2 Samuel

Overall

Area	Total	Changed	%
Verses	695	322	46.33%
Words	9391	814	8.67%

Verses

1:8	He asked me, ‘Who are you?’? ’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite.
1:12	They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword — for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel.
1:13	David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I’m the son of a foreignerresident alien,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.”
1:20	Do not tell it in Gath, don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will gloatcelebrate.
1:21	Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain be on you, or fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was defiled  — the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
1:22	Jonathan’s bow never retreated, Saul’s sword never returned unstained, from the blood of the slain, from the bodiesflesh of the mighty.
1:26	I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were such a friend to me. Your love for me was more wonderfulwondrous than the love of women.
2:3	In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his householdfamily, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
2:4	Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David:, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
2:5	David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The Lord bless you, because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
2:7	Therefore, be strong and courageousvaliant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
2:9	He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin — over all Israel.
2:10	Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was 40forty years old when he beganbecame hisking reign over Israel; he ruledreigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
2:15	So they got up and were counted off —12 twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and 12twelve from David’s soldiers.
2:23	But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the endbutt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. WhenAs they all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped,
2:25	The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a single unit and took their stand on top of a hill.
2:26	Then Abner called out to Joab:, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
2:30	When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, 19nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing,
3:1	TheDuring the long war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long and drawn out, with David was growing stronger and the house of Saul was becoming weaker.
3:2	Sons were born to David in Hebron: hisHis firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite;
3:8	Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I a dog’s head who belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I’ve been loyal to the housefamily of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven’t handedbetrayed you over to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!
3:11	Ish-bosheth coulddid not answerdare respond to Abner because he was afraid of him.
3:12	Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to handturn all Israel over to you.”
3:13	David replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. However, there’s one thing I require of you: DoYou will not appearsee beforemy meface unless you first bring Saul’s daughter Michal here when you come to see me.”
3:14	Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal. I was engaged to her for the price of 100a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
3:18	Now take action, because the Lord has spoken concerning David: ‘Through Mymy servant David I will save Mymy people Israel from the power of the Philistines and the power of all Israel’s enemies.’”
3:20	When Abner and 20twenty men came to David at Hebron, David held a banquet for him and his men.
3:21	Abner said to David, “Let me now go and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you, and you will rulereign over all you desire.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
3:23	When Joab and all his whole army arrived, Joab was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, the king dismissed him, and he went in peace.”
3:25	You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to find out about your military activities and everything you’re doing.”
3:27	When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the gatewaycity gate, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel, Joab’s brother.
3:28	David heard about it later and said:, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
3:29	May it hang over Joab’s head and his father’s whole housefamily, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease, or a man who can only work a spindle, or someone who falls by the sword or starves.”
3:31	David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” And King David walked behind the funeralcoffin. procession.
3:35	Then they came to urge David to eat breadfood while it was still day, but David took an oath: “May God punish me and do so severely if I taste bread or anything else before sunset!”
4:1	When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, hishe couragegave failedup, and all Israel was dismayed.
4:3	and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and still livereside there as foreignersaliens totoday. this very day.
4:4	Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. TheHis onenanny who had nursed him picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
4:7	They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. ThenThey theyremoved beheadedhis himhead, took his headit, and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.
4:9	But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, the Oneone who has redeemed my life from every distress,
4:11	How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from youryou hands and wipepurge you offfrom the earth?”
5:2	Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out to battle and brought us back. The Lord also said to you, ‘You will shepherd Mymy people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.’”
5:4	David was 30thirty years old when he began his reign; he reigned 40forty years.
5:5	In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned 33thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
5:6	The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David:, “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you”;” thinking, “David can’t get in here.”
5:10	David became more and more powerful, and the Lord God of HostsArmies was with him.
5:12	Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of Hishis people Israel.
5:18	So the Philistines came and spread out in theRephaim Valley. of Rephaim.
5:19	Then David inquired of the Lord: “Should I goattack to war against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied to David, “GoAttack, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”
5:20	So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.” Therefore, he named that place theThe Lord Bursts Out.
5:22	The Philistines came up again and spread out in theRephaim Valley of Rephaim.
5:23	So David inquired of the Lord, and Hehe answered, “Do not makeattack adirectly, frontalbut assault.circle Circle around behind them and attackcome at them opposite the balsam trees.
5:24	When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have marchedgone out ahead of you to attackstrike down the camparmy of the Philistines.”
6:1	David again assembled all the choicefit young men in Israel,: 30,000thirty thousand.
6:2	He and all his troops set out to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah. The ark isbears called by the Name, the name of Yahwehthe Lord of HostsArmies who dwellsis enthroned between the cherubim.
6:5	David and the whole house of Israel were celebratingdancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
6:8	David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place an Outburst Against Uzzah, as it is today.
6:10	So he was not willing to movebring the ark of the Lord to the city of David; instead, he tookdiverted it to the house of Obed-edom theof GittiteGath.
6:12	It was reported to King David:, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing.
6:17	They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had setpitched up for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence.
6:18	When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahwehthe Lord of HostsArmies.
6:19	Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women. Then all the people left,went each to his own home.
6:21	David replied to Michal, “IIt was dancing before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel. I will celebratedance before the Lord,
6:22	and I will humbledishonor myself even more and humiliatehumble myself. Ieven willmore. beHowever, honored by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.”
7:2	the king said to Nathan the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”
7:3	So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your heartmind, for the Lord is with you.”
7:5	“Go to Mymy servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house for Me to livedwell in?
7:6	From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not liveddwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as Mymy dwelling.
7:7	In all Mymy journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever askedspoken anyonea amongword to one of the tribestribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd Mymy people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built Meme a house of cedar?’
7:8	“NowSo now this is what you are to say to Mymy servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of HostsArmies says: I took you from the pasture, and from followingtending the sheepflock, to be ruler over Mymy people Israel.
7:9	I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest inon the landearth.
7:10	I will establishdesignate a place for Mymy people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not afflictcontinue to oppress them as they have done
7:11	ever since the day I ordered judges to be over Mymy people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord Himselfhimself will make a house for you.
7:12	When your time comes and you rest with your fathersancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
7:13	He is the one who will build a house for Mymy name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
7:14	I will be ahis father to him, and he will be amy son to Me. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a human rod of men and with blows from othersmortals.
7:15	But Mymy faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul;, whom I removed him from yourbefore wayyou.
7:16	Your house and kingdom will endure before Meme forever, and your throne will be established forever.’”
7:17	Nathan spokereported all these words and this entire vision to David.
7:18	Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said, Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that Youyou have brought me this far?
7:19	What Youyou have done so far was a little thing to Youyou, Lord God, for Youyou have also spoken about Youryour servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord God.
7:20	What more can David say to Youyou? You know Youryour servant, Lord God.
7:21	Because of Youryour word and according to Youryour will, Youyou have revealed all these great things to Youryour servant.
7:22	This is why Youyou are great, Lord God. There is no one like Youyou, and there is no God besides Youyou, as all we have heard confirms.
7:23	And who is like Youryour people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for Himselfhimself, to make a name for Himselfhimself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before Youryour people Youyou redeemed for Yourselfyourself from Egypt.
7:24	You established Youryour people Israel to be Youryour own people forever, and Youyou, Lord, have become their God.
7:25	Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that Youyou have made to Youryour servant and his house. Do as Youyou have promised,
7:26	so that Youryour name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of HostsArmies is God over Israel.” The house of Youryour servant David will be established before Youyou
7:27	since Youyou, Lord of HostsArmies, God of Israel, have revealed this to Youryour servant when Youyou said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, Youryour servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to Youyou.
7:28	Lord God, Youyou are God; Youryour words are true, and Youyou have promised this gracegood thing to Youryour servant.
7:29	Now, please bless Youryour servant’s house so that it will continue before Youyou forever. For Youyou, Lord God, have spoken, and with Youryour blessing Youryour servant’s house will be blessed forever.
8:2	He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one full length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.
8:3	David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, whowhen he went to restore his control at the Euphrates River.
8:4	David captured 1,700seventeen hundred horsemen and 20,000twenty thousand foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses and kept 100a hundred chariots.
8:5	When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down 22,000twenty-two thousand Aramean men.
8:11	King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued  —
8:13	David made a reputation for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000eighteen thousand Edomites in theSalt Valley of Salt.
9:1	David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from Saul’sthe family of Saul I can show kindness to becausefor ofJonathan’s Jonathansake?”
9:6	Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, bowedfell downfacedown, to the ground and paid homage. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied.
9:7	“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “since I intend to show you kindness becausefor the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul’s fields, and you will always eat meals at my table.”
9:8	Mephibosheth bowedpaid downhomage and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me?”
9:10	You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him, and you are to bring in the crops so your master’s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had 15fifteen sons and 20twenty servants.
10:1	Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place.
10:6	When the Ammonites realized they had become repulsive to David, they hired 20,000twenty thousand foot soldiers from the Arameans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000one thousand men from the king of Maacah, and 12,000twelve thousand men from Tob.
10:7	David heard about it and sent Joab and all the fightingelite mentroops.
10:9	When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some men out of allIsrael’s thefinest eliteyoung troopsmen of Israel and lined up in battle formation to engage the Arameans.
10:10	He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai. whoThey lined up in battle formation to engage the Ammonites.
10:12	Be strong! WeLet’s must prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”
10:16	Hadadezer sent messengers to bring the Arameans who were acrossbeyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam with Shobach, commander of Hadadezer’s army, leading them.
10:17	When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans lined up in formation to engage David in battle and fought against him.
10:18	But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 700seven hundred of their charioteers and 40,000forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach commander of their army, who died there.
11:2	One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing — a very beautiful woman.
11:3	So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he reportedsaid, “ThisIsn’t isthis Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite.”Hethite?”
11:5	The woman conceived and sent word to inform David:, “I am pregnant.”
11:6	David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the HittiteHethite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David.
11:17	Then the men of the city came out and attacked Joab, and some of the men from David’s soldiers fell in battle; Uriah the HittiteHethite also died.
11:19	He commanded the messenger, “When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle —
11:21	At Thebez, who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the top of the wall so that he died? Why did you get so close to the wall?’—? ’ — then say, ‘Your servant Uriah the HittiteHethite is dead also.’”
11:23	The messenger reported to David, “The men gained the advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we counterattacked right up to the entrance of the city gate.
11:24	However, the archers shot down on your soldiersservants from the top of the wall, and some of the king’s soldiersservants died. Your servant Uriah the HittiteHethite is also dead.”
11:26	When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband, Uriah, had died, she mourned for him.
12:2	The rich man had avery large numberflocks of sheep and cattleherds,
12:3	but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised ither, and itshe grew up, living with him and with his children. ItFrom shared his meager food andshe drankwould eat, from his cup; itshe sleptwould drink, and in his arms, andshe itwould sleep. She was like a daughter to him.
12:5	David was infuriated with the man and said to Nathan:, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
12:7	Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I deliveredrescued you from the hand of Saul.
12:9	Why then have you despised the Lord’s command of the Lord by doing what I consider evil? You struck down Uriah the HittiteHethite with the sword and took his wife as your own wife — you murdered him with the Ammonite’s sword.
12:10	Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house because you despised Meme and took the wife of Uriah the HittiteHethite to be your own wife.’
12:11	“This is what the Lord says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you from your own family: I will take your wives and give them to another before your very eyes, and he will sleep with them publiclyin broad daylight.
12:13	David responded to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Then Nathan replied to David, “TheAnd the Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.
12:15	Then Nathan went home. The Lord struck the baby that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became deathly ill.
12:21	His servants asked him, “WhatWhy didhave you justdone dothis? While the baby was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate food.”
12:24	Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went to her and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved him,
12:25	and Hehe sent a message through Nathan the prophet Nathan, who named him Jedidiah, because of the Lord.
12:27	Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured theits water supply.
12:30	He took the crown from the head of their king, and it was placed on David’s head. The crown weighed 75seventy-five pounds of gold, and it had a precious stone in it. In addition, David took away a large quantity of plunder from the city.
13:5	Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare fooda meal in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.’”
13:12	“Don’t, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t humiliatedisgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don’t docommit this horrible thingoutrage!
13:13	Where could I ever go with my disgracehumiliation? And you — you would be like one of the immoraloutrageous menfools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won’t keep me from you.”
13:14	But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he rapeddisgraced her by raping her.
13:15	AfterSo this, Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that the hatred he hated her with was greater than the love he had loved her with. “Get out of here!” he said.
13:17	Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him:, “ThrowGet this womanaway from me, throw her out, and bolt the door behind her!”
13:18	Amnon’s servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved garmentrobe, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.
13:19	Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garmentrobe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out.
13:20	Her brother Absalom said to her:, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.
13:28	Now Absalom commanded his young men, “Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and courageousvaliant!”
13:36	Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons entered and wept loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
13:37	NowBut Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
13:38	After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur whereand hehad stayedbeen there three years.,
13:39	Then King David longed to go to Absalom, for David had finished grieving over Amnon’s death.
14:1	Joab son of Zeruiah observedrealized that the king’s mind was on Absalom.
14:2	So Joab sent someone to Tekoa to bring a cleverwise woman from there. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning: dress in mourning clothes and don’t put on any oil. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.
14:4	When the woman from Tekoa came to the king, she fell withfacedown her face to the ground, inpaid homage, and said, “Help me, myYour kingMajesty!”
14:5	“What’s the matter?” the king asked her. “To tell the truthSadly, I am a widow; my husband died,” she said.
14:7	Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant and said, ‘Hand over the one who killed his brother so we may put him to death for the life of the brother he murdered. We will destroyeliminate the heir!’! ’ They would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on earth.”
14:9	Then the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord the king, may any blame be on me and my father’s housefamily, and may the king and his throne be innocent.”
14:14	We will certainly die and be like water poured out on the ground, which can’t be recovered. But God would not take away a life; Hehe would devise plans so that the one banished from Himhim does not remain banished.
14:16	The king will surely listen in order to rescuekeep his servant from the handgrasp of this man who would eliminate both me and my son from God’s inheritance.
14:17	Your servant thought: May the word of my lord the king bring relief, for my lord the king is able to discern the good and the bad like the Angelangel of God. May the Lord your God be with you.”
14:20	Joab your servant has done this to address the issue indirectly, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the Angelangel of God, knowing everything on earth.”
14:22	Joab fell with his face to the ground in homage and praisedblessed the king. “Today,” Joab said, “your servant knows I have found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant.”
14:26	When he shaved his head — he shaved it at the end of every year because his hair got so heavy for him that he had to shave it off — he would weigh the hair from his head and it would be five pounds according to the royal standard.
14:29	Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab was unwilling to come to him. So he sent again, a second time, but he still wouldn’twould not come.
14:33	Joab went to the king and told him. So David summoned Absalom, who came to the king and bowedpaid downhomage with his face to the ground before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.
15:1	After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and 50fifty men to run before him.
15:5	When a person approached to bowpay downhomage to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.
15:8	For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram, saying:, ‘If the Lord really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.”.’”
15:10	Then Absalom sent messengersagents throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!’”
15:11	Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they knewdid nothingnot aboutknow the whole mattersituation.
15:14	David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us quickly, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15:15	The king’s servants said to himthe king, “Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants.”
15:16	Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind 10ten concubines to take care of the palace.
15:18	while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittitespeople of Gath —600 six hundred men who came with him from Gaththere  — marched past the king.
15:19	The king said to Ittai theof GittiteGath, “Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you’re both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.
15:22	“March on,” David replied to Ittai. So Ittai theof GittiteGath marched past with all his men and the childrendependents who were with him.
15:23	Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching pastout of the city. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the desertwilderness.
15:25	Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor inwith the Lord’s eyes, Hehe will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place.
15:26	However, if Hehe should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am —He he can do with me whatever pleases Himhim.”
15:27	The king also said to Zadok the priest Zadok, “Look, return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan.
15:30	David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. EachAll of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.
15:31	Then someone reported to David:, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” “Lord,” David pleaded, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
15:34	but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, myYour kingMajesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me.
15:35	Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report everything you hear from the king’s palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
15:36	Take note: their two sons, are there with them—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan,. areSend therethem withto them.tell Send me everything you hear through them.”
16:1	When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with 200two hundred loaves of bread, 100one hundred clusters of raisins, 100one hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a skinclay jar of wine.
16:2	The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become exhausted in the desertwilderness.”
16:4	The king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I bow before you,” Ziba said. “May youI lookfind favorablyfavor onwith meyou, my lord the king!”
16:7	Shimei said as he cursed:, “Get out, get out, you worthlessman murdererof bloodshed, you wicked man!
16:8	The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a murdererman of bloodshed!”
16:9	Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cutremove his head!” off!”
16:10	The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord told him, ‘Curse David!’! ’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’”? ’”
16:11	Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life  — how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to.
16:13	So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, and threw stones at him, and dirtkicked atup himdust.
16:18	“Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that the Lord, thethis people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him.
16:21	Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.”
16:23	Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God  — such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
17:1	Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000twelve thousand men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight.
17:2	I will attack him while he is weakweary and wearydiscouraged, throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king
17:3	and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re seekinglooking for, all the people will be at peace.”
17:4	This proposal seemed goodright to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
17:6	So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him:, “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?”
17:10	Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion will meltlose heart because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors.
17:11	Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba — as numerous as the sand by the sea  — be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle.
17:12	Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left—neither he nor any of all the men with him.
17:16	Now send someone quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford of the Jordan, but be sure to cross over the Jordan, or the king and all the people with him will be destroyeddevoured.’”
17:23	When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his affairshouse in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
17:29	honey, curds, sheep, goats, and cheese from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, “The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the desertwilderness.”
18:1	David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of hundredsthousands and of thousandshundreds over them.
18:2	He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai theof GittiteGath. The king said to the troops, “I willmust also march out with you.”
18:3	“You must not go!” the people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth 10,000ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.”
18:4	“I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the city gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands.
18:7	TheIsrael’s peoplearmy ofwas Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day —20,000 casualtiestwenty thousand dead.
18:8	The battle spread over the entire regionarea, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.
18:11	“You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you 10ten silver pieces and a belt!”
18:12	The man replied to Joab, “Even if I had the weight of 1,000a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me.’
18:13	If I had jeopardized my own life — and nothing is hidden from the king — you would have abandoned me.”
18:14	Joab said, “I’m not going to waste time with you!” He then took three spears in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s heartchest. whileWhile heAbsalom was still alive in the oak tree,
18:15	andten 10 young men who were Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
18:16	Afterward, Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab restrained them.
18:17	They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and piledraised up a huge mound of stones over him. And all Israel fled, each to his tent.
18:18	When he was alive, Absalom had settaken up a pillar and raised it up for himself in the King’s Valley, forsince he had saidthought, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gavenamed the pillar hisafter namehimself. It is still called Absalom’s Monument today.
18:19	Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the Lord has deliveredvindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”
18:21	Joab then said to thea Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
18:24	David was sitting between the twocity gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the city gate and over to the wall. The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone.
18:28	Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well,” and thenpaid bowedhomage down to the king with his face to the ground. He continued, “MayBlessed be the Lord your God be praised! He delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king.”
18:31	Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: todayThe the Lord has deliveredvindicated you today by freeing you from all thosewho risingrise up against you!”
18:32	The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” The Cushite replied, “MayI whatwish hasthat become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king, andalong towith all who rise up against you with evil intent, would become like that young man.”
18:33	The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber above the city gate chamber and wept. As he walked, he cried, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
19:3	So they returned to the city quietly that day like peopletroops come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle.
19:4	But the king hidcovered his face and cried out at the top of his voiceloudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
19:5	Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed all your soldiers — those who rescuedsaved your life andas thewell livesas of your sons and daughters, your wives, and your concubines. —
19:6	Youby loveloving your enemies and hatehating those who love you! Today you have made it clear that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. In fact, today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would be fine with you!
19:8	So the king got up and sat in the city gate, and all the people were told:, “Look, the king is sitting in the city gate.” Then they all came into the king’s presence. Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent.
19:9	AllPeople thethroughout people among all the tribes of Israel were arguing: among themselves, saying, “The king deliveredrescued us from the grasp of our enemies, and he rescuedsaved us from the grasp of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.
19:11	King David sent word to the priests, Zadok and Abiathar: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house.
19:13	And tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of themy army from now on instead of Joab!’”! ’”
19:14	So he won over all the men of Judah, and they unanimously sent word to the king: “Come back, you and all your servants.”
19:16	Shimei son of Gera, athe Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
19:17	There were 1,000a thousand men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul, with his 15fifteen sons and 20twenty servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king.
19:18	They forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across and do whatever the king desired. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell downfacedown before the king
19:26	“My lord the king,” he replied, “my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said:, ‘I’ll saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride it and go with the king’—’ — for your servant is lame.
19:27	Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the Angelangel of God, so do whatever you think best.
19:32	Barzillai was a very old man —80 eighty years old — and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.
19:35	I’m now 80eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
19:37	Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham:; let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems good to you.”
19:43	The men of Israel answered the men of Judah:, “We have 10ten shares in the king, so we have a greater claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren’t we the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.
20:3	When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the 10ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and placed them under guard. He provided for them, but he was not intimate with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.
20:10	Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, forand Amasa was deaddied. Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
20:12	Now Amasa washad been writhing in his blood in the middle of the highway, and the man had seen that all the peopletroops stopped. So he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him because he realized that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping.
20:15	Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built ana assaultsiege ramp against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse,
20:19	I am a peaceful person, one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?”
20:20	Joab protested: “Never! I dowould notnever wantdevour toor destroydemolish!
20:21	That is not mythe intentioncase. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman replied to Joab, “AllWatch! right. His head will be thrown over the wall to you.”
20:24	Adoram was inover charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;
21:1	During David’s reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David inquired of the Lord. The Lord answered, “It is becausedue ofto the blood shed by Saul and to his bloody family, whenbecause he killed the Gibeonites.”
21:4	The Gibeonites said to him, “We are not asking for moneysilver and gold from Saul or his family, and we cannot put anyone to death in Israel.” “Whatever you say, I will do for you,” he said.
21:11	When it was reported to David what Saul’s concubine Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, had done,
21:12	he went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the leaderscitizens of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies the day the Philistines killed Saul at Gilboa.
21:13	David had the bones brought from there. They gathered up the bones of Saul’s family who had been hunghanged
21:14	and buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan at Zela in the land of Benjamin in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. They did everything the king commanded. After this, God answeredwas receptive to prayer for the land.
21:17	But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him:, “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”
21:19	Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath theof GittiteGath. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.
21:20	At Gath there was still another battle. A huge man was there with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot —24 twenty-four in all. He, too, was descended from the giant.
22:1	David spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the handgrasp of all his enemies and from the handgrasp of Saul.
22:3	my God, my mountainrock where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, Youyou save me from violence.
22:7	I called to the Lord in my distress; I called to my God. From Hishis temple Hehe heard my voice, and my cry for help reached Hishis ears.
22:8	Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they shook because Hehe burned with anger.
22:9	Smoke rose from Hishis nostrils, and consuming fire came from Hishis mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.
22:10	He partedbent the heavens and came down, atotal darkdarkness cloud beneath Hishis feet.
22:12	He made darkness a canopy around Himhim, a gathering of water and thick clouds.
22:13	From the radiance of Hishis presence, flamingblazing coals were ignited.
22:14	The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High projectedmade Hishis voice heard.
22:15	He shot arrows and scattered them; Hehe hurled lightning bolts and routed them.
22:16	The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of Hishis nostrils.
22:17	He reached down from heavenon high and took hold of me; Hehe pulled me out of deep waterswater.
22:19	They confronted me in the day of my distresscalamity, but the Lord was my support.
22:20	He brought me out to a spacious place; Hehe rescued me because Hehe delighted in me.
22:21	The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; Hehe repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
22:23	Indeed, I havelet kept all Hishis ordinances inguide mindme and have not disregarded Hishis statutes.
22:24	I was blameless before Himhim and kept myself from sinningmy iniquity.
22:25	So the Lord repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in Hishis sight.
22:26	With the faithful Youyou prove Yourselfyourself faithful;, with the blameless manyou You prove Yourselfyourself blameless;,
22:27	with the pure Youyou prove Yourselfyourself pure, but with the crooked Youyou prove Yourselfyourself shrewd.
22:28	You rescue an afflictedoppressed people, but Youryour eyes are set against the proud — Youyou humble them.
22:29	Lord, Youyou are my lamp; the Lord illuminates my darkness.
22:30	With Youyou I can attack a barrierbarricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall.
22:31	God —His his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Himhim.
22:33	God is my strong refuge; Hehe makes my way perfect.
22:36	You have given me the shield of Youryour salvation; Youryour help exalts me.
22:37	You widenmake a spacious place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.
22:40	You have clothed me with strength for battle; Youyou subdue my adversaries beneath me.
22:42	They look, but there is no one to save them — they look to the Lord, but Hehe does not answer them.
22:44	You have freed me from the feuds among my people; Youyou have appointedpreserved me theas head of nations; a people I had not known serve me.
22:45	Foreigners submit to me grudginglycringing; as soon as they hear, they obey me.
22:47	The Lord lives —may blessed be my rock be praised! God, the rock of my salvation, is exalted.
22:48	God —He giveshe grants me vengeance and casts down peoples under me.
22:49	He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; Youyou rescue me from violent men.
22:50	Therefore I will praisegive You,thanks Lord,to you among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises about Youryour name.
22:51	He is a tower of salvation for Hishis king; Hehe shows loyalty to Hishis anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
23:1	These are the last words of David: The declaration of David son of Jesse, the declaration of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob,. This is the favoritemost singerdelightful of Israel:’s songs.
23:2	The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, Hishis word was on my tongue.
23:5	Is it not true my house is with God? For Hehe has established ana everlastingpermanent covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will Hehe not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?
23:8	These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against 800eight hundred men that he killed at one time.
23:13	Three of the 30thirty leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in theRephaim Valley of Rephaim.
23:18	Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raisedwielded his spear against 300three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
23:21	He also killed an Egyptian, aan hugeimpressive man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a clubstaff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear.
23:24	Among the Thirty were: Joab’s brother Asahel, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
23:29	Heleb son of Baanah the NetophahiteNetophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,
23:39	and Uriah the HittiteHethite. There were 37thirty-seven in all.
24:1	The Lord’s anger burned against Israel again, and Hehe stirred up David against them to say:, “Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.”
24:3	Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops 100a hundred times more than they are  — while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this?”
24:8	When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20twenty days.
24:9	Joab gave the king the total of the registration of the troops. There were 800,000eight fightinghundred thousand valiant armed men from Israel and 500,000five hundred thousand men from Judah.
24:10	David’s conscience troubled him after he had taken a census of the troops. He said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I’ve done. Now, Lord, because I’ve been very foolish, please take away Youryour servant’s guilt.”
24:11	When David got up in the morning, athe revelationword fromof the Lord had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer:
24:13	So Gad went to David, told him the choices, and asked him, “Do you want three years of famine to come on your land, to flee from your foes three months while they pursue you, or to have a plague in your land three days? Now, thinkconsider itcarefully over and decide what answer I should take back to the Oneone who sent me.”
24:14	David answered Gad, “I have great anxiety. Please, let us fall into the Lord’s hands because Hishis mercies are great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.”
24:15	So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba 70,000seventy thousand men died.
24:17	When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Youryour hand be against me and my father’s family.”
24:20	Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, so he went out and bowedpaid homage to the king with his face to the ground.
24:23	MyYour kingMajesty, Araunah gives everything here to the king.” Then he said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.”
24:24	The king answered Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 20twenty ounces of silver.
24:25	He built an altar to the Lord there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answeredwas prayerreceptive onto behalfprayer offor the land, and the plague on Israel ended.