Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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2Samuel
2Samuel 1
¶1. And it came to pass, after Saul’s death, that David returned from slaying the Amalekites. And David stayed in Ziklag two days.
2. And it came to pass on the third day that, behold, a man coming from the camp, from being with Saul, his clothes torn and dust upon his head. And it came to pass, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth and prostrated himself.
3. And David said to him, “From where have you come?” And he said to him, “From the camp of Israel I have escaped.”
4. Then David asked him, “What is the report? Tell me, I pray you.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and many of the people have also fallen and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan have also died.”
5. And David said to the young man who told it to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan died?”
6. And the young man who told it to him said, “I had an unexpected encounter near Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul, leaning on his spear. And behold! The chariotry and owners of horses pursued him closely.
7. And he turned behind him and saw me, and he called to me. And I answered, “Here I am.”
8. And he said to me, “Who are you?” And I said to him, “I am an Amalekite.”
9. And he said to me, “Stand over me, I beg you, and kill me, for agony has taken hold of me; because my life is just yet in me.”
10. So I stood over him, and I killed him, for I knew that he would not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and a bracelet that was on his arm, and I brought them here to my lord.
11. Then David took hold of his clothing and rent them asunder; and likewise did all of the men who were with him.
12. And they mourned, and they wept, and they fasted until the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan, and for the Lord’s people, and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword.
¶13. And David said to the young man who told it to him, “Where do you hail from?” And he said, “I am an Amalekite, son of a sojourner.”
14. And David said to him, “How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
15. Then David called to one of the young men and said, “Go near, and light upon him.” So he smote him that he died.
16. And David said to him, “Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slaughtered the anointed of the Lord.’”
¶17. Then David mourned with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.
18. And he said to teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.
19. The honor of Israel is slain upon your high places. How the mighty ones have fallen!
20. Do not declare it in Gath. Do not bear glad tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21.You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was cast away – the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22. From the blood of the slain, from the midriff of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow did not turn back, neither did Saul’s sword return empty.
23. Saul and Jonathan were beloved and delightful in their lives, and in their deaths, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24. O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with delights, who brought up ornaments of gold upon your raiment.
25. O how the mighty have fallen in the midst of battle! O Jonathan, you were slain on your high places!
26. It is a distress to me concerning you, Jonathan my brother! You were abundantly delightful to me. To me, your love surpassed the love of women.
27. O how the mighty have fallen, and the vessels of war perished!
2Samuel 2
¶1. And so it happened afterward that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And Jehovah said to him, “Go up.” And David said, “To where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”
2. So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal the Carmelite’s widow.
3. And David brought up the men who were with him, each with his house, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David as king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh-Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.”
¶5. So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead and said to them, “Blessed be you of Jehovah, that you have shown this kindness toward your lord, toward Saul, and have buried him.
6.And now, may Jehovah show kindness and truth to you; and I also will do the same good to you because you have done this thing.
7.And now, let your hands be strengthened, and be as men of might, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me to be king over them.”
¶8. But Abner ben-Ner, captain of Saul’s army, took Ish-Bosheth ben-Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim,
9.and made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
¶10. Ish-Bosheth ben-Saul was forty years old at the beginning of his reign over Israel, and he reigned two years; however, the house of Judah followed after David.
11. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
¶12. And Abner ben-Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth ben-Saul came out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13. And Joab ben-Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon, and they sat down together, these on this side of the pool and those on the other side of the pool.
14. And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men, I pray you, arise and sport before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
15. Then they arose and passed over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-boseth ben-Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.
16. And they took hold of each other by the head, and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell together. And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
17. And the battle was very fierce that day, and Abner was smitten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18. And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was light in his feet, like one of the gazelles that are in the field.
19. And Asahel pursued after Abner, and in going he did not turn from following Abner, neither from the right hand, nor from the left.
20. Then Abner turned to look behind him, and he said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he said, “It is me.”
21. And Abner said to him, “Turn yourself aside, to your right hand or to your left hand, and seize for yourself one of the young men, and take for yourself his armor.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
22. And Abner said again, repeatedly, to Asahel, “Turn yourself aside from following me! Why should I strike you down to the ground? How then could I hold up my face to Joab your brother?”
23. But he refused to turn aside; so, Abner struck him with the back end of the spear into his belly, and the spear came out his back side, and he fell there in his place. And it came to pass that, as many as came to the place to which Asahel fell and died, there they stood still.
24. And Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. And the sun was setting as they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah, by way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25. And the sons of Benjamin were gathered together behind Abner, and they became one unit and stood on top of a hill.
26. Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword consume forever? Do you not know that it will be bitterness in the end? How long will it be, then, before you tell the men of the people to turn back from following after their brothers?”
27. And Joab said, “As God lives, indeed, unless you had not spoken, then surely by morning the men of the people would have gone away from following his brothers.”
28. So Joab blew the shofar, and all the people stood still and did not pursue after Israel any more, neither did they continue to engage in battle any more.
29. And Abner and his men marched through the plain all that night, and they crossed over the Jordan, and they went through all of the Bithron and came to Mahanaim.
30. And Joab returned from following Abner, and when he had gathered all the people, there were nineteen servants of David, and Asahel, lacking.
31. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, three hundred-sixty men who died.
32. And they carried Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which is in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.
2Samuel 3
¶1. Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, but David became stronger, but the house of Saul became weaker.
¶2. And sons were born to David at Hebron, and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelite.
3. And his second was Chileab, of Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
4. And the fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith, and the fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital.
5. And the sixth was Ithream, by Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David at Hebron.
¶6. And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening himself in the house of Saul.
7. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, and Ish-Bosheth[1]said to Abner, “Why did you go in to my father’s concubine?”
8. And Abner became very angry at the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he said, “Am I a dog’s head who to this day concerning Judah shows kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his kin, and to his companions? Nor have I delivered you into the hand of David, that you should charge me today with a fault concerning this woman.
9.Go do thus to Abner, and more than thus to him, except, as the Lord has sworn to David, that I do so for him,
10.to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11. And he could not answer Abner anything more because he feared him.
¶12. Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?”, saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to turn all Israel to you.”
13. And he said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you, only, one thing I would ask of you, that is, you shall not see my face unless you bring before me Michal, the daughter of Saul, when you come to see my face.”
14. And David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth ben-Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15. And Ish-Bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Phaltiel ben-Lush.
16. And her husband went with her, going and weeping after her as far as Bahurim. But Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he went back.
¶17. And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “Even before, in times past, you were seeking for David to be king over you.
18.Do so now, then, for the Lord spoke of David, saying, ‘By the hand of David, my servant, will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of all their enemies.’”
19. And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin. Then Abner even went to speak in the ears of David at Hebron all that was good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of the whole house of Benjamin.
20. And Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him.
21. And Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
22. And, behold, servants of David and Joab came from a raid bringing much spoil with them, but Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had left in peace.
23. When Joab and all the host who were with him had come, then they reported to Joab, saying, “Abner ben-Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he left in peace.”
24. Then Joab came to the king, and he said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you sent him away , and he left in peace?
25.You know Abner ben-Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
26. And when Joab went out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back again from the well of Sirah. But David knew nothing of it.
¶27. And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate to speak with him privately. But he struck him there at the fifth rib, so that he died, on account of the blood of Asahel, his brother.
28. But after David heard of this, then he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner ben-Ner.
29.Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house, and let there not fail to be in the house of Joab one with an issue of blood, or that is a leper, or that holds a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that lacks bread.”
30. Now Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had slain Asahel their brother in the battle at Gibeon.
¶31. And David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier.
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.
33. And the king lamented over Abner, and said, “Did Abner die as a fool dies?
34.Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters. As a man falls before wicked men have you fallen.” Then all the people wept again over him.
35. And when all the people came to encourage David to eat bread while it was yet day, then David swore, saying, “Let God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else until the sun goes down!”
36. And all the people took note of it, and it was good in their eyes, as everything that the king did was good in the eyes of the people.
37. And all the people of Israel understood on that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner ben-Ner.
¶38. And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince, and a great one, has fallen this day in Israel?
39.And this day, I am weak, even though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are harder than I. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
2Samuel 4
¶1. Now Saul’s son[2] heard that Abner had died at Hebron, and his strength faded, and all Israel was dismayed.
2. And Saul’s son had two men who were captains of bands; the name of the first was Baanah, and the name of the second was Rechab, sons of Rimmon, a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin,
3. But the Beerothites had fled to Gittaim and sojourned there until this day).
4. And Jonathan ben-Saul had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel about Saul and Jonathan, and his nurse had taken him and fled. But it came to pass, as she hurried to flee that he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
5. And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, came in the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who was lying down on a bed at noon.
6. And, behold, they entered into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they struck him at the fifth rib. And Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7. For when they came to the house he was lying on his bed in his bedchamber, and they struck and killed him, and beheaded him. Then they took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
8. And they brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who sought your life. But Jehovah has given to my lord vengeance this day upon Saul and his seed.”
9. And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said, “As Jehovah lives, who rescued my soul from all distress,
10.when one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead’, it being in his eyes a good report, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was my reward for his report.
11.How then, when evil men have killed a righteous man in his house on his bed, shall I not now seek his blood from your hands, and purge you from the earth?”
12. And David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and their feet, and they hanged them over the pool at Hebron. And they took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.
2Samuel 5
¶1. Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and they spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
2.Also, in times past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led forth and brought in Israel, and Jehovah said to you, ‘You shall feed my people Israel, and you shall be the ruler over Israel.’”
3. And all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David as king over Israel.
4. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
5. At Hebron, he reigned over Judah for seven years six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6. And the king, with his men, went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they spoke to David, saying, “You cannot enter here. For even the blind and the lame will turn you away, saying, ‘David cannot enter here.’”
7. But David took the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David.
8. And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him strike through the conduit even the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” For this reason, it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not enter into the house.”
9. Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and he called it the city of David. And David built all around from Millo and within.
10. And David advanced and became great, and the Lord God of Hosts was with him.
¶11. And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons for stone walls, and they built a house for David.
12. And David understood that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel’s sake.
13. And David took more concubines and wives from of Jerusalem after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.
14. And these are the names of those born to him at Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
15.and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
16.and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
¶17. But the Philistines heard that they had anointed David as king over Israel. Then all the Philistines came up to seek David, and when David heard of it, he went down to the stronghold.
18. And the Philistines came and spread themselves out in the Valley of the Rephaim.
19. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, ‘Go up! For I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
20. And David went to Baal-Perazim, and David struck them down there, and he said, “Jehovah has breached my enemies before me, as a breach of waters.” Therefore, he named that place Baal-Perazim.[3]
21. And they abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
¶22. And the Philistines came up yet again and spread themselves in the Valley of the Rephaim.
23.but when David inquired of the Lord, He said, “Do not go up. Go around to their rear, and you shall come at them opposite the mulberry trees.
24.And it shall be, that when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, you shall stir yourself, for then shall the Lord go forth before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”
25. And David did so, just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gaza.
2Samuel 6
¶1. And David again gathered all the chosen men in Israel, thirty thousand.
2. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, who is called by the Name, the name Jehovah of Hosts, who sits over it on the cherubim.
3. And they mounted the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab which was in Gibeah. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart.
4. And they carried it from the house of Abinadab which was in Gibeah, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
5. And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord with all kinds of instruments of cypress, and on lyres, and on harps, and on timbrels, and on drums , and on cymbals.
6. But when they came to threshing floor of Nachon, then Uzzah put his hand on the ark of God, and he took hold of it because the oxen shook it.
7. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him there for the error, and he died there beside the ark of God.
8. And David was angry, because the Lord had made a breach against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-Uzzah to this day.
9. And David feared the Lord on that day, and he said, “How shall the ark of the Lord be brought to me?”
10. And David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to himself, into the city of David. So, David took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
11. And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his house.
12. And it was reported to David the king, saying, “Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that is his because of the ark of God. Then David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with gladness.
13. And it came to pass, when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, that he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.
14. And David was whirling before Jehovah with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod.
15. And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with a shout of joy and the sound of the shofar.
16. And the ark of the Lord entered the city of David. And Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down through the window and saw King David cutting loose and whirling before Jehovah, and she despised him in her heart.
17. And they brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place in the midst of the tent which David had pitched for it. And David offered peace offerings before the Lord.
18. And when David finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts.
19. And he distributed to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, to the men and the women, to each one a cake of bread, and a piece of flesh, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people departed, each to his house.
20. And David returned to bless his household, and Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David. She said, “How the King of Israel was glorified today! who exposed himself today before the handmaids of his slaves like one of the worthless men that shamelessly expose themselves.”
21. And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me instead of your father, and instead of all his house, to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people, over Israel! Yes, I played before the Lord!
22.And I will be more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in my own eyes, and as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them will I be honored!”
23. And so, Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death.
2Samuel 7
¶1. And it came to pass that as the king sat in his house for Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies about him.
2. And the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, if you will, I dwell in a house made of cedar, and the ark of God of God dwells within the tabernacle curtains.
3. And Nathan said to the King, “Go and do all that is in your heart, for Jehovah is with you.”
4. And it came to pass that night that the word of Jehovah came to Nathan, saying,
5.“Go and say to my servant David, ‘Thus says Jehovah: Will you build a house for me to dwell in?
6.But I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt until this day, but I have gone about in a tent, even in a tabernacle.
7.In any place I went about among all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken to one of the rulers[4] of Israel whom I had commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built a house of cedar for me?”’
8.And then say this to my servant, to David: ‘Thus says the Lord of Hosts: I took you from the sheep pen, from following the flock, to be leader over my people, over Israel.
9.And I have been with you everywhere you went, and I have cut off all your enemies before you, and I have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.
10.Furthermore, I appointed a place for my people, for Israel, and I planted them, that they might dwell in it, and that they be troubled no more, and that unjust men would not again abuse them as before.
11.And from the day that I appointed judges over my people Israel, I gave you rest from all your enemies. And Jehovah tells you that Jehovah will make you a house.
12.For when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you who will go out from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom.
13.He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14.I will be his Father, and he will be my son, whom if he do iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with stripes of the children of men,
15.but my mercy will not depart from him, as I removed from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
15. But my lovingkindness shall not depart from him as I departed from Saul whom I took away before you.
16.And your house and your kingdom will be established for ever before you. Your throne will be established forever.”
17. According to all these words, and according to this vision, thus did Nathan speak to David.
¶18. Then king David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me here?
19.And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God, for you spoke also of your servant’s house for a long while to come. And this is the law of the Man, O Lord God!
20.And what more can David add to say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God!
21.For your word’s sake, and according to your heart, have you done all this greatness, to make your servant to know this.
22.Therefore, you are great, O Lord God, for there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, in accordance with all that we have heard with our ears.
23.And what one nation in the earth is like your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem as a people for himself, and to make for himself a name, and to do great and dreadful things for you, for your land before your people whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, nations, and their gods?
24.And you have established for yourself your people Israel, as a people for you forever. And you, O Lord, have become their God.
25.And now, O Lord God, establish the word which you have spoken to your servant and concerning his house forever, and do as you have said.
26.And let your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of Hosts is God over Israel,’ and let the house of your servant David be established before you.
27.For you, O Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed it in the ear of your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ Therefore, your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
28.And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have spoken this good thing to your servant.
29.So, let it be pleasing and bless the house of your servant, that it may forever be before you, for you, O Lord God, have spoken. And with your blessing may the house of your servant be blessed forever.”
2Samuel 8
¶1. And it came to pass after this, that David struck the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-Ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2. He also struck Moab, and measured them with a line, causing them to lie down on the ground. And with two lines he measured them to put to death, and with a full line to keep alive. And Moab became servants for David and brought tribute.
3. David struck Hadadezer ben-Rehob, the king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power to the Euphrates River.
4. And David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but kept for himself one hundred for chariots.
5. And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobar, David also struck down twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.
6. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and Syria became servants for David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
7. And David took the gold shields of the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.
8. And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great amount of bronze.
9. And when Toi, the king of Hamath, heard that David has struck the whole army of Hadadezer,
10.then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to beg peace of him, and to bless him because he had fought with Hadadezer and struck him down, for Hadadezer had been a man at war with Toi. And in his hand were vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze.
11. These King David also dedicated to the Lord, along with the silver and gold of all the nations he had subdued that had been dedicated:
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 ben-Rehob, the king of Zobah.
13. And David gained a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt.
14. And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he set up garrisons. And all of Edom became servants to David. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
15. And David reigned over all Israel, and David executed judgment and righteousness for all his people.
16. And Joab ben-Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat ben-Ahilud was the recorder.
17. And Zadok ben-Ahitub, and Ahimelech ben-Abiathar, were the priests, and Seraiah was the scribe.
18. And Benaiah ben-Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were chief ministers.
2Samuel 9
¶1. And David said, “Is there yet anyone who remains of the house of Saul, that I might show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
2. Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. And they summoned him to David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”, and he said, “I am your servant.”
3. And the king said, “Is there not still one man of the house of Saul, that I might show him the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is yet a son of Jonathan who is lame.”
4. And the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir ben-Ammiel, in Lo-debar.”
5. The King David sent and had him brought from the house of Machir ben-Ammiel at Lo-debar.
6. And Mephibosheth ben-Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face and did obeisance. And David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he said, “Behold, your servant.”
7. And David said to him, “Do not be afraid, for I will truly show you kindness for the sake of Jonathan your father, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. And you will eat bread at my table continually.”
8. And he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant that you should look upon a dead dog such as I?”
9. Then the king called for Ziba, Saul’s servant, and he said to him, “All that was Saul’s I have given to your master’s son and to all his house.
10.And you shall work the land for him, you and your sons, and your servants, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s son may have bread and eat it. But Mephibosheth ben-Jonathan shall eat bread continually at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11. And Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will he do.” “But Mephibosheth shall eat at my table as one of the king’s sons.”
12. And Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all dwelt in Ziba’s house were servants of Mephibosheth.
13. And Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he lame in both of his feet.
2Samuel 10
¶1. And it came to pass, after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun, his son, became king in his place.
2. And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun ben-Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So, by the hand of his servants, David sent to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants went into the land of the children of Ammon.
3. But the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord: “Do you think David is honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, and spy it out, and overthrow it?”
4. And so, Hanun took David’s servants, and he shaved off half of their beards, and cut off half of their garments up to their buttocks, and then sent them away.
5. And they told David, and he sent messengers to meet them because the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow and then return.”
6. And the children of Ammon saw that they had become a stench to David, and the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and one thousand men of king Maacah, and men of Tob, twelve thousand men.
7. And David heard of it, and he sent Joab and all the host of mighty men.
8. And the children of Ammon came out and set the battle in order at the entrance of the gate. And the Syrians of Zoba and Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
9. And Joab saw that the battle line against him was in front and behind, so he chose from all the choice men of Israel to set in array against the Syrians.
10. And the rest of the people he put in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the children of Ammon.
11. And he said, “If the Syrians are stronger than I, then you shall help me, but if the children of Ammon are stronger than you, then I will help you.
12.Be courageous and be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, and the Lord do what is good in His eyes.”
13. And Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle with the Syrians, and they fled before him.
14. When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, then they fled from before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.
15. But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.
16. And Hadarezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the river, and they came to Helam. And Shobach, the commander of Hadarezer’s army, was before them.
17. And it was reported to David, and he gathered all Israel and crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set the battle in order to meet David, and they fought with him.
18. And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred Syrian chariot men and forty thousand horsemen, and he struck down Shobach, the commander of the army, and he died there.
19. And all the kings who were vassals of Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, and they made peace with Israel, and served them. And the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon again.
2Samuel 11
¶1. And it came to pass at the turn of the year, at the time kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they spoiled the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
2. And it came to pass in the evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman washing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.
3. And David sent and inquired about the woman, and one said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
4. And David sent messengers and brought her, and she came in to him, and he lay with her, for she had cleansed herself from her uncleanness. Then she returned to her house.
5. And the woman conceived, and she sent to David, and said, “I am pregnant.”
6. Then David sent word to Joab, “Send Uriah the Hittite to me.” So, Joab sent Uriah the Hittite to David.
7. And Uriah came to him, and David asked about Joab’s welfare, and the people’s welfare, and the success of the war.
8. And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out from the king’s house, and a portion from the king followed him.
9. But Uriah lay at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord and did not go down to his house.
10. And they reported to David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house.” Then David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
11. And Uriah said to David, “The ark, and Israel, and Judah, dwell in booths, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field, and I am to go to my house to eat, and to drink, and lie with my wife? As you live, and your soul lives, let me die if I do this thing.”
12. And David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So, Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13. And David called him, and he ate with him, and he drank, and he made him drunk. And in the evening, he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.
14. And it came to pass in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab, and he sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15. And in the letter he wrote, saying, “Put Uriah at the front of the hardest fighting, but fall back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.”
16. And it came to pass that when Joab considered the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew that there were men of war.
17. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell. And Uriah the Hittite died also.
18. Then Joab sent and told David all the events of the battle.
19. And he charged the messenger, saying, “When you finish telling the king all the events of the war,
20.and if the king’s fury rises, and he says to you, ‘Why did you come so near to the wall when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from on the wall?’
21.Who struck down Abimelech ben-Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who threw a piece of an upper millstone from the wall, and he died at Thebez? Why did you come so near to the wall?’ Then you shall say, ‘Uriah the Hittite, your servant, is also dead.’”
22. So, the messenger went and reported to David all that Joab had sent him to say.
23. And the messenger said to David, “Truly, the men prevailed over us, and they came out to us in the field, and we were upon them to the entrance of the gate.
24.And the archers shot at your servants from on the wall, and some of the king’s servants died. And your servant Uriah the Hittite died also.”
25. Then David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing be grievous in your eyes, for the sword devours this one and that one. Strengthen your attack against the city and destroy it.’ And encourage him.”
26. And the wife of Uriah her husband heard that that he died, then she mourned for her husband.
27. And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her into his house. And she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
2Samuel 12
¶1. And the Lord sent Nathan to David, and he went to him and said to him, “There were two men in one city, one was rich, and one was poor.
2.The rich man had a flock and very many cattle,
3.but the poor man only had one small ewe lamb, which he had bought and kept alive, and it grew up together with him and his children. It ate of his bread and drank from his cup, and would lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him.
4.And a traveler came to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or his cattle to prepare it for the journeying man who had come to him. But he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this should die for doing this.
6.And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb because he has done this thing, and because he had no compassion.”
7. Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man. Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘I anointed you as king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
8.And I gave you your lord’s house, and your lord’s wives into your bosom, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if this was too little, then I would have added to you such and such.
9.Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife for yourself as a wife; yea, you killed him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10.Therefore, the sword shall now never depart from your house because you despised me, and you took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
11.Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your house, and before your eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12.For you did it in secret, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”
13. And David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die.
14.Nevertheless, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the son that is born to you shall surely die.”
15. And Nathan went to his house. And the Lord struck the boy that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick.
16. And David sought God for the child; and David fasted and went in and spent the night and lay on the ground.
17. And the elders of his house stood over him to get him up from the ground, but he would not, nor would he eat bread with them.
18. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. And David’s servants feared to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, when the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. How can we tell him that the child died, for he might do some harm?”
19. But David saw that his servants were whispering among themselves, and David perceived that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”
20. Then David arose from the ground and washed and anointed himself, and changed his garment. And he went to the house of the Lord and worshipped, and then came to his house. Then he asked and they set food before him, and he ate.
21. And his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you are doing? For you fasted and wept for the child’s life, but when the child died, you rose up and ate food.”
22. And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows if the Lord will be gracious to me and the child live?’
23.But he is dead now. Why should I fast? I am not able to bring him back again. I will go to him, but he cannot return to me.”
24. And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and he went in to her and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him.
25. And he sent by the hand of the prophet Nathan, and he called his name Jedidiah[5] because of the Lord.
¶26. Now Joab was fighting at Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and he took the royal city.
27. And Joab sent messengers to David, and he said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have also taken the city of waters.
28.Therefore, gather now the rest of the people, and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and my name be called upon it.
29. So, David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah. And he fought against it and took it.
30. And he took their king’s crown off his head (and its weight was a talent of gold with a precious stone), and it was placed on David’s head. And he took out a great abundance of spoil from the city.
31. And he brought forth the people who were in it, and put them under the saw, and iron harrows, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And he did thus to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David returned with all the people to Jerusalem.
2Samuel 13
¶1. And it came to pass after this, that Absalom ben-David had a beautiful sister, and her name was Tamar. And Amnon ben-David loved her.
2. And it distressed Amnon so that he made himself sick because of Tamar his sister, for she was a virgin, and it seemed difficult in Amnon’s eyes for him to do anything concerning her.
3. But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, and Jonadab was a very crafty man.
4. And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, miserable like this from morning to morning? Won’t you tell me?” And Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
5. And Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be ill, and your father will come to see you. Then say to him, ‘Let, I pray, my sister Tamar come and feed me food, food that she has prepared in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”
6. So, Amnon lay down, and pretended to be sick. And the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Let, I pray, my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight that I may eat them from her hand.”
7. And David sent to the house to Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”
8. And Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it and made the cakes in his sight, and then she baked the cakes.
9. And she took the pan and set them before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have all the men go out from me.” And every man went out from him.
10. And Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedchamber, that I may eat it from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the bedchamber to Amnon her brother.
11. And she brought them to him to eat, but he took hold of her, and said, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12. And she said to him, “No, my brother, do not humble me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not commit this disgrace.
13.And I, where could I take my shame? And you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. I pray you, speak now to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”
14. But he would not take heed to her voice, and as he was stronger than she, he then forced her and lay with her.
15. Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, for greater was the hate with which he hated her than the love with which he had loved her, and Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!”
16. And she said to him, “No, to send me away is a greater evil than the other that you did with me.” But he would not listen to her.
17. And he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, “Throw this woman out from me now, and bar the door after her.”
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2Samuel 14
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25. Now, in all Israel, there was no man so acclaimed as Absalom for beauty. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him.
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2Samuel 15
¶1. And it came to pass after this that Absalom provided for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2. And Absalom rose early and stood beside the way of the gate, and when any man who had a controversy came to the King for judgment, then Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such-and-such place in the tribes of Israel.”
3. Then Absalom would say to him, “See now, your claims are good and right, but there is no man appointed by the King to hear you.”
4. And Absalom would say, “Oh, that I was judge over the land! Then any man who had a suit or cause would come up to me, and I would do him right.”
5. And it came to pass that when any man drew near to do him obeisance that he would reach out and take hold of him, and kiss him.
6. And Absalom did thus to all in Israel who came to the King for judgment, and Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel.
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2Samuel 16
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23. And the counsel of Ahithophel that he gave in those days was as if one had inquired in the oracle of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel to both David and Absalom.
2Samuel 17
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7. And Hushai said to Absalom, “The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.
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14. And Absalom, with all the men of Israel, said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel!” For Jehovah had determined to frustrate the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that Jehovah might bring destruction upon Absalom.
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23. When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and went to his house, to his city, and set his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.
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2Samuel 18
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32. And the King said to Cushi, ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ And Cushi said, “May it happen to the enemies of my lord the King, and to all who would rise up against you for harm, as it has happened to that young man!’
33. And the king began to shake, and he went up to an upper chamber of the gate, and wept. And thus he said as he went up: ‘Oh, my son Absalom! My son! My son Absalom! Would God that I had died instead of you! Oh, Absalom, my son! My son!”
2Samuel 19
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21.but Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this? He abused the Lord’s anointed!”
22.Then David said, “What is there between you sons of Zeruiah and me, that you should act like Satan on my behalf today?”
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2Samuel 20
¶1. Shofar
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2Samuel 21
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2Samuel 22
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2Samuel 23
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2.“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.
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2Samuel 24
¶1.Again, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He provoked David against them, to say, “Go! Number Israel and Judah.”
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21.And Araunah said, “Why has my master the king come to his servant?” And David said, “To buy this threshing floor from you, to build an altar unto the Lord so that the plague may be stayed from the people.”
22.And Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever he wants. Look, here are the oxen for a burnt offering. And for the wood, here are threshing sledges and instruments for the oxen.
23.All these, O king, does Araunah give to the king.”
24.But the king said unto Araunah, “No. I must buy it from you for a price. I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
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Footnotes
[1] LXX: “Mephibosheth.”
[2] LXX has “Mephibosheth, the son of Saul”.
[3] That is, “Lord of the breaches”.
[4] Literally, “tribes” or “rods”.
[5] “Beloved of the Lord.”