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.

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.

So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate, to speak with him quietly, - and then smote him there, in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel the brother of Joab.

And, when all the people came near to get David to eat bread, while yet it was day, David sware, saying - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, before the sun go in, I taste bread, or anything else.

when he that brought tidings to me, saying, Lo! Saul is dead, though, he, was as one that bringeth good tidings, in his own eyes, yet I seized him, and slew him in Ziklag, - which was how I gave him reward for his tidings:

David therefore commanded the young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands, and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool, in Hebron, - but, the head of Ish-bosheth, took they, and buried in the grave of Abner, in Hebron.

And David went on and on waxing great, - Yahweh, God of hosts, being with him.

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.

Then David, and all the people that were with him, arose and went beyond Baale Judah, - to bring up from thence, the ark of God, the name whereof is called by the name of Yahweh of hosts, who inhabiteth the cherubim thereupon.

So they carried the ark of God in a new waggon, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, who was in Gibeah, - and, Uzza and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were driving the new waggon.

So they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in Gibeah, with the ark of God, - and, Ahio, was going before the ark.

And, when they came as far as the threshing-floor of Nachon, Uzzah thrust forth his hand unto the ark of God, and took hold of it, for the oxen were restive.

Then was kindled the anger of Yahweh, against Uzzah, and God smote him there, for the error, - so that he died there, by the ark of God.

And it was told King David, saying, Yahweh hath blessed the household of Obed-edom, and all that he hath, because of the ark of God. David therefore went and brought up the ark of God, out of the house of Obed-edom, unto the city of David, with rejoicing.

that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See, I pray thee - I, have my abode in a house, of cedar, but, the ark of God, abideth in, the midst, of curtains.

and was with thee, whithersoever thou didst go, and have cut off all thine enemies, from before thee, - and will make thee a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth;

For this cause, hast thou magnified thyself, O Yahweh Elohim, - for there is none like unto, thee, yea there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Who, then, is like thy people, like Israel, a nation alone in the earth? whom God went to redeem for himself as a people, so to make himself a name, and to do for you the great deed, fearful things also for thy land, to make way for thy people, whom thou hadst redeemed for thyself, out of Egypt, dealing with nations and their god's;

and hast established for thyself thy people Israel - for thyself as a people, unto times age-abiding, - thou thyself, also, O Yahweh, becoming their God.

that thy name may be age-abidingly magnified, saying, Yahweh of hosts, is God over Israel, and so, the house of thy servant David, be established before thee.

For, thou, O Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, hast unveiled the ear of thy servant, saying - A house, will I build for thee. For this cause, hath thy servant found in his heart, to pray unto thee, this prayer.

Now, therefore, O My Lord, Yahweh, thou, art God, and, thy words, shall prove true, - therefore hast thou spoken unto thy servant this goodness.

Then said the king - Is there never a man remaining unto the house of Saul, that I may show him the lovingkindness of God? And Ziba said unto the king, There remaineth a son unto Jonathan, lame in his feet.

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off half their beards, and cut off their upper garments in the middle, as far as their buttocks, - and let them go.

And the sons of Ammon came out, and set in array for battle, at the entrance of the gate, - whereas, the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and of Maacah, were by themselves, in the field.

Be strong, and let us put forth our strength, for the sake of our people, and for the sake of the cities of our God, - and, Yahweh, do what is good in his own eyes.

And the messenger said unto David, The men were too strong for us, and sallied forth against us, in the field, - so we were drawn against them as far as the opening of the gate.

Then said Nathan unto David: Thou, art the man! Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel - I, anointed thee to be king over Israel, and, I, delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

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

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.

And the woman said, Wherefore, then, hast thou devised the like of this, for the people of God; and yet the king, in speaking this word, is verily guilty, unless the king, bring back his fugitive?

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.

For the king can hearken, to rescue his handmaid out of the power of the man who would seek to destroy both me and my son together, out of the inheritance of God.

So thy maidservant said, Pray let the word of my lord the king be comforting, - for, as the messenger of God, so is my lord the king, in hearing the good and the bad, Yahweh thy God, then, be with thee.

for the purpose of turning round the face of the matter, hath thy servant Joab done this thing, - my lord being wise, as with the wisdom of a messenger of God, in knowing all that is done in the land.

And Absolom used to rise up early, and take his stand beside the way of the gate, - and so it was - when any man who had a controversy would come unto the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said: Of what city, art, thou? And he said, Of one of the tribes of Israel, is thy servant. And Absolom said unto him,

See! thy cause, is good and right, - but, to hear it, thou hast no one, from the king.

And lo! Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, were bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up, until all the people had made an end of passing over out of the city.

Then said the king unto Zadok, Take back the ark of God into the city, - if I find favour in the eyes of Yahweh, then will he bring me back, and let me see both him and his habitation,

but, if thus, he say, I have no delight in thee, here I am, let him do unto me as may be good in his eyes.

So Zadok and Abiathar took back the ark of God to Jerusalem, - and abode there.

And it came to pass, when David reached the summit, where he bowed himself down unto God, that lo! there met him, Hushai the Archite, his tunic rent, and earth upon his head.

It may be, that Yahweh will behold with his eye, - and that Yahweh will return me good, for his cursing this day.

Now, the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God, - so, was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David, and also to Absolom.

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

And the king said unto them, Whatever is best in your eyes, I will do. And the king stood beside the gate, while, all the people, came out by hundreds and by thousands.

But, be what may, I will run. So he said to him - Run. Then ran Ahimaaz by the way of the plain, and got beyond the Cushite.

Now, David, was sitting between the two gates, - and the watchman went on to the top of the gate-house, upon the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo! a man, running alone.

Then said the watchman, It seemeth, to me, that, the running of the foremost, is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok. And the king said, A good man, is he, and, with good tidings, he cometh.

Then called out Ahimaaz, and said unto the king, Peace! And he bowed himself down to the king, with his face to the earth, - and said - Blessed, be Yahweh thy God, who hath surrendered the men who were lifting up their hand, against my lord the king.

Then was the king deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, - and, thus, he said as he went - O my son Absolom, my son - my son - Absolom! could, I, but have died in thy stead, O Absolom, my son - my son!

So the king arose, and took his seat in the gate, - and, to all the people, was it told, saying - Lo! the king, is sitting in the gate. Then came all the people before the king, but, Israel, had fled every man to his home.

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.

But the ferry-boat kept crossing, to bring over the household of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And, Shimei, son of Gera, fell down before the king, when he had passed over the Jordan;

And he hath slandered thy servant, unto my lord the king, - but, my lord the king, is as a messenger of God, do therefore what is good in thine own eyes.

Eighty years old, am I to-day - could I discern between good and bad? or could thy servant taste what I might eat, and what I might drink? or could I hearken any more to the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore, then, should thy servant yet be a burden unto my lord the king?

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father, and my mother. But here is thy servant Chimham - let him pass over with my lord the king, and do unto him that which may be good in thine eyes.

Then said the king, With me, shall Chimham pass over, and, I, will do unto him that which shall be good in thine eyes, - and, whatsoever thou shalt choose to lay upon me, I will do for thee.

Then said David unto Abishai, Now, shall Sheba son of Bichri, do us more harm than Absolom, - thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue him, lest he have got him into fortified cities, and so have escaped our eye.

When, they, were by the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa, had arrived before them. Now, Joab, was girded about with his war-coat as his upper garment, and, over it, a girdle with a sword, fastened upon his loins, in the sheath thereof, and, it, came out and fell.

So the woman came unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it out unto Joab. And he blew with a horn, and they dispersed themselves from the city, every man to his home; but, Joab, returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

so they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin, in Zelah, in the grave of Kish his father, thus did they all that the king commanded, - and God suffered himself to be entreated for the land, after this.

My God, was my rock, I sought refuge in him, - My shield, and my horn of salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, My Saviour! from violence, thou didst save me.

In my distress, called I on Yahweh, Yea, unto my God, did I call, - and he hearkened, out of his temple, unto my voice, and, my cry for help, was in his ears!

For I had kept the ways of Yahweh, - and not broken away from my God;

For, by thee, I ran through a troop, - by my God, I leapt over a wall.

As for God, blameless is his way, - the speech of Yahweh, hath been proved, a shield, he is to all who seek refuge in him.

For who is a GOD, save Yahweh? and who a Rock, save our God?

GOD, is my fortress of strength, - and shewed to the blameless his way;

Yahweh liveth, and blessed be my rock, - and exalted be the God (of the rock) of my salvation: -

The GOD who hath avenged me, and brought down peoples under me;

Now, these, are the last words of David, - The oracle of David, son of Jesse, Yea the oracle of The man raised up on high, The Anointed of the God of Jacob, the Delight of the Songs of Israel:

Said the God of Israel, Unto me, spake the Rock of Israel: - One Ruling over Men, A Righteous One, ruling in the reverence of God,

When, not so, was my house with GOD, Then, a covenant age-abiding, he appointed me, Ordered in all things and guarded, Now that it is all my salvation and all my desire, Will he not make it shoot forth?

And David longed, and said, - Who will give me to drink water out of the well of Bethlehem, that is within the gate?

And the three mighty men brake through the camp of Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was within the gate, and bare it, and brought it in unto David, - yet would he not drink, but poured it out unto Yahweh,

Then said Joab unto the king - Yea, Yahweh thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and suffer the eyes of my lord the king, to see it, - but, my lord the king, wherefore doth he find pleasure in this thing?

And they passed over the Jordan, - and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city, that is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, even towards Jazer.

And, when David arose in the morning, the word of Yahweh, had come unto Gad the prophet, the seer of David, saying:

So Gad came in unto David, and told him, - and said to him: Shall there come unto thee seven years of famine in thy land? Or, for three months, wilt thou flee before thine enemies while, they, pursue thee? Or shall there be, for three days, pestilence in thy land? Now, consider and see, what, answer, I shall return to him that sent me.

And David said unto Gad - I am in a great strait, - let us fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Yahweh, for, manifold, are, his compassions, but, into the hand of man, let me not fall.

And Gad came unto David, on that day, - and said unto him - Go up, rear thou unto Yahweh an altar, in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

So David went up, according to the word of Gad, as Yahweh had commanded.

Then said Araunah unto David, Let my lord the king accept it and cause to ascend what is good in his own eyes, - see! the oxen for the ascending-sacrifice, and the threshing-sledges and ox-yokes for wood.

The whole, did Araunah give, as a king to a king. And Araunah said unto the king, Yahweh thy God, accept thee!

But the king said unto Araunah - Nay! but I will, buy, it of thee, for a price, and will not cause to ascend unto Yahweh my God, offerings that have cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor, and the oxen, for fifty shekels of silver;