And so it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, and David had abode in Ziklag two days,

yea so it was, on the third day, that lo! a man came out of the camp, from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head, - and so it was, when he came in unto David, that he fell to the earth, and did homage.

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!

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.

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

So David went up thither, and his two wives also, - Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

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.

And they caught every one his fellow by the head, with his sword in his fellow's side, so they fell, together, - and that place was called Helkath-hazzadim, which is in Gideon.

So the battle became exceeding obstinate, on that day, - and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.

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.

So Joab blew with the horn, and all the people stood still, and they neither pursued Israel further, - nor fought any more.

but, the servants of David, had smitten of Benjamin, of the men of Abner, - so that three hundred and sixty men, had died.

Now, Saul, had a concubine, whose name, was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, - and Ish-bosheth said unto Abner, Why, wentest thou in, unto my father's concubine?

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;

So Abner sent messengers unto David, on the spot, saying - Whose, is the land? Saying also - Solemnise thy covenant with me; and lo! my hand, shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee, all Israel.

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 Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, - from Paltiel, son of Laish.

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.

Then said Abner unto David - I will verily arise and go, and gather together unto my lord the king, all Israel - that they may solemnise with thee a covenant, so shalt thou reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David let Abner go, and he 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?

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.

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, 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.

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, 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.

So then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, took their journey and came in, about the heat of the day, unto the house of Ish-bosheth, - when, he, was lying on his noonday couch;

and brought in the head of Ish-bosheth unto David, at Hebron, and said unto the king, Lo! the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life: so hath Yahweh given to my lord the king, avengement this day, on Saul and on his seed.

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?

So all the elders of Israel came unto the king, in Hebron, and King David solemnised to them a covenant in Hebron, before Yahweh, - and they anointed David to be king over Israel.

So then David captured the citadel of Zion, - the same, is the city of David.

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 then David dwelt in the citadel, and called it, The City of David, - and David built round about, from Millo and inwards.

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.

So then David enquired of Yahweh, saying, - Shall I go up against the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Yahweh said unto David - Go up; for I, will surely deliver, the Philistines into thy hand.

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.

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

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.

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.

And so it was that, when they who bare the ark of Yahweh had stepped forward six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a heifer.

So, David and all the house of Israel, were bringing up the ark of Yahweh, - with triumphant shoutings, and with the sound of a horn.

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.

So they brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent which David had stretched out for it, - and David caused to go up ascending-sacrifices before Yahweh, and peace-offerings.

and David returned, to bless his household. Then came forth Michal Saul's daughter to meet David, and said - How honoured, to-day, was the king of Israel in disrobing himself to-day, in the sight of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the low people, might disrobe himself?

Therefore, Michal Saul's daughter, had no child, - unto the day of her death.

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.

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

Go and say unto my servant - unto David: Thus, saith Yahweh, - Shalt, thou, build me a house, for me to dwell in;

Now, therefore, thus, shalt thou say unto my servant, unto David: Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I myself, took thee away from the pasture, from after the flock, - to become leader over my people, over Israel;

So shall thy house and thy kingdom be made steadfast unto times age-abiding, before thee, - thy throne, shall be established unto times age-abiding.

According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so, spake Nathan unto David.

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;

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.

And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line casting, them down to the ground, and be measured with two lines to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive, - so the Moabites became David's, as servants, bringing gifts.

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became David's, as servants bringing gifts, - and so Yahweh gave victory unto David, whithersoever he went.

And he put, in Edom, garrisons, throughout all Edom, put be garrisons, and so it was that all Edom became servants unto David, - and Yahweh gave victory unto David, whithersoever he went.

And David reigned over all Israel, - and so it was that David used to execute justice and righteousness for all his people;

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 Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king shall command his servant, so, will thy servant do, - but, Mephibosheth, is to eat at the table of David, as one of the sons of the king.

So, Mephibosheth, dwelt in Jerusalem, for, at the table of the king, continually, had he to eat, - he being lame, in both his feet.

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.

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, when the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious with David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba - twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah - a thousand men, and men of Tob - twelve thousand men.

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, when, the sons of Ammon, saw that the Syrians had fled, then fled they before Abishai, and entered the city, - so Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and entered Jerusalem.

And, when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Israel, they gathered themselves together;

And, when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them, - and the Syrians feared to give help any more unto the sons of Ammon.

And it came to pass that, at eventide, David arose from his couch, and walked to and fro on the roof of the king's house, when, from the roof, he saw a woman bathing herself, - the woman being exceeding beautiful to look upon.

Then sent David unto Joab, Send unto me Uriah the Hittite. So Joab sent Uriah unto David.

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?

Then said David unto Uriah - Abide here to-day also, and, to-morrow, will I let thee go. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

And so it was, in the morning, that David wrote a letter unto Joab, - and sent it by the hand of Uriah;

So it came to pass, when Joab was laying siege to the city, that he put Uriah in the place where he knew that the men of valour, were.

So Joab sent and told David all the news of the battle;

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.

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 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 Uriah's wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made loud lamentation over her lord.

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.

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.

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?

But, when David saw that his servants were whispering among themselves, then understood David that the child was dead, - and David said unto his servants - Is the child, dead? And they answered - Dead!

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.

And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name Jedidiah, for Yahweh's sake.

So David gathered together all the people, and went to Rabbah, - and fought against it, and captured it.

the people also that were therein, brought he forth, and put them to the saw, and to threshing sledges of iron, and to axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln, and thus used he to do unto all the cities of the sons of Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

And it so troubled Amnon, that he made himself ill on account of Tamar his sister, for, a virgin, was she, and it was monstrous in Amnon's own eyes, to do, anything, unto her.

But, Amnon, had a friend, whose name, was Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, - and, Jonadab, was a very cunning man.

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 said Amnon unto Tamar - Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat out of thine own hand. So Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them in to Amnon her brother, in the chamber.