PART ONE.
DAVID REIGNED IN HEBRON OVER THE TRIBE OF JUDA.
Chapter 1
— David's grief at the death of Saul and Jonathan. —
1 After Saul’s death, David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, and David had been staying in Shikleh for two days.
2 On the third day, a man came from the camp, from Saul, with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and worshiped.
3 David said to him, «Where do you come from?» And he answered him, «I escaped from the camp of Israel.»
4 David said to him, «What happened? Tell me.» He said, «The people fled from the battle, and many of them fell and died; Saul and his son Jonathan also died.»
5 David said to the young man who brought him this news, «How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?»
6 And the young man who brought him the news replied: «I happened to be on the mountain of Gilboa; and behold, Saul was leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were near to overtake him.
7 He turned around and, seeing me, called to me, and I said, «Here I am.»
8 And he said to me, «Who are you?» I answered him, «I am an Amalekite.»
9 And he said to me, «Come near to me and kill me, for I am overcome with dizziness, and my whole life is still within me.
10 I approached him and killed him, for I knew well that he would not survive his defeat. I took the diadem that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and I bring them here to my lord.»
11 David seized his clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
12 They celebrated their mourning, weeping and fasting until evening, for Saul, for his son Jonathan, for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who had brought him the news, «Where are you from?» He replied, «I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.»
14 David said to him, «How is it that you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to kill the Lord’s anointed?»
15 And David called to one of the young men and said, «Go over and kill him.» This man struck the’Amalecite, and he died.
16 And David said to him, «Your blood be on your own head! For your own mouth has testified against you when you said, »I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’”
17 David sang this funeral dirge for Saul and for Jonathan, his son,
18 and he ordered that it be taught to the children of Judah; this is the song of The bow. This is what is written in the Book of the Just:
19 Has the splendor of Israel perished on your heights? How have the heroes fallen?
20 Do not announce it in Geth, do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised leap for joy!
21 Mountains of Gelboah, may there be neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of firstfruits! For there the shield of the heroes was cast down.
Saul's shield was not anointed with oil,
22 but of the blood of the wounded, of the fat of the valiant; Jonathan's bow never retreated, and Saul's sword did not return inactive.
23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and dear in life and in death, were not separated. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in purple amidst delights, who adorned your garments with gold!
25 How did the heroes fall in battle?
Jonathan was pierced on your heights!
26 My anguish overwhelms me because of you, Jonathan, my brother. You were my delight; your love was more precious to me than the love of women.
27 How did the heroes fall? How did the warriors perish?
Chapter 2
— David consecrated in Hebron. —
1 After this, David inquired of the Lord, saying, «Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?» The Lord answered him, «Go up.» David said, «Where shall I go up?» And Yahweh replied: "In Hebron."«
2 David went up there, with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s wife.
3 David also brought up the men who were with him, each with his family; they settled in the cities of Hebron.
4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
— David's gratitude to the Jabezites for the burial of Saul. —
David was informed that it was the men of Jabesh-gilead who had buried Saul.
5 And David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead, saying, «May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have fulfilled this pious duty to Saul your lord and have buried him.
6 And now may Yahweh show you kindness and faithfulness! I too will repay you for this kindness, because you have acted in this way.
7 And now, let your hands be strong, and be valiant men; for your lord Saul is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me to be their king.»
— Opposition from the house of Saul. Battle of Gibeon. —
8 However, Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, captured Ish-bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim,
9 He established him as king over Gilead, over the Assyrites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, over all Israel.
10 — Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, was forty years old when he reigned over Israel, and he reigned two years. — Only the house of Judah remained loyal to David.
11 The time that David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 Abner, son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to walk on Gabaon.
13 Joab, son of Zerviah, and David's servants, began Also on the move. They met near the pool of Gibeon, and they settled down, some on one side of the pool, others on the other side of the pool.
14 Abner said to Joab, «Let the young men stand up and joust before us!» Joab replied, «Let them stand up!»
15 They stood up and came forward in equal numbers, twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and twelve of David's servants.
16 Each one, seizing his opponent by the head, pushed in his sword in his companion's side, and they fell all together. And the name of this place was given to it as Shelkath HaZourim; it is in Gibeon.
17 And the battle became very fierce that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
18 There were the three sons of Zeruiah: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was swift-footed like a gazelle that are in the fields;
19 Asael pursued Abner, without turning away from behind Abner, to go to the right or to the left.
20 Abner turned behind him and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" And he answered, "It is I."«
21 Abner said to him, «Move aside to the right or to the left; seize one of the young men and take his spoils.» But Asahel would not turn away from him.
22 Abner said again to Asahel, «Turn away from behind me; why should I strike you?” and would I extend it to you on the ground? How could I Next "I must lift my face before Joab, your brother!"»
23 But Asahel refused to turn away. So Abner struck him in the stomach with the lower end of his spear, and the spear came out behind him. He fell there and died on the spot. Everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died stopped there.
24 Joab and Abisai pursued Abner; at sunset they came to the hill of Ammah, which is east of Giah, on the way to the desert of Gibeon.
25 The sons of Benjamin rallied to Abner's cause and, united in a single army, they stopped at the top of a hill.
26 Abner summoned Joab and said, «Will the sword always devour? Do you not know that there will be bitterness in the end? How long will you wait to tell the people to stop persecuting their brothers?»
27 Joab replied, «As surely as God lives! If you hadn’t spoken, the people would not have stopped pursuing each other until morning.»
28 And Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the people stopped; they did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they continue to fight.
29 Abner and his men, after walking all night in the Plain, crossed the Jordan, went through all of Bithron, and arrived at Mahanaim.
30 Joab Also ceased pursuing Abner and gathered all the people; nineteen men of David's servants were missing, and Asahel.
31 And David's servants had struck down three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin and of Abner.
32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb, who East has BethlehemJoab and his men marched all night, and they arrived at Hebron at daybreak.
Chapter 3
— War between the house of David and that of Saul; death of Abner. —
1 The war The conflict between the house of Saul and the house of David was long. David grew stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker.
2 David had sons in Hebron. His firstborn was Ammon, the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3 the second Sheleab, of Abigail of Carmel, wife of Nabal; the third Absalom, son of Maacah, daughter of Tolmai, king of Geshur;
4 the fourth Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth Saphathia, son of Abital,
5 and the sixth Jethraam, by Eglah, David's wife. These were the sons who were born to David in Hebron.
6 While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner strengthened himself in the house of Saul.
7 Now Saul had a concubine named Respah, daughter of Aiah. And Isboseth said to Abner:
8 «Why have you come to my father’s concubine?» Abner, very angry at Ish-bosheth’s words, replied, «Am I a dog’s head belonging to Judah? Today I have shown favor to the house of Saul, your father, to his brothers and his friends, and I have not handed you over to David, and now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman?”
9 May God deal with Abner in all his severity, if I do not act with David according to what Yahweh swore to him,
10 saying that he would remove the kingship from the house of Saul, and that he would establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba!
11 Isboseth He could not answer Abner a single word, because he was afraid of him.
12 Abner sent messengers to David, saying, «Whose land is this? Make a covenant with me, and my hand will help you to turn all Israel to your side.»
13 He replied, «Very well, I will make a covenant with you; but I ask one thing of you: that you do not see my face without bringing Michol, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see me.»
14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I married for a hundred Philistine foreskins."«
15 Ishbosheth sent to get him from her husband Phaltiel, son of Laish;
16 And her husband accompanied her, walking and weeping behind her, as far as Bathurim. There Abner said to her, «Go back at your place."And he went back.".
17 Abner had discussions with the elders of Israel, and said to them, «For a long time now you have desired to have David as your king;
18 »Act now, for the Lord has said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will deliver my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”
19 Abner also spoke to Benjamin, and Abner went and reported to David in Hebron what seemed good in the sight of Israel and in the sight of all the house of Benjamin.
20 Abner came to David at Hebron, accompanied by twenty men; and David held a feast for Abner and the men who accompanied him.
21 And Abner said to David, «I will arise and go to gather all Israel to my lord the king; they will make a covenant with you, and you will reign over all that your soul desires.» And David dismissed Abner, who went away in peace.
22 Now the servants of David and Joab returned from a raid, bringing back with them a great deal of plunder. — Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David He had been dismissed and he had left in peace.
23 Joab and all the troops who were with him arrived, and this report was made to Joab: «Abner, son of Ner, came to the king, who dismissed him, and he went away in peace.»
24 Joab went to the king and said, «What have you done? Abner has come to you: why did you dismiss him and let him go?
25 You know Abner, son of Ner: he has come to deceive you, to spy on your ways, and to find out everything you do.»
26 Joab, having left David, sent messengers after Abner who brought him back from the cistern of Sira, without David knowing anything about it.
27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab drew him aside, inside the gate, as to speak to him calmly, and there he struck him in the stomach; he died because of the blood of Asahel, his brother of Joab.
28 David later heard of it, and he said, «I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the blood of Abner, son of Ner.
29 That this blood "Let it fall upon Joab's head and upon all his father's house! May there always be in Joab's house a man suffering from a discharge or leprosy, or one who holds a spindle, or one who falls by the sword, or one who lacks bread."»
30 So Joab and Abishai, his brother, killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 David said to Joab and all the people who were with him, «Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.» And King David walked behind the litter.
32 Abner was buried in Hebron. The king wept aloud over Abner's tomb, and all the people wept.
33 The king sang a funeral dirge for Abner, and said:
Did Abner have to die like a madman?
34 Your hands were not bound and your feet were not thrown into chains! You fell as one falls before wicked men.
The entire population continued to lament over Abner ;
35 And all the people approached David to give him food while it was still day. But David swore, «May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before sunset!»
36 All the people noticed it and thought it good, just as they thought everything the king did was good.
37 All the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not by the king that Abner, son of Ner, had been put to death.
38 The king said to his servants, «Do you not know that a leader, a great man, has fallen today in Israel?
39 »For I am gentle, though I am anointed king; but these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more hard-hearted than I. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to the evil he has done!”
Chapter 4
— Death of Ishboseth, end of the house of Saul. —
1 When Saul's son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands were powerless, and all Israel was dismayed.
2 Saul's son had two leaders of raiding parties, one named Baanah and the other Rechab, both son of Remmon of Beroth, one of the sons of Benjamin. For Beroth is also counted as part by Benjamin,
3 and the Berothites had fled to Getaim, and they have lived there to this day.
4 Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son who was lame in both feet. This child was five years old when the news of death Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; his nurse had taken him and fled, and in the haste of his flight he had fallen and become lame; his name was Miphibosheth.
5 Now the sons of Remmon the Berothian, Rechab and Baanah, came and entered the house of Ish-bosheth during the heat of the day, while he was lying down for his midday rest.
6 Having entered the middle of the house to take some grain, they struck him in the stomach. And Rechab, and Baanah, his brother, crept in secretly.
7 When they entered the house, Isboseth was lying on his bed in his bedroom; they beat him to death and, having cut off his head, they took it, and walked all night across the Plain.
8 They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, «Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has granted my lord the king vengeance today on Saul and his descendants.»
9 David answered Rechab and Baanah, his brother, the sons of Remmon the Berothian, and said to them, «As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me from every peril!
10 The one who came to tell me this news, “Behold, Saul is dead,” was in his own eyes a bearer of good news; but I had him seized and put to death at Shikleh, to give him the reward for his good message;
11 How much more, when wicked men have murdered an innocent man in his own home, on his own bed, must I demand his blood from your hands and destroy you from the earth?»
12 And David commanded the young men to kill them; they cut off their hands and feet and THE They hung him by the pool at Hebron. Then, having taken Ish-bosheth's head, they buried him in Abner's tomb at Hebron.
PART TWO.
REIGN OF DAVID IN JERUSALEM OVER ALL ISRAEL.
Chapter 5
— David reigns over all Israel. —
1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are: we are your bones and your flesh.
2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who led Israel back and forth. And the Lord said to you, “You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be prince over Israel.”
3 So All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before Yahweh at Hebron, and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
5 In Hebron, he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. And they told David, «You shall not enter here, but the blind and the lame "They will repel you." Which meant: David will never enter here.
7 But David took possession of the stronghold of Zion: that is the city of David.
8 David said that day, «Whoever strikes the Jebusites and reaches them by the ditch…» As for the lame and the blind, these are the enemies of David's soul. Hence the saying: "The blind and the lame shall not enter the house."«
9 David settled in the stronghold and called it the City of David, and David built around it, from the Mello, and within it.
10 David grew greater and greater, and Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.
11 Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, with cedar wood, as well as carpenters and stonemasons, who built a house for David.
12 And David recognized that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
13 David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.
14 These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Samua, Zobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15 Jebahar, Elisua, Nepheg,
16 Japhiah, Elisama, Elioda and Eliphaleth.
— Defeats of the Philistines. —
17 The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel; SO All the Philistines went up to search for David. David learned of this and went down to the stronghold.
18 The Philistines came and spread out into the valley of Rephaim.
19 David inquired of the Lord, saying, «Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?» And the Lord said to David, «Go up, for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.»
20 So David came to Baal-Pharasim, and there David defeated them. And he said, «The Lord has shattered my enemies before me, as the waters shatter the dikes."That is why this place was given the name Baal-Pharasim.".
21 They left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
22 The Philistines went up again and spread out into the valley of Rephaim.
23 And David consulted Yahweh, who said to him, «Do not go up; turn around behind them, and you will come upon them from the side of the balsam trees.
24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then attack quickly, for then the Lord will go out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.»
25 David did so, as Yahweh commanded him, and he defeated the Philistines from Gibeah to Gezer.
Chapter 6
— Transport of the ark to Jerusalem. —
1 David again gathered all the elite of Israel, number of thirty thousand men.
2 Accompanied by all the people gathered around him, David arose and set out from Baale-Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of Yahweh of armies who sits upon the Cherubim.
3 They placed the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, who was on the hill; Oza and Achio, sons of Abinadab, were driving the new chariot
4 (and they brought him from the house of Abinadab, who was on the hill) with the ark of God; Achio walked in front of the ark.
5 David and all the house of Israel danced before Yahweh, at sound of all sorts instruments of cypress wood, harps, lutes, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at Nachon's threshing floor, Oza spread out the hand towards the ark of God and seized it, because the oxen had stumbled.
7 The anger of the Lord burned against Ozah, and God struck him down on the spot because of his rashness; and Oza He died there, near the ark of God.
8 David was angry because Yahweh had thus struck Oza; and that place has been called Pheretz-Oza to this day.
9 David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, «How can the ark of the Lord come to me?»
10 And David would not bring the ark of Yahweh home to the city of David; and David brought it to the house of Obededom the Gethite.
11 The ark of Yahweh remained three months in the house of Obededom the Gethite, and Yahweh blessed Obededom and all his house.
12 King David was told, «The Lord has blessed the house of Obededom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.» So David set out and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom to the city of David with a joyful procession.
13 When the bearers of the ark of Yahweh had gone six steps, a fattened ox and calf were offered as a sacrifice.
14 David danced with all his might before Yahweh, and David was girded with a linen ephod.
15 David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouts of joy and with the sound of trumpets.
16 When the ark of Yahweh entered the city of David, Michal, daughter of Saul, looked out of the window and, seeing King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh, she despised him in her heart.
17 After the ark of the Lord had been brought in and placed in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it, David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
18 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of armies.
19 Then He distributed to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a paste of raisins. And all the people went away, each to his own house.
20 As David returned to bless his house, Michal, Saul's daughter, came out to meet David and said, "How glorious it is today for the king of Israel to have unveiled himself today in the sight of the female servants of his servants, as a commoner would uncover himself!"«
21 David answered Michol, «It was before Yahweh, who chose me rather than your father and all his house to make me prince over his people Israel, it was before Yahweh that I danced.
22 I will humble myself even more than this and be vile in my own eyes, but in the presence of the maids you speak of, I will be held in honor.»
23 And Michal, daughter of Saul, had no children until the day of her death.
Chapter 7
— Nathan's prophecy. —
1 When the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest by delivering it of all his enemies surrounding him,
2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, «Look! I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God is in the middle of the tent!»
3 Nathan answered the king, «Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.»
4 That night, the word of Yahweh was addressed to Nathan in these terms:
5 «Go and tell my servant David, ’This is what the Lord says: Are you the one who will build me a house so that I may…’y reside ?
6 For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt until this day; I have traveled in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 During all the time I traveled with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to any of the leaders of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why do you not build me a house of cedar?”
8 Now you shall say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel;
9 I have been with you wherever you go, I have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I have made you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth;
10 I have assigned a place to my people Israel, and I have planted them there, and they dwell in their own home. They will no longer be disturbed, nor will the sons of iniquity oppress them, as before.
11 And as on the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel, I granted you rest. by freeing you of all your enemies. And Yahweh announces to you that he will build you a house.
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. If he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod of men and with blows of men's wires.
15 But my grace will not depart from him, as I departed from Saul, whom I departed from before you.
16 Your house and your kingdom will be established forever before you; your throne will be established forever.»
17 Nathan spoke to David according to all these words and all this vision.
— David's prayer in the sanctuary. —
18 King David came and stood before Yahweh; and he said, «Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me all the way here?
19 And this is still a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh; you have also spoken of the house of your servant for a long time: it is to act towards me according the law of man, Lord Yahweh!
20 What more could David say to you? You know your servant, Lord Yahweh!
21 It is because of your word and according to your heart that you have done all this great thing, to make it known to your servant.
22 Therefore you are great, Lord Yahweh! for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 What other nation is there on earth like your people, like Israel, whom God came to redeem for to do his people, to make a name for them and to perform great and wondrous things for you in favor of your land, by hunting from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, the nations and their gods?
24 You have established your people Israel to that he be your people forever, and you, Yahweh, have become their God.
25 Now therefore, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, maintain it forever and act according to your word;
26 and let your name be glorified forever, and let it be said: Yahweh of hosts is God over Israel! And let the house of your servant David be established before you.
27 For you yourself, Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed yourself to your servant, saying, I will build you a house; therefore your servant has been bold enough to address this prayer to you.
28 Now, Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are true. You have spoken this pleasing word to your servant;
29 Now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may remain forever before you. For you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken, and by your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.»
Chapter 8
— David's wars and victories; his principal officers. —
1 After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took the reins of their capital out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 He defeated the Moabites and made them lie down on the ground. He measured them with a line; he measured two lines to kill them and one full line to spare their lives. So the Moabites became David's slaves. him bringing tribute.
3 David defeated Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he was on his way to establish his dominion over the river Euphrates.
4 And David took from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses and left only 100 chariots.
5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to the aid of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David defeated twenty-two thousand Syrians.
6 David placed garrisons in the Syria from Damascus, and the Syrians were slaves to David, bringing tribute. Yahweh gave David victory wherever he went.
7 David took the golden shields that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8 King David took Again a large quantity of bronze at Bethe and Beroth, cities of Hadadezer.
9 When Thu, king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated all the forces of Hadadezer,
10 Thou sent Joram, his son, to King David, to greet him and congratulate him on attacking Hadadezer and defeating him, for Thou was constantly at war with Hadadezer. Joram had in his hand vases of gold, vases of silver, and vases of bronze.
11 King David also dedicated them to Yahweh, along with the silver and gold that he dedicated. after removing them to all the nations he had trampled underfoot,
12 to the Syria, to Moab, to the Ammonites, to the Philistines, to Amalek, and to the spoils of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 David made a name for himself when he returned from defeating the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, number of eighteen thousand.
14 He placed garrisons in Edom; throughout Edom he placed garrisons, and all Edom became subject to David. And the Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
15 David reigned over all Israel, and David did justice and righteousness for all his people.
16 Joab, son of Zervia, was in command of the army; Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was recorder;
17 Zadok, son of Ahitob, and Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, were priests; Saraiah was secretary;
18 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was chief the Cerethians and the Phelethians; and the sons of David were his close advisors.
Chapter 9
— David and Miphiboseth. —
1 David said, «Is there anyone left of the house of Saul, whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?»
2 There was a servant in the house of Saul named Shiba. They brought him to David, and the king said to him, «Are you Shiba?» And he answered, «Your servant!»
3 The king said, «Is there no one left of Saul’s house to whom I can show kindness like God?» And Shiba answered the king, «There is still a son of Jonathan, who is lame in both feet.»
4 And the king said to him, «Where is he?» And Siba answered the king, «Behold, he is in the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, in Lodabar.»
5 King David sent for him from the house of Machir, son of Ammiel of Lodabar.
6 When Miphibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David, he fell on his face and worshiped. And David said, «Miphibosheth!» He replied, «Here is your servant.»
7 And David said to him, «Do not be afraid, for I will do you good for the sake of Jonathan your father. I will restore to you all the lands of Saul your father, and you will always eat your food at my table.»
8 He prostrated himself and said, «What is your servant that you should turn to a dead dog like me?»
9 The king summoned Siba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, «All that belonged to Saul and to all his house, I give to your master’s son.
10 You, your sons, and your servants will cultivate the land for him, and you will bring the harvest, so that your master's son may have enough to eat; but Miphibosheth, your master's son, will always eat at my table." Now Shiba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Siba said to the king, «Your servant will do everything that the king, my lord, commands his servant.» And Miphiboseth ate at the table by David, as one of the king's sons.
12 Miphiboseth had a young son named Micha, and all those who remained in the house of Siba were his servants.
13 Miphiboseth lived in Jerusalem, for he always ate at the king's table; and he was lame in both feet.
PART THREE.
DAVID'S FAULT.
Chapter 10
— War against the Ammonites and the Syrians. —
1 After this, the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanon, his son, reigned in his place.
2 David said, «I will show kindness to Hanon son of Naash, just as his father showed kindness to me.» So David sent his servants to comfort him about his father. When David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites,
3 The princes of the Ammonites said to Hanon, their master, «Do you think that David is sending you comforters to honor your father? Isn’t it to reconnoiter and explore the city, in order to destroy it, that David has sent his servants to you?»
4 Then Hanon seized David’s servants, shaved half their beards and cut their clothes halfway up to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 David was informed, and he sent people to meet them, for these men were in great confusion; and the king sent word to them, «Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then you will return Next. »
6 The Ammonites saw that they had made themselves odious to David; and the Ammonites sent to take into their pay the Syrians of Beth-Rohob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, then the king of Maahah, one thousand men, and the people of Tob, twelve thousand men.
7 David heard about it and he sent forth against them Joab and all the army, the valiant men.
8 The sons of Ammon went out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the gate; the Syrians of Zobah and Rehob, as well as the men of Tob and Maahah, were apart in the open country.
9 When Joab saw that there was a battle front in front of him and behind him, he chose from among all the elite of Israel a body which he lined up opposite the Syrians;
10 and he put the rest of the people under the command of his brother Abishai, who arranged them opposite the sons of Ammon.
11 He said, «If the Syrians are stronger than me, you will come to my aid; and if the Ammonites are stronger than you, I will come to your aid.
12 »Be steadfast, and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good in his eyes!”
13 So Joab and the people with him advanced to attack the Syrians, but they fled from him.
14 When the Ammonites saw that the Syrians had fled, they fled too Also before Abisai, and they returned to the city. And Joab returned from the war against the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.
15 When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated before Israel, they gathered together.
16 Hadadezer sent messengers to bring in the Syrians who were on the other side of the river, and they came to Helam, and Sobah, commander of Hadadezer's army, walking in front of them.
17 David received the news and, having gathered all Israel, he crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians drew up their battle lines against David and engaged him in battle.
18 But the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed some of the Syrians the horses of seven hundred chariots and forty thousand horsemen; he also struck down the leader of their army, Sobach, who died there.
19 All the vassal kings of Hadadezer, seeing themselves defeated before Israel, did peace with Israel and were subjugated to him; and the Syrians were afraid to come to the aid of the Ammonites any longer.
Chapter 11
— Siege of Rabbah; David's double crime. —
1 At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to war, David sent Joab with his servants and all Israel, and they ravaged the country The Ammonites besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.
2 One evening when David had gotten up from his bed and was walking on the roof of the king's house, he saw from the roof a woman bathing, and this woman was very beautiful in appearance.
3 David sent for information about the woman, and was told, «This is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, wife of Uriah the Hittite.»
4 And David sent men to take her; she came to him and he lay with her. Then she purified herself from her uncleanness and returned to her house.
5 This woman became pregnant, and she sent word to David, saying, «I am pregnant.»
6 Then David sent this order To Joab: «Send me Uriah the Hittite.» And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 Uriah having gone to David, the latter asked for news of Joab, of the army and of the battle.
8 Then David said to Uriah, «Go down to your house and wash your feet.» So Uriah left the king’s house, and a gift was carried after him. of the table of the king;
9 But Uriah lay down at the door of the king’s house with all his master’s servants, and did not go down into his house.
10 David was informed, saying, «Uriah has not gone down to his house.» And David said to Uriah, «Have you not just arrived from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house?»
11 Uriah answered David, «The ark, Israel, and Judah are living in tents, my lord Joab and my lord’s servants are encamped in the open field, and I am to go into my house to eat and drink and to lie with my wife? As surely as you live, and as surely as your soul lives, I will do no such thing.»
12 David said to Uriah, «Stay here today, and tomorrow I will send you away.» So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13 David invited him to eat and drink in his presence, and he made him drunk; and in the evening, Uriah went out to lie down on his bed beside his master's servants, but he did not go down to his house.
14 The next morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 In this letter he wrote: «Put Uriah in the thick of the fighting, and withdraw from behind him, so that he may be struck and die.»
16 Joab, who was besieging the city, placed Uriah in the place where he knew the most valiant men were.
17 The men of the city, having made a sortie to attack Joab, several fell from among the people, from among the servants of David; Uriah the Hittite also died.
18 Joab sent a messenger to inform David of all the facts of the fight;
19 He gave this order to the messenger: «When you have finished telling the king all the facts of the battle, if the king becomes angry and says to you:
20 Why did you approach the city to give battle? Didn't you know that the besieged would launch traits From the top of the wall?
21 Who struck Abimelech son of Jerobaal? Wasn't it a woman who threw a piece of a millstone at him from the top of the wall, so that he died in Thebes? Why SO Have you approached the wall? SO You shall say: »Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”
22 The messenger went and, when he arrived, he told David everything that Joab had commanded him.
23 The messenger said to David, «These men, stronger than us, came out against us in the countryside, but we drove them back to the gate.
24 SO Their archers fired from the top of the wall at your servants, and several Some of the king's servants have been killed, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.»
25 David said to the messenger, «This is what you are to say to Joab: »Do not be too worried about this matter, for the sword devours now one, now the other. Redouble your efforts against the city and overthrow it. And you, encourage him.’”
26 Uriah's wife heard that her husband, Uriah, was dead, and she wept for her husband.
27 When the mourning period was over, David sent for her and brought her into his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
Chapter 12
— Nathan and David. —
1 Yahweh sent Nathan to David; and Nathan came to him and said, «There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,
3 and the poor man had nothing except a little ewe lamb he had bought; he raised it and it grew up with him and his children, eating his bread, drinking from his cup and sleeping on his breast, and it was like a daughter to him.
4 A visitor arrived at the rich man's house; and the rich He refrained from taking any of his sheep or oxen to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to his house; he took the poor man's sheep and prepared it for the man who had come to his house.»
5 David’s anger burned fiercely against the man, and he said to Nathan, «As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die;
6 and he will give back the sheep four times, for having done such a thing and for having shown no mercy.»
7 And Nathan said to David, «You are the man! Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: I have anointed you king over Israel, and I have delivered you from the hand of Saul;
8 I gave you your master's house, and I put on your breast women of your master; and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and, if that was too little, I would have added this or that as well.
9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, doing what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife for to do your wife, and you killed her with the sword of the Ammonites.
10 And now the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.
11 Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I am going to raise up disaster upon you from your own house, and I will take your wives before your very eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For you have acted in secret, but I will do this before all Israel and in broad daylight.»
13 David said to Nathan, «I have sinned against Yahweh.» And Nathan said to David, «Yahweh has forgiven your sin; you will not die.”.
14 But because you have caused the Lord to be despised by his enemies by this deed, the son born to you will die.»
15 And Nathan went home.
Yahweh struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became very ill.
16 David prayed to God for the child, and fasted; and, having entered in his room, He spent the night lying on the ground.
17 The elders of his house urged him to get up from the ground, but he would not and did not eat with them.
18 On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, «While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him, »The child is dead’? He will do even worse.”
19 David noticed that his servants were talking quietly among themselves, and David realized that the child was dead. David said to his servants, «Is the child dead?» They said, «He is dead.»
20 Then David got up from the ground, bathed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; then he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. When he returned home, he asked for something to eat, and he ate.
21 His servants said to him, «What are you doing? While the child was alive, you fasted and mourned, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat bread!»
22 He said, «While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? Perhaps the Lord will have mercy on me, and the child will live?’
23 Now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I still bring him back? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.»
24 David comforted Bathsheba, his wife; he went in to her and lay with her, and she gave birth to a son, whom he named Solomon; and the Lord loved him,
25 and he sent say through Nathan the prophet, who gave him the name Jedidiah, because of Yahweh.
— Capture of Rabba. —
26 Joab, who was besieging Rabbah of the Ammonites, captured the royal city;
27 and Joab sent messengers to David to tell him, «I have besieged Rabbah and I have already captured the city of waters.
28 Now gather the rest of the people, come and encamp against the city and take it, lest I myself take the city, and it be called by my name.»
29 David gathered all the people and, having marched on Rabbah, attacked it, and took possession of it.
30 He removed the crown from their king's head: its weight was one talent of gold; and there was on her a precious stone, and it was putting on David's head. And he carried off a very large amount of plunder from the city.
31 As for the people who were there, he’in He brought them out and put them to the saws, the iron picks, and the iron axes, and he put them through the brick-making process; he did the same to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David returned to Jerusalem with all the people.
PART FOUR.
DAVID AND ABSALOM.
I. — DISGRACE AND RETURN OF ABSALOM.
Chapter 13
— Amnon's incest. —
1 After this, it came to pass that Absalom, son of David, had a sister who was beautiful and whose name was Tamar, and Amnon, son of David, loved her.
2 Amnon was distressed, even to the point of making himself ill, over Tamar, his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.
3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, son of Shemnah, brother of David, and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.
4 He said to him, «Why are you defeated like this, son of the king, every morning? Won’t you tell me?» Amnon answered him, «I love Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.»
5 Jonadab said to him, «Lie down and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, »Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight so that I may see it and eat from her hand.’”
6 Amnon lay down and feigned illness. The king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, «Please let Tamar, my sister, come and make two cakes in my presence, and let me eat them from her hand.»
7 David sent word to Tamar in the house: «Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare a meal for him.»
8 Tamar went to her brother Amnon, who was lying down. Taking some dough, she kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked the cakes;
9 she took Next the pan and THE He poured it before him. But he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, «Bring everyone out of my presence.» When they had all left him,
10 Amnon said to Tamar, «Bring the food into the alcove, and let me eat it from your hand.» Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the alcove.
11 As she THE He was offering her food, he seized her and said, "Come, lie with me, my sister."«
12 She answered him, «No, my brother, do not dishonor me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not commit this shameful act.
13 Where would I go to bear my shame? And you would be like one of the infamous people of Israel. Speak to the king, I beg you, and he will not refuse me give "To you."»
14 But he would not listen to her voice; stronger than she was, he raped her and lay with her.
15 Immediately Amnon felt a very strong aversion to her, and the hatred with which he hated her was stronger than the love with which he had loved her; and Amnon said to her, «Get up, go away!»
16 She replied, «Do not add to the harm you have done me by driving me out.» But he would not listen to her,
17 He called the boy who served him and said, «Throw that woman out of my presence and shut the door behind her.»
18 Now she was wearing a long robe, for that was the garment worn by the king's virgin daughters. The servant of’Amnon He put her outside and closed the door behind her.
19 Thamar gathered dust and the mit on her head; she tore the long dress she was wearing and, putting her hand on her head, she went away screaming.
20 Absalom, her brother, said to her, «Was your brother Amnon with you? Now, my sister, be quiet; he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.» And Tamar remained, desolate, in the house of her brother Absalom.
21 When King David learned of all these things, he was very angry. (*The Vulgate adds: But he did not want to grieve the spirit of Amnon, his son, for he loved him as his firstborn.*) —
22 Absalom no longer spoke any word, good or bad, to Amnon, for Absalom hated Amnon because of the outrage done to Tamar, his sister.
— Absalom's revenge. —
23 Two years later, Absalom had the shearers at Baal-Hasor, near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
24 Absalom went to the king and said, «Your servant has the shearers; let the king and his officials come to your servant.»
25 And the king said to Absalom, «No, my son, we will not all go, lest we become a burden to you.» Absalom made inquiries, but the king he did not want to go, and he blessed him.
26 Then Absalom said, «If you don't come "No, at least allow Amnon, my brother, to come with us." The king replied, "Why should he go with you?"»
27 When Absalom insisted, the king let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
28 Absalom gave this order to his servants: «Be careful! When Amnon’s heart is full of wine and I tell you, »Strike Amnon!’ you shall kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not commanded you? Be steadfast and courageous!”
29 Absalom's servants did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. And all the king's sons got up, each mounted his mule, and fled.
30 As they were Again On the way, this news reached David: "Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and not one of them remains."«
31 The king got up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground, while all his servants stood there, the torn clothes.
32 Jonadab, son of Shemmaah, David's brother, spoke up and said, «Let not my lord say that all the young men, the king's sons, have been killed; only Amnon is dead. This is something that has been on Absalom's lips ever since the day Amnon defiled Tamar, his sister.
33 And now, let not my lord the king imagine that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon alone is dead.»
34 And Absalom fled.
But the young man on watch raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a large troop was coming along the western road, from the direction of the mountain.
35 Jonadab said to the king, «Here come the king’s sons; things have happened just as your servant said.»
36 As he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived and, raising their voices, they wept; the king also and all his servants wept copiously.
37 But Absalom fled and went to Tholomai, son of Ammiud, king of Geshur. And David She mourned her son every day.
38 Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and he was there three years.
39 And King David gave up pursuing Absalom, for he had been comforted by the death of Amnon.
Chapter 14
— Absalom's return; reconciliation. —
1 Joab, son of Zervia, perceived that the king's heart turned to Absalom.
2 Joab sent for a skilled woman from Tekua, and he told her, «Pretend to be in mourning and put on mourning clothes; do not anoint yourself with oil and be like a woman who has been mourning for a long time for a dead man.
3 You will go to the king and you will give him this speech… » And Joab put in her mouth what she was to say.
4 The wife of Thecua came speak to the king. Falling face down to the ground and prostrating herself, she said, "O king, save me!"«
5 The king said to her, «What is the matter with you?» She replied, «I am a widow, my husband is dead.
6 Now your servant had two sons; and they both quarreled in the fields; and since there was no one to separate them, one struck the other and killed him.
7 And now the whole family has risen up against your servant, saying, »Hand over the murderer of his brother, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he has killed, and we will destroy even the heir!” They will thus extinguish the last embers I have left, leaving my husband neither a name nor a survivor on the face of the earth.”
8 The king said to the woman, «Go home; I will give instructions concerning you.»
9 The wife of Tekua said to the king, «Let the blame fall on me, O king my lord, and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne not suffer!»
10 The king said, «If anyone is still troubling you, bring him to me, and he will never harm you again.»
11 She said, «Let the king mention the Lord your God, so that the avenger of blood may not increase the damage and my son may not be destroyed!» He replied, «As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.»
12 The woman said, «Please allow your servant to speak to my lord the king.» He replied, «Speak!»
13 And the woman said, «Why have you thought this way about God’s people—the king, by pronouncing this judgment, is admitting his guilt— namely that the king not recall the one he had banished.
14 For we will certainly die; we are like the waters spilled on the earth and which no longer gather together; God does not take away life, and he forms the plan that the banished one will not remain banished from his presence.
15 Now, the reason I have come to tell these things to my lord the king is that the people have frightened me; and your servant said, “I want to speak to the king; perhaps the king will do what your servant says.”.
16 Yes, the king will listen, to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who wanna to cut us off, my son and I, from God's inheritance.
17 Your servant said, »May the word of my lord the king grant me rest! For my lord the king is like an angel of God, discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you!”
18 The king answered and said to the woman, «Do not hide from me anything I am about to ask you.» The woman said, «Let my lord the king speak!»
19 And the king said, «Is Joab’s hand with you in all this?» The woman replied, «As surely as your soul lives, O my lord the king, he is impossible to go to the right or to the left of everything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who gave me orders and who put all these words in the mouth of your servant.
20 Your servant Joab did this to deflect attention from the matter; but my lord is as wise as an angel of God, in knowing all that happens on earth.»
21 The king said to Joab, «Here, I will do this; go now, bring back the young man Absalom.»
22 Joab fell facedown to the ground and prostrated himself, and he blessed the king; then Joab said, «Your servant knows today that I have found favor in your eyes, O king, my lord, since the king has acted according to the word of his servant.»
23 And Joab got up and went to Gezur, and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
24 But the king said, «Let him go home and not see my face.» So Absalom went home and did not see the king.
25 In all Israel there was no man as renowned for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 When he shaved his head—which he did every year; when her hair weighed it, he shaved it — the weight of the hair on her head was two hundred shekels, the king's weight.
27 Absalom had three sons and a daughter named Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.
28 Absalom remained in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the face of the king.
29 Absalom sent for Joab to send to the king; but Joab he would not come to him. Absalom asked for him a second time, and he would not come.
30 Absalom Then he said to his servants, «Look, Joab’s field is next to mine; there is barley there for him: go and set fire to it.» And Absalom’s servants set fire to the field.
31 Joab got up and went to Absalom in his house and said to him, «Why did your servants set fire to the field that belongs to me?»
32 Absalom answered Joab, «Look, I sent you to say, »Come here, and I will send you to the king so that you may say to him, “Why did I come back from Gezur? It would have been better for me to be there still. Now I want to see the king’s face; and if there is any guilt in me, let him put me to death!”’”
33 Joab went to the king and told him these things. Then he summoned Absalom, who came to the king and bowed down with his face to the ground before him. And the king kissed Absalom.
II. — REVOLT OF ABSALOM AND FLIGHT OF DAVID.
Chapter 15
— Absalom's Revolt. —
1 After this, Absalom acquired a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 Absalom would get up early and stand near the gate; and whenever a man with a lawsuit came to the king to get a judgment, Absalom would call him and say, «From what town are you?» When he had answered, «Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel,»
3 Absalom said to him, «See, your cause is good and just; but no one from the king will listen to you.»
4 Absalom added, «Who will appoint me judge in the land? Let everyone who has a lawsuit or case come to me, and I will give them justice.»
5 And when anyone approached to bow down before him, he him reached out, took it, and kissed it.
6 Absalom acted in this way toward all the Israelites who went to the king to ask justice; and he seduced the hearts of the people of Israel.
7 After four years, Absalom said to the king, «Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill the vow I made to Yahweh.
8 For while I was staying in Geshur in Aram, your servant made a vow, saying, «If the Lord brings me back to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.»
9 The king said to him, «Go in peace!» He got up and left for Hebron.
10 Absalom sent messengers to all the tribes of Israel, saying, «As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall say, »Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”
11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom: they were guests who went in all simplicity, without suspecting anything.
12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent seek to his city of Gilo Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor. The conspiracy became powerful, for the people were increasing in number around Absalom.
— David's escape. —
13 David was informed, and told, «The hearts of the men of Israel have followed Absalom.»
14 And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, «Get up, let us flee, for there is no way for us to escape from Absalom. Hurry and leave, lest he hasten to attack us and bring disaster upon us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.»
15 The king's servants said to him, "Whatever course my lord the king takes, these are your servants."«
16 The king set out on foot with all his family, and he left ten concubines to guard the house.
17 The king went out with all the people on foot, and they stopped at the last house.
18 All his servants walked beside him, all the Cerethians and all the Phelethians; and all the Gethians, six hundred men in number, who had come from Geth after him, walked before the king.
19 The king said to Ethai the Gethian, «Why should you also come with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and indeed an exile without a home.
20 You arrived only yesterday, and today I would make you wander with us, while I myself am going away I know not where! Go back and take your brothers with you; grace be upon you and loyalty of Yahweh! »
21 Ethai answered the king and said, «As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether he dies or lives, there your servant will be.»
22 David said to Ethai, «Go over!» So Ethai the Gethian crossed over with all his men and all the children who were with him.
23 The whole region wept and wailed as all the people passed by. When the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people crossed over opposite the road to the desert.
24 And behold, Zadok, and with him all the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of God, put down the ark of God, while Abiathar went up, until all the people had finished leaving the city.
25 Then the king said to Zadok, «Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see the ark and his home.
26 But if he says, »I have no pleasure in you,” then here I am; let him do to me as he pleases.”
27 The king also said to the priest Zadok, «O seer, return in peace to the city, with Ahimas your son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar: your two sons with you.
28 Look! I will wait in the plains of the desert until word comes to me from you that will give me information.»
29 So Zadok and Abiathar brought the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
30 David went up the Mount of Olives; he went up weeping, with his head covered, and he walked barefoot; and all the people who were with him also had their heads covered, and they went up weeping.
31 David was told, «Ahithophel is with Absalom among the conspirators.» And David said, «O Lord, please thwart the plans of Ahithophel.»
32 When David reached the summit, where God is worshiped, behold, Husai the Arahite came In front of him, his tunic was torn and there was dirt on his head.
33 David said to him, «If you go with me, you will be a burden to me.
34 But if, returning to the city, you say to Absalom, O king, I want to be your servant; I was your father’s servant once, I will now be yours, then you will thwart the advice of Ahithophel in my favor.
35 You shall have with you the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and all that you learn from the house of the king, you shall tell to the priests Zadok and Abiathar.
36 And since they have with them their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, you shall inform me through them of everything you have learned.»
37 And Chusai, David's friend, returned to the city, at the same time as Absalom entered Jerusalem.
Chapter 16
1 When David had gone a little past the summit, behold, Shiba, servant of Miphibosheth, came to meet him, with a pair of saddled donkeys, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred ripe fruits and a skin of wine.
2 The king said to Shiba, «What do you want to do with these?» Shiba replied, «The donkeys are for the king’s household, to be ridden; the bread and fruit are for the young men to eat; and the wine is for those who will be weary in the desert to drink.»
3 The king said, «And where is your master’s son?» Shiba answered the king, «Behold, he has remained in Jerusalem, for he said, »Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.’”
4 The king said to Siba, «Now everything that belongs to Miphibosheth is yours.» And Siba said, «I will kneel before you; may I find favor in your sight, O my lord the king!»
5 When the king arrived at Bahurim, a man from the same family as the house of Saul came out; his name was Shemei, son of Gera; he came forward cursing,
6 and he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, while all the people and all the valiant men were on his right and on his left.
7 Shemei spoke thus, cursing him: «Go away, go away, man of blood, man of Belial!
8 The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you made yourself king, and he has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son; and now look at your misfortune, for you are a man of blood!»
9 Then Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king, «Why does this dead dog curse the king, my lord? Let me pass so I can cut off its head.»
10 The king replied, «What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse! For if the Lord has said to him, »Curse David,’ who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’”
11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, «Look, my son, who came from my own body, wants to kill me; how much more this son of Benjamin! Let him curse, for Yahweh has commanded him to do so.
12 Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction, and the Lord will repay me for today's curse with goodness.»
13 And David and his men continued on their way, while Shemei walked on the side of the mountain, near David, continually cursing him, throwing stones at him and making dust fly.
14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived tired at…, and there they rested.
— Absalom in Jerusalem. —
15 Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with them Absalom.
16 When Hushai the Arahite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, «Long live the king! Long live the king!»
17 Absalom said to Chusai, «So this is your devotion to your friend! Why didn’t you go with your friend?»
18 Husai answered Absalom, «No, but I want to belong to the one whom Yahweh has chosen, and to all these people, and to all the men of Israel; I want to stay with him.
19 Besides, whom shall I serve? Is it not his son? As I have been your father’s servant, so shall I be yours!»
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, «Consult among yourselves, to know what we have to do.»
21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, «Go in to the concubines whom your father left to keep the house; all Israel will know that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.»
22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 The advice that Ahithophel gave at that time was like the word of God to the one who asks for it; he was and so it was with all his advice, whether for David or for Absalom.
Chapter 17
1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, «Let me choose twelve thousand men; I will get up and pursue David this very night and,
2 Falling on him unexpectedly while he is tired and his hands are weak, I will terrify him, and all the people who are with him will flee; then I will strike the king alone,
3 and I will bring back to you all the people: the man you are after worth the return of all; and all the people will be at peace.»
4 This speech pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 However, Absalom said, «Call Chusai the Arahite again, so that we may hear what he too has in his mouth.»
6 Chusai came to Absalom, and Absalom said to him, «This is what Ahithophel has said; should we do as he has said? If not, speak in your turn.»
7 Chusai answered Absalom, "This time, the advice Ahithophel gave is not good."«
8 And Chusai added: «You know that your father and his people are brave; they are as exasperated as a bear in the countryside without her cubs. Your father is a man of war, and he does not spend the night with the people.
9 Now he is hidden in some ravine or some other place. And if, from the beginning, some fall away of yours, It will be learned and it will be said: There has been a rout among the people who follow Absalom.
10 Then even the most valiant, even if his heart were like the heart of a lion, will be discouraged; for all Israel knows that your father is a hero, and that those who accompany him are brave men.
11 Therefore I advise that all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, a multitude like the sand on the seashore, should gather together before you, and you yourself should go into battle.
12 We will reach him wherever he may be, and we we will fall on him as dew falls on the ground, and we will not let him escape, nor any of the men who are with him.
13 If he retreats to a town, all Israel shall bring ropes to that town, and we shall drag it to the stream until not even a stone is found in it.»
14 Absalom and all the people of Israel said, «The advice of Husai the Arahite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.» The Lord had decided to thwart the good advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord would bring disaster on Absalom.
15 Chusai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, «Ahithophel gave such and such advice to Absalom and the elders of Israel, and I gave such and such advice.
16 »Send word to David at once, and tell him: ‘Do not spend the night in the plains of the desert, but hurry across, lest there be a great disaster for the king and for all the people who are with him.’”
17 Jonathan and Ahimas were staying at En-Rogel; the servant girl was going to inform them, and they themselves were going to give notice to King David; for they could not be seen by entering the city.
18 A young man saw them and reported it to Absalom. But they both hastened to leave, and they arrived at Bahurim, at the house of a man who had a cistern in his courtyard, and they went down into it.
19 The woman took a blanket, spread it over the cistern, and scattered crushed grain on it, so that nothing was noticed.
20 Absalom’s servants went to the woman in the house and said, «Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?» The woman answered them, «They have crossed the stream.» They searched for them, but not finding them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After their departure, Achimas and Jonathan They came up from the cistern and went to inform King David. They said to David, "Get up and hurry across the water, for Ahithophel has given such advice against you."«
22 David and all the people who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan; at daybreak there was not one left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled his donkey and got up to go home to his city; then, after giving his household orders, he strangled himself and died; and they buried him in his father's tomb.
— Absalom's defeat and death. —
24 David arrived at Mahanaim; and Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
25 Absalom had put Amasa in charge of the army instead of Joab; Amasa was the son of a man named Jethrah the Ishmaelite, who had gone to Abigail, daughter of Naas, sister of Zervia, Joab's mother.
26 So Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 When David arrived at Mahanaim, Sobi son of Naas from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel of Lo-dabar, and Berzelai the Gileadite from Rogelim,
28 came and offered him beds, dishes, earthenware pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, roasted grain,
29 Honey, butter, sheep, and cow's cheese: they brought these things as food to David and the people who were with him, for they said, «This people has suffered from hunger, "...of fatigue and thirst in the desert."»
Chapter 18
1 David, having reviewed the people who were with him, appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
2 David placed the people, one third in the hands of Joab, one third in the hands of Abishai son of Zerviah, Joab's brother, and one third in the hands of Ethai the Gethite. And the king said to the people, «I too will go out with you.»
3 But the people said, «You must not go out! For if we are driven away, they will not pay attention to us, and if half of us fall, they will not pay attention. But you are like ten thousand of us; it is better that you come from the city to help us.»
4 The king answered them, «Whatever seems good to you, I will do.» And the king stood beside the gate, while all the people went out in groups of hundreds and in groups of thousands.
5 The king gave this order to Joab, to Abishai and to Ethai: «Spare the young man, Absalom, for me!» And all the people heard that the king was giving an order to all the leaders concerning Absalom.
6 The people went out into the countryside to meet Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 There the people of Israel were defeated before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day; twenty thousand men perished.
8 The battle spread over the whole land, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
9 Absalom found himself in the presence of David's servants. Absalom was riding on a mule, and the mule became entangled in the thick branches of a large terebinth tree; the head of Absalom he caught himself in the terebinth tree, and he remained suspended between heaven and earth, and the mule that carried him passed on.
10 A man who saw it came and told Joab, saying, «Look, I saw Absalom hanging from a terebinth tree.»
11 Joab said to the man who brought him this news, «You saw it! Why didn’t you kill it on the spot? I would have gladly given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.»
12 This man answered Joab, «No, even if I were to weigh a thousand shekels of silver on my hand, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son; for the king has given this order in our hearing to you, to Abishai, and to Ethai: ‘Be careful, everyone to touch to the young man, to Absalom!
13 And if I had treacherously attempted to take his life, nothing would have been hidden from the king; you yourself would have risen up against him. Me. »
14 Joab said, «I do not want to linger with you;» and taking three javelins in his hand, he thrust them into the heart of Absalom, who was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
15 And ten young men, who bore Joab’s armor, surrounded Absalom, and, striking him down, killed him.
16 Joab sounded the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held the people back.
17 Having captured Absalom, they threw him into a large pit in the middle of the forest, and a very large heap of stones was piled over him. And all Israel fled, each to his tent.
18 During his lifetime Absalom erected the monument that is in the King's Valley; for he said, "I have no son to preserve the memory of my name." And he gave his own name to the monument, and it has been called the Hand of Absalom to this day.
19 Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, «Let me run and tell the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him.” by delivering it at the hands of his enemies.»
20 Joab said to him, «You do not will be "Not today, the bearer of the good news; you will bring it another time, but you will not bring it today because the king's son is dead."»
21 And Joab said to a Cushite, «Go, and tell the king what you have seen.» The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran.
22 Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said again to Joab, «Whatever happens, let me also run after the Cushite.» And Joab said, «Why do you want to run, my son? This message will not benefit you.»
23 Achimaas replied, "Whatever happens, I will run." And Joab He said to him, "Run!" Achimaas ran along the path of the Plain, and he outran the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman went up onto the roof of the gate, above the wall, and looking up, he saw a man running alone.
25 The watchman shouted and warned the king. The king said, "If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth." While this man continued to approach,
26 The watchman saw another man running. The watchman called out to the gatekeeper and said, "Here is a man running alone." The king said, "He too brings good news."«
27 The watchman said, «I see that the way the first one runs is the way Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, runs.» And the king said, «He is a good man; he has come with good news.»
28 Achimaas shouted and said to the king, "Victory!"« Then He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, «Blessed be Yahweh, your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king!»
29 The king said, «Is everything all right with the young man, with Absalom?» Ahimaaz replied, «I saw a large crowd when Joab sent the king’s servant and I, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.»
30 And the king said, «Step aside and stand here.» So he stepped aside and stood there.
31 And behold, the Cushite arrived and said, «Let my lord the king hear good news! Today the Lord has vindicated you against all those who rose up against you.»
32 The king said to the Cushite, «Is everything all right with the young man, with Absalom?» The Cushite replied, «May the enemies of my lord the king and all those who rise up against you be like this young man.” to make you "It's bad!"»
III. — DAVID'S RETURN.
Chapter 19
— Recognition of David's authority. —
1 The king, trembling with emotion, went up to the chamber above the gate and wept. As he went, he said, «My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! Absalom, my son, my son!»
2 Joab was told, «Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for his son.»
3 That day the victory was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day: «The king is grieved because of his son.»
4 That day the people entered the city stealthily, like people who are ashamed of having fled in battle.
5 The king had veiled his face, and the king cried out in a loud voice, «My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!»
6 Joab came to the king at his house, and said, «Today you have brought shame upon the faces of all your servants who today saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines.
7 You love those who hate you and you hate those who love you, for you show today that leaders and servants are nothing to you, and I see today that if Absalom lived and we were all dead on this day, it would be happy in your eyes.
8 »Now get up, go out and speak what your servants want to hear. I swear by the Lord that if you do not go out, no man will be with you tonight, and it will be a worse disaster for you than all the disasters that have befallen you from your youth until now.”
9 Then the king got up and sat at the gate. It was announced to all the people, saying, «Look, the king is sitting at the gate.» And all the people came before the king.
Israel had fled, each to their own tent.
10 All the people, in all the tribes of Israel, accused one another, saying, «The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he saved us from the hand of the Philistines; and now he has had to flee from the land before Absalom.
11 Now Absalom, whom we had anointed to reign "He died in battle among us: why then do you not speak of bringing the king back?"»
12 King David sent talk to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, saying: «Speak to the elders of Judah and say to them: Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house?” — And what was being said throughout all Israel had reached the king in his house.
13 You are my brothers, you are my own bones and flesh: why should you be the last to bring back the king?»
14 You shall also say to Amasa, «Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not become commander of the army in Joab’s place before me forever!»
15 And David softened the hearts of all the men of Judah as one; and they sent word to the king, saying, «Return, you and all your servants.».
16 The king returned and came to the Jordan; and Judah went to Gilgal to meet the king and bring the king across the Jordan.
— Episodes of the return. —
17 Shemei, son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
18 He had with him a thousand men of Benjamin, and Shiba, a servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants; they rushed to the Jordan before the king.
19 Already The ship that was to transport the king's household and place itself at his disposal had crossed. Shemei, son of Gera, threw himself at the king's feet just as he was about to cross the Jordan.,
20 and he said to the king, «May my lord not hold me guilty, nor remember the offense of your servant, on the day my lord the king went out from Jerusalem to consider it, O king!
21 For your servant acknowledges that I have sinned; and behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.»
22 Abishai son of Zeruiah spoke up and said, «Should not Shemei be put to death for cursing the Lord’s anointed?»
23 But David said, «What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah, that you have made yourselves adversaries today? Should a man be put to death today in Israel? Do I not know that I am made king over Israel today?»
24 And the king said to Shemei, «You shall not die»; and the king swore to him.
25 Miphiboseth, little-son of Saul, descended Also to meet the king. He had not washed his feet nor tidied his moustache, he had not washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned in peace.
26 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, «Why didn’t you come with me, Miphibosheth?»
27 And he answered, «My lord the king, my servant has deceived me; for your servant said to himself, ‘I will saddle the donkey, and ride on it, and go with the king,’ for your servant is lame.
28 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God; do what seems good to you.
29 For all my father's house is done for my lord the king that of people worthy of death; and However You have placed your servant among those who eat at your table. What right do I have to cry out to the king again?»
30 The king said to him, «Why all this talk? I have already declared: you and Siba will divide the land.»
31 And Miphiboseth said to the king, "Let him take everything, since my lord the king has returned to his house in peace."«
32 Berzelai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and crossed over to the king at the Jordan to accompany him to the river.
33 Berzelai was very old, eighty years old; he had provided food to the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.
34 The king said to Berzelai, «Come with me, and I will feed you at my house in Jerusalem.»
35 But Berzelai answered the king, «How many more years must I live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
36 I am now eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant still taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of singers, both men and women? And why should your servant still be a burden to my lord the king?
37 Your servant will go a little way beyond the Jordan with the king. And why should the king grant me this reward?
38 »Please let your servant return home, so that I may die in my own town, near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Shamaam; let him go with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.”
39 The king said, «Let Shamaam come with me, and I will do for him whatever pleases you; and whatever you desire of me, I will grant you.»
40 And when all the people had crossed the Jordan, the king THE He also passed by, and the king kissed Berzelai and blessed him, and he returned home.
41 The king went over to Gilgal, and Shamaam went over with him; and all the people of Judah, as well as half of the people of Israel, escorted the king.
42 But behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to him, «Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, taken you away and brought the king, his household, and all of David’s men with him across the Jordan?»
43 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, «It is because the king has given me more power; why are you angry about this? Have we lived at the king’s expense? Or have we received anything from him?»
44 The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, saying, «I have ten shares in the king, and David belongs to me more than to you. Why have you made me this An insult? Was not my word the first to restore my king? And the language of the men of Judah was harsher than that of the men of Israel.
Chapter 20
— Revolt of Seba. —
1 Now there happened to be a man of Belial, named Sheba, son of Bochri, a Benjamite; he blew the trumpet and said, «We have no portion in David, nor any inheritance among the sons of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel!»
2 And all the men of Israel turned away from David and followed Sheba, son of Bochri. But the men of Judah rallied to their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 David returned to his house in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten concubines he had left to look after the house and put them in a guarded house. He provided for them, but he did not go to them again; and they were confined until the day of their death, living thus in a state of widowhood.
4 The king said to Amasa, «Summon the men of Judah to me within three days; and you yourself must be here.»
5 Amasa went to summon Judah; but he delayed beyond the time that the king had fixed.
6 Then David said to Abishai, «Sheba son of Bochri is now going to do us more harm than Absalom. You, therefore, take your master’s servants and pursue him, lest he find fortified cities and escape from our sight.»
7 Behind Abisaï Joab’s people, the Cherethites and the Phelethites, and all the valiant men, set out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bochri.
8 When they came near the great stone at Gibeon, Amasa arrived in front of them. Joab was wearing a tunic. military, and over this tunic was girded a sword fastened at his waist in its scabbard. As he advanced, the sword fell.
9 And Joab said to Amasa, «Are you well, my brother?» And Joab’s right hand grasped Amasa’s beard to kiss him.
10 Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand; and Joab He struck him in the stomach, spilling his entrails onto the ground, and without a second blow being struck, Amasa died. Joab and his brother Abishai went in pursuit of Sheba, son of Bochri.
11 But one of Joab's young men remained near’Amasa, And he said, "Whoever is favorable to Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!"«
12 Now Amasa had rolled in his blood in the middle of the road. This man, seeing that all the people stopped, drew Amasa out of the road into a field, and threw a cloak over him, because he saw that all those who came near him stopped.
13 When he was removed from the road, everyone passed on after Joab, in pursuit of Sheba, son of Bochri.
14 Joab He went through all the tribes of Israel as far as Abel and Beth-Maacha, and all the elite men gathered together and followed him.
15 They came to besiege Seba in Abel-Beth-Maacha, and they built a siege ramp against the city, which reached the wall; and all the people who were with Joab tried to bring down the wall.
16 Then a wise woman called out from the city, «Listen, listen, I beg you! Tell Joab: Come here, I want to speak with you.»
17 He approached her and the woman said, «Are you Joab?» He answered, «I am.» And she said to him, «Listen to the words of your servant.» He answered, «I will listen.»
18 And she said: «Formerly it was customary to say: Let Abel be consulted, — and everything was settled that way.
19 I am one of the peaceful cities And faithful in Israel; you seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel! Why would you destroy the inheritance of Yahweh!»
20 Joab replied, «Far, far from me! I do not want to destroy or ruin!”
21 »It is not so. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba, the son of Bochri, has raised his hand against King David; hand him over, and I will leave the city.« The woman said to Joab, »Here is his head, which shall be thrown over the wall to you.”
22 The woman went out to all the people and spoke to him wisely; and they cut off the head of Sheba, son of Bochri, and threw it to Joab. Joab He sounded the trumpet, and they scattered from the city, each to his tent; and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
— David's officers. —
23 Joab commanded the whole army of Israel; Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, commanded the Cherethites and the Phelethites;
24 Aduram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was recorder; Shiva was secretary;
25 Zadok and Abiathar were priests,
26 and Ira the Jairite was also David's close advisor.
PART FIVE.
MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLEMENTS.
Chapter 21
— Reparation granted to the Gabaonites. —
1 In the days of David, there was a famine, and it lasted three continuous years. David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord said, «It is because of Saul and his house, because there is blood, because he put some Gibeonites to death.»
2 The king summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Now the Gibeonites were not of the Israelites, but of the Amorites, and the Israelites had sworn an oath to them. Yet Saul had wanted to kill them out of zeal for the Israelites and Judah.”
3 David said to the Gibeonites, «What shall I do for you, and with what shall I make atonement, so that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?»
4 The Gibeonites said to him, «It is not for us a question of’money and d’or with Saul and his household, and he is not question "For us, not to let anyone die in Israel." And the king He said, "So what do you want me to do for you?"«
5 They answered the king, «This man has destroyed us and had planned to exterminate us, so that we would not remain in all the territory of Israel:
6 »Let seven men from among his sons be handed over to us, so that we may hang them before the Lord at Gibeah, the son of Saul, the Lord’s chosen one.« And the king said, »I will hand them over.”
7 The king spared Miphibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath by Yahweh that was between them, between David and Jonathan, son of Saul.
8 The king took the two sons that Resphah, daughter of Aiah, had borne to Saul, Armoni and Miphibosheth, and the five sons that Michol, daughter of Saul, had borne to Hadriel, son of Bersellai, of Molathi,
9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, who hanged them on the mountain before Yahweh. All The seven perished together; they were put to death in the early days of harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
10 Respha, daughter of Aiah, took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the rain poured down on them from heaven; and she kept the birds of the sky from landing on them by day, and the beasts of the field by night.
11 David was told what Respah, daughter of Aiah, Saul's concubine, had done.
12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, who had taken them out of the square of Bethsan, where the Philistines had hung them, on the day that the Philistines had defeated Saul at Gilboa.
13 He carried away from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son, and they gathered Also the bones of those who had been hanged.
14 The bones of Saul and his son Jonathan were buried in the land of Benjamin, at Sela, in the tomb of Zish, their father of Saul, And everything that the king had commanded was done. After that, God was appeased towards the land.
— David's valiant men. —
15 There was again war between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines: David was weary.
16 And Jesbi-Benob, one of the sons of Rapha, — the weight of his spear was three hundred shekels of bronze, and he was girded with a new sword, — spoke of striking David.
17 Abisai, son of Zeruiah, came to the aid by David ; He struck down the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore an oath to him, saying, "You will no longer go out with us to battle, and you will not quench the torch of Israel."«
18 After this, there was another battle at Gob with the Philistines. Then Saboshai the Husathite killed Saph, who was among the sons of Rapha.
19 There was another battle at Gob with the Philistines; and Elhanan, son of Jaare-oreghim, from Bethlehem, killed Goliath of Geth; the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam.
20 There was another battle at Geth. There was a man of great height, and the fingers of his hands and the toes of his feet numbered six respectively, twenty-four in all, and he too was descended from Rapha.
21 He insulted Israel, and Jonathan, son of Shema, David's brother, killed him.
22 These four men were sons of Rapha in Geth; they perished by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
Chapter 22
— A song of David. —
1 David addressed to Yahweh the words of this song, on the day when Yahweh had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
2 He said: The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
3 God is my rock, in whom I find refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my high fortress and my stronghold. My Savior, you have saved me from violence.
4 I called upon the one worthy of praise, Yahweh, and I was delivered from my enemies.
5 For the waves of death surrounded me, the torrents of Belial terrified me.
6 The bonds of Sheol entangled me, the snares of death had fallen before me.
7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God; from his temple he heard my voice and my cry managed to his ears.
8 The earth shook and quaked, the foundations of heaven shook; they shook because he was angry;
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils, and a devouring fire came out of his mouth; burning coals sprang forth from it.
10 He bowed down the heavens and came down; a dark cloud was under his feet.
11 He mounted a cherub and flew; he appeared on the wings of the wind.
12 He surrounded himself with darkness as with a tent, with pools of water and dark clouds.
13 From the brightness that preceded it sprang coals of fire.
14 Yahweh thundered from the heavens, the Most High uttered his voice.
15 He launched arrows and scattered them, lightning and confounded them.
16 Then the bed of the sea appeared, the foundations of the earth were laid bare; at the rebuke of Yahweh, at the blast of the wind from his nostrils.
17 He extended his hand from above and seized me, he drew me out of the deep waters;
18 He delivered me from my powerful enemy, from those who hated me, even though they were stronger than I.
19 They had surprised me in the day of my misfortune, but Yahweh was my support.
20 He brought me out into the open, he rescued me, because he was pleased with me.
21 Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness; he has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
22 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and I have not sinned, to turn away from my God.
23 All his judgments were before me, and I did not depart from his laws.
24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my purity in his sight.
26 With the good man you show yourself good, with the upright man you show yourself upright;
27 With the pure you show yourself to be pure, and with the deceitful you act treacherously.
28 You save the humbled people, and with your gaze you humble the proud.
29 For you are my light, O Yahweh; Yahweh illuminates my darkness.
30 With you I rush upon the armed battalions. With my God I leap over the walls.
31 God!… His ways are perfect, the word of Yahweh is tried; he is a shield to all who trust in him.
32 For who is God except Yahweh, and who is a rock except our God?
33 God is my strong fortress; he guides the upright man in his way.,
34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and enables me to stand on my heights.
35 He trains my hands for battle, and my arms bend the bronze bow.
36 You gave me the shield of your salvation, and your pain makes me grow.
37 You have broadened my stride beneath me, and my feet do not slip.
38 I pursue my enemies and destroy them; I do not return until I have annihilated them.
39 I annihilate them, I shatter them, they do not rise again; they fall beneath my feet.
40 You gird me with strength for the battle, you make my adversaries bow down before me.
41 My enemies, you make them turn their backs before me, as you do those who hate me, so that I may exterminate them.
42 They look on, and there is no one to save them! They shout to Yahweh, and he does not answer them!
43 I crush them like the dust of the earth; like the mud of the streets, I crush them, I trample them.
44 You deliver me from the rebellions of my people; you preserve me as leader of the nations; a people I did not know are subject to me.
45 The sons of foreigners flatter me; as soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 The sons of foreigners are failing, they exit trembling from their fortresses.
47 Long live Yahweh and blessed be my rock! God, my rock of refuge, may he be exalted!
48 God, who grants me vengeance, who brings peoples down under my feet,
49 who makes me escape from my enemies; you who lift me above my adversaries, who deliver me from the man of violence.
50 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Yahweh, and I will sing to the glory of your name.
51 He grants glorious deliverances to his king, he shows mercy to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.
Chapter 23
— David's last words. —
1 These are the last words of David: The oracle of David, son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the beloved psalmist of Israel.
2 The Spirit of Yahweh spoke through me, and his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken, the Rock of Israel has spoken: A righteous one, ruling over men, ruling In the fear of God!…
4 It is Like the morning light, when the sun rises, on a cloudless morning! By its rays, after the rain, the grass emerges from the earth.
5 Is it not so with my house with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and kept in every way; yes, he will cause all my salvation and all his good pleasure to spring up.
6 But the people of Belial are all like thorns that are rejected, they are not picked up with the hand;
7 The man who touches it arms himself with an iron or a wooden spear, and they are consumed by fire on the spot.
— David's valiant men again. —
8 Here are the names of the heroes who were At service of David: Jessbam, son of Hashamoni, chief of officers. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one blow.
9 After him, Eleazar, son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was among the three valiant ones who were with David, when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to fight,
10 While the men of Israel were going up, he got up and struck down the Philistines until his hand grew weary and clung to the sword. The Lord brought about a great deliverance that day, and the people returned after Eleazar, but only to gather the spoils.
11 After him, Shemna, son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together as one band; there was a piece of land there full of lentils, and the people were fleeing before the Philistines.
12 Semma se He placed it in the middle of the field, defended it, and defeated the Philistines. And Yahweh brought about a great deliverance.
13 Three of the thirty captains went down and came, at the time of the harvest, with David, at the cave of Odollam, while a troop of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
14 David was then in the stronghold, and there was a Philistine outpost at Bethlehem.
15 David had a longing, and he said, “Who will get me water to drink from the cistern that is at the gate of Bethlehem ?
16 Right away The three brave men, passing through the Philistine camp, drew water from the cistern at the gate of BethlehemThey took it and brought it to David; but he refused to drink it, and instead offered it as a libation to the Lord.
17 saying, «Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this! Is this not the blood of these men who risked their lives?» And he would not drink it. This is what these three brave men did.
18 Abisai, brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was also commander of the officers. He raised his spear against three hundred men and THE He killed, and he gained renown among the three.
19 He was the most esteemed of the three, and he became their leader; but he did not equal the three first.
20 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man of great exploits, from Cabseel. He struck down the two ariels of Moab. He went down and struck down the lion in the middle of the cistern on a snowy day.
21 He struck an Egyptian with a fearsome appearance; and in the hand of the Egyptian there was a spear. He went down to him with a staff, and he snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and struck him with his own spear.
22 This is what Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he became renowned among the three mighty warriors.
23 He was more highly regarded than the thirty, but he did not equal the three. David made him a member of his council.
24 Asahel, Joab's brother, was among the thirty; Elhanan, son of Dodo, was among the thirty. Bethlehem ;
25 Semma of Harod; Elica, of Harod;
26 Helen of Phalti; Hira, son of Acces, of Thecus;
27 Abiezer of Anathoth; Mobonnai the Husatite;
28 Selmon the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah;
29 Heled, son of Baanah, of Netophah; Ethai, son of Ribai, of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin;
30 Banaiah of Pharaton; Heddai, from the valleys of Gaas;
31 Abi-Albon, of Araba; Azmaveth, of Berom;
32 Eliaba, of Salabon; Benê-Yassen; Jonathan;
33 Shemmah the Hararite; Ahiam, son of Sarar the Haradite;
34 Eliphelet, son of Aashbai, son of a Machatian; Eliam, son of Ahithophel, of Gilo;
35 Hesrai, from Carmel; Pharai, from Arbi;
36 Igaal the son of Nathan, of Soba; Bonnie of Gad;
37 Select the Ammonite; Naharai of Beroth, armor-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah;
38 Ira, of Jether; Gareb, of Jether;
39 Uriah the Hittite. Thirty-seven in all.
Chapter 24
— Census of the people; purchase of the Areuna area. —
1 The anger of the Lord burned again against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, «Go, take a census of Israel and Judah.»
2 The king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, «Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, so that I may know the number of the people.»
3 Joab said to the king, «May the Lord your God increase the people a hundred times what they are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it! But why does my lord the king take pleasure in doing this?»
4 But the word of the king prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army; and Joab and the commanders of the army went out from before the king to take a census of the people of Israel.
5 Having crossed the Jordan, they camped at Aroer, to the right of the city, which is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and then at Jazer.
6 They came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim-hodsi; then they came to Dan-jaan and to the vicinity of Sidon.
7 They came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites, they reached the Negev of Judah, at Beersheba.
8 When they had thus traveled throughout the whole country, they returned to Jerusalem after nine months and twenty days.
9 Joab gave the king the count of the people: there were in Israel eight hundred thousand fighting men who drew the sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand men.
10 David felt his heart pounding after he had counted the people, and David said to the Lord, «I have sinned greatly in what I have done! Now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.»
11 The next day, when David awoke, the word of the Lord came to Gad the prophet, David’s seer, saying:
12 «Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am setting before you three things ; Choose one, and I'll make it for you.»
13 Gad came to David and told him the word of Yahweh, and said to him, «Shall a famine of seven years come upon your land, or shall you flee for three months from your enemies who will pursue you, or shall there be a plague of three days in your land? Now therefore, know and consider what answer I should give to the one who sent me.»
14 David answered Gad, «I am in great distress. Oh, let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great; but let me not fall into the hands of men!»
15 And Yahweh sent a plague on Israel from the morning of that day until the appointed time; and seventy thousand men of the people died from Dan to Beersheba.
16 The angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem to destroy it. But the Lord relented concerning this disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, «Enough! Now withdraw your hand.» The angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Areunah the Jebusite.
17 When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, «I am the one who has sinned and am guilty. But these sheep—what have they done? Let your hand be on me and on my father’s house!»
18 That day Gad came to David and said, «Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Areunah the Jebusite.»
19 David went up, according to the word of Gad, as Yahweh had commanded.
20 Areuna, having looked, saw the king and his servants coming towards him;
21 Areunah went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground, saying, «Why has my lord the king come to his servant?» And David answered, «To buy this threshing floor from you in order to build an altar to the Lord, so that the plague may be averted from the people.»
22 Areunah said to David, «Let my lord the king take the’area and that he offers as a sacrifice whatever he finds good! Here are the oxen for the burnt offering, the sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.
23 All this, O king, Areuna gives to the king.» And Areuna said Again To the king: "May Yahweh your God be gracious to you!"«
24 But the king said to Areunah, «No! I will buy it from you for money, and 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 And David built there an altar to Yahweh and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
So Yahweh was appeased toward the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.
