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

Ye mountains in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, - for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed with oil.

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!

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

Then came the men of Judah, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, Men of Jabesh-gilead, were they who buried Saul.

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

Now there were there, three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, - and, Asahel, was light of foot as a wild gazelle.

And, Joab, returned from pursuing Abner, and, when he had gathered together all the people, there were missing of the servants of David - nineteen men, and Asahel;

And there were born unto David, sons, in Hebron, - and it came to press that - His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess;

And the sixth Ithream, by Eglah wife of David. These, were born unto David, in Hebron.

Then had Abner, speech, with the elders of Israel, saying, - In times past, ye were seeking David, to be king over you.

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 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.

Now, when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands became feeble, - and, all Israel, were dismayed.

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 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;

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.

And, David and all the house of Israel, were dancing for joy before Yahweh, with all boldness and with songs, - and with lyres, and with harps, and with timbrels, and with sistrums, and with cymbals.

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.

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.

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, Zadok, son of Ahitub, and Abimelech, son of Abiathar, were priests, - and, Seraiah, was scribe;

Now, Mephibosheth, had a little son, whose name, was Micha. And, all that dwelt in the house of Ziba, were servants unto Mephibosheth.

And, when they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed, - and the king said - Tarry at Jericho, until your beards be grown, then shall ye return.

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.

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

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

and Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the River, and they entered Helam, - Shobach the prince of the host of Hadadezer being before them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Now she had upon her a long tunic, for, so, used king's daughters to apparel themselves, when they were virgins, in robes. And his attendant took her forth, outside, and bolted the door, after her.

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.

And there were born to Absolom three sons, and one daughter, whose name, was Tamar, - she, was a woman beautiful to look upon.

And Absalom said, Oh would that I were appointed to judge in the land! that, unto me, might come every man having a complaint or a defence, then would I see him righted.

And, with Absolom, went two hundred men, out of Jerusalem, who, having been bidden, were going in their simplicity, - neither knew they anything.

Then said David, to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem - Arise and let us flee, or we shall have no way of escape from the face of Absolom, - make speed to depart, lest he make speed, and so overtake us, and bring down misfortune upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

So the king went forth, with all his household attending him, - but the king left ten women who were concubines, to keep the house.

And, all his servants, were passing on beside him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, - and, all the Gittites - six hundred men, who had accompanied him from Gath, - were passing on before the king.

Then said David unto Ittai - Go, and pass on. So Ittai the Gittite passed on, with all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

And, fall the land, was weeping, with a loud voice, and, all the people, were passing on, - the king also, was passing on, through the torrent-bed of Kidron, and all the people were passing on over the face of the way leading to the wilderness.

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.

Now, David, was going up by the ascent of Olivet, weeping as he went up, with his head covered, himself, passing on barefoot, - and all the people who were with him, covered every man his head, and went up, weeping as they went.

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

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.

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.

and honey and cream, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat, - for they said, The people, are hungry and weary and thirsty, in the wilderness.

Then David mustered the people that were with him, - and set over them, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds.

Then were the people of Israel defeated there, before he servants of David, - and the slaughter there was great, on that day - twenty thousand.

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.

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.

And it came to pass that all the people were reproaching one another, throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, - the king, delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and, he, rescued us out of the hand of the Philistines, but, now, he hath fled out of the land, away from Absolom;

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

For, when all the house of my father were nothing better than dead men, unto my lord the king, then didst thou set thy servant among them that used to eat at thy table, - what then have I further, by way of right, or to cry out any further unto the king?

Then lo! all the men of Israel, were coming unto the king, - and they said unto the king - Why did our brethren the men of Judah steal thee away, and escort the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

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.

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.

And he passed on throughout all the tribes of Israel, unto Abel and unto Beth-maachah, and all the Berites, - and they were called together, and came in, yea and followed him.

So they came, and laid siege against him, in Abel, Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, so that it stood within a rampart, - and, all the people who were with Joab, were battering the wall to throw it down.

And, Sheva, was scribe, - And, Zadok and Abiathar, were priests;

The king therefore called the Gibeonites, and said unto them (now, the Gibeonites, were, not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, with whom, the sons of Israel, had entered into an oath, and Saul had sought to smite them, in his jealousy for the sons of Israel and Judah) -

Then did the earth shake and quake, the foundations of the heavens, were deeply moved, - yea they did shake, because he was angry,

There went up a smoke in his nostrils, and, a fire out of his mouth, devoured, - live coals, were kindled from it:

Out of the brightness before him, were kindled live coals of fire;

Then appeared the channels of the sea, were uncovered the foundations of the world, - at the rebuke of Yahweh, the blast of the breath of his nostrils;

He rescued me from my foe, in his might, - from them who hated me, because they were too strong for me:

For, all his regulations, were before me, - and, as for his statutes, I turned not from them.

And, a patient people, thou didst save, - but, thine eyes, were on the lofty - thou layedst them low;

I pursued my foes, and destroyed them, - and returned not, till they were consumed;

The sons of the foreigner, were disheartened, and came quaking, out of their fortresses.

And, after him, Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, - in the hero-class of mighty men, with David, when they reproached the Philistines, they were gathered together there to battle, but the men of Israel had gone up;

And, after him, Shammah son of Agee, the Hararite, - and, when the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, there being at hand an allotment of field-land full of lentils, but, the people, having fled from the face of the Philistines,

And three of the thirty chiefs descended, and came in, towards harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, - although, a troop of Philistines, were encamped in the vale of Rephaim;

And Joab delivered up the sum of the number of the people, unto the king, - and there were found to be, in Israel, eight hundred thousand men of valour, drawing the sword, - and, the men of Judah, five hundred thousand men.