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ISA-11:9 ...for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD,

as the waters cover the sea.

Copyright (c) 1985-2007

king james study

2SA-1:1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David

was returned

from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two

days in Ziklag;

2SA-1:2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a

man came out

of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his

head: and [so]

it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and

did obeisance.

2SA-1:3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And

he said unto

him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

2SA-1:4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray

thee, tell me.

And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and

many of the

people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son

are dead also.

2SA-1:5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How

knowest thou

that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

2SA-1:6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by

chance upon

mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the

chariots and

horsemen followed hard after him.

2SA-1:7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called

unto me. And I

answered, Here [am] I.

2SA-1:8 And he said unto me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him,

I [am] an

Amalekite.

2SA-1:9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and

slay me: for

anguish is come upon me, because my life [is] yet whole in me.

2SA-1:10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure

that he could

not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that

[was] upon his

head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought

them hither

unto my lord.

2SA-1:11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them;

and likewise all

the men that [were] with him:

2SA-1:12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for

Saul, and for

Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the

house of Israel;

because they were fallen by the sword.

2SA-1:13 And David said unto the young man that told him,

Whence [art] thou?

And he answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

2SA-1:14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to

stretch forth

thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

2SA-1:15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go

near, [and] fall

upon him. And he smote him that he died.

2SA-1:16 And David said unto him, Thy blood [be] upon thy head;

for thy mouth

hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S

anointed.

2SA-1:17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and

over Jonathan

his son:

2SA-1:18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the

use of] the bow:

behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.)

2SA-1:19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places:

how are the

mighty fallen!

2SA-1:20 Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets

of Askelon;

lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the

daughters of the

uncircumcised triumph.

2SA-1:21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither

[let there

be] rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the

shield of the

mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, [as though he

had] not [been]

anointed with oil.

2SA-1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the

mighty, the bow of

Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not

empty.

2SA-1:23 Saul and Jonathan [were] lovely and pleasant in their

lives, and in

their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles,

they were

stronger than lions.

2SA-1:24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed

you in scarlet,

with [other] delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your

apparel.

2SA-1:25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!

O Jonathan,

[thou wast] slain in thine high places.

2SA-1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very

pleasant hast

thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the

love of women.

2SA-1:27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war

perished!

2SA-2:1 And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of

the LORD,

saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the

LORD said unto

him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said,

Unto Hebron.

2SA-2:2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also,

Ahinoam the

Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

2SA-2:3 And his men that [were] with him did David bring up,

every man with

his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

2SA-2:4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed

David king over

the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, [That] the men

Jabeshgilead [were they] that buried Saul.

2SA-2:5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead,

and said unto

them, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD, that ye have showed this

kindness unto your

lord, [even] unto Saul, and have buried him.

2SA-2:6 And now the LORD show kindness and truth unto you: and

I also will

requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

2SA-2:7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye

valiant: for

your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have

anointed me king

over them.

2SA-2:8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took

Ishbosheth the

son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

2SA-2:9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites,

and over

Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all

Israel.

2SA-2:10 Ishbosheth Saul's son [was] forty years old when he

began to reign

over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah

followed David.

2SA-2:11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the

house of Judah

was seven years and six months.

2SA-2:12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of

Ishbosheth the son of

Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

2SA-2:13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David,

went out,

and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the

one on the one

side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

2SA-2:14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise,

and play before

us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

2SA-2:15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of

Benjamin, which

[pertained] to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the

servants of

David.

2SA-2:16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and

[thrust] his

sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together:

wherefore that place

was called Helkathhazzurim, which [is] in Gibeon.

2SA-2:17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner

was beaten, and

the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

2SA-2:18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and

Abishai, and

Asahel: and Asahel [was as] light of foot as a wild roe.

2SA-2:19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned

not to the

right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

2SA-2:20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, [Art] thou

Asahel? And he

answered, I [am].

2SA-2:21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right

hand or to thy

left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee

his armour. But

Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

2SA-2:22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from

following me:

wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I

hold up my face

to Joab thy brother?

2SA-2:23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with

the hinder

end of the spear smote him under the fifth [rib], that the spear

came out

behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place:

and it came to

pass, [that] as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down

and died

stood still.

2SA-2:24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun

went down

when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that [lieth] before

Giah by the way

of the wilderness of Gibeon.

2SA-2:25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves

together after

Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

2SA-2:26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword

devour for

ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter

end? how long

shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following

their

brethren?

2SA-2:27 And Joab said, [As] God liveth, unless thou hadst

spoken, surely

then in the morning the people had gone up every one from

following his

brother.

2SA-2:28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still,

and pursued

after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

2SA-2:29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through

the plain, and

passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came

to Mahanaim.

2SA-2:30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he

had gathered all

the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen

men and Asahel.

2SA-2:31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and

of Abner's

men, [so that] three hundred and threescore men died.

2SA-2:32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the

sepulchre of his

father, which [was in] Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all

night, and

they came to Hebron at break of day.

2SA-3:1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and

the house of

David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of

Saul waxed

weaker and weaker.

2SA-3:2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his

firstborn was Amnon,

of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

2SA-3:3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal

the Carmelite;

and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai

king of

Geshur;

2SA-3:4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the

fifth,

Shephatiah the son of Abital;

2SA-3:5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These

were born to

David in Hebron.

2SA-3:6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the

house of Saul

and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the

house of Saul.

2SA-3:7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name [was] Rizpah, the

daughter of

Aiah: and [Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone

in unto my

father's concubine?

2SA-3:8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth,

and said, [Am]

I a dog's head, which against Judah do show kindness this day

unto the house

of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and

have not

delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to

day with a

fault concerning this woman?

2SA-3:9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD

hath sworn to

David, even so I do to him;

2SA-3:10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and

to set up the

throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to

Beersheba.

2SA-3:11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he

feared him.

2SA-3:12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,

saying, Whose [is]

the land? saying [also], Make thy league with me, and, behold,

my hand [shall

be] with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

2SA-3:13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but

one thing I

require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except

thou first bring

Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

2SA-3:14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son,

saying, Deliver

[me] my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred

foreskins of the

Philistines.

2SA-3:15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from [her] husband,

[even] from

Phaltiel the son of Laish.

2SA-3:16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her

to Bahurim.

Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

2SA-3:17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel,

saying, Ye

sought for David in times past [to be] king over you:

2SA-3:18 Now then do [it]: for the LORD hath spoken of David,

saying, By the

hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the

hand of the

Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

2SA-3:19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and

Abner went also to

speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to

Israel, and that

seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

2SA-3:20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with

him. And David

made Abner and the men that [were] with him a feast.

2SA-3:21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and

will gather all

Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with

thee, and that

thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David

sent Abner

away; and he went in peace.

2SA-3:22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from

[pursuing] a

troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner [was]

not with David

in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

2SA-3:23 When Joab and all the host that [was] with him were

come, they told

Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath

sent him

away, and he is gone in peace.

2SA-3:24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou

done? behold,

Abner came unto thee; why [is] it [that] thou hast sent him away,

and he is

quite gone?

2SA-3:25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to

deceive thee, and

to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that

thou doest.

2SA-3:26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent

messengers after

Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David

knew [it]

not.

2SA-3:27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him

aside in the

gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the

fifth [rib],

that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

2SA-3:28 And afterward when David heard [it], he said, I and my

kingdom [are]

guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the

son of Ner:

2SA-3:29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his

father's house; and

let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue,

or that is a

leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword,

or that

lacketh bread.

2SA-3:30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he

had slain

their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

2SA-3:31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that

[were] with him,

Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before

Abner. And

king David [himself] followed the bier.

2SA-3:32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted

up his voice,

and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

2SA-3:33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner

as a fool

dieth?

2SA-3:34 Thy hands [were] not bound. nor thy feet put into

fetters: as a man

falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou. And all the people

wept again

over him.

2SA-3:35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat

meat while it was

yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if

I taste

bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

2SA-3:36 And all the people took notice [of it], and it pleased

them: as

whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

2SA-3:37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day

that it was

not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

2SA-3:38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that

there is a

prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

2SA-3:39 And I [am] this day weak, though anointed king; and

these men the

sons of Zeruiah [be] too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the

doer of evil

according to his wickedness.

2SA-4:1 And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron,

his hands

were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

2SA-4:2 And Saul's son had two men [that were] captains of

bands: the name of

the one [was] Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons

of Rimmon a

Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was

reckoned to

Benjamin.

2SA-4:3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were

sojourners there until

this day.)

2SA-4:4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son [that was] lame of

[his] feet. He

was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan

out of Jezreel,

and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she

made haste to

flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name [was]

Mephibosheth.

2SA-4:5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and

Baanah, went, and

came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who

lay on a bed at

noon.

2SA-4:6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, [as

though] they

would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth

[rib]: and Rechab

and Baanah his brother escaped.

2SA-4:7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in

his

bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him,

and took his

head, and gat them away through the plain all night.

2SA-4:8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to

Hebron, and

said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul

thine enemy,

which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the

king this day of

Saul, and of his seed.

2SA-4:9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the

sons of Rimmon

the Beerothite, and said unto them, [As] the LORD liveth, who

hath redeemed my

soul out of all adversity,

2SA-4:10 When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead,

thinking to have

brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag,

who

[thought] that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

2SA-4:11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous

person in his

own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his

blood of your

hand, and take you away from the earth?

2SA-4:12 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them,

and cut off

their hands and their feet, and hanged [them] up over the pool

in Hebron. But

they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried [it] in the

sepulchre of Abner in

Hebron.

2SA-5:1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron,

and spake,

saying, Behold, we [are] thy bone and thy flesh.

2SA-5:2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou

wast he that

leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee,

Thou shalt

feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

2SA-5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron;

and king

David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and

they anointed

David king over Israel.

2SA-5:4 David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign,

[and] he reigned

forty years.

2SA-5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six

months: and in

Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and

Judah.

2SA-5:6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the

Jebusites, the

inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except

thou take away

the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking,

David cannot

come in hither.

2SA-5:7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the

same [is] the

city of David.

2SA-5:8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the

gutter, and

smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, [that are]

hated of David's

soul, [he shall be chief and captain]. Wherefore they said, The

blind and the

lame shall not come into the house.

2SA-5:9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of

David. And

David built round about from Millo and inward.

2SA-5:10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of

hosts [was]

with him.

2SA-5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and

cedar trees,

and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.

2SA-5:12 And David perceived that the LORD had established him

king over

Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people

Israel's sake.

2SA-5:13 And David took [him] more concubines and wives out of

Jerusalem,

after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and

daughters born to

David.

2SA-5:14 And these [be] the names of those that were born unto

him in

Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

2SA-5:15 Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

2SA-5:16 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

2SA-5:17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed

David king

over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and

David heard [of

it], and went down to the hold.

2SA-5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the

valley of

Rephaim.

2SA-5:19 And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up

to the

Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD

said unto

David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into

thine hand.

2SA-5:20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them

there, and said,

The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the

breach of

waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.

2SA-5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his

men burned them.

2SA-5:22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread

themselves in the

valley of Rephaim.

2SA-5:23 And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou

shalt not go up;

[but] fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over

against the

mulberry trees.

2SA-5:24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going

in the tops of

the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for

then shall the

LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

2SA-5:25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and

smote the

Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

2SA-6:1 Again, David gathered together all [the] chosen [men]

of Israel,

thirty thousand.

2SA-6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that

[were] with him

from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God,

whose name is

called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth [between]

the cherubims.

2SA-6:3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and

brought it out of

the house of Abinadab that [was] in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio,

the sons of

Abinadab, drave the new cart.

2SA-6:4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which

[was] at

Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the

ark.

2SA-6:5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the

LORD on all

manner of [instruments made of] fir wood, even on harps, and on

psalteries,

and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

2SA-6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah

put forth [his

hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook

[it].

2SA-6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah;

and God smote

him there for [his] error; and there he died by the ark of God.

2SA-6:8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a

breach upon

Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this

day.

2SA-6:9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said,

How shall the

ark of the LORD come to me?

2SA-6:10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him

into the city

of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom

the Gittite.

2SA-6:11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of

Obededom the

Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his

household.

2SA-6:12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath

blessed the house

of Obededom, and all that [pertaineth] unto him, because of the

ark of God. So

David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of

Obededom into the

city of David with gladness.

2SA-6:13 And it was [so], that when they that bare the ark of

the LORD had

gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

2SA-6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all [his] might;

and David

[was] girded with a linen ephod.

2SA-6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the

ark of the LORD

with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

2SA-6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David,

Michal

Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David

leaping and

dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

2SA-6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in

his place, in

the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and

David offered

burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

2SA-6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt

offerings and

peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD

of hosts.

2SA-6:19 And he dealt among all the people, [even] among the

whole multitude

of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of

bread, and a

good piece [of flesh], and a flagon [of wine]. So all the people

departed

every one to his house.

2SA-6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal

the daughter

of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the

king of Israel

to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the

handmaids of his

servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth

himself!

2SA-6:21 And David said unto Michal, [It was] before the LORD,

which chose me

before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler

over the

people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before

the LORD.

2SA-6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be

base in mine own

sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of

them shall I be

had in honour.

2SA-6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child

unto the day of

her death.

2SA-7:1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house,

and the LORD had

given him rest round about from all his enemies;

2SA-7:2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I

dwell in an

house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

2SA-7:3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that [is] in

thine heart; for

the LORD [is] with thee.

2SA-7:4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the

LORD came unto

Nathan, saying,

2SA-7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD,

Shalt thou build

me an house for me to dwell in?

2SA-7:6 Whereas I have not dwelt in [any] house since the time

that I brought

up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but

have walked in a

tent and in a tabernacle.

2SA-7:7 In all [the places] wherein I have walked with all the

children of

Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I

commanded to

feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of

cedar?

2SA-7:8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David,

Thus saith the

LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following

the sheep, to be

ruler over my people, over Israel:

2SA-7:9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and

have cut off all

thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name,

like unto the

name of the great [men] that [are] in the earth.

2SA-7:10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel,

and will plant

them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no

more; neither

shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as

beforetime,

2SA-7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges [to be]

over my people

Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.

Also the LORD

telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

2SA-7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep

with thy

fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed

out of thy

bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

2SA-7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will

stablish the throne

of his kingdom for ever.

2SA-7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he

commit iniquity,

I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of

the children

of men:

2SA-7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took

[it] from

Saul, whom I put away before thee.

2SA-7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established

for ever before

thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

2SA-7:17 According to all these words, and according to all

this vision, so

did Nathan speak unto David.

2SA-7:18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and

he said, Who

[am] I, O Lord GOD? and what [is] my house, that thou hast

brought me

hitherto?

2SA-7:19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord

GOD; but thou

hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to

come. And [is]

this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

2SA-7:20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord

GOD, knowest

thy servant.

2SA-7:21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart,

hast thou

done all these great things, to make thy servant know [them].

2SA-7:22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for [there is]

none like thee,

neither [is there any] God beside thee, according to all that we

have heard

with our ears.

2SA-7:23 And what one nation in the earth [is] like thy people,

[even] like

Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to

make him a

name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land,

before thy

people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, [from] the

nations and their

gods?

2SA-7:24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel

[to be] a

people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.

2SA-7:25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken

concerning thy

servant, and concerning his house, establish [it] for ever, and

do as thou

hast said.

2SA-7:26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The

LORD of hosts

[is] the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David

established before thee.

2SA-7:27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast

revealed to thy

servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy

servant found

in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

2SA-7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou [art] that God, and thy

words be true, and

thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:

2SA-7:29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of

thy servant,

that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD,

hast spoken

[it]: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be

blessed for ever.

2SA-8:1 And after this it came to pass, that David smote the

Philistines, and

subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the

Philistines.

2SA-8:2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line,

casting them down

to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death,

and with one

full line to keep alive. And [so] the Moabites became David's

servants, [and]

brought gifts.

2SA-8:3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of

Zobah, as he

went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

2SA-8:4 And David took from him a thousand [chariots], and

seven hundred

horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hocked all the

chariot

[horses], but reserved of them [for] an hundred chariots.

2SA-8:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour

Hadadezer king of

Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

2SA-8:6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the

Syrians became

servants to David, [and] brought gifts. And the LORD preserved

David

whithersoever he went.

2SA-8:7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the

servants of

Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

2SA-8:8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer,

king David

took exceeding much brass.

2SA-8:9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten

all the host of

Hadadezer,

2SA-8:10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute

him, and to

bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten

him: for

Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And [Joram] brought with him

vessels of silver,

and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

2SA-8:11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with

the silver

and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;

2SA-8:12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon,

and of the

Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son

of Rehob, king

of Zobah.

2SA-8:13 And David gat [him] a name when he returned from

smiting of the

Syrians in the valley of salt, [being] eighteen thousand [men].

2SA-8:14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put

he garrisons,

and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the LORD

preserved David

whithersoever he went.

2SA-8:15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed

judgment and

justice unto all his people.

2SA-8:16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the host; and

Jehoshaphat the

son of Ahilud [was] recorder;

2SA-8:17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of

Abiathar,

[were] the priests; and Seraiah [was] the scribe;

2SA-8:18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was over] both the

Cherethites and

the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

2SA-9:1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the

house of Saul,

that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2SA-9:2 And [there was] of the house of Saul a servant whose

name [was] Ziba.

And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him,

[Art] thou

Ziba? And he said, Thy servant [is he].

2SA-9:3 And the king said, [Is] there not yet any of the house

of Saul, that

I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the

king, Jonathan

hath yet a son, [which is] lame on [his] feet.

2SA-9:4 And the king said unto him, Where [is] he? And Ziba

said unto the

king, Behold, he [is] in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel,

in Lodebar.

2SA-9:5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house

of Machir, the

son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

2SA-9:6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of

Saul, was come

unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David

said,

Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

2SA-9:7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely

show thee

kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee

all the land of

Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table

continually.

2SA-9:8 And he bowed himself, and said, What [is] thy servant,

that thou

shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I [am]?

2SA-9:9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said

unto him, I

have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and

to all his

house.

2SA-9:10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall

till the land

for him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master's

son may have

food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread

alway at my

table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

2SA-9:11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my

lord the king

hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for

Mephibosheth,

[said the king], he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's

sons.

2SA-9:12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name [was]

Micha. And all

that dwelt in the house of Ziba [were] servants unto

Mephibosheth.

2SA-9:13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat

continually at

the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

2SA-10:1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the

children of

Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

2SA-10:2 Then said David, I will show kindness unto Hanun the

son of Nahash,

as his father showed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort

him by the

hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came

into the land

of the children of Ammon.

2SA-10:3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto

Hanun their lord,

Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath

sent comforters

unto thee? hath not David [rather] sent his servants unto thee,

to search the

city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

2SA-10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off

the one half

of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle,

[even] to their

buttocks, and sent them away.

2SA-10:5 When they told [it] unto David, he sent to meet them,

because the

men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho

until your

beards be grown, and [then] return.

2SA-10:6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank

before David, the

children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and

the Syrians of

Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men,

and of

Ishtob twelve thousand men.

2SA-10:7 And when David heard of [it], he sent Joab, and all

the host of the

mighty men.

2SA-10:8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle

in array at

the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of

Rehob, and

Ishtob, and Maacah, [were] by themselves in the field.

2SA-10:9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against

him before

and behind, he chose of all the choice [men] of Israel, and put

[them] in

array against the Syrians:

2SA-10:10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand

of Abishai

his brother, that he might put [them] in array against the

children of Ammon.

2SA-10:11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me,

then thou shalt

help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee,

then I will come

and help thee.

2SA-10:12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our

people, and for

the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him

good.

2SA-10:13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that [were] with

him, unto the

battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

2SA-10:14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians

were fled, then

fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So

Joab returned

from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

2SA-10:15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten

before Israel, they

gathered themselves together.

2SA-10:16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that

[were] beyond

the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of

the host of

Hadarezer [went] before them.

2SA-10:17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel

together, and

passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set

themselves in array

against David, and fought with him.

2SA-10:18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew

[the men of]

seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand

horsemen, and smote

Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

2SA-10:19 And when all the kings [that were] servants to

Hadarezer saw that

they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel,

and served them.

So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

2SA-11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at

the time when

kings go forth [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his

servants with him,

and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and

besieged Rabbah.

But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2SA-11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David

arose from off his

bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the

roof he saw a

woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to

look upon.

2SA-11:3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And [one]

said, [Is]

not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the

Hittite?

2SA-11:4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came

in unto him,

and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness:

and she

returned unto her house.

2SA-11:5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and

said, I [am]

with child.

2SA-11:6 And David sent to Joab, [saying], Send me Uriah the

Hittite. And

Joab sent Uriah to David.

2SA-11:7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded [of

him] how Joab

did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

2SA-11:8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and

wash thy feet.

And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed

him a mess [of

meat] from the king.

2SA-11:9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with

all the

servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

2SA-11:10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not

down unto his

house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from [thy]

journey? why [then]

didst thou not go down unto thine house?

2SA-11:11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and

Judah, abide in

tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are

encamped in the open

fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink,

and to lie with

my wife? [as] thou livest, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not

do this thing.

2SA-11:12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and

to morrow I

will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and

the morrow.

2SA-11:13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink

before him; and

he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed

with the servants

of his lord, but went not down to his house.

2SA-11:14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote

a letter to

Joab, and sent [it] by the hand of Uriah.

2SA-11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in

the forefront

of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be

smitten, and

die.

2SA-11:16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city,

that he assigned

Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men [were].

2SA-11:17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with

Joab: and there

fell [some] of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah

the Hittite died

also.

2SA-11:18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things

concerning the war;

2SA-11:19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast

made an end of

telling the matters of the war unto the king,

2SA-11:20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say

unto thee,

Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight?

knew ye not

that they would shoot from the wall?

2SA-11:21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not

a woman cast a

piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in

Thebez? why went

ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite

is dead also.

2SA-11:22 So the messenger went, and came and showed David all

that Joab had

sent him for.

2SA-11:23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men

prevailed against

us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them

even unto the

entering of the gate.

2SA-11:24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy

servants; and

[some] of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the

Hittite is

dead also.

2SA-11:25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou

say unto Joab,

Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one

as well as

another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and

overthrow it: and

encourage thou him.

2SA-11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her

husband was dead,

she mourned for her husband.

2SA-11:27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and

fetched her to his

house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the

thing that David

had done displeased the LORD.

2SA-12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto

him, and said

unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the

other poor.

2SA-12:2 The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds:

2SA-12:3 But the poor [man] had nothing, save one little ewe

lamb, which he

had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him,

and with his

children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup,

and lay in his

bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

2SA-12:4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he

spared to take

of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring

man that was

come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for

the man that

was come to him.

2SA-12:5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man;

and he said

to Nathan, [As] the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this

[thing] shall

surely die:

2SA-12:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did

this thing,

and because he had no pity.

2SA-12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. Thus

saith the LORD

God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered

thee out of

the hand of Saul;

2SA-12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's

wives into thy

bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if

[that had been]

too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such

things.

2SA-12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the

LORD, to do evil

in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword,

and hast

taken his wife [to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the

sword of the

children of Ammon.

2SA-12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine

house;

because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah

the Hittite to

be thy wife.

2SA-12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil

against thee out

of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes,

and give

[them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in

the sight of

this sun.

2SA-12:12 For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this

thing before all

Israel, and before the sun.

2SA-12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the

LORD. And

Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin;

thou shalt not

die.

2SA-12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great

occasion to the

enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also [that is] born

unto thee

shall surely die.

2SA-12:15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD

struck the child

that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

2SA-12:16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David

fasted, and

went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

2SA-12:17 And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him,

to raise him

up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread

with them.

2SA-12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the

child died. And

the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead:

for they

said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him,

and he would

not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we

tell him that

the child is dead?

2SA-12:19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David

perceived

that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants,

Is the child

dead? And they said, He is dead.

2SA-12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and

anointed

[himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of

the LORD, and

worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required,

they set

bread before him, and he did eat.

2SA-12:21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this

that thou

hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it

was] alive; but

when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

2SA-12:22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted

and wept: for

I said, Who can tell [whether] GOD will be gracious to me, that

the child may

live?

2SA-12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I

bring him back

again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

2SA-12:24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in

unto her, and

lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon:

and the LORD

loved him.

2SA-12:25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he

called his

name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

2SA-12:26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of

Ammon, and took

the royal city.

2SA-12:27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have

fought against

Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

2SA-12:28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together,

and encamp

against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be

called after my

name.

2SA-12:29 And David gathered all the people together, and went

to Rabbah, and

fought against it, and took it.

2SA-12:30 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the

weight

whereof [was] a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it

was [set] on

David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in

great abundance.

2SA-12:31 And he brought forth the people that [were] therein,

and put [them]

under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron,

and made them

pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities

of the

children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto

Jerusalem.

2SA-13:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son

of David had a

fair sister, whose name [was] Tamar; and Amnon the son of David

loved her.

2SA-13:2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his

sister Tamar; for

she [was] a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any

thing to her.

2SA-13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name [was] Jonadab, the

son of Shimeah

David's brother: and Jonadab [was] a very subtle man.

2SA-13:4 And he said unto him, Why [art] thou, [being] the

king's son, lean

from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him,

I love Tamar,

my brother Absalom's sister.

2SA-13:5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed,

and make

thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto

him, I pray

thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the

meat in my

sight, that I may see [it], and eat [it] at her hand.

2SA-13:6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the

king was come

to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my

sister come,

and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her

hand.

2SA-13:7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy

brother Amnon's

house, and dress him meat.

2SA-13:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was

laid down.

And she took flour, and kneaded [it], and made cakes in his

sight, and did

bake the cakes.

2SA-13:9 And she took a pan, and poured [them] out before him;

but he refused

to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went

out every man

from him.

2SA-13:10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the

chamber, that I

may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had

made, and

brought [them] into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

2SA-13:11 And when she had brought [them] unto him to eat, he

took hold of

her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

2SA-13:12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force

me; for no such

thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

2SA-13:13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as

for thee, thou

shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray

thee, speak unto

the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

2SA-13:14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but,

being stronger

than she, forced her, and lay with her.

2SA-13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred

wherewith he

hated her [was] greater than the love wherewith he had loved her.

And Amnon

said unto her, Arise, be gone.

2SA-13:16 And she said unto him, [There is] no cause: this evil

in sending me

away [is] greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he

would not

hearken unto her.

2SA-13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him,

and said, Put

now this [woman] out from me, and bolt the door after her.

2SA-13:18 And [she had] a garment of divers colours upon her:

for with such

robes were the king's daughters [that were] virgins apparelled.

Then his

servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

2SA-13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment

of divers

colours that [was] on her, and laid her hand on her head, and

went on crying.

2SA-13:20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy

brother been

with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he [is] thy

brother; regard not

this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's

house.

2SA-13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was

very wroth.

2SA-13:22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good

nor bad: for

Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

2SA-13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that

Absalom had

sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which [is] beside Ephraim: and

Absalom invited all

the king's sons.

2SA-13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now,

thy servant

hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his

servants go with thy

servant.

2SA-13:25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not

all now go,

lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he

would not go,

but blessed him.

2SA-13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my

brother Amnon go

with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

2SA-13:27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all

the king's sons

go with him.

2SA-13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark

ye now when

Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite

Amnon; then

kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and

be valiant.

2SA-13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom

had

commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him

up upon his

mule, and fled.

2SA-13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that

tidings came

to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and

there is not one

of them left.

2SA-13:31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay

on the earth;

and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

2SA-13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother,

answered and said,

Let not my lord suppose [that] they have slain all the young men

the king's

sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom

this hath been

determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

2SA-13:33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing

to his heart,

to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is

dead.

2SA-13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the

watch lifted up

his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the

way of the

hill side behind him.

2SA-13:35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's

sons come: as

thy servant said, so it is.

2SA-13:36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of

speaking,

that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice

and wept: and

the king also and all his servants wept very sore.

2SA-13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of

Ammihud, king of

Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day.

2SA-13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there

three years.

2SA-13:39 And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto

Absalom: for

he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

2SA-14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's

heart [was]

toward Absalom.

2SA-14:2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise

woman, and said

unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on

now mourning

apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that

had a long

time mourned for the dead:

2SA-14:3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto

him. So Joab put

the words in her mouth.

2SA-14:4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she

fell on her face

to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

2SA-14:5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she

answered, I

[am] indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

2SA-14:6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove

together in the

field, and [there was] none to part them, but the one smote the

other, and

slew him.

2SA-14:7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine

handmaid, and

they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill

him, for the

life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir

also: and so

they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to

my husband

[neither] name nor remainder upon the earth.

2SA-14:8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house,

and I will give

charge concerning thee.

2SA-14:9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O

king, the

iniquity [be] on me, and on my father's house: and the king and

his throne

[be] guiltless.

2SA-14:10 And the king said, Whosoever saith [ought] unto thee,

bring him to

me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

2SA-14:11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the

LORD thy God,

that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy

any more, lest

they destroy my son. And he said, [As] the LORD liveth, there

shall not one

hair of thy son fall to the earth.

2SA-14:12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee,

speak [one]

word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

2SA-14:13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought

such a thing

against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as

one which is

faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

2SA-14:14 For we must needs die, and [are] as water spilled on

the ground,

which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect

[any] person: yet

doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

2SA-14:15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing

unto my lord

the king, [it is] because the people have made me afraid: and

thy handmaid

said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king

will perform the

request of his handmaid.

2SA-14:16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out

of the hand of

the man [that would] destroy me and my son together out of the

inheritance of

God.

2SA-14:17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the

king shall now be

comfortable: for as an angel of God, so [is] my lord the king to

discern good

and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.

2SA-14:18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide

not from me, I

pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said,

Let my lord

the king now speak.

2SA-14:19 And the king said, [Is not] the hand of Joab with

thee in all this?

And the woman answered and said, [As] thy soul liveth, my lord

the king, none

can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my

lord the king

hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all

these words in

the mouth of thine handmaid:

2SA-14:20 To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant

Joab done this

thing: and my lord [is] wise, according to the wisdom of an

angel of God, to

know all [things] that [are] in the earth.

2SA-14:21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done

this thing: go

therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

2SA-14:22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed

himself, and

thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that

I have found

grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath

fulfilled the

request of his servant.

2SA-14:23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom

to Jerusalem.

2SA-14:24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and

let him not

see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not

the king's

face.

2SA-14:25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much

praised as Absalom

for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of

his head there

was no blemish in him.

2SA-14:26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at every

year's end that

he polled [it]: because [the hair] was heavy on him, therefore

he polled it:)

he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the

king's

weight.

2SA-14:27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one

daughter,

whose name [was] Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

2SA-14:28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw

not the

king's face.

2SA-14:29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to

the king; but

he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time,

he would not

come.

2SA-14:30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's

field is near

mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And

Absalom's servants

set the field on fire.

2SA-14:31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto [his] house,

and said

unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

2SA-14:32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee,

saying, Come

hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I

come from

Geshur? [it had been] good for me [to have been] there still:

now therefore

let me see the king's face; and if there be [any] iniquity in me,

let him kill

me.

2SA-14:33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he

had called for

Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to

the ground

before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

2SA-15:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared

him chariots

and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2SA-15:2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of

the gate: and

it was [so], that when any man that had a controversy came to

the king for

judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city

[art] thou? And

he said, Thy servant [is] of one of the tribes of Israel.

2SA-15:3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters [are] good

and right;

but [there is] no man [deputed] of the king to hear thee.

2SA-15:4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in

the land, that

every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I

would do him

justice!

2SA-15:5 And it was [so], that when any man came night [to him]

to do him

obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

2SA-15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came

to the king

for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

2SA-15:7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom

said unto the

king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed

unto the LORD,

in Hebron.

2SA-15:8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in

Syria,

saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem,

then I will

serve the LORD.

2SA-15:9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose,

and went to

Hebron.

2SA-15:10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of

Israel, saying,

As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say,

Absalom

reigneth in Hebron.

2SA-15:11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of

Jerusalem, [that were]

called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any

thing.

2SA-15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's

counsellor,

from his city, [even] from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices.

And the

conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with

Absalom.

2SA-15:13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The

hearts of the men

of Israel are after Absalom.

2SA-15:14 And David said unto all his servants that [were] with

him at

Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else]

escape from

Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and

bring evil

upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

2SA-15:15 And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold,

thy servants

[are ready to do] whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.

2SA-15:16 And the king went forth, and all his household after

him. And the

king left ten women, [which were] concubines, to keep the house.

2SA-15:17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him,

and tarried

in a place that was far off.

2SA-15:18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all

the Cherethites,

and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men

which came after

him from Gath, passed on before the king.

2SA-15:19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore

goest thou also

with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou

[art] a

stranger, and also an exile.

2SA-15:20 Whereas thou camest [but] yesterday, should I this

day make thee go

up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and

take back thy

brethren: mercy and truth [be] with thee.

2SA-15:21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, [As] the LORD

liveth, and

[as] my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the

king shall be,

whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

2SA-15:22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai

the Gittite

passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that

[were] with him.

2SA-15:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all

the people

passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron,

and all the

people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

2SA-15:24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites [were] with

him, bearing the

ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God;

and Abiathar

went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.

2SA-15:25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of

God into the

city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will

bring me again,

and show me [both] it, and his habitation:

2SA-15:26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold,

[here am] I,

let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.

2SA-15:27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, [Art not]

thou a seer?

return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you,

Ahimaaz thy son,

and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

2SA-15:28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness,

until there come

word from you to certify me.

2SA-15:29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God

again to

Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

2SA-15:30 And David went up by the ascent of [mount] Olivet,

and wept as he

went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all

the people

that [was] with him covered every man his head, and they went up,

weeping as

they went up.

2SA-15:31 And [one] told David, saying, Ahithophel [is] among

the

conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee,

turn the

counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

2SA-15:32 And it came to pass, that [when] David was come to

the top [of the

mount], where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came

to meet him

with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:

2SA-15:33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me,

then thou shalt

be a burden unto me:

2SA-15:34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom,

I will be thy

servant, O king; [as] I [have been] thy father's servant

hitherto, so [will] I

now also [be] thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the

counsel of

Ahithophel.

2SA-15:35 And [hast thou] not there with thee Zadok and

Abiathar the priests?

therefore it shall be, [that] what thing soever thou shalt hear

out of the

king's house, thou shalt tell [it] to Zadok and Abiathar the

priests.

2SA-15:36 Behold, [they have] there with them their two sons,

Ahimaaz Zadok's

[son], and Jonathan Abiathar's [son]; and by them ye shall send

unto me every

thing that ye can hear.

2SA-15:37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and

Absalom came into

Jerusalem.

2SA-16:1 And when David was a little past the top [of the hill],

behold, Ziba

the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses

saddled, and upon

them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and an hundred bunches of

raisins, and an

hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2SA-16:2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by

these? And Ziba

said, The asses [be] for the king's household to ride on; and

the bread and

summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such

as be faint in

the wilderness may drink.

2SA-16:3 And the king said, And where [is] thy master's son?

And Ziba said

unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To

day shall the

house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

2SA-16:4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine [are] all

that [pertained]

unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee [that] I

may find

grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

2SA-16:5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence

came out a man

of the family of the house of Saul, whose name [was] Shimei, the

son of Gera:

he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

2SA-16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants

of king David:

and all the people and all the mighty men [were] on his right

hand and on his

left.

2SA-16:7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come

out, thou bloody

man, and thou man of Belial:

2SA-16:8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the

house of Saul,

in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered

the kingdom into

the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in

thy mischief,

because thou [art] a bloody man.

2SA-16:9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king,

Why should this

dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee,

and take off his

head.

2SA-16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye

sons of Zeruiah?

so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse

David. Who shall

then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

2SA-16:11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants,

Behold, my son,

which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more

now [may this]

Benjamite [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the

LORD hath bidden

him.

2SA-16:12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction,

and that the

LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

2SA-16:13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went

along on the

hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw

stones at him,

and cast dust.

2SA-16:14 And the king, and all the people that [were] with him,

came weary,

and refreshed themselves there.

2SA-16:15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel,

came to

Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

2SA-16:16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's

friend, was

come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the

king, God save

the king.

2SA-16:17 And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this thy kindness to

thy friend?

why wentest thou not with thy friend?

2SA-16:18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD,

and this

people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and

with him will I

abide.

2SA-16:19 And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not

[serve] in the

presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence,

so will I be

in thy presence.

2SA-16:20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among

you what we

shall do.

2SA-16:21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy

father's

concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel

shall hear

that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of

all that [are]

with thee be strong.

2SA-16:22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the

house; and

Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all

Israel.

2SA-16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in

those days,

[was] as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so [was]

all the counsel

of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

2SA-17:1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now

choose out twelve

thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:

2SA-17:2 And I will come upon him while he [is] weary and weak

handed, and

will make him afraid: and all the people that [are] with him

shall flee; and I

will smite the king only:

2SA-17:3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the

man whom thou

seekest [is] as if all returned: [so] all the people shall be in

peace.

2SA-17:4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the

elders of Israel.

2SA-17:5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also,

and let us hear

likewise what he saith.

2SA-17:6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake

unto him, saying,

Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do [after]

his saying? if

not; speak thou.

2SA-17:7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that

Ahithophel hath given

[is] not good at this time.

2SA-17:8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men,

that they

[be] mighty men, and they [be] chafed in their minds, as a bear

robbed of her

whelps in the field: and thy father [is] a man of war, and will

not lodge with

the people.

2SA-17:9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some [other]

place: and it

will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first,

that

whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the

people that

follow Absalom.

2SA-17:10 And he also [that is] valiant, whose heart [is] as

the heart of a

lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father

[is] a mighty

man, and [they] which [be] with him [are] valiant men.

2SA-17:11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally

gathered unto

thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that [is] by the

sea for

multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

2SA-17:12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he

shall be found,

and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and

of him and of

all the men that [are] with him there shall not be left so much

as one.

2SA-17:13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all

Israel bring

ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until

there be not one

small stone found there.

2SA-17:14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The

counsel of Hushai

the Archite [is] better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the

LORD had

appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the

intent that the

LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

2SA-17:15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the

priests, Thus and

thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel;

and thus and

thus have I counselled.

2SA-17:16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying,

Lodge not this

night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over;

lest the king

be swallowed up, and all the people that [are] with him.

2SA-17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they

might not be

seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and

they went and

told king David.

2SA-17:18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but

they went both

of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim,

which had a well

in his court; whither they went down.

2SA-17:19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the

well's mouth, and

spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

2SA-17:20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the

house, they

said, Where [is] Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto

them, They be

gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could

not find

[them], they returned to Jerusalem.

2SA-17:21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that

they came up

out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto

David, Arise, and

pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled

against you.

2SA-17:22 Then David arose, and all the people that [were] with

him, and they

passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of

them that was

not gone over Jordan.

2SA-17:23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not

followed, he

saddled [his] ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to

his city, and

put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and

was buried in

the sepulchre of his father.

2SA-17:24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over

Jordan, he and

all the men of Israel with him.

2SA-17:25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of

Joab: which

Amasa [was] a man's son, whose name [was] Ithra an Israelite,

that went in to

Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.

2SA-17:26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

2SA-17:27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim,

that Shobi

the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir

the son of

Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

2SA-17:28 Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and

wheat, and

barley, and flour, and parched [corn], and beans, and lentiles,

and parched

[pulse],

2SA-17:29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine,

for David,

and for the people that [were] with him, to eat: for they said,

The people

[is] hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

2SA-18:1 And David numbered the people that [were] with him,

and set captains

of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

2SA-18:2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under

the hand of

Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of

Zeruiah, Joab's

brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.

And the king

said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself

also.

2SA-18:3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for

if we flee

away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will

they care for

us: but now [thou art] worth ten thousand of us: therefore now

[it is] better

that thou succour us out of the city.

2SA-18:4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I

will do. And

the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by

hundreds and

by thousands.

2SA-18:5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai,

saying, [Deal]

gently for my sake with the young man, [even] with Absalom. And

all the people

heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning

Absalom.

2SA-18:6 So the people went out into the field against Israel:

and the battle

was in the wood of Ephraim;

2SA-18:7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the

servants of David,

and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty

thousand [men].

2SA-18:8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of

all the country:

and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword

devoured.

2SA-18:9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom

rode upon a mule,

and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his

head caught

hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the

earth; and the

mule that [was] under him went away.

2SA-18:10 And a certain man saw [it], and told Joab, and said,

Behold, I saw

Absalom hanged in an oak.

2SA-18:11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold,

thou sawest

[him], and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? And

I would have

given thee ten [shekels] of silver, and a girdle.

2SA-18:12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a

thousand

[shekels] of silver in mine hand, [yet] would I not put forth

mine hand

against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee

and Abishai

and Ittai, saying, Beware that none [touch] the young man

Absalom.

2SA-18:13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against

mine own life:

for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself

wouldest have set

thyself against [me].

2SA-18:14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And

he took three

darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom,

while he

[was] yet alive in the midst of the oak.

2SA-18:15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed

about and smote

Absalom, and slew him.

2SA-18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned

from pursuing

after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

2SA-18:17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit

in the wood,

and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel

fled every one

to his tent.

2SA-18:18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up

for himself a

pillar, which [is] in the king's dale: for he said, I have no

son to keep my

name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name:

and it is

called unto this day, Absalom's place.

2SA-18:19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run,

and bear the

king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.

2SA-18:20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings

this day, but

thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt

bear no tidings,

because the king's son is dead.

2SA-18:21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou

hast seen. And

Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

2SA-18:22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab,

But

howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab

said, Wherefore

wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?

2SA-18:23 But howsoever, [said he], let me run. And he said

unto him, Run.

Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

2SA-18:24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman

went up to

the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes,

and looked, and

behold a man running alone.

2SA-18:25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the

king said, If he

[be] alone, [there is] tidings in his mouth. And he came apace,

and drew near.

2SA-18:26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the

watchman called

unto the porter, and said, Behold [another] man running alone.

And the king

said, He also bringeth tidings.

2SA-18:27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the

foremost is

like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said,

He [is] a

good man, and cometh with good tidings.

2SA-18:28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is

well. And he

fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said,

Blessed [be]

the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up

their hand

against my lord the king.

2SA-18:29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And

Ahimaaz

answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and [me] thy

servant, I saw a

great tumult, but I knew not what [it was].

2SA-18:30 And the king said [unto him], Turn aside, [and] stand

here. And he

turned aside, and stood still.

2SA-18:31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my

lord the king:

for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up

against thee.

2SA-18:32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man

Absalom safe? And

Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that

rise against

thee to do [thee] hurt, be as [that] young man [is].

2SA-18:33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the

chamber over the

gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom,

my son, my son

Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my

son!

2SA-19:1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and

mourneth for

Absalom.

2SA-19:2 And the victory that day was [turned] into mourning

unto all the

people: for the people heard say that day how the king was

grieved for his

son.

2SA-19:3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the

city, as people

being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

2SA-19:4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with

a loud voice,

O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

2SA-19:5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said,

Thou hast shamed

this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have

saved thy life,

and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of

thy wives,

and the lives of thy concubines;

2SA-19:6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy

friends. For thou

hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor

servants: for

this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had

died this day,

then it had pleased thee well.

2SA-19:7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably

unto thy

servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there

will not tarry

one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than

all the evil

that befell thee from thy youth until now.

2SA-19:8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they

told unto all the

people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all

the people came

before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

2SA-19:9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the

tribes of

Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies,

and he

delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is

fled out of the

land for Absalom.

2SA-19:10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in

battle. Now

therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

2SA-19:11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the

priests, saying,

Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to

bring the king

back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to

the king, [even]

to his house.

2SA-19:12 Ye [are] my brethren, ye [are] my bones and my flesh:

wherefore

then are ye the last to bring back the king?

2SA-19:13 And say ye to Amasa, [Art] thou not of my bone, and

of my flesh?

God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the

host before me

continually in the room of Joab.

2SA-19:14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even

as [the heart

of] one man; so that they sent [this word] unto the king, Return

thou, and all

thy servants.

2SA-19:15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah

came to Gilgal,

to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

2SA-19:16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which [was]

of Bahurim,

hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

2SA-19:17 And [there were] a thousand men of Benjamin with him,

and Ziba the

servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his

twenty servants

with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

2SA-19:18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the

king's

household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of

Gera fell

down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

2SA-19:19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute

iniquity unto me,

neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely

the day that my

lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take

it to his

heart.

2SA-19:20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned:

therefore, behold, I

am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down

to meet my

lord the king.

2SA-19:21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said,

Shall not Shimei

be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?

2SA-19:22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons

of Zeruiah,

that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any

man be put to

death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I [am] this day

king over

Israel?

2SA-19:23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not

die. And the

king sware unto him.

2SA-19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet

the king, and

had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed

his clothes,

from the day the king departed until the day he came [again] in

peace.

2SA-19:25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to

meet the

king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou

with me,

Mephibosheth?

2SA-19:26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived

me: for thy

servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon,

and go to the

king; because thy servant [is] lame.

2SA-19:27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the

king; but my

lord the king [is] as an angel of God: do therefore [what is]

good in thine

eyes.

2SA-19:28 For all [of] my father's house were but dead men

before my lord the

king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at

thine own

table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the

king?

2SA-19:29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any

more of thy

matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

2SA-19:30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him

take all,

forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his

own house.

2SA-19:31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim,

and went over

Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

2SA-19:32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, [even] fourscore

years old: and

he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim;

for he [was]

a very great man.

2SA-19:33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with

me, and I

will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

2SA-19:34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to

live, that I

should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

2SA-19:35 I [am] this day fourscore years old: [and] can I

discern between

good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink?

can I hear

any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore

then should thy

servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

2SA-19:36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the

king: and why

should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

2SA-19:37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I

may die in

mine own city, [and be buried] by the grave of my father and of

my mother. But

behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the

king; and do to

him what shall seem good unto thee.

2SA-19:38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me,

and I will do

to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou

shalt require

of me, [that] will I do for thee.

2SA-19:39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the

king was come

over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he

returned unto his own

place.

2SA-19:40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on

with him: and

all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the

people of

Israel.

2SA-19:41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king,

and said unto

the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee

away, and have

brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with

him, over

Jordan?

2SA-19:42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel,

Because the

king [is] near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this

matter? have

we eaten at all of the king's [cost]? or hath he given us any

gift?

2SA-19:43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and

said, We have

ten parts in the king, and we have also more [right] in David

than ye: why

then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had

in bringing

back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer

than the words

of the men of Israel.

2SA-20:1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose

name [was]

Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet,

and said, We

have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of

Jesse: every

man to his tents, O Israel.

2SA-20:2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, [and]

followed

Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their

king, from

Jordan even to Jerusalem.

2SA-20:3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king

took the ten

women [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and

put them in

ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut

up unto the

day of their death, living in widowhood.

2SA-20:4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of

Judah within

three days, and be thou here present.

2SA-20:5 So Amasa went to assemble [the men of] Judah: but he

tarried longer

than the set time which he had appointed him.

2SA-20:6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of

Bichri do us

more harm than [did] Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and

pursue after

him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

2SA-20:7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the

Cherethites, and

the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of

Jerusalem, to

pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

2SA-20:8 When they [were] at the great stone which [is] in

Gibeon, Amasa went

before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded

unto him, and

upon it a girdle [with] a sword fastened upon his loins in the

sheath thereof;

and as he went forth it fell out.

2SA-20:9 And Joab said to Amasa, [Art] thou in health, my

brother? And Joab

took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

2SA-20:10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that [was] in

Joab's hand: so

he smote him therewith in the fifth [rib], and shed out his

bowels to the

ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and

Abishai his brother

pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

2SA-20:11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that

favoureth

Joab, and he that [is] for David, [let him go] after Joab.

2SA-20:12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the

highway. And when

the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa

out of the

highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw

that every one

that came by him stood still.

2SA-20:13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the

people went on

after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

2SA-20:14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto

Abel, and to

Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered

together, and went

also after him.

2SA-20:15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah,

and they

cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and

all the

people that [were] with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

2SA-20:16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear;

say, I pray

you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

2SA-20:17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said,

[Art] thou

Joab? And he answered, I [am he]. Then she said unto him, Hear

the words of

thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

2SA-20:18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in

old time,

saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they

ended [the

matter].

2SA-20:19 I [am one of them that are] peaceable [and] faithful

in Israel:

thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt

thou swallow

up the inheritance of the LORD?

2SA-20:20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from

me, that I

should swallow up or destroy.

2SA-20:21 The matter [is] not so: but a man of mount Ephraim,

Sheba the son

of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king,

[even] against

David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And

the woman said

unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the

wall.

2SA-20:22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom.

And they cut

off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast [it] out to

Joab. And he

blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his

tent. And

Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

2SA-20:23 Now Joab [was] over all the host of Israel: and

Benaiah the son of

Jehoiada [was] over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

2SA-20:24 And Adoram [was] over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat

the son of

Ahilud [was] recorder:

2SA-20:25 And Sheva [was] scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar [were]

the priests:

2SA-20:26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about

David.

2SA-21:1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three

years, year after

year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It

is] for Saul,

and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

2SA-21:2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them;

(now the

Gibeonites [were] not of the children of Israel, but of the

remnant of the

Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and

Saul sought to

slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

2SA-21:3 Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I

do for you?

and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the

inheritance of

the LORD?

2SA-21:4 And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no

silver nor gold of

Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man

in Israel. And

he said, What ye shall say, [that] will I do for you.

2SA-21:5 And they answered the king, The man that consumed us,

and that

devised against us [that] we should be destroyed from remaining

in any of the

coasts of Israel,

2SA-21:6 Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we

will hang

them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, [whom] the LORD did

choose. And the

king said, I will give [them].

2SA-21:7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan

the son of

Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that [was] between them,

between David and

Jonathan the son of Saul.

2SA-21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter

of Aiah, whom

she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons

of Michal the

daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of

Barzillai the

Meholathite:

2SA-21:9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites,

and they

hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell [all]

seven together,

and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first

[days], in the

beginning of barley harvest.

2SA-21:10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and

spread it for

her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water

dropped upon them

out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest

on them by

day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

2SA-21:11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of

Aiah, the

concubine of Saul, had done.

2SA-21:12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the

bones of Jonathan

his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from

the street of

Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the

Philistines had

slain Saul in Gilboa:

2SA-21:13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and

the bones of

Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were

hanged.

2SA-21:14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried

they in the

country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his

father: and they

performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was

entreated for

the land.

2SA-21:15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with

Israel; and David

went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the

Philistines: and

David waxed faint.

2SA-21:16 And Ishbibenob, which [was] of the sons of the giant,

the weight of

whose spear [weighed] three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight,

he being

girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David.

2SA-21:17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and

smote the

Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him,

saying, Thou

shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the

light of

Israel.

2SA-21:18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again

a battle with

the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph,

which [was]

of the sons of the giant.

2SA-21:19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the

Philistines, where

Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew [the

brother of] Goliath

the Gittite, the staff of whose spear [was] like a weaver's beam.

2SA-21:20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man

of [great]

stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot

six toes, four

and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.

2SA-21:21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of

Shimeah the brother

of David slew him.

2SA-21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell

by the hand of

David, and by the hand of his servants.

2SA-22:1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song

in the day

[that] the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his

enemies, and out

of the hand of Saul:

2SA-22:2 And he said, The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress,

and my

deliverer;

2SA-22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: [he is] my

shield, and the

horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour;

thou savest me

from violence.

2SA-22:4 I will call on the LORD, [who is] worthy to be praised:

so shall I

be saved from mine enemies.

2SA-22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of

ungodly men made

me afraid;

2SA-22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of

death

prevented me;

2SA-22:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my

God: and he

did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry [did enter] into

his ears.

2SA-22:8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of

heaven moved

and shook, because he was wroth.

2SA-22:9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire

out of his mouth

devoured: coals were kindled by it.

2SA-22:10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and

darkness [was] under

his feet.

2SA-22:11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was

seen upon the

wings of the wind.

2SA-22:12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark

waters, [and]

thick clouds of the skies.

2SA-22:13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire

kindled.

2SA-22:14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High

uttered his

voice.

2SA-22:15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning,

and

discomfited them.

2SA-22:16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations

of the world

were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of

the breath of

his nostrils.

2SA-22:17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of

many waters;

2SA-22:18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, [and] from them

that hated

me: for they were too strong for me.

2SA-22:19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the

LORD was my

stay.

2SA-22:20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he

delivered me,

because he delighted in me.

2SA-22:21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness:

according to

the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

2SA-22:22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not

wickedly

departed from my God.

2SA-22:23 For all his judgments [were] before me: and [as for]

his statutes,

I did not depart from them.

2SA-22:24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself

from mine

iniquity.

2SA-22:25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my

righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.

2SA-22:26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful,

[and] with the

upright man thou wilt show thyself upright.

2SA-22:27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with

the froward

thou wilt show thyself unsavoury.

2SA-22:28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine

eyes [are] upon

the haughty, [that] thou mayest bring [them] down.

2SA-22:29 For thou [art] my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will

lighten my

darkness.

2SA-22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God

have I leaped

over a wall.

2SA-22:31 [As for] God, his way [is] perfect; the word of the

LORD [is]

tried: he [is] a buckler to all them that trust in him.

2SA-22:32 For who [is] God, save the LORD? and who [is] a rock,

save our God?

2SA-22:33 God [is] my strength [and] power: And he maketh my

way perfect.

2SA-22:34 He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet]: and setteth me

upon my high

places.

2SA-22:35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel

is broken by

mine arms.

2SA-22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation:

and thy

gentleness hath made me great.

2SA-22:37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet

did not slip.

2SA-22:38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and

turned not

again until I had consumed them.

2SA-22:39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they

could not

arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.

2SA-22:40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them

that rose up

against me hast thou subdued under me.

2SA-22:41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies,

that I might

destroy them that hate me.

2SA-22:42 They looked, but [there was] none to save; [even]

unto the LORD,

but he answered them not.

2SA-22:43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the

earth, I did stamp

them as the mire of the street, [and] did spread them abroad.

2SA-22:44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my

people, thou

hast kept me [to be] head of the heathen: a people [which] I

knew not shall

serve me.

2SA-22:45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as

they hear,

they shall be obedient unto me.

2SA-22:46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid

out of their

close places.

2SA-22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and

exalted be the God

of the rock of my salvation.

2SA-22:48 It [is] God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down

the people

under me,

2SA-22:49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou

also hast lifted

me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast

delivered me from

the violent man.

2SA-22:50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among

the heathen,

and I will sing praises unto thy name.

2SA-22:51 [He is] the tower of salvation for his king: and

showeth mercy to

his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

2SA-23:1 Now these [be] the last words of David. David the son

of Jesse said,

and the man [who was] raised up on high, the anointed of the God

of Jacob, and

the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

2SA-23:2 The spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word [was]

in my tongue.

2SA-23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me,

He that

ruleth over men [must be] just, ruling in the fear of God.

2SA-23:4 And [he shall be] as the light of the morning, [when]

the sun

riseth, [even] a morning without clouds; [as] the tender grass

[springing] out

of the earth by clear shining after rain.

2SA-23:5 Although my house [be] not so with God; yet he hath

made with me an

everlasting covenant, ordered in all [things], and sure: for

[this is] all my

salvation, and all [my] desire, although he make [it] not to

grow.

2SA-23:6 But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as

thorns thrust

away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

2SA-23:7 But the man [that] shall touch them must be fenced

with iron and the

staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in

the [same]

place.

2SA-23:8 These [be] the names of the mighty men whom David had:

The

Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the

same [was]

Adino the Eznite: [he lift up his spear] against eight hundred,

whom he slew

at one time.

2SA-23:9 And after him [was] Eleazar the son of Dodo the

Ahohite, [one] of

the three mighty men with David, when they defied the

Philistines [that] were

there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were

gone away:

2SA-23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand

was weary, and

his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great

victory that day;

and the people returned after him only to spoil.

2SA-23:11 And after him [was] Shammah the son of Agee the

Hararite. And the

Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a

piece of ground

full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

2SA-23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended

it, and slew

the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

2SA-23:13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to

David in the

harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the

Philistines

pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

2SA-23:14 And David [was] then in an hold, and the garrison of

the

Philistines [was] then [in] Bethlehem.

2SA-23:15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me

drink of the

water of the well of Bethlehem, which [is] by the gate!

2SA-23:16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of

the Philistines,

and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that [was] by the

gate, and took

[it], and brought [it] to David: nevertheless he would not drink

thereof, but

poured it out unto the LORD.

2SA-23:17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should

do this: [is

not this] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their

lives? therefore

he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

2SA-23:18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,

was chief

among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred,

[and] slew

[them], and had the name among three.

2SA-23:19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was

their

captain: howbeit he attained not unto the [first] three.

2SA-23:20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant

man, of

Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of

Moab: he went

down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

2SA-23:21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the

Egyptian had a spear

in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked

the spear out

of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

2SA-23:22 These [things] did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and

had the name

among three mighty men.

2SA-23:23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he

attained not to the

[first] three. And David set him over his guard.

2SA-23:24 Asahel the brother of Joab [was] one of the thirty;

Elhanan the son

of Dodo of Bethlehem,

2SA-23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

2SA-23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

2SA-23:27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

2SA-23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

2SA-23:29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the

son of Ribai out

of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

2SA-23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of

Gaash,

2SA-23:31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

2SA-23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen,

Jonathan,

2SA-23:33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the

Hararite,

2SA-23:34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the

Maachathite, Eliam the

son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

2SA-23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

2SA-23:36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

2SA-23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite,

armourbearer to Joab the

son of Zeruiah,

2SA-23:38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

2SA-23:39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

2SA-24:1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against

Israel, and he

moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

2SA-24:2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host,

which [was] with

him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to

Beersheba, and

number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.

2SA-24:3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add

unto the

people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the

eyes of my lord

the king may see [it]: but why doth my lord the king delight in

this thing?

2SA-24:4 Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab,

and against

the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host

went out from

the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.

2SA-24:5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on

the right side

of the city that [lieth] in the midst of the river of Gad, and

toward Jazer:

2SA-24:6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of

Tahtimhodshi; and they

came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,

2SA-24:7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the

cities of the

Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south

of Judah,

[even] to Beersheba.

2SA-24:8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came

to Jerusalem

at the end of nine months and twenty days.

2SA-24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people

unto the king:

and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that

drew the

sword; and the men of Judah [were] five hundred thousand men.

2SA-24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had

numbered the people.

And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I

have done: and

now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy

servant; for I have

done very foolishly.

2SA-24:11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the

LORD came

unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

2SA-24:12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer

thee three

[things]; choose thee one of them, that I may [do it] unto thee.

2SA-24:13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him,

Shall seven

years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee

three months

before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be

three days'

pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall

return to him

that sent me.

2SA-24:14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let

us fall now

into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies [are] great: and let

me not fall

into the hand of man.

2SA-24:15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the

morning even to

the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even

to Beersheba

seventy thousand men.

2SA-24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon

Jerusalem to destroy

it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel

that destroyed

the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of

the LORD was

by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

2SA-24:17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel

that smote the

people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly:

but these

sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be

against me, and

against my father's house.

2SA-24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go

up, rear an

altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the

Jebusite.

2SA-24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as

the LORD

commanded.

2SA-24:20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants

coming on

toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the

king on his

face upon the ground.

2SA-24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come

to his

servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to

build an altar

unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

2SA-24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king

take and offer up

what [seemeth] good unto him: behold, [here be] oxen for burnt

sacrifice, and

threshing instruments and [other] instruments of the oxen for

wood.

2SA-24:23 All these [things] did Araunah, [as] a king, give

unto the king.

And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

2SA-24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will

surely buy [it] of

thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the

LORD my God of

that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the

threshingfloor and the

oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

2SA-24:25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and

offered burnt

offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the

land, and the

plague was stayed from Israel.