8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words Abner the son of Ner came to the king, ana of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, he hath sent him away, and he is gone in which against Judah do shew kindness this peace.

day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his 24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, brethren, and to his friends, and have not What hast thou done? behold, Åbner came delivered thee into the hand of David, that unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him thou chargest me to-day with a fault con- away, and he is quite gone? cerning this woman?

25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate, to 12 And Abner sent messengers to David speak with him quietly; and smote him there on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? say-under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood ing also, Make thy league with me, and, be-of Asahel his brother. hold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

29 Let it rest on the head of Joat, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, 14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosh-or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, eth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh Michal, which I espoused to me for an hun-bread. dred foreskins of the Philistines.

22 And, behold, the servants of David 39 And I am this day weak, though anoint. and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and ed king; and these men the sons of Zeruian brought in a great spoil with them: but Ab- be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward ner was not with David in Hebron; for he the doer of evil according to his wickedness. Dad sent him away, and he was gone in peace. CHAP. IV. 23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come. they told Joab, saying,

feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled, league with them in Hebron before the 21 And Saul's son had two men that were LORD: and they anointed David king over captains of bands; the name of the one was Israel. Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rummon a Beerolite, of the children of Benjamin; (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin;

3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

41 David was thirty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years, 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

4 And Jonathan. Saul's son, had a son that 6 And the king and his men went to Jewas lame of his feet. He was five years old rusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan of the land; which spake unto David, sayout of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, ing, Except thou take away the blind and and Red and it came to pass, as she made the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame; thinking, David cannot come in hither. and his name was Mephibosheth. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of Zion: the same is the city of David. Rechab and Baanalı, went, and came about 8 And David said on that day, Whosoever the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosh-getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jeeth, who lay on a bed at noon. busites, and the lame and the blind, that are

6 And they came thither into the midst of hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and the house, as though they would have fetch-captain. Wherefore they said, The blind ed wheat; and they smote him under the and the lame shall not come into the house. fifth rib and Rechab and Baanah his bro- 9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called ther escaped. it, The city of David: and David built 7 For when they came into the house, he round about, from Millo and inward. lay on his bed in his bed chamber, and they 10 And David went on, and grew great; mote him, and slew him, and beheaded and the LORD God of hosts was with Eim. him, and took his head, and gat them away 11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent mes through the plain all night. sengers to David, and cedar-trees, and car

8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosk-penters, and masons: and they built David eth unto David to Hebron, and said to the an house.

king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son 12 And David perceived that the LORD of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; had established him king over Israel, and and the LORD hath avenged my lord the that he had exalted his kingdom for his peo king this day of Saul, and of his seed. ple Israel's sake.

91 And David answered Rechab and Baa- 131 And David took him more concunah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the bines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD was come from Hebron: and there were yet liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all sons and daughters born to David. 14 And these be the names of those that

adversity, 10 When one told me, saying, Behold, were born unto him in Jerusalem; ShamSaul is dead, (thinking to have brought mual, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Sogood tidings.) I took hold of him, and slew lomon, bim in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

15 Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

16 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eli

11 How much more, wher wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own phalet.

house upon his bed? shall I not therefore 17 But when the Philistines heard that now require his blood of your hand, and they had anointed David king over Israel, lake you away from the earth? all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.

12 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron: but they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wil thou deliver them into mine hand? And the HEN came all the tribes of Israel to Da- LORD said unto David, Go up; for I will

CHAP. V.

on, se

hold, we are thy bone and thy flesh,

2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a

22¶ And the Philistines came up yet again, 14 And David danced before the LORD and spread themselves in the valley of Re- with all his might; and David was girded phaim. with a linen ephod.

23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees.

15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of the LORD came into 24 And let it be, when thou hearest the the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-looked through a window, and saw king Datrecs, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for vid leaping and dancing before the LORD; then shall the LORD go out before thee, to and she despised him in her heart. mite the host of the Philistines.

25 And David did so, as the LORD had Commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

CHAP. VI.

AGAIN, David gathered together all the

chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judali, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of The LORD of hosts, that dwelleth between the cherubims.

17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt-offerings and peace-oTerings before the LORD.

18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah; and Uzza! and 201 Then David returned to bless his Ahio,the sons of Abinadab.drave the new cart. household. And Michal, the daughter of 4 And they brought it out of the house of Saul, came out to meet David, and said, How Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompany-glorious was the king of Israel to-day, who ing the ark of God; and Ahio went before uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the the ark.

5 And David, and all the house of Israel, played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir-wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

6 And when they came to Nachon's thrashing-floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

8 And David was displeased, because the

handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, Cver Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.

22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

23 Therefore Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child unto the day of her death. CHAP. VII.

ND it came to pass, when the king sat in

LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah; and Ais house, and the LORD had given him

he called 'he name of the place Perez-uzzab to this day.

9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the

LORD come to me?

10 So David would not remove the ark of he LORD unto him into the city of David; ost David carried it aside into the house of Obel-edom the Gittite.

11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.

rest round about from all his enemies,

2 That the king said unto Nathan the pro phet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart: for the LORD is with thee. 41 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,

5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dweli in ?

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any home 129 And it was old king David,saying, The since the time that I brought up the childre LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but and all that pertaineth unto him, because of have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. the ark of God. So David went and brought 7 In all the places wherein I have walked up the ark of God from the house of Obed-with all the children of Israel spake I a word edou into the city of David with gladness.

13 And it was so, that, when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, be sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my

servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, thou hast spoken concerning thy servan I took thee from the sheep-cote, from follow- and concerning his house, establish it for ing the sheep, to be ruler over my people, ever, and do as thou hast said.

over Israel.

26 And let thy name be magnified for

9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies over Israel: and let the house of thy servant out of the sight, and have made thee a great David be established before thee. name, like unto the name of the great men 27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Isthat are in the earth. rael, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I

10 Moreover, I will appoint a place for my will build thee an house; therefore hath thy people Israel, and will plant them, that they servant found in his heart to pray this praymay dwell in a place of their own, and move jer unto thee.

no more neither shall the children of wicked- 23 And now, O LORD God, thou art that ness afflict them any more, as before-time, God, and thy words be true, and thou hast U And as since the time that I command-promised this goodness unto thy servant ed judges to be over my people Israel, and 29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless have caused thee to rest from all thine ene-the house of thy servant, that it may continue mies. Also the LORD telleth thee, that he for ever before thee: for thou, O LORD God. will make thee an house. hast spoken it; and with thy blessing let the 12¶ And when thy days be fulfilled and thou house of thy servant be blessed for ever. shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed alter thee, which shall proceed out of ND after this it came to pass, that David thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. smote the Philistines, and subdued them: 13 He shall build an house for my naine; and David took Metheg-ammah out of the and I will stablish the throne of his king-hand of the Philistines.

dom for ever.

A

CHAP. VIII.

2 And he smote Moab, and measured them

14 I will be his father, and he shall be my with a liue, casting them down to the ground; son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten even with two lines measured he to put to him with the rod of men, and with the stripes death, and with one full line to keep alive : of the children of men: and so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

I

15 But my nercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom put away before thee.

16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and 17 According to all these words, and ac- twenty thousand footmen: and David Loughcording to all this vision, so did ed all the chariot-horses, but reserved of them speak unto David. for an hundred chariots.

Nathan 18 Then went king David in. and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, LORD God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

5 And when the Syrians of Daraascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

19 And this was yet a small thing in thy 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Datight, O LORD God; but thou hast spoken mascus; and the Syrians became servants Rlso of thy servant's house for a great while to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD lo come and is this the manner of man, O preserved David whithersoever be went. LORD God? 7 And David took the shields of gold that 20 And what can David say more unto thee? were on the servants of Hadadezer, aud for thou, LORD God, knowest thy servant. brought them to Jerusalein.

21 For thy word's sake, and according to 8 And from Betal, and from Berothai, cithine own heart, hast thou done all these ties of Hadadezer, king David took exceedgreat things, to make thy servant know them. ing much brass.

22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD 9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that God: for there is none like thee, neither is David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer, there any God besides thee, according to all 10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king that we have heard with our ears. David, to salute him, and to bless him because

23 And what one nation in the earth is like he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten thy people, en like Israel, whom God went him: (for Hadadezer had wars with Toi.) to redeem for a people to himself, and to And Joram brought with him vessels of sil make him a name, and to do for you great ver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass. things, and terrible, for thy land, before thy 11 Which also king David did dedicate unpeople, which thou redeemedst to thee from to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he Egypt, from the nations and their gods? had dedicated of all nations which he subdued:

24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become teir God.

2 Aud now, O LORD God, the word that

12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the chil dren of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David gat him a name when he re- As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall turned from smiting of the Syrians in the valeat at my table, as one of the king's sons. ley of Salt, being eighter thousand men. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, 14 ¶ And he put garrisons in Edom; whose naine was Micah: and all that dwelt throughout all Edoin put he garrisons: and in the house of Ziba were servants unto Meall they of F.dom became David's servants. phibosheth. And the LORD preserved David whitherso

ever he went.

15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice u to all his people.

16 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was over Le host; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahijud, was recorder;

17 And Zadok, the son of Ahitub, and himelech, the son of Abiathar, were the priests and Seraiah was the scribe;

18 And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. was orer both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

CHAP. IX.

13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem : for he did eat continually at the king's table, and was lame on both his feet.

CHAP. X.

AND it came to pass after this, that the

king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahashi, as his father shewed kindness unto me, And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest A sofery, dny may he ND David said, Is there yet any that is thou that David doth honour thy father, that

shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

And there was of the house of Saul a servant, whose name was Ziba: and when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art theu Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son,

which is lame on his feet.

4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

hath sent comforters unto thee: hath not

David rather sent his servants unto thee, tc search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return

6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoha, twenty thou 5 Then king David sent, and fetched sand footmen, and of king Maacah a thouhim out of the house of Machir, the son of sand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand Aminiel, from Lo-debar.

men.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jo- 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto Da-ab, and all the host of the mighty men. vid, he fell on his face, and did reverence 8 And the children of Ammon came out, And David said, Mephibosheth! And he an-jand put the battle in array at the entering in swered, Behold thy servant! of the gate; and the Syrians of Zoba, and of

7 And David said unto him, Fear not: Rebobi, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jo-themselves in the field.

nathan thy father's sake, and will restore 9 When Joab saw that the front of the batthee all the land of Saul thy father; and tle was against him before and behind, he thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put 8 And he bowed himself, and said, What them in array against the Syrians: athy servant, that thou shouldest look upon|| 10 And the rest of the people he delivered sue a dead dog as I am? into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's might put them in array against the children servant, and said unto him, I have given un-of Ammon. to thy masur's son all that pertained to Saul, 11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for ine, then thou shalt help me; but if the 10 Thou thermore, and thy sons, and thy children of Ammon be too strong for thee, Bervants, shall till the land for him, and thou then I will come and help thee.

and to all his house.

shalt bring in the frus, that thy master's son 12 Be of good courage, and let us play the may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy men for our people, and for the cities of our master's son shall eat bread alway at my God: and the LORD do that which seerneth table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty him good.

servants.

13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people 11 Then said Ziba unto the king, Accord-that were with him, unto the battle against ing to all that my lord the king hath com- the Syrians and they fled before him. manded his servant, so shall thy servant do. 14 And when the children of Aminon saw