1st Samuel chapter 22. David
therefore departed thence and escaped to the cave Adullam and
when his brethren and all his father's house heard it they
went down thither to him and everyone that was in distress
and everyone that was in debt and everyone that was discontented
gathered themselves unto him and he became a captain over
them and there were with him about 400 men And David went
thence to Mispi of Moab. And he said unto the king of
Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth and be
with you, till I know what God will do for me. And he brought
them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the
while that David was in the hold. And the prophet Gad said unto
David, Abide not in the hold. Depart, and get thee into the
land of Judah. Then David departed, and came
into the forest of Harath. When Saul heard that David was
discovered, and the men that were with him, now Saul abode
in Gebeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand,
and all his servants were standing about him. Then Saul said unto
his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites,
will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards,
and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,
that all of you have conspired against me? And there is none
that showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of
Jesse. And there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth
unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to
lie in wait, as at this day. Then answered Doeg the Edomite,
which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the
son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitab,
and he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and
gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. Then the king
sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitab, and all his
father's house, the priests that were in Nob. And they came, all
of them, to the king. And Saul said, Hear now, thou
son of Ahitab. And he answered, Here I am, my
lord. And Saul said unto him, Why have
ye conspired against me, thou, and the son of Jesse, in that
thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast inquired of
God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as
at this day? Then Ahimelech answered the king,
and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David,
which is the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and
is honourable in thine house? Did I then begin to inquire of
God for him? Be it far from me. Let not the
king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house
of my father. For thy servant knew nothing
of all this, less or more. And the king said, Thou shalt
surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. And
the king said unto the footman that stood about him, Turn, and
slay the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with
David, and because they knew when he fled and did not show
it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth
their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. And the king said
to Doeg, Turn thou and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite
turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day
fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. And Nob,
the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword,
both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses
and sheep, with the edge of the sword. And one of the sons of
Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled
after David. And Abiathar showed David that
Saul had slain the Lord's priests. And David said unto Abiathar,
I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he
would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of
all the persons of thy father's house. abide thou with me, fear
not for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life but with me
thou shalt be in safeguard 1st Samuel chapter 23 Then they
told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah,
and they rob the threshing floors. Therefore David inquired of the
Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And
the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and
save Keilah. And David's men said unto him,
Behold, we be afraid here in Judah, how much more then if
we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? Then
David inquired of the Lord yet again, and the Lord answered
him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver
the Philistines into thine hand. So David and his men went to
Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their cattle
and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants
of Keilah. And it came to pass, when Abiathar
the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came
down with an ephod in his hand. And it was told Saul that David
was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered
him into mine hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town
that hath gates and bars. And Saul called all the people
together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and
his men. And David knew that Saul secretly
practiced mischief against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest,
Bring hither the ephod. Then said David, O Lord God of
Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come
to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of
Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as
thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech
thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come
down. Then said David, Will the men
of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the
LORD said, They will deliver thee up. Then David and his men,
which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah,
and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that
David was escaped from Keilah, and he forbear to go forth. And
David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained
in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him
every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. And David
saw that Saul was come out to seek his life. And David was
in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. And Jonathan, Saul's
son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened
his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not,
for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, and thou
shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee, and
that also Saul my father knoweth. And they too made a covenant
before the Lord, and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went
to his house. Then came up the Ziphites to
Saul to Cubea, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in
strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hacula, which is on the
south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down
according to all the desire of thy soul to come down, and our
part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand. And Saul
said, Blessed be ye of the Lord, for ye have compassion on me.
Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where
his haunt is, and who hath seen him there. For it is told me
that he dealeth very subtly. See therefore, and take knowledge
of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye
again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you. And it
shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search
him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. And they arose and
went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in
the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
Saul also and his men went to seek him, and they told David,
wherefore he came down into a rock, an abode in the wilderness of
Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the
wilderness of Maon. And Saul went on this side of
the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain.
And David made haste to get away for fear of Saul. For Saul and
his men come past David and his men round about to take them.
But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Hastily, and come,
for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned
from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines.
Therefore they called that place Selahamelokoth. And David went
up from thence, and dwelt in strongholds at Engedi. 1 Samuel chapter 24 And it came to pass, when Saul
was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told
him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel,
and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild
goats. And he came to the sheep coats
by the way, where was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his
feet. David and his men remained in the sides of the cave, and
the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which the
Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into
thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good
unto thee. Then David arose and cut off
the skirt of Saul's robe privily. And it came to pass afterward
that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's
skirt. And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should
do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch
forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of
the Lord. So David stayed his servants
with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul.
But Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way. David also
arose afterward and went out of the cave and cried after Saul,
saying, My lord, the king! And when Saul looked behind him,
David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed himself.
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying,
Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have
seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to-day into mine hand in
the cave. And some bade me kill thee, but
mine eyes spared thee. And I said, I will not put forth
mine hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed. Moreover,
my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand,
for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee
not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression
in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee, yet thou
huntest my soul to take it. The Lord judged between me and
thee, and the Lord avenged me of thee, but mine hand shall
not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients,
Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand shall not
be upon thee. After whom is the King of Israel
come out? After whom dost thou pursue?
after a dead dog, after a flea. The Lord therefore be judge,
and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause,
and deliver me out of thine hand. And it came to pass, when David
had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said,
Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice
and wept. And he said to David, thou art
more righteous than I. For thou hast rewarded me good,
whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast showed this
day how that thou hast dealt well with me. For as much as
when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killest
me not. For if a man find his enemy,
will he let him go well away? Wherefore the Lord reward thee
good, for that thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold,
I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom
of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore
unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off my seed after
me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house,
and David swear unto Saul and Saul went home but David and
his men get them up unto the hold first Samuel chapter 25 and Samuel died and all the Israelites
were gathered together and lamented him and buried him in his house
at Ramah and David arose and went down to the wilderness of
Paran and there was a man in Maon whose possessions were in
Carmel and the man was very great and he had three thousand sheep
and a thousand goats and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel
now the name of the man was Nabal and the name of his wife Abigail
and she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance
but the man was churlish and evil in his doings and he was
of the house of Caleb And David heard in the wilderness that
Nabal did shear his sheep. And David sent out ten young
men. And David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel,
and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. And thus shall he
say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace
be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And
now I have heard that thou hast shearers. Now thy shepherds which
were with us, we hurt them not. Neither was there aught missing
unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy young
men, and they will show thee. Wherefore let the young men find
favour in thine eyes, for we come in a good day. Give, I pray
thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to
thy son David. And when David's young men came,
they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name
of David, and ceased. And Nabal answered David's servants
and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse?
There be many servants nowadays that break away every man from
his master. Shall I then take my bread and
my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give
it unto men whom I know not whence they be? So David's young men
turned their way and went again, and came and told him all those
sayings. And David said unto his men,
Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man
his sword. And David also girded on his sword. And there went
up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred abode by
the stuff. But one of the young men told
Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers
out of the wilderness to salute our master, and he railed on
them. But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt,
neither missed we anything as long as we were conversant with
them when we were in the fields. They were a wall unto us, both
by night and day, all the while we were with them, keeping the
sheep. Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do, for
evil is determined against our master and against all his household,
for he is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to him.'
Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and
two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five
measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins,
and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. And she
said unto her servants, Go on before me, behold, I come after
you. But she told not her husband
Nabal. And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came
down by the covet on the hill. And behold, David and his men
came down against her, and she met them. Now David had said,
Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the
wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained
unto him, and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more
also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that
pertain to him by the morning light, any that pisseth against
the wall. And when Abigail saw David, she
hastened, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on
her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and fell at his feet,
and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be, and
let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and
hear the words of thine handmaid. Let not, my lord, I pray thee,
regard this man of Belial, even Nabal. For as his name is, so
is he, Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I, thine
handmaid, saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. Now, therefore, my Lord, as the
Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath
withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging
thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they
that seek evil to my Lord, be as Nabal. And now this blessing
which thine handmaid hath brought unto my Lord, let it even be
given unto the young men that follow my Lord. I pray thee,
forgive the trespass of thine handmaid. For the Lord will certainly
make my Lord a sure house. Because my Lord fighteth the
battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all
thy days. Yet a man is risen to pursue
thee and to seek thy soul. But the soul of my Lord shall
be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God. And the
souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out. as out of
the middle of a sling, and it shall come to pass, when the
Lord shall have done to my Lord according to all the good that
he had spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee
ruler over Israel, that this shall be no grief unto thee,
nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed
blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself. But when
the lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine
handmaid. and David said to Abigail, Blessed
be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me,
and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept
me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging myself
with mine own hand, for in very deed As the Lord God of Israel
liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou
hast hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been
left under Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against
the wall. So David received of her hand
that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace
to thine house. See, I have hearkened to thy
voice, and have accepted thy person. And Abigail came to Nabal. And behold, he held a feast in
his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was
merry within him, for he was very drunken. Wherefore she told
him nothing less or more until the morning light. But it came
to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal,
and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within
him, and he became as a stone. And it came to pass about ten
days after that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. And when
David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord
that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of
Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil, for the Lord hath
returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David
sent and communed with Abigail to take her to him, to wife.
And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel,
they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take
thee to him, to wife. And she arose, and bowed herself
on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid
be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord. And
Abigail hasted and arose, and rode upon an ass with five damsels
of hers that went after her. And she went after the messengers
of David, and became his wife. David also took a Hinnom of Jezreel,
and they were also both of them his wives. But Saul had given
Michael his daughter, David's wife, to Phaltai, the son of
Laish, which was of Galim. And the Ziphites came unto Saul
to Gebeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hekilah,
which is before Jeshimon? Then Saul arose and went down
to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of
Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And
Saul pitched in the hill of Hekelah, which is before Jeshimon by the
way, but David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after
him into the wilderness. David therefore sent out spies
and understood that Saul would come in very deed and David arose
and came to the place where Saul had pitched and David beheld
the place where Saul lay and Abner the son of Nuh the captain
of his host and Saul lay in the trench and the people pitched
round about him Then answered David and said to him elect the
Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah brother to Joab saying
Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said,
I will go down with thee. So David and Abishai came to
the people by night, and behold Saul lay sleeping within the
trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster. But
Abner and the people lay round about him. Then said Abishai
to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this
day. Now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear
even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second
time. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not, for who can
stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the
Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to
die, or he shall descend into battle and perish. The Lord forbid
that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed.
But I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster,
and the crews of water, and let us go. So David took the spear
and the crews of water from Saul's bolster, and they gat them away.
And no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked, for they were
all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon
them. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on
the top of a hill afar off, a great space being between them. And
David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying,
Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said,
Who art thou that cries to the king? And David said to Abner,
Are not thou a valiant man? And who is like to thee in Israel? Wherefore then hast thou not
kept thy lord the king? For there came one of the people
in to destroy the king thy lord. This thing is not good that thou
hast done, as the Lord liveth ye are worthy to die, because
ye have not kept your master the Lord's anointed. And now
see where the king's spear is and the cruise of water that
was at his bolster. And Saul knew David's voice and
said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is
my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Wherefore doth my
lord thus pursue after his servant? For what have I done, or what
evil is in mine hand? Now, therefore, I pray thee,
let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the
lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering. But if they be the children of
men, cursed be they before the lord, for they have driven me
out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the lord,
saying, Go serve other gods. Now therefore, let not my blood
fall to the earth before the face of the Lord, for the king
of Israel is come out to seek a flee, as when one doth hunt
a partridge in the mountains." Then said Saul, I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will
no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine
eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool,
and have erred exceedingly. And David answered and said,
Behold the king's spear, and let one of the young men come
over and fetch it. The Lord render to every man
his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord delivered thee into
my hand today. But I would not stretch forth
mine hand against the Lord's anointed. And behold, as thy
life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life
be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver
me out of all tribulation. Then Saul said to David, Blessed
be thou, my son David. Thou shalt both do great things,
and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and
Saul returned to his place. 1 Samuel chapter 27 And David said in his heart,
I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing
better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land
of the Philistines, and Saul shall despair of me to seek me
any more in any coast of Israel. So shall I escape out of his
hand. And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred
men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maok, king of Gath.
And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man
with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. And
it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath, and he sought no
more again for him. And David said unto Achish, If
I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place
in some town in the country that I may dwell there. For why should
thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? And Achish gave
him Ziklag that day. Wherefore Ziklag pertained it
unto the kings of Judah unto this day. And the time that David
dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. And David and his men went up
and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gesrites, and the Amalekites. For those nations were of old
the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur even unto
the land of Egypt. And David smote the land, and
left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and
the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel,
and returned, and came to Achish. And Achish said, Whither have
ye made a road to-day? And David said, Against the south
of Judah, and against the south of the Jeramilites, and against
the south of the Kenites. And David saved neither man nor
woman alive to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should
tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all
the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. And
Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel
utterly to abhor him. Therefore he shall be my servant
for ever. the second book of samuel otherwise
called the second book of the kings chapter one 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. It
even came 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. And David
said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out
of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 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. And David said unto the young
man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his
son be dead? 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. And when he looked behind him,
he saw me, and called unto me, and I answered, Here am I. And
he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. He said unto me again, Stand,
I pray thee, upon me, and slay me. for anguish has come upon
me, because my life is yet whole in me. 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 I brought
them hither unto my lord. Then David took hold on his clothes
and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him. 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. 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. And David said unto him, How
wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the
Lord's anointed? And David called one of the young
men and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that
he died. 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. And David lamented
with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son. Also
he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow.
Behold, it is written in the book of Jasher. The beauty of
Israel is slain upon thy high places. How are the mighty fallen? Tell it not in Gath, publish
it not in the streets of Ascalon, lest the daughters of the Philistines
rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 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. 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. 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. Ye daughters of Israel, weep
over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with other delights,
who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the
mighty fallen in the midst of the battle? O Jonathan, Thou
art slain in thine high places. 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. How are the mighty fallen and
the weapons of war perished? 2 Samuel chapter 2 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. So David went up thither, and
his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelites, and Abigail, Nabal's
wife, the Carmelite, and his men that were with him did David
bring up, every man with his household, and they dwelt in
the cities of Hebron. 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 of Jabesh-gilead were
they that buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto
the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye
of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your Lord,
even unto Saul, and have buried him. and now the lord show kindness
and truth unto you and i also will requite you this kindness
because he have done this thing therefore now let your hands
be strengthened and be valiant for your master's soul is dead
and also the house of judah have anointed me king over them And
Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth
the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim, and made
him king over Gilead, and over the Asherites, and over Jezreel,
and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. Ish-bosheth,
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. And the time that David was king
in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ishbosheth the
son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 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. And Abner said to Joab, Let the
young men now arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let
them arise. 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. 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 Helcathazarim, which is in Gibeon. And there
was a very sore battle that day. And Abner was beaten and the
men of Israel before the servants of David. And there were three
sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And
Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. And Asahel pursued
after Abner. And in going he turned not to
the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. Then Abner
looked behind him and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered,
I am. 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 armor. But Asahel would
not turn aside from following of him. 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? Harbeity 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. Joab also and Abishai pursued
after Abner. And the sun went down when they
were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Gaia by the
way of the wilderness of Gibeon. And the children of Benjamin
gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop,
and stood on the top of a hill. Then Abner called to Joab and
said, Shall the sword devour forever? 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?
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. So Joab blew a trumpet, and all
the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither
fought they any more. And Abner and his men walked
all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went
through all Bithrin, and they came to Mahanaim. 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. But the servants of David had
spitten of Benjamin and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and
threescore men died. 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. 2 Samuel chapter 3 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. And unto David were sons born
in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon of
Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess. And his second, Caeliab of Abigail,
the wife of Nabal, the Carmelite. And the third, Absalom, the son
of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Gesha. And the fourth,
Adonijah, the son of Haggath. And the fifth, Shephetiah, the
son of Abital. And the sixth, Ithrium, by Eglah,
David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
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. And Saul had a concubine whose
name was Rispa, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said
to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? Then was Abner very wroth for
the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which
against Judah to 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 charges me
to-day with a fault concerning this woman? So do God to Abner,
and more also, except as the Lord hath sworn to David, even
so I do to him, 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. And he could not answer Abner
a word again, because he feared him. 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. 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 Michael, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, saying,
Deliver me my wife Michael, which I espoused to me for an hundred
foreskins of the Philistines. And Ish-bosheth sent, and took
her from her husband, even from Phralthael, the son of Laish.
And her husband went with her along, weeping behind her, to
Behurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go,
return. And he returned. And Abner had
communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought
for David in times past to be king over you. 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. 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. 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. 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. And behold, the
servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought
in a great spoil with them. But Adonai was not with David
in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. When Joab and all the host that
was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Adonai the
son of Nuh came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and
he is gone in peace. 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?
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. And when Joab was come out from
David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again
from the well of Syrah. But David knew it not. 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. 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. 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. So Joab and Abishai his brother
slew Abner because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon
in the battle. 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 bear. 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. And
the king lamented over Abner and said, Died Abner as a fool
dieth. 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. And when all the people came
to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David swore,
saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or
ought else till the sun be down. And all the people took notice
of it, and it pleased them, as whatsoever the king did pleased
all the people. For all the people and all Israel
understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner,
the son of Ner. And the king said unto his servants,
Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day
in Israel? 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. 2 Samuel chapter 4 And when Saul's
son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble,
and all the Israelites were troubled. 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 Rimeh, a Beorothite,
of the children of Benjamin. For Beoroth also was reckoned
to Benjamin, and the Beorothites fled to Gathaeum and were sojourners
there until this day. 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. And the sons of Rimen, the Berethite,
Rechab and Berne, went and came about the heat of the day to
the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. 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 Berne, his brother, escaped. 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 get
them away through the plain all night. And they brought the head
of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king,
Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, 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. And David answered
Recap and Baena, his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Berethite,
and said unto them, As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my
soul out of all adversity, 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. 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 at your hand and take
you away from the earth and David commanded his young men and they
slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and Hang them
up over the pool in Hebron But they took the head of ishposheth
and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron Then came all the tribes of Israel
to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone
and thy flesh, also in time past, when Saul was king over us. Thou
wast he that leadest 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. 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 David was 30 years old when he began to reign and he
reigned 40 years 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. 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. Nevertheless, David took the
stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David.
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. So David dwelt in the fort and
called it the city of David and David built round about from
Millau and inward and David went on and grew great and the Lord
God of hosts was with him And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers
to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons, and they
built David an house. 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. 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. And these were the names of those
that were born unto him in Jerusalem. Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan,
and Solomon, Ibha also, and Elishua, and Nephig, and Jephiah, and
Elishma, and Eliadah, and Eliphelet. 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. The Philistines also came and
spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 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.
And David came to Baal-perazim. And David smoked 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 Baal-perazim. And there they left their images,
and David and his men burned them. And the Philistines came
up yet again and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 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. 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. And David
did so as the Lord had commanded him, and smote the Philistines
from Geba until thou come to Gaza. 2 Samuel Chapter 6 Again David
gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
And David arose and went with all the people that were with
him from Baali 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. 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. 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.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord
on all manner of instruments made of firwood, even on harps,
and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
And when they came to Nacon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth
his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen
shook it. 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. And David was displeased because
the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah. And he called the name
of that place Perez-Uzzah to this day. And David was afraid
of the Lord that day and said, How shall the ark of the Lord
come to me? 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 Obed-Edom, the Gittite. And
the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-Edom, the
Gittite, three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom
and all his household. And it was told King David, saying,
The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom 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 Obed-Edom into the city of
David with gladness. And it was so that when they
that bear the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed
oxen and fatlings. And David danced before the Lord
with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of
Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with
the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the Lord came
into the city of David Michael, Saul's daughter, looked through
a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord and
she despised him in her heart. 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. 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 and
he dealt among all the people even among the whole multitude
of Israel as well to the women as men to everyone a cake of
bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine so all the
people departed everyone to his house Then David returned to
bless his household. And Michael, the daughter of
Saul, came out to meet David and said, How glorious was the
king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of
the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly
uncovereth himself. And David said unto Michael,
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, and I will be yet 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. Therefore
Michael, the daughter of Saul, had no child until the day of
her death. 2 Samuel chapter 7 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, that the king said
unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar,
but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. And Nathan said to
the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart, for the Lord
is with thee. And it came to pass that night
that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, Go and tell
my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me
a house for me to dwell in? 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. 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? Now
therefore, so shalt thou say unto my servant David. Thus saith
the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheep coat, from following
the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel. 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. 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 before time 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. 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. He shall build an house for my
name. And I will establish the throne
of his kingdom forever. 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. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took
it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house
and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee. Thy throne
shall be established forever. According to all these words
and according to all this vision so did Nathan speak unto David
Then went King David in, and sat before the Lord, and said,
Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that thou
hast brought me hitherto? 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? And what can David say more unto
thee? For thou, Lord God, knowest thy
servant. For thy word's sake, and according
to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things,
to make thy servant know them. 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.
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 redeemest
to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods. For thou
hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people
unto thee for ever, and thou, Lord, art become their God. 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. 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 be established before thee.
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. And now, O Lord God, thou art
that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness
unto thy servant. therefore now let it please thee
to bless the house of thy servant that it may continue forever
before thee for thou O Lord God has spoken it and with thy blessing
let the house of thy servant be blessed forever 2nd Samuel chapter 8 And after this it came to pass
that David smote the Philistines and subdued them. And David took
Mithagama out of the hand of the Philistines. 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. David smote also Hadadezer,
the son of Rehob, king of Zobar, as he went to recover his border
at the river Euphrates. And David took from him a thousand
chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen.
And David hoed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them
for an hundred chariots. And when the Syrians of Damascus
came to succor Hadadezer, king of Zobar, David slew of the Syrians
two and twenty thousand men. 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. And David took the shields of
gold that were on the servants of Hadadizah, and brought them
to Jerusalem. And from Beter and from Berethi
cities of Hadadizah, King David took exceeding much brass. When
Toai, king of Hamath, heard that David had smitten all the host
of Hadadezer, then Toai 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 Toai. And Joram brought with him vessels
of silver and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass, which also
king David did dedicate unto the Lord, with the silver and
gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued,
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 Zobar. And David gat him a name when
he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt,
being eighteen thousand men. 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. And David reigned over all Israel. And David executed judgment and
justice unto all his people. And Joab the son of Zeruiah was
over the host, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilod was recorder.
and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar
were the priests and Saraiah was the scribe and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada was over both the Kerithites and the Pelethites
and David's sons were chief rulers 2 Samuel chapter 9 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 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? 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. And the
king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king,
Behold, he is in the house of Macchae, the son of Ammiel, in
Lodabar. Then king David sent and fetched
him out of the house of Macchae, the son of Ammiel, from Lodabar.
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. 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. And he bowed
himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest
look upon such a dead dog as I am? Then the king called to
Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy
master's son all that pertain to Saul and to all his house.
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 always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen
sons and twenty servants. Then said Ziba unto the king,
According to all that my lord the king hath commanded this
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. And Mephibosheth had a young
son whose name was Micah. and all that dwelt in the house
of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem,
for he did eat continually at the king's table, and was lame
on both his feet. 2 Samuel 10 And it came to pass after this
that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his
son reigned in his stead. 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. 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? Wherefore
Hanan 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. 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. And when the children
of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of
Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehop, and the Syrians
of Zobar, twenty thousand footmen, and of King Maacah a thousand
men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men. And when David heard of
it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men. And the
children of Ammon came out and put the battle in array at the
entering inn of the gate. And the Syrians of Zobah and
of Rehob and Ishtob and Meachah were by themselves in the field.
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. 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.
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. 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. And Joab drew nigh, and the people
that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians, and
they fled before him. 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. And when the Syrians saw that
they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together,
and had a reezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond
the river, and they came to Helam. And Shobak, the captain of the
host of Hadarizah, went before them. 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. And the Syrians fled
before Israel, and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots
of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobak, the
captain of their host, who died there. And when all the kings
that were servants to Hadariza 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 anymore. 2 Samuel chapter 11 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 in all Israel,
and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah.
But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass, in an evening
tide, 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.
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? 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.
And the woman conceived, and sent, and told David, and said,
I am with child. And David sent Joab, saying,
Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. And when Uriah was come unto
him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people
did, and how the war prospered. 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.
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. 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? 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. And David
said to Uriah, Carry here to-day also, and to-morrow I will let
thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that
day and to-morrow. 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. And it came to pass in
the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it
by the hand of Uriah. 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. And it came to pass,
when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a
place where he knew that valiant men were. 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. Then Joab sent and told David
all the things concerning the war, and charged the messenger,
saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of
the war unto the king, and if so be that the king's wrath arise,
and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached he so nigh unto the
city, where needed fight? Knew ye not that they would shoot
from the wall, Who smote Abimelech, the son of Jerubbosheth? Did
not a woman cast a piece of millstone Upon him from the wall, that
he died in thievers? Why went he neither wall? Then
say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. So the
messenger went and came and showed David all that Joab had sent
him for. 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. 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. 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. and when the wife of Uriah heard
that Uriah her husband was dead she mourned for her husband and
when the mourning was passed David sent and fetched her to
his house and she became his wife and bear him a son but the
thing that David had done displeased the Lord 2nd Samuel chapter 12 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. The rich man had exceeding many
flocks and herds, 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. He did eat of his
own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and
was unto him as a daughter. 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. 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. And he shall restore the Lamb fourfold, because he did
this thing, and because he had no pity. 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, 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. 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 has taken his wife to be thy wife, and
has slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 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. 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. For thou didst it secretly, But
I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Son." 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. 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. And Nathan departed unto his
house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare
unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God
for the child. And David fasted, and went in, and lay all night
upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose
and went to him to raise them up from the earth. But he would
not, neither did he eat bread with them. 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 would he then vex himself
if we tell him that the child is dead? 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. 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. 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. 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?
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. 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. And he sent by the hand of Nathan
the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the
Lord. And Joab fought against Rabbah
of the children of Ammon and took the royal city. And Joab
sent messengers to David and said, I have fought against Rabbah
and have taken the city of waters. Now, therefore, gather the rest
of the people together and encamp against the city and take it,
lest I take the city and be called after my name. And David gathered
all the people together, and went to Rabba, and fought against
it, and took it. And he took their king's crown
from off his head, the weight whereof was the talent of gold,
with the precious stones, and it was sat on David's head. And
he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them
under sores, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron,
and made them pass through the brick kiln. And thus did he unto
all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the
people returned unto Jerusalem.