2nd
SAMUEL
§ David learns of
Saul’s death
¤1 °1 It was thus that Saul died. As for David, he
returned after defeating the Amalekites. He was already two days in Ziklag °2 when, on the third day, a
man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dust strewn on his head.
He went to David and fell to the ground in homage. °3 David asked him, “Where are you from?” And he
answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” °4 David then said, “Tell me
what happened.” And the man told him, “The soldiers fled from the battle but
many of them fell and died. Saul and his son Jonathan – they too are dead.” °5 Then David asked the young
man who reported this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are
dead?” °6 The young man replied, “I
happened to be on Mount Gilboa and I saw Saul leaning on his spear while
chariots and horsemen were closing in on him. °7 He turned around and, seeing me, called me. °8 I said, ‘Here I am.’ He asked, ‘Who are you?’ and
I replied, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ °9
He then said to me, ‘Come here and kill me for I feel dizzy though I
am fully alive.’ °10 So I went over
and killed him, for I knew that he would fall and not rise again. Then I
removed the crown from his head and the armlet from his arm, both of which I
have here to give you, my lord.” °11 At this, David took hold
of his clothes and tore them and his men did the same. °12 And they mourned, weeping
and fasting until evening, for the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, for
all the people of Judah and for the nation of Israel. °13 David asked the young man
who told him this, “Where are you from?” And he answered, “I am the son of an
Amalekite immigrant.” °14 David said,
“Why were you not afraid to lay your hands on Yahweh’s anointed and kill
him?” °15 He then called
one of his men and ordered him, “Come and strike him down.” He struck down
the Amalekite and killed him. °16 David declared, “You will
answer for your own blood for you condemned yourself when you said, ‘I have
killed Yahweh’s anointed’.” °17 David sang this song of
lamentation for Saul and his son Jonathan, and had it taught to the people of
Judah. It is called “The Bow” °18 and is found in
the Book of the Just. °19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain
upon your mountains! How
the mighty ones have fallen! °20 Tell it not in Gath, proclaim
it not in the streets of Ashkelon lest
the Philistine women rejoice, lest
foreign maidens exult. °21 Mountains of Gilboa, let
neither dew nor rain visit you, no
more fertile fields on you! For
on you the shield of the valiant was defiled. °22 The shield of Saul was not
anointed with oil; but
with the blood of the slain. From
the fat of the warriors, the
bow of Jonathan did not turn back, nor
did the sword of Saul return unstained. °23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and
cherished, neither
in life nor in death were they parted; swifter
than eagles they were and
stronger than lions. °24 Women of Israel, weep over Saul who
clothed you in precious scarlet. °25 How the valiant have fallen! In
the midst of the battle Jonathan lies slain on your mountains. °26 I grieve for you, my brother
Jonathan; how
dear have you been to me! Your
love for me was wonderful, even
more than the love of women. °27 How the valiant have fallen! The
weapons of war have perished!” § David is anointed King over Judah¤2 °1 After this, David consulted Yahweh, “Shall I go up
to one of the cities of Judah?” Yahweh answered him, “Go!” Then David asked,
“Where shall I go?” He answered, “To Hebron.” °2 So David went
up to Hebron with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of
Nabal of Carmel. °3 David also brought up his
men with their families and they settled in the towns of Hebron. °4 Then the men of Judah came
and there they anointed David king over the nation of Judah. David learned that the men of Jabesh-Gilead had buried Saul,
°5 so he sent messengers to
them with these words, “May Yahweh bless you for you have dealt kindly with
Saul, your master, and have buried him.
°6 May Yahweh show
his love and fidelity to you! I, in turn, will be kind to you for having done
this. °7 Now be brave
and strong for although your master Saul is dead, the people of Judah have
anointed me their king.” °8 Now Abner, son of Ner,
Saul’s general, had taken Ishbaal, son of Saul, and brought him over to
Mahanaim °9 where he made him king
over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin and the rest of
Israel. °10 Ishbaal, Saul’s
son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned
for two years. Only the people of Judah followed David. °11 David was their king in
Hebron and he ruled over them for seven years and six months. § Civil war°12 Abner,
son of Ner, and the menservants of Ishbaal, Saul’s son, left Mahanaim for
Gibeon °13 where
Joab, son of Zeruiah and the men of David met them at the pool of Gibeon.
There they sat, one group on one side of the pool, the other on the opposite
side. °14 Abner
told Joab, “Let the young men rise and perform for us.” Joab replied, “Let
them rise!” °15 So
they rose and were counted off: twelve of the Benjaminites of Ishbaal, Saul’s
son, and twelve of David’s men. °16
Each one caught his opponent’s head and thrust his
sword in his opponent’s side, and all fell down together. Therefore, that
place in Gibeon was called field of the fighting. °17 After a
very fierce battle that day, Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by
David’s troops. °18 The
three sons of Zeruiah – Joab, Abishai and Asahel – were there. °19 Asahel,
who ran as fast as a wild gazelle, pursued Abner, turning neither to the
right nor to the left. °20 Abner
turned around and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes, it is I.” °21 Abner
said to him, “Turn right or left, go after one of the young men and take his
spoil.” But Asahel refused to desist from following him, °22 so Abner
again said, “Stop following me! I will surely strike you down and then, how
could I face your brother Joab?” °23
But Asahel would not heed, and Abner, without
turning back, struck him in the belly with his spear which ran through him
and came out his back. He fell and died on the spot and all who came to the
place where Asahel fell dead, stopped there. °24 Joab and
Abishai, however, pursued Abner and, by sunset, arrived at the hill of Ammah
which lies near Giah toward the desert of Gibeon. °25 The Benjaminites then rallied
around Abner, forming one band, and took their position on the hilltop. °26 Then
Abner called to Joab, “When will the sword rest? Do you not realize that this
will bring you more bitterness? When will you order your men to stop pursuing
their brothers?” °27 Joab
replied, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, my men would have continued
pursuing their brothers until morning.”
°28 So
Joab blew the trumpet and the men desisted from pursuing the Israelites and
fighting them. °29 Abner and
his men marched all night through the lowland, crossed the Jordan, and
marched the whole morning until they reached Mahanaim. °30 As for
Joab, he stopped pursuing Abner and gathered all his men. Besides Asahel, nineteen
of David’s servants were missing. °31
But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty
of Abner’s men from among the Benjaminites. °32 Asahel was taken and buried in
his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and
reached Hebron at daybreak. ¤3 °1 There was
a long war between Saul’s party and that of David, but David grew stronger
while Saul’s party grew weaker. °2 Sons were
born to David at Hebron: his firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; °3 his
second, Chileab, of Abigail, widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom,
son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; °4 the
fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, the son of
Abital; °5 and
the sixth, Ithream, of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in
Hebron. °6 While war
was going on between the party of Saul and that of David, Abner was
strengthening his position in Saul’s family. °7 Now Saul had a concubine named
Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, on whose account Ishbaal chided Abner, “Why have
you slept with my father’s concubine?” °8 Abner was very angry because of
Ishbaal’s remark and exclaimed, “Am I a dog’s head? Up to now I have been
loyal to the family of Saul your father, to his brothers and friends, and
have not delivered you into the hands of David, and you come accusing me
because of this woman. °9 May
God deal with me severely if I do not do for David what Yahweh swore to him –
°10 to
transfer the kingdom from the family of Saul to that of David and make him
king of Israel and Judah to rule over all the land from Dan to Beersheba.” °11 Ishbaal
could no longer say a word to Abner for he feared him. °12 Abner
then sent messengers to David at Hebron saying, “To whom does the land
belong? Enter into an agreement with me and I shall help you obtain all
Israel.” °13 David
replied, “I will make an agreement with you, but on one condition: you may
appear before me when you bring me Saul’s daughter, Michal.” °14 Then
David sent messengers to Ishbaal, Saul’s son, to tell him, “Give me my wife Michal
whom I married for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.” °15 Ishbaal
sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish, °16 who
followed her weeping all the way to
Bahurim. There Abner said to him, “Go back!” and he turned back. °17 Abner
conferred with the elders of Israel and told them, “You have long wanted to
have David as your king. °18 Well,
make it come true; for Yahweh made a promise to David and said: By my servant
David, I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their
enemies.” °19 Abner
also spoke to the people of Benjamin; then he went to tell David at Hebron
the proposals of Israel and the Benjaminites. § Joab murders Abner°20 When Abner came to David
at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and the twenty men who were with
him. °21 Then Abner said
to David, “I will now go and assemble all Israel for my master the king, that
they may enter into an agreement with you, and that you may reign over all
those you want to rule.” °22 Just then, David’s men and
Joab arrived from a raid taking along with them a great deal of booty. Abner
was no longer with David at Hebron for he had departed quietly after David
had dismissed him. °23 When Joab
arrived with his troops he was told, “Abner, son of Ner, came to see the
king; then the king sent him on his way and he went in peace.” °24 Joab then went to the king
and said, “What did you do? When Abner came to you, why did you allow him to
leave? °25 You know what
Abner, son of Ner, is like; he came to you deceitfully to observe and find
out what you are doing.” °26 Joab left David and sent
messengers to go after Abner and they had him brought back from the cistern
of Sirah. But David did not know of that. °27 When Abner arrived at Hebron, Joab took him aside
within the city gate as though to speak with him, privately. There he stabbed
him in the belly and he died. Joab did so in revenge for the murder of his
brother, Asahel. °28 Later on, David heard
about this. Then he said, “Yahweh will not punish me and my kingdom for the
blood of Abner, son of Ner. °29 May justice for
his blood fall on Joab and on all his father’s family, and may there be
forever among them some member who has discharge, or is sick with leprosy, or
who is only fit to hold a spindle, or who falls by the sword or hungers!” °30 Joab and his brother
Abishai slew Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle
at Gibeon. °31 David then told Joab and
those who were with him, “Tear off your clothes, put on sackcloth and mourn
before Abner.” King David himself followed the corpse. °32 They buried Abner at
Hebron; there the king wept aloud over his grave and all the people joined in
the lamentation. °33 The king
began the mourning song for Abner with these words, “Should Abner die as a
fool dies? °34 Your
hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered; as one falls at the hands
of the wicked, so you have fallen.” And all the people again wept over him. °35 Then the
people tried to persuade David to take some food while it was still day, but
David swore, “May God do so to me and more if I touch food before sundown!” °36 The
people heeded this and it pleased them; in fact, they were pleased at
whatever the king said. °37 This
day they realized, as did all the people of Israel, that the king had no part
in the murder of Abner, son of Ner. °38 Then the king said to his
servants, “Do you realize that a general and valiant warrior passed away
today in Israel? °39 Although
I am the anointed king, today I feel helpless to control the sons of Zeruiah.
May Yahweh repay the one who did evil.” § Ishbaal is murdered¤4 °1 When
Ishbaal, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, he was stunned and
the Israelites were disheartened. °2
Saul’s son had two men, captains of raiding bands:
one was Baanah, the other Rechab, both sons of Rimmon, a Benjaminite from
Beeroth. For Beeroth was still considered part of Benjamin; °3 the
Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have remained there as immigrants to the
present day. °4 (Jonathan,
son of Saul, had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when
the news came from Jezreel about the death of Saul and Jonathan. His nurse
took him up and fled so hastily that the boy fell and became lame. He was
called Mepibaal.) °5 Now
Rechab and Baanah, sons of Rimmon, the Beerothite, went their way and arrived
in the heat of the day at the house of Ishbaal who was taking a nap. °6 His
doorkeeper had been cleaning wheat, but feeling drowsy, she slept; Rechab and
his brother Baanah got into the house. °7 They rushed into Ishbaal’s
bedroom as he lay asleep in his bed and struck him dead. They beheaded him,
took his head and left, walking all night by the way of the Arabah. °8 They
brought Ishbaal’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the
head of Ishbaal son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. This day Yahweh
has avenged my lord the king, on Saul and his son.” °9 But David
answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “Let
Yahweh hear, he who has saved me from all adversities. °10 When
somebody reported Saul’s death to me, thinking he was bringing me good news,
I took hold of him and killed him at Ziklag, instead of giving him a reward. °11 Will I do
less when wicked men have murdered a just one in his own house and on his
bed? Shall I not now demand his blood from your hands and sweep you away?” °12 So David
commanded his young men to kill them. They cut off their hands and feet and
hung them beside the pool at Hebron. Then they took Ishbaal’s head and buried
it in Abner’s tomb on Hebron. § David is anointed King over Israel¤5 °1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron
and said, “We are your bone and flesh. °2 In the past, when Saul was king over us, it was
you who led Israel. And Yahweh said to you, ‘You shall be the shepherd of my
people Israel and you shall be commander over Israel.” °3 Before Yahweh, King David
made an agreement with the elders of Israel who came to him at Hebron, and
they anointed him king of Israel. °4 David was thirty years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years: °5 he reigned over
Judah, from Hebron, seven and a half years; and over Israel and Judah, from
Jerusalem, for thirty-three years. § David captures Jerusalem°6 The king and his men set
out for Jerusalem to fight the Jebusites who lived there. They said to David,
“If you try to break in here, the blind and the lame will drive you away,”
which meant that David could not get in.
°7 Yet David
captured the fortress of Zion that became the “city of David.” °8 That day David said,
“Whoever wants to defeat the Jebusites, let him reach these lame and blind,
David’s enemies, through the tunnel for fetching water.” From this came the
saying, “The blind and the lame shall not enter the house.” °9 David lived in the
fortress, calling it the City of David, and proceeded to build the city
around it, from the Millo and inside as well. °10 And David grew more powerful, for Yahweh, the God
of hosts, was with him. °11 Hiram, king of Tyre, sent
messengers to David with cedar trees, carpenters and masons to build a house
for David. °12 David then
understood that Yahweh had made him king over Israel and had exalted his
reign for the sake of his people Israel. °13 After David had come from
Hebron he took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and
daughters were born to him. °14 These are the names of
those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, °15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg,
Japhia, °16 Elishama,
Eliada and Eliphelet. °17 When the Philistines heard
that David had been anointed king of Israel, they went to search for him. On
hearing this, David went down to the stronghold. °18 When the Philistines overran the valley of
Rephaim, °19 David consulted
Yahweh, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my
hands?” Yahweh answered David, “Go ahead, for I will certainly deliver the
Philistines into your hands.” °20 So David came
to Baalperazim where he defeated them. He said, “Yahweh has scattered my
enemies before me like a sudden bursting flood.” That is why that place is
called Baalperazim. °21 There the
Philistines left their idols and David and his men picked them up. °22 The Philistines went up
again and overran the valley of Rephaim. °23 David consulted Yahweh who said, “Do not go up straight
but circle around and attack them from behind when you are in front of the
balsam trees. °24 Once you hear a
marching sound on top of the balsam trees, act quickly, for Yahweh is going
ahead of you to attack the Philistine army.” °25 David obeyed Yahweh’s command and struck down the
Philistines from Giba to as far as Gezer. § The ark is brought to Jerusalem¤6 °1 David gathered together once more all the picked
men of Israel, numbering thirty thousand in all. °2 Then he and all the people with him in Baala-Judah
set forth to bring up from there the ark of God on which Yahweh of hosts
pronounced and put his Name, he who rests on the cherubim. °3 They placed the ark of God
on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab on the hill. Uzzah
and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart °4 with the ark of Yahweh, with Ahio walking before
it. °5 David and the
Israelites were joyfully celebrating before Yahweh, singing and playing on
lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals. °6 When they came
to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah stretched his
hand to the ark of God to hold it.
°7 Yahweh’s anger
burnt against Uzzah and God struck him there; Uzzah died there beside the ark
of God. °8 David was angry
because Yahweh had struck Uzzah, and that place is called Perez-Uzzah to the
present day. °9 David was afraid of Yahweh
that day and said, “How can the ark of Yahweh come to me?” °10 So David refused to take
the ark of Yahweh into the city of David but had it brought, instead, to the
house of Obededom the Gittite. °11
Yahweh’s ark remained there for three months and Yahweh blessed
Obededom and all his household. °12 King David was told that
Yahweh had blessed the family of Obededom and all that belonged to him
because of the ark of God, so he went to bring up the ark of God from the
house of Obededom to the city of David, rejoicing. °13 After those who carried the ark of Yahweh had
walked six paces, they sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. °14 David whirled
round dancing with all his heart before Yahweh, wearing a linen ephod, °15 for he and all the
Israelites brought up the ark of Yahweh, shouting joyfully and sounding the
horn. °16 As the ark of Yahweh
entered the city of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out of the window;
and when she saw King David leaping and whirling round before Yahweh, she
despised him in her heart. °17 They brought in the ark of
Yahweh and laid it in its place in the tent which David had pitched for it.
Then David offered burnt and peace offerings before Yahweh. °18 Once the offerings had
been made, David blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts, °19 and distributed to each of
them, to each man and woman of the entire assembly of Israel, a loaf of
bread, a portion of meat and a raisin cake. With this, all the people left
for their homes. °20 When David returned to
bless his household, Michal, Saul’s daughter, met him and said, “How the king
of Israel honored himself today, exposing himself before his servants’ maids
as uncouth men do!” °21 But David said
to Michal, “I did that before Yahweh who chose me instead of your father and
his family, making me commander over Israel, Yahweh’s people. By Yahweh’s
life I swear that I will dance and whirl again before him. °22 I will humble myself still
more and you may look at me, but I will not be rejected by the maids you
spoke about.” °23 And Michal,
Saul’s daughter, had no child to the day she died. § The prophecy of Nathan¤7 °1 When the king had settled in his palace and Yahweh
had rid him of all his surrounding enemies, °2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I live in a
house of cedar but the ark of God is housed in a tent.” °3 Nathan replied, “Do as it
seems fit to you for Yahweh is with you.” °4 But that very night,
Yahweh’s word came to Nathan, °5 “Go and tell my
servant David, this is what Yahweh says: Are you able to build a house for me
to live in? °6 I have not dwelt in a
house since I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day, but I
went about with a tent for shelter.
°7 As long as I
walked with the Israelites, did I say anything to the chiefs of Israel whom I
commanded to shepherd my people Israel? Did I say: Why have you not built me
a house of cedar? °8 Now you will tell my
servant David, this is what Yahweh of hosts says: I took you from the
pasture, from tending the sheep, to make you commander of my people Israel. °9 I have been with you
wherever you went, cutting down all your enemies before you. Now I will make
your name great as the name of the great ones on earth. °10 I will provide a place for
my people Israel and plant them that they may live there in peace. They shall
no longer be harassed, nor shall wicked men oppress them as before. °11 From the time when I
appointed judges over my people Israel it is only to you that I have given
rest from all your enemies. Yahweh also tells you that he will build you a
house. °12 When the time comes for
you to rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your son after you, the one
born of you and I will make his reign secure. °13 He shall build a house for my name and I will
firmly establish his kingship forever. °14 I will be a father to him and he shall be my son.
If he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod, as men do. °15 But I will not withdraw my
kindness from him as I did from Saul when I removed him out of your way. °16 Your house and your reign
shall last forever before me, and your throne shall be forever firm.” °17 Nathan repeated these
words and related this vision to David. °18 Then King
David went in, sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, O Yahweh God, and who
is my family that you have brought me so far? °19 Yet this was not enough for you,
O Yahweh God, for you have also spoken of your servant’s house for a long
time to come. Is this the way men act, O Yahweh God? °20 What more
can David say to you? You know your servant, O Yahweh God! °21 You
fulfill your promise and carry out your plan, as you do now in bringing about
all these great things and revealing them to your servant. °22 Therefore
you are great, O Yahweh God, for there is no one like you, nor is there a God
other than you from all that we ourselves have heard. °23 Is there
on earth another nation like your people Israel, whom God has come to redeem,
and to make his people? Indeed you made them famous when you did, for your
glory, great and awesome things, rescuing them out of Egypt, from their
people and their gods. °24 You
have set apart your people Israel to become your people forever; and you,
Yahweh, have become their God. °25 Now, O
Yahweh God, keep forever the promise you made and have now revealed to me
regarding myself and my family, °26
that your name may be honored forever and people may
say, ‘Yahweh of hosts is God over Israel.’ The house of your servant David
will be secure before you °27 because
you, O Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, have made it known to your servant and
have said to him: ‘Your family will last forever.’ This is why I have dared
to address this prayer to you. °28 So now, O
Yahweh God, since you are the faithful God, and have promised me this good
thing, °29 please
bless my descendants, that they may continue forever before you. For you, O
Yahweh God, have spoken and, with your blessing, my family shall be blessed
forever.” § David’s victories¤8 °1 After
this, David defeated the Philistines, crushing them in such a way that they
were no longer in control of the land. °2 Then he defeated the Moabites. He
had them measured with a line and made them lie down on the ground; two
thirds of them were to be executed, and one third to be spared. And so the
Moabites became David’s servants and paid tribute to him. °3 David
also defeated Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he tried to retake
the valley of the Euphrates. °4 David
captured from him a thousand and seven horsemen and twenty thousand foot
soldiers. He hamstrung all the chariot horses but left a sufficient number
for a hundred chariots. °5 The
Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, but David won
over twenty-two thousand of their men.
°6 Then
David set up governors in Aram of Damascus and the Arameans became David’s
servants, paying tribute to him. Yahweh made David victorious wherever
he went. °7 David
took the golden shields carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them
to Jerusalem; °8 he
also took a great quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities of
Hadadezer. °9 When Toi,
king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, °10 he sent
his son Joram to King David to greet him and thank him for having fought
against Hadadezer and defeating him. For the latter had often been at war
with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold and bronze °11 which
King David consecrated to Yahweh together with the silver and gold which he
consecrated from all the nations he subdued: °12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites,
the Philistines, Amalek, as well as the booty of Hadadezer, son of Rehob,
king of Zobah. °13 David
became famous when he returned from defeating an army of eighteen thousand
Edomites in the Valley of Salt. °14
He set up governors in Edom and the Edomites became
his servants. So Yahweh made David victorious wherever he went. °15 David
reigned over all Israel, issuing decrees and administering justice to all his
people. °16 Joab,
son of Zeruiah, was commander of the army; Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud,
recorder; °17 Zadok,
son of Ahitub and Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, priests; Seraiah, secretary; °18 and
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in charge of the Cherethites and the
Pelethites. David’s sons were priests. ¤9 °1 David
asked, “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness
for the sake of Jonathan?” °2 So they
called a servant of Saul, named Ziba, and brought him to David who asked, “So
you are Ziba?” He replied, “I am your servant.” °3 Then
the king asked him, “Is there still someone of the house of Saul to whom I
can give God’s favor?” Ziba answered the king, “A son of Jonathan whose feet
are crippled still lives.” °4 The
king asked him, “Where is he?” And Ziba replied, “He is in the house of
Machir, son of Ammiel, at Lodebar.” °5 So King David sent for him and
had him brought from the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, at Lodebar. °6 When
Mepibaal, son of Jonathan, son of Saul arrived, he fell on the ground and
paid homage to David who said, “Mepibaal!” He replied, “Your servant
listens.” °7 David
then told him, “Do not be afraid. I will do you a favor for the sake of your
father Jonathan and give you back all the land of Saul your father. Besides,
you shall always eat at my table.” °8 He bowed down and said, “What is
your servant that you should show concern for a dead dog like myself?” °9 The king
called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have turned over to your
master’s son everything that Saul and his family possessed. °10 You yourself,
your sons and servants shall till the land for him and carry in the harvest
so that your master’s family may have food, although your master’s son
Mepibaal shall always eat at my table.” Ziba, who had fifteen sons and twenty
servants °11 said
to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands. Yet
Mepibaal ate at my table like a king’s son.” °12 Mepibaal had a young son named
Mica; and all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mepibaal’s servants. °13 But
Mepibaal lived in Jerusalem for he always ate at the king’s table. He was
lame in both feet. ¤10 °1 When the
king of the Ammonites died and Hanun his son reigned in his place, °2 David
said, “I will be kind to Hanun son of Nahash as his father was kind to me.”
So David sent his servants to comfort him over his father’s death. When
David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites, °3 the
Ammonite chiefs told Hanun their lord, “Do you think that, by sending men
with condolences, David is honoring your father? Has not David rather sent
his servants to you to explore the city, spy on it and overthrow it?” °4 At this,
Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved off half their beard, cut away the
lower halves of their garments even up to their hips and sent them away. °5 When this
was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet these men who felt greatly
ashamed and to tell them, “Stay in Jericho and return after your beards have
grown.” °6 The
Ammonites saw that David could no longer bear with them, so they sent for and
hired the Arameans of Beth-Rehob and of Zobah numbering twenty thousand foot
soldiers, the king of Maacah with one thousand men and also twelve thousand
men of Tob. °7 On
hearing this, David sent out Joab with all the warriors. °8 The
Ammonites came out in battle formation at the entrance gate while the
Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah grouped separately
in the open country. °9 When Joab
saw that there were two battlefronts, one in front of him and the other
behind, he selected picked men of Israel and arranged them in battle
formation against the Syrians. °10
Then he entrusted the rest of his army to Abishai
his brother and arranged them in battle formation against the Ammonites. °11 And he
said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, you shall help me; but if the
Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come to your assistance. °12 Take
courage! Let us act like men for the sake of our people and God’s cities; and
may Yahweh do what seems good to him.” °13 Joab and
the people who were with him launched the attack against the Arameans and put
them to flight. °14 When
the Ammonites saw the Arameans fleeing, they too fled before Abishai and
entered the city. Then Joab returned from his battle against the Ammonites
and came to Jerusalem. °15 When the
Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together. °16 Hadadezer
sent for the Syrians and had them brought from beyond the Euphrates. They
came to Helam with Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s army, leading them. °17 This was
reported to David who, in turn, gathered together all Israel and came to
Helam after crossing the Jordan. The Arameans then arranged themselves in
battle formation and fought against David, °18 but they fled before Israel.
David had seven hundred of the men in chariots and forty thousand horsemen
killed. Shobach, too, the commander of their army was slain and died there. °19 After
having been defeated by Israel, all the kings who depended on Hadadezer made
peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans no longer dared
to help the Ammonites. § David and Bathsheba
¤11 °1 In the spring of that year, when kings usually set
out to fight, David sent out Joab, his officers and all the Israelite troops.
They slaughtered the Ammonites and attacked Rabbah, while David remained in
Jerusalem. °2 One afternoon, David got
up from his siesta and took a walk on the roof of the royal house. From the
rooftop, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful. °3 David sent to inquire
about the woman, and was told, “She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife
of Uriah, the Hittite.” °4 So David sent
messengers to have her brought to him; and he had intercourse with her after
she had cleansed herself after her monthly period. Then she returned to her
house. °5 As the woman saw she was
with child, she sent word to David, “I am with child.” °6 David then sent a message
to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. °7 When Uriah came, David
asked him about Joab, how the people were and how the war was proceeding; °8 then he told Uriah, “Go
down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah left the palace and the king had a portion from his
table sent to him. °9 Uriah, however,
did not go down to his house but slept by the door of the king’s palace with
all the servants of his lord. °10 David was told
that Uriah did not go down to his house, and he said to him, “Have you not
come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” °11 Uriah replied, “The ark,
the men of Israel and Judah are housed in tents while my lord Joab and his
servants are encamped in the open country. Shall I go to my house to eat and
drink there and sleep with my wife? As you live, I will not do this!” °12 So David said to Uriah,
“Remain here today also and I will dismiss you tomorrow.” Uriah therefore
stayed in Jerusalem that day and the day after. °13 David invited him to table and he ate and drank
until he was drunk. When evening fell, however, he went to lie down on his
couch with the guards of his lord instead of going down to his house. °14 The next morning, David
wrote Joab a letter to be taken by hand by Uriah, °15 in which he said, “Place Uriah in the front row
where the fighting is very fierce and then withdraw from him so that he may
be struck down and die.” °16 When Joab was
attacking the city, he assigned Uriah to a place which he knew was being
defended by strong warriors. °17 And the defenders attacked
the men of Joab. Some of David’s soldiers and officers were killed; Uriah the
Hittite also died. °18 Then Joab
sent a messenger to tell David everything that had happened during the
battle. °19 And
he said to him, “When you have finished recounting the outcome of the battle
to the king, °20 perhaps
he will get angry and ask you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did
you not know they would shoot from the wall? °21 Who
killed Abimelech, son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped a
millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so
close to the wall?’; then you shall say: Your servant Uriah the Hittite is
also dead.” °22 So the
messenger went to tell David all that Joab instructed him. °23 So he
answered the king and explained, “These men had overcome us and pushed us in
the field; then we drove them back to the entrance gate. °24 But the archers aimed at
your guard from the top of the wall, killing some of them. Your servant Uriah
the Hittite has also been killed.” °25 David
said to the messenger, “Try to encourage Joab with this message: Do not let
this thing disturb you, for the sword devours one this time and another at
another time. Intensify your attacks against the city and overthrow it.” °26 When Uriah’s wife heard of
the death of her husband, she mourned for him. °27 After her
mourning was over, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife
and bore him a son. But Yahweh was displeased with what David had done. ¤12 °1 So Yahweh sent the prophet Nathan to David. Nathan
went to the king and said to him, “There were two men in a city: one was
rich; the other, poor. °2 The rich man had many
sheep and cattle, °3 but the poor
man had only one little ewe lamb he had bought. He himself fed it and it grew
up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and
slept on his lap. It was like a daughter to him. °4 Now a traveler came to the rich man, but he would
not take from his own flock or herd to prepare food for the traveler.
Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared that for his visitor.” °5 David was furious because
of this man and told Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this
deserves death! °6 He must return
the lamb fourfold for acting like this and showing no compassion.” °7 Nathan said to David, “You
are this man! It is Yahweh, God of Israel, who speaks: ‘I anointed you king
over Israel and saved you from Saul’s hands; °8 I gave you your
master’s house and your master’s wives; I also gave you the nation of Israel
and Judah. But if this were not enough, I would have given you even more. °9 Why did you despise Yahweh
by doing what displeases him? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the
sword and took his wife for yourself. Yes, you killed him with the sword of
the Ammonites. °10 Now the sword
will never be far from your family because you have despised me and taken the
wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself. °11 Thus says
Yahweh: Your misfortune will rise from your own house! I will take your wives
from you and give them to your neighbor who shall lie with them in broad
daylight. °12 What
you did was done secretly, but what I do will be done before Israel in broad
daylight.” °13 David
said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan answered him, “Yahweh
has forgiven your sin; you shall not die. °14 However, because you have dared
to despise Yahweh by doing such a thing, the child that is born to you shall
die.” °15 Then
Nathan left and went to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s
wife bore to David and it became sick. °16 David entreated God for the
child; he kept a strict fast and lay on the ground the whole night. °17 The
elders of his house asked him to rise from the ground but he refused. Nor did
he join them to eat. °18 On
the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him
that the child was dead for they said, “When the child was still alive, we
spoke to him but he would not listen to us. What will he do if we tell him
the child is dead?” °19 When David saw his
servants whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead and
asked them, “Is the child dead?” They replied, “He is dead.” °20 Then David rose from the
ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He entered the
house of Yahweh and worshiped. After that, he went to his own house, asked for food and
ate. °21 Then his
servants asked him, “Why are you acting like this? You fasted and wept for
the child while it was alive; but after it died, you got up and took food.” °22 David answered, “While the
child was still alive, I fasted and wept thinking: who knows? Perhaps Yahweh
will be kind to me and let my child live. °23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I
bring him back to life? I can go to him but he cannot return to me.” °24 David comforted his wife
Bathsheba. He went in and slept with her and she bore a son whom he named
Solomon. Yahweh loved him °25 and made it
known through Nathan the prophet, who named him Jedidiah on Yahweh’s behalf. °26 Joab
fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and conquered the king’s city. °27 Then he
sent messengers to David and told him, “I have fought against Rabbah and
conquered the city of waters. °28 Gather
then the rest of the people to attack and capture the city lest I myself do
it and the city be called by my name.” °29 So David mustered the people,
attacked and captured Rabbah. °30 He
took the crown of their god Milkom from its head, the weight of which was a
talent of gold, and which had a precious stone embedded in it. This they put
on David’s head. He carried off an amount of booty °31 and brought away the people whom
he set to labor with saws, iron picks and iron axes, making them work at the
brick-kilns. David dealt like this with all the Ammonite cities, then he
returned to Jerusalem with all the people. § Amnon and Tamar¤13 °1 Now
David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. It happened that Amnon,
another of David’s sons, loved her. °2 Amnon was so obsessed that he
became ill and, as Tamar was a virgin, he could not do anything. °3 Amnon had
a friend named Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab, who was a
very shrewd man, said to him, °4 “Oh
son of the king, why do you look so miserable morning after morning? Will you
not tell me?” Amnon replied, “I love Tamar, sister of my brother Absalom.” °5 So
Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; and when
your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come to give
me bread to eat and let her prepare the food in my presence so that I may eat
it from her hand.” °6 So
Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, he
told the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come to make some cakes in my
presence; I will eat from her hand.” °7 So David
sent for Tamar and said to her, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare
him some food.” °8 Tamar
went to her brother Amnon’s house where he was lying down. She took dough,
kneaded it, made and baked cakes before him. °9 But when she took the pan and set
the cakes before him, he refused to eat and said, “Send everyone outside.”
After they all left, °10 Amnon
said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom and let me eat from your
hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to her brother
Amnon in the bedroom. °11 But
when she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come, lie with
me, my sister.” °12 She
answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me. No such thing is done in
Israel. Do not commit this foolishness. °13 Where will I hide my shame? And
you yourself would be regarded as a foolish man by all the people. So please,
talk to the king for he will not keep me from you.” °14 But he
refused to listen to her and, being stronger than she, forced her and lay
with her. °15 Afterwards,
Amnon hated her with a hatred exceeding the love he had had for her; and he
said to Tamar, “Get up and leave.” °16 But she answered him, “No, my
brother. Sending me away is a greater offense than what you did to me.” But
Amnon refused to listen. °17 He
called his servant and said, “Get this woman out and bolt the door behind
her.” °18 (Now
Tamar was wearing a long robe with sleeves like the virgin daughters of the
king used to wear.) So the servant brought her out, bolting the door behind
her. °19 Tamar
then put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. Laying her
hand on her head, she went away crying aloud. °20 Her
brother Absalom spoke to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be calm
and do not take this to heart for he is your brother.” Desolate as she was,
Tamar stayed in her brother Absalom’s house. °21 When King
David heard of this, he was very angry but he did not like to scold Amnon
because he loved him as his firstborn. °22 Absalom, for his part, no longer
spoke to Amnon. He hated him for having raped his sister Tamar. °23 Two years
later, when Absalom had celebrated the shearing of his flock at Baalhazor
near Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons. °24 He himself went to the king and
said, “I have shearers; so please let the king and his servants accept my
invitation.” °25 But
the king answered Absalom, “No, my son, not all of us should go lest we be a
burden to you.” As Absalom urged him the king refused to go personally but
gave him his blessing. °26 Then
Absalom said, “If you will not go, please let my brother Amnon come with us.”
The king replied, “Why should he go with you?” °27 But Absalom insisted until the
king allowed Amnon and all the king’s sons to go with him. Absalom prepared a
royal feast. °28 Then
he commanded his servants, “Watch until Amnon gets drunk and when I tell you,
‘Strike Amnon,’ kill him. Have no fear for I myself have given you this order.
Be brave and determined.” °29 So
Absalom’s servants did to Amnon what he had commanded. On seeing this all the
sons of the king hastily mounted their mules and fled. °30 While
they were on the way, a report reached David, “Absalom has slain all the king’s
sons, leaving no one alive.” °31 At
this, the king tore his garments and lay on the ground; and all his servants
around him also tore their garments. °32 But Jonadab, son of Shimeah,
David’s brother, said, “Don’t imagine that they have killed all your sons.
Only Amnon is dead, for Absalom had decided to kill him from the day Amnon
raped his sister Tamar. °33 So
let not my lord the king believe that all his sons are dead: Amnon alone is
dead.” °34 Meanwhile,
Absalom had fled. Then the young watchman saw many people coming from the
Horonaim road by the side of the mountain. °35 Jonadab said to the king, “Was it
not true what I said to you? It is your sons who are coming.” °36 As soon
as he had spoken, the king’s sons came, crying aloud; the king, too, and all
his servants wept bitterly. °37-°38 As for Absalom, he fled to Talmai
son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, where he remained for three years. °39 All this
time King David mourned for his son. And when he had recovered from the death
of Amnon he began to yearn for Absalom. ¤14 °1 Now Joab
son of Zeruiah saw that the king was yearning for Absalom. °2 So he
sent a messenger to Tekoa to fetch a wise woman and he told her this, “Please
pretend to be a mourner. Put on mourning garments and do not perfume yourself
with oil that you may look like a woman who has been mourning for several
days for the dead °3 and
go to the king with this message.” And Joab told her what to say. °4 When the
woman of Tekoa appeared before the king, she fell on her face in homage and said,
“Help me, O king!” °5 The
king asked her, “What is wrong?” She answered, “Alas, I am a widow; my
husband is dead. °6 I,
your handmaid, had two sons who quarreled with one another in the field.
Since there was no one to part them, one struck the other and killed him. °7 Now the
entire family demand that I give up the one who struck his brother. And they
say: ‘We will kill him and avenge his brother’s death.’ So they want to
quench my remaining hope; with this they will leave my husband without name
or posterity on the earth.” °8 Then the
king said to the woman, “Go home and I will give orders on your behalf.” °9 But the
woman of Tekoa said to the king, “Let me and my family be blamed, my lord the
king, and let the king and his throne not be criticized for this.” °10 The king
said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me and he shall never
bother you again.” °11 Then
she said, “Please let the king swear by Yahweh, his God, that the avenger of
blood may not deepen my disgrace by killing my son.” The king replied, “As
Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall perish.” °12 Then the
woman said, “Please allow me to say something to my lord the king.” The king
told her, “Speak.” °13 And
she went on, “Why do you yourself act against the people of God? In giving
this decision, the king condemns himself for not having brought his banished
son back home. °14 We
are all mortals and as water spilt on the ground cannot be gathered up again,
so God does not make the soul return. So let the king find a way to bring
back his banished son. °15 Now,
if I have come to talk about this to my lord the king, it is because the
people scared me and I thought, ‘I will speak to the king; perhaps he will
listen to me. °16 If
he agrees to help me when I tell him about the man who seeks to cut off both
me and my son from the inheritance God gave us, °17
he will surely give the decision which will bring us
peace. For my lord the king is like an angel of God in understanding
everything. Yahweh your God be with you!” °18 Then the king
said to the woman, “Do not hide anything from me when I question you.” The
woman replied, “Let my lord the king speak.” °19 The king asked, “Is Joab behind
you in all this?” The woman answered, “As you surely live, my lord the king,
all is as my lord the king says. It was your servant Joab who ordered me and
taught me everything I had to say. °20 Joab did this to disguise the
purpose. But my lord is as wise as an angel of God, knowing all things that
happen on earth.” °21 Then the
king told Joab, “Well, I shall do it. Go, fetch the young man Absalom.” °22 Joab fell
on his face to the ground in homage and blessed the king, saying, “Today I
know that you look kindly on me, my lord the king, because you have granted
this my request.” °23 Joab
went on his way to Geshur to fetch Absalom and bring him to Jerusalem. °24 The king,
however, told him, “Let him stay in his own house for I shall not receive
him.” So Absalom stayed in his own house and was not received by the king. °25 In all
Israel, there was no one as praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom,
from the sole of his feet to the crown of his head he was without defect. °26 When he
cut his hair (every year he cut his hair when it became too heavy for him),
he weighed it, and it weighed two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. °27 There
were born to Absalom three sons and a daughter named Tamar, a beautiful
woman. °28 For two
years Absalom stayed in Jerusalem but the king did not receive him. °29 Absalom
called for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to see him. He
called for him a second time but Joab would not come. °30 So
Absalom said to his servants, “You know Joab’s field which is next to mine,
planted with barley. Go set it on fire.” And so they did. Then the servants
of Joab came to him to tell him, “The servants of Absalom set your field on
fire.” °31 Then
Joab went to Absalom’s house and asked him, “Why have your servants set my
field on fire?” °32 Absalom
replied, “Come over, for I want to send you to the king with this message, ‘Why
did you let me return from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there
yet.’ Now I want to be received by the king. If I am guilty, let him send me
to death!” °33 Joab
went to the king and brought him the message. So the king called for Absalom
who appeared before the king, bowing low with his face to the ground. And the
king embraced Absalom. ¤15 °1 After
this, Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to run
before him. °2 Absalom
used to rise early and stand beside the gateway. Whenever a man with a
grievance came before the king’s tribunal, Absalom would call to him and say,
“From which city are you?” Should he say, “Your servant is from such and such
a tribe in Israel,” °3 Absalom
would tell him, “Your cause is good and just but there is no one to hear you
on behalf of the king.” °4 Absalom
added, “I wish I were judge in the land! Then every man with a grievance or
cause could come to me and I would give him justice.” °5 Whenever
a man approached to pay him homage, he would stretch out his arms to hold and
embrace him. °6 Absalom
did this to all Israelites who came to the tribunal of the king, winning
their hearts for himself. °7 After
four years, Absalom said to the king, “Please allow me to go and fulfill the
vow I have to pay to Yahweh in Hebron. °8 For while I lived at Geshur in
Aram, I made this vow: ‘If Yahweh will really bring me back to Jerusalem, I
shall go there to worship him!” °9
The king said to him, “Go in peace,” and he left for
Hebron. § Absalom’s rebellion°10 Absalom sent spies
throughout the tribes of Israel with this instruction, “As soon as you hear
the trumpet sound, proclaim: ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!” °11 Two hundred men from
Jerusalem had left with Absalom as invited guests. But nothing of his purpose
dawned on them. °12 While Absalom
was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahitophel the Gilonite, David’s
counselor, from his city Giloh. Meantime, the conspiracy grew strong and the
number of people with Absalom kept increasing. °13 A messenger came to report
to David that the Israelites were siding with Absalom. °14 Then David said to all his
servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Let us flee, for we cannot resist
Absalom. Go quickly, lest he come hurriedly and overtake us. Surely he will
put the city to the sword if he can bring disaster upon us.” °15 The king’s servants
answered him, “Your servants are with you in whatever my lord the king
decides.” °16 The king departed with all
his household, but left ten concubines behind to take care of the house. °17 The king left on foot and
the people followed him. They stopped at the last house of the city and °18 his servants marched past
him, as well as the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the six hundred
Gittites who had followed him from Gath, and went ahead of him. °19 Then the king said to the
commander, Ittai, the Gittite, “Why are you also coming with us? Go back and
stay with your king, for you are a foreigner, an exile from your home. °20 Are you setting out when
you have just arrived? Shall I make you wander about with us? Go back, take
your brothers with you and may Yahweh show you kindness and faithfulness. °21 Ittai, however, answered
the king, “As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord
the king shall be, whether in life or in death, there also will your servant
be.” °22 Then David said to
Ittai,“Go then, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men
and all the children who were with him. °23 Meanwhile, all those in the countryside wept aloud
as all the people passed by. Then the king crossed the brook Kidron and all
the people moved on to the desert. °24 The priest Zadok came with
all the Levites bearing the ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the ark
of God where Abiathar stood until the people had all gone out of the city; °25 after which the king said
to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If Yahweh looks kindly on
me, he will bring me back and allow me to again see the ark and its lodging
place. °26 But if he says,
‘I am not pleased with you,’ I am here; let him do to me what seems good to
him.” °27 The king also said to the
priest Zadok, “See, better go back to the city in peace and take with you
your son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan, son of Abiathar. °28 I will wait in the desert fords until you send
word for me.” °29 So Zadok and
Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there. °30 David himself went up the
Mount of Olives, weeping. He was barefooted and had his head covered, and all
the people who were with him had their heads covered and wept as they went. § Humiliation for David°31 When
David was informed that Ahitophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, he
said, “O Yahweh, turn the counsel of Ahitophel into folly.” °32 When
David reached the summit where God is worshiped, Hushai the Archite met him
with his coat torn and dust strewn on his head. °33 David
said to him, “If you come with me, you will be a burden to me. °34 It would
be better for you to return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your
servant, O king! Just as I have been your father’s servant in the past, I
will now be your servant.’ In that way you will be useful to me in thwarting
the counsel of Ahitophel. °35 The
priests Zadok and Abiathar are there to help you. Report whatever you hear
from the king’s house. °36 Both
their sons are there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and
you shall report to me through them everything you hear.” °37 So
David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city just as Absalom was entering
Jerusalem. ¤16 °1 When
David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the steward of Mepibaal met
him with saddled asses laden with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred
bunches of raisins, a hundred summer fruits and a skin of wine. °2 The king
then asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The asses are
for the king’s household to ride on. The bread and summer fruit are for your
servants to eat, while the wine is drink for those who faint in the desert.” °3 Then the
king asked him, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba replied, “He is staying in
Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the Israelites will give me back my father’s
kingdom!” °4 To
this, the king said, “Everything that belongs to Mepibaal is now yours.” And
Ziba said, “I pay homage to my lord the king. May I always find favor with
you.” °5 When King David came to
Bahurim, a man from the clan of Saul’s family named Shimei, son of Gera, came
out cursing him. °6 He threw stones at David
and his officers although the king’s men and warriors flanked the king on the
right and left. °7 Shimei said as
he cursed, “Go away! Go away! You bloodthirsty good-for-nothing! °8 Yahweh has brought down on
your head all the blood of the family of Saul. You became king in his place,
but God has now placed the kingdom in the hands of your son Absalom. Ruin has
come upon you because you are a bloodthirsty man.” °9 Then Abishai, son of
Zeruiah, said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?
Let me go and cut his head off.” °10
But the king said, “Why should I listen to you, sons of Zeruiah? If
Yahweh has ordered him to curse me, who shall ask him why he acts like this?” °11 Then David said to Abishai
and his officers, “If my own son wants to kill me, how much more this
Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me if Yahweh has ordered him
to do so. °12 Perhaps Yahweh
will look on my affliction and turn to good things the curses heaped on me
today.” °13 So David and
his men went their way while Shimei, following on the hillside opposite him,
continued to curse as he threw stones and flung dust at him. °14 The king, together with
his men, arrived exhausted at the Jordan where he refreshed himself. °15 Now
Absalom, accompanied by Ahitophel, entered Jerusalem with all the Israelites.
°16 When
Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, appeared before Absalom and exclaimed,
“Long live the king!” °17 Absalom
said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with
your friend?” °18 Hushai
said to Absalom, “No, I will be with the one Yahweh and this people and the
Israelites have chosen, and with him I will remain. °19 Whom am I
now to serve? Are you not his son? As I have served your father, so will I
serve you.” °20 Then
Absalom said to Ahitophel, “Have a meeting to decide what we shall do.” °21 Ahitophel
said to Absalom, “Go and be with the concubines your father has left to keep
his house. When the Israelites hear that you have made yourself odious to
your father, all those of your party will be strengthened.” °22 So they
pitched a tent for Absalom on the terrace and Absalom went in to his father’s
concubines in the sight of the Israelites. °23 In those days, Ahitophel’s
counsel was deemed as sound as the oracle of God, and so it was deemed by
both David and Absalom. ¤17 °1 Ahitophel
said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men that I may set out and
pursue David tonight. °2 I
will attack him while he is tired and discouraged and throw him into a panic.
All those who are with him will flee so I will strike down only the king. °3 Then I
will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband.
Seek the death of only one man and then all the people will be unharmed.” °4 The
advice pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. °5 Then
Absalom said, “Call in Hushai the Archite to hear what he has to say.” °6 When
Hushai came before Absalom, Absalom asked him, “Ahitophel has given this
advice. Shall we follow it? If not, you speak.” °7 So Hushai said to Absalom, “This
time, Ahitophel’s advice is not good. °8 You know that your father and his
men are warriors. When enraged, they are like a bear robbed of her cubs in
the field. Besides, your father is expert enough in war not to spend the
night with his men. °9 Right
now he is hiding in one of the pits or in some other place. If some of your
men fall in the first attack, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a
slaughter among the men who follow Absalom.’ °10 Then even the valiant man whose
heart is like that of a lion will utterly melt with fear, for all Israel
knows that your father is a warrior, as are the men who are with him. °11 My advice
is for you to gather all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba, as many as the
sands of the sea, and go to battle in person. °12 Then we shall find him wherever
he is and fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of
his men will be left alive. °13 If
he withdraws into a city, all Israel will bring ropes and drag it into the
valley until not even a pebble of it remains.” °14 Absalom and all the Israelites
said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of
Ahitophel.” For Yahweh had decreed that the good counsel of Ahitophel be
defeated, so that he might bring evil upon Absalom. °15 Then
Hushai reported to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “Ahitophel advised Absalom
and the elders of Israel in this way; but I have advised them in this manner.
°16 Therefore
send word to David quickly, ‘Do not lodge tonight at the desert fords. Go
beyond them lest the King and all the men with him be trapped!” °17 Now
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at Enrogel where a maidservant regularly
went to report to them so they could go and tell king David, for they
themselves must not be seen in the city. °18
But a lad saw them and reported to Absalom. The two
hurriedly left the place and entered the house of a man of Bahurim who had a
well in his courtyard, and they got down into it. °19 The woman took a covering and
spread it over the well’s mouth, then scattered grain over it without anyone
noticing. °20 When
Absalom’s servants came to the woman’s house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz
and Jonathan?” The woman answered them, “They left, following the brook.”
They looked for them but could not find them; and so they returned to
Jerusalem. °21 After
they had gone, the men came up out of the well and went to tell David, “Hurry
and cross over the river, for this is what Ahitophel has counseled against
you.” °22 So
David and all those who were with him crossed over the Jordan; and by
daybreak, not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. °23 When
Ahitophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled his ass and rode
back home to his own city. After setting his house in order, he hanged
himself and died. He was then buried in the tomb of his father. °24 David had
already entered Mahanaim when Absalom crossed over the Jordan with all the
Israelites. °25 Absalom
had put Amasa in charge of the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of
Ithra, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigail the daughter of Isai, sister of
Zeruiah, the mother of Joab. °26 The
Israelites and Absalom pitched camp in the land of Gilead. °27 When
David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the
Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lodebar, and Barzillai the
Gileadite from Rogelim, °28 brought
beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, roasted grain, beans and
lentils, honey and curds, sheep and cheese from the herd. All this was for
David and the people with him to eat °29 for they said, “The people are
hungry, weary and thirsty in the desert.” ¤18 °1 David
then mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of a
thousand men and commanders of a hundred men. He sent forth the army, of
which one third was under the command of Joab; °2 one third, under the command of
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third, under the command of
Ittai, the Gittite. Then the king said to the men, “I myself will go out with
you.” °3 But
the men replied, “You shall not go out. They could not care less if we flee
or if half of us die. But you are worth ten thousand of us and it is better
if you are able to send us assistance from the city.” °4 So the
king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” Then the king
stood by the side of the gate while the entire army marched out by hundreds
and by thousands. °5 The king
ordered Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Don’t hurt the young man Absalom for my
sake.” All the army heard the king giving orders to all the commanders
concerning Absalom. § Defeat and death of Absalom°6 The army of David went out
into the field against Israel. The battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim
°7 where the Israelites were
defeated by the men of David. The slaughter there on that day was great,
numbering twenty thousand men. °8 The battle
spread over the entire country and more people perished in the ravines of the
forest than were killed by the sword that day. °9 Absalom was riding a mule
and happened to meet the guards of David. As the mule passed under the thick
branches of a big oak tree, his head was caught in the oak tree and he was
left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule he was riding went its
way. °10 Someone
reported to Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging from an oak tree.” °11 Joab said to the man who
reported this, “What! You saw him but did not strike him at once? I would
have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” °12 But the man answered Joab, “Even if I felt in my
hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand
against the king’s son, for we heard the king command you, Abishai and Ittai:
‘For my sake, spare the young man Absalom.’ °13 If I had not done my duty, the king would come to
know about it and you yourself would have kept your distance.” °14 Joab replied, “I will not
waste time talking with you.” So he took three spears in his hand and thrust
them into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the oak tree. °15 Then ten guards, Joab’s
armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him down. °16 Joab blew the trumpet and
the troops stopped pursuing the Israelites as Joab restrained them. °17 They then took Absalom,
threw him into a deep pit in the forest and covered him with a great heap of
stones. In the meantime all the Israelites fled, each one to his own home. °18 During
his lifetime Absalom had a memorial created for himself in the king’s Valley
for he said, “I have no son by whom my name may be remembered.” He called the
pillar after his own name and, to this day, it is called Absalom’s monument. °19 Then
Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, “Let me run and report to the king that
Yahweh has delivered him from the power of his enemies.” °20 But Joab
said to him, “Today you would not be a bearer of good news; another day you
will run, but today there is no good news because the king’s son is dead.” °21 Joab then
said to a Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed
before Joab and ran. °22 But
Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, again said to Joab, “Come what may, let me also
run behind the Cushite.” Joab asked, “Why must you run, my son, seeing that
you will have no reward for this news?” °23 Ahimaaz insisted, “It does not
matter, I will run.” So Joab allowed him to go, and Ahimaaz ran by way of the
plain, outrunning the Cushite. § David is told of Absalom’s death°24 David was sitting between
the two gates. The watchman posted at the roof of the gate, on the wall, saw
a man running alone. °25 So he called
out and reported to the king who said, “If he is alone, he brings good news.”
As he was drawing near, °26 the watchman
saw another man running. So he called to the gatekeeper and said, “Look,
another man is running alone!” The king said, “He also brings good news.” °27 The watchman said, “The
first man runs like Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” The king replied, “He is a
good man, so he comes with good news.” °28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to
the king, “All is well.” Bowing before the king with his face to the ground,
he said, “Blessed be Yahweh your God who has delivered up the men who
rebelled against my lord the king!” °29 The king asked him, “How is the young Absalom?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent your servant, I saw a great tumult but did
not know what it was all about.” °30
So the king said, “Move away and stand here.” He moved aside and
stayed there. °31 The Cushite arrived and
said, “Good news for my lord the king! Yahweh has done you justice today and
saved you from all those who rebelled against you.” °32 The king asked the
Cushite, “How is the young Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies
of my lord the king and all who rebel against you end up like that young
man.” ¤19 °1 The king was greatly disturbed and, going up to
the room over the gate, he wept and said, “O, my son Absalom! My son, my son
Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” °2 It was reported to Joab,
“The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” °3 So the victory that day turned into mourning for
all the people, when they heard that the king was grieving over his son. °4 The people quietly entered
the city that day, like those fleeing from battle in shame. °5 The king covered his face
and was crying aloud, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” °6 Joab then came to the
king’s house and said, “You have today put to shame all your servants who
saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, and of your wives and
concubines. °7 Yes, you love
those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear
today that your commanders and guards mean nothing to you. I know that if
Absalom were alive today and all of us dead, you would be pleased. °8 You must now show yourself
and say a good word to your guards for, I swear by Yahweh, if you do not, no
one will stay with you tonight, and this will be worse than all the evil that
has happened to you from your youth to the present day.” °9 So the
king took his seat at the gate and as the people were informed that the king
was sitting at the gate, they came before him. The people of Israel had fled, each man
to his own home. °10 Yet
throughout all the tribes of Israel, the people were arguing, “The king who
delivered us from the Philistines has had to flee because of Absalom. °11 We
ourselves anointed Absalom to rule over us. But if he died in battle, what
prevents us from bringing back the king?” § David returns to Jerusalem°12 King David heard what the
Israelites said. So he sent this message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar,
“Say to the elders of Judah: ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king
back to his house? °13 You
are relatives, of my own race. Why should you be the last to bring back the
king?’ °14 Say
also to Amasa, ‘Are you not of my own family? I swear before God that I will
make you general of my army in place of Joab.” °15 So he won
over the men of Judah and, as one man, they sent word to the king, “Please
return with your servants.” °16 So
the king came back and the men of Judah went over to Gilgal to welcome him
and help him cross the Jordan. °17 Shimei,
son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the people of
Judah to meet King David. °18 He
had taken with him a thousand men from Benjamin. Ziba also, the steward of
Saul’s family, hurried down to the Jordan before the king with his fifteen
sons and twenty servants. °19 He
helped the king’s household cross the ford and attended to his needs. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before
the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, °20 and said to him, “Let not my lord
hold me guilty or remember the wrong your servant did when my lord the king
left Jerusalem. Let not the king remember this, °21 for I confess that I have sinned;
and therefore I have come today, the first from Joseph’s tribes to welcome my
lord the king.” °22 Abishai
the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for having
cursed Yahweh’s anointed?” °23 But
David said, “Far be it from me to listen to you, you sons of Zeruiah! This is
bad advice; no one shall be put to death in Israel today. Do I not know that
I am ruling again over Israel this day?” °24 So the king assured Shimei with
an oath, “You shall not die.” °25 Mepibaal,
the son of Saul, came down from Jerusalem to meet the king. He had not washed
his feet, or trimmed his beard, or cleaned his clothes since the king
departed. °26 When
he arrived to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with
me, Mepibaal?” °27 He
answered, “My lord, O king! My steward deceived me. For I said to him,
‘Saddle an ass for me so that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ since I
am lame. °28 But
he has slandered me to my lord the king. And yet my lord the king is like an
angel of God. Do, therefore, what seems good to you. °29 My
father’s family was doomed to die before my lord the king, but you counted
your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right do I have
to complain to the king?” °30 The king
said to him, “Why talk more? I have decided – you and Ziba shall divide the
land.” °31 Mepibaal
answered, “Oh, let him take it all since my lord the king has come home
safely.” °32 Now,
Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and he crossed the Jordan
with him; then he said goodbye to him. °33 Barzillai was a very old man of
eighty, who, being a very wealthy man, had provided the king with food when
he remained in Mahanaim. °34 The
king said to Barzillai, “Come, join me and stay with me; I will take care of
you in Jerusalem.” °35 But
Barzillai said to the king, “How many more years will I live that I should go
up with the king to Jerusalem? °36
Today, I am eighty years old and can discern neither
what is pleasant nor what is not. Can your servant still taste what he eats
or drinks; or listen to the voice of men and women singing? Why then should
your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? °37 Your
servant will accompany the king just a little past the Jordan. Why should the
king reward me for this? °38 Please
allow me to return to my own city where I may die and be buried near the
graves of my father and mother. But let this my son Kimham, your servant,
continue with my lord the king. You can do for him whatever it may please you.
°39 The
king answered, “Kimham will come with me and I will give him whatever seems
fit to you. Besides, I will do for you whatever you desire of me.” °40 As all
the people had crossed the Jordan, the king also crossed. Then the king
embraced and blessed Barzillai who then returned to his own home. °41 The king
went on to Gilgal accompanied by Kimham, together with the men of Judah and
some Israelites. °42 Then
the Israelites came to the king and asked, “Why have our brothers, the men of
Judah, grabbed you and brought the king and his entire family over the Jordan
together with all your soldiers?” °43
The men of Judah answered the Israelites, “Because
the king is our immediate relative. But why does this rouse your anger? Have
we fed ourselves at the king’s expense or received any gift from him?” °44 But the
Israelites answered the men of Judah, “We have more right to the king than
you because we are ten tribes. Why did you disregard us? Were we not the
first to have the king brought back?” But the men of Judah argued more
vehemently than the Israelites. § Sheba rebels against David¤20 °1 There
happened to be there a base fellow named Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjaminite,
who sounded the trumpet and said, “We have nothing to do with David. What can
we expect from the son of Jesse? Go back, O Israelites, each man to his
home!” °2 So
all the Israelites left David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. The men
of Judah, however, steadfastly followed their king from the Jordan to
Jerusalem. °3 When
David reached his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines whom he had
left to keep the palace and put them under guard. He provided for them but
had no relations with them. So they were secluded until the day of their
death and lived like widows. °4 The king
said to Amasa, “Assemble all the men of Judah within three days; then come
here to me.” °5 So
Amasa left to summon the men of Judah but he failed to show up at the
appointed time. °6 David
then said to Abishai, “Sheba son of Bichri, will do us more harm than Absalom.
Take my guards and pursue him lest he flee to any fortified city and escape
from us.” °7 So
Abishai, with the men of Joab, the Cherethites, Pelethites and all the
warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, son of Bichri. °8 When they
reached the big stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was
wearing over his tunic a belt with a sheathed sword. The sword slipped out. °9 Joab said
to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” And he held Amasa’s beard with his right
hand as if to embrace him. °10 Amasa
did not notice the sword which he held until Joab stabbed him, shedding his
entrails to the ground. Amasa died on the spot without need of a second
thrust. Then Joab and Abishai his brother
pursued Sheba, son of Bichri. °11 Meantime,
one of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Let him who is for Joab and
stands by David follow Joab.” °12 Amasa
then lay bathed in his blood, lying on the highway. When the man saw the
people stopping to look, he carried Amasa from the highway into the field and
covered him with a garment. °13 When
he was removed from the highway, the people followed Joab in pursuit of
Sheba, son of Bichri. °14 Sheba
passed through all the tribes of Israel and entered Abel of Bethmaacah with
all his allies who had assembled to follow him. °15 Joab’s men came and attacked him
in Abel of Bethmaacah. They set up a mound against the city, and all the men
of Joab dug under the wall to throw it down. °16 Then a
wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here
that I may speak to him.” °17 As
Joab approached, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” °18 The woman
continued, “They used to say in olden days to settle a matter, ‘Seek advice
at Abel if you want to know the ancient customs °19 of the faithful of Israel.’ And
you want to destroy a city which is a mother city in Israel. Why do you want
to destroy the heritage of Yahweh?” °20 Joab answered, “By no means do I
want to destroy it! °21 But
a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba, son of Bichri, has
rebelled against King David. Only surrender him and I will withdraw from the
city.” So the woman said to Joab, “We shall throw his head over the wall to
you.” °22 The
woman then gathered the inhabitants and spoke to them so persuasively that
they beheaded Sheba, son of Bichri, and threw his head out to Joab who then
sounded the trumpet for the people to depart from the city. Then everyone
went home and Joab himself returned to the king in Jerusalem. °23 Joab was
in command of all the army of Israel while Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in
command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. °24 Adoram was in charge of the
forced labor, and Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the recorder. Sheva was
secretary, °25 and
Zadok and Abiathar were priests, °26
and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest. § The great famine¤21 °1 There was
famine during the reign of David for three consecutive years and David
consulted Yahweh. The answer was, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and his family
because he put the Gibeonites to death.” °2 The
Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but descendants of the Amorites.
Although the Israelites had sworn to spare them, Saul had attempted to wipe
them out on behalf of the people of Israel and Judah. °3 So David
called the Gibeonites and asked them, “What shall I do for you? And how shall
I repay you that you may bless the people of Yahweh?” °4 The
Gibeonites answered him, “Our quarrel with Saul and his family is not over
silver or gold, nor is it our task to put any Israelite to death.” The king
asked again, “Tell me then what I shall do for you”; °5 and they
replied,“That man slaughtered us and planned our destruction so that we would
no longer occupy any place in Israel. °6 Surrender seven of his sons to us
so that we may hang them up before Yahweh at Gibeon on the mountain of
Yahweh.” To this, the king said, “I will surrender them.” °7 David
spared Mepibaal, son of Jonathan, Saul’s son, because of the oath David and
Jonathan took before Yahweh. °8 But he
took the two sons of Rizpah, daughter of Aiah whom she bore to Saul – Armoni
and Mepibaal; and the five sons of Merab, daughter of Saul, whom she bore to
Adriel, son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
°9 He
delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites who hanged them on the
mountain of Yahweh where all seven perished together. They were put to death
in the first days of harvest at the beginning of the barley harvest. °10 Then
Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the
rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell on them from the heavens.
She did not allow the birds of the air to come on them by day or the beasts
of the field by night. °11 When
David was told what Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter and Saul’s concubine, had done, °12 he asked
the men of Jabesh-Gilead for the bones of Saul and those of his son Jonathan.
(They had taken them from the wall of Bethshan where the Philistines had
nailed them when they killed Saul on Gilboa.) °13 So David had brought up from
there the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan, and the bones of those who had
been hanged were gathered. °14 All
of them were buried in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish
their father. When all that the king had commanded was done, God had pity on
the land. °15 The
Philistines waged war again with Israel, and David went down together with
his servants to fight against them. When David was already tired, °16 Ishbibenob,
one of the descendants of the giants whose spear weighed three hundred
shekels of bronze and who had put on a new sword, thought of killing David. °17 But
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, came to his help, attacking and killing the
Philistine. Then David’s men urged him, “You shall not join us anymore in
battle lest the lamp of Israel be extinguished.” °18 After
this, there was more fighting with the Philistines at Gob; there Sibbecai the
Hushathite, slew Saph, one of the descendants of the giants. °19 There was
another battle with the Philistines at Gob where Elhanan, son of Jaareoregim,
the Bethlehemite, slew Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was the
size of a weaver’s beam. °20 In
another encounter at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand
and six toes on each foot, numbering twenty-four in all. He too was a
descendant of the giants. °21 When
he taunted Israel, Jonathan, son of Shimei, David’s brother, slew him. °22 All four
descendants of the giants fell by the hand of David and his guards. § David’s song of praise¤22 °1 David
sang this song to Yahweh on the day Yahweh delivered him from his enemies and
from Saul. °2 He said, The Lord is my rock, my rampart, my deliverer °3 and my God, the rock in whom I take refuge. He is my shield, my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my Savior; you save me from
violence. °4 I call on the Lord, who is worthy
of praise; he saves me from my enemies. °5 Waters of death carried me along, torrents of destruction terrified
me. °6 Caught as by the cords of the
grave, I was utterly helpless before the
snares of death. °7 But I called upon the Lord in my
distress, to my God I cried for help; and from his temple he heard my
voice, my cry of grief reached his ears. °8 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the heavens
shook; they trembled in his fury. °9 From his nostrils smoke rose, from his mouth a devouring fire throwing off live embers. °10 He bent the heavens and came down with dark clouds under his feet. °11 He rode on a cherub and flew, he was seen on the wings of the
wind. °12 He set darkness around him as his
tent, a heap of waters in the thick
clouds. °13 Then from the brightness of his
presence flared up fiery embers. °14 From heaven the Lord thundered; the voice of the Most High
resounded. °15 Sending out a hail of arrows, he
scattered them; flashing forth bolts of
lightning, he routed them. °16 The beds of the seas lay
uncovered as the foundations of the world were laid bare, at your rebuke, O Yahweh, at the blast from your nostril’s
breath. °17 Reaching down from above, he drew me out of the deep water. °18 Too strong for me were my
enemies, but he rescued me from my
adversaries. °19 They have launched their attack in an opportune day but the Lord has been my stay. °20 In the open he has set me free. How great indeed is his love for
me! °21 Yahweh rewarded me according to
my justice, and according to my
righteousness. °22 For I have been faithful to
Yahweh’s way and I did not sin far from him. °23 With his ordinances all before
me, I have always followed his
statutes. °24 Before him I have done uprightly and kept myself from iniquity. °25 Therefore Yahweh has given me recompense according to my
righteousness. °26 To the faithful you show yourself
faithful; to the blameless you show
yourself blameless; °27 to the pure you show yourself
pure; but to the crooked you show
yourself astute. °28 For you raise up the humble and
humiliate the arrogant. °29 Yahweh, you are my lamp. O
my God, you brighten up my darkness. °30 Yes, with you I can crush an armed
band, and
by my God I can leap over a wall. °31 This God – his way is perfect; the
word of the Lord is always fulfilled. To
those who seek refuge in him, he is a shield. °32 There is no other God but Yahweh; there
is no other rock but our God. °33 This God is my stronghold and
keeps my path unerring and safe. °34 He has made my feet as swift as
the hinds; he
has set me secure on the heights. °35 He trains my hands for war and
my arms to bend a bow of brass. °36 You have given me your shield for
protection, and
your help has made me great. °37 You have given wide room for my
steps, so
that they have never faltered. °38 I have pursued my enemies and
wiped them out, I
did not turn back till I had destroyed them. °39 Thrusting them through, I
did not give them time to rise as
they fell under my feet. °40 You have given me strength for
the battle; you
have subdued my adversaries beneath me; °41 you have put my enemies to flight and
destroyed those who opposed me. °42 They cried for help, but no one
came. They
cried to the Lord; he
did not answer them. °43 I pulverized them as dust of the
earth; like
mud in the streets I trampled on them. °44 You have delivered me from the
people’s assault and
have made me head over the nations. They
came to serve me – people
I had not known. °45 Foreigners approached me, cringing
and fawning. At
the sound of my voice, they
rose to obey. °46 Foreigners succumbed or
locked themselves in their fortresses. °47 Yahweh lives! Praised be my rock! Exalted
be my savior God – °48 the God who grants me vengeance and
subdues the peoples for me. °49 He brings me out from my foes; he
exalts me above my adversaries; he
rescues me from men of violence. °50 For this I will extol you,
Yahweh, among
the nations; I
will sing praise to your name. °51 You have given your king great
victory; you
have shown your love forever to
your anointed, to David and to his descendants. ¤23 °1 These are
the last words of David: The oracle of David, son of Jesse, the oracle of the
man whom God exalted, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the singer of the
songs of Israel: °2 “The
Spirit of Yahweh speaks through me, his word is on my tongue. °3 The
God of Israel has spoken, the Rock of Israel has said to me: when one rules justly over people, ruling in the fear of God, °4 he
dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a
cloudless morning, making grass sprout from the ground
after the rain. °5 Yes,
is not my family like this before God? He has made with me an eternal
covenant, orderly and secure. Will he not complete my salvation and
fulfill my desire? °6 But
the godless are like thorns that are thrown away. They cannot be held with one’s hand °7 but
are uprooted with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are burned in fire.” § David’s champions°8 These are
the names of the warriors who were with David: the first of the Three was
Ishbaal, a Hachemonite who wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he
slew in a single encounter. °9 Next was
Eleazar, son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, who was with David when they challenged
the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. When he saw the retreat
of the Israelites, °10 he
fought and struck down the Philistines until his hand grew tired from holding
the sword without pause. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day.The
others returned after him, but only to strip the slain. °11 Next was
Shammah, son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,
where there was a plot of ground planted to barley, and the men fled from the
Philistines. °12 But
Shammah stood in the middle of the plot to defend it and slew the
Philistines. And Yahweh worked a great victory. °13 At about
harvest time, three of the Thirty went down to David at the cave of Adullam
while a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. °14 David was
in the stronghold while the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. °15 David
longed for water and said, “Who will give me water to drink from the well by
the gate of Bethlehem!” °16 At
this, the three warriors broke through the Philistine camp, drew water out of
the well by the gate of Bethlehem and brought it to David. But David refused
to drink of it and poured it out as an offering to Yahweh. °17 He said,
“By no means should I do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who risked
their lives?” Therefore, he refused to drink it. These were the deeds of the
three warriors. °18 Now
Abishai, brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Thirty. He wielded
his spear against three hundred men and slew them, winning a name beside the
Thirty. °19 Though
he was the most popular of the Thirty and became their commander, he did not
equal the Three. °20 Benaiah
son of Jehoiada, a warrior of Kabzeel, was a man of great achievements who
killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit on a snowy
day and slew a lion. °21 He
slew a handsome Egyptian who held a spear. Benaiah went against him with a
staff, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his
own spear. °22 Benaiah,
son of Jehoiada, did these things and won a name beside the thirty warriors. °23 He was
popular among the Thirty but did not equal the Three. David put him in
command of his bodyguard. °24 Asahel,
brother of Joab, was one of the Thirty; Elhanan, son of Dodo of Bethlehem; °25 Shammah
of Harod, Elika of Harod; °26 Helez,
the Paltite; Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa; °27 Abiezor of Anathoth; Mebunnai,
the Hushathite, °28 Zalmon
the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah; °29
Jeleb, the son of Baanah of Netophah; Ittai, the son
of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites; °30 Benaiah of Pirathon; Hiddai, of
the brooks of Gaash; °31 Abialbon,
the Arbathite; Azmaveth of Bahurim; °32 Eliahba of Shaalbon; the sons of
Jashen, Jonathan; °33 Shammah,
the Hararite; Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite, °34 Eliphelet,
the son of Ahasbai of Maacah; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel of Gilo; °35 Hezro of
Carmel; Paarai the Arbite; °36 Igal,
the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani, the Gadite; °37 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai of
Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, °38 Ira, the
Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; °39 Uriah,
the Hittite – thirty-seven in all. § The census¤24 °1 Again the anger of Yahweh
blazed out against Israel. So he let David harm them in this way, “Count the
people of Israel and Judah.” °2 The king said to Joab and
the commanders of the army who were with him, “Go through all the tribes of
Israel from Dan to Beersheba and count the people that I may know how many
they are.” °3 Joab told the king, “May
Yahweh your God multiply the people a hundred times and may my lord the king
see this blessing. But why does my lord the king want to take a census?” °4 But the king’s word prevailed
so that Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the king’s presence
in order to count the people of Israel. °5 They crossed the Jordan and started with Aroer,
the city in the middle of the valley, and went on toward Gad and to Jazer. °6 Then they proceeded to
Gilead and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites. They then went to Dan, and
from Dan to Sidon, °7 and arrived at
the fortress of Tyre and the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. They
went out through the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba and °8 after having gone through
all the land, returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty
days. °9 Joab gave the
total count of the people to the king: eight hundred thousand sword-wielding
warriors in Israel and five hundred thousand men in Judah. °10 But after he had the
people counted, David felt remorse and said to Yahweh, “I have sinned greatly
in what I have done, but now, O Yahweh, I ask you to forgive my sin for I
have acted foolishly.” °11 The following day, before
David awoke, Yahweh’s word had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, °12 “Go, and give David this
message: I offer you three things and I will let one of them befall you
according to your own choice.” °13
So Gad went to David and asked him, “Do you want three years of
famine in your land? Or do you want to be pursued for three months by your
foes while you flee from them? Or do you want three days’ pestilence in your
land? Now, think and decide what answer I shall give him who sent me.” °14 David answered Gad, “I am greatly
troubled. Let me fall into the hands of Yahweh whose mercy is abundant; but
let me not fall into human hands.” °15 So Yahweh sent a
pestilence on Israel from morning until the appointed time, causing the death
of seventy thousand men from Dan to Beersheba. °16 When the angel stretched forth his hand toward
Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh would punish no more and said to the angel
who was causing destruction among the people, “It is enough, hold back your
hand.” The angel of Yahweh was already at the threshing floor of Araunah, the
Jebusite. °17 When David saw the angel
striking the people, he spoke to Yahweh and said, “I have sinned and acted
wickedly, but these are only the sheep; what have they done? Let your hand
strike me and my father’s family.” °18 Gad went
to David that day and said to him, “Go, set up an altar to Yahweh on the
threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” °19 So David left to follow Yahweh’s
command made through Gad. °20 When
Araunah saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went forward,
paid homage to the king with his face to the ground, and said, °21 “Why has
my lord the king come to his servant?” David answered, “I will buy your
threshing floor in order to build an altar to Yahweh so that the plague may
end among the people.” °22 Then
Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take the threshing floor and
offer the sacrifice that seems good to him: here you have my oxen for the
burnt offering, the threshing sledges, and the oxen’s yokes for the wood. °23 All this,
O king, Araunah gives to the king. May Yahweh your God hear you.” °24 But
the king said to Araunah, “No, I will pay you for all this,
for I will not offer to Yahweh my God something that costs me nothing.”
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
°25 David
built there an altar to Yahweh and offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings. So Yahweh had mercy on the land and the plague ended in Israel. The End |