II Kings or II Samuel

  1. KINGS OR II. SAMUEL
  2. NOW after the death of Saul when David returned from

the slaughter of the Amelekites, and had been at Sekelak two days, behold there came a man, on the third day, from the camp—from the people of Saul with his clothes rent, and earth on his head, and when he came to David he fell on the ground,

3 and made obeisance to him. And David said to him, Whence comest thou? And he replied, I have escaped from the camp

4 of Israel. Thereupon David said to him, What is the news? Tell me. And when he said, The people fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen, and died; Saul also is dead,

5 and his son Jonathan; David said to the young man who told him, How knowest thou that Saul and his son Jonathan are

6 dead? And the young man who told him said, By accident I happened to be on mount Gelbua, and behold Saul was lean-

7 ing on his spear; and lo! the chariots and horsemen were close upon him; and when he looked back and saw me, he called me:

8 and I said, Here I am. Then he said to me, Who art thou ?

9 and I said, I am an Amelekite. Then he said to me, Stand over me, I pray thee, and kill me; for I am seized with a gloomy

10 horror, because all my life is in me. So I went up to him and killed him, for I am sure he could not live after he fell; and I took the crown which was on his head, and the bracelet which

11 was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord. Then David took hold of his garments, and rent them, and all the

12 men who were with him rent their garments, and beat their breasts, and wept, and fasted till evening for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Juda, and for the house

13 of Israel, because they had been smitten with the sword. And David said to the young man who told him, Whence art thou?

14 And he said, I am the son of a stranger—an Amelekite. And David said to him, How couldst thou not be afraid to lift up

15 thy hand to kill the Lord’s anointed. Then David called one of his young men and said, Go near and fall upon him. So he

16 smote him that he died. And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy own head, for thy own mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the anointed of the Lord.

17 Then David sung this funereal Ode over Saul, and over Jonathan his son, and gave orders that the children of Juda should

18 learn it. Behold it is written in the book Straight-.

VOL. II. A

19 Erect, O Israel, a monument for the dead— , For the slain on thy lofty mountains.

How are the mighty fallen!

20 Proclaim not ye the news in Geth—

Tell it not as good news in the streets of Ascalon;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice—
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult with joy.

21 On you, mountains of Gelbua, let not dew descend- On you, let there be no rain, nor fields of first fruit offerings!

For there the shield of the mighty was battered—
The shield of Saul. Was lie not anointed with oil?

22 From the blood of the wounded—
From the fat of the mighty,

The bow of Jonathan recoiled not empty—
The sword of Saul bended not in vain.

23 Saul and Jonathan were beloved—
They were lovely and inseparable;

Comely in their life—
And in their death they were not divided.

Than eagles they were swifter—
And than lions more courageous.

24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who adorned your dress with scarlet—
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen!

In the midst of the battle, Jonathan!
On thy lofty mountains slain!

26 I mourn for thee, my brother Jonathan,
To me thou wast very lovely.

Thy love for me was wonderful—
Far surpassing the love of women.

27 How are the mighty fallen!
And the weapons of war perished!

  1. Now after these things David inquired of the Lord saying, May I go up to one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go? And he said, To Chcbron. So David went up to Chebron, with his two wives, Achinaam the Jezraelitess, and Abigaia late the wife

3 of Nabal, the Carmelite, and the men who were with him, every one with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Che-

4 bron. And the men of Judea came, and anointed David there,

5 to be king over the house of Juda. And when they told David, saying, The men of Jabis Galaad have buried Saul, David sent messengers to the-leaders of Jabis Galaad, and said unto them, Blessed are ye of the Lord, because you have shewn this kindness for your lord; for Saul, the anointed of the

6 Lord; and have buried him and his son Jonathan. Now therefore may the Lord deal mercifully and truly with you! As for me I will recompense you for this kindness, because you have

7 done this thing. Now therefore let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Juda have anointed me to be king over them.

8 But Abenner, son of Ner, Saul’s captain general, took Je- bosthe, the son of Saul, and brought him from the camp to

9 Manaem, and made him king over Galaaditis, and over Tha- siri, and over Jczrael, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin,

10 and over all Israel. Jcbosthe the son of Saul, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and when he had reigned two years, (except over the house of Juda who followed David; now the time which David reigned at Chebron

12 over the house of Juda was seven years and six months) Abenner, son of Ner, and the servants of Jebosthe, son of Saul, came out from Manaem to Gabaon; and Joab, son of Sa-

13 ruia, and the servants of David went out from Chebron, and they met each other at the pool of Gabaon, and sat down one on one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the

14 pool. And Abenner said to Joab, let the young men, I pray

15 thee, arise and shew feats before us. And Joab said, let them arise. Then there arose, and went over by number, twelve Benjaminitcs who were for Jebosthe, son of Saul, and twelve

16 of the servants of David; and they seized, every one with his hand, the head of his fellow, and plunged each his sword into his adversary’s side, and fell together. So the name of that place was called, Portion of ill designs. It is near Gabaon. And

17 the battle became very furious that day. And Abenner, with the men of Israel, retreated before the servants of David. Now there

18 were there three sons of Saruia, Joab, and Abessa and Asael.

19 And Asael was swift of foot as a wild roe. And Asael pursued Abenner, and turned not aside to the right, nor to the left

20 from following him. And Abenner looked back and said, Art

21 thou Asael”? And he said, I am. Then Abenner said to him. Turn thee to the right, or to the left, and lay hold on one of the young men, and take his armour. But Asael would not turn

22 aside from following him. And Abenner again said to Asael, Desist from following me, that I may .not smite thee to the ground. For how then could I hold up my face to Joab? And

23 what do these things tend to? Return ta thy brother Joab. But he would not desist. So Abenner smote him with a back stroke of his spear, into the loin, and the spear passed quite through him, and he fell there and died under him. And every one who came to the place where Asael fell and died, stood

24 still. But Joab and Abessa continued the pursuit after Abenner, and as the sun was setting they had got as far as the hill Amman, which is in front of Gai, on the way to the wilderness

25 of Gabaon. And the Benjaminites who followed Abenner crouded together, and having formed themselves into one

26 body, they stood on the summit of a hill. Then Abenner called to Joab, and said, Must the sword devour to a complete victory? Knowest thou not that in the last extremity it will be very bitter? How long shall it be ere thou command the peo-

27 pie to return from pursuing our brethren? Whereupon Joab. said, As the Lord liveth, but for thy speech the people might, from the morning, have gone up every one from the pursuit of

28 his brother. Then Joab sounded a trumpet and the people halt-

29 ed, and did n6t pursue Israel, nor continue the battle longer. And Abenner and his men bent their course homeward that whole night, and having crossed the Jordan and passed over the ad-

30 joining plain, they came to the camp. And when Joab returned from pursuing Abenner, and had assembled all the people, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men, including

31 Asael. But the servants of David had smitten of the children of Benjamin, even of Abenner’s men, three hundred and sixty.

32 Then they took up Asael, and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. And Joab and the men who were with him, marched all night, and arrived at Chebron by break of day.

HI.. Though the war was lengthened out between the house of Saul and the house of David, yet the house of David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and

weaker. For David had sons born to him in Chebron. His first born was Amnon, the son of Achinaam, the Jezraelitess;

3 and his second, Daluia, the son of Abigaia, the Carmelite, and his third, Abessalom, the son of Maacha, a daughter of Thol-

4 mi, king of Gessir, and his fourth, Ornia, the son of Aggith,

5 and the fifth, Saphatia, the son of Abital, and the sixth Je-

6 theraam, the son of Aigal, a wife of David. These were born to David at Chebron. But while the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abenner got a

7 mastery over the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine named Respha, a daughter of Jol. And Jebosthe the son of Saul, said to Abenner, Why hast thou gone in to my father’s

8 concubine? For this Abenner was exceedingly enraged at Jebosthe, and said to him, Am I a dog’s head? Have I now dealt kindly with the house of Saul, thy father, and with his brethren, and relations, and not gone over to the house of David, and dost thou question me now respecting an injury done

9 to a woman ? God do so to Abenner and more also, if, as the

10 Lord hath sworn to David, I do not do so to him, to take the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of

11 David over Israel and over Juda, from Dan to Bersabee. So Jebosdie could no more controul Abenner in any thing, be-

12 cause he was afraid of him. Then Abenner sent messengers to David at Thailam where he was, in all haste, saying, Make a covenant with me, and behold my hand shall be with thee, to

13 bring over all the house of Israel to thee. On which David said, Well. I will make a covenant with thee. But one thing I require of thee, and declare that thou shalt not see my face, unless thou bring Melchol the daughter of Saul, when thou

14 comest to see me. Then David sent messengers to Jebosthe, son of Saul, saying, Restore me my wife Melchol, whom I espoused at the price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15 And Jebosthe sent, and took her from her husband, from Phal-

16 tiel son of Sella; and her husband came with her, weeping be-

17 hind her, till they came to Barakim, Then Abenner said to him, Go, return. So he returned. And Abenner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, Heretofore you sought to make David king

18 over you; now therefore do it; for the Lord hath spoken concerning David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of

19 the hand of all their enemies. Abenner spoke also in the ears of Benjamin. And Abenner came to Chebron, to communicate to David what seemed good in the sight of Israel, and in the sight

20 of the house of Benjamin. And when Abenner came to David at Chebron, and twenty men with him, David made an entertain-

21 ment for Abenner, and the men with him. Then Abenner said to David, Let me, I pray thee, arise and go, and I will assemble all Israel before my lord the king, and make a covenant with him, and thou shalt reign over all that thy heart desireth.

22 So David dismissed Abenner, and he departed in peace. Now behold David’s servants, and Joab, were returning from an expedition, and bringing with them a ^reat spoil; and Abenner was not with David at Chebron, for David had sent him away,

23 and he was gone in peace. So when Joab and all his army arrived, and they told Joab, saying, Abenner, son of Ner, came

24 to David, and he hath sent him away, and he has gone in peace, Joab went to the king, and said, What is this thou hast done?

25 Behold Abenner came to thee! Why then hast thou sent him away? And he is gone in peace? Dost thou not know the wickedness of Abenner son of Ner—that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in—and to

26 know all that thou art doing ? Then Joab went out from David, and sent messengers after Abenner, and they brought him

27 back from the well of Seeiram, but David knew it not. And when Abenner returned to Chebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak to him, and watching an opportunity, smote him there in the groin,and he died,for the blood of Asacl the brother

28 of Joab. And when David afterward heard, he said, Guiltless am I and my kingdom, before the Lord for ever, from the blood

29 of Abenner, son of Ner. Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house ! And may there never be wanting of the house of Joab, a person afflicted with a gonorrhea, or a leprosy, or one leaning on a staff, or falling by the sword, or lacking

30 bread! Now Joab and his brother Abessa, bore a grudge against Abenner, because he had slain their brother Asael in

31 the battle at Gabaon. Then David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Rend your garments and gird on sackcloth, and utter lamentations before Abenner. And king David walked after the bier, and they buried Abenner at Chebron.

32 And the king wept aloud over his grave, and all the people wept

33 over Abenner. And the king chanted a funeral song over Abenner, and said,

As dieth a criminal should Abenner die ?
Thy hands were not bound with chains;
Nor thy feet with fetters.
He did not bring thee forth as a criminal;
Before sons of wickedness thou hast fallen—

35 Now all the people had been assembled to bewail him; and when all the people came to induce Davidtoeat the funeral bread while it was yet day, David swore, saying, God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread, or any thing else, till the sun is

36 set. And when the people knew this, they were well pleased

37 with all that the king did before the people. And all the people, and all Israel, that day perceived that the putting Abenner

38 son of Ner to death, did not proceed from the king. For the king said to his servants, Do you not know that a great leader

39 hath this day fallen in Israel; and that though I am a relation, and constituted a king, yet these sons of Saruia are too hard for me ? The Lord retribute to the doer of evil according to his wickedness!

  1. When Jebosthe son of Saul, heard that Abenner, son of Ner, was dead at Chebron, his hands were enfeebled, and

2 all the men of Israel were dismayed. Now Jebosthe, son of Saul, had two captains of bands. The name of the one was Baana, and the name of the other Rechab. They were sons of

3 Remmon, the Berothite, of the children of Benjamin, for Be- roth had been assigned to the Benjaminites, and the Berothites had fled to Gothaim, and have continued to sojourn there even

4 to this day. And Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son, who was lame in both his feet. He was five years old when the news of Saul and of his son Jonathan came from Jezrael, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she was hasting to carry him off, he happened to fall, and became lame, so he was called Memphi- bosthe.

5 And the sons of Remmon, the Berothite, Rechab. and Baana, set out, and came in the heat of the day to the house of Jebosthe, while he was sleeping on his couch at noon.

6 Now behold the door keeper of his house had been cleaning wheat, and being drowsy, had fallen asleep. So Rechab and

7 Baana, the brothers, escaped notice, and went into the house, while Jebosthe was asleep on his couch in his bed chamber. And they smote him, and killed him, and cut off his head. And they took his head, and travelled all night, by the way leading westward, and brought the head of Jebosthe to David at Che-

8 bron, and said to the king, Behold here is the head of Jebosthe son of Saul thine enemy, who sought thy life; but the Lord hath executed vengeance for our lord the king on his enemies as at

9 this day—on Saul thine enemy, and on his seed. Whereupon David answered Rechab, and Baana his brother, the sons of

10 Remmon, the Berothite, and said to them, As the Lord liveth who hath redeemed my soul from all affliction, when one told me that Saul was dead, and thought himself a messenger of good news to me, I apprehended him, and slew him at Seke- lak, though he thought himself c’ntitled to a reward from me

11 for his good news. But now wicked men have slain a righteous person, in his house, upon his bed. Now therefore I will avenge his blood on you and cut you off from the

12 earth. Then David gave orders to his servants, and they instantly slew them, and cut off their hands, and their feet, and hanged them up by the pool of Chebron. And they buried the head of Jebosthe in the grave of Abenner son of Ner.

  1. Then all the tribes of Israel came to David to Chebron 2 and said to him, Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh. Here, tofore, while Saul was king over us, It was thou who dids lead out and bring in Israel; and the Lord said to tliee, Thoi shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over mj 3 people Israel. And when all the elders of Israel came to David to Chebron, king David made a covenant with them at Chebron, before the Lord, and they anointed David to be king over all Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and

5 he reigned forty years. Seven years and six months he reign ed at Chebron over Juda, and he reigned thirty three years, over all Israel and Juda, at Jerusalem.

6 When David and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites who inhabited that land, it was said to David, Thou shall not come here; for the blind and the lame are opposed to it, saying,

7 David shall not come here. So when David took the fortress, Zi-

8 on, the same is the city of David, on that day David said, Whoever smiteth the Jebusites, let him also dispatch with a dagger those lame and those blind, even them who hate the soul of David: for this cause they say, The blind and the lame shall

9 not come into the house of the Lord. And David made his abode in the fort, so it was called the city of David. And Da-

10 vid built the city, around the citadel and his own house. And David advanced in prosperity, and grandeur, and the Lord

11 Almighty was with him. And Chiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, with cedar timber, and carpenters, and masons, and they built a house for David.

12 When David perceived that the Lord had prepared him to be king over Israel, and that his kingdom was exalted for

13 the sake of his people Israel, David took still more wives and concubines out of Jerusalem, after he came from Chebron. And David had still more sons and daughters bom to him.

14 Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem. Sammus, and Sobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, and Ebear, and Elisue, and Naphek, and Jephies, and Elisa- ma, and Elidae, and Eliphalath, Samae, Jesibath, Nathan, Galamaan, Jebar, Theesus, Eliphalat, Naged, Naphek, Jonathan, Leasamus, Baalimath, Eliphaath.

17 When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and when

18 David heard he went down to the fort. And the Philistines came, and made an irruption into the valley of the Titans.

19 Whereupon David inquired of the Lord saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines ? Wilt thou deliver them into my hands? And the Lord said to David, Go up; for I will assuredly

20 deliver the Philistines into thy hands. So David went out through Upper breaks, and smote the Philistines there. Whereupon David said, The Lord broke through the Philistine enemies before me, as waters burst through mounds. For this

21 cause the name of that place, was called Upper breaks. And

Vol. ir. B

there they left their gods ; and David and the men who were with him took them.

22 Again the Philistines proceeded to come up, and made

23 another irruption into the valley of the Titans. And when David inquired of the Lord, the Lord said, Thou shalt not go up to meet them in front. Wheel about from them, and come

24 upon them near Wailing. And when thou hearest the sound of a rustling in the grove of Wailing, then thou shalt go down against them ; for the Lord will then go out before thee, to

25 smite in the battle of the Philistines. And David did as the Lord commanded Mm, and smote the Philistines from Gaba- on to the land of Gazera.

  1. Again David assembled all the young men of Israel, about

2 seventy thousand. And David arose, and set out on his march, he and all the people with him, and some of the chiefs of Juda, to bring up thence the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts enthroned on the cherubims, which are on

3 it. And having put the ark of the Lord in anew car, they brought it from the house of Aminadab, who dwelt on the mount. And Oza, and his brothers the sons of Aminadab, led the

4 car with the ark. His brothers marched before the ark. And

5 David and the Israelites played on high toned instruments of music, accompanied with songs, and on kinyras and on nablas, and on tympanums, and on cymbals, and on harps.

6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nachor, Oza stretched forth his hand upon the ark of God to stay it, and

7 took hold of it, because the young bull shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Oza, and he smote him

8 there, by the ark of the Lord, in the presence of God. Now David was disheartened because the Lord had broke out

9 upon Oza, and that place is to this day called Breach of Oza; and David was afraid of the Lord that day, saying, How shall

10 the ark of the Lord come to me ? So David was not willing that the ark of the covenant of the Lord should turn aside to him, into the city of David, and David caused it to turn aside

11 to the house of Abeddara, the Gethitc. And the ark of the Lord abode in the house of Abcddara the Gethite three months, and the Lord blessed the whole house of Abeddara, and all belong-

12 ing to him. And when they told king David saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Abeddara, and all belonging to him, on account of the ark of God, David went and brought up the ark of the Lord out of the house of Abeddara, into the city of

13 David, with rejoicing. Now there were with him seven choirs carrying the ark, and for a sacrifice a young bull and lambs.

14 And David played on well tuned instruments of music before the Lord; and David having put on an unusual robe, he,

15 and all the house of Israel, brought up the ark of the Lord,

16 with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark was entering the city of David, Melchol the daughter of Saul looked out at a window, and saw king David dancing, and

17 playing before the Lord, and despised him in her heart. So they brought the ark of the Lord, and when they had set it in its place, in the middle of the tabernacle, which David had erected for it, David offered whole burnt offerings before the

18 Lord, and peace offerings. And when David had made an end of offering the whole burnt offerings, and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and

19 distributed to all the people through the whole host of Israel, fromiDan to Bersabce, both to the men and women, to every one a piece of bread, and a piece of roasted meat, and a sweet cake baked in the pan. Then all the people departed, every one to his house, and David returned to salute his house-

20 hold. And Melchol the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and when she had saluted him, she said, How was the king of Israel glorified to-day in the eyes of his maid ser-

21 vants, disrobed as he was like one of the dancers! Whereupon David said to Melchol, I will dance before the Lord. Blessed be the Lord, who hath chosen me in preference to thy father, and in preference to all his house, to make me ru-

22 ler over his people, over Israel. Wherefore I will play and dance before the Lord, and I will again disrobe myself in the same manner, though I should be despicable in thy sight, and with the maidens, by whom thou hast intimated that 1 am not

23 honoured. Hence Melchol the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

VII. Now when the king was settled in his house, and the

2 Lord had given him rest on every side, from all his enemies

round about, the king said to Nathan the prophet, Behold I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth in the

3 midst of the tabernacle. Upon which Nathan said to the king, Whatever may be in thy heart, go and do; for the Lord is

4 with thee. But that night a word of the Lord came to

5 Nathan saying, Go and say to my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Art not thou to build me a house to dwell in ?

6 Because I did not dwell in a house from the day I brought the children of Israel out of Egypt even to this day, but continued walking about in a temporary abode and in a tabernacle in all the

7 places through which I passed with all Israel, did I ever speak to any tribe of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, and say, Why have you not built for me a house of cedar?

8 But now, thus shalt thou say to my servant David, Thus saith the Lord Almighty, I took thee from the sheepcot to be ruler

9 over my people—over Israel; and I have been with thee whithersoever thou didst go, and have destroyed all thine enemies from before thee, and made thee renowned according to

10 the renown of the great men on the earth; and I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and plant them, and they shall dwell by themselves, and shall no more be in trouble; nor j&all a son of wickedness any more humble them as heretofore, from

11 the days I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give thee rest from all thine enemies, and the Lord will tell

12 thee that thou art to build a house for him. And it shall come to pass when thy days are fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, that I will raise up after thee the seed of thee who shall spring from thy loins, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will raise up again

14 his throne for ever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when his iniquity shall come, I will correct him with a rod of men, and with scourges of the children of

15 men, but I will not withdraw my mercy from him as I with-

16 drew it from them whom I removed from my presence. His house and his kingdom shall be established for ever before me and his throne shall be raised up again for ever.

17 According to all these words and according to all this vi-

18 sion, so did Nathan speak to David. Whereupon king David went in and sat down before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord, my Lord! and what is my house that thou hast loved

19 me to such a degree! Though I was contemptibly little before thee, O Lord, my Lord! yet thou hast spoken respecting the house of thy servant for a great while to come. With regard to this law of the man, O Lord, my Lord! what more shall

20 David presume to say to thee? Now then, thou, O Lord, my

21 Lord! knowest thy servant, and on account of thy servant thou hast done, and according to thine own heart hast made all this greatness in order to make known to thy servant with

22 respect to the magnifying of thee, O my Lord! that there is none like thee, and that there is not a god besides thee among

23′ all that we have heard of with our ears. Moreover what other nation is there on the earth like thy people Israel? How hath God gone before them to redeem a people for himself—to make thyself a name—to display majesty and an appearance of deity—to drive out from before thy people, whom thou hadst

24 redeemed for thyself out of Egypt, nations and wandering hordes! Thou indeed preparedst for thyself thy people Israel to

25 be a people for ever, and thou, O Lord! wast their God. Now therefore, O my Lord, confirm the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and his house, confirm it ever-

26 lastingly, O Lord Almighty, O God of Israel. And now as thou hast spoken let thy name be magnified for ever. ,

27 O Lord Almighty, O God of Israel, thou hast made a revelation to thy .servant, saying, I am to build a house for thee; therefore thy servant hath found this disposition of his heart

28 to make this prayer to thee. And now, O Lord, my Lord, Thou art God, and thy words will be true, and thou hast

29 spoken these good things respecting thy servant, now then begin and bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee. Since thou O Lord, my Lord, hast spoken, therefore with thy blessing, let the house of thy servant be blessed, that it may continue for ever.

VIII. After this David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took the country, appurtenant to the cities, out of

2 the hand of the Philistines. David also smote Moab, and measured them with lines, having caused them to dwell in the country, and there were two lines to be put to death, and two lines to be saved alive. So Moab became servants to David,

3 and brought him gifts. David also smote Adraazar, son of

Raab king of Suba. As he was going to establish his autho-

4 rity over the river Euphrates, David intercepted a thousand of his chariots, and seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand infantry ; and David destroyed all the chariots, except

5 one hundred which he reserved for himself. And when Syria of Damascus came to assist Adraazar king of Suba, David

6 smote of the Syrians twenty two thousand men, and David placed a garrison in Syria at Damascus, and the Syrians became ser-

7 vants to David and brought him gifts. So the Lord preserved David withersoever he went. And David took the breastplates of gold, which were on the servants of Adraazar, king of Suba and brought them to Jerusalem. Now these were they which Susakim king of Egypt took when he came up against

8 Jerusalem, in the days of Roboam son of Solomon. And from Metebak, and from the principal cities of Adraazar, king David took brass in great abundance, of which Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the lavers, and all the ves-

9 sels of brass. And when Thoou, the king of Emath, heard that David had smitten all the army of Adraazar, Thoou sent his son Jcdduram to king David to salute him courteously,

10 and congratulate him for having fought Adraazar, and smitten him , for he was at enmity with Adraazar. And Jedduram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and

11 vessels of brass. And king David dedicated these to the Lord, with the silver and the gold which he had dedicated out of

12 all the cities which he had subdued—Out of Idumea and Moab, and the children of Ammon, and the Philistines, and Amelek, and the spoils of Adraazar, son of Raab king of Su-

13 ba. Thus David made himself renowned. And when he returned, he smote of the Idumcans at Gebelim, to the number

14 of eighteen thousand, and placed garrisons in Idumea, throughout the whole extent of it. So all the Idumeans became servants to the king. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever

15 he went. And David reigned over all Israel. And David ex-

16 ecuted judgment and justice over all his people. And Joab son of Saruia was at the head of the army, and Josaphat son

17 of Achilud was recorder, and Sadok, son of Achitob, and Achimelech son of Abiathar, were priests; and Sasa was the

18 scribe; and Banaias son of Jodae was counsellor; and the Che-

lethites, and the Phelethites, and David’s sons, were the palace guards. IX. And David said, Is there any yet left of die house of Saul, that

2 I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? Now there was a servant of the house of Saul, whose name was Siba. So they called him to David. And the king said to him, Art thou

3 Siba ? And he said, I am thy servant. Then the king said to him, Is there any man yet left of the house of Saul, that I may treat him with all the kindness possible ? And when Siba said

4 to the king, There is still a son of Jonathan who is disabled in liis feet, the king said to Siba, Where is he ? And Siba said to the king, Behold at the house of Maphir, son of Amiel

5 of Lodabar. Thereupon king David sent for him from the

6 house of Machir, son of Amiel of Lodabar. And when Mem- phibosthe son of Jonathan, son of Saul was brought before king David, he fell on his face, and made obeisance to him. And when David said to him, Memphibosthe ! He said, Here

7 am I thy servant. Then David said to him, Fear not; for I will indeed deal kindly with thee, for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and restore thee all the fields of Saul thy grandfather,

8 and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. Upon which Memphibosthe bowed down, and said, Who am I thy servant, that thou shouldst look on such a dead dog as I am ?

9 Then the king called Siba, the servant of Saul, and said to him, All that belong to Saul and his house I have given to thy

10 master’s son. Therefore work thou the land for him; both thou and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in provisions for thy master’s son, that he may have bread to eat. And Memphibosthe, thy master’s son, shall eat bread continually at my table. Now Siba had fifteen sons, and twen-

11 ty servants. And Siba stiid to the king, According to all that die king hath commanded his servant, so will thy servant do.

12 So Memphibosthe ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons; and Memphibosthe had a young son whose name was Micha; and all the family of the house of Siba were servants

13 of Memphibosthe. And Memphibosthe dwelt at Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table, and was lame in Ijoth his feet.—

  1. Now after this the king of the Ammonites died, and An-

2 non his son reigned in his stead. Whereupon David said, I will shew kindness to Annon, son of Naas, as his father shewed kindness to me. So David sent his servants to comfort

3 him for the death of his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Annon their lord, Is it to honour thy father in thy presence, that David hath sent thee comforters ? Is it not rather that they may examine the city and view it ? It is indeed for the purpose of spying it, that David hath sent these

4 servants of his to thee. Upon this Annon took David’s servants, and shaved their beards, and cut off one half of their upper gar-

5 ments, even up to the loins, and sent them away. And when David was informed touching his men, he sent to meet them, for the men had been greatly dishonoured, and the king said,

6 Tarry at Jericho till your beards grow, and then return. Now when the children of Ammon saw that David’s people were dishonoured, they sent, and hired the Syrians of Baithraam, and the Syrians of Suba and Roob, twenty thousand infantry, and of the king of Amelek, a thousand men, and of Istob

7 twelve thousand men. And when David heard it, he sent out

8 Joab, and all the army, even all the mighty men. And the children of Ammon came out and drew up for battle before the gate of the city; and the Syrians of Suba, and Roob, with Is-

9 tob, and Amelek, were by themselves in the fields. When Joab saw that there was a front of battle against him both before and behind, he made a draught from among all the youth of Israel, and set them in array against the Syrians, and he com-

10 mitted the residue of the people to his brother Abessa; and

11 they drew up in array against the children of Ammon. And Joab said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, you must come to my assistance; and if the children of Ammon be too strong

12 for thee, we will come to save thee. Act manfully, and let us shew our courage for our people and for the cities of our God.

13 And the Lord will do what is good in his sight. Then Joab, and all his people with him, advanced to battle against the Sy-

14 rians, and they fled before him. And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, diey also fled before Abessa, and entered the city. Whereupon Joab returned from the chil-

15 dren of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem. Now when the Syrians saw that they had given way before Israel, they assem-

16 bled together, and Adraazar sent and collected the Syrians from the banks of the river Chalamak, and they came to Ai- lam, with Sobak, the commander in chief of Adraazar’s ar-

17 my, at their head. When this was told David, he assembled all Israel, and crossed the Jordan, and came to Ailam; and the

18 Syrians drew up in array against David, and fought him. But the Syrians fled before Israel, and David destroyed of Syria seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen. He smote also Sobak the commander in chief of the army, so that

19 he died there. And when all the kings who were vassals of Adraazar saw that they were smitten before Israel, they revolted, and joined Israel and served them. So Syria was intimidated from aiding the Ammonites any more.

  1. And when the season of the year returned for kings to go out to battle, David sent out Joab, and all his servants with him, and all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and

2 besieged Rabbath: but David abode at Jerusalem. And it happened, that one afternoon, David arose from his couch, and walked on the roof of the king’s house, and from the top of the house he saw a woman bathing, and she was very beau-

3 tiful. So David sent and sought out the woman, and one said, Is not this Bersabe, the daughter of Eliab, the wife of Ourias,

4 the Chettite? Whereupon David sent messengers, and took her, and went in unto her, and lay with her. And when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her

5 house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David,

6 saying, I am with child. Whereupon David sent to Joab, say-

7 ing, Send Ourias the Chettite to me. So Joab sent Ourias to David. And on his arrival, Ourias went directly to him. And when Dayid had inquired of the welfare of Joab, and the wel-

8 fare of the people, and the success of the war, he said to Ourias, Go down to thy house and wash thy feet. So Ourias departed from the king’s house, and there was sent after him a por-

9 tion of meat from the king. But Ourias laid himself down to sleep at the king’s gate, with the servants of his lord, and did

10 not go down to his house. And when they told David, saying, Ourias did not go down to his house, David said to Ourias,

VpL. II. C

Art thou not come from a journey, why then didst thou not

11 go down to thy house? And Ourias said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Juda, dwell in tents, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord encamp on the ground, and shall I go down to my house to eat and drink, and lie with my wife ? How can I do it ? As thy soul liveth, I will do no such thing.

12 Then David said to Ourias, Tarry here to-day also, and tomorrow I will dismiss thee. So Ourias tarried at Jerusalem

13 that day and the morrow. And David invited him, and he ate and drank in his presence. But though he caused him to drink, and made him drunk, yet he went out in the evening, to sleep on his bed with the king’s servants, and did not go

14 down to his house. And in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Ourias, and in the letter he

15 wrote, saying, Set Ourias in the front of the hottest battle,

16 and retire from him, that he may be smitten and die. So in disposing the guards against the city, Joab stationed Ourias in

17 the place where he knew there were men of valour. And the men of the city sallied out, and fought with Joab, and some of the people of David’s servants fell, and Ourias the Chettite died

18 also. Then Joab sent and told David all the circumstances of the

19 battle, which were to be delivered verbally to the king. And he gave a charge to the messenger, saying, When thou hast finished telling the king all the circumstances of the battle, if

20 it should happen that the king’s anger rise, and he should say to thee, Why did you approach so near to the city to fight?

21 Did you not know that they would shoot from the top of the wall? Who smote Abimelech son of Jerobaal, son of Ner? Did not a woman throw a piece of a millstone on him from the

22 top of the wall, so that he died at Thamasi ? Why did you approach the wall? Then thou shall say, Thy servant Ourias the Chettite is also dead. So Joab’s messenger went to Jerusalem to the king, and when he arrived and told David all that Joab mentioned to him—all the circumstances of the battle, David was inflamed with wrath against Joab, and said to the messenger, Why did you approach so near the city to fight? Did you not know that you would be smitten from the wall ? Who smote Abimelech, son of Jerobaal? Did not a woman throw a millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thamasi?

23 Why did you approach so near the wall? Then the messen. ger said to David, The men took courage against us, and sal-” lied out upon us into the field, and when we continued our pursuit of them, even to the doors of the gate, the archers

24 from the wall shot at thy servants, so that some of the king’s servants were slain, and thy servant Ourias the Chettite is-

25 dead also. Thereupon David said to the messenger, Thus shalt thou say to Joab, Let not this be grievous in thy sight; for the sword devoureth sometimes on one side, and sometimes on the other. Make thy battle strong against the city, and block it up, and enclose it with strong works.

26 Now when the wife of Ourias heard that Ourias her hus-

27 band was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.

XII. But the deed which David had done appeared evil in the sight of the Lord; therefore the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David. And when he came to David he said to him, There, were two men in the same city. The one was rich, and the

2 other poor. The rich man had flocks and herds in great abun-

3 dance, but the poor man had only one little ewe iamb, which he bought, and nourished, and fed: And it had grown up with him and his children in the same house. It ate of his bread, and drank of his cup, and slept in his bosom, and was to him

4 like a daughter. And there came a traveller to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flocks, or of his own herds, to entertain the stranger—the wayfaring man, who had come to him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the

5 man who came to him. And David was inflamed with indignation against the man to a great degree, and said to Nathan,

6 As the Lord liveth, the man who hath done this is guilty of death, and shall make sevenfold restitution for the lamb, because

7 he hath done such a deed and liad no compassion. Whereupon Nathan said to David, Thou art the man who hath done this. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel, I anointed thee to be king over Israel, and it was I who delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, and gave thee the house of thy master, and thy master’s

8 wives into thy bosom. I gave thee ulso the house of Israel and Juda, and if this had not been enough, I would have added still

9 more. Why then hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast slain Ourias the Chettite with the sword, and taken his wife to be thy wife. Thou hast indeed

10 slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house. Because thou hast despised me, and taken the wife of Ourias the Chettite to

11 be thy wife, therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold I will raise up evils against thee out of thy own house; and I will take thy wives before thy eyes, and give them to thy neighbour, and he

12 will lie with thy wives in the face of the sun. Thou indeed didst act secretly; but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and in the face of yonder sun.

13 Then David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, The Lord hath put away thy sin.

14 Thou shalt not die. But because thou hast by this deed given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, there-

15 fore thy son who is born to thee shall surely die. Then Nathan went to his house, and the Lord struck the child which the wife

16 of Ourias the Chettite bore to David. And while it was sick David besought God for the child, and fasted and went in and

17 lay on the ground. And when the elders of his house came to raise him from the ground, he would not consent, nor would

18 he eat bread with them. And on the seventh day the child died. And David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold while the child was still living we spoke to him, but he would not hearken to our voice, how then must it affect him when we tell him, The child is dead !

19 But when David perceived that his servants were whispering,, he conjectured that the child was dead, therefore David said to

20 his servants, Is the child dead? And when they said, He is dead, David arose, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothes, and went into the house of God, and worshipped him. Then he went to his own house, and called for

21 bread to eat. And when they had set bread before him, and he had eaten, his servants said to him, What is this that thou hast done for the child? While it was still living, thou didst fast, and weep, and kept thyself awake ; but soon as the child

22 is dead, thou hast risen up, and eaten, and drank. And David said, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, because I said, Who knoweth but the Lord may have compassion on

23 me, and the child may live? But now it is dead, why then should I fast? Can I bring it back again? I shall go to it; but it will never return to me.

24 Then David comforted his wife Bersabe, and went in unto her; and she conceived, and bore a son, and called his namff

25 Solomon. And the Lord loved him, and sent by the ministry of Nathan the prophet, and called his name Jeddedi, For the sake of the Lord.

26 Now Joab had fought at Rabbath of the Ammonites, and

27 taken the royal city. Wherefore Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have had a battle at Rabbath, and have taken

28 the city of waters; now therefore assemble the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it, lest I take the

29 city, and it be called after my name. So David assembled all the people, and went to Rabbath, and fought against it and took

30 it. And he took the crown of Molchom their king from his head. Now the weight of it was a talent of gold, with precious

31 stones, and it was set on David’s head. And he brought out the spoils of the city in great abundance, and he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to the saw, and to iron crows, and to pick axes of iron, and distributed them through brick yards. And when he had done the same to all the cities of the Ammonites, David, and all the people, returned to Jerusalem.

XIII. After this, Abessalom, a son of David, having a very beautiful sister whose name was Themar, Amnon the son of

2 David fell in love with her. And Amnon was so distressed that he pined away on account of Themar his sister, for she was a virgin, and it appeared monstrous in the eyes of Amnon

3 to have any thing to do with her. Now Amnon had a companion whose name was Jonadab. He was the son of Samaa

4 the brother of David. And Jonadab was a man of great subtil- ty; and he said to him, What is the matter with thee, son of the king, that thou art so languishing for some time past ? Why dost thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I am in love with Themar, the sister of my brother Abessalom.

5 Upon this Jonadab said to him, Take to thy bed, and feign thyself sick, and when thy father cometh to see thee say to him, I pray thee, let Themar my sister come to me, and feed me ; and let her prepare the victuals in my sight, that I may

6 see, and eat out of her hands. So Amnon went to bed, and feigned himself sick: and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, I pray thee let Themar my sister come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I

7 may eat out of her hands. And David sent to the house to Themar, and said, Go, I pray thee, to thy brother’s house,

8 and prepare something for him to eat. Accordingly Themar went to the house of Amnon, her brother, and he was a bed; and she took the dough, and kneaded it, and made it into

9 cakes before his eyes, and stewed them and she took the pan and poured them out before him, but he would not eat. Then

10 Amnon said, Go out every man from me. And when every one was gone out from him, Amnon said to Themar, Bring the victuals into the chamber that I may eat out of thy hand. So Themar took the cakes she had madeand carried them to her

11 brother Amnon into the bed chamber. But when she brought them to him, that he might eat, he took hold of her and said

12 to her, Come, lie with me, my sister. And she said to him, No, my brother, thou must not dishonour me; for such a thing ought not to be done in Israel. Thou must not commit

13 such folly. As for me where could I hide my dishonour ? And Avith regard to thyself, thou wouldst be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, speak I pray thee to the king;

14 for he will not withhold me from thee. But Amnon would not hearken to her, but overpowered her by force, and dis-

15 honoured her. And when he had lain with her, Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred; so that the hatred with which he hated her, was greater than the love with which he had loved her, and his last wickedness Was greater than the

16 first. And Amnon said to her, Arise and begone. Whereupon Themar said to him, To send me thus away is adding a still greater injury to that which thou hast already done me.

17 But Amnon would not hearken to her voice, but called his servant who superintended his house, and said to him, Send away, I pray thee, this one from me, out of doors, and shut

18 the door after her. Now she had on an embroidered robe; for such was the dress which the king’s daughters wore, who were virgins. So when the servant led her out, and shut the

19 door after her, Themar took ashes, and put them on her head, and tore in pieces the embroidered robe which she had on,

20 and putting her hands on her head, she went on crying. And Abessalom her brother said to her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee ? Now therefore, my sister, hold thy peace. Because he is thy brother, thou must not mention this matter. So Themar abode as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom.

21 Though king David heard all these things, and was very angry, yet he would not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon,

22 because he loved him as being his first born. As for Abessalom he spoke not a word to Amnon, good or bad, for he hated Amnon for having dishonoured his sister Themar.

23 Now about two years after this Abessalom had sheep shearers at Belasor, in the borders of Ephraim; and Abessalom

24 invited all the king’s sons. And Abessalom went to the king, and said, Behold they are shearing thy servant’s sheep, let the

25 king I pray thee, and his servants, go with thy servant. But the king said to Abessalom, No, my son. We must not all go; for we must not overburthen thee. When he had pressed him, and he would not consent to go but blessed him; then

26 Abessalom said to him, If not; let my brother Amnon, I pray

27 thee, go with us. And the king said, Why should he go with thee ? But Abessalom pressed him, so he sent with him Amnon, and all the king’s sons. And Abessalom made a banquet

28 like that of the king. And Abessalom gave a charge to his servants saying, Observe when the heart of Amnon is elated with wine, and I say to you, Smite Amnon j then put him to death. Be not afraid, for it is I who command you. Acquit

29 yourselves like men, and be sons of valour. And when the servants of Abessalom had done to Amnon as Abessalom had commanded them, all the king’s sons arose, and mounted

30 every man his mule, and fled. And while they were on the road, the report came to David saying, Abessalom hath slain

31 all the king’s sons—there is not one of them left. Thereupon the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood around him, with their clothes rent.

32 And Jonadab, son of Samaa, David’s brother, addressing him

said, Let not my lord the king suppose that he hath slain all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon only is dead— for he hath been continually in the mouth of Abessalom from the

33 day he dishonoured his sister Themar. Now therefore let not the king lay this to heart, saying, All the king’s sons are dead; for there is none dead but only Amnon; and Abessalom hath

34 made his escape. Then the servant who stood centinel raised his eyes, and looked, and lo, many people were coming down the side of the mountain by the way behind him, whereupon the centinel came, and told the king, saying, I have seen many people coming by the way of Oronen, from the side of

35 the mountain. And Jonadab said to the king, Behold the

36 king’s sons are near at hand. It is as thy servant said. And just as he had finished speaking, behold the king’s sons came, and they raised their voice, and wept, and the king also, and

37 all his servants, wept bitterly. And Abessalom fled, and went to Tholmi, son of Emiud, king of Gedsur, to the land of Chamaachad. And king David mourned for his son all that year.

38 Now when Abessalom, who had left his country, and gone to Gedsur, had been there three years, king David was mollified so as to long for Abessalom, for he was comforted with

XIV. respect to Amnon, seeing lie was dead. So when Joab, son of Saruia, perceived that the king’s heart was set upon

2 Abessalom, he sent to Thekoe, and brought thence a wise woman, and said to her, Feign thyself, I pray thee, to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be like a woman mourning for one who hath

3 been long dead: and thou shalt go to the king, and speak to

4 him in this manner—So Joab put words in her mouth. And when the woman of Thekoe came to the king, she fell on her face on the ground, and made obeisance to him, and said,

5 Save, O king! save! And the king said to her, What is the

6 matter with thee? To which she replied, I am a wretched woman, a widow. My husband died. And thy servant had two sons, and they quarrelled in the field, and there was none to part them, and one of them smote the other—his brother, and

7 killed him. And behold the whole family is risen up against thy servant, and say, Deliver up him who smote his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother whom he hath slain; for we will cut him off though he be your heir. Thus will they quench my coal, which is left, so that there will not be left to my husband a remnant, or a name, on die face of

8 the earth. Thereupon the king said to the woman, Go in peace to

9 thy house, and I will give orders concerning thee. And the woman of Thekoe said to the king, Upon me, O my lord the king, be the iniquity, and upon my father’s house; and let the king

10 and his throne be guiltless! Then the king said, Let who will speak to thee, bring him to me, and he shall no more touch him. And she said, Let the king, I pray thee, make mention

11 of the Lord his God) that though avengers of blood be multiplied to destroy, they shall not destroy my son. Whereupon he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not a hair of thy son’s head fall to the ground.

12 Then the woman said, Let thy servant, I pray thee, speak

13 a word to my lord the king, and he said, Speak. And the woman said, Why hast thou come to such a determination against the people of God? Or is that word, That the king -would not recal his own exile, a kind of trespass from the mouth of the

14 king? Because we must surely die, and be like water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again—and God can take away life when he is determined to remove an outcast

15 from him; now therefore in respect to the matter about which I came to speak to my lord the king, Because the people will see me, therefore thy servant will say, Pray speak to my lord the king; perhaps the king will grant the request of his ser-

16 vant. Because the king will hear, let him deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who seeketh to remove me and my

17 son from the inheritance of the Lord. Then the woman said, Let the word of my lord the king be, I pray, for a sacrifice; for since my lord the king is as an angel of God to discern what is good and what is bad, surely the Lord thy God must be with thee.

18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, Conceal not from me I pray thee, the thing which I shall ask thee. And the woman said. Pray let my lord the king speak. And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in this whole bu-

19 siness? And the woman said to the king, As thy soullivcth,

VOL. II. D

my lord the king, there is no turning to the right, nor to the left, from all that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab commanded me, and he himself put all these words

20 in the mouth of thy servant, that this case might wear the appearance of the thing which thy servant Joab wished to have done. But my lord is wise as an angel of God, to know all the

21 things on the earth. Then the king said to Joab, Behold I have done for tliee according to this thy state of the case;

22 bring back the young man, Abessalom. Upon which Joab fell on his face to the ground, and made obeisance, and bless- ed the king. And Joab said, Now thy servant knoweth that I have found favour in thy sight, my lord the king, because my

23 lord the king hath granted the suit of his servant. Then Joab arose and went to Gedsur, and brought Abessalom to Jerusa-

24 lem. And the king said, Let him return to his house, and not see my face. So Abessalom returned to his house, and did not see the king’s face.

25 Now in all Israel there was not a man so very comely as Abessalom. From the sole of his foot, to the crown of his

26 head, there was not a blemish in him. When he polled his head, and at the beginning of every year he had it polled, because the hair was burthensome to him, and when he polled it he weighed the hair of his head, and it weighed two hundred

27 shekels after the king’s shekel. And to Abessalom there were born three sons and one daughter. The name of his

28 daughter was Themar. She was a very beautiful woman. And when Abessalom had dwelt two years at Jerusalem, and saw

29 not the king’s face, Abessalom sent for Joab that he might send him to the king, but he declined coming to him. And when he had sent a second time, and he declined coming,

30 Abessalom said to his servants, See, the portion of land in the field adjoining mine is Joab’s, and he hath barley there. Go and set it on fire. And when Abessalom’s servants set the field on fire, the servants of Joab came to him, with their clothes rent, and said, Abessalom’s servants have burned the field

31 with fire. Thereupon Joab arose, and went to Abessalom, and

32 said to him, Why have thy servants set my field on fire? And Abessalom said to Joab, Behold I sent to thee, saying, Come here that I may send thee to the king, saying, Why have I come from Gedsur? It was better for me to bethere, as I have not yet seen the king’s face. If indeed there be wickedness in

33 me, put me to death. Then Joab went to the king, and delivered him this message, and he sent for Abessalom, and Abes- salom went to the king, and made obeisance to him, and prostrated himself on the ground before him, and the king kissed

  1. him. And after this, Abessalom procured for himself

2 chariots, and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Abessalom rose early in the morning, and took his stand at the place where the road turned off to the gate. And when

3 any man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Abessalom called to him, and said, Of what city art thou ? And when he said, Thy servant is of such a one of the tribes of Israel, Abessalom said to him, Behold thy cause is good, and easily determined, but there is none appointed by

4 the king to hear thee. Then would Abessalom say, O that they would make me a judge in the land ! In that case if any man had a defence to make, or a suit to prosecute, and would

5 come to me, I would do him justice. And when any man came to make obeisance to him, he stretched forth his hand, and

6 took him, and kissed him. In this manner Abessalom acted to all Israel who were coming to the king for judgment, so that

7 Abessalom won the hearts of the men of Israel. And at the end of four years Abessalom said to his father, Let me I pray thee go and pay my vows at Chebron, which I vowed to the

8 Lord. For when I dwelt at Gedsur, in Syria, thy servant vowed a vow, saying, If the Lord will bring me back to Jerusa-

9 lem, I will serve the Lord. And the king said to him, Go in

10 peace. So he arose and went to Chebron. Now Abessalom had sent spies through all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Abessalom is

11 king in Chebron. And there went with Abessalom two hundred chosen men out of Jerusalem. They indeed went in their

12 simplicity, for they knew nothing. And Abessalom sent for Achitophel, the Thekonite, the counsellor of David, from his own city, namely, from Gola, while he was sacrificing. So the conspiracy became strong, and the people who came, and they

13 were many, were with Abessalom. And there came a messenger to David, saying, The heart of the men of Israel is gone

14 after Abessalom. Upon this David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise and let us flee, for there is no safety for us on account of Abessalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and throw the blame on us,

15 when he shall smite the city with the edge of the sword. And the king’s servants said to the king, Whatever our lord the

16 king chuseth, behold we thy servants are ready to do. So the king and all his household, set out on foot, and the king left

17 ten of his concubines to keep the house. And when the king, with all his servants, on foot, had gone out, they halted at the farthest house, and all his servants passed on by him, name-

18 ly, all the Chelethites, and all the Phelethites, and they halted near the olive yard, in the wilderness. And all the people passed by near him. Now all that were around him—all the nobles, and all the warriors, were six hundred men, and while these stood by him, all the Chelethites, and all the Phelethites, and all the Gethites—the six hundred men who had come on foot

19 from Geth, marched on before the king. And the king said to Ethi the Gethite, Why shouldst thou go with us ? Return and dwell with the king; for thou art a stranger, and hast

20 come as an exile from thy own place. As thou art come but yesterday, shall I to-day cause thee to move with us, and change thy abode ? As for me, I will go where I can ; but return thou and take back thy brethren with thee; and the Lord

21 will deal mercifully and truly with thee. And Ethi answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, whithersoever my lord goeth, whether to death or

22 to life, there shall thy servant be. Whereupon the king said to Ethi, Come and march with me. So Ethi, the Gethite marched on with the king, and all his servants, and all the multitude

23 who were with him. And all the country wept with a loud. voice, while all the people were crossing the brook Kedron. And when the king had crossed the brook Kedron, all the people, and the king, continued their march by the way to

24 the wilderness. Now behold Sadok, and all the Levites, were with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. from Baithar. And they set down the ark of God, and Abia- thar went up, until all the people had done coming out of the

25 city. Then the king said to Sadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I find favour in the sight of the Lord, he

26 will bring me back, and shew me it and its comeliness. But if he should say, I have no pleasure in thee, behold here am I.

27 Let him do to me as seemeth good in his sight. Then the king said to Sadok the priest, See ! thou returnest to the city in peace; and Achimaas, thy son, and Jonathan, the son of

28 Abiathar—your two sons are with you. See! I will encamp at Araboth of the wilderness, until a message come from you to

29 give me intelligence. So Sadok and Abiathar carried back the

30 ark of God to Jerusalem, and it abode there. And David went up by the ascent of the olive orchards, weeping as he went up, and having his head covered, and walking barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered, every one, his head,

31 and went up weeping as they went. And when it was told David that Achitophel was among the conspirators with Abes- salom, David said, Confound, I beseech thce, O Lord my

32 God, the counsel of Achitophel. And David continued his march till he came to Ros, where he worshipped God. And behold Chousi, an old companion of David, met him there,

33 with his clothes rent, and earth on his head. And David said

34 to him, If thou go with me, thou wilt be a burden to me: but if thou return to the city, and wilt say to Abessalom, Thy brothers are gone, and the king thy father is gone, and hath left me behind, now therefore, I am thy servant, O king. Let me live. I have been thy father’s servant hitherto; but now I am thy servant: thou mayst baffle for me the counsel of Achi-

35 .tophel. And behold there are there with thee, Sadok and Abiathar, the priests, so that whatever thou mayst hear from the king’s household thou wilt tell to Sadok and Abiathar, the

36 priests. And behold they have there with them their two sons, Achimaas, son of Sadok, and Jonathan, son of Abiathar, so that by them you can send to me every thing you may hear.

37 Accordingly, Chousi, David’s companion, came to the city, just as Abessalom was entering Jerusalem.

XVI. And when David had marched on a little way from Ros,

behold Siba, the servant of Memphibosthe, came out to meet

him with a couple of asses saddled, and on them two hundred

loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of dried grapes, and a

2 hundred bunches of dates, and a nebcl of wine. And the king said to Siba, What meanest thou by these? To which Siba replied, The asses are for the king’s family to ride on, and the loaves and the dates for the young men to eat, and the wine for

3 such as are fainty in the wilderness, to drink. Then the king said, But where is thy master’s son? And Siba said to the king, Behold he abideth in Jerusalem; for he said, Now will the

4 house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. Thereupon the king said to Siba, Behold all that belong to Mem- phibosthe are thine. And Siba having bowed down said, Let

5 me find favour in thy sight, O my lord the king. And when king David was going to Baurim, behold there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Se-

6 mei, son of Gera. He came out, cursing David as he came, and throwing stones at David, and at all the servants of king David. Now all the people, even all the mighty men, were on the

7 right and left of the king. And in this manner Semei expressed himself when he cursed him, Out! Out! thou man of blood!

8 thou miscreant! The Lord hath retorted on thee all the blood of the house of Saul. Because thou hast reigned in his stead, therefore the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hands of Abessalom thy son. And behold thou art in distress, be-

9 cause thou art a bloody man. Whereupon Abessa, son of Sa- ruia said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, and I will take off his head.

10 But the king said, What is it to me and you, O sons of Sa- ruia? Let him alone, and let him curse on; for the Lord hath told him to curse David, and who shall say, Why hast thou

11 done so? Then David said to Abessa, and to all his servants, Behold my own son, who is descended from my loins, seeketh my life, and how much more then may this Jeminite do it! Let

12 him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. Perhaps the Lord may look on my affliction, and return me good for his cursing

13 this day. So David and all his men proceeded on their march, and Semei went along the side of the mountain near him, cursing as he went, and throwing stones from the side of it,

14 and casting up dust. And when the king arrived, and all the people with him, being fatigued, they refreshed themselves there.

15 Now Abessalom and all Israel had come to Jerusalem, and

16 Achitophel with.him. And when Chousi, the old companion of David, came to Abessalom, Chousi said to Abessalom, God

17 save the king! Whereupon Abessalom said to Chousi, Is this , thy kindness for thy friend ? Why hast thou not gone with

18 thy friend ? And Chousi said to Abessalom, shall I not follow him whom the Lord hath chosen, and this his people—even all

19 Israel? For him I will be; and with him I will abide. And in the next place whom should I serve? Must it not be before

20 his son ? As I have served before thy father, so will I be before thee. Then Abessalom said to Achitophel, Consult among

21 yourselves what we shall do. Thereupon Achitophel said to Abessalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, whom he hath left to keep his house; and all Israel will hear that thou hast dishonoured thy father, and the hands of all who are with

22 thee will be strengthened. So they fixed up a tent for Abessalom on the top of the house, and Abessalom went in unto his

23 father’s concubines, in the sight of all Israel. Now the advice which Achitophel gave in those first days, was as if one had consulted the oracle of God. Such was every advice of Achitophel both with David and with Abessalom.

XVII. Then Achitophel said to Abessalom, Let me, I pray thee,chuse outfor myself twelve thousand men; and I will arise

2 and pursue David this very night. And I will come upon him while he is weary, and weak handed, and surprise him; so that all the people who are with him will flee. And I will smite the

3 king alone, and bring all the people back to thee, as a bride re- turneth to her husband. Thou seekest only the life of one man.

4 therefore all the people may be at peace. Though this reasoning seemed good in the sight of Abessalom, and in the sight

5 of all the elders of Israel, yet Abessalom said, Call, I pray you,

6 Chousi the Arachite, and let us hear also what he saith. And when Chousi came to Abessalom, Abessalom spoke to him saying, In this manner Achitophel has spoken; shall we do as he

7 adviscth? If not, speak thou. Upon this Chousi said to Abessalom, The counsel which Achitophel hath given, is, for this

8 once, not good. Thou thyself, said Chousi, knowest thy father and his men, that they are very brave, and chafed in their minds like a bear bereaved of her whelps in the fields; or like a wild boar in the plain. And thy father is a man of war, and

9 will not let the people rest. For behold he is now hid in one of the mountains, or in some secure place, and it shall be that when he shall sally out on them at the first, every one who heareth will say, There hath been a slaughter among them

10 who follow Abessalom: in which case the son of valour himself, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will assuredly be dismayed. For all Israel know that thy father is a mighty man,

11 and that they who are with him are sons of valour. This therefore is the counsel which I would give; Let all Israel be gathered to thee, from Dan to Bersabee, like the sand which is on the sea shore for multitude: and let thy presence go forth in the

12 midst of them. And when we shall come upon him in one of the places where we may find him, we will encamp around him

» as the dew falleth on the ground. And we will not leave with

13 him or the men who are with him so much as one man. And if he be shut up in any city, all Israel will take ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the ditch, so that there shall not be left so much as a stone.

14 And Abessalom, and all Israel, said, The counsel of Chousi the Arachite is better than the counsel of Achitophel. For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Achitophel, which was good, that the Lord might bring upon Abessalom all the consequent evils.

15 Then Chousi, the Arachite, said to Sadok, and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Achitophel advise Abessalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus I have counselled.

1-6 Now therefore send speedily, and tell David and say, Lodge not to night at Araboth of the wilderness, but cross with all speed. Perhaps he may prevail with the king and all the peo-

17 pie who are with him. Now Jonathan and Achimaas had taken their station at the fountain Rogel, and a girl went out, and gave them intelligence, and they went and told David, for they

18 might not be seen entering the city. But a servant saw them and told Abessalom. Now they two had set out with speed, and got to the house of a man at Bakurim, who had a well in

19 his court and they went down into it, and the woman took and spread a covering over the mouth of the well, ,and laid thereon balls of dough to dry ; so that the thing was not known.

20 And when the servants of Abessalom came to the woman, ihto the house and said, Where are Achimaas and Jonathan ?

The woman said, They went a little while ago over the water.
And when they had sought, but did not find them, they re-

21 turned to Jerusalem. And when they were gone, Achimaas and Jonathan came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said to him, Arise and cross the water with all speed: for thus hath Achitophel counselled concerning you.

22 Whereupon David arose, and the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan till the morning light, till there

23 was not one left, who had not crossed the Jordan. Now when Achitophel saw that his advice was not taken, he saddled his ass, and arose, and went to his house to his own city, and having given orders to his household he strangled himself, and died, and was buried in his father’s tomb.

24 And David continued his march to Manaim, and Abes-

25 salom crossed the Jordan, he and all Israel with him. Now Abessalom had set Amessai over the army in the room of Joab. Amessai was the son of a man whose name was Jether. He was a Jezraelite, and had married Abigaia, a daughter

26 of Naas, and a sister of Saruia the mother of Joab. And all Israel with Abessalom encamped in the land of Galaad.

27 Now when David came to Manaim, Ovesbi, son of Naas, of Rabbath of the Ammonites, and Machir, son of Amiel of

28 Lodabar, and Berzelli, the Galaadite of Rogellim, brought ten beds of double tapestry, and ten kettles and vessels of earthen ware, and wheat, and barley, and fine flour, and meal, and beans, and lentils, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and curd-

29 led milk of kine, and presented them to David, and to the people who were with him, to eat. For they said, The people

XVIII. must be hungry and weary in the wilderness. And when David had reviewed the people who were with him, and set over them captains of thousands, and captains of hun-

2 dreds, he sent forth the people, one third under the command of Joab; and one third under the command of Abessa, the son of

3 Saruia, and brother of Joab, and one third under the command of Ethi the Gethite. And David said to the people, I myself will go out with you. But they said, Thou must not go out. For if we should flee they will pay no regard to us; for if one half of us should die, they will not care for us: for thou art worth ten thousand of us. Now therefore it is best that thou shouldst be

VOL. II. E

4 in the city to succour and help us. And the king said, Whatever seemeth best in your eyes I will do. So the king stood by the side of the gate, and when all the people were marching out by

5 hundreds, and by thou sands, the king gave a charge to Joab, and to Abessa, and to Etlii saying, Spare, for my sake, the young man Abessalom. And all the people heard the king giving this

6 charge to all the commanders respecting Abessalom. And all the people went out to the forest, in front of Israel, and the battle

7 was fought in the forest of Ephraim, and Israel there gave way before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter

8 that day, to the amount of twenty thousand men. For the battle- was there scattered over the whole face of the ground, and the forest devoured more of the people than the sword destroyed that

9 day. And as Abessalom was advancing to meet the servants of David, being mounted on his mule, his mule entered the thickest copse of that great oak forest, and his head got entangled among the oaks so that he was suspended between heaven and

10 earth, and the mule went from under him. And a man saw him, and told Joab, and said, Behold I saw Abessalom hang-

11 ing among the oaks. Whereupon Joab said to the man who told him, And behold thou sawest! Why didst thou not smite him there to the ground; and I would have given thee ten pieces’

12 of silver, and a girdle? And the man said, As I live, though I might have a thousand shekels of silver weighed into my hands, I would not lay my hands on the king’s son. For in our hearing the king charged thee, and Abessa, and Ethi, saying, Spare, for my sake, the young man Abessalom; touch not his life.

13 Now nothing can be hid from the king. Even thou thyself

14 wouldst stand aloof. And Joab said, I myself will in this case, set the example. I will not boggle so in thy sight. Then Joab took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through Abessa- lom’s heart, while he was still alive in the heart of the forest.

15 And when the ten young men, who carried Joab’s arms, had

16 surrounded and smitten Abessalom, and put him to death, Joab sounded the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing

17 Israel; for Joab had mercy on the people. And he took Abessalom, and threw him into a great chasm in the forest, into the great pit, and piled over him a great heap of stones. And all

18 Israel fled every man to his tent. Now Abessalom had, in his life

time, undertaken and erected for himself a monument in which he was to have been buried. So he erected this monument to supply the place of that in the king’s dale, because, said he, he hath no son to keep up the remembrance of his name. And he called that monument, The hand of Abessalom, which name 19. it retaineth to this day. Then Achimaas son of Sadok said, Let me, I pray thee, run and tell the king good news, That the Lord

20 hath delivered him out of the hand of his enemies. But Joab said to him, Thou wilt not be the messenger of good news today. At another time thou shalt carry good new$. But this day thou canst not be the messenger of good news, because the

21 king’s son is dead. Then Joab said to Chousi, Run and tell the king what thou hast seen. Whereupon Chousi bowed to Joab

22 and set out. And Achimaas, son of Sadok, applied again, and said to Joab, Grant me leave that I also may run after Chousi. And Joab said, Why art thou so earnest to run, my son ? Come,

23 there is no good news worth thy going. And he said, But what if I can run? Then Joab said to him, Run. So Achimaas ran

24 by the way leading to Kechar, and passed Chousi. Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the top of the gate, to the wall, and raising his eyes he looked

25 and behold there was a man in his view running alone. So the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he

26 be alone, there is good news in his mouth. While he was advancing, and coming near, the watchman saw another man run>- ning, whereupon the watchman cried to the gate, and said, Behold there is another man running alone. And the king said,

27 He also is a messenger of good news. And the watchman said, I see the running of the foremost is like the running of Achimaas son of Sadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and must

28 therefore come with good news. Then Achimaas cried aloud, and said to the king, All is well. And when he had made obeisance to the king, with his face to the ground, he said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath delivered up the men who lifted their

29 hands against my lord the king. Then the king said, Is the young man Abessalom safe? And Achimaas said, I saw a great crowd when Joab the king’s servant despatched thy servant, but

30 I did not know what was there. Then die king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And when he turned aside, and took his sta-

31 tion, behold Chousi came, and said to the king, Good news to my lord the king; for the Lord hath this day delivered tliee

32 out of the hand of all who rose up against thee. And the king said to Chousi, Is the young man Abessalom safe? And Chousi said, May all the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have

33 risen against him for evil, be as that young man. At this the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber, over the gate, and wept. And as he was going up he thus expressed himself, Oh, my son, Abessalom! Oh! my son! my son Abessalom ! O that they had slain me instead of thee—that I had died in thy stead! Oh Abessalom! my son! my son!

XIX. When they told Joab the news, saying, Behold the king

2 is weeping, and mourning for Abessalom, so that the joy of

3 the day is turned into sorrow to all the people, (For the people that day heard it said, that the king was in grief for his son, therefore the people were stealing into the city that day, as people do who are ashamed, when they flee in battle, and the

4 king hid his face) therefore when the king cried with a loud voice saying, Oh! my son Abessalom! Oh! Abessalom my son!

5 Joab went to the king, into the house, and said, Thou hast this day put to shame the faces of all thy servants., who have this day delivered thee, and saved the lives of thy sons, and the lives of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and thy con-

6 cubines; by thy loving those who hate thee, and hating those who love thee. Thou hast indeed this day declared, that thou regardest neither thy officers, nor thy servants; for I am now convinced, that if Abessalom were alive, and we were

7 now all dead, then all would be right in thine eyes. Now therefore arise, and go out, and speak affectionately to thy servants; for I have sworn by the Lord, that if thou go not out immediately, there will not a man lodge with thee this night. And be assured that this will be worse for thee than all the evil

8 that hath befallen thee, from thy youth even till now. Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And when all the people proclaimed the news, saying, Behold the king is sitting in the gate, then all the people entered the gate, in the presence of the king.

9 Now when all Israel had fled, every man to his tent, all the people throughout all the tribes of Israel began to condemn themselves, saying, King David delivered us from all our enemies. Though he delivered us out of the hands of the Phi- listines, yet he hath now fled from the land, and from his king-

10 dotn, and from Abessalom. But Abessalom whom we anointed over us is dead in battle, now therefore, why are you silent about bringing the king back? When this saying of all Israel

11 came to the king, king David sent to Sadok, and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Juda, and say, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? The speech indeed of all Israel is come to the king, that he should

12 return to his house. You are my brethren; you are my bones, and my flesh. Why are you the last to bring the king back to

13 his house ? And to Amessai you shall say, Art not thou my bone and my flesh ? Now therefore, God do so to me and more . also, if thou shall not be captain general of the army before

14 me continually, in the room of Joab. So when he had turned the heart of Juda, like that of one man, they sent to the king,

15 saying, Return thou and all thy servants. So the king set out on his return, and came to the Jordan. And the men of Juda came to Galgala, to go and meet the king, and conduct him

16 over the Jordan. And Semei, son of Gera the Jeminite, of Baurim, hastened and came down with the men of Juda, to

17 meet king David; and with him were a thousand men from Benjamin, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons, and his twenty servants, and they acted as guides across the Jordan, before the king, and performed the service

18 of bringing the king over. And when the raft went over to bring the king’s household, and to do what was right in his sight, Semei son of Gera fell on his face before the king, while

19 he was crossing the Jordan, and said to the king, Let not my lord, I pray thce, impute to me my transgression; nor call to remembrance what thy servant did perversely, on the day when my lord went out of Jerusalem, that the king should lay

20 it to heart. Because thy servant was conscious that he had sinned, therefore behold I am come, the first of all Israel, and of the house of Joseph, in coming down to meet my lord the

21 king. To this Abessa son of Saruia, answered and said, Shall not Semei be put to death, -because he cursed the anointed of

22 the Lord? But David said, What have you to do with me, ye sons of Saruia, that you are now laying snares for me ? There shall not a man of Israel be this day put to death. For

23 I do not yet know whether I am king over Israel. Then the king said to Semei, Thou shah not die. And the king swore

24 to him. Memphitfosthe also, the grandson of Saul, came down to meet the king. Now he had not dressed his feet, nor pared his nails, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king went away, to the day he returned, in peace.

25 And when he came to Jerusalem, and waited on the king, and the king said to him, Why didst thou not go with me, Mem-

26 phibosthe? Memphibosthe said to the king, O my lord the king, my servant deceived me. For thy servant said to him, Saddle me the ass, that I may mount thereon and go with the

27 king. (For thy servant is lame.) But he acted deceitfully with thy servant, before my lord the king. But my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in thy sight.

28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king, yet thou didst set thy servant among them who eat at thy table. What right then have I to cry any more to the

29 king? And the king said to him, What need of more words. 30 I have said, Thou and Siba shall divide the fields. Whereupon

Memphibosthe said to the king, Nay, let him take all, seeing my lord the king is returned to his house in peace.

31 Berzelli, the Galaadite, also came down from Rogellim, and crossed the Jordan with the king, to convoy him over the

32 Jordan. Now Berzelli was a very old man, being then eighty years of age, and he had supplied the king and his household with provisions at Manaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

33 When the king said to Berzelli, Thou shall come over with

34 me, that 1 may nourish thy old age with me at Jerusalem; Berzelli said to the king, How many can the days of the years of

35 my life be, that I should go with the king to Jerusalem? I am now eighty years of age. Can I distinguish between good and evil? Can thy servant any more relish what I eat or drink? Or can I any more hear the voice of singing men or singing women? Why then should thy servant be a burthen to my

36 lord the king? Thy servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king; but why should the king make me such a

37 recompence? Let thy servant, I pray thee, stay, that I may die in my own city, near the tomb of my father and mother. And behold thy servant Chamaam shall go over with my lord the

38 king. Do to him what is good in thy sight. And the king said, Let Chamaam come over with me, and I will do for him what is good in my sight, and whatever thou requirest of me, I will

39 do for thee. Now all the people had crossed the Jordan, and when the king had crossed, he kissed Berzelli, and bade him

40 farewell, and he returned to his place; and the king proceeded on to Galgala, and Chamaam went with him.

Now when all the tribe of Juda, and about half of the people

41 of Israel, were advancing with the king, behold all Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brethren, the men of Juda, stolen thee away, and brought the king and his household over the Jordan? Are all the men of David indeed

42 with him ? And all the men of Juda answered the men of Israel, and said, Because the king is near of kin to us, why should you be so angry at this matter? Have we eaten at the king’s cost? Or hath he given us any gifts, or borne any bur-

43 then for us ? And the men of Israel answered the men of Juda, and said, We have ten votes for the king, and we are elder than you, therefore we have more interest in David than you. Why then have you affronted us, and why was not our opinion taken before that of Juda, to bring the king back? Then the words of the men of Juda were fiercer than the words of the

  1. men of Israel; and there happened to be there a turbulent man whose name was Sabee, son of Bochori, the chief of the Jeminites, and he sounded a trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, nor inheritance in the son of Jessai. Every

2 man to his tent, O Israel. Thereupon all Israel went up from following David, after Sabee, son of Bochori. But the men of Juda kept close by their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 And when David came to his house at Jerusalem, the king- took the ten women, his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and sent them to a house of confinement, and fed

4 them, but did not go in to them. So they were kept confined to the day of their death, living as widows.

Then the king said to Amessai, Assemble for me all the

5 men of Juda, and be thou here in three days. So Amessai went to assemble the men of Juda, but he tarried beyond the time

6 which Dav.icl set for hims Thereupon David said to Abessa, Now will Sabee, son of Bochori do us more harm than Abes, salom. Now therefore take thou with thee the servants of thy lord, and pursue him, lest he secure for himself cities of de-

7 fence, that he may escape our notice. So there went out after him, Abessa’s men, and Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and

8 the Phelethites, and all the mighty men. And when they had inarched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sabee, son of Bochori, and were come to the great heap of stones at Gabaon, Amcs- sai came in before them. Now Joab had a military robe girded on for his dress, and over it he was girt with a sword on his

9 thigh in its sheath, and the sword dropped out. But as it dropped out and fell, therefore when Joab said to Amessai, art thou well my brother? and with his right hand took hold of Amessai’s beard to kiss it, Amessai did not attend to the

10 sword which was in Joab’s hand. So Joab smote him with it into the belly, and his bowels gushed out on the ground, so that he did not repeat the blow. And while he was dying, Joab

11 and Abessa, his brother, pursued after Sabee, son of Bochori, and there stood by him one of the servants of Joab, who said, Whoever is for Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow

12 Joab. Now Amessai was weltering in his blood in the middle of the road. And when the man saw that all the people halted, he drew Amessai out of the road, into the field, and threw a mantle over him, because he saw that all the people who came

13 up stood still. And when he had removed him out of the road, then all the men of Israel proceeded on after Joab, in pursuit

14 of Sabee, son of Bochori. Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Bethmacha, and all the men at

15 Charri had assembled and gone after him. And when they came up with him they formed a siege against him in Abel and Bethmacha. And when they had levelled the bank before the city, and were got within the out works, and all the people

16 who were with Joab, were labouring to throw down the wall, a wise woman cried with a loud voice from the wall, and said, Hear! Hear! Say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near hither

17 that I may speak to him. And when he drew near to her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of thy servant. And when Joab said, I

18 am hearkening, then she continued her speech, and said, They used heretofore to state an accusation, saying, He who is examined hath been examined both in Abel and Dan. If the liege men of Israel have been guilty of what is laid to their charge, let the examiners in Abel inquire in like manner

19 whether they have been guilty. For my part I am for observing strictly the customs of Israel, which tend to peace; but thou art seeking to destroy a city—a mother city in Israel. Why wouldst thou swallow up an inheritance of the Lord ?

20 In answer to which Joab said, Mercy on me ! Mercy on me !

21 Am I for swallowing up? Am I for destroying? Is not this the case ? There is a man of mount Ephraim—his name is Sabee son of Bochori, who hath lifted up his hand against king David. Only deliver him up to me, and I will depart

22 from the city. And the woman said, Behold his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. So the woman went to all the people. And when she had spoken to the whole city in her wisdom, they cut off the head of Sabee son of Bochori. And having cut it off, they threw it to Joab; whereupon Joab sounded a trumpet, and all the people withdrew from the city, and dispersed, every man to his tent, and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel, and Banaias son of Jodae was over the Cherethites and the Phelethites, and Adoniram was over the tribute, and Josaphat son of Achiluth was recorder, and Susa was scribe, and Sadok and Abiathar were priests, and Iras the son of Jarim was priest for David.

XXI. In the days of David there was a famine three years, year after year successively ; whereupon David applied to the Lord, and the Lord said, On Saul and on his house be the iniquity, by the death of his descendants, because he put to death

2 the Gabaonites. Now the Gabaonites are not of the children of Israel, but a remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them ; but Saul sought occasion to smite them, when he was courting popularity with the children of Israel and

3 Juda. So king David sent for the Gabaonites, and said to them, What shall I do for you; and by what means can I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord ?

4 And the Gabaonites said to him, We have no controversy with Saul and his household, about gold or silver, nor is it

VOL. II. F

5 for us to put to death a man in Israel. And the king said, What do you say, I must do for you ? And they said to the king, The man who set himself against us, and persecuted us, and who formed pretences to exterminate us, him let us destroy,

6 that he may not rise up in all the borders of Israel. Give us seven men of his sons, and let us crucify to the Lord at Gabaon those of Saul who arc the choice of the Lord. And the king

7 said, I will give them. But the king had compassion on Mcm- phibosthe, the son of Jonathan, Saul’s son, on account of the oath of the Lord between them—namely between David and

8 Jonathan, Saul’s son. So the king took the two sons of Respha, the daughter of Aia, whom she bore to Saul, namely Ermoni and Memphibosthe, and the five sons of Michol the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Esdriel, the son of Berzelli, the Mooulothite, and delivered them into the hands of the Ga- baonites, and they crucified them on the mount before the

9 Lord. So these seven fell together. Now they were put to death in the days of the harvest of first fruits, in the beginning

10 of the barley harvest. And Respha, the daughter of Aia, took sackcloth, and fixed it up for herself, before the rock, in the beginning of the bailey harvest, until water from heaven dropped upon them; and she suffered ,not the birds of the air to rest upon them by day, nor the beasts of the field by

11 night. When David was told what Respha the daughter of Aia Saul’s concubine had done—(now they were wasted away, and Dan son of Joa, of the race of tlie giants had taken

12 them down.) David went, and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabis Galaad, who had stolen them from the street of Baithsan, where the Philistines had fixed them on the day when the Philistines

13 smote Saul at Gelbua; and having brought thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, he gathered up the bones

14 of them who had been crucified. And they buried the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan, and the bones of them who were crucified, in the kind of Benjamin, on the one side, in the tomb of his father Kis. And when they had done all that the king commanded, God, after that, hearkened to the land.

15 There was also another battle between the Philistines and Israel. David, and his servants with him, went down and fought

16 the Philistines. And as David was advancing, Jesbi, who was of the race of Rapha, and the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels, brass weight, and who was clad in armour,

17 thought to have smitten David; but Abessa, son of Saruia, came to his assistance, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore, saying, Thou shalt not go out with us any more to battle, lest thou extinguish the lamp of Israel.

18 And after this there was another battle, at Geth, with the Philistines, in which Sobocha the Astatothite smote Seph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

19 There was also a battle with the Philistines at Rom, when Eleanan son of Ariorgim the Bethlemitc, smote Lachmi, the brother of Goliath the Gethite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

20 There was also another battle at Geth, and there was a smooth man who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty four in all, and he was a descendant of

21 Rapha, and defied Israel, but Jonathan son of Semei, David’s

22 brother, smote him. These four descendants of the giants were born at Geth, and were of the house of Rapha, and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

XXII. And David addressed the Lord in the words of this ode : on the day the Lord delivered him out of the hands of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, he said in a psalm;

2 O Lord, Thou art my rock and my fortress. It is he who delivereth me; he shall be my God.

He will be my guard, in him I will trust;

He is my defence, and the horn of my salvation—

My helper and my refuge for safety.

From an unrighteous man thou wilt save me.

4 On the Lord, who is praiseworthy, I will call, And I shall be saved from mine enemies.

5 Because troubles of death have surrounded me— Floods of iniquity have filled me with horror—

6 The pangs of death have compassed me about— The bitterness of death hath invaded me.

7 In my distress I will call on the Lord, And to my God I will cry aloud.

From his holy temple he will hear my voice,
My cry will certainly reach his ears.

8 The earth indeed was shaken—it trembled—

The foundations of heaven were convulsed, and quivered.
Because the Lord was incensed.

9 At his indignation a smoke ascended,
A fire from his mouth devoureth.
By it coals are kindled to a glow.

10 He bowed the heavens and came down,
And darkness was under his feet.

11 He sat on the cherubim, and flew, And appeared on the wings of wind.

12 But he made darkness his covering;

His pavilion around him was darkness of waters ;
He condensed it with clouds of air.

13 From the flashing lightning before him
Flaming fires were kindled.

14 The Lord thundered from heaven, The Most High uttered his voice.

15 ,He sent forth his bolts and scattered them :

He darted his lightning, and confounded them.

16 Then were seen the outlets of the sea;

And the foundations of the earth were disclosed,

At the rebuke of the Lord—

At the blast of the breath of his anger.

17 He sent from on high and took me; He drew me out of many waters :

18 He delivered me from mine enemies’ strength— From them who hated me;

Because they were stronger than I.

19 The days of my distress came on me unawares, But the Lord was my firm support,

20 And brought me out to a roomy place,

And delivered me, because he delighted in me.

21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness ; Accordingto the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me;

22 Because I kept the ways of the Lord,

And did not wickedly depart from my God—

23 Because all his judgments were before me,

And from his statutes I did not depart;

24 I therefore shall be blameless before him, And I will guard myself from my iniquity ;

25 And the Lord will reward me according to my righteous

ness—
According to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

26 With the beneficent thou wilt shew thyself beneficent, With an upright man thou wilt deal uprightly.

27 With a warrior thou wilt be a warrior, And with the wily thou wilt practise wiles.

28 Thou wilt save the people who are dejected, But lofty countenances thou wilt bring down.

29 Because thou, O Lord, art my lamp, Therefore the Lord will illume my darkness.

30 For by thee I can run like an honoured soldier, And overleap walls by the help of my God.

31 He is mighty whose way is blameless. The Word of the Lord is strong—is tried.

He is the defender of all them who trust in him.

32 Who is mighty, besides the Lord ? Who can build up, but our God ?

33 He who strengthened me is the Mighty One, He hath cleared my way which is blameless.

34 Thou makest my feet like the feet of hinds, And steadiest me on the high places.

35 Thou instructest my hands for battle,

And hast by my arm broken the bow of steel.

36 Thou hast given me a guard for my safety; And thy attention hath enabled me

37 To enlarge my steps under me, So that my feet have not slipped.

38 I shall pursue my enemies and destroy them, And’will not turn back till I consume them.

39 I will break them so that they shall not rise, When they shall have fallen under my feet.

40 . For thou wilt gird me with strength for battle,

And bend under me my antagonists.

41 Thou hast given me the back of my enemies; And them who hate me thou hast put to death.

42 They may cry aloud but there is no help— To the Lord, but he will not answer them.

43 I beat them small as the dust of the earth ; I trampled them like the dirt of highways.

44 From the tumult of tribes thou wilt save me ; Thou wilt keep me to be the head of nations.

45 A people which I knew not shall be my slaves,
Strangers have yielded me feigned obedience.
Soon as they heard they became submissive.

46 Strange children shall be exposed to contempt;
They shall tumble down from their places of defence.

47 Live the Lord! and blessed be he, my guard !
Let my God, my safeguard, be exalted—

48 The mighty Lord, who is my avenger. Who chastiseth the people under me, Who leadeth me out from my enemies.

49 From them who are stirred up against me

Thou wilt raise me up.
From the man of violence, thou wilt deliver me.

50 For this cause I will give tliee thanks, O Lord, among the

nations.
I will sing melodiously to thy name.

51 He is magnifying the deliverances of his own king,
And shewing mercy to his anointed—

To David and his seed forever.

XXIII. Now these were the last words of David.
Faithful is David the son of Jessai,
And faithful the man whom the Lord hath set
Over the anointed of the God of Jacob.
And sweet are the psalms of Israel.

2 The Spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me,
And his word was upon my tongue.

3 The God of Israel saith to me,

A watchman of Israel hath spoken .a proverb.

I said as a man, (d) How can you strengthen the fear of an anointed?

4 (p) With the light of the God of the morning.

(d) David. (p) Prophet.

(d) Let the Sun rise in the morning betimes.

(p) Is not the Lord gone forth with splendour?

(d) Yes, like the spring of grass on the earth after rain;

5 For is not my house thus with the Almighty?
For he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
Kept ready for every occasion;

Because this is all my safety, and all my desire,
That the transgressor may not flourish.

6 (p) All such are like rejected thorns.

Because they cannot be handled,

7 Nor can a man labour among them; Therefore pure iron, and the staff of a spear, Shall cause them to burn with fire,

And they shall be burned to their shame.

These are the names of David’s worthies.

Jebosthe, the Chananite, a chief of the third rank, who is also called Adinon the Asonite. This man drew his sword

9 against eight hundred warriors at one time. And after him Eleanon (the son of a man who married his brother’s wife to raise up seed for his brother) the son of Dudi, one of the three worthies widi David. When he challenged the Philistines, and they had assembled for batde, and the men of Israel had gone

10 up, he arose and made a slaughter among the Philistines, till his hand was tired, and glued to his sword, and the Lord wrought a .great deliverance diat day, and the people went after

11 him only to spoil. And next to him was Samaias, son of Asa the Aruchite. When the Philistines had assembled to forage, where there was a piece of ground full of lentils, and the peo-

12 pie fled before the Philistines; he stood like a pillar in the middle of the field, and defended it, and smote the Philistines, and

13 the Lord wrought a great deliverance. These three went down from the thirty, and came to David at Kason, to the cave of Odollam, when an army of the Philistines was encamped in the

14 valley of Raphain. Now David was then in the fortress, and

15 there was a garrison of the Philistines then at Bedilehem. And David longed and said, Oh that I had some water to drink out

16 of the well which is at Bethlehem—that by the gate! Upon which these three worthies, notwithstanding the garrison of the Philistines then at Bethlehem, broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well at Bethlehem, by the gate. But when they got it, and came to David, he would not drink it, but poured it out as a libation to the Lord, and

17 said, Lord forbid that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men, who have gone at the risk of their lives ? So he would not drink it. These exploits were performed by these

18 three men. Now Abessa, the brother of Joab, son of Saruia, was a chief among the three. He also lifted up his spear against three hundred men, though he was wounded. So he had a

19 name among the three; and being higher in rank than any of the three, he became their chief, though he did not come up to

20 those three. Banaias also, son of Jodae, of Kabeseel, was a mail renowned for exploits. He smote the two sons of Ariel the Moabite. He went down also, and smote a lion in the midst of

21 the pit on a snowy day. He smote also an Egyptian, a man of great stature. Though the Egyptian had in his hand a spear like the side of a ladder, he went down to him with a staff, and wresting the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, he killed

22 him with his own spear. These exploits Banaias son of Jodae

23 performed, and had a name among the three worthies. He was higher in rank than any of the three, though he did not come

24 up to the three. And David appointed him Auditor. These also were the names of king David’s worthies, Asael the brother of Joab, he was among the thirty, Eleanon son of Dudi,

25 who married his brother’s wife at Bethlehem; Saimathe Rud-

26 ite; Selles the Kelothite; Iras of Iska, the Thekoite; Abiezer the Anothite, another of the sons of the Anothites; Ellon the Aoite; Neere the Netophatite; Esthai son of Riba of Gabaoth; son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Salabonite; son Asan; son Jonathan; Samnan the Aradite; Amnan son of Arai the Saraourite; Aliphaleth son of Asbites; son of the Machachite; Eliab son of Achitophel the Gelonite; Asarai the Karmelite, of Ouraioerchi; Gaal son of Nathana; Poludunameos son of Galaaddi; Elie the Ammonite; Adroi of the brooks; Gadabiel son of the Arabothite; Gelore the Bethorite, the armour bearer of Joab, son of Saruia; Iras the Etherite;.Gerab the Ethinite; Ourias the Chettite. They were thirty seven in all.

XXIV. Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Is-

2 rael, when one among them over persuaded David, saying, Go number Israel and Juda.

When the king said to Joab, the captain general of his army, who was with him, Go, I pray thee through all the tribes of Israel and Juda, from Dan to Bersabee, and review the people, and

3 let me know the number of them, Joab said to the king, The Lord God add to the people, how many soever they be, a hundred fold; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it! But why

4 doth my lord the king set his mind upon this ? But the word of the king prevailed against Joab, and the officers of the army. So Joab and the chiefs of the army before the king, went out

5 “to review the people, Israel. And they crossed the Jordan, and

encamped at Aroer on the right of the city, in the valley of

6 Gad and Eliezer. Then they went to Galaad, and to the land

7 of Thabason, which is Adasai, and came to Danidan and Ou- dan; and having gone round Sidon, and come to Mapsar of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Evites, and the Chananites,

8 they came to the south of Juda to Bersabee. So when they had gone round through all the land, tfiey came to Jerusalem, at

9 the end of nine months and twenty days. And Joab laid before the king the amount of the review of the people. And that of Israel was eight hundred thousand fighting men; and

10 the men of Juda were five hundred thousand warriors. And David’s heart smote him after this numbering of the people : and David said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now therefore, O Lord, forgive, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant, for I have acted very foolishly.

11 And when David arose in the morning, a word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, the seer, saying, Go and speak to Da-

12 vid, and say, Thus saith the Lord, Three things I am ready to bring upon thee, chuse therefore for thyself one of them,

13 that I may do it to thee. So Gad went to David, and delivered the message, and said, Chuse what shall be done to thee. Shall three years of famine come on all thy land ? Or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies while they pursue thee? Or shall there be three days of pestilence in thy land? Now therefore consider ; and see what answer I shall make to him

14 who sent me. Thereupon David said to Gad, I am in great

VOL. II. C

straits on every side. Pray let me fall into the hands of the Lord ; for very many and great are his mercies. But let me

15 not fall into the hands of men. Now when David chose for himself the pestilence, it was the time of the wheat harvest. And the Lord sent a pestilence through Israel, from the morning till the hour of dining. And the slaughter began among the people, and there died of the people from Dan to Bersa-

16 bee, seventy thousand men. But when the angel of God stretched forth his hand against Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord was moved with compassion at the calamity, and said to the angel who was making havock among the people, It is enough. Stay thy hand. Now the angel of the Lord was by

17 the threshing floor of Orna the Jebusite. And when David saw the angel who was smiting the people, he addressed the Lord, and said, Behold here am I who have transgressed! But as for this flock, what have they done? Let thy hand, I

18 pray thee, be upon me, and upon my father’s house. Then Gad came to David that day, and said to him, Go up and erect an altar for the Lord; on the threshing floor of Orna the Jebu-

19 site. So David went up according to the word of Gad, as the

20 Lord had commanded him. And when Orna looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming up to him, he went out and bowed down to the king, with his face to the ground, and

21 said, Why is my lord the king come to his servant? And Da- vid said, To purchase of thee this threshing floor to build an altar to the Lord, that the slaughter among the people may be

22 stayed. Then Orna said to David, Let my lord the king take, and offer to the Lord what is agreeable to him. Behold here are cattle for a whole burnt’offering, and the carts and the

23 yokes of the cattle for fuel. All these Orna hath given to the king. And may the Lord thy God, said Orna addressing the

24 king, bless thee. But the king said to Orna, No. Let me only purchase them of thee for their full value; for I cannot offer to

‘ the Lord my God a whole burnt offering which costeth me nothing. So David purchased the threshing floor, and the

25 cattle, for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered whole burnt offerings and peace offerings. Now Solomon afterwards enlarged this altar; for at first it was small. Thus the Lord was entreated for the land, and the slaughter was stopped from Israel.