So I took my stand by him, and put him to death, for I perceived that he could not survive his fall, - so I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them in unto my lord, here.

And David said unto him, - How wast thou not afraid to thrust forth thy hand, to destroy the Anointed of Yahweh?

Do not tell it in Gath, Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, - lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the Uncircumcised triumph.

Saul and Jonathan, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, - Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong!

And Asahel pursued Abner, - and turned not, in going, to the right hand or to the left, from pursuing Abner.

Then Abner said to him - Turn thee aside, to thy right hand, or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from pursuing him.

then Abner cried aloud unto Joab, and said - To the uttermost, must the sword devour? Dost thou not well know that, bitter, shall it be, in the latter end? How long, then, wilt thou not bid the people turn back from pursuing their own brethren?

Then said Joab - As God liveth, surely, if thou hadst not spoken, then in the morning, the people would of themselves have gone up, every man from pursuing his brother.

And, Abner and his men, journeyed through the waste plain all that night, - and crossed the Jordan, and went through all the Bithron, and entered Mahanaim.

And they carried Asahel, and buried him in the grave of his father, which was in Bethlehem, - and Joab and his men journeyed all the night, and had daylight in Hebron.

And it provoked Abner greatly, on account of the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said - Am I, the head of the dogs, that pertain unto Judah? To-day, would I deal in lovingkindness with the house of Saul thy father, towards his brethren, and towards his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, - and yet thou hast charged upon me the transgression of the woman, today.

So, may God do unto Abner, and, so, may he add to him, - if, as Yahweh hath sworn unto David, even so, I deal not with him;

And he said - Good! I, will solemnise with thee a covenant, - but, one thing, must I ask of thee, saying - Thou shalt not see my face, except thou have brought in Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

And lo! the servants of David, and Joab, came in from a raid, and, great spoil, brought they in with them; but, Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had let him go, and he had departed in peace.

And, when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the well of Sirah, - but, David, knew it not.

Let it be hurled upon the head of Joab, and against all his father's house, - and let there not fail from the house of Joab - one that hath an issue, or a leper, or one that leaneth on a crutch, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.

Thy hands, were not bound, And, thy feet, near to fetters, were not brought, As one falleth before assassins, so didst thou fall! And again all the people wept over him.

And, all the people, took note of it, and it was noble in their eyes, - as, all that the king did, was, in the eyes of all the people, noble.

So then all the people, and all Israel, took note, that day, that it was not of the king, to cause the death of Abner son of Ner.

And the king said unto his servants, - Will ye not take note that, a prince and a great man, hath fallen this day, in Israel?

Thus they entered the house when, he, was lying on his bed, in his sleeping-chamber, and smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, - and took his head, and journeyed by way of the waste plain all the night;

how much more, when, lawless men, have slain a righteous person, in his own house, upon his bed? -- Now, therefore, must I not require his blood at your hands, and so consume you, out of the earth?

Then went the king and his men, to Jerusalem, against the Jebusites, inhabiting the land, - and they spake to David, saying - Thou canst not come in hither, unless thou take away the blind and lame - Thinking, David will not come in hither.

And David said, on that day - Whosoever is smiting the Jebusites, then let him reach as far as the aqueduct. But, as for the lame and the blind, they were the hated of David's soul, - for which cause, they kept on saying, Blind and lame! he will not enter the place.

So David enquired of Yahweh, and he said - Thou shalt not go up, - Get round behind them, and come in upon them, over against the mulberry-trees.

So David would not remove unto him the ark of Yahweh, unto the city of David, - but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom, the Gittite.

But so it was, in that night, that the word of Yahweh came unto Nathan, saying:

seeing that I have not dwelt in a house, since the day that I brought up the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even unto this day, - but have been wandering in a tent as my habitation?

Wheresoever I have wandered with any of the sons of Israel, spake I ever, a word, with any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I charged to shepherd my people Israel, saying, - Wherefore have ye not built me a house, of cedar?

But, my lovingkindness, shall not depart from him, - as I caused it to depart from Saul, whom I caused to depart from before thee.

And David said to him - Do not fear, for I will, indeed shew, thee lovingkindness, for the sake of Jonathan thy father, and will restore unto thee all the land of Saul thy father, - but, thou thyself, shall eat bread at my table, continually.

Then said the rulers of the sons of Ammon unto Hanun their lord - Is David honouring thy father, in thine eyes, that he hath sent unto thee comforters? Is it not, for the sake of exploring the city, and spying it out, and overthrowing it, that David hath sent his servants unto thee?

And David sent and enquired after the woman, - and one said - Is not, this, Bath-sheba, daughter of Eliam, wife of Uriah the Hittite?

But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king's house, with all the servants of his lord, - and went not down unto his own house.

And it was told David, saying, Uriah went not down, unto his own house. So David said unto Uriah - Was it not, from a journey, thou didst come? why, then, hast thou not been down unto thine own house?

And Uriah said unto David - The ark, and Israel and Judah, are dwelling in huts and, my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, on the face of the field, are encamped, Was, I, then, to enter my own house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By thy life, yea by the life of thy soul, I could not do this thing.

And David called him, and he did eat before him, and drank, and he made him drunk, - and he went forth in the evening to lie down on his bed, with the servants of his lord, but, unto his own house, went he not down.

then shall it be, if the king's anger arise, and he say unto thee, Why came ye near unto the city, to fight? Knew ye not, that they would shoot from off the wall?

Who smote Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not, a woman, cast on him an upper millstone from off the wall, that he died, in Thebez? Wherefore came ye near unto the wall? Then shalt thou say - Moreover, thy servant, Uriah the Hittite, died.

Then said David unto the messenger - Thus, shalt thou say unto Joab, - Let not this thing be grievous in thine eyes, for, now this one, and then that one, doth the sword devour, - make hot thy battle against the city, and overthrow it; Thus embolden thou him.

Now, therefore, the sword shall not depart from thy house, unto age-abiding times, - because thou hast despised me, and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Yahweh. Then said Nathan unto David, - Yahweh also, hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die!

David therefore earnestly sought God in behalf of the boy, - and David kept a fast, and used to go in and pass the night, and lie upon the ground.

And the elders of his house stood up over him, to raise him from the ground, - but he would not, neither would he eat food with them.

And it came to pass, on the seventh day, that the child died, - but the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead, for said they - Lo! while the child was living, we spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice, how then can we say unto him, The child is dead, and so he do himself harm?

And he said, - While yet the child lived, I fasted, and wept, - for I said - Who knoweth whether Yahweh may not grant me favour, and the child live?

But, now, that he is dead, wherefore should I go on fasting? can I bring him back again? I am going unto him, but, he, will not come back unto me.

So he said to him, - Why art thou looking so wretched - a king's son too - morning by morning? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, With Tamar, my brother Absolom's sister, am I in love.

But she said to him - Nay! my brother, do not force me, for it should not be done so in Israel, - do not commit this vileness.

And, I, - whither could I take my reproach? Thou, too, wouldest be as one of the vile fellows, in Israel. Now, therefore, speak, I pray thee, unto the king, for he would not withhold me from thee.

But he would not hearken unto her voice, - and, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

But she said to him - No occasion for this greater wrong, after what thou hast done with me, to put me away! Nevertheless he would not hearken unto her;

And Absolom her brother said unto her - Hath, Amnon thy brother, been with thee? Now, therefore, my sister, hold thy peace - thy brother, he is, do not lay to thy heart, this thing. But Tamar remained, and was desolate in the house of Absolom her brother.

And Absolom spake not with Amnon, either bad or good, - though Absolom hated Amnon, because he had forced Tamar his sister.

And the king said unto Absolom - Nay! my son, do not, I pray thee, let us all go, lest we be burdensome upon thee. And, though he urged him, he would not go, but blessed him.

Then said Absolom, If not, then, I pray thee, let Amnon my brother go with us. And the king said unto him, Wherefore should he go with thee?

Now Absolom had commanded his young men, saying - Mark, I pray you, when the heart of Amnon is merry with wine, and I say unto you - Smite ye Amnon, then shall ye put him to death, do not fear, - have not, I myself, commanded you? Be bold, and show yourselves to be sons of valour.

And it came to pass, while, they, were yet on the road, that, the report, reached David, saying, - Absolom hath smitten all the king's sons, and there is not left of them, one.

Then responded Jonadab son of Shimeah David's brother, and said - Let not my lord say that they have put, all the young men - the king's sons, to death; for, Amnon alone, is dead; for, by the bidding of Absolom, was it appointed, from the day that he forced Tamar his sister.

Now, therefore, let not my lord the king lay to his heart such a thing - to say, All the king's sons, are dead, - but, Amnon alone, is dead.

So Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched from thence, a wise woman, - and said unto her - I pray thee, feign thyself a mourner, and put on, I pray thee, mourning apparel, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath, these many days, been mourning for the dead;

Then said she: Let the king, I pray thee, remember Yahweh thy God; so that the blood-redeemer may not make utter ruin, and that they destroy not my son. And he said - By the life of Yahweh, not one hair of thy son shall fall to the earth.

For, when we, die, we become as water poured on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, - therefore doth God not take away the life, but deviseth plans so as not to thrust out from him, a fugitive.

Then responded the king, and said unto the woman, Nay, now! do not hide from me, the thing which I am about to ask thee. And the woman said, Pray let my lord the king speak.

And the king said - Let him go round to his own house, and, my face, let him not see. So Absolom went round, unto his own house, and, the face of the king, saw he not.

Now, like unto Absolom, was there no man handsome in all Israel, to be greatly praised, - from the sole of his foot, even unto the crown of his head, there was not, in him, a blemish.

So Absolom dwelt in Jerusalem two years of days, - and, the face of the king, had he not seen.

Then sent Absolom unto Joab, to send him unto the king, but he would not come to him, - so he sent yet a second time, but he would not come.

And the king said, unto Zadok the priest, Art thou not, a seer? return into the city, in peace, - and Ahimaaz thine own son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar - your two sons, with you.

And hast thou not, with thee, there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? so then it shall be, that, what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the house of the king, thou shalt tell to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests.

Then said Absolom unto Hushai, Is, this, thy lovingkindness unto thy friend? Wherefore wentest thou not with thy friend?

And, again, whom, should, I serve? Should it not be in presence of his son? as I served in presence of thy father, so, will I continue thy presence.

Then said Ahithophel unto Absolom: I pray thee, let me choose for myself, twelve thousand men, and arise, and pursue David to-night;

And, when Hushai came in unto Absolom, Absolom spake unto him, saying - After this manner, hath Ahithophel spoken, shall we do what he saith? if not, thou, speak.

Then said Hushai unto Absolom, - Not good, is the counsel that Ahithophel hath given - at this time.

And Hushai said - Thou, knowest thy father and his men - that, men of might, they are, and, embittered in soul, they are, like a bear bereaved of her young, in the field, - thy father also, is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

So shall we come upon him in some place where he hath been found, yea, we, shall be upon him, as when the dew falleth upon the ground, - and there shall not be left of him, or of the men that are with him, so much as one.

But, if, into a city, he withdraw, then will all Israel bring up unto that city, ropes, - and we will drag it down unto the ravine, until there be not found in that place, so much as a small stone.

Now, therefore, send quickly, and tell David, saying, - Do not lodge to-night in the waste plains of the wilderness, thou must, even pass over, lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.

Now, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, were staying by En-rogel, and a maidservant was to go and tell them, and, they, were to go and tell King David, - for they might not be seen to eater the city.

Then came the servants of Absolom unto the woman in the house, and said - Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them - They have passed over the stream of water. And, when they had searched and not found, they returned to Jerusalem.

So David arose, and all the people who were with him, and passed over the Jordan, by the morning light, so much as one, was not lacking, who had not passed over the Jordan.

Now, when, Ahithophel, saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose and went unto his own house, unto his own city, and gave charge unto his household, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the grave of his father.

But the people said - Thou must not go forth, for, if we, flee, they will not regard us, neither, if half of us die, will they regard us, for, thou, compared with us, art worth ten thousand, - now, therefore, it will be better that thou come to us out of the city, with succour.

Then said Joab to the man that was telling him, Lo! since thou sawest him, why didst thou not smite him there, to the ground? then should I have been bound to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.

And the man said unto Joab, Though I were weighing upon my palm a thousand pieces of silver, yet would I not put forth my hand against the son of the king, - for, in our hearing, the king Charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Watch any man who would touch the young man Absolom.

And Joab said, Not thus, may I tarry before thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absolom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

And Joab said to him - Not a man to bear tidings, art thou this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day, - but, this day, shalt thou not bear tidings, for this cause, that, the king's son, is dead.

And the king said, Is it, well, with the young man - Absolom? Then said Ahimaaz - I saw a great crowd, when Joab sent the king's servant and me thy servant, but I knew not what it meant .

Now, therefore, rise - go forth, and speak unto the heart of thy servants, - for, by Yahweh, have I sworn, that, if thou do not go forth, not a man shall tarry with thee to-night, and this will be to thee, a greater misfortune, than all the misfortune that hath come upon thee from thy youth until now.

And, unto Amasa, shall ye say, Art not, thou, my bone and my flesh? So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if thou become not, prince of the army, before me continually, instead of Joab.

and he said unto the king - Let not my lord impute to me iniquity, neither do thou remember the perverseness of thy servant, on the day that thou wentest out, my lord O king, from Jerusalem, that the king should lay it upon his heart.

Then responded Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and said, For this, shall not Shimei be put to death, for that he cursed the Anointed of Yahweh?

But David said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, for ye would become to me, to-day, a very traitor! Shall there, to-day, be put to death a man in Israel? for do I not know, that, to-day, I, am king over Israel?

Then said the king unto Shimei - Thou shalt not die. And the king sware to him.

And it came to pass, when he entered Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest thou not with me, Mephibosheth.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said - Ten parts, have we in the king, therefore, even in David, have we more right than ye. Why, then, made ye light of us, so that our word was not heard first as to bringing back our king? And, the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer than, the words of the men of Israel.

And David entered into his own house, in Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and sustained them, but, unto them, went he not in, - so they were shut up until the day of their death, in lifelong widowhood.

Amasa not heeding the sword that was in the hand of Joab, he smote him therewith in the belly, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again, and he died. So, Joab and Abishai his brother, pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

Not so, is the matter! but, a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bichri, his name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David, give up him alone, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Lo! his head, shall be cast unto thee, through the wall.