And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel, am I escaped.

And David said unto him - How turned out the matter? tell me, I pray thee. And he said - The people have fled from the battle, yea moreover, many, of the people have fallen, and died, Yea moreover, Saul, and Jonathan his son, are dead.

Then said David unto the young man who was telling him, - How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

And the young man who was telling him said, It, so happened, that I was on Mount Gilboa, when lo! Saul, leaning upon his spear, and lo! the chariots and horsemen, hotly pursued him;

so he turned behind him, and saw me, - and cried out unto me, and I said, Behold me!

And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I said unto him, An Amalekite, am I.

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.

Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them, - yea moreover, so did all the men who were with him.

And David said unto the young man who was telling him, Whence art thou? And he said, Son of a sojourner - an Amalekite, am I.

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

So David called one of the young men, and said, - Go near - fall upon him. And he smote him, that he died.

And David said unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, - for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.

And it came to pass, after this, that David enquired of Yahweh, saying - Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Yahweh said unto him, Go up. And David said - Whither shall I go up? And he said - Unto Hebron.

His men also who were with him, did David bring up, every man with his household, - and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

So David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, - and said unto them - Blessed, be ye of Yahweh, that ye did this lovingkindness unto your lord, unto Saul, and buried him.

But, Abner son of Ner, prince of the host that pertained unto Saul, took Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

and made him king for Gilead, and for the Ashurites, and for Jezreel, - and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over, all Israel.

Then Abner looked behind him, and said - Art thou Asahel? And he said - I am.

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.

Howbeit he refused to turn aside, wherefore Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear, in the belly, that the spear came out behind him, and he fell there, and died on the spot, - and so it was, that, as many as came up to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still.

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.

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 could no further answer Abner, a word, - because he feared him.

And her husband went along with her, weeping as he went behind her, as far as Behurim, - when Abner said unto him - Go, return. And he returned.

So, when Abner came in unto David, in Hebron, and, with him, twenty men, David made, for Abner, and for the men who were with him, a banquet.

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.

When, Joab, and all the host that was with him, had come in, then told they Joab, saying, Abner son of Ner hath been in unto the king, and he hath let him go, and he hath departed in peace.

Then Joab came in unto the king, and said - What hast thou done? Lo! Abner came in unto thee. Wherefore is it that thou didst let him go, so that he is clean departed?

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.

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 David said unto Joab, and unto all the people who were with him, - Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and lament aloud before Abner. And, King David himself, was following the bier.

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, 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.

And, Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son, lame of his feet, - five years old, was he, when tidings came in of Saul and Jonathan from Jezreel, so his nurse took him up, and fled, and it came to pass, when she started up to flee, that he fell and was lamed, and, his name, was, Mephibosheth.

and, thither, entered they as fro as the middle of the house, to fetch wheat, and they smote him in the belly, - and, Rechab and Baanah his brother, escaped.

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;

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:

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.

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

So David perceived that Yahweh had established him to be king over Israel, - and that he had exalted his kingdom, for the sake of his people Israel.

And David took him yet more concubines and wives, out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron, and there were, yet further, born unto David, sons and daughters.

Now, these, are the names of the sons who were born unto him in Jerusalem, - Shammua and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon;

And David did so, as Yahweh had commanded him, - and smote the Philistines, from Gibeon until thou enterest Gezer.

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.

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.

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.

Now it so came about that, when the ark of Yahweh entered the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter, looked out through the window, and saw King David, leaping and dancing before Yahweh, and she despised him, in her heart.

And it came to pass, when the king had taken up his abode in his house, - and Yahweh had given him rest round about, from all his enemies,

I, will become his father, And, he, shall become my son: If he commit iniquity, then will I correct him, with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men;

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 captured from him, a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen, - and David destroyed all the chariots, but reserved of them, a hundred chariots.

then Tou sent Hadoram his son unto King David, to ask after his welfare, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and had smitten him, for Hadadezer had had wars with Tou, - and, in his hand, were vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze.

And David said, Is there yet one left unto the house of Saul, - that I may show him lovingkindness, for the sake of, Jonathan?

Now, unto the house of Saul, belonged a servant, whose name, was Ziba, and, when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him - Art, thou, Ziba? And he said - Thy servant!

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.

And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Lo! he, is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

Then sent King David, - and fetched him out of the house of Machir son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

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 the king called for Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, - All that pertained unto Saul and unto all his house, have I given unto the son of thy lord:

therefore shalt thou till for him the ground, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, and shalt bring in, so that thy lord's son may have bread to eat, but, Mephibosheth, thy lord's son, shall continually eat bread at my table. Now, Ziba, had fifteen sons, and twenty servants.

Then said David - I will shew lovingkindness unto Hanun son of Nahash, as his father shewed, unto me, lovingkindness. So David sent to comfort him, by the hand of his servants, as to his father, - and the servants of David came into the land of the sons of Ammon.

And, when Joab saw that the front of the battle was towards him, before and behind, he chose out of all the chosen men of Israel, and set them in array against the Syrians;

And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, to fight against the Syrians, - and they fled before him.

And, when it was told David, he gathered together all Israel, and passed over the Jordan, and entered Helam, - and the Syrians set themselves in array to meet David, and fought with him.

And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time of the going forth of kings, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon, and laid siege to Rabbah, - but, David, was remaining in Jerusalem.

And David sent messengers, and fetched her, and she came in unto him, and he lay with her, she having purified herself from her uncleanness, - and she returned unto her own house.

And, when Uriah had come in unto him, David asked - how Joab prospered, and how the people prospered, and how the war prospered.

Then said David unto Uriah, Go down unto thy house, and bathe thy feet. And, when Uriah went out of the house of the king, there followed him, a present from the king.

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.

and he wrote in the letter, saying, - Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he be smitten and die.

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.

And the messenger went his way, - and came in, and told David, all that Joab had sent him to tell .

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.

And, when the time of mourning had passed, David sent and received her into his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing which David had done was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh.

So then Yahweh sent Nathan the prophet unto David, - who therefore came unto him and said to him - Two men, there were in a certain city, the one, rich, and, the other, poor.

whereas the, poor, man had, nothing, - save one little lamb, which he had made his own, and sustained, and it had grown up with him and with his children, all together, - of his own morsel, used it to eat, and, out of his own cup, used it to drink, and, in his own bosom, used it to lie, and it was to him, as a daughter.

Now there came a traveller to the rich man, but he thought it a pity to take of his own flock, or his own herd, to make ready for the wayfarer who had come to him, - so he took the lamb of his poor neighbour, and made ready for the man who had come to him.

Wherefore, hast thou despised the word of Yahweh, by doing that which is wicked in mine eyes? Uriah the Hittite, hast thou smitten with the sword, and, his wife, hast thou taken to thyself to wife, yea, him, hast thou slain with the sword of the sons of Ammon!

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?

Then David arose from the ground, and bathed and anointed, and changed his apparel, and, entering into the house of Yahweh, bowed himself down, - then came he into his own house, and asked, and they set before him food, and he did eat.

Then said his servants unto him, What is this thing that thou hast done? For the child's sake, while living, thou didst fast and weep, but, as soon as the child was dead, thou didst arise and eat food.

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.

And David consoled Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her, - and she bare a son, and called his name, Solomon, and Yahweh loved him.

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.

And Jonadab said unto him: Take to thy bed, and feign thyself ill, - and, when thy father cometh in to see thee, then shalt thou say unto him - I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, that she may give me food, and let her prepare, before mine eyes, some delicacy, to the end that I may see it made , and so eat at her hand.

So Amnon took to his bed, and feigned himself ill, - and, when the king came in to see him, Amnon said unto the king - I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make ready before mine eyes a couple of cakes, that I may eat at her hand.

So David sent unto Tamar, in the house - saying, - Come, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and prepare him enticing food.

Then took she the pan and put them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said - Have forth every one from me. And they went out every one from him.

And, when she brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come lie with me, my sister!

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.

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;

but called his young man who waited on him, and said - I pray you, put forth this woman from me, outside, - and bolt the door after her.

And, King David, heard all these things, - and it angered him greatly.

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?

And Absolom urged him, - so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

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.

Now Absolom had fled. And the young man that was watching lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! much people, coming on the road behind him, on the mountain-side.

so shalt thou come in unto the king, and speak unto him, after this manner. And Joab put the words in her mouth.