But, the men, were exceeding good to us, - and we were not harmed, neither missed we, anything, all the days we went to and fro with them, while we were in the fields:

Now, therefore, know thou, and see, what thou canst do, for mischief is determined against our lord, and against all his household, - but, he, is such an abandoned man, that one cannot speak unto him.

And she said to her young men - Pass on before me, behold me coming after you; but, to her husband, Nabal, told she nothing.

And so it was, as she was riding on her ass, and descending within the covert of the hill, lo! David and his men, descending over against her, - so she met them.

Now, David, had said - Surely, in vain, did I guard all that pertained to this man in the wilderness, so that there was, nothing, missed of all that he had, - seeing he hath returned to me evil for good.

Let it not be, I pray thee, that my lord regard this abandoned man - Nabal; For, as his name is, so, is he. Nabal, is his name, and, baseness, is with him, - But, I, thy handmaid, saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

Now, therefore, this blessing which thy maid-servant hath brought to my lord, let it even be given unto the young men who are going to and fro at the feet of my lord.

and, blessed, be thy discreet judgment, and, blessed, be thou thyself, - who hast kept me, this day, from coming in with bloodshed, and from saving myself, with mine own hand.

Then Saul arose, and went down into the wilderness of Ziph, and, with him, three thousand chosen men of Israel, - to seek David in the wilderness of Zip.

So David took the spear, and the cruse of water, from near the head of Saul, and they went their way, - and no man saw, and no man knew, and no man awoke, for all of them were sleeping, for, a deep sleep from Yahweh, had fallen upon them.

And David said unto Abner - Art not thou, a man? Who indeed is like thee, in Israel? Wherefore, then, hast thou not kept watch over thy lord, the king? For one of the people hath entered, to destroy the king - thy lord.

Now, therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant, - If, Yahweh, have goaded thee on against me, let him accept the sweet smell of a gift, but, if the sons of men, accursed, they are before Yahweh, for they have driven me out, to-day, from joining myself with the inheritance of Yahweh, saying - Go, serve other gods!

And David responded, and said, Lo! the spear of the king! Let, therefore, one of the young men come over, and fetch it.

And let, Yahweh, give back to each man, his righteousness, and his faithfulness, - in that Yahweh delivered thee, to-day, into my hand, but I would not thrust forth my hand against the Anointed of Yahweh.

Lo! then, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so, let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him rescue me out of all tribulation.

And David arose, and he and the six hundred men that were with him passed over, unto Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

And David abode with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, - David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal, the Carmelite.

And David and his men went up, and made a raid against the Geshurites and the Gizrites and the Amalekites, - for, they, were the inhabitants of the land who had been from age-past times, as thou enterest Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt.

Now, when David would smite a land, he used to save alive neither man nor woman, - but took sheep and oxen, and asses and camels, and apparel, and returned, and came in unto Achish.

But, neither man nor woman, used David to save alive, to bring into Gath, for he said, Lest they tell of us, saying, - So, hath David done, and, such, his manner, all the days that he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

And it came to pass, in those days, when the Philistines gathered together their hosts for war, to fight with Israel, that Achish said unto David, Thou must, know, that, with me, shalt thou go forth in the host, thou and thy men.

Saul therefore disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and departed - he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, - and he said - Divine for me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me - whomsoever I shall name unto thee.

And he said to her - What was his form? And she said - An old man, coming up, he being wrapped about with a robe. Then Saul knew, that it was, Samuel, so he inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himself down.

And, the lords of the Philistines, were passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, - but, David and his men, were passing on in the rear, with Achish.

But the princes of the Philistines raged against him, and the princes of the Philistines said unto him - Let the man go back, that he may return unto the place which thou didst appoint him, and let him not go down with us, into battle, so shall he not become to us a traitor, in the battle, - for, wherewith, should this fellow gain favour with his lord? Would it not be with the heads of those men?

So Achish called for David, and said unto him - By the life of Yahweh, surely, upright, thou art, and, pleasing in mine eyes, have been thy going out and thy coming in with me, in the host, for I have found in thee no wrong, from the day of thy coming in unto me, until this day, - but, in the eyes of the lords, displeasing, thou art.

Then answered Achish, and said unto David, I acknowledge that, pleasing, thou art in mine eyes, as a messenger of God, - notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines, have said, He shall not go up with us, into the battle.

So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines, - but, the Philistines, went up to Jezreel.

And it came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that, the Amalekites, had made a raid into the South, and into Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

So, when David and his men came to the city, lo! it was burnt with fire, - and, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, had been taken captive.

And David was in sore distress, for the people had spoken of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were embittered, every man for his own sons and for his own daughters, - but David emboldened himself in Yahweh his God.

So David went, he, and the six hundred men, who were with him, and they came in as far as the ravine of Besor, - where, they who had to be left behind, stayed.

But David pursued, he. and four hundred men, - but the two hundred men stayed, because they were too wearied to cross over the ravine of Besor.

Then David said to him - Whose art thou? and whence art thou? And he said, A young man of Egypt, am I, servant to an Amalekite, and my lord left me behind, because I fell sick, three days ago.

And David smote them, from the closing twilight even unto the evening of the next day, - and there escaped not of them a man, save four hundred young men who rode upon camels, and fled.

And David came unto the two hundred men, who had been too wearied to follow David, and whom they had suffered to remain at the ravine of Besor, - and they came forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him, and when David came near unto the people, they enquired of his success.

Then responded every man who was bad and abandoned, from among the men who had been with David, and said - Because they went not with me there shall not be given them of the spoil that we have rescued, - save, to every man, his wife and his children, let them put them forth, then, and go.

and to them who were in Hebron, - and to all the places where David had been to and fro, he and his men.

Now, as, the Philistines, were fighting against Israel, the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain, in Mount Gilboa.

Thus died Saul, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, yea all his men, on that day, together.

And, when the men of Israel who were across the vale, and who were across the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled, and the Philistines entered, and took up their abode therein.

then arose all the men of valour, and journeyed all the night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan, - and came to Jabesh, and burned them there;

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.

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;

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.

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

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 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.

Then said Abner unto Joab, Let the young men arise, I pray thee, and make sport before us. And Joab said - Let them arise.

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

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.

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.

And, Abner and his men, journeyed through the waste plain all that night, - and crossed the Jordan, and went through all the Bithron, and entered Mahanaim.

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;

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

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, 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 the king addressed his dirge unto Abner, and said, - As a base man dieth, should Abner have died?

And the king said unto his servants, - Will ye not take note that, a prince and a great man, hath fallen this day, in Israel?

And, I myself, this day, am weak, though anointed king, but, these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I: Yahweh repay, the doer of wickedness, according to his wickedness.

And two men, captains of bands, pertained to Ish-bosheth son of Saul - the name of the one, was Baanah, and, the name of the other, Rechab - sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin, - for, even Beeroth, used to be reckoned unto Benjamin;

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?

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.

Then went the king and his men, to Jerusalem, against the Jebusites, inhabiting the land, - and they spake to David, saying - Thou canst not come in hither, unless thou take away the blind and lame - Thinking, David will not come in hither.

And David entered Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said - Yahweh hath broken forth upon mine enemies, before me, like a breaking forth of waters. For this cause, called he the name of that place, Baal-perazim.

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

And David, once more, gathered together all the choice young men in Israel, thirty thousand.

And he apportioned to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and to women - to every one, a loaf of bread, and a sweet drink, and a raisin-cake, - and all the people went their way, every one unto his own house;

and will make myself, yet more, lightly esteemed that this, and become lowly in mine own eyes, - nevertheless, with the handmaids of whom thou hast spoken, with them, shall I be honoured.

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;

And, when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians, twenty-two thousand men.

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, 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, 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 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, 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;

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 forth sallied the men of the city, and fought with Joab, and there fell some of the people, of the servants of David, - then died also, Uriah the Hittite.

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.

The, rich, man had flocks and herds exceeding many;

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.

Then was kindled the anger of David against the man, fiercely, - and he said unto Nathan, By the life of Yahweh, doomed to death, is the man that hath done this;

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;

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

So Absolom's young men did to Amnon as Absolom had commanded. Then arose all the king's sons, and rode away - each man on his mule, and fled.

Then responded Jonadab son of Shimeah David's brother, and said - Let not my lord say that they have put, all the young men - the king's sons, to death; for, Amnon alone, is dead; for, by the bidding of Absolom, was it appointed, from the day that he forced Tamar his sister.

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.

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.

Then said the king unto Joab, See, I pray thee, I a have done this thing, - go then - bring back the young man, Absolom.

Now, like unto Absolom, was there no man handsome in all Israel, to be greatly praised, - from the sole of his foot, even unto the crown of his head, there was not, in him, a blemish.