But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

And when they had told David, saying, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Have thou not come from a journey? Why did thou not go down to thy house?

And Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? A

And David said to Uriah, Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.

And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house.

And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. And there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David, and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war.

And he charged the messenger, saying, When thou have made an end of telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he says to thee, Why did ye go so near to the city to fight? Did ye not know that they would shoot from the wall?

So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were upon them even to the entrance of the gate.

And the shooters shot at thy servants from off the wall. And some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

Then David said to the messenger, Thus thou shall say to Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make thy battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it. And encourage thou him.

And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased LORD.

And LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds,

but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him, and with his sons. It ate of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was t

And there came a traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the wayfaring man who came to him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who came to him.

And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As LORD lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die.

And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

And Nathan said to David, Thou are the man. Thus says LORD, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul.

And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that had been too little, I would have added to thee such and such things.

Why have thou despised the word of LORD, to do that which is evil in his sight? Thou have smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be thy wife, and have slain him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.

Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

Thus says LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. And I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbor, and he shall lay with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

For thou did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against LORD. And Nathan said to David, LORD also has put away thy sin; thou shall not die.

And Nathan departed to his house. And LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.

David therefore besought God for the child. And David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the ground.

And the elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside him, to raise him up from the ground, but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that 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 yet alive we spoke to him, and he did not hearken to our

But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel. And he came into the house of LORD, and worshipped. Then he came to his own house, and when he required, they set bread before him, and he

Then his servants said to him, What thing is this that thou have done? Thou fasted and wept for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou arose and ate bread.

And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, Who knows whether LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?

And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And LORD loved him,

and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet. And he called his name Jedidiah, for LORD's sake.

Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and took the royal city.

And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yea, I have taken the city of waters.

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it, lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.

And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

And he took the crown of their king from off his head. And the weight of it was a talent of gold, and [in it were] precious stones. And it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceedingly much.

And he brought forth the people that were in it, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. And Dav

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.

And Amnon was so frustrated that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very sly man.

And he said to him, Why, O son of the king, are thou emaciated this way from day to day? Will thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

And Jonadab said to him, Lay down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick. And when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may se

So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and make food for him.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

And she took the pan, and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have all men out from me. And they went out every man from him.

And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

And when she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lay with me, my sister.

And she answered him, No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do thou this folly.

And I, where shall I carry my shame? And as for thee, thou will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee.

However he would not hearken to her voice, but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.

Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone.

And she said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that thou did to me. But he would not hearken to her.

Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, Put this woman out from me now, and bolt the door after her.

And she had a garment of various colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her. And she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? But now hold thy peace, my sister. He is thy brother. Do not take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant has sheep-shearers. Let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him. However he would not go, but blessed him.

Then Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Notice ye now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon, then kill him. Fear not; have I not commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant.

And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up upon his mule, and fled.

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

Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined fr

But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill-side behind him.

And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons have come; as thy servant said, so it is.

And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very much.

But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day.

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched from there a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman who has a lon

And go in to the king, and speak on this manner to him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

And the king said to her, What troubles thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and killed him.

And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who smote his brother that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus they will quench my co

And the king said to the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.

And the king said, Whoever says anything to thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember LORD thy God, that the avenger of blood not destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As LORD lives, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

And the woman said, Why then have thou devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as he who is guilty, in that the king does not fetch home again his banished one.

For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, neither does God take away life, but devises means that he who is banished be not an outcast from him.

Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid. And thy handmaid said, I will now speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of hi

For the king will hear to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be gracious, for as an agent of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. And LORD thy God be with thee.