remembrance. He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s monument56 to this day.

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, dLet me run and carry news to the king that ethe Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies. 20 And Joab said to him, You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead. 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen. The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. 22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news? 23 Come what may, he said, I will run. So he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of fthe plain, and outran the Cushite.

24 Now David gwas sitting between the two gates, and hthe watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he drew nearer and nearer. 26 The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, See, another man running alone! The king said, He also brings news. 27 The watchman said, I think the running of the first is ilike the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, jHe is a good man and comes with good news.

28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, All is well. And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, kBlessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, lIs it well with the young man Absalom? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was. 30 And the king said, Turn aside and stand here. So he turned aside and stood still.

31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, Good news for my lord the king! For mthe Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you. 32 The king said to the Cushite, lIs it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, nMay the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man. 33 57 And the king was deeply moved and went up gto the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, oO my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!

It was told Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom. So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, The king is grieving for his son. And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. The king pcovered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, qO my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. Now therefore arise, go out and speak rkindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now. Then the king arose and took his sseat in the gate. And the people were all told, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king.

Now Israel had tfled every man to his own home. And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, uThe king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and vsaved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now whe has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?

11 And King David sent this message to xZadok and Abiathar the priests: Say to the elders of Judah, Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?58

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