17:1Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:17:2and I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid; and all the people who are with him shall flee; and I will strike the king only;17:3and I will bring back all the people to you: the man whom you seek is as if all returned:soall the people shall be in peace.17:4The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.17:5Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says.17:6When Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken after this manner: shall we doafterhis saying? if not, speak up.17:7Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.17:8Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, as a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.17:9Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in someotherplace: and it will happen, when some of them are fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.17:10Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.17:11But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.17:12So shall we come on him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one.17:13Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there not be one small stone found there.17:14Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.17:15Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel that way; and I have counseled this way.17:16Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Don't lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.17:17Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king David: for they might not be seen to come into the city.17:18But a boy saw them, and told Absalom: and they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there.17:19The woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and strewed bruised grain thereon; and nothing was known.17:20Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? The woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.17:21It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise you, and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.17:22Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.17:23When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and got him home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.17:24Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.17:25Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.17:26Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.17:27It happened, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,17:28brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parchedgrain, and beans, and lentils, and parchedpulse,17:29and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat: for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
18:1David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.18:2David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.18:3But the people said, You shall not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.18:4The king said to them, What seems you best I will do. The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.18:5The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.18:6So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.18:7The people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.18:8For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.18:9Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.18:10A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.18:11Joab said to the man who told him, Behold, you saw it, and why didn't you strike him there to the ground? and I would have given you tenpieces ofsilver, and a sash.18:12The man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousandpieces ofsilver in my hand, I still wouldn't put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.18:13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself againstme.18:14Then said Joab, I may not wait thus with you. He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.18:15Ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.18:16Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.18:17They took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled everyone to his tent.18:18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in memory: and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument, to this day.18:19Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.18:20Joab said to him, You shall not be the bearer of news this day, but you shall bear news another day; but this day you shall bear no news, because the king's son is dead.18:21Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen. The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.18:22Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, Please let me also run after the Cushite. Joab said, Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?18:23But come what may,said he, I will run. He said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.18:24Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.18:25The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, If he be alone, there is news in his mouth. He came apace, and drew near.18:26The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, Behold,anotherman running alone. The king said, He also brings news.18:27The watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. The king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news.18:28Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, All is well. He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.18:29The king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don't know what it was.18:30The king said, Turn aside, and stand here. He turned aside, and stood still.18:31Behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, News for my lord the king; for Yahweh has avenged you this day of all those who rose up against you.18:32The king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? The Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you hurt, be as that young man is.18:33The king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!
19:1It was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.19:2The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king grieves for his son.19:3The people got them by stealth that day into the city, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.19:4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, my son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!19:5Joab came into the house to the king, and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;19:6in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you: for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased you well.19:7Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don't go forth, there will not stay a man with you this night: and that will be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.19:8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.19:9All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from Absalom.19:10Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don't you speak a word of bringing the king back?19:11King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king,to bring himto his house.19:12You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king?19:13Say you to Amasa, Aren't you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren't captain of the army before me continually in the room of Joab.19:14He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even asthe heart ofone man; so that they sent to the king,saying, Return you, and all your servants.19:15So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.19:16Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.19:17There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.19:18A ferry boat went to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Jordan.19:19He said to the king, Don't let my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do you remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.19:20For your servant does know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.19:21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, Shall Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's anointed?19:22David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for don't I know that I am this day king over Israel?19:23The king said to Shimei, You shall not die. The king swore to him.19:24Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.19:25It happened, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?19:26He answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because your servant is lame.19:27He has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in your eyes.19:28For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?19:29The king said to him, Why speak you any more of your matters? I say, You and Ziba divide the land.19:30Mephibosheth said to the king, yes, let him take all, because my lord the king is come in peace to his own house.19:31Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.19:32Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.19:33The king said to Barzillai, Come you over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.19:34Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?19:35I am this day eighty years old: can I discern between good and bad? can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?19:36Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?19:37Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.19:38The king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you: and whatever you shall require of me, that will I do for you.19:39All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over: and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.19:40So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him: and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.19:41Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?19:42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is a close relative to us: why then are you angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king's cost? or has he given us any gift?19:43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also morerightin David than you: why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
20:1There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, Israel.20:2So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.20:3David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn't go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.20:4Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.20:5So Amasa went to callthe men ofJudah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.20:6David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take your lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.20:7There went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.20:8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.20:9Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.20:10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he struck him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn't strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.20:11There stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab.20:12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.20:13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.20:14He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.20:15They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.20:16Then cried a wise woman out of the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come near here, that I may speak with you.'"20:17He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I do hear.20:18Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely askcounselat Abel: and so they endedthe matter.20:19I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel: you seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why will you swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?20:20Joab answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.20:21The matter is not so: but a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. The woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.20:22Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.20:23Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;20:24and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;20:25and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;20:26and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
21:1There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.21:2The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);21:3and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?21:4The Gibeonites said to him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. He said, What you shall say, that will I do for you.21:5They said to the king, The man who consumed us, and who devised against us,thatwe should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,21:6let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh. The king said, I will give them.21:7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.21:8But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:21:9He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Yahweh, and they fellallseven together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.21:10Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured on them from the sky; and she allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night.21:11It was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.21:12David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa;21:13and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged.21:14They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that God was entreated for the land.21:15The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint;21:16and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundredshekelsof brass in weight, he being girded with a newsword, thought to have slain David.21:17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you don't quench the lamp of Israel.21:18It came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.21:19There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite's brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.21:20There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.21:21When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, killed him.21:22These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
22:1David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:22:2and he said,
23:1Now these are the last words of David.
23:8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.23:9After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.23:10He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.23:11After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.23:12But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.23:13Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.23:14David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.23:15David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!23:16The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.23:17He said, Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this:shall I drinkthe blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.23:18Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.23:19Wasn't he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn't attain to thefirstthree.23:20Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the twosons ofAriel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.23:21He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.23:22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.23:23He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn't attain to thefirstthree. David set him over his guard.23:24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,23:25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,23:26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,23:27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,23:28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,23:29Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,23:30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.23:31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,23:32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,23:33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,23:34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,23:35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,23:36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,23:37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,23:38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,23:39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
24:1Again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.24:2The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Go now back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number you the people, that I may know the sum of the people.24:3Joab said to the king, Now Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?24:4Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.24:5They passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer:24:6then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan, and around to Sidon,24:7and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba.24:8So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.24:9Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.24:10David's heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to Yahweh, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.24:11When David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,24:12Go and speak to David, Thus says Yahweh, I offer you three things: choose one of them, that I may do it to you.24:13So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? now advise you, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.24:14David said to Gad, I am in distress. Let us fall now into the hand of Yahweh; for his mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man.24:15So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.24:16When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough; now stay your hand. The angel of Yahweh was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.24:17David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father's house.24:18Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to Yahweh in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.24:19David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Yahweh commanded.24:20Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.24:21Araunah said, Why is my lord the king come to his servant? David said, To buy the threshing floor of you, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.24:22Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him: behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood:24:23all this, king, does Araunah give to the king. Araunah said to the king, Yahweh your God accept you.24:24The king said to Araunah, No; but I will most certainly buy it of you at a price. Neither will I offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.24:25David built there an altar to Yahweh, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.