GOD, is my fortress of strength, - and shewed to the blameless his way;

Planting my feet like the hinds', - yea, on my high places, he caused me to stand;

Teaching my hands, to war, - so that a bow of bronze was bent by mine arms;

They cried out, but there was none to save, - unto Yahweh, but he answered them not.

Thus didst thou rescue me from the contentions of my people, didst keep me to be the head of nations: - a people whom I had not known, served me;

The sons of the foreigner, came cringing unto me, - at the hearing of the ear, they submitted to me, -

For this cause, will I praise thee, O Yahweh, among the nations, - and, to thy name, will I touch the strings: -

Who hath made great the victories of his King, - and shown lovingkindness to his Anointed One, to David and to his Seed, unto times age-abiding.

But, as for the abandoned, like thorns to be tossed away are they all, - For, not with the hand, can they be taken;

These, are the names of the mighty men, who belonged to David, - The president a Tachmonite head of the charioteers, the same, was Adino the Eznite, for eight hundred, slain at one time.

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;

he, however, arose and smote among the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto his sword, so Yahweh wrought a great victory on that day, - the people, coming back after him, only to strip the slain.

And David longed, and said, - Who will give me to drink water out of the well of Bethlehem, that is within the gate?

and said - Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this! is it not the blood of the men who went with their lives in their hands ? So he would not drink it. These things, did the three mighty men.

Benaiah also, son of Jehoiadah, son of an active man, hero of many a deed, a man of Kabzeel, he, smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab, he, also went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit, on a day of snow;

He was the most honourable, of thirty, although, unto the three, he attained no, - so David added him to his council.

Zelek, the Ammonite, - Naharai, the Beerothite, armour bearers to Joab son of Zeruiah;

And again was the anger of Yahweh kindled against Israel, - so that he suffered David to be moved against them, saying, Go, count Israel and Judah.

The king, therefore, said unto Joab, captain of the force, who was with him - Go to and fro, I pray thee, throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even unto Beer -sheba, and number ye the people, - so shall I know the sum of the people.

Then said Joab unto the king - Yea, Yahweh thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and suffer the eyes of my lord the king, to see it, - but, my lord the king, wherefore doth he find pleasure in this thing?

Notwithstanding, the word of the king prevailed against Joab, and over the captains of the force, - so Joab went forth, with the captains of the force, before the king, to number the people - Israel.

Thus came they to Gilead, and unto the land of Tahtim-hodshi, - and came to Dan-jaan, and round about Zidon;

and entered the fortress of Tyre, and all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites, - and they went out to the South of Judah, even to Beer-sheba.

So, when they had gone to and fro throughout all the land, they came, at the end of nine months and twenty days, unto Jerusalem.

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.

Go and speak unto David - Thus, saith Yahweh, Three things, do I offer thee, - choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

So Gad came in unto David, and told him, - and said to him: Shall there come unto thee seven years of famine in thy land? Or, for three months, wilt thou flee before thine enemies while, they, pursue thee? Or shall there be, for three days, pestilence in thy land? Now, consider and see, what, answer, I shall return to him that sent me.

But, when the messenger stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem, to destroy it, then relented Yahweh as to the evil, and he said to the messenger who was destroying the people - Enough! now, stay thy hand. And, the messenger of Yahweh, was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

And Gad came unto David, on that day, - and said unto him - Go up, rear thou unto Yahweh an altar, in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

So David went up, according to the word of Gad, as Yahweh had commanded.

And Araunah looked out, and saw the king, and his servants, passing over unto him - so Araunah went forth, and did homage unto the king, with his face to the ground.

Then said Araunah, Wherefore, hath my lord the king come unto his servant? And David said - To buy of thee the threshing-floor, to build an altar unto Yahweh, that the plague may be stayed from off the people.

Then said Araunah unto David, Let my lord the king accept it and cause to ascend what is good in his own eyes, - see! the oxen for the ascending-sacrifice, and the threshing-sledges and ox-yokes for wood.

The whole, did Araunah give, as a king to a king. And Araunah said unto the king, Yahweh thy God, accept thee!

But the king said unto Araunah - Nay! but I will, buy, it of thee, for a price, and will not cause to ascend unto Yahweh my God, offerings that have cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor, and the oxen, for fifty shekels of silver;

and David built there an altar unto Yahweh, and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, - then was Yahweh entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

And, Adonijah son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying - I, will be king. Therefore prepared he for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

But, Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

Thou, therefore, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel, are upon thee, - to tell them, who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king, after him.

Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, then shall I and my son Solomon be counted, offenders.

So they told the king, saying, Lo! Nathan the prophet! And, when he had come in before the king, he bowed himself down to the king with his face to the ground.

For he hath gone down to-day, and hath sacrificed oxen and heifers and sheep, in abundance, and hath invited all the sons of the king, and the generals of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and, there they are - eating and drinking before him, - and they have said - Long live King Adonijah!

If, of my lord the king, this thing had been brought to pass, then wouldest thou not have made known unto thy servant, who should sit upon the throne of my lord the king, after him?

even as I sware unto thee by Yahweh, God of Israel, saying, Assuredly, Solomon thy son, shall become king after me, yea, he, shall sit upon my throne, in my stead, even so, will I do this day.

Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did homage unto the king, - and said - Let my lord, King David, live to times age-abiding!

Then said the king unto them - Take ye with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon the mule which pertaineth unto myself, - and bring him down unto Gihon;

Then shall ye come up after him, and he shall enter, and sit upon my throne, yea, he, shall become king in my stead; even, him, have I charged to become leader, over Israel, and over Judah.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon the mule of King David, - and they escorted him to Gihon.

But Jonathan responded and said to Adonijah, - Of a truth, our lord, King David, hath made, Solomon, king.

And the king hath sent with him - Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, - and they have caused him to ride upon the mule of the king;

Moreover also, the servants of the king have been in, to bless our lord King David, saying - Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne, - And the king bowed himself upon his bed.

Moreover also, thus and thus, hath said the king, - Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath given, to-day, one to sit upon my throne, mine own eyes also beholding it.

And it was told Solomon, saying, Lo! Adonijah, feareth King Solomon, - lo! therefore, he hath laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear unto me at once that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.

Then said Solomon, If he will be a man of worth, there shall not one hair of him fall to the earth, - but, if mischief be found in him, then shall he die.

So King Solomon sent, and brought him down from the altar, and he came in, and bowed himself down to King Solomon, - and Solomon said unto him - Go to thine own house.

And, when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying: -

and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, - to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;

to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me, in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel.

Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet.

Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.

Lo! also, there is with thee - Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite, of Behurim, well, he, it was who cursed me with a grievous curse; on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim, - but he, came down to meet me, at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying - I will not put thee to death, with the sword.

Now, therefore do not hold him guiltless, for, a wise man, thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood, to hades.

Then said he - I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said - Say on.

Now, therefore, one request, have I to ask of thee, do not turn away my face.

And she said unto him - Say on. And he said - Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face, - that he give me Abishag the Shunammite, to wife.

So Bath-sheba went in unto King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah, - and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself down to her, and sat down upon his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the mother of the king, and she sat on his right hand.

Then said she - One small request, am I asking of thee, do not turn away my face. And the king said to her - Ask on, my mother, for I will not turn away thy face.

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

Then answered King Solomon, and said to his mother - Wherefore, then, art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite, for Adonijah? ask, then, for him the kingdom, because he is mine elder brother, - even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, son of Zeruiah.

Then swore King Solomon by Yahweh, saying, - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, at the cost of his life, Adonijah hath not spoken this word.

Now, therefore, by the life of Yahweh, who hath established me, and seated me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me a household, as he had spoken, surely, to-day, shall Adonijah be put to death!

Also, unto Abiathar the priest, said the king - To Anathoth, get thee unto thine own fields, for, death-doomed, thou art, - but, this day, will I not put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of My Lord, Yahweh, before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Yahweh, - to fulfil the word of Yahweh which he spake concerning the household of Eli, in Shiloh.

And Benaiah came into the Tent of Yahweh, and said unto him - Thus, saith the king, Come forth! And he said - Nay! but, here, will I die! So Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus, spake Joab, and, thus, he answered me.

And the king said to him - Do as he hath spoken, fall, then, upon him, and bury him, - and so put away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;

thus will Yahweh bring back his blood upon his own head, in that he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it, - even Abner son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, general of the army of Judah;

So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and put him to death, - and he was buried in his own house, in the wilderness.

And the king sent, and called for Shimei, and said to him - Build thee a house, in Jerusalem, so shalt thou dwell there, - and shalt not go forth from thence, hither or thither;

but it shall be that, on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the Kidron ravine, know, that thou shalt, die, - thy blood, shall be, upon thine own head.

And Shimei said to the king - Good, is the word, as my lord the king hath spoken, so, will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

But it came to pass, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei fled unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath, - and they told Shimei, saying - Lo! thy servants are in Gath.

So Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants - and Shimei went and brought in his servants, from Gath.

And it was told Solomon - Shimei hath been out of Jerusalem to Gath, and returned.

Then sent the king and called for Shimei, and said unto him - Did I not put thee on oath by Yahweh, and adjure thee, saying - On the day thou goest forth and takest thy journey hither or thither, know, that thou shalt, die. Then saidst thou unto me - Good, is the word I have heard.

Then said the king unto Shimei - Thou, knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, which thou didst unto David my father, - therefore shall Yahweh bring back thy wickedness, upon thine own head.

So then the king went to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for, that, was the great high place, - a thousand ascending-sacrifices, did Solomon offer up on that altar.

Then said Solomon - Thou, didst deal, with thy servant David my father, in great lovingkindness, according as he walked before thee, in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart, with thee, - and thou hast kept, for him, this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given unto him a son, to sit upon his throne, as it is this day.

Now, therefore, O Yahweh my God, thou, hast made thy servant king, instead of David my father, - and, I, am but a little child, I know not how to go out and come in.

Wilt thou, then, give unto thy servant, a heart that hearkeneth, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad, - for who is able to judge this thine honoured people?

lo! I have done according to thy word, - lo! I have given unto thee a wise and discerning heart, so that, like thee, hath been none, before thee, and, after thee, shall rise up none, like thee.

And Solomon awoke, and lo! it was a dream. So he entered into Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and offered peace-offerings, and made a banquet for all his servants.

Then, came there in two unchaste women, unto the king, - and stood before him.

And the one woman said - Pardon, my lord! I and this woman, dwell in one house, - and I gave birth to a child near her, in the house.

And it came to pass, the third day after I bare, that, this woman also, gave birth to a child, - we two, being together, there was no stranger with us in the house, none but we two in the house.

And, when I arose in the morning, to give suck unto my child, lo! it was dead! but, when I looked at it narrowly in the morning, lo! it was not, my son that I had borne.

Then said the king, Divide the living child, in twain, - and give half to the one, and half to the other.

Then spake the woman, whose was the living child, unto the king - for tender became her compassions over her son - so she said - Pardon, my lord! Give, her, the living child, and do not, kill, it. But the other kept on saying - Neither mine, nor thine, shall it be, divide it.

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had delivered, and they stood in awe before the king, - for they saw, that, the wisdom of God, was in him, to execute justice.

And so it came to pass, that, King Solomon, was king, over all Israel.

And, Solomon, had twelve governors over all Israel, who used to sustain the king and his household, - for a month in the year, was it appointed unto each one, to find sustenance.