And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.

And David brought up his men with him, each man with his household. And they lived in the cities of Hebron.

And the men of Judah came, and they anointed David king over the house of Judah there. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead buried Saul.

And they arose and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and twelve of the servants of David.

And each one lay hold on the head, of his companion and thrust his sword in his companion's side, so that they fell together. And one called that place The Field of Rocks, which is in Gibeon.

And Joab and Abishai ran after Abner. And the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

And Joab blew a ram's horn, and all the people stood still and did not pursue after Israel any more, nor did they fight any more.

And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at the break of day.

And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and so that you may reign over all that your heart desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

And Joab and all the army with him came, and they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.

And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner. And all the people wept.

And they came to the midst of the house, bringing wheat. And they struck him in the belly. And Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

And they came into the house, and he lay in his bed in his bedroom. And they struck him and killed him, and beheaded him and took his head and got away through the plain all night.

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. And Jehovah has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed.

And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

And all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. And King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah. And they anointed David king over Israel.

And David said on that day, Anyone who strikes the Jebusite, let him go by the water-shaft and take the lame and the blind, the hated of David's soul. On account of this they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons to David. And they built David a house.

And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel. And all the Philistines came up to seek David. And David heard, and went down to the stronghold.

And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away.

And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab in Gibeah. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab at Gibeah, going with the ark of God. And Ahio went before the ark.

And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen upset it.

And they told King David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.

And they brought in the ark of Jehovah and set it in its place in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more. Neither shall the sons of wickedness afflict them any more, as before.

And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And they called him to David, and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, Your servant.

And they told David, and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Stay at Jericho until your beards are grown, and return.

And the sons of Ammon saw that they had begun to stink before David. And the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and from King Maacah a thousand men, and from Ishtob twelve thousand men.

And Joab and the people with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians. And they fled before him.

And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, then they fled also before Abishai, and entered into the city. And Joab returned from the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

And the Syrians saw that they were beaten before Israel, and they gathered together.

And Hadarezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the river. And they came to Helam. And Shobach the commander of the army of Hadarezer went before them.

And all the kings, the servants of Hadarezer, saw that they were beaten before Israel, and they made peace with Israel and served them. And the Syrians feared to help the sons of Ammon any more.

And it happened at the turn of the year, at the time kings go forth, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they destroyed the sons of Ammon and circled Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

And they told David, saying, Uriah did not go to his house. And David said to Uriah, Did you not come from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house?

and if it be so that the king's wrath arise, and he say to you, Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?

And it happened on the seventh day, the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, Behold, while the child was still alive we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. How then will he trouble himself if we tell him that the child is dead?

But David saw that his servants whispered. And David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the boy dead? And they said, He is dead.

And David arose from the earth and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing, and came into the house of Jehovah and worshiped. And he came to his house, and commanded, and they brought bread before him and he ate.

And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. And all the king's sons arose. And they each got on his mule and fled.

And it happened while they were in the way, news came to David, saying, Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

And Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah answered and said, Let not my lord think that they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. For only Amnon is dead. For by the mouth of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he humbled his sister Tamar.

And it happened as soon as he had made an end of speaking, behold, the king's sons came. And they lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept with a great weeping.

And behold, the whole family has risen against your handmaid. And they said, Deliver him who struck his brother so that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed. And we will destroy the heir also. And so they shall put out my coal which is left, and shall leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.

Then she said, Please let the king remember Jehovah your God, that you would not allow the avengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they should destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth.

And with Absalom went two hundred called men out of Jerusalem. And they went in their honesty, and did not know anything.

And lo, Zadok came also, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up until all the people had finished passing out of the city.

And Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet. And he wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot. And of all the people with him, each man covered his head. And they went up, weeping as they went.

Behold, they have their two sons there with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. And you shall send to me everything that you hear by them.

And the king, and all the people with him arrived weary. And they refreshed themselves there.

And they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

For, Hushai said, you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are bitter of soul, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not stay the night with the people.

And also he, the son of valor, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and they who are with him are mighty men.

And Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel, for there they might not be seen to come into the city. And a slave-girl went and told them, and they went and told King David.

But a lad saw them and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, into which they went down.

And when Absalom's servants came to the woman, to the house, they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

And it happened after they had departed, they came up out of the well, and went and told King David. And they said to David, Arise and pass quickly over the waters, for this is what Ahithophel has advised against you.

Then David and all the people with him arose. And they passed over Jordan. By the morning light there was not one of them that had not gone over Jordan.

and honey and butter and sheep and cheese from cows, for David and for the people with him to eat. For they said, The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.

But the people answered, You shall not go forth. For if we run away, they will not set their heart on us, even if half of us die. For now you are worth ten thousand of us. And now it is better that you remain to help us from the city.

And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest. And they laid a very great heap of stones upon him. And all Israel fled, each one to his tent.

And the people went up secretly into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

And Joab came into the house to the king and said, You have today shamed the faces of all your servants. For they have saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters today, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines.

Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told it to the people, saying, Behold, the king sits in the gate! And all the people came before the king. (For Israel had fled, every one to his tent.)

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, Return, you and all your servants.

And a thousand men of Benjamin were with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him. And they went over Jordan before the king.

And they had crossed over the ford to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he had come over Jordan.

And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them but did not go in to them. And they were shut up till the day of their death, living in widowhood.

And Joab's men went out after him, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

They were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, and Amasa had gone before them. And Joab was girded with his war-coat as his clothing. And upon it was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins, in its sheath. And as he went forth, it fell out.

And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and to all the Berites. And they were gathered, and went after him too.

And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah. And they threw up a siege-mound against the city. And it stood against the wall. And all the people with Joab were undermining the wall to make it fall.

And she spoke, saying, They spoke often in days gone by, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so they ended the matter.

Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the ram's horn, and they scattered from the city, each man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

And they answered the king, The man who destroyed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,

And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them in the hill before Jehovah. And they fell, seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

And he brought the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son up from there. And they gathered the bones of those who were hanged.

And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of his father Kish. And they did all that the king commanded. And afterward God heeded prayer for the land.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were stronger than I.

They went before me in the day of my calamity, but Jehovah was my stay.

And I have crushed them and wounded them so that they could not rise. Yea, they have fallen under my feet.

They looked, but there was none to save; to Jehovah, but He did not answer them.

Strangers shall submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear, they shall obey me.

Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their strongholds.

But the wicked, all of them, shall be like a thorn thrust away, because they cannot be taken by the hand.

But the man who shall touch them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. And they shall be utterly burned in their place.

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle; and the men of Israel had gone up;

And Joab said to the king, And may Jehovah your God add to the people however many they be, a hundred times as many, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

And they passed over Jordan and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the Valley of Gad, and to Jazer.

And they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi. And they came to Dan-jaan, and around to Sidon.

And they came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites; and went out to the south of Judah, to Beer-sheba.

And they went to and fro through all the land, and came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

And Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come upon you and on your land? Or will you flee three months before your enemies while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' plague in your land? And advise, and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.

And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? I pray You, let Your hand be against me and against my father's house.