The Tetragrammaton  =  yhwh = YaHuWaH

The Second Book of Shemu'al

1:1 It happened after the death of Sha'uwl, when Dawiyd was returned from the slaughter of the Amaleqiy, and Dawiyd had abode two days in Tsiqlag; 1:2 it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Sha'uwl, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to Dawiyd, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 1:3 Dawiyd said to him, “Where do you come from?”

He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Ysra'al.” 1:4 Dawiyd said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.”

He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Sha'uwl and Yahuwnathan his son are dead also.”

1:5 Dawiyd said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Sha'uwl and Yahuwnathan his son are dead?”

1:6 The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Sha'uwl was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him. 1:7 When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 1:8 He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amaleqiy.’ 1:9 He said to me, ‘Stand, please, beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.’ 1:10 So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my Lord.”

1:11 Then Dawiyd took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men who were with him.  1:12 They mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Sha'uwl, and for Yahuwnathan his son, and for the people of YaHuWaH, and for the house of Ysra'al; because they were fallen by the sword. 1:13 Dawiyd said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”

He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amaleqiy.”

1:14 Dawiyd said to him, “How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy YaHuWaH’s anointed?” 1:15 Dawiyd called one of the young men, and said, “Go near, and fall on him.” He struck him, so that he died. 1:16 Dawiyd said to him, “Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain YaHuWaH’s anointed.’”

1:17 Dawiyd lamented with this lamentation over Sha'uwl and over Yahuwnathan his son 1:18 (and he bade them teach the children of Yahuwdah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the Book of Yashar):

1:19 “Your beauty, Ysra'al, is slain on your high places!

How the mighty have fallen!

1:20 Don’t tell it in Gath.

Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashqelown,

lest the daughters of the Pelishtiym rejoice,

lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

1:21 You mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings;

For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,

The shield of Sha'uwl was not anointed with oil.

1:22 From the blood of the slain,

from the fat of the mighty,

Yahuwnathan’s bow didn’t turn back.

Sha'uwl's sword didn’t return empty.

1:23 Sha'uwl and Yahuwnathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives.

In their death, they were not divided.

They were swifter than eagles.

They were stronger than lions.

1:24 You daughters of Ysra'al, weep over Sha'uwl,

who clothed you in scarlet delicately,

who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

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

Yahuwnathan is slain on your high places.

1:26 I am distressed for you, my brother Yahuwnathan.

You have been very pleasant to me.

Your love to me was wonderful,

passing the love of women.

1:27 How are the mighty fallen,

and the weapons of war perished!”

2:1 It happened after this, that Dawiyd inquired of YaHuWaH, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Yahuwdah?”

 YaHuWaH said to him, “Go up.”

Dawiyd said, “Where shall I go up?”

He said, “To Chebrown.”

2:2 So Dawiyd went up there, and his two wives also, Achiyno'am the Yizre'e'liyth, and Abiygayil the wife of Nabal the Karmeliy. 2:3 Dawiyd brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Chebrown. 2:4 The men of Yahuwdah came, and there they anointed Dawiyd king over the house of Yahuwdah. They told Dawiyd, saying, “The men of Yabesh Gil'ad were those who buried Sha'uwl.” 2:5 Dawiyd sent messengers to the men of Yabesh Gil'ad, and said to them, “Blessed are you by YaHuWaH, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Sha'uwl, and have buried him. 2:6 Now may YaHuWaH show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing. 2:7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Sha'uwl your lord is dead, and also the house of Yahuwdah have anointed me king over them.”

2:8 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Sha'uwl’s army, had taken Iysh-Bosheth the son of Sha'uwl, and brought him over to Machanayim; 2:9 and he made him king over Gil'ad, and over the Ashuwriy, and over Yizre'e'l, and over Ephrayim, and over Binyamin, and over all Ysra'al. 2:10 Iysh-Bosheth, Sha'uwl’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Ysra'al, and he reigned two years. But the house of Yahuwdah followed Dawiyd. 2:11 The time that Dawiyd was king in Chebrown over the house of Yahuwdah was seven years and six months. 2:12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Iysh-Bosheth the son of Sha'uwl, went out from Machanayim to Gib'own.  2:13 Yow'ab the son of TseruwYahuw, and the servants of Dawiyd, went out, and met them by the pool of Gib'own; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 2:14 Abner said to Yow'ab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!”

Yow'ab said, “Let them arise!” 2:15 Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Binyamin, and for Iysh-Bosheth the son of Sha'uwl, and twelve of the servants of Dawiyd. 2:16 They caught everyone his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place was called The Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gib'own. 2:17 The battle was very severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Ysra'al, before the servants of Dawiyd. 2:18 The three sons of TseruwYahuw were there, Yow'ab, and Abiyshay, and Asah'el: and Asah'el was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 2:19 Asah'el pursued after Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 2:20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, “Is it you, Asah'el?”

He answered, “It is I.”

2:21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asah'el would not turn aside from following him. 2:22 Abner said again to Asah'el, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Yow'ab your brother?”  2:23 However he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. It happened, that as many as came to the place where Asah'el fell down and died stood still. 2:24 But Yow'ab and Abiyshay also pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giyach by the way of the wilderness of Gib'own.  2:25 The children of Binyamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 2:26 Then Abner called to Yow'ab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brothers?”

2:27 Yow'ab said, “As YaHuWaH lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.” 2:28 So Yow'ab blew the shofar; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Ysra'al no more, neither fought they any more. 2:29 Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Yarden, and went through all Bithrown, and came to Machanayim. 2:30 Yow'ab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of Dawiyd’s servants nineteen men and Asah'el. 2:31 But the servants of Dawiyd had struck of Binyamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred sixty men died. 2:32 They took up Asah'al, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bayithlehem. Yow'ab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Chebrown.

3:1 Now there was long war between the house of Sha'uwl and the house of Dawiyd: and Dawiyd grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Sha'uwl grew weaker and weaker. 3:2 To Dawiyd were sons born in Chebrown: and his firstborn was Amnown, of Achiyno'am the Yizra'a'litess; 3:3 and his second, Kil'ab, of Abiygayil the wife of Nabal the Karmeliy; and the third, Abiyshalowm the son of Ma'akah the daughter of Talmay king of Geshuwr; 3:4 and the fourth, AdoniYahuw the son of Chaggiyith; and the fifth, ShepathYahuw the son of Abiytal; 3:5 and the sixth, Yithre'am, of Eglah, Dawiyd’s wife. These were born to Dawiyd in Chebrown. 3:6 It happened, while there was war between the house of Sha'uwl and the house of Dawiyd, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Sha'uwl. 3:7 Now Sha'uwl had a concubine, whose name was Ritspah, the daughter of Ayah: and Iysh-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 3:8 Then was Abner very angry for the words of Iysh-Bosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Yahuwdah? Today I show kindness to the house of Sha'uwl your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of Dawiyd; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman!  3:9 YaHuWaH do so to Abner, and more also, if, as YaHuWaH has sworn to Dawiyd, I don’t do even so to him; 3:10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Sha'uwl, and to set up the throne of Dawiyd over Ysra'al and over Yahuwdah, from Dan even to Be'er Sheba.”

3:11 He could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. 3:12 Abner sent messengers to Dawiyd on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Ysra'al around to you.”

3:13 He said, “Good; I will make a league with you; but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Miykal, Sha'uwl's daughter, when you come to see my face.”

3:14 Dawiyd sent messengers to Iysh-Bosheth, Sha'uwl's son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Miykal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Pelishtiym.”

3:15 Iysh-Bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiy'el the son of Layish. 3:16 Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bachuriym. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned. 3:17 Abner had communication with the elders of Ysra'al, saying, “In times past, you sought for Dawiyd to be king over you. 3:18 Now then do it; for YaHuWaH has spoken of Dawiyd, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant Dawiyd, I will save My people Ysra'al out of the hand of the Pelishtiym, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’”

3:19 Abner also spoke in the ears of Binyamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of Dawiyd in Chebrown all that seemed good to Ysra'al, and to the whole house of Binyamin.  3:20 So Abner came to Dawiyd to Chebrown, and twenty men with him. Dawiyd made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 3:21 Abner said to Dawiyd, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Ysra'al to my master the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” Dawiyd sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

3:22 Behold, the servants of Dawiyd and Yow'ab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with Dawiyd in Chebrown; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 3:23 When Yow'ab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Yow'ab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 3:24 Then Yow'ab came to the king, and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone? 3:25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”

3:26 When Yow'ab had come out from Dawiyd, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but Dawiyd didn’t know it. 3:27 When Abner was returned to Chebrown, Yow'ab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asah'el his brother. 3:28 Afterward, when Dawiyd heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before YaHuWaH forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 3:29 Let it fall on the head of Yow'ab, and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Yow'ab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 3:30 So Yow'ab and Abiyshay his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asah'el at Gib'own in the battle. 3:31 Dawiyd said to Yow'ab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King Dawiyd followed the bier. 3:32 They buried Abner in Chebrown: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 3:33 The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 3:34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.”

All the people wept again over him. 3:35 All the people came to cause Dawiyd to eat bread while it was yet day; but Dawiyd swore, saying, “ YaHuWaH do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down.” 3:36 All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 3:37 So all the people and all Ysra'al understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 3:38 The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that there a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Ysra'al? 3:39 I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Tseruyah are too hard for me. May YaHuWaH reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

4:1 When Iysh-Bosheth, Sha'uwl's son, heard that Abner was dead in Chebrown, his hands became feeble, and all the Ysra'alites were troubled. 4:2 Iysh-Bosheth, Sha'uwl’s son, had two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Ba'anah, and the name of the other Rekab, the sons of Rimmown the Be'erothiy, of the children of Binyamin (for Be'eroth also is reckoned to Binyamin: 4:3 and the Be'erothiy fled to Gittayim, and have lived as foreigners there until this day).  4:4 Now Yahuwnathan, Sha'uwl's son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Sha'uwl and Yahuwnathan out of Yizre'e'l; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephiybosheth. 4:5 The sons of Rimmown the Be'erothiy, Rekab and Ba'anah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Iysh-Bosheth, as he took his rest at noon. 4:6 They came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rekab and Ba'anah his brother escaped. 4:7 Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night. 4:8 They brought the head of Iysh-Bosheth to Dawiyd to Chebrown, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Iysh-Bosheth, the son of Sha'uwl, your enemy, who sought your life! YaHuWaH has avenged my master the king this day of Sha'uwl, and of his seed.”

4:9 Dawiyd answered Rekab and Ba'anah his brother, the sons of Rimmown the Be'erothiy, and said to them, “As YaHuWaH lives, Who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,  4:10 when someone told me, ‘Behold, Sha'uwl is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Tsiqlag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 4:11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?” 4:12 Dawiyd commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Chebrown. But they took the head of Iysh-Bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Chebrown.

5:1 Then came all the tribes of Ysra'al to Dawiyd to Chebrown, and spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 5:2 In times past, when Sha'uwl was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Ysra'al.  YaHuWaH said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of My people Ysra'al, and you shall be prince over Ysra'al.’” 5:3 So all the elders of Ysra'al came to the king to Chebrown; and king Dawiyd made a covenant with them in Chebrown before YaHuWaH; and they anointed Dawiyd king over Ysra'al. 5:4 Dawiyd was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.  5:5 In Chebrown he reigned over Yahuwdah seven years and six months; and in Yahrushalom he reigned thirty-three years over all Ysra'al and Yahuwdah. 5:6 The king and his men went to Yahrushalom against the Yebuwsiy, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to Dawiyd, saying, “Unless you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here;” thinking, “Dawiyd can’t come in here.” 5:7 Nevertheless Dawiyd took the stronghold of Tsiyown; the same is the City of Dawiyd. 5:8 Dawiyd said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Yebuwsiy, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by Dawyid’s soul.” Therefore they say, “The the blind and the lame can’t come into the house.” 5:9 Dawiyd lived in the stronghold, and called it the City of Dawiyd. Dawiyd built around from Millo and inward.  5:10 Dawiyd grew greater and greater; for YaHuWaH, the YaHuWaH Master of Armies, was with him. 5:11 Chiyram king of Tsor sent messengers to Dawiyd, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built Dawiyd a house. 5:12 Dawiyd perceived that YaHuWaH had established him king over Ysra'al, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Ysra'al’s sake. 5:13 Dawiyd took him more concubines and wives out of Yahrushalom, after he was come from Chebrown; and there were yet sons and daughters born to Dawiyd. 5:14 These are the names of those who were born to him in Yahrushalom: Shammuwa, and Showbab, and Nathan, and Shelomoh, 5:15 and Yibchar, and Eliyshuwa, and Nepheg, and Yaphiya, 5:16 and Aliyshama, and Alyada, and Aliyphelet. 5:17 When the Pelishtiym heard that they had anointed Dawiyd king over Ysra'al, all the Pelishtiym went up to seek Dawiyd; and Dawiyd heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. 5:18 Now the Pelishtiym had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.  5:19 Dawiyd inquired of YaHuWaH, saying, “Shall I go up against the Pelishtiym? Will you deliver them into my hand?”

The YaHuWaH said to Dawiyd, “Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Pelishtiym into your hand.”

5:20 Dawiyd came to Ba'al Perazim, and Dawiyd struck them there; and he said, “The YaHuWaH has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters.” Therefore he called the name of that place Ba'al Perazim. 5:21 They left their images there; and Dawiyd and his men took them away. 5:22 The Pelishtiym came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 5:23 When Dawiyd inquired of YaHuWaH, he said, “You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them over against the mulberry trees. 5:24 It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall stir yourself up; for then YaHuWaH has gone out before you to strike the army of the Pelishtiym.”

5:25 Dawiyd did so, as YaHuWaH commanded him, and struck the Pelishtiym from Geba until you come to Gezer.

6:1 Dawiyd again gathered together all the chosen men of Ysra'al, thirty thousand. 6:2 Dawiyd arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Ba'aliy Yahuwdah, to bring up from there the ark of YaHuWaH, which is called by the name, even the name of YaHuWaH Master of Armies Who sits above the keruwbiym. 6:3 They set the ark of YaHuWaH  on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abiynadab that was at Gib'ah: and Uzza and Achyow, the sons of Abiynadab, drove the new cart.  6:4 They brought it out of the house of Abiynadab, which was on the hill, with the ark of YaHuWaH : and Achyow went before the ark. 6:5 Dawiyd and all the house of Ysra'al played before YaHuWaH with all manner of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, and with stringed instruments, and with tambourines, and with castanets, and with cymbals.  6:6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakown, Uzza put forth his hand to the ark of YaHuWaH, and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled. 6:7 The anger of YaHuWaH  was kindled against Uzza; and YaHuWaH   struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of YaHuWaH. 6:8 Dawiyd was displeased, because YaHuWaH had broken forth on Uzza; and he called that place Perets Uzza, to this day. 6:9 Dawiyd was afraid of YaHuWaH that day; and he said, “How shall the ark of YaHuWaH come to me?” 6:10 So Dawiyd would not move the ark of YaHuWaH to be with him in the City of Dawiyd; but Dawiyd carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittiy. 6:11 The ark of YaHuWaH  remained in the house of Obed-Edowm the Gittiy three months: and YaHuWaH blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house. 6:12 It was told king Dawiyd, saying,   "YaHuWaH  has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of YaHuWaH.”

Dawiyd went and brought up the ark of YaHuWaH  from the house of Obed-Edom into the City of Dawiyd with joy. 6:13 It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of YaHuWaH had gone six paces, he slaughterd an ox and a fattened calf. 6:14 Dawiyd danced before YaHuWaH with all his might; and Dawiyd was girded with a linen ephod. 6:15 So Dawiyd and all the house of Ysra'al brought up the ark of YaHuWaH with shouting, and with the sound of the shofar. 6:16 It was so, as the ark of YaHuWaH  came into the City of Dawiyd, that Miykal the daughter of Sha'uwl looked out at the window, and saw king Dawiyd leaping and dancing before YaHuWaH; and she despised him in her heart. 6:17 They brought in the ark of YaHuWaH, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that Dawiyd had pitched for it; and Dawiyd offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YaHuWaH. 6:18 When Dawiyd had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of YaHuWaH Master of Armies. 6:19 He dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Ysra'al, both to men and women, to everyone a cake of bread, and a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house. 6:20 Then Dawiyd returned to bless his household. Miykal the daughter of Sha'uwl came out to meet Dawiyd, and said, “How magnificent the king of Ysra'al was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

6:21 Dawiyd said to Miykal, “It was before YaHuWaH, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of YaHuWaH, over Ysra'al. Therefore will I celebrate before YaHuWaH. 6:22 I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall esteem me.” 6:23 Miykal the daughter of Sha'uwl had no child to the day of her death.

7:1 It happened, when the king lived in his house, and YaHuWaH had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 7:2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of YaHuWaH dwells within curtains.”

7:3 Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart; for YaHuWaH is with you.”

7:4 It happened the same night, that the Word of YaHuWaH  came to Nathan, saying, 7:5 “Go and tell My servant Dawiyd, ‘Thus says YaHuWaH, “Shall you build Me a house for Me to dwell in?  7:6 For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Ysra'al out of Mitsrayim, even to this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle.  7:7 In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Ysra'al, did I say a word to any of the tribes of Ysra'al, whom I commanded to be shepherd of My people Ysra'al, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’ 7:8 Now therefore you shall tell My servant Dawiyd this, ‘Thus says  YaHuWaH Master of Armies, “I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over M people, over Ysra'al. 7:9 I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth. 7:10 I will appoint a place for My people Ysra'al, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first, 7:11 and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Ysra'al. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover YaHuWaH tells you that YaHuWaH will make you a house. 7:12 When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 7:13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 7:14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; 7:15 but My loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Sha'uwl, whom I put away before you. 7:16 Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”’” 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to Dawiyd.

7:18 Then Dawiyd the king went in, and sat before YaHuWaH; and he said, “Who am I,  YaHuWaH , and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far? 7:19 This was yet a small thing in Your eyes,  YaHuWaH; but You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come; and this after the manner of men,  YaHuWaH ! 7:20 What more can Dawiyd say to You? For You know Your servant,  YaHuWaH. 7:21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have worked all this greatness, to make Your servant know it. 7:22 Therefore You are great, YaHuWaH. For there is none like You, neither is there any Aluahiym  besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 7:23 What one nation in the earth is like Your people, even like Ysra'al, whom YaHuWaH went to redeem to Himself for a people, and to make Him a name, and to do great things for You, and awesome things for Your land, before Your people, whom You redeem to You out of Mitsrayim, from the nations and their Aluahiym's? 7:24 You established for Yourself Your people Ysra'al to be a people to You forever; and You, YaHuWaH, became their Aluahiym. 7:25 Now, YaHuWaH, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken. 7:26 Let Your Name be Magnified forever, saying, ' YaHuWaH Master of Armies is Aluahiym  over Ysra'al; and the house of Your servant Dawiyd shall be established before You.’ 7:27 For You, YaHuWaH Master of Armies, the Aluahiym of Ysra'al, have revealed to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to You.

7:28 “Now, O  Master YaHuWaH, You are Aluahiym, and Your Words are Truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant. 7:29 Now therefore let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, YaHuWaH, have spoken it. Let the house of Your servant be blessed forever with Your blessing.”

8:1 After this it happened that Dawiyd struck the Pelishtiym, and subdued them: and Dawiyd took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Pelishtiym.  8:2 He struck Mow'ab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Mow'abiym became servants to Dawiyd, and brought tribute. 8:3 Dawiyd struck also Hadad'ezer the son of Rechob, king of Tsowbah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River. 8:4 Dawiyd took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and Dawiyd hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots. 8:5 When the Aram of Dammeseq came to help Hadad'ezer king of Tsowbah, Dawiyd struck of the Aram two and twenty thousand men. 8:6 Then Dawiyd put garrisons in Aram of Dammeseq; and the Aram became servants to Dawiyd, and brought tribute. YaHuWaH gave victory to Dawiyd wherever he went. 8:7 Dawiyd took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadad'ezer, and brought them to Yahrushalom.  8:8 From Betach and from Berowthah, cities of Hadad'ezer, king Dawiyd took exceeding much brass.  8:9 When To'uw king of Chamath heard that Dawiyd had struck all the army of Hadad'ezer, 8:10 then To'uw sent Yowram his son to king Dawiyd, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadad'ezer and struck him: for Hadad'ezer had wars with To'uw. Yowram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass: 8:11 These also did king Dawiyd dedicate to YaHuWaH, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued; 8:12 of Aram, and of Mow'ab, and of the children of Ammown, and of the Pelishtiym, and of Amaleq, and of the spoil of Hadad'ezer, son of Rechob, king of Tsowbah. 8:13 Dawiyd got him a name when he returned from smiting the Aram in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men. 8:14 He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomiy became servants to Dawiyd. YaHuWaH gave victory to Dawiyd wherever he went. 8:15 Dawiyd reigned over all Ysra'al; and Dawiyd executed justice and righteousness to all his people. 8:16 Yow'ab the son of TseruwYahuw was over the army; and Yahuwshaphat the son of Achiyluwd was recorder;  8:17 and Tsadowq the son of Achiytuwb, and Achimelech the son of Ebyathar, were priests; and SeraYahuw was scribe; 8:18 and BenaYahuw the son of Yahuwyada was over the Kerethiy and the Pelethiy; and Dawiyd’s sons were chief ministers.

9:1 Dawiyd said, “Is there yet any who is left of the house of Sha'uwl, that I may show him kindness for Yahuwnathan’s sake?” 9:2 There was of the house of Sha'uwl a servant whose name was Tsiyba, and they called him to Dawiyd; and the king said to him, “Are you Tsiyba?”

He said, “Your servant is he.”

9:3 The king said, “Is there not yet any of the house of Sha'uwl, that I may show the kindness of YaHuWaH  to him?”

Tsiyba said to the king, “Yahuwnathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet.”

9:4 The king said to him, “Where is he?”

Tsiyba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Makiyr the son of Ammiy'el, in Lo Debar.”

9:5 Then king Dawiyd sent, and fetched him out of the house of Makiyr the son of Ammiy'el, from Lo Debar. 9:6 Mephiybosheth, the son of Yahuwnathan, the son of Sha'uwl, came to Dawiyd, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. Dawiyd said, “Mephiybosheth.”

He answered, “Behold, your servant!”

9:7 Dawiyd said to him, “Don’t be afraid of him; for I will surely show you kindness for Yahuwnathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Sha'uwl your father. You shall eat bread at my table continually.” 9:8 He did obeisance, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?” 9:9 Then the king called to Tsiyba, Sha'uwl's servant, and said to him, “All that pertained to Sha'uwl and to all his house have I given to your master’s son. 9:10 You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in the fruits, that your master’s son may have bread to eat: but Mephiybosheth your master’s son shall eat bread always at my table.” Now Tsiyba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 9:11 Then said Tsiyba to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your shall servant do.” So Mephiybosheth ate at the king’s table, like one of the king’s sons.  9:12 Mephiybosheth had a young son, whose name was Miyka. All that lived in the house of Tsiyba were servants to Mephiybosheth. 9:13 So Mephiybosheth lived in Yahrushalom; for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.

10:1 It happened after this, that the king of the children of Ammown died, and Chanuwn his son reigned in his place. 10:2 Dawiyd said, “I will show kindness to Chanuwn the son of Nachash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So Dawiyd sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. Dawiyd’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammown.

10:3 But the princes of the children of Ammown said to Chanuwn their master, “Do you think that Dawiyd honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t Dawiyd sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” 10:4 So Chanuwn took Dawiyd’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. 10:5 When they told it to Dawiyd, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, “Wait at Yeriychow until your beards have grown, and then return.”

10:6 When the children of Ammown saw that they were become odious to Dawiyd, the children of Ammown sent and hired the Aram of Bayith Rechob, and the Aram of Tsowba, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Ma'akah with one thousand men, and the men of Iysh-Towb twelve thousand men. 10:7 When Dawiyd heard of it, he sent Yow'ab, and all the army of the mighty men. 10:8 The children of Ammown came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Aram of Tsowba and of Rechob, and the men of Iysh-Towb and Ma'akah, were by themselves in the field. 10:9 Now when Yow'ab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Ysra'al, and put them in array against the Aram: 10:10 The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abiyshay his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammown. 10:11 He said, “If the Aram are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammown are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 10:12 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our Aluahiym; and YaHuWaH do that which seems good to him.” 10:13 So Yow'ab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Aram: and they fled before him. 10:14 When the children of Ammown saw that the Aram had fled, they likewise fled before Abiyshay, and entered into the city. Then Yow'ab returned from the children of Ammown, and came to Yahrushalom. 10:15 When the Aram saw that they were defeated by Ysra'al, they gathered themselves together. 10:16 Hadar'ezer sent, and brought out the Aram who were beyond the River: and they came to Chelam, with Showbak the captain of the army of Hadad'ezer at their head. 10:17 It was told Dawiyd; and he gathered all Ysra'al together, and passed over the Yarden, and came to Cheylam. The Aram set themselves in array against Dawiyd, and fought with him. 10:18 The Aram fled before Ysra'al; and Dawiyd killed of the Aram the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Showbak the captain of their army, so that he died there. 10:19 When all the kings who were servants to Hadad'ezer saw that they were defeated before Ysra'al, they made peace with Ysra'al, and served them. So the Aram feared to help the children of Ammown any more.

11:1 It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Dawiyd sent Yow'ab, and his servants with him, and all Ysra'al; and they destroyed the children of Ammown, and besieged Rabbah. But Dawiyd stayed at Yahrushalom. 11:2 It happened at evening, that Dawiyd arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on. 11:3 Dawiyd send and inquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bath-Sheba, the daughter of Eliy'am, the wife of UwriYahuw  the Chitty?”

11:4 Dawiyd sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house. 11:5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told Dawiyd, and said, “I am with child.”

11:6 Dawiyd sent to Yow'ab, saying, “Send me UwriYahuw the Chitty.” Yow'ab sent UwriYahuw to Dawiyd.  11:7 When UwriYahuw  was come to him, Dawiyd asked of him how Yow'ab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. 11:8 Dawiyd said to UwriYahuw , “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” UwriYahuw departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 11:9 But UwriYahuw slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his master, and didn’t go down to his house. 11:10 When they had told Dawiyd, saying, “UwriYahuw  didn’t go down to his house,” Dawiyd said to UwriYahuw , “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”

11:11 UwriYahuw said to Dawiyd, “The ark, Ysra'al, and Yahuwdah, are staying in tents; and my master Yow'ab, and the servants of my master, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”

11:12 Dawiyd said to UwriYahuw , “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So UwriYahuw stayed in Yahrushalom that day, and the next day. 11:13 When Dawiyd had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his master, but didn’t go down to his house. 11:14 It happened in the morning, that Dawiyd wrote a letter to Yow'ab, and sent it by the hand of UwriYahuw . 11:15 He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send UwriYahuw  to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die.”

11:16 It happened, when Yow'ab kept watch on the city, that he assigned UwriYahuw  to the place where he knew that valiant men were. 11:17 The men of the city went out, and fought with Yow'ab. Some of the people fell, even of the servants of Dawiyd; and UwriYahuw  the Chitty died also. 11:18 Then Yow'ab sent and told Dawiyd all the things concerning the war; 11:19 and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king, 11:20 it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall? 11:21 who struck Abiymelek the son of Yerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Tebets? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant UwriYahuw the Chitty is dead also.’”

11:22 So the messenger went, and came and showed Dawiyd all that Yow'ab had sent him for. 11:23 The messenger said to Dawiyd, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate. 11:24 The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant UwriYahuw the Chitty is dead also.”

11:25 Then Dawiyd said to the messenger, “Thus you shall tell Yow'ab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”

11:26 When the wife of UwriYahuw  heard that UwriYahuw her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband. 11:27 When the mourning was past, Dawiyd sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that Dawiyd had done displeased YaHuWaH.

12:1 The YaHuWaH sent Nathan to Dawiyd. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 12:2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 12:3 but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter. 12:4 A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him.”

12:5 Dawiyd’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As YaHuWaH lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die! 12:6 He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!”

12:7 Nathan said to Dawiyd, “You are the man. This is what YaHuWaH, the Aluahiym of Ysra'al, says: ‘I anointed you king over Ysra'al, and I delivered you out of the hand of Sha'uwl. 12:8 I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Ysra'al and of Yahuwdah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things. 12:9 Why have you despised the word of YaHuWaH, to do that which is evil in His sight? You have struck UwriYahuw the Chitty with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammown. 12:10 Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of UwriYahuw the Chitty to be your wife.’

12:11 “This is what YaHuWaH says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.  12:12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Ysra'al, and before the sun.’”

12:13 Dawiyd said to Nathan, “I have sinned against YaHuWaH.”

Nathan said to Dawiyd, “YaHuWaH also has put away your sin. You will not die. 12:14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to YaHuWaH’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”  12:15 Nathan departed to his house.

The YaHuWaH struck the child that UwriYahuw’s wife bore to Dawiyd, and it was very sick. 12:16 Dawiyd therefore begged YaHuWaH for the child; and Dawiyd fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth. 12:17 The elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 12:18 It happened on the seventh day, that the child died. The servants of Dawiyd feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?”

12:19 But when Dawiyd saw that his servants were whispering together, Dawiyd perceived that the child was dead; and Dawiyd said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”

They said, “He is dead.”

12:20 Then Dawiyd arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of YaHuWaH, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.  12:21 Then said his servants to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”

12:22 He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether YaHuWaH will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 12:23 But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

12:24 Dawiyd comforted Bath-Sheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Shelomoh. YaHuWaH loved him;  12:25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him YediydeYahuw, for YaHuWaH’s sake.  12:26 Now Yow'ab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammown, and took the royal city. 12:27 Yow'ab sent messengers to Dawiyd, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters. 12:28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.”

12:29 Dawiyd gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. 12:30 He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on Dawiyd’s head. He brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much.  12:31 He brought forth the people who were therein, and put them under saws, and under iron picks, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammown. Dawiyd and all the people returned to Yahrushalom.

13:1 It happened after this, that Abiyshalowm the son of Dawiyd had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnown the son of Dawiyd loved her. 13:2 Amnown was so troubled that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnown to do anything to her. 13:3 But Amnown had a friend, whose name was Yawnadab, the son of Shim'ah, Dawiyd’s brother; and Yawnadab was a very subtle man. 13:4 He said to him, “Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won’t you tell me?”

Amnown said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Abiyshalowm’s sister.”

13:5 Yawnadab said to him, “Lay down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.’”

13:6 So Amnown lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnown said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.” 13:7 Then Dawiyd sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnown’s house, and prepare food for him.” 13:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnown’s house; and he was laid down. She took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 13:9 She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnown said, “Have all men leave me.” Every man went out from him. 13:10 Amnown said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnown her brother. 13:11 When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister!”

13:12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Ysra'al. Don’t you do this folly. 13:13 I, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Ysra'al. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”

13:14 However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her. 13:15 Then Amnown hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnown said to her, “Arise, be gone!”

13:16 She said to him, “Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!”

But he would not listen to her. 13:17 Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, “Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.” 13:18 She had a garment of various colors on her; for with such robes were the king’s daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 13:19 Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went. 13:20 Abiyshalowm her brother said to her, “Has Amnown your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.”

So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Abiyshalowm’s house. 13:21 But when king Dawiyd heard of all these things, he was very angry. 13:22 Abiyshalowm spoke to Amnown neither good nor bad; for Abiyshalowm hated Amnown, because he had forced his sister Tamar. 13:23 It happened after two full years, that Abiyshalowm had sheepshearers in Ba'al Chatsowr, which is beside Ephrayim: and Abiyshalowm invited all the king’s sons. 13:24 Abiyshalowm came to the king, and said, “See now, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

13:25 The king said to Abiyshalowm, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.  13:26 Then Abiyshalowm said, “If not, please let my brother Amnown go with us.”

The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”

13:27 But Abiyshalowm pressed him, and he let Amnown and all the king’s sons go with him. 13:28 Abiyshalowm commanded his servants, saying, “Mark now, when Amnown’s heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, ‘Strike Amnown,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant!”

13:29 The servants of Abiyshalowm did to Amnown as Abiyshalowm had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got him up on his mule, and fled.  13:30 It happened, while they were in the way, that the news came to Dawiyd, saying, “Abiyshalowm has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left!”

13:31 Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 13:32 Yawnadab, the son of Shim'ah, Dawiyd’s brother, answered, “Don’t let my master suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnown only is dead; for by the appointment of Abiyshalowm this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 13:33 Now therefore don’t let my master the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead; for Amnown only is dead.” 13:34 But Abiyshalowm fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him. 13:35  Yawnadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons are coming! It is as your servant said.”  13:36 It happened, as soon as he had finished speaking, that behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly. 13:37 But Abiyshalowm fled, and went to Talmay the son of Ammiyhuwd, king of Geshuwr. Dawiyd mourned for his son every day. 13:38 So Abiyshalowm fled, and went to Geshuwr, and was there three years. 13:39 the soul of king Dawiyd longed to go forth to Abiyshalowm: for he was comforted concerning Amnown, seeing he was dead.

14:1 Now Yow'ab the son of TseruwYahuw perceived that the king’s heart was toward Abiyshalowm. 14:2 Yow'ab sent to Teqowa, and fetched there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead. 14:3 Go in to the king, and speak like this to him.” So Yow'ab put the words in her mouth. 14:4 When the woman of Teqowa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, “Help, O king!”

14:5 The king said to her, “What ails you?”

She answered, “Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead. 14:6 Your handmaid had two sons, and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other, and killed him. 14:7 Behold, the whole family has risen against your handmaid, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”

14:8 The king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.”

14:9 The woman of Teqowa said to the king, “My master, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and the king and his throne be guiltless.”

14:10 The king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more.”

14:11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember YaHuWaH your Aluahiym, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.”

He said, “As YaHuWaH lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth.”

14:12 Then the woman said, “Please let your handmaid speak a word to my master the king.”

He said, “Say on.”

14:13 The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of YaHuWaH ? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one. 14:14 For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does YaHuWaH take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him. 14:15 Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my master the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’ 14:16 For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of YaHuWaH. 14:17 Then your handmaid said, ‘Please let the word of my master the king bring rest; for as an messenger of YaHuWaH, so is my master the king to discern good and bad. May YaHuWaH, your Aluahiym, be with you.’”

14:18 Then the king answered the woman, “Please don’t hide anything from me that I ask you.”

The woman said, “Let my master the king now speak.”

14:19 The king said, “Is the hand of Yow'ab with you in all this?”

The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my master the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my master the king has spoken; for your servant Yow'ab, he urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid; 14:20 to change the face of the matter has your servant Yow'ab done this thing. My master is wise, according to the wisdom of an messenger of YaHuWaH, to know all things that are in the earth.”

14:21 The king said to Yow'ab, “Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Abiyshalowm back.”

14:22 Yow'ab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king. Yow'ab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my master, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”  14:23 So Yow'ab arose and went to Geshuwr, and brought Abiyshalowm to Yahrushalom. 14:24 The king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Abiyshalowm returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face. 14:25 Now in all Ysra'al there was none to be so much praised as Abiyshalowm for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 14:26 When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight. 14:27 To Abiyshalowm there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful face. 14:28 Abiyshalowm lived two full years in Yahrushalom; and he didn’t see the king’s face.  14:29 Then Abiyshalowm sent for Yow'ab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come. 14:30 Therefore he said to his servants, “Behold, Yow'ab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” Abiyshalowm’s servants set the field on fire.

14:31 Then Yow'ab arose, and came to Abiyshalowm to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

14:32 Abiyshalowm answered Yow'ab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshuwr? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”’”

14:33 So Yow'ab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Abiyshalowm, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Abiyshalowm.

15:1 It happened after this, that Abiyshalowm prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 15:2 Abiyshalowm rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Abiyshalowm called to him, and said, “What city are you from?”

He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Ysra'al.”

15:3 Abiyshalowm said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.” 15:4 Abiyshalowm said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!” 15:5 It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. 15:6 In this manner Abiyshalowm did to all Ysra'al who came to the king for judgment. So Abiyshalowm stole the hearts of the men of Ysra'al. 15:7 It happened at the end of forty years, that Abiyshalowm said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to YaHuWaH, in Chebrown. 15:8 For your servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshuwr in Aram, saying, ‘If YaHuWaH shall indeed bring me again to Yahrushalom, then I will serve YaHuWaH.’”

15:9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.”

So he arose, and went to Chebrown. 15:10 But Abiyshalowm sent spies throughout all the tribes of Ysra'al, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the shofar, then you shall say, ‘Abiyshalowm is king in Chebrown!’” 15:11 Two hundred men went with Abiyshalowm out of Yahrushalom, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything. 15:12 Abiyshalowm sent for Achithophel the Giloniy, Dawiyd’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the slaughterings. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Abiyshalowm. 15:13 A messenger came to Dawiyd, saying, “The hearts of the men of Ysra'al are after Abiyshalowm.”

15:14 Dawiyd said to all his servants who were with him at Yahrushalom, “Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Abiyshalowm. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

15:15 The king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my master the king chooses.”

15:16 The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house. 15:17 The king went forth, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Bayith Merhak. 15:18 All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Kerithiy, and all the Pelethiy, and all the Gittiy, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. 15:19 Then the king said to Ittay the Gittiy, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place. 15:20 Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”

15:21 Ittay answered the king, and said, “As YaHuWaH lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in what place my master the king shall is, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be.”

15:22 Dawiyd said to Ittay, “Go and pass over.” Ittay the Gittiy passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him. 15:23 All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Qidrown, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness. 15:24 Behold, Tsadowq also came, and all the Lewiym with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of YaHuWaH; and they set down the ark of YaHuWaH; and Ebyathar went up, until all the people finished passing out of the city. 15:25 The king said to Tsadowq, “Carry back the ark of YaHuWaH into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of YaHuWaH, He will bring me again, and show me both it, and His habitation;  15:26 but if He say thus, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here am I. Let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” 15:27 The king said also to Tsadowq the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Achiyma'ats your son, and Yahuwnathan the son of Ebyathar. 15:28 Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me.” 15:29 Tsadowq therefore and Ebyathar carried the ark of YaHuWaH  again to Yahrushalom; and they stayed there. 15:30 Dawiyd went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. 15:31 Someone told Dawiyd, saying, “Achiythophel is among the conspirators with Abiyshalowm.”

Dawiyd said, “YaHuWaH, please turn the counsel of Achiythophel into foolishness.”

15:32 It happened that when Dawiyd had come to the top of the ascent, where YaHuWaH was worshiped, behold, Chuwshay the Arkiy came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head. 15:33 Dawiyd said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;  15:34 but if you return to the city, and tell Abiyshalowm, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Achiythophel.’ 15:35 Don’t you have Tsadowq and Ebyathar the priests there with you? Therefore it shall be, that whatever thing you shall hear out of the king’s house, you shall tell it to Tsadowq and Ebyathar the priests. 15:36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Achiyma'ats, Tsadowq's son, and Yahuwnathan, Ebyathar’s son; and by them you shall send to me everything that you shall hear.”

15:37 So Chuwshay, Dawiyd’s friend, came into the city; and Abiyshalowm came into Yahrushalom.

16:1 When Dawiyd was a little past the top of the ascent, behold, Tsiyba the servant of Mephiybosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 16:2 The king said to Tsiyba, What do you mean by these? Tsiyba said, The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink. 16:3 The king said, “Where is your master’s son?”

Tsiyba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Yahrushalom; for he said, ‘Today the house of Ysra'al will restore me the kingdom of my father.’”

16:4 Then the king said to Tsiyba, “Behold, all that pertains to Mephiybosheth is yours.”

Tsiyba said, “I do obeisance. Let me find favor in your sight, my master, O king.”

16:5 When king Dawiyd came to Bachuwriym, behold, a man of the family of the house of Sha'uwl came out, whose name was Shim'iy, the son of Gera. He came out, and cursed still as he came. 16:6 He cast stones at Dawiyd, and at all the servants of king Dawiyd, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 16:7 Shim'iy said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and base fellow! 16:8 YaHuWaH has returned on you all the blood of the house of Sha'uwl, in whose place you have reigned! YaHuWaH has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Abiyshalowm your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”

16:9 Then Abiyshay the son of TseruwYahuw said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my master the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.” 16:10 The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of TseruwYahuw? Because he curses, and because YaHuWaH has said to him, ‘Curse Dawiyd;’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

16:11 Dawiyd said to Abiyshay, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Bin-yemiyniy, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for YaHuWaH has invited him. 16:12 It may be that YaHuWaH will look on the wrong done to me, and that YaHuWaH will repay me good for the cursing of me today.” 16:13 So Dawiyd and his men went by the way; and Shim'iy went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust. 16:14 The king, and all the people who were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there.  16:15 Abiyshalowm, and all the people, the men of Ysra'al, came to Yahrushalom, and Achiythophel with him. 16:16 It happened, when Chuwshay the Arkiy, Dawiyd’s friend, had come to Abiyshalowm, that Chuwshay said to Abiyshalowm, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

16:17 Abiyshalowm said to Chuwshay, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

16:18 Chuwshay said to Abiyshalowm, “No; but whoever YaHuWaH, and this people, and all the men of Ysra'al have chosen, his will I be, and with him I will stay.  16:19 Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn’t I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

16:20 Then said Abiyshalowm to Achiythophel, “Give your counsel what we shall do.”

16:21 Achiythophel said to Abiyshalowm, “Go in to your father’s concubines, that he has left to keep the house. Then all Ysra'al will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”

16:22 So they spread Abiyshalowm a tent on the top of the house; and Abiyshalowm went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Ysra'al. 16:23 The counsel of Achiythophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of YaHuWaH : so was all the counsel of Achiythophel both with Dawiyd and with Abiyshalowm.

17:1 Moreover Achiythophel said to Abiyshalowm, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after Dawiyd tonight. 17:2 I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid. All the people who are with him shall flee. I will strike the king only; 17:3 and I will bring back all the people to you. The man whom you seek is as if all returned. All the people shall be in peace.”

17:4 The saying pleased Abiyshalowm well, and all the elders of Ysra'al. 17:5 Then said Abiyshalowm, “Now call Chuwshay the Arkiy also, and let us hear likewise what he says.”

17:6 When Chuwshay was come to Abiyshalowm, Abiyshalowm spoke to him, saying, “Achiythophel has spoken like this. Shall we do what he says? If not, speak up.”

17:7 Chuwshay said to Abiyshalowm, “The counsel that Achiythophel has given this time is not good.” 17:8 Chuwshay said moreover, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.  17:9 Behold, he is now hidden in some pit, or in some other place. It will happen, when some of them have fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Abiyshalowm!’ 17:10 Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Ysra'al knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 17:11 But I counsel that all Ysra'al be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Be'er Sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person. 17:12 So shall we come on him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one. 17:13 Moreover, if he be gone into a city, then shall all Ysra'al bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there isn’t one small stone found there.”

17:14 Abiyshalowm and all the men of Ysra'al said, “The counsel of Chuwshay the Arkiy is better than the counsel of Achiythophel.” For YaHuWaH had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Achiythophel, to the intent that YaHuWaH might bring evil on Abiyshalowm. 17:15 Then Chuwshay said to Tsadowq and to Ebyathar the priests, “Achiythophel counseled Abiyshalowm and the elders of Ysra'al that way; and I have counseled this way. 17:16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell Dawiyd, saying, ‘Don’t lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.’”

17:17 Now Yahuwnathan and Achiyma'ats were staying by Eyn Rogel; and a female servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king Dawiyd. For they might not be seen to come into the city. 17:18 But a boy saw them, and told Abiyshalowm. Then they both went away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bachuwriym, who had a well in his court; and they went down there. 17:19 The woman took and spread the covering over the well’s mouth, and spread out bruised grain on it; and nothing was known. 17:20 Abiyshalowm’s servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, “Where are Achiyma'ats and Yahuwnathan?”

The woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook of water.”

When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Yahrushalom. 17:21 It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king Dawiyd; and they said to Dawiyd, “Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Achiythophel counseled against you.”

17:22 Then Dawiyd arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Yarden. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Yarden. 17:23 When Achiythophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and got him home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father. 17:24 Then Dawiyd came to Machanayim. Abiyshalowm passed over the Yarden, he and all the men of Ysra'al with him.  17:25 Abiyshalowm set Amasa over the army instead of Yow'ab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Yithra the Ysra'alite, who went in to Abiygayil the daughter of Nachash, sister to TseruwYahuw, Yow'ab’s mother. 17:26 Ysra'al and Abiyshalowm encamped in the land of Gil'ad. 17:27 It happened, when Dawiyd was come to Machanayim, that Shobiy the son of Nachash of Rabbah of the children of Ammown, and Makiyr the son of Ammiy'el of Lo Debar, and Barzillay the Gil'adite of Rogeliym, 17:28 brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched grain, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, 17:29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of the herd, for Dawiyd, and for the people who were with him, to eat: for they said, “The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.”

18:1 Dawiyd numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 18:2 Dawiyd sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Yow'ab, and a third part under the hand of Abiyshay the son of TseruwYahuw, Yow'ab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittay the Gittiy. The king said to the people, “I will surely go forth with you myself also.”

18:3 But the people said, “You shall not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”

18:4 The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.”

The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 18:5 The king commanded Yow'ab and Abiyshay and Ittay, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Abiyshalowm.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Abiyshalowm.

18:6 So the people went out into the field against Ysra'al: and the battle was in the forest of Ephrayim. 18:7 The people of Ysra'al were struck there before the servants of Dawiyd, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. 18:8 For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 18:9 Abiyshalowm happened to meet the servants of Dawiyd. Abiyshalowm was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on. 18:10 A certain man saw it, and told Yow'ab, and said, “Behold, I saw Abiyshalowm hanging in an oak.”

18:11 Yow'ab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a sash.”

18:12 The man said to Yow'ab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abiyshay and Ittay, saying, ‘Beware that none touch the young man Abiyshalowm.’ 18:13 Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”

18:14 Then Yow'ab said, “I’n not going to wait like this with you.” He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Abiyshalowm, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 18:15 Ten young men who bore Yo'ab’s armor surrounded and struck Abiyshalowm, and killed him. 18:16 Yow'ab blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing after Ysra'al; for Yow'ab held back the people. 18:17 They took Abiyshalowm, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Ysra'al fled everyone to his tent. 18:18 Now Abiyshalowm in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Abiyshalowm’s monument, to this day. 18:19 Then Achiyma'ats the son of Tsadowq said, “Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that YaHuWaH has avenged him of his enemies.”

18:20 Yow'ab said to him, “You shall not be the bearer of news this day, but you shall bear news another day. But today you shall bear no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

18:21 Then said Yow'ab to the Kuwshiy, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Kuwshiy bowed himself to Yow'ab, and ran.

18:22 Then said Achiyma'ats the son of Tsadowq yet again to Yow'ab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Kuwshiy.”

Yow'ab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?”

18:23 “But come what may,” he said, “I will run.”

He said to him, “Run!” Then Achiyma'ats ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Kuwshiy.

18:24 Now Dawiyd was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. 18:25 The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.

18:26 The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, “Behold, a man running alone!”

The king said, “He also brings news.”

18:27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Achiyma'ats the son of Tsadowq.”

The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

18:28 Achiyma'ats called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is YaHuWaH your Aluahiym, Who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my master the king!”

18:29 The king said, “Is it well with the young man Abiyshalowm?”

Achiyma'ats answered, “When Yow'ab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”

18:30 The king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” He turned aside, and stood still.

18:31 Behold, the Kuwshiy came. The Kuwshiy said, “News for my master the king; for YaHuWaH has avenged you this day of all those who rose up against you.”

18:32 The king said to the Kuwshiy, “Is it well with the young man Abiyshalowm?”

The Kuwshiy answered, “May the enemies of my master the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”

18:33 The king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Abiyshalowm! My son, my son Abiyshalowm! I wish I had died for you, Abiyshalowm, my son, my son!”

19:1 It was told Yow'ab, “Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Abiyshalowm.” 19:2 The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard it said that day, “The king grieves for his son.”

19:3 The people snuck into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 19:4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Abiyshalowm, Abiyshalowm, my son, my son!”

19:5 Yow'ab came into the house to the king, and said, “You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines; 19:6 in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Abiyshalowm had lived, and all we had died this day, then it would have pleased you well. 19:7 Now therefore arise, go out, and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by YaHuWaH, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.”

19:8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Ysra'al had fled every man to his tent. 19:9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Ysra'al, saying, “The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Pelishtiym; and now he has fled out of the land from Abiyshalowm. 19:10 Abiyshalowm, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?”

19:11 King Dawiyd sent to Tsadowq and to Ebyathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Yahuwdah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Ysra'al has come to the king, to return him to his house. 19:12 You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 19:13 Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? YaHuWaH do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually in the room of Yow'ab.’” 19:14 He bowed the heart of all the men of Yahuwdah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”

19:15 So the king returned, and came to the Yarden. Yahuwdah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Yarden. 19:16 Shim'iy the son of Gera, the Binyaminiy, who was of Bachuwriym, hurried and came down with the men of Yahuwdah to meet king Dawiyd. 19:17 There were a thousand men of Binyamin with him, and Tsiyba the servant of the house of Sha'uwl, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Yarden in the presence of the king. 19:18 A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shim'iy the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Yarden. 19:19 He said to the king, “Don’t let my master impute iniquity to me, neither do you remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my master the king went out of Yahrushalom, that the king should take it to his heart. 19:20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day the first of all the house of Yowseph to go down to meet my master the king.”

19:21 But Abiyshay the son of TseruwYahuw answered, “Shall Shim'iy not be put to death for this, because he cursed YaHuWaH’s anointed?”

19:22 Dawiyd said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Tserueyah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Ysra'al? For don’t I know that I am this day king over Ysra'al?” 19:23 The king said to Shim'iy, “You shall not die.” The king swore to him.

19:24 Mephiybosheth the son of Sha'uwl came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 19:25 It happened, when he had come to Yahrushalom to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephiybosheth?”

19:26 He answered, “My master, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because your servant is lame. 19:27 He has slandered your servant to my master the king; but my master the king is as an messenger of YaHuWaH. Do therefore what is good in your eyes. 19:28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my master the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?”

19:29 The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Tsiyba divide the land.”

19:30 Mephiybosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my master the king has come in peace to his own house.” 19:31 Barzillay the Gil'adiy came down from Rogeliym; and he went over the Yarden with the king, to conduct him over the Yarden. 19:32 Now Barzillay was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Machanayim; for he was a very great man. 19:33 The king said to Barzillay, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Yahrushalom.” 19:34 Barzillay said to the king, “How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Yahrushalom? 19:35 I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be yet a burden to my master the king?  19:36 Your servant would but just go over the Yarden with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 19:37 Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Kimham; let him go over with my master the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.”

19:38 The king answered, “Kimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you require of me, that I will do for you.”

19:39 All the people went over the Yarden, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillay, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place. 19:40 So the king went over to Gilgal, and Kimham went over with him. All the people of Yahuwdah brought the king over, and also half the people of Ysra'al. 19:41 Behold, all the men of Ysra'al came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Yahuwdah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Yarden, and all Dawiyd’s men with him?”

19:42 All the men of Yahuwdah answered the men of Ysra'al, “Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?”

19:43 The men of Ysra'al answered the men of Yahuwdah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to Dawiyd than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Yahuwdah were fiercer than the words of the men of Ysra'al.

20:1 There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bikriy, a Bin-yemiyniy: and he blew the shofar, and said, “We have no portion in Dawiyd, neither have we inheritance in the son of Yishay. Every man to his tents, Ysra'al!”

20:2 So all the men of Ysra'al went up from following Dawiyd, and followed Sheba the son of Bikriy; but the men of Yahuwdah joined with their king, from the Yarden even to Yahrushalom. 20:3 Dawiyd came to his house at Yahrushalom; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

20:4 Then said the king to Amasa, “Call me the men of Yahuwdah together within three days, and be here present.”

20:5 So Amasa went to call the men of Yahuwdah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 20:6 Dawiyd said to Abiyshay, “Now Sheba the son of Bikriy will do us more harm than did Abiyshalowm. Take your  master’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”

20:7 There went out after him Yo'ab’s men, and the Kerithiy and the Pelethiy, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Yahrushalom, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikriy. 20:8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gib'own, Amasa came to meet them. Yow'ab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out. 20:9 Yow'ab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Yow'ab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 20:10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Yo'ab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Yow'ab and Abiyshay his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bikriy.  20:11 There stood by him one of Yo'ab’s young men, and said, “He who favors Yow'ab, and he who is for Dawiyd, let him follow Yow'ab!”

20:12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. 20:13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Yow'ab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bikriy. 20:14 He went through all the tribes of Ysra'al to Abel, and to Bayith Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 20:15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Bayith Ma'akah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Yow'ab battered the wall, to throw it down. 20:16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Yow'ab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’” 20:17 He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Yow'ab?”

He answered, “I am.”

Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your handmaid.”

He answered, “I do hear.”

20:18 Then she spoke, saying, “They were used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at the meadow;’ and so they settled it. 20:19 I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Ysra'al. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Ysra'al. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of YaHuWaH ?”

20:20 Yow'ab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 20:21 The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephrayim, Sheba the son of Bikriy by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against Dawiyd. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.”

The woman said to Yow'ab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”

20:22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bikriy, and threw it out to Yow'ab. He blew the shofar, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Yow'ab returned to Yahrushalom to the king. 20:23 Now Yow'ab was over all the army of Ysra'al; and BenaYahuw the son of Yahuwyada was over the Kerithiy and over the Pelethiy; 20:24 and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor; and Yahuwshaphat the son of Achiyluwd was the recorder; 20:25 and Sheya was scribe; and Tsadowq and Ebyathar were priests; 20:26 and also Iyra the Ya'iriy was chief minister to Dawiyd.

21:1 There was a famine in the days of Dawiyd three years, year after year; and Dawiyd sought the face of YaHuWaH. YaHuWaH said, “It is for Sha'uwl, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gib'oniy.”

21:2 The king called the Gib'oniy, and said to them (now the Gib'oniy were not of the children of Ysra'al, but of the remnant of the Emoriy; and the children of Ysra'al had sworn to them: and Sha'uwl sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Ysra'al and Yahuwdah); 21:3 and Dawiyd said to the Gib'oniy, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of YaHuWaH ?”

21:4 The Gib'oniy said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Sha'uwl, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Ysra'al.”

He said, “Whatever you say, that will I do for you.”

21:5 They said to the king, “The man who consumed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Ysra'al, 21:6 let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to YaHuWaH in Gib'ah of Sha'uwl, the chosen of YaHuWaH.”

The king said, “I will give them.”

21:7 But the king spared Mephiybosheth, the son of Yahuwnathan the son of Sha'uwl, because of YaHuWaH’s oath that was between them, between Dawiyd and Yahuwnathan the son of Sha'uwl.  21:8 But the king took the two sons of Ritspah the daughter of Ayah, whom she bore to Sha'uwl, Armoniy and Mephiybosheth; and the five sons of Miykal the daughter of Sha'uwl, whom she bore to Adriy'el the son of Barzillay the Mecholathiy. 21:9 He delivered them into the hands of the Gib'oniy, and they hanged them in the mountain before YaHuWaH, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest. 21:10 Ritspah the daughter of Ayah took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night.  21:11 It was told Dawiyd what Ritspah the daughter of Ayah, the concubine of Sha'uwl, had done.  21:12 Dawiyd went and took the bones of Sha'uwl and the bones of Yahuwnathan his son from the men of Yabesh Gil'ad, who had stolen them from the street of Bayith She'an, where the Pelishtiym had hanged them, in the day that the Pelishtiym killed Sha'uwl in Gilboa; 21:13 and he brought up from there the bones of Sha'uwl and the bones of Yahuwnathan his son: and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 21:14 They buried the bones of Sha'uwl and Yahuwnathan his son in the country of Binyamin in Tsela, in the tomb of Qiysh his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that YaHuWaH was entreated for the land. 21:15 The Pelishtiym had war again with Ysra'al; and Dawiyd went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Pelishtiym. Dawiyd grew faint; 21:16 and Yishbow be-Nob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain Dawiyd. 21:17 But Abiyshay the son of Tseruyah helped him, and struck the Pelishtiym, and killed him. Then the men of Dawiyd swore to him, saying, “You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you don’t quench the lamp of Ysra'al.”

21:18 It came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Pelishtiym at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. 21:19 There was again war with the Pelishtiym at Gob; and Elchanan the son of Ya'are'Oregiym the Bayith haLachmiy killed Golyath the Gittity’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 21:20 There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21:21 When he defied Ysra'al, Yahuwnathan the son of Shim'a, Dawiyd’s brother, killed him. 21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of Dawiyd, and by the hand of his servants.

22:1 Dawiyd spoke to YaHuWaH the words of this song in the day that YaHuWaH delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Sha'uwl:  22:2 and he said,

“ YaHuWaH is my Rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;

22:3 YaHuWaH, my Rock, in Him I will take refuge;

my shield, and the horn of my deliverance,

my high tower, and my refuge.

My Savior, you save me from violence.

22:4 I will call on YaHuWaH, Who is worthy to be praised:

So shall I be saved from my enemies.

22:5 For the waves of death surrounded me.

The floods of the unrighteous made me afraid.

22:6 The cords of Sheol were around Me.

The snares of death caught Me.

22:7 In my distress I called on YaHuWaH.

Yes, I called to my Aluahiym.

He heard my voice out of His Hekal.

My cry came into His ears.

22:8 Then the earth shook and trembled.

The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken,

because He was angry.

22:9 Smoke went up out of His nostrils.

Fire out of His mouth devoured.

Coals were kindled by it.

22:10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down.

Thick darkness was under His feet.

22:11 He rode on a keruwb, and flew.

Yes, He was seen on the wings of the wind.

22:12 He made darkness pavilions around Himself:

gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

22:13 At the brightness before Him,

coals of fire were kindled.

22:14 YaHuWaH  thundered from heaven.

The Most High uttered His voice.

22:15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them;

lightning, and confused them.

22:16 Then the channels of the sea appeared.

The foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of YaHuWaH,

At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

22:17 He sent from on high and He took Me.

He drew Me out of many waters.

22:18 He delivered Me from My strong enemy,

from those who hated Me, for they were too mighty for Me.

22:19 They came on me in the day of my calamity,

but YaHuWaH was my support.

22:20 He also brought me out into a large place.

He delivered me, because He delighted in me.

22:21 The YaHuWaH rewarded me according to my righteousness.

He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.

22:22 For I have kept the ways of YaHuWaH,

and have not wickedly departed from my Aluahiym.

22:23 For all His ordinances were before me.

As for His statutes, I did not depart from them.

22:24 I was also perfect toward Him.

I kept myself from my iniquity.

22:25 Therefore YaHuWaH has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

According to my cleanness in His eyesight.

22:26 With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful.

With the perfect man You will show yourself perfect.

22:27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure.

With the crooked You will show Yourself shrewd.

22:28 You will save the afflicted people,

But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down.

22:29 For You are my lamp, YaHuWaH.

YaHuWaH will light up my darkness.

22:30 For by You, I run against a troop.

By my Aluahiym, I leap over a wall.

22:31 As for YaHuWaH, His way is perfect.

The Word of YaHuWaH  is tested.

He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him.

22:32 For who is Aluahiym, besides  YaHuWaH?

Who is a Rock, besides our Aluahiym?

22:33 YaHuWaH is my strong fortress.

He makes my way perfect.

22:34 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,

and sets me on my high places.

22:35 He teaches my hands to war,

so that my arms bend a bow of brass.

22:36 You have also given me the shield of Your deliverance.

Your gentleness has made me great.

22:37 You have enlarged my steps under me.

My feet have not slipped.

22:38 I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them.

I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.

22:39 I have consumed them,

and struck them through,

so that they can’t arise.

Yes, they have fallen under my feet.

22:40 For You have armed me with strength for the battle.

You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

22:41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

that I might cut off those who hate me.

22:42 They looked, but there was none to save;

even to YaHuWaH, but He didn’t answer them.

22:43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth.

I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.

22:44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people.

You have kept me to be the head of the nations.

A people whom I have not known will serve me.

22:45 The foreigners will submit themselves to me.

As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.

22:46 The foreigners will fade away,

and will come trembling out of their close places.

22:47 YaHuWaH lives!

Blessed be my Rock!

Exalted is my Aluahiym, the Rock of my deliverance,

22:48 even the Aluahiym Who executes vengeance for me, Who brings down peoples under me,

22:49 Who brings me away from my enemies.

Yes, You lift me up above those who rise up against me.

You deliver me from the violent man.

22:50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, YaHuWaH, among the nations.

I will sing praises to Your name.

22:51 He gives great deliverance to his king,

and shows loving kindness to His anointed,

to Dawiyd and to his seed, forevermore.”

23:1 Now these are the last words of Dawiyd.

Dawiyd the son of Yishay says,

the man who was raised on high says,

the anointed of the Aluahiym of Ya'aqob,

the sweet psalmist of Ysra'al:

23:2 “The Ruwach of YaHuWaH spoke by me.

His Word was on my tongue.

23:3  YaHuWaH of Ysra'al said,

the Rock of Ysra'al spoke to me,

‘One who rules over men righteously,

who rules in the fear of YaHuWaH,

23:4 shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,

a morning without clouds,

when the tender grass springs out of the earth,

through clear shining after rain.’

23:5 Most certainly my house is not so with YaHuWaH,

yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,

ordered in all things, and sure,

for it is all my deliverance, and all my desire,

although He doesn’t make it grow.

23:6 But all of the wicked shall be as thorns to be thrust away,

because they can’t be taken with the hand,

23:7 But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear.

They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

23:8 These are the names of the mighty men whom Dawiyd had: Yosheb Basshebeth a Tahchkemoniy, chief of the captains; the same was Adiynow the Etsen, because he slew eight hundred at one time. 23:9 After him was El'azar the son of Dowdow the son of an Achowchiy, one of the three mighty men with Dawiyd, when they defied the Pelishtiym who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Ysra'al were gone away. 23:10 He arose, and struck the Pelishtiym until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and YaHuWaH worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.  23:11 After him was Shammah the son of Age a Harariy. The Pelishtiym were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Pelishtiym. 23:12 But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Pelishtiym; and YaHuWaH worked a great victory. 23:13 Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to Dawiyd in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Pelishtiym was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.  23:14 Dawiyd was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Pelishtiym was then in Bayith Lechem.  23:15 Dawiyd longed, and said, “Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bayith Lechem, which is by the gate!”

23:16 The three mighty men broke through the army of the Pelishtiym, and drew water out of the well of Bayith Lechem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to Dawiyd: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to YaHuWaH. 23:17 He said, “Be it far from me, YaHuWaH, that I should do this! Isn’t it the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things. 23:18 Abiyshay, the brother of Yow'ab, the son of Tseruyah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. 23:19 Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn’t attain to the first three. 23:20 BenaYahuw the son of Yahuwyada, the son of a valiant man of 

Qabtse'el, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Mow'ab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. 23:21 He killed an Mitsrayim, a goodly man: and the Mitsrayim had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Mitsrayim's hand, and killed him with his own spear. 23:22 These things did BenaYahuw the son of Yahuwyada, and had a name among the three mighty men. 23:23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the first three. Dawiyd set him over his guard. 23:24 Asah'el the brother of Yow'ab was one of the thirty; Elchanan the son of Dodo of Bayith Lechem, 23:25 Shammah the Charodiy, Elika the Charodiy, 23:26 Chelets the Paltiy, Iyra the son of Iqqesh the Teqowiy, 23:27 Abiy'ezer the Anathothiy, Mebunnay the Cushathiy, 23:28 Tsalmoon the Achowhiy, Maharay the Netophathiy, 23:29 Cheleb the son of Ba'anah the Netophathiy, Ittay the son of Riybay of Gib'ah of the children of Binyamin, 23:30 BenaYahuw a Pir'athowniy, Hidday of the brooks of Ga'ash. 23:31 Abiy-albown the Arbathiy, Azmaweth the Barchumiy, 23:32 Elyachba the Sha'alboniy, the sons of Yashen, Yahuwnathan, 23:33 Shammah the Harariy, Achiyam the son of Sharar the Harariy, 23:34 Eliyphelet the son of Achasbay, the son of the Ma'acathiy, Eliy'am the son of Achiythophel the Giyloniy,  23:35 Chetsrow the Karmeliy, Pa'aray the Arbiy,  23:36 Yig'al the son of Nathan of Tsobah, Baniy the Gadiy, 23:37 Tseleq the Ammowniy, Nacharay the Be'erothiy, armor bearers to Yow'ab the son of TseruYahuw, 23:38 Iyra the Yithriy, Gareb the Yithriy, 23:39 UwriYahuw the Chitty: thirty-seven in all.

24:1 Again the anger of YaHuWaH  was kindled against Ysra'al, and he moved Dawiyd against them, saying, “Go, number Ysra'al and Yahuwdah.” 24:2 The king said to Yow'ab the captain of the army, who was with him, “Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Ysra'al, from Dan even to Be'er Sheba, and number the people, that I may know the sum of the people.”

24:3 Yow'ab said to the king, “Now may YaHuWaH your Aluahiym add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my master the king see it. But why does my master the king delight in this thing?”

24:4 Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Yow'ab, and against the captains of the army. Yow'ab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Ysra'al. 24:5 They passed over the Yarden, and encamped in Arow'er, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gawd, and to Ya'azeyr: 24:6 then they came to Gil'ad, and to the land of Tachtiym Chodshiy; and they came to Dan Ya'an, and around to Tsidown,  24:7 and came to the stronghold of Tsor, and to all the cities of the Chiwiy, and of the Kena'aniy; and they went out to the south of Yahuwdah, at Be'er Sheba. 24:8 So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Yahrushalom at the end of nine months and twenty days. 24:9 Yow'ab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: and there were in Ysra'al eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword; and the men of Yahuwdah were five hundred thousand men. 24:10 Dawiyd’s heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. Dawiyd said to YaHuWaH, “I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, YaHuWaH, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.”

24:11 When Dawiyd rose up in the morning, the word of YaHuWaH  came to the prophet Gawd, Dawiyd’s seer, saying, 24:12 “Go and speak to Dawiyd, ‘Thus says YaHuWaH, “I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”’”

24:13 So Gawd came to Dawiyd, and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”

24:14 Dawiyd said to Gawd, “I am in distress. Let us fall now into the hand of YaHuWaH; for His mercies are great. Let me not fall into the hand of man.”

24:15 So YaHuWaH sent a pestilence on Ysra'al from the morning even to the appointed time; and there died of the people from Dan even to Be'er Sheba seventy thousand men.  24:16 When the messenger stretched out his hand toward Yahrushalom to destroy it, YaHuWaH relented of the disaster, and said to the messenger who destroyed the people, “It is enough. Now stay your hand.” The messenger of YaHuWaH  was by the threshing floor of Arawnah the Yebusiy.

24:17 Dawiyd spoke to YaHuWaH when he saw the messenger who struck the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me, and against my father’s house.”

24:18 Gawd came that day to Dawiyd, and said to him, “Go up, build an altar to YaHuWaH on the threshing floor of Arawnah the Yebusiy.”

24:19 Dawiyd went up according to the saying of Gawd, as YaHuWaH commanded. 24:20 Arawnah looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. Then Arawnah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24:21 Arawnah said, “Why has my YaHuWaH the king come to his servant?”

Dawiyd said, “To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to YaHuWaH, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.”

24:22 Arawnah said to Dawiyd, “Let my master the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood: 24:23 all this, king, does Arawnah give to the king.” Arawnah said to the king, “May YaHuWaH your Aluahiym accept you.”

24:24 The king said to Arawnah, “No; but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to YaHuWaH my Aluahiym which cost me nothing.” So Dawiyd bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 24:25 Dawiyd built an altar to YaHuWaH there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So YaHuWaH was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Ysra'al.