And Amasa went to gather the men of Judah together: but tarried longer than the time which was appointed him.

Wherefore the king said to Abishai, "Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri be worse to us than Absalom. Take thou therefore thy lord's servants and follow after him: lest he get him walled cities and escape us."

And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and the men of might. And they departed out of Jerusalem to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.

And when they were come to the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them. And Joab had his garment that he had about him, gird unto him, and had girded thereon a knife joined fast to his loins, in such a sheath that as he went it fell sometimes out.

And Joab said to Amasa, "Are all things in rest and peace my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the chin with the right hand, as though he would have kissed him.

And Amasa took no heed to the knife that was in Joab's hand, with which Joab smote him in the short ribs, and shed out his bowels to the ground and smote him but one stroke, and he died. And then Joab and Abishai his brother followed after Sheba the son of Bichri.

And as soon as he was tumbled out of the way, all the people went after Joab to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.

And they came and besieged him in Abel-Bethmaacah. And they cast up a bank against the city, and it was besieged: All the people that was with Joab laboured busily to overthrow the wall.

When Joab was come the woman said, "Art thou Joab?" And Joab answered, "That am I." And she said to him, "Hear the words of thy handmaid." And he said, "I am ready to hear."

Abel is one of the quietest and faithfullest cities that are in Israel. And thou goest about to destroy a city that is as a mother in Israel. Why devourest thou the inheritance of the LORD?"

The matter is not so: But there is a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, which hath lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver us him only, and I will depart from the city." And the woman said unto Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown through the wall to thee."

And then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they smote off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they scattered from the city every man to his tent, and Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

And the king called the Gibeonites and spake unto them. Now these Gibeonites are not of the children of Israel, but a remnant of the Amorites - and the children of Israel sware unto them. And yet Saul sought to slay them, for a zeal that he had to the children of Israel and of Judah.

Wherefore David said unto them, "What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I content you that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"

And the Gibeonites said unto him, "We have no matter of silver or of gold with Saul or with his house: neither have we any man that we would kill in Israel." Then he said, "What say ye that I shall do for you?"

And they said unto the king, "The man that consumed and imagined to bring us to nought, him we ought to destroy, that nought of him continue in any of the coasts of Israel.

But the king had compassion on Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them: that is to say, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

But he took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah which she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Miphiyboseth, and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul which she bare to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite,

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it under her upon the rock, even from the beginning of harvest until rain dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to fall on them by day nor beasts of the field by night.

And David waxed fainty, and Ishbi of Nob one of the sons of the Giants whose spear head weighed three hundredth sicles of brass, and was girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him and smote the Philistine and killed him. Then the servants of David sware unto him, saying, "Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that the light of Israel be not put out."

In my tribulation I called to the LORD, and cried to my God. And he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry entered into his ears.

He delivered me from my mighty enemy, and from them that hated me and were too strong for me.

When they had compassed me in the day of my tribulation, the LORD stayed me up.

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness, and according to the pureness of my hands he dealt with me.

And the LORD did to me again, according to my righteousness, and after my pureness that I had in his sight.

The way of God is undefiled, and the word of the LORD fined as gold, and he a shield to all that trust in him.

And teacheth my hands to fight, that a bow of brass is too weak for mine arms.

And thou madest me space to walk in, that my feet should not stumble.

And thou compassedest me about with might to battle, and madest them that rose against me to stoop under me.

And thou madest mine enemies to turn their backs to me, and them that hated me, and I destroyed them.

They looked for help, but none came to save them: unto the LORD they cried, but he heard them not.

And thou deliveredst me from the dissension of my people, and keepest me to be a head over nations, for the people which I knew not became my servants.

For thy great and manifold saving of thy king, and showing mercy unto thine anointed, even to David, and his seed forever.

shall be as the morning light, when the sun shineth in a morning in which are no clouds to let the brightness; and as the grass of the earth is by the virtue of the rain.'

But the man that shall touch them must be armed with iron on a long helve. And then shall they be burned with fire to sit thereby."

And next to him, Eleazar the son of Dodi the son of Ahohi, one of the three principal that were with David, which - when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together in battle, and the men of Israel were gone up -

arose and laid on the Philistines until his hand ached and clave unto the sword. And the LORD made a great victory the same day. And the people returned and went after him only to spoil.

And these three of the thirty of the lords went down and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave Adullam. And the Host of the Philistines had pitched in the valley of Giants.

And David longed and said, "Oh, that I had of the water that is in the well in the gate of Bethlehem for to drink."

And anon the three mighty brake through the Host of the Philistines and fetched water out of the well of Bethlehem that was in the gate, and took and brought it to David: Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but offered it unto the LORD

and said, "The LORD forbid that I should do so! Should I drink the blood of men that were in jeopardy of their lives?" And so he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada the son of a lusty man valiant in acts of Kabzeel, he slew two lions of Moab. He went down and slew a lion in a pit in time of snow.

And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man, which had a spear in his hand. And Benaiah went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with his own spear.

Such things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and was the noblest of thirty: But not like to any of the three in facts of war.

And forthwith the king said to Joab the captain of his Host, "Go abroad, I pray thee, throughout all the tribes of Israel, even from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people that I may know the number of them."

Notwithstanding, the king's words prevailed against Joab and against all the captains of the Host. Then Joab and the captains of the Host went out from the king, to view the people of Israel.

And they passed over Jordan and pitched in Aroer on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the valley of Gad and so forth to Jazer.

And then they went to Gilead and to the nether land of Hodshi, and from thence to Dan-Jaan, and about to Sidon,

and came to the strong town of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Cananites, and then went out to the South of Judah even to Beersheba.

And so when they had been abroad throughout all the land they returned to Jerusalem again at the end of nine months and twenty days.

"Go and say unto David, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: I offer thee three things, choose which of them I shall do to thee.'"

And Gad came to David and showed him and said unto him, "Whether wilt thou have seven years hunger in thy land, or that thou flee three months before thine enemies and they following thee, or that there be three days pestilence in thy land? Now understand, and see what word I shall bring again to him that sent me."

And when the Angel stretched out his hand unto Jerusalem to have destroyed it, the LORD had compassion to do that evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, "It is sufficient: let thine hand cease." And the Angel was at the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite.

And Gad came the same day to David and said unto him, "Go up and rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."

And David according to the saying of Gad went up as the LORD commanded.

And when Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, he went out: and bowed himself to the king flat on his face to the ground,

and said, "Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor of thee, for to make an altar unto the LORD that the plague may cease from the people."

And Araunah the king's friend gave all to the king, and said moreover unto the king, "The LORD thy God accept thee."

Wherefore his servants said unto him, "Let there be sought for my lord the king a young maiden to wait upon him and to cherish him. And let her lie in his bosom, that my lord the king may get heat."

And so they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel and found one Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

And the damsel was exceeding fair, and cherished the king and ministered to him: But the king knew her not.

But Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." And he gat him a chariot and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.

And his father rebuked him not at any time, nor said so much to him as "Why dost thou so?" And he was thereto a goodly man and his mother bare him next, after Absalom.

Now therefore come, that I may give thee counsel how to save thine own life and the life of thy son Solomon.

And now, my lord king, the eyes of all Israel wait on thee, to tell them who shall sit on the seat of my lord the king after him.

For else when my lord the king is laid to rest with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be sinners."

For he is gone down this day and hath offered oxen, fatlings and sheep abundantly, and hath called all the king's sons and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest. And see, they eat and drink before him and say, 'God save king Adonijah.'

even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying 'Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my seat for me,' so will I do this day."

And Bathsheba bowed on her face to the earth and did obeisance unto the king, and said, "I pray God my lord king David may live ever."

the king said unto them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and set Solomon my son upon mine own mule and carry him down to Gihon.

And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there, to be king over Israel. And then blow ye with a trumpet and say, 'God save king Solomon.'

And then come up after him, and let him come and sit upon my seat. For he shall be king in my stead. And him I have commanded to be captain over Israel and Judah."

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, "Amen, and so I pray God that the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and the Cherethites and Pelethites went down, and set Solomon upon king David's mule and led him to Gihon.

And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

And moreover, the king's servants went in to bless our lord king David saying, 'Thy God make the name of Solomon more favoured than thine, and his seat more glorious than thine.' And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

And last of all thus said the king, 'Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which hath made one to sit on my seat this day, even mine eyes seeing it.'"

And it was told Solomon, how that Adonijah for fear of king Solomon hath caught handfast by the horns of the altar, saying, "Let king Solomon swear unto me this day, that he will not slay his servant with the sword."

And Solomon said, "If he will be a child of virtue, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth. But and if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die for it."

And thereupon king Solomon sent and fetched him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance unto king Solomon. And Solomon said to him, "Get thee to thine house."

When the days of David were drawn nigh, and he should die; he charged Solomon his son, saying,

And see that thou keep the appointment of the LORD thy God, that thou walk in his ways and keep his commandments, ordinances, laws and testimonies, even as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayest understand all that thou oughtest to do, and all that thou shouldest meddle with.

That the LORD may make good his promise which he hath promised me, saying, 'If thy children shall take heed to their ways, that they walk before me in truth, with all their hearts and with all their souls; then thou shalt never be without one sitting on the seat of Israel.'

Moreover thou knowest how Joab the son of Zeruiah hath served me, and what he hath done to the two captains of the hosts of Israel - unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether - how he slew them and shed the blood of war in time of peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins and in his shoes that were on his feet.

Deal with him therefore according to thy wisdom and see that thou bring not his hoar head down to the grave in peace.

And show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among them that eat at thine own table, because they so clave to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.

And see, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin of Bahurim, which cursed me with a bitter curse what time I went to Mahanaim. But he came against me to Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, "I will not slay thee with the sword."

But pardon thou him not. Thou art a man of wisdom and shalt know what to do to him, see therefore that thou bring his hoar head to the grave with blood."

After that, Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, "Betokeneth thy coming peace?"

And he said, "It betokeneth peace." Then said he, "I have a matter to show thee." And she said, "Say on."

And he said, "Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel put their eyes on me, that I should reign. Howbeit, the kingdom was turned away and given to my brother, for it was appointed him of the LORD: and now I ask a petition of thee, whereof deny me not."

Then he said, "Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king - for he will not say thee nay - that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife."

And thereupon Bathsheba went unto king Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up against her and bowed himself unto her, and sat him down on his seat. And there was a seat set for the king's mother, and she sat on his right side.

And she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife."

Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, "God do so to me and so thereto if Adonijah have not spoken this word against himself.

Now therefore as surely as the LORD liveth which hath established me and set me on the seat of David my father, and which hath made me a house as he promised me, Adonijah shall die this day."

And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, "Get thee to Anathoth unto thine own fields, for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time kill thee, because thou hast borne the Ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou sufferest with my father in all his afflictions."

And so Solomon put away Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD: to fulfill the words of the LORD which he spake over the house of Eli in Shiloh.

Then tidings came to Joab - for Joab had turned after Adonijah, but not after Absalom - whereupon he fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD and caught handfast on the horns of the altar.