{N}DAVID LEARNS OF SAUL'S DEATH{/}

{1}1{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}It was thus that Saul died. As for David, he returned 
after defeating the Amalekites. He was already two days in Ziklag 
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}3_{/}David asked him, "Where are you 
from?" And he answered, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp." 
{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}5_{/}Then David asked the young man who reported this, "How do you 
know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"
{R}_{I}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. {I}7_{/}He turned around and, seeing me, called me. 
{I}8_{/}I said, 'Here I am.' He asked, 'Who are you?' and I replied, 
'I am an Amalekite.' [=]_{I}9_{/}He then said to me, 'Come here and 
kill me for I feel dizzy though I am fully alive.' {I}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."
{R}_{I}11_{/}At this, David took hold of his clothes and tore them and 
his men did the same. [=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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." 
[=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}David said, "Why were you not afraid to lay your hands 
on Yahweh's anointed and kill him?" {I}15_{/}He then called one of his 
men and ordered him, "Come and strike him down." He struck down 
the Amalekite and killed him.
{R}_{I}16_{/}David declared, "You will answer for your own blood for you 
condemned yourself when you said, 'I have killed Yahweh's 
anointed'."
{R}_{I}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" [=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}and is found in the Book of the Just.
{R}_{I}19_{/}"Your glory, O Israel, is slain upon your mountains!
How the mighty ones have fallen!
[=]_{I}20_{/}Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon
lest the Philistine women rejoice,
lest foreign maidens exult.
[=]_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}Women of Israel, weep over Saul
who clothed you in precious scarlet.
{R}_{I}25_{/}How the valiant have fallen!
In the midst of the battle Jonathan lies slain on your mountains.
{R}_{I}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.
{I}27_{/}How the valiant have fallen!
The weapons of war have perished!"

{N}DAVID IS ANOINTED KING OVER JUDAH{/}

{1}2{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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." [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}So 
David went up to Hebron with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and 
Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. {R}_{I}3_{/}David also brought up 
his men with their families and they settled in the towns of 
Hebron. [=]_{R}_{I}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, 
{R}_{I}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. {I}6_{/}May Yahweh show his love and fidelity to you! 
I, in turn, will be kind to you for having done this. {R}_{I}7_{/}Now be 
brave and strong for although your master Saul is dead, the people 
of Judah have anointed me their king."
{R}_{I}8_{/}Now Abner, son of Ner, Saul's general, had taken Ishbaal, son 
of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim {R}_{I}9_{/}where he made him 
king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin and 
the rest of Israel. {R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}David was their 
king in Hebron and he ruled over them for seven years and six 
months.

{N}CIVIL WAR{/}

{R}_{I}12_{/}Abner, son of Ner, and the menservants of Ishbaal, Saul's 
son, left Mahanaim for Gibeon {R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}14_{/}Abner told Joab, "Let the young men rise and perform for 
us." Joab replied, "Let them rise!" {R}_{I}15_{/}So they rose and were 
counted off: twelve of the Benjaminites of Ishbaal, Saul's son, 
and twelve of David's men. {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}17_{/}After a very fierce battle that day, Abner and the men of 
Israel were defeated by David's troops. {I}18_{/}The three sons of 
Zeruiah - Joab, Abishai and Asahel - were there. {I}19_{/}Asahel, who 
ran as fast as a wild gazelle, pursued Abner, turning neither to 
the right nor to the left.{I}20_{/}Abner turned around and asked, "Is 
that you, Asahel?" He replied, "Yes, it is I." {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, 
{I}22_{/}so Abner again said, "Stop following me! I will surely strike 
you down and then, how could I face your brother Joab?" {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {I}25_{/}The Benjaminites then rallied around Abner, 
forming one band, and took their position on the hilltop. 
{I}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?" {R}_{I}27_{/}Joab 
replied, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, my men would have 
continued pursuing their brothers until morning." [=]_{I}28_{/}So Joab 
blew the trumpet and the men desisted from pursuing the Israelites 
and fighting them.
{R}_{I}29_{/}Abner and his men marched all night through the lowland, 
crossed the Jordan, and marched the whole morning until they 
reached Mahanaim. {R}_{I}30_{/}As for Joab, he stopped pursuing Abner and 
gathered all his men. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David's servants 
were missing. {R}_{I}31_{/}But David's men had killed three hundred and 
sixty of Abner's men from among the Benjaminites. {R}_{I}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.

{1}3{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}There was a long war between Saul's party and that of David, 
but David grew stronger while Saul's party grew weaker. 
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}2_{/}Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn, Amnon, 
of Ahinoam of Jezreel; {R}_{I}3_{/}his second, Chileab, of Abigail, widow 
of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah the daughter 
of Talmai, king of Geshur; {I}4_{/}the fourth, Adonijah, the son of 
Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abital; {R}_{I}5_{/}and the 
sixth, Ithream, of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in 
Hebron.
{R}_{I}6_{/}While war was going on between the party of Saul and that of 
David, Abner was strengthening his position in Saul's family. 
[=]_{R}_{I}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?" {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}9_{/}May God deal 
with me severely if I do not do for David what Yahweh swore to him 
- [=]_{R}_{I}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." {I}11_{/}Ishbaal could no longer 
say a word to Abner for he feared him.
{R}_{I}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." [=]_{R}_{I}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."
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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." {I}15_{/}Ishbaal sent for her and 
took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish, {I}16_{/}who 
followed her weeping all the way to Bahurim. There Abner said to 
him, "Go back!" and he turned back.
{R}_{I}17_{/}Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and told them, 
"You have long wanted to have David as your king. {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}19_{/}Abner also spoke to the people 
of Benjamin; then he went to tell David at Hebron the proposals of 
Israel and the Benjaminites.

{N}JOAB MURDERS ABNER{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}When Abner came to David at Hebron, David prepared a 
feast for him and the twenty men who were with him. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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? {I}25_{/}You know what Abner, son of Ner, is 
like; he came to you deceitfully to observe and find out what you 
are doing."
{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}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!"
{R}_{I}30_{/}Joab and his brother Abishai slew Abner because he had 
killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}32_{/}They buried Abner at Hebron; 
there the king wept aloud over his grave and all the people joined 
in the lamentation.
{R}_{I}33_{/}The king began the mourning song for Abner with these words, 
"Should Abner die as a fool dies? {I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}36_{/}The people heeded 
this and it pleased them; in fact, they were pleased at whatever 
the king said. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}38_{/}Then the king said to his servants, "Do you realize 
that a general and valiant warrior passed away today in Israel? 
[=]_{R}_{I}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."

{N}ISHBAAL IS MURDERED{/}

{1}4{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}When Ishbaal, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at 
Hebron, he was stunned and the Israelites were disheartened. 
{R}_{I}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; 
{I}3_{/}the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have remained there as 
immigrants to the present day.
{R}_{I}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.)
{I}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. {I}6_{/}His doorkeeper had been cleaning 
wheat, but feeling drowsy, she slept; Rechab and his brother 
Baanah got into the house. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {I}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?"
[=]_{R}_{I}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.

{N}DAVID IS ANOINTED KING OVER ISRAEL{/}

{1}5{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and 
said, "We are your bone and flesh. [=]_{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}4_{/}David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he 
reigned for forty years: {R}_{I}5_{/}he reigned over Judah, from Hebron, 
seven and a half years; and over Israel and Judah, from Jerusalem, 
for thirty-three years.

{N}DAVID CAPTURES JERUSALEM{/}

{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}7_{/}Yet David captured the 
fortress of Zion that became the "city of David."
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}10_{/}And David 
grew more powerful, for Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.
[=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David with cedar 
trees, carpenters and masons to build a house for David. 
{R}_{I}12_{/}David then understood that Yahweh had made him king over 
Israel and had exalted his reign for the sake of his people 
Israel.
{R}_{I}13_{/}After David had come from Hebron he took more concubines and 
wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to 
him. {R}_{I}14_{/}These are the names of those who were born to him in 
Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, {I}15_{/}Ibhar, Elishua, 
Nepheg, Japhia, {I}16_{/}Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}18_{/}When the Philistines overran 
the valley of Rephaim, {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}21_{/}There the Philistines left their idols 
and David and his men picked them up.
{R}_{I}22_{/}The Philistines went up again and overran the valley of 
Rephaim. {R}_{I}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. {I}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." {R}_{I}25_{/}David obeyed 
Yahweh's command and struck down the Philistines from Giba to as 
far as Gezer. 

{N}THE ARK IS BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM{/}

{1}6{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}David gathered together once more all the picked men of 
Israel, numbering thirty thousand in all. {R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}4_{/}with the ark of Yahweh, with Ahio walking before it. 
[=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}David and the Israelites were joyfully celebrating before 
Yahweh, singing and playing on lyres, harps, tambourines, 
castanets and cymbals.
{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}Yahweh's anger burnt against Uzzah and God struck him 
there; Uzzah died there beside the ark of God. {R}_{I}8_{/}David was 
angry because Yahweh had struck Uzzah, and that place is called 
Perez-Uzzah to the present day.
[=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}David was afraid of Yahweh that day and said, "How can 
the ark of Yahweh come to me?" [=]_{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}Yahweh's 
ark remained there for three months and Yahweh blessed Obededom 
and all his household.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}13_{/}After those who carried the 
ark of Yahweh had walked six paces, they sacrificed an ox and a 
fattened calf.
[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}David whirled round dancing with all his heart 
before Yahweh, wearing a linen ephod, {R}_{I}15_{/}for he and all the 
Israelites brought up the ark of Yahweh, shouting joyfully and 
sounding the horn.
{R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}18_{/}Once the 
offerings had been made, David blessed the people in the name of 
Yahweh of hosts, {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}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. {I}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." {R}_{I}23_{/}And Michal, Saul's 
daughter, had no child to the day she died.

{N}THE PROPHECY OF NATHAN{/}

{1}7{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}When the king had settled in his palace and Yahweh had 
rid him of all his surrounding enemies, [=]_{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}3_{/}Nathan replied, "Do as it seems fit to 
you for Yahweh is with you."
{R}_{I}4_{/}But that very night, Yahweh's word came to Nathan, 
[=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}"Go and tell my servant David, this is what Yahweh says: 
Are you able to build a house for me to live in? [=]_{R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}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?
[=]_{R}_{I}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. [=]_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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 be-fore. {R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}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. [=]_{I}13_{/}He shall build a house for my name 
and I will firmly establish his kingship forever. [=]_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}But I will not 
withdraw my kindness from him as I did from Saul when I removed 
him out of your way. [=]_{I}16_{/}Your house and your reign shall last 
forever before me, and your throne shall be forever firm."
{R}_{I}17_{/}Nathan repeated these words and related this vision to 
David.
[=]_{R}_{I}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? {R}_{I}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? 
[=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}What more can David say to you? You know your servant, O 
Yahweh God! {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}24_{/}You have set 
apart your people Israel to become your people forever; and you, 
Yahweh, have become their God.

{R}_{I}25_{/}Now, O Yahweh God, keep forever the promise you made and 
have now revealed to me regarding myself and my family, {R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}28_{/}So now, O Yahweh God, since you are the faithful God, and 
have promised me this good thing, {R}_{I}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."

{N}DAVID'S VICTORIES{/}

{1}8{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}After this, David defeated the Philistines, crushing them 
in such a way that they were no longer in control of the land. 
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}3_{/}David also defeated Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah, 
when he tried to retake the valley of the Euphrates. 
[=]_{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}5_{/}The 
Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, but 
David won over twenty-two thousand of their men. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}7_{/}David took the 
golden shields carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought 
them to Jerusalem; {I}8_{/}he also took a great quantity of bronze 
from Betah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer.
{R}_{I}9_{/}When Toi, king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the 
entire army of Hadadezer, [=]_{R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}11_{/}which King David consecrated to Yahweh together with 
the silver and gold which he consecrated from all the nations he 
subdued: {R}_{I}12_{/}from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 
Amalek, as well as the booty of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of 
Zobah.
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}13_{/}David became famous when he returned from defeating an 
army of eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. {R}_{I}14_{/}He 
set up governors in Edom and the Edomites became his servants. So 
Yahweh made David victorious wherever he went. 
{R}_{I}15_{/}David reigned over all Israel, issuing decrees and 
administering justice to all his people. [=]_{I}16_{/}Joab, son of 
Zeruiah, was commander of the army; Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, 
recorder; {R}_{I}17_{/}Zadok, son of Ahitub and Ahimelech, son of 
Abiathar, priests; Seraiah, secretary; {R}_{I}18_{/}and Benaiah, son of 
Jehoiada, was in charge of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. 
David's sons were priests.

{1}9{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}David asked, "Is there anyone left of the house of Saul 
to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?" {R}_{I}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." [=]_{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}4_{/}The king asked him, "Where is he?" And Ziba 
replied, "He is in the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, at 
Lodebar." {R}_{I}5_{/}So King David sent for him and had him brought from 
the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, at Lodebar.
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}8_{/}He bowed down and 
said, "What is your servant that you should show concern for a 
dead dog like myself?"
{R}_{I}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. {I}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 {R}_{I}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." {I}12_{/}Mepibaal had a young son named Mica; and 
all who lived in Ziba's house became Mepibaal's servants. 
{R}_{I}13_{/}But Mepibaal lived in Jerusalem for he always ate at the 
king's table. He was lame in both feet.

{1}10{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}When the king of the Ammonites died and Hanun his son reigned 
in his place, {R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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?"
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}7_{/}On 
hearing this, David sent out Joab with all the warriors. {I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {I}10_{/}Then 
he entrusted the rest of his army to Abishai his brother and 
arranged them in battle formation against the Ammonites. {I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{I}13_{/}Joab and the people who were with him launched the attack 
against the Arameans and put them to flight. {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}15_{/}When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, 
they gathered together. {I}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. 
{R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.

{N}DAVID AND BATHSHEBA{/}

{1}11{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}3_{/}David sent to 
inquire about the woman, and was told, "She is Bathsheba, daughter 
of Eliam and wife of Uriah, the Hittite." [=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}5_{/}As the woman saw she was with child, she sent word to David, 
"I am with child."
{R}_{I}6_{/}David then sent a message to Joab, "Send me Uriah the 
Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David. {R}_{I}7_{/}When Uriah came, David 
asked him about Joab, how the people were and how the war was 
proceeding; {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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?" [=]_{R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}14_{/}The next morning, David wrote Joab a letter to be taken by 
hand by Uriah, {I}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." {I}16_{/}When Joab was 
attacking the city, he assigned Uriah to a place which he knew was 
being defended by strong warriors. {R}_{I}17_{/}And the defenders 
attacked the men of Joab. Some of David's soldiers and officers 
were killed; Uriah the Hittite also died.
{R}_{I}18_{/}Then Joab sent a messenger to tell David everything that had 
happened during the battle. {R}_{I}19_{/}And he said to him, "When you 
have finished recounting the outcome of the battle to the king, 
{I}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? [=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}22_{/}So the messenger went to tell David all that Joab instructed 
him. {R}_{I}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. {I}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."
{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}26_{/}When Uriah's wife heard of the death of her husband, she 
mourned for him. {R}_{I}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.

{1}12{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}2_{/}The rich man had many sheep and 
cattle, {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}5_{/}David was furious because of this man and told Nathan, "As 
Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves death! 
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}He must return the lamb fourfold for acting like this and 
showing no compassion."
{R}_{I}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; {R}_{I}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. 
{I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}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. {R}_{I}12_{/}What you 
did was done secretly, but what I do will be done before Israel in 
broad daylight."
[=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against Yahweh." 
Nathan answered him, "Yahweh has forgiven your sin; you shall not 
die. {I}14_{/}However, because you have dared to despise Yahweh by 
doing such a thing, the child that is born to you shall die." 
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}15_{/}Then Nathan left and went to his house.
Yahweh struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David and it 
became sick. {R}_{I}16_{/}David entreated God for the child; he kept a 
strict fast and lay on the ground the whole night. {I}17_{/}The elders 
of his house asked him to rise from the ground but he refused. Nor 
did he join them to eat. {R}_{I}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?"
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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. 
{I}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." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}25_{/}and made it known through Nathan the prophet, who named 
him Jedidiah on Yahweh's behalf.
{R}_{I}26_{/}Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and conquered 
the king's city. {R}_{I}27_{/}Then he sent messengers to David and told 
him, "I have fought against Rabbah and conquered the city of 
waters. {I}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." {R}_{I}29_{/}So David mustered the people, attacked and captured 
Rabbah. {R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}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.

{N}AMNON AND TAMAR{/}

{1}13{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named 
Tamar. It happened that Amnon, another of David's sons, loved her. 
{I}2_{/}Amnon was so obsessed that he became ill and, as Tamar was a 
virgin, he could not do anything. {R}_{I}3_{/}Amnon had a friend named 
Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother. Jonadab, who was a very 
shrewd man, said to him, {R}_{I}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." {I}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." {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}7_{/}So David sent for Tamar and said to her, "Go to your brother 
Amnon's house and prepare him some food." {I}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. {I}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, {I}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. {I}11_{/}But when she brought them to 
him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come, lie with me, my 
sister." [=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force 
me. No such thing is done in Israel. Do not commit this 
foolishness. {R}_{I}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." {I}14_{/}But he 
refused to listen to her and, being stronger than she, forced her 
and lay with her.
{I}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." 
{I}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. {I}17_{/}He called his servant and said, "Get this woman out 
and bolt the door behind her." {R}_{I}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. {I}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.
[=]_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. 
{I}22_{/}Absalom, for his part, no longer spoke to Amnon. He hated him 
for having raped his sister Tamar.
{R}_{I}23_{/}Two years later, when Absalom had celebrated the shearing of 
his flock at Baalhazor near Ephraim, he invited all the king's 
sons. {R}_{I}24_{/}He himself went to the king and said, "I have 
shearers; so please let the king and his servants accept my 
invitation." {R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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?" {R}_{I}27_{/}But Absalom insisted until the king allowed Amnon 
and all the king's sons to go with him. Absalom prepared a royal 
feast. [=]_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}30_{/}While they were on the way, a report reached David, "Absalom 
has slain all the king's sons, leaving no one alive." {R}_{I}31_{/}At 
this, the king tore his garments and lay on the ground; and all 
his servants around him also tore their garments. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}33_{/}So let not my lord the king believe that all 
his sons are dead: Amnon alone is dead."
{I}34_{/}Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. Then the young watchman saw many 
people coming from the Horonaim road by the side of the mountain. 
{R}_{I}35_{/}Jonadab said to the king, "Was it not true what I said to 
you? It is your sons who are coming." {R}_{I}36_{/}As soon as he had 
spoken, the king's sons came, crying aloud; the king, too, and all 
his servants wept bitterly.
[=]_{I}37{/}-{R}_{I}38_{/}As for Absalom, he fled to Talmai son of Ammihud, 
king of Geshur, where he remained for three years. {R}_{I}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.

{1}14{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Now Joab son of Zeruiah saw that the king was yearning for 
Absalom. {R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}3_{/}and go to the king with this message." And Joab told 
her what to say.
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}When the woman of Tekoa appeared before the king, she 
fell on her face in homage and said, "Help me, O king!" {R}_{I}5_{/}The 
king asked her, "What is wrong?" She answered, "Alas, I am a 
widow; my husband is dead. [=]_{I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}8_{/}Then the king said to the woman, "Go home and I will give 
orders on your behalf." [=]_{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}10_{/}The 
king said, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me and he 
shall never bother you again." {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}12_{/}Then the woman said, "Please allow me to say something to my 
lord the king." The king told her, "Speak." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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, 
[=]_{R}_{I}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!"
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}21_{/}Then the king told Joab, "Well, I shall do it. Go, fetch the 
young man Absalom." {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}23_{/}Joab went on his way to Geshur to fetch Absalom 
and bring him to Jerusalem. {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {I}27_{/}There were born to 
Absalom three sons and a daughter named Tamar, a beautiful woman.
{R}_{I}28_{/}For two years Absalom stayed in Jerusalem but the king did 
not receive him. {R}_{I}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. {I}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." {I}31_{/}Then Joab went to Absalom's house and asked him, 
"Why have your servants set my field on fire?" {R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}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.

{1}15{/}

{I}1_{/}After this, Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, as well 
as fifty men to run before him. {R}_{I}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," {R}_{I}3_{/}Absalom would tell him, 
"Your cause is good and just but there is no one to hear you on 
behalf of the king."
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}5_{/}Whenever a man approached to pay him homage, he 
would stretch out his arms to hold and embrace him. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}Absalom did this to all Israelites who came to the tribunal 
of the king, winning their hearts for himself.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}9_{/}The king said to him, "Go in peace," and he 
left for Hebron.

{N}ABSALOM'S REBELLION{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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!"
{R}_{I}11_{/}Two hundred men from Jerusalem had left with Absalom as 
invited guests. But nothing of his purpose dawned on them. 
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}13_{/}A messenger came to report to David that the Israelites were 
siding with Absalom. {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}15_{/}The king's servants answered him, "Your servants 
are with you in whatever my lord the king decides."
{R}_{I}16_{/}The king departed with all his household, but left ten 
concubines behind to take care of the house. {R}_{I}17_{/}The king left 
on foot and the people followed him. They stopped at the last 
house of the city and [=]_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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; 
{R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}26_{/}But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' I am here; 
let him do to me what seems good to him."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}28_{/}I will wait in the desert fords 
until you send word for me." {R}_{I}29_{/}So Zadok and Abiathar carried 
the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
{R}_{I}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.

{N}HUMILIATION FOR DAVID{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}31_{/}When David was informed that Ahitophel was among the 
conspirators with Absalom, he said, "O Yahweh, turn the counsel of 
Ahitophel into folly."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}33_{/}David said to him, "If you come with me, you will be a 
burden to me. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}35_{/}The priests Zadok and Abiathar are 
there to help you. Report whatever you hear from the king's house. 
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}37_{/}So David's friend Hushai arrived in 
the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

{1}16{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}When David had gone a little beyond{I} {/}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. {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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!" [=]_{R}_{I}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."
[=]_{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}He threw stones at David and his officers although the king's 
men and warriors flanked the king on the right and left. 
{I}7_{/}Shimei said as he cursed, "Go away! Go away! You bloodthirsty 
good-for-nothing! {R}_{I}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."
[=]_{R}_{I}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." [=]_{R}_{I}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?" {R}_{I}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. {I}12_{/}Perhaps Yahweh will look 
on my affliction and turn to good things the curses heaped on me 
today." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}14_{/}The king, together with 
his men, arrived exhausted at the Jordan where he refreshed 
himself.
{R}_{I}15_{/}Now Absalom, accompanied by Ahitophel, entered Jerusalem 
with all the Israelites. {R}_{I}16_{/}When Hushai the Archite, David's 
friend, appeared before Absalom and exclaimed, "Long live the 
king!" {I}17_{/}Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your 
friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" {I}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. {I}19_{/}Whom 
am I now to serve? Are you not his son? As I have served your 
father, so will I serve you."
{I}20_{/}Then Absalom said to Ahitophel, "Have a meeting to decide 
what we shall do." {I}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." {I}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. {R}_{I}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.

{1}17{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Ahitophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose twelve thousand men 
that I may set out and pursue David tonight. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}4_{/}The advice pleased 
Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
{I}5_{/}Then Absalom said, "Call in Hushai the Archite to hear what he 
has to say." {I}6_{/}When Hushai came before Absalom, Absalom asked 
him, "Ahitophel has given this advice. Shall we follow it? If not, 
you speak." {I}7_{/}So Hushai said to Absalom, "This time, Ahitophel's 
advice is not good. {I}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. {I}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.' {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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." 
[=]_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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!"
[=]_{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}19_{/}The woman took a covering and spread it over the well's 
mouth, then scattered grain over it without anyone noticing. 
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.
{I}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.
{R}_{I}24_{/}David had already entered Mahanaim when Absalom crossed over 
the Jordan with all the Israelites. {I}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. {I}26_{/}The Israelites and Absalom 
pitched camp in the land of Gilead.
{R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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 
{R}_{I}29_{/}for they said, "The people are hungry, weary and thirsty in 
the desert."

{1}18{/}

{R}_{I}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; {R}_{I}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." [=]_{I}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." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.

{N}DEFEAT AND DEATH OF ABSALOM{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}6_{/}The army of David went out into the field against Israel. 
The battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim {R}_{I}7_{/}where the 
Israelites were defeated by the men of David. The slaughter there 
on that day was great, numbering twenty thousand men. {I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. {I}10_{/}Someone reported to Joab, "I saw Absalom hanging from an 
oak tree." {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.' {R}_{I}13_{/}If I had not done my duty, the king 
would come to know about it and you yourself would have kept your 
distance." {I}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. 
{I}15_{/}Then ten guards, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and 
struck him down.
{I}16_{/}Joab blew the trumpet and the troops stopped pursuing the 
Israelites as Joab restrained them. {I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}21_{/}Joab then said 
to a Cushite, "Go tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite 
bowed before Joab and ran. {I}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?" {I}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.

{N}DAVID IS TOLD OF ABSALOM'S DEATH{/}

{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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." [=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}30_{/}So the 
king said, "Move away and stand here." He moved aside and stayed 
there.
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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."

{1}19{/}

{R}_{I}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!"
{R}_{I}2_{/}It was reported to Joab, "The king is weeping and mourning 
for Absalom." {R}_{I}3_{/}So the victory that day turned into mourning 
for all the people, when they heard that the king was grieving 
over his son. {I}4_{/}The people quietly entered the city that day, 
like those fleeing from battle in shame. {R}_{I}5_{/}The king covered his 
face and was crying aloud, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, 
my son!"
{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}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. {I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}11_{/}We ourselves anointed Absalom to rule over us. 
But if he died in battle, what prevents us from bringing back the 
king?"

{N}DAVID RETURNS TO JERUSALEM{/}

{R}_{I}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? {R}_{I}13_{/}You are relatives, of my own race. Why should you be 
the last to bring back the king?' {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}15_{/}So he won over the men of Judah and, as one man, they sent 
word to the king, "Please return with your servants." {R}_{I}16_{/}So the 
king came back and the men of Judah went over to Gilgal to welcome 
him and help him cross the Jordan. 
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, 
hurried down with the people of Judah to meet King David. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}22_{/}Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall not Shimei be 
put to death for having cursed Yahweh's anointed?" [=]_{R}_{I}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?" {R}_{I}24_{/}So the king assured Shimei with an oath, "You 
shall not die."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}26_{/}When he arrived 
to meet the king, the king said to him, "Why did you not go with 
me, Mepibaal?" {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{R}_{I}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?" 
{R}_{I}30_{/}The king said to him, "Why talk more? I have decided - you 
and Ziba shall divide the land." {R}_{I}31_{/}Mepibaal answered, "Oh, let 
him take it all since my lord the king has come home safely."
{R}_{I}32_{/}Now, Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and 
he crossed the Jordan with him; then he said goodbye to him. 
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}34_{/}The king said to Barzillai, "Come, join me and 
stay with me; I will take care of you in Jerusalem." [=]_{R}_{I}35_{/}But 
Barzillai said to the king, "How many more years will I live that 
I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? [=]_{R}_{I}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? {R}_{I}37_{/}Your servant 
will accompany the king just a little past the Jordan. Why should 
the king reward me for this? {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}41_{/}The king went on to Gilgal accompanied by Kimham, 
together with the men of Judah and some Israelites. {R}_{I}42_{/}Then the 
Israelites came to the king and asked, "Why have our brothers, the 
men of Judah, grabbed you? They have brought the king and his 
entire family over the Jordan together with all your soldiers?" 
{R}_{I}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?" {R}_{I}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.

{N}SHEBA REBELS AGAINST DAVID{/}

{1}20{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}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!" {R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}4_{/}The king said to Amasa, "Assemble all the men of Judah within 
three days; then come here to me." {R}_{I}5_{/}So Amasa left to summon 
the men of Judah but he failed to show up at the appointed time. 
{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}7_{/}So Abishai, with 
the men of Joab, the Cherethites, Pelethites and all the warriors, 
left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, son of Bichri. {R}_{I}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. {I}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. {I}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. 
{R}_{I}11_{/}Meantime, one of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and said, 
"Let him who is for Joab and stands by David follow Joab." 
{R}_{I}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. 
{I}13_{/}When he was removed from the highway, the people followed 
Joab in pursuit of Sheba, son of Bichri.
{R}_{I}14_{/}Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel and entered 
Abel of Bethmaacah with all his allies who had assembled to follow 
him. {I}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.
{I}16_{/}Then a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! 
Tell Joab to come here that I may speak to him." {I}17_{/}As Joab 
approached, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." 
{I}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 {R}_{I}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?" {I}20_{/}Joab answered, "By no 
means do I want to destroy it! {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. {I}24_{/}Adoram was in charge of the forced labor, and 
Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, was the recorder. Sheva was secretary, 
{R}_{I}25_{/}and Zadok and Abiathar were priests, {R}_{I}26_{/}and Ira the 
Jairite was David's priest.

{N}THE GREAT FAMINE{/}

{1}21{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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?" {R}_{I}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"; 
[=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}and they replied,"That man slaughtered us and planned our 
destruction so that we would no longer occupy any place in Israel. 
{R}_{I}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."
[=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}David spared Mepibaal, son of Jonathan, Saul's son, 
because of the oath David and Jonathan took before Yahweh. 
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.
{I}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. 
{R}_{I}11_{/}When David was told what Rizpah, Aiah's daughter and Saul's 
concubine, had done, {R}_{I}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.) {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}21_{/}When he taunted Israel, 
Jonathan, son of Shimei, David's brother, slew him. {R}_{I}22_{/}All four 
descendants of the giants fell by the hand of David and his 
guards.

{N}DAVID'S SONG OF PRAISE{/}

{1}22{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}David sang this song to Yahweh on the day Yahweh 
delivered him from his enemies and from Saul. [=]_{I}2_{/}He said, 
The Lord is my rock, my rampart,
my deliverer {R}_{I}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.
{I}4_{/}I call on the Lord, who is worthy of praise;
he saves me from my enemies.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Waters of death carried me along,
torrents of destruction terrified me.
{R}_{I}6_{/}Caught as by the cords of the grave,
I was utterly helpless before the snares of death.
{R}_{I}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.
{I}8_{/}Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations of the heavens shook;
they trembled in his fury.
{I}9_{/}From his nostrils smoke rose,
from his mouth a devouring fire
throwing off live embers.
{I}10_{/}He bent the heavens and came down
with dark clouds under his feet.
{I}11_{/}He rode on a cherub and flew,
he was seen on the wings of the wind.
{I}12_{/}He set darkness around him as his tent,
a heap of waters in the thick clouds.
{I}13_{/}Then from the brightness of his presence
flared up fiery embers.
{I}14_{/}From heaven the Lord thundered;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
{I}15_{/}Sending out a hail of arrows,
he scattered them;
flashing forth bolts of lightning,
he routed them.
{I}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.
{R}_{I}17_{/}Reaching down from above,
he drew me out of the deep water.
{I}18_{/}Too strong for me were my enemies,
but he rescued me from my adversaries.
{I}19_{/}They have launched their attack
in an opportune day
but the Lord has been my stay.
{I}20_{/}In the open he has set me free.
How great indeed is his love for me!
{I}21_{/}Yahweh rewarded me according to my justice,
and according to my righteousness.
{I}22_{/}For I have been faithful to Yahweh's way
and I did not sin far from him.
{I}23_{/}With his ordinances all before me,
I have always followed his statutes.
{I}24_{/}Before him I have done uprightly
and kept myself from iniquity.
{I}25_{/}Therefore Yahweh has given me
recompense according to my righteousness.
{I}26_{/}To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to the blameless you show yourself blameless;
{I}27__{/}to the pure you show yourself pure;
but to the crooked you show yourself astute.
{I}28_{/}For you raise up the humble
and humiliate the arrogant.
{R}_{I}29_{/}Yahweh, you are my lamp.
O my God, you brighten up my darkness.
{R}_{I}30_{/}Yes, with you I can crush an armed band,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}32_{/}There is no other God but Yahweh;
there is no other rock but our God.
{R}_{I}33_{/}This God is my stronghold
and keeps my path unerring and safe.
{I}34_{/}He has made my feet as swift as the hinds';
he has set me secure on the heights.
{I}35_{/}He trains my hands for war
and my arms to bend a bow of brass.
{I}36_{/}You have given me your shield for protection,
and your help has made me great.
{I}37_{/}You have given wide room for my steps,
so that they have never faltered.
{I}38_{/}I have pursued my enemies and wiped them out,
I did not turn back till I had destroyed them.
{I}39_{/}Thrusting them through,
I did not give them time to rise
as they fell under my feet.
{I}40_{/}You have given me strength for the battle;
you have subdued my adversaries beneath me;
{I}41_{/}you have put my enemies to flight
and destroyed those who opposed me.
{I}42_{/}They cried for help, but no one came.
They cried to the Lord;
he did not answer them.
{I}43_{/}I pulverized them as dust of the earth;
like mud in the streets I trampled on them.
{I}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.
{I}45_{/}Foreigners approached me,
cringing and fawning.
At the sound of my voice,
they rose to obey.
{I}46_{/}Foreigners succumbed
or locked themselves in their fortresses.
{R}_{I}47_{/}Yahweh lives! Praised be my rock!
Exalted be my savior God -
{R}_{I}48_{/}the God who grants me vengeance
and subdues the peoples for me.
{I}49_{/}He brings me out from my foes;
he exalts me above my adversaries;
he rescues me from men of violence.
{I}50_{/}For this I will extol you, Yahweh,
among the nations;
I will sing praise to your name.
{R}_{I}51_{/}You have given your king great victory;
you have shown your love forever
to your anointed, to David and to his
descendants.

{1}23{/}

{R}_{I}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:
[=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}"The Spirit of Yahweh speaks through me, his word is on 
my tongue.
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
when one rules justly over men,
ruling in the fear of God,
{I}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.
{R}_{I}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?
{I}6_{/}But godless men are like thorns that are thrown away.
They cannot be held with one's hand
[=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}but are uprooted with iron and the shaft of a spear,
and they are burned in fire."

{N}DAVID'S CHAMPIONS{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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.
{R}_{I}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. 
{R}_{I}12_{/}But Shammah stood in the middle of the plot to defend it and 
slew the Philistines. And Yahweh worked a great victory.
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}14_{/}David was in the 
stronghold while the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 
{R}_{I}15_{/}David longed for water and said, "Who will give me water to 
drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!" {R}_{I}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. {I}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.
{I}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. {I}19_{/}Though he was 
the most popular of the Thirty and became their commander, he did 
not equal the Three.
[=]_{R}_{I}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. 
[=]_{I}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. {I}22_{/}Benaiah, 
son of Jehoiada, did these things and won a name beside the thirty 
warriors. {R}_{I}23_{/}He was popular among the Thirty but did not equal 
the Three. David put him in command of his bodyguard.
{R}_{I}24_{/}Asahel, brother of Joab, was one of the Thirty; Elhanan, son 
of Dodo of Bethlehem; {I}25_{/}Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod; 
{I}26_{/}Helez, the Paltite; Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa; 
{I}27_{/}Abiezor of Anathoth; Mebunnai, the Hushathite, {I}28_{/}Zalmon 
the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah; {I}29_{/}Jeleb, the son of Baanah of 
Netophah; Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Ben-jaminites; 
{I}30_{/}Benaiah of Pirathon; Hiddai, of the brooks of Gaash; 
{I}31_{/}Abialbon, the Arbathite; Azmaveth of Bahurim; {R}_{I}32_{/}Eliahba 
of Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen, Jonathan; {I}33_{/}Shammah, the 
Hararite; Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite, {I}34_{/}Eliphelet, 
the son of Ahasbai of Maacah; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel of 
Gilo; {R}_{I}35_{/}Hezro of Carmel; Paarai the Arbite; {R}_{I}36_{/}Igal, the 
son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani, the Gadite; {I}37_{/}Zelek the Ammonite; 
Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, 
{I}38_{/}Ira, the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; {I}39_{/}Uriah, the Hittite 
- thirty-seven in all.

{N}THE CENSUS{/}

{1}24{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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?"
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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 {R}_{I}8_{/}after having gone 
through all the land, returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine 
months and twenty days. {R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}11_{/}The following day, before David awoke, Yahweh's word had 
come to the prophet Gad, David's seer, {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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 the hands of men."
{R}_{I}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. [=]_{R}_{I}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.
[=]_{R}_{I}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."
{R}_{I}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." 
{R}_{I}19_{/}So David left to follow Yahweh's command made through Gad. 
{R}_{I}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, {R}_{I}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." {R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}23_{/}All 
this, O king, Araunah gives to the king. May Yahweh your God hear 
you."
{R}_{I}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. {R}_{I}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.

