The Books of the Kingdom

- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings

1 Samuel
Chapter 1
1 And there is a certain man of Ramathaim-Zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name is Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, and Ephrathite,
2 and he hath two wives, the name of the one is Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah, and Peninnah hath children, and Hannah hath no children.
3 And that man hath gone up out of his city from time to time, to bow himself, and to sacrifice, before Jehovah of Hosts, in Shiloh, and there are two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Jehovah.
4 And the day cometh, and Elkanah sacrificeth, and he hath given to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions,
5 and to Hannah he giveth a certain portion -- double, for he hath loved Hannah, and Jehovah hath shut her womb;
6 and her adversity hath also provoked her greatly, so as to make her tremble, for Jehovah hath shut up her womb.
7 And so he doth year by year, from the time of her going up into the house of Jehovah, so it provoketh her, and she weepeth, and doth not eat.
8 And Elkanah her husband saith to her, `Hannah, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? and why is thy heart afflicted? am I not better to thee than ten sons?'
9 And Hannah riseth after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking, and Eli the priest is sitting on the throne by the side-post of the temple of Jehovah.
10 And she is bitter in soul, and prayeth unto Jehovah, and weepeth greatly,
11 and voweth a vow, and saith, `Jehovah of Hosts, if Thou dost certainly look on the affliction of Thy handmaid, and hast remembered me, and dost not forget Thy handmaid, and hast given to Thy handmaid seed of men -- then I have given him to Jehovah all days of his life, and a razor doth not go up upon his head.'
12 And it hath been, when she multiplied praying before Jehovah, that Eli is watching her mouth,
13 and Hannah, she is speaking to her heart, only her lips are moving, and her voice is not heard, and Eli reckoneth her to be drunken.
14 And Eli saith unto her, `Until when are thou drunken? turn aside thy wine from thee.'
15 And Hannah answereth and saith, `No, my lord, A woman sharply pained in spirit I am, and wine and strong drink I have not drunk, and I pour out my soul before Jehovah;
16 put not thy handmaid before a daughter of worthlessness, for from the abundance of my meditation, and of my provocation, I have spoken hitherto.'
17 And Eli answereth and saith, `Go in peace, and the God of Israel doth give thy petition which thou hast asked of Him.'
18 And she saith, `Let thy handmaid find grace in thine eyes;' and the woman goeth on her way, and eateth, and her countenance hath not been sad for it any more.
19 And they rise early in the morning, and bow themselves before Jehovah, and turn back, and come in unto their house in Ramah, and Elkanah knoweth Hannah his wife, and Jehovah remembereth her;
20 and it cometh to pass, at the revolution of the days, that Hannah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Samuel, `for, from Jehovah I have asked him.'
21 And the man Elkanah goeth up, and all his house, to sacrifice to Jehovah the sacrifice of the days, and his vow.
22 And Hannah hath not gone up, for she said to her husband, `Till the youth is weaned -- then I have brought him in, and he hath appeared before the face of Jehovah, and dwelt there -- unto the age.'
23 And Elkanah her husband saith to her, `Do that which is good in thine eyes; abide till thy weaning him; only, Jehovah establish His word;' and the woman abideth and suckleth her son till she hath weaned him,
24 and she causeth him to go up with her when she hath weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she bringeth him into the house of Jehovah at Shiloh, and the youth is but a youth.
25 And they slaughter the bullock, and bring in the youth unto Eli,
26 and she saith, `O, my lord, thy soul liveth! my lord, I am the woman who stood with thee in this place, to pray unto Jehovah;
27 for this youth I prayed, and Jehovah doth give to me my petition which I asked of Him;
28 and also I have caused him to be asked for Jehovah, all the days that he hath lived -- he is asked for Jehovah;' and he boweth himself there before Jehovah.
Chapter 2
1 And Hannah prayeth, and saith: `My heart hath exulted in Jehovah, My horn hath been high in Jehovah, My mouth hath been large over mine enemies, For I have rejoiced in Thy salvation.
2 There is none holy like Jehovah, For there is none save Thee, And there is no rock like our God.
3 Ye multiply not -- ye speak haughtily -- The old saying goeth out from your mouth, For a God of knowledge is Jehovah, And by Him actions are weighed.
4 Bows of the mighty are broken, And the stumbling have girded on strength.
5 The satiated for bread hired themselves, And the hungry have ceased. While the barren hath borne seven, And she abounding with sons hath languished.
6 Jehovah putteth to death, and keepeth alive, He bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up.
7 Jehovah dispossesseth, and He maketh rich, He maketh low, yea, He maketh high.
8 He raiseth from the dust the poor, From a dunghill He lifteth up the needy, To cause them to sit with nobles, Yea, a throne of honour He doth cause them to inherit, For to Jehovah are the fixtures of earth, And He setteth on them the habitable world.
9 The feet of His saints He keepeth, And the wicked in darkness are silent, For not by power doth man become mighty.
10 Jehovah -- broken down are His adversaries, Against them in the heavens He thundereth: Jehovah judgeth the ends of earth, And giveth strength to His king, And exalteth the horn of His anointed.'
11 And Elkanah goeth to Ramath, unto his house, and the youth hath been serving Jehovah, in the presence of Eli the priest;
12 and the sons of Eli are sons of worthlessness, they have not known Jehovah.
13 And the custom of the priests with the people is: any man sacrificing a sacrifice -- then hath the servant of the priest come in when the flesh is boiling, and the hook of three teeth in his hand,
14 and hath struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the hook bringeth up doth the priest take for himself; thus they do to all Israel who are coming in, there, in Shiloh.
15 Also before they make perfume with the fat -- then hath the priest's servant come in, and said to the man who is sacrificing, `Give flesh to roast for the priest, and he doth not take of thee flesh boiled, but raw;'
16 and the man saith unto him, `Let them surely make a perfume (as to-day) with the fat, then take to thee as thy soul desireth;' and he hath said to him, `Surely now thou dost give; and if not -- I have taken by strength.'
17 And the sin of the young men is very great in the presence of Jehovah, for the men have despised the offering of Jehovah.
18 And Samuel is ministering in the presence of Jehovah, a youth girt with an ephod of linen;
19 and a small upper coat doth his mother make to him, and she hath brought it up to him from time to time, in her coming up with her husband to sacrifice the sacrifice of the time.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah, and his wife, and said, `Jehovah doth appoint for thee seed of this woman, for the petition which she asked for Jehovah;' and they have gone to their place.
21 When Jehovah hath looked after Hannah, then she conceiveth and beareth three sons and two daughters; and the youth Samuel groweth up with Jehovah.
22 And Eli is very old, and hath heard all that his sons do to all Israel, and how that they lie with the women who are assembling at the opening of the tent of meeting,
23 and he saith to them, `Why do ye things like these? for I am hearing of your evil words from all the people -- these!
24 Nay, my sons; for the report which I am hearing is not good causing the people of Jehovah to transgress. --
25 If a man sin against a man, then hath God judged him; but if against Jehovah a man sin, who doth pray for him?' and they hearken not to the voice of their father, though Jehovah hath delighted to put them to death.
26 And the youth Samuel is going on and growing up, and is good both with Jehovah, and also with men.
27 And there cometh a man of God unto Eli, and saith unto him, `Thus said Jehovah, Was I really revealed unto the house of thy father in their being in Egypt, before Pharaoh's house,
28 even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to Me for a priest, to go up on Mine altar, to make a perfume, to bear an ephod before Me, and I give to the house of thy father all the fire-offerings of the sons of Israel?
29 Why do ye kick at My sacrifice, and at Mine offering which I commanded in My habitation, and dost honour thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat from the first part of every offering of Israel, of My people?
30 `Therefore -- the affirmation of Jehovah, God of Israel -- I certainly said, Thy house and the house of thy father, do walk up and down before Me to the age; and now -- the affirmation of Jehovah -- Far be it from Me! for he who is honouring Me, I honour, and those despising Me, are lightly esteemed.
31 `Lo, days are coming, and I have cut off thine arm, and the arm of the house of thy father, that an old man is not in thy house;
32 and thou hast beheld an adversary in My habitation, in all that He doth good with Israel, and there is not an old man in thy house all the days.
33 `And the man I cut not off of thine from Mine altar, is to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy soul; and all the increase of thy house do die men;
34 and this is to thee the sign that cometh unto thy two sons, unto Hophni and Phinehas -- in one day they die both of them;
35 and I have raised up for Me a stedfast priest; as in My heart and in My soul he doth do; and I have built for him a stedfast house, and he hath walked up and down before Mine anointed all the days;
36 and it hath been, every one who is left in thy house doth come in to bow himself to him, for a wage of silver, and a cake of bread, and hath said, Admit me, I pray thee, unto one of the priest's offices, to eat a morsel of bread.'
Chapter 3
1 And the youth Samuel is serving Jehovah before Eli, and the word of Jehovah hath been precious in those days -- there is no vision broken forth.
2 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim -- he is not able to see.
3 And the lamp of God is not yet extinguished, and Samuel is lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God is,
4 and Jehovah calleth unto Samuel, and he saith, `Here am I.'
5 And he runneth unto Eli, and saith, `Here am I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, `I called not; turn back, lie down;' and he goeth and lieth down.
6 And Jehovah addeth to call again Samuel, and Samuel riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, `Here am I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, `I have not called, my son, turn back, lie down.'
7 And Samuel hath not yet known Jehovah, and the word of Jehovah is not yet revealed unto him.
8 And Jehovah addeth to call Samuel the third time, and he riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, `Here am I, for thou hast called for me;' and Eli understandeth that Jehovah is calling to the youth.
9 And Eli saith to Samuel, `Go, lie down, and it hath been, if He doth call unto thee, that thou hast said, Speak, Jehovah, for Thy servant is hearing;' and Samuel goeth and lieth down in his place.
10 And Jehovah cometh, and stationeth Himself, and calleth as time by time, `Samuel, Samuel;' and Samuel saith, `Speak, for Thy servant if hearing.'
11 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Lo, I am doing a thing in Israel, at which the two ears of every one hearing it do tingle.
12 In that day I establish unto Eli all that I have spoken unto his house, beginning and completing;
13 and I have declared to him that I am judging his house -- to the age, for the iniquity which he hath known, for his sons are making themselves vile, and he hath not restrained them,
14 and therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli: the iniquity of the house of Eli is not atoned for, by sacrifice, and by offering -- unto the age.'
15 And Samuel lieth till the morning, and openeth the doors of the house of Jehovah, and Samuel is afraid of declaring the vision unto Eli.
16 And Eli calleth Samuel, and saith, `Samuel, my son;' and he saith, `Here am I.'
17 And he saith, `What is the word which He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me; so doth God do to thee, and so doth He add, if thou hidest from me a word of all the words that He hath spoken unto thee.'
18 And Samuel declareth to him the whole of the words, and hath not hid from him; and he saith, `It is Jehovah; that which is good in His eyes He doth.'
19 And Samuel groweth up, and Jehovah hath been with him, and hath not let fall any of his words to the earth;
20 and all Israel know, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, that Samuel is established for a prophet to Jehovah.
21 And Jehovah addeth to appear in Shiloh, for Jehovah hath been revealed unto Samuel, in Shiloh, by the word of Jehovah.
Chapter 4
1 And the word of Samuel is to all Israel, and Israel goeth out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamp by Eben-Ezer, and the Philistines have encamped in Aphek,
2 and the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and the battle spreadeth itself, and Israel is smitten before the Philistines, and they smite among the ranks in the field about four thousand men.
3 And the people cometh in unto the camp, and the elders of Israel say, `Why hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? we take unto us from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and it cometh into our midst, and He doth save us out of the hand of our enemies.'
4 And the people sendeth to Shiloh, and they take up thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs, and there are two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas.
5 And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto the camp, that all Israel shout -- a great shout -- and the earth is moved.
6 And the Philistines hear the noise of the shouting, and say, `What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?' and they perceive that the ark of Jehovah hath come in unto the camp.
7 And the Philistines are afraid, for they said, `God hath come in unto the camp;' and they say, `Wo to us, for there hath not been like this heretofore.
8 Wo to us, who doth deliver us out of the hand of these honourable gods? these are the gods who are smiting the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.
9 Strengthen yourselves, and become men, O Philistines, lest ye do service to Hebrews, as they have done to you -- then ye have become men, and have fought.'
10 And the Philistines fight, and Israel is smitten, and they flee each to his tents, and the blow is very great, and there fall of Israel thirty thousand footmen;
11 and the ark of God hath been taken, and the two sons of Eli have died, Hophni and Phinehas.
12 And a man of Benjamin runneth out of the ranks, and cometh into Shiloh, on that day, and his long robes are rent, and earth on his head;
13 and he cometh in, and lo, Eli is sitting on the throne by the side of the way, watching, for his heart hath been trembling for the ark of God, and the man hath come in to declare it in the city, and all the city crieth out.
14 And Eli heareth the noise of the cry, and saith, `What -- the noise of this tumult!' And the man hasted, and cometh in, and declareth to Eli.
15 And Eli is a son of ninety and eight years, and his eyes have stood, and he hath not been able to see.
16 And the man saith unto Eli, `I am he who hath come out of the ranks, and I out of the ranks have fled to-day;' and he saith, `What hath been the matter, my son?'
17 And he who is bearing tidings answereth and saith, `Israel hath fled before the Philistines, and also a great slaughter hath been among the people, and also thy two sons have died -- Hophni and Phinehas -- and the ark of God hath been captured.'
18 And it cometh to pass, at his mentioning the ark of God, that he falleth from off the throne backward, by the side of the gate, and his neck is broken, and he dieth, for the man is old and heavy, and he hath judged Israel forty years.
19 And his daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, is pregnant, about to bear, and she heareth the report of the taking of the ark of God, that her father-in-law and her husband have died, and she boweth, and beareth, for her pains have turned upon her.
20 And at the time of her death, when the women who are standing by her say, `Fear not, for a son thou hast borne,' she hath not answered, nor set her heart to it;
21 and she calleth the youth I-Chabod, saying, `Honour hath removed from Israel,' because of the taking of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 And she saith, `Honour hath removed from Israel, for the ark of God hath been taken.'
Chapter 5
1 And the Philistines have taken the ark of God, and bring it in from Eben-Ezer to Ashdod,
2 and the Philistines take the ark of God and bring it into the house of Dagon, and set it near Dagon.
3 And the Ashdodites rise early on the morrow, and lo, Dagon is fallen on its face to the earth, before the ark of Jehovah; and they take Dagon, and put it back to its place.
4 And they rise early in the morning on the morrow, and lo, Dagon is fallen on its face to the earth, before the ark of Jehovah, and the head of Dagon, and the two palms of its hands are cut off at the threshold, only the fishy part hath been left to him;
5 therefore the priests of Dagon, and all those coming into the house of Dagon, tread not on the threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod, till this day.
6 And the hand of Jehovah is heavy on the Ashdodites, and He maketh them desolate, and smiteth them with emerods, Ashdod and its borders.
7 And the men of Ashdod see that it is so, and have said, `The ark of the God of Israel doth not abide with us, for hard hath been His hand upon us, and upon Dagon our god.'
8 And they send and gather all the princes of the Philistines unto them, and say, `What do we do to the ark of the God of Israel?' and they say, `To Gath let the ark of the God of Israel be brought round;' and they bring round the ark of the God of Israel;
9 and it cometh to pass after they have brought it round, that the hand of Jehovah is against the city -- a very great destruction; and He smiteth the men of the city, from small even unto great; and break forth on them do emerods.
10 And they send the ark of God to Ekron, and it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of God to Ekron, that the Ekronites cry out, saying, `They have brought round unto us the ark of the God of Israel, to put us to death -- and our people.'
11 And they send and gather all the princes of the Philistines, and say, `Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and it turneth back to its place, and it doth not put us to death -- and our people;' for there hath been a deadly destruction throughout all the city, very heavy hath the hand of God been there,
12 and the men who have not died have been smitten with emerods, and the cry of the city goeth up into the heavens.
Chapter 6
1 And the ark of Jehovah is in the field of the Philistines seven months,
2 and the Philistines call for priests and for diviners, saying, `What do we do to the ark of Jehovah? let us know wherewith we send it to its place?'
3 And they say, `If ye are sending away the ark of the God of Israel, ye do not send it away empty; for ye do certainly send back to Him a guilt-offering; then ye are healed, and it hath been known to you why His hand doth not turn aside from you.'
4 And they say, `What is the guilt-offering which we send back to Him?' and they say, `The number of the princes of the Philistines -- five golden emerods, and five golden mice -- for one plague is to you all, and to your princes,
5 and ye have made images of your emerods, and images of your mice that are corrupting the land, and have given honour to the God of Israel; it may be He doth lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land;
6 and why do ye harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? do they not -- when He hath rolled Himself upon them -- send them away, and they go?
7 `And now, take and make one new cart, and two suckling kine, on which a yoke hath not gone up, and ye have bound the kine in the cart, and caused their young ones to turn back from after them to the house,
8 and ye have taken the ark of Jehovah, and put it on the cart, and the vessels of gold which ye have returned to Him -- a guilt-offering -- ye put in a coffer on its side, and have sent it away, and it hath gone;
9 and ye have seen, if the way of its own border it goeth up to Beth-Shemesh -- He hath done to us this great evil; and if not, then we have known that His hand hath not come against us; an accident it hath been to us.'
10 And the men do so, and take two suckling kine, and bind them in the cart, and their young ones they have shut up in the house;
11 and they place the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer, and the golden mice, and the images of their emerods.
12 And the kine go straight in the way, on the way to Beth-Shemesh, in one highway they have gone, going and lowing, and have not turned aside right or left; and the princes of the Philistines are going after them unto the border of Beth-Shemesh.
13 And the Beth-Shemeshites are reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley, and they lift up their eyes, and see the ark, and rejoice to see it.
14 And the cart hath come in unto the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite, and standeth there, and there is a great stone, and they cleave the wood of the cart, and the kine they have caused to ascend -- a burnt-offering to Jehovah.
15 And the Levites have taken down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer which is with it, in which are the vessels of gold, and place them on the great stone; and the men of Beth-Shemesh have caused to ascend burnt-offerings and sacrifice sacrifices in that day to Jehovah;
16 and the five princes of the Philistines have seen it, and turn back to Ekron, on that day.
17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines have sent back -- a guilt-offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18 and the golden mice -- the number of all the cities of the Philistines -- for the five princes, from the fenced city even unto the hamlet of the villages, even unto the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah -- are unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite.
19 And He smiteth among the men of Beth-Shemesh, for they looked into the ark of Jehovah, yea, He smiteth among the people seventy men -- fifty chief men; and the people mourn, because Jehovah smote among the people -- a great smiting.
20 And the men of Beth-Shemesh say, `Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? and unto whom doth He go up from us?'
21 And they send messengers unto the inhabitants of Kirjath-Jearim, saying, `The Philistines have sent back the ark of Jehovah; come down, take it up unto you.'
Chapter 7
1 And the men of Kirjath-Jearim come and bring up the ark of Jehovah, and bring it in unto the house of Abinadab, in the height, and Eleazar his son they have sanctified to keep the ark of Jehovah.
2 And it cometh to pass, from the day of the dwelling of the ark in Kirjath-Jearim, that the days are multiplied -- yea, they are twenty years -- and wail do all the house of Israel after Jehovah.
3 And Samuel speaketh unto all the house of Israel, saying, `If with all your heart ye are turning back unto Jehovah -- turn aside the gods of the stranger from your midst, and Ashtaroth; and prepare your heart unto Jehovah, and serve Him only, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.'
4 And the sons of Israel turn aside the Baalim and Ashtaroth, and serve Jehovah alone;
5 and Samuel saith, `Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I pray for you unto Jehovah.'
6 And they are gathered to Mizpeh, and draw water, and pour out before Jehovah, and fast on that day, and say there, `We have sinned against Jehovah;' and Samuel judgeth the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.
7 And the Philistines hear that the sons of Israel have gathered themselves to Mizpeh; and the princes of the Philistines go up against Israel, and the sons of Israel hear, and are afraid of the presence of the Philistines.
8 And the sons of Israel say unto Samuel, `Keep not silent for us from crying unto Jehovah our God, and He doth save us out of the hand of the Philistines.'
9 And Samuel taketh a fat lamb, and causeth it to go up -- a burnt-offering whole to Jehovah; and Samuel crieth unto Jehovah for Israel, and Jehovah answereth him;
10 and Samuel is causing the burnt-offering to go up -- and the Philistines have drawn nigh to battle against Israel -- and Jehovah doth thunder with a great noise, on that day, upon the Philistines, and troubleth them, and they are smitten before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel go out from Mizpeh, and pursue the Philistines, and smite them unto the place of Beth-Car.
12 And Samuel taketh a stone, and setteth it between Mizpeh and Shen, and calleth its name Eben-Ezer, saying, `Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.'
13 And the Philistines are humbled, and have not added any more to come into the border of Israel, and the hand of Jehovah is on the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 And the cities which the Philistines have taken from Israel are restored to Israel -- from Ekron even unto Gath -- and their border hath Israel delivered out of the hand of the Philistines; and there is peace between Israel and the Amorite.
15 And Samuel judgeth Israel all the days of his life,
16 and he hath gone from year to year, and gone round Beth-El, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all these places;
17 and his returning is to Ramath, for there is his house, and there he hath judged Israel, and he buildeth there an altar to Jehovah.
Chapter 8
1 And it cometh to pass, when Samuel is aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel.
2 And the name of his first-born son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba:
3 and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.
4 And all the elders of Israel gather themselves together, and come in unto Samuel to Ramath,
5 and say unto him, `Lo, thou hast become aged, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways; now, appoint to us a king, to judge us, like all the nations.'
6 And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they have said, `Give to us a king to judge us;' and Samuel prayeth unto Jehovah.
7 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Hearken to the voice of the people, to all that they say unto thee, for thee they have not rejected, but Me they have rejected, from reigning over them.
8 According to all the works that they have done from the day of My bringing them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, when they forsake Me, and serve other gods -- so they are doing also to thee.
9 And now, hearken to their voice; only, surely thou dost certainly protest to them, and hast declared to them the custom of the king who doth reign over them.'
10 And Samuel speaketh all the words of Jehovah unto the people who are asking from him a king,
11 and saith, `This is the custom of the king who doth reign over you: Your sons he doth take, and hath appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have run before his chariots;
12 also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer.
13 `And your daughters he doth take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers;
14 and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards -- the best -- he doth take, and hath given to his servants.
15 And your seed and your vineyards he doth tithe, and hath given to his eunuchs, and to his servants.
16 And your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your young men -- the best, and your asses, he doth take, and hath prepared for his own work;
17 your flock he doth tithe, and ye are to him for servants.
18 And ye have cried out in that day because of the king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah doth not answer you in that day.'
19 And the people refuse to hearken to the voice of Samuel, and say, `Nay, but a king is over us,
20 and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king hath judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.'
21 And Samuel heareth all the words of the people, and speaketh them in the ears of Jehovah;
22 and Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Hearken to their voice, and thou hast caused to reign over them a king.' And Samuel saith unto the men of Israel, `Go ye each to his city.'
Chapter 9
1 And there is a man of Benjamin, and his name is Kish, son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, mighty of valour,
2 and he hath a son, and his name is Saul, a choice youth and goodly, and there is not a man among the sons of Israel goodlier than he -- from his shoulder and upward, higher than any of the people.
3 And the asses of Kish, father of Saul, are lost, and Kish saith unto Saul his son, `Take, I pray thee, with thee, one of the young men, and rise, go, seek the asses.'
4 And he passeth over through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passeth over through the land of Shalisha, and they have not found; and they pass over through the land of Shaalim, and they are not; and he passeth over through the land of Benjamin, and they have not found.
5 They have come in unto the land of Zuph, and Saul hath said to his young man who is with him, `Come, and we turn back, lest my father leave off from the asses, and hath been sorrowful for us.'
6 And he saith to him, `Lo, I pray thee, a man of God is in this city, and the man is honoured; all that he speaketh doth certainly come; now, we go there, it may be he doth declare to us our way on which we have gone.'
7 And Saul saith to his young man, `And lo, we go, and what do we bring in to the man? for the bread hath gone from our vessels, and a present there is not to bring in to the man of God -- what is with us?'
8 And the young man addeth to answer Saul, and saith, `Lo, there is found with me a fourth of a shekel of silver: and I have given to the man of God, and he hath declared to us our way.'
9 Formerly in Israel, thus said the man in his going to seek God, `Come and we go unto the seer,' for the `prophet' of to-day is called formerly `the seer.'
10 And Saul saith to his young man, `Thy word is good; come, we go;' and they go unto the city where the man of God is.
11 They are going up in the ascent of the city, and have found young women going out to draw water, and say to them, `Is the seer in this place?'
12 And they answer them and say, `He is; lo, before thee! haste, now, for to-day he hath come in to the city, for the people hath a stated sacrifice in a high place.
13 At your going in to the city so ye do find him, before he doth go up in to the high place to eat; for the people do not eat till his coming, for he doth bless the sacrifice; afterwards they eat, who are called, and now, go up, for at this time ye find him.'
14 And they go up in to the city; they are coming in to the midst of the city, and lo, Samuel is coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place;
15 and Jehovah had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul, saying,
16 `At this time tomorrow, I send unto thee a man out of the land of Benjamin -- and thou hast anointed him for leader over My people Israel, and he hath saved My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for its cry hath come in unto Me.'
17 When Samuel hath seen Saul, then hath Jehovah answered him, `Lo, the man of whom I have spoken unto thee; this one doth restrain My people.'
18 And Saul draweth nigh to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and saith, `Declare, I pray thee, to me, where is this -- the seer's house?'
19 And Samuel answereth Saul and saith, `I am the seer; go up before me into the high place, and ye have eaten with me to-day, and I have sent thee away in the morning, and all that is in thy heart I declare to thee.
20 As to the asses which are lost to thee this day three days, set not thy heart to them, for they have been found; and to whom is all the desire of Israel?' is it not to thee and to all thy father's house?'
21 And Saul answereth and saith, `Am not I a Benjamite -- of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? and why hast thou spoken unto me according to this word?'
22 And Samuel taketh Saul, and his young man, and bringeth them in to the chamber, and giveth to them a place at the head of those called; and they are about thirty men.
23 And Samuel saith to the cook, `Give the portion which I gave to thee, of which I said unto thee, `Set it by thee?'
24 (and the cook lifteth up the leg, and that which is on it, and setteth before Saul), and he saith, `Lo, that which is left; set it before thee -- eat, for to this appointed season it is kept for thee, saying, The people I have called;' and Saul eateth with Samuel on that day.
25 And they come down from the high place to the city, and he speaketh with Saul on the roof.
26 And they rise early, and it cometh to pass, at the ascending of the dawn, that Samuel calleth unto Saul, on the roof, saying, `Rise, and I send thee away;' and Saul riseth, and they go out, both of them -- he and Samuel, without.
27 They are going down in the extremity of the city, and Samuel hath said unto Saul, `Say to the young man that he pass on before us (and he passeth on), and thou, stand at this time, and I cause thee to hear the word of God.'
Chapter 10
1 And Samuel taketh the vial of the oil, and poureth on his head, and kisseth him, and saith, `Is it not because Jehovah hath appointed thee over His inheritance for leader?
2 In thy going to-day from me -- then thou hast found two men by the grave of Rachel, in the border of Benjamin, at Zelzah, and they have said unto thee, The asses have been found which thou hast gone to seek; and lo, thy father hath left the matter of the asses, and hath sorrowed for you, saying, What do I do for my son?
3 `And thou hast passed on thence, and beyond, and hast come in unto the oak of Tabor, and found thee there have three men going up unto God to Beth-El, one bearing three kids, and one bearing three cakes of bread, and one bearing a bottle of wine,
4 and they have asked of thee of welfare, and given to thee two loaves, and thou hast received from their hand.
5 `Afterwards thou dost come unto the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is, and it cometh to pass, at thy coming in thither to the city, that thou hast met a band of prophets coming down from the high place, and before them psaltery, and tabret, and pipe, and harp, and they are prophesying;
6 and prospered over thee hath the Spirit of Jehovah, and thou hast prophesied with them, and hast been turned to another man;
7 and it hath been, when these signs come to thee -- do for thyself as thy hand findeth, for God is with thee.
8 `And thou hast gone down before me to Gilgal, and lo, I am going down unto thee, to cause to ascend burnt-offerings, to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings; seven days thou dost wait till my coming in unto thee, and I have made known to thee that which thou dost do.'
9 And it hath been, at his turning his shoulder to go from Samuel, that God turneth to him another heart, and all these signs come on that day,
10 and they come in thither to the height, and lo, a band of prophets -- to meet him, and prosper over him doth the Spirit of God, and he prophesieth in their midst.
11 And it cometh to pass, all his acquaintance heretofore, see, and lo, with prophets he hath prophesied, and the people say one unto another, `What is this hath happened to the son of Kish? is Saul also among the prophets?'
12 And a man thence answereth and saith, `And who is their father?' therefore it hath been for a simile, `Is Saul also among the prophets?'
13 And he ceaseth from prophesying, and cometh in to the high place,
14 and the uncle of Saul saith unto him, and unto his young man, `Whither went ye?' and he saith, `To seek the asses; and we see that they are not, and we come in unto Samuel.'
15 And the uncle of Saul saith, `Declare, I pray thee, to me, what Samuel said to you?'
16 And Saul saith unto his uncle, `He certainly declared to us that the asses were found;' and of the matter of the kingdom he hath not declared to him that which Samuel said.
17 And Samuel calleth the people unto Jehovah to Mizpeh,
18 and saith unto the sons of Israel, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I deliver you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms who are oppressing you;
19 and ye to-day have rejected your God, who is Himself your saviour out of all your evils and your distresses, and ye say, `Nay, but -- a king thou dost set over us; and now, station yourselves before Jehovah, by your tribes, and by your thousands.'
20 And Samuel bringeth near the whole tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is captured,
21 and he bringeth near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of Matri is captured, and Saul son of Kish is captured, and they seek him, and he hath not been found.
22 And they ask again at Jehovah, `Hath the man yet come hither?' and Jehovah saith, `Lo, he hath been hidden near the vessels.'
23 And they run and bring him thence, and he stationed himself in the midst of the people, and he is higher than any of the people from his shoulder and upward.
24 And Samuel saith unto all the people, `Have ye seen him on whom Jehovah hath fixed, for there is none like him among all the people?' And all the people shout, and say, `Let the king live!'
25 And Samuel speaketh unto the people the right of the kingdom, and writeth in a book, and placeth before Jehovah; and Samuel sendeth all the people away, each to his house.
26 And also Saul hath gone to his house, to Gibeah, and the force go with him whose heart God hath touched;
27 and the sons of worthlessness have said, `What! this one doth save us!' and they despise him, and have not brought to him a present; and he is as one deaf.
Chapter 11
1 And Nahash the Ammonite cometh up, and encampeth against Jabesh-Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh say unto Nahash, `Make with us a covenant, and we serve thee.'
2 And Nahash the Ammonite saith unto them, `For this I covenant with you, by picking out to you every right eye -- and I have put it a reproach on all Israel.'
3 And the elders of Jabesh say to him, `Let us alone seven days, and we send messengers into all the border of Israel: and if there is none saving us -- then we have come out unto thee.'
4 And the messengers come to Gibeah of Saul, and speak the words in the ears of the people, and all the people lift up their voice and weep;
5 and lo, Saul hath come after the herd out of the field, and Saul saith, `What -- to the people, that they weep?' and they recount to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly,
7 and he taketh a couple of oxen, and cutteth them in pieces, and sendeth through all the border of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, `He who is not coming out after Saul and after Samuel -- thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth on the people, and they come out as one man.
8 And he inspecteth them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they say to the messengers who are coming, `Thus do ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye have safety -- by the heat of the sun;' and the messengers come and declare to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoice;
10 and the men of Jabesh say to the Ammonites, `To-morrow we come out unto you, and ye have done to us according to all that is good in your eyes.'
11 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Saul putteth the people in three detachments, and they come into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch, and smite Ammon till the heat of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered, and there have not been left of them two together.
12 And the people say unto Samuel, `Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.'
13 And Saul saith, `There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.'
14 And Samuel saith unto the people, `Come and we go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there;'
15 and all the people go to Gilgal, and cause Saul to reign there before Jehovah in Gilgal, and sacrifice there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul rejoiceth -- and all the men of Israel -- very greatly.
Chapter 12
1 And Samuel saith unto all Israel, `Lo, I have hearkened to your voice, to all that ye said to me, and I cause to reign over you a king,
2 and now, lo, the king is walking habitually before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, lo, they are with you, and I have walked habitually before you from my youth till this day.
3 `Lo, here am I; testify against me, over-against Jehovah, and over-against His anointed; whose ox have I taken, and whose ass have I taken, and whom have I oppressed; whom have I bruised, and of whose hand have I taken a ransom, and hide mine eyes with it? -- and I restore to you.'
4 And they say, `Thou hast not oppressed us, nor hast thou crushed us, nor hast thou taken from the hand of any one anything.'
5 And he saith unto them, `A witness is Jehovah against you: and a witness is His anointed this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand;' and they say, `A witness.'
6 And Samuel saith unto the people, `Jehovah -- He who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt!
7 and, now, station yourselves, and I judge you before Jehovah, with all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which He did with you, and with your fathers.
8 `When Jacob hath come in to Egypt, and your fathers cry unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sendeth Moses and Aaron, and they bring out your fathers from Egypt, and cause them to dwell in this place,
9 and they forget Jehovah their God, and He selleth them into the hand of Sisera, head of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fight against them,
10 and they cry unto Jehovah, and say, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and serve the Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and now, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we serve Thee.
11 `And Jehovah sendeth Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivereth you out of the hand of your enemies round about, and ye dwell confidently.
12 `And ye see that Nahash king of the Bene-Ammon hath come against you, and ye say to me, Nay, but a king doth reign over us; and Jehovah your God is your king!
13 And, now, lo, the king whom ye have chosen -- whom ye have asked! and lo, Jehovah hath placed over you a king.
14 `If ye fear Jehovah, and have served Him, and hearkened to His voice, then ye do not provoke the mouth of Jehovah, and ye have been -- both ye and the king who hath reigned over you -- after Jehovah your God.
15 `And if ye do not hearken to the voice of Jehovah -- then ye have provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and the hand of Jehovah hath been against you, and against your fathers.
16 `Also now, station yourselves and see this great thing which Jehovah is doing before your eyes;
17 is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I call unto Jehovah, and He doth give voices and rain; and know ye and see that your evil is great which ye have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask for you a king.'
18 And Samuel calleth unto Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth voices and rain, on that day, and all the people greatly fear Jehovah and Samuel;
19 and all the people say unto Samuel, `Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, and we do not die, for we have added to all our sins evil to ask for us a king.'
20 And Samuel saith unto the people, `Fear not; ye have done all this evil; only, turn not aside from after Jehovah -- and ye have served Jehovah with all your heart,
21 and ye do not turn aside after the vain things which do not profit nor deliver, for they are vain,
22 for Jehovah doth not leave His people, on account of His great name; for Jehovah hath been pleased to make you to Him for a people.
23 `I, also, far be it from me to sin against Jehovah, by ceasing to pray for you, and I have directed you in the good and upright way;
24 only, fear ye Jehovah, and ye have served Him in truth with all your heart, for see that which He hath made great with you;
25 and if ye really do evil, both ye and your king are consumed.'
Chapter 13
1 A son of a year is Saul in his reigning, yea, two years he hath reigned over Israel,
2 and Saul chooseth for himself three thousand men out of Israel; and two thousand are with Saul in Michmash, and in the hill-country of Beth-El; and a thousand have been with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the remnant of the people he hath sent each to his tents.
3 And Jonathan smiteth the garrison of the Philistines which is in Geba, and the Philistines hear, and Saul hath blown with a trumpet through all the land, saying, `Let the Hebrews hear.'
4 And all Israel have heard, saying, `Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines,' and also, `Israel hath been abhorred by the Philistines;' and the people are called after Saul to Gilgal.
5 And the Philistines have been gathered to fight with Israel; thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and a people as the sand which is on the sea-shore for multitude; and they come up and encamp in Michmash, east of Beth-Aven.
6 And the men of Israel have seen that they are distressed, that the people hath been oppressed, and the people hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
7 And Hebrews have passed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; and Saul is yet in Gilgal, and all the people have trembled after him.
8 And he waiteth seven days, according to the appointment with Samuel, and Samuel hath not come to Gilgal, and the people are scattered from off him.
9 And Saul saith, `Bring nigh unto me the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings;' and he causeth the burnt-offering to ascend.
10 And it cometh to pass at his completing to cause the burnt-offering to ascend, that lo, Samuel hath come, and Saul goeth out to meet him, to bless him;
11 and Samuel saith, `What hast thou done?' And Saul saith, `Because I saw that the people were scattered from off me, and thou hadst not come at the appointment of the days, and the Philistines are gathered to Michmash,
12 and I say, Now do the Philistines come down unto me to Gilgal, and the face of Jehovah I have not appeased; and I force myself, and cause the burnt-offering to ascend.'
13 And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Thou hast been foolish; thou hast not kept the command of Jehovah thy God, which He commanded thee, for now had Jehovah established thy kingdom over Israel unto the age;
14 and, now, thy kingdom doth not stand, Jehovah hath sought for Himself a man according to His own heart, and Jehovah chargeth him for leader over His people, for thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.'
15 And Samuel riseth, and goeth up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin; and Saul inspecteth the people who are found with him, about six hundred men,
16 and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who are found with them, are abiding in Gibeah of Benjamin, and the Philistines have encamped in Michmash.
17 And the destroyer goeth out from the camp of the Philistines -- three detachments; the one detachment turneth unto the way of Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;
18 and the one detachment turneth the way of Beth-Horon, and the one detachment turneth the way of the border which is looking on the valley of the Zeboim, toward the wilderness.
19 And an artificer is not found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, `Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear;'
20 and all Israel go down to the Philistines, to sharpen each his ploughshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;
21 and there hath been the file for mattocks, and for coulters, and for three-pronged rakes, and for the axes, and to set up the goads.
22 And it hath been, in the day of battle, that there hath not been found sword and spear in the hand of any of the people who are with Saul and with Jonathan -- and there is found to Saul and to Jonathan his son.
23 And the station of the Philistines goeth out unto the passage of Michmash.
Chapter 14
1 And the day cometh that Jonathan son of Saul saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, `Come, and we pass over unto the station of the Philistines, which is on the other side of this;' and to his father he hath not declared it.
2 And Saul is abiding at the extremity of Gibeah, under the pomegranate which is in Migron, and the people who are with him, about six hundred men,
3 and Ahiah, son of Ahitub, brother of I-Chabod, son of Phinehas son of Eli priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, bearing an ephod; and the people knew not that Jonathan hath gone.
4 And between the passages where Jonathan sought to pass over unto the station of the Philistines is the edge of a rock on the one side, and the edge of a rock on the other side, and the name of the one is Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The one edge is fixed on the north over-against Michmash, and the one on the south over-against Gibeah.
6 And Jonathan saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, `Come, and we pass over unto the station of these uncircumcised; it may be Jehovah doth work for us, for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.'
7 And the bearer of his weapons saith to him, `Do all that is in thy heart; turn for thee; lo, I am with thee, as thine own heart.'
8 And Jonathan saith, `Lo, we are passing over unto the men, and are revealed unto them;
9 if thus they say unto us, `Stand still till we have come unto you,' then we have stood in our place, and do not go up unto them;
10 and if thus they say, `Come up against us,' then we have gone up, for Jehovah hath given them into our hand, and this to us is the sign.
11 And revealed are both of them unto the station of the Philistines, and the Philistines say, `Lo, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hid themselves.'
12 And the men of the station answer Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons, and say, `Come up unto us, and we cause you to know something.' And Jonathan saith unto the bearer of his weapons, `Come up after me, for Jehovah hath given them into the hand of Israel.'
13 And Jonathan goeth up on his hands, and on his feet, and the bearer of his weapons after him; and they fall before Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons is putting to death after him.
14 And the first smiting which Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons have smitten is of about twenty men, in about half a furrow of a yoke of a field,
15 and there is a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the station and the destroyers have trembled -- even they, and the earth shaketh, and it becometh a trembling of God.
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin see, and lo, the multitude hath melted away, and it goeth on, and is beaten down.
17 And Saul saith to the people who are with him, `Inspect, I pray you, and see; who hath gone from us?' and they inspect, and lo, Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons are not.
18 And Saul saith to Ahiah, `Bring nigh the ark of God;' for the ark of God hath been on that day with the sons of Israel.
19 And it cometh to pass, while Saul spake unto the priest, that the noise which is in the camp of the Philistines goeth on, going on and becoming great, and Saul saith unto the priest, `Remove thy hand.'
20 And Saul is called, and all the people who are with him, and they come in unto the battle, and, lo, the sword of each hath been against his neighbour -- a very great destruction.
21 And the Hebrews who have been for the Philistines as heretofore, who had gone up with them into the camp, have turned round, even they, to be with Israel who are with Saul and Jonathan,
22 and all the men of Israel, who are hiding themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, have heard that the Philistines have fled, and they pursue -- even they -- after them in battle.
23 And Jehovah saveth Israel on that day, and the battle hath passed over to Beth-Aven.
24 And the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjureth the people, saying, `Cursed is the man who eateth food till the evening, and I have been avenged of mine enemies;' and none of the people hath tasted food.
25 And all they of the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;
26 and the people come in unto the forest, and lo, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand unto his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27 And Jonathan hath not heard of his father's adjuring the people, and putteth forth the end of the rod, which is in his hand, and dippeth it in the honeycomb, and bringeth back his hand unto his mouth -- and his eyes see!
28 And a man of the people answereth and saith, `Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed is the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.'
29 And Jonathan saith, `My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, that mine eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more if the people had well eaten to-day of the spoil of its enemies which it hath found, for now, the smiting hath not been great among the Philistines.'
31 And they smite on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary,
32 and the people make unto the spoil, and take sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughter on the earth, and the people eat with the blood.
33 And they declare to Saul, saying, `Lo, the people are sinning against Jehovah, to eat with the blood.' And he saith, `Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me to-day a great stone.'
34 And Saul saith, `Be ye scattered among the people, and ye have said to them, Bring ye nigh unto me each his ox, and each his sheep; and ye have slain them in this place, and eaten, and ye do not sin against Jehovah to eat with the blood.' And all the people bring nigh each his ox, in his hand, that night, and slaughter them there.
35 And Saul buildeth an alter to Jehovah; with it he hath begun to build altars to Jehovah.
36 And Saul saith, `Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and we prey upon them till the light of the morning, and leave not a man of them.' And they say, `All that is good in thine eyes do.' And the priest saith, `Let us draw near hither unto God.'
37 And Saul asketh of God, `Do I go down after the Philistines? dost Thou give them into the hand of Israel?' and He hath not answered him on that day.
38 And Saul saith, `Draw ye nigh hither all, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin hath been to-day;
39 for, Jehovah liveth, who is saving Israel: surely if it be in Jonathan my son, surely he doth certainly die;' and none is answering him out of all the people.
40 And he saith unto all Israel, `Ye -- ye are on one side, and I and Jonathan my son are on another side;' and the people say unto Saul, `That which is good in thine eyes do.'
41 And Saul saith unto Jehovah, God of Israel, `Give perfection;' and Jonathan and Saul are captured, and the people went out.
42 And Saul saith, `Cast between me and Jonathan my son;' and Jonathan is captured.
43 And Saul saith unto Jonathan, `Declare to me, what hast thou done?' and Jonathan declareth to him, and saith, `I certainly tasted with the end of the rod that is in my hand a little honey; lo, I die!'
44 And Saul saith, `Thus doth God do, and thus doth He add, for thou dost certainly die, Jonathan.'
45 And the people say unto Saul, `Doth Jonathan die who wrought this great salvation in Israel? -- a profanation! Jehovah liveth, if there falleth from the hair of his head to the earth, for with God he hath wrought this day;' and the people rescue Jonathan, and he hath not died.
46 And Saul goeth up from after the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone to their place;
47 and Saul captured the kingdom over Israel, and he fighteth round about against all his enemies, against Moab, and against the Bene-Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and whithersoever he turneth he doth vex them.
48 And he maketh a force, and smiteth Amalek, and delivereth Israel out of the hand of its spoiler.
49 And the sons of Saul are Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-Shua; as to the name of his two daughters, the name of the first-born is Merab, and the name of the younger Michal;
50 and the name of the wife of Saul is Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the head of his host is Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul;
51 and Kish is father of Saul, and Ner father of Abner is son of Ahiel.
52 And the war is severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul; when Saul hath seen any mighty man, and any son of valour, then he doth gather him unto himself.
Chapter 15
1 And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Me did Jehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah:
2 `Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt.
3 Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.'
4 And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand are men of Judah.
5 And Saul cometh in unto a city of Amalek, and layeth wait in a valley;
6 and Saul saith unto the Kenite, `Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;' and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek.
7 And Saul smiteth Amalek from Havilah -- thy going in to Shur, which is on the front of Egypt,
8 and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword;
9 and Saul hath pity -- also the people -- on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all that is good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted -- it they devoted.
10 And the word of Jehovah is unto Samuel, saying,
11 `I have repented that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he hath turned back from after Me, and My words he hath not performed;' and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he crieth unto Jehovah all the night.
12 And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, `Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.'
13 And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, `Blessed art thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.'
14 And Samuel saith, `And what is the noise of this flock in mine ears -- and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?'
15 And Saul saith, `From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.'
16 And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Desist, and I declare to thee that which Jehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;' and he saith to him, `Speak.'
17 And Samuel saith, `Art not thou, if thou art little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel,
18 and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed;
19 and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah -- and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah?'
20 And Saul saith unto Samuel, `Because -- I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted;
21 and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.'
22 And Samuel saith, `Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;
23 for a sin of divination is rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim is stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from being king.'
24 And Saul saith unto Samuel, `I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice;
25 and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Jehovah.'
26 And Samuel saith unto Saul, `I do not turn back with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth reject thee from being king over Israel.'
27 And Samuel turneth round to go, and he layeth hold on the skirt of his upper robe -- and it is rent!
28 And Samuel saith unto him, `Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and given it to thy neighbour who is better than thou;
29 and also, the Pre-eminence of Israel doth not lie nor repent, for He is not a man to be penitent.'
30 And he saith, `I have sinned; now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me; and I have bowed myself to Jehovah thy God.'
31 And Samuel turneth back after Saul, and Saul boweth himself to Jehovah;
32 and Samuel saith, `Bring ye nigh unto me Agag king of Amalek,' and Agag cometh unto him daintily, and Agag saith, `Surely the bitterness of death hath turned aside.'
33 And Samuel saith, `As thy sword bereaved women -- so is thy mother bereaved above women;' and Samuel heweth Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
34 And Samuel goeth to Ramath, and Saul hath gone unto his house -- to Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel hath not added to see Saul till the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and Jehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.
Chapter 16
1 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Till when art thou mourning for Saul, and I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I send thee unto Jesse the Beth-Lehemite, for I have seen among his sons for Myself a king.
2 And Samuel saith, `How do I go? when Saul hath heard, then he hath slain me.' And Jehovah saith, `A heifer of the herd thou dost take in thy hand, and hast said, To sacrifice to Jehovah I have come;
3 and thou hast called for Jesse in the sacrifice, and I cause thee to know that which thou dost do, and thou hast anointed to Me him of whom I speak unto thee.'
4 And Samuel doth that which Jehovah hath spoken, and cometh in to Beth-Lehem, and the elders of the city tremble to meet him, and one saith, `Is thy coming peace?'
5 and he saith, `Peace; to sacrifice to Jehovah I have come, sanctify yourselves, and ye have come in with me to the sacrifice;' and he sanctifieth Jesse and his sons, and calleth them to the sacrifice.
6 And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, that he seeth Eliab, and saith, `Surely, before Jehovah is His anointed.'
7 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Look not unto his appearance, and unto the height of his stature, for I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth -- for man looketh at the eyes, and Jehovah looketh at the heart.'
8 And Jesse calleth unto Abinadab, and causeth him to pass by before Samuel; and he saith, `Also on this Jehovah hath not fixed.'
9 And Jesse causeth Shammah to pass by, and he saith, `Also on this Jehovah hath not fixed.'
10 And Jesse causeth seven of his sons to pass by before Samuel, and Samuel saith to Jesse, `Jehovah hath not fixed on these.'
11 And Samuel saith unto Jesse, `Are the young men finished?' and he saith, `Yet hath been left the youngest; and lo, he delighteth himself among the flock;' and Samuel saith unto Jesse, `Send and take him, for we do not turn round till his coming in hither.'
12 And he sendeth, and bringeth him in, and he is ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and of good appearance; and Jehovah saith, `Rise, anoint him, for this is he.'
13 And Samuel taketh the horn of oil, and anointeth him in the midst of his brethren, and prosper over David doth the Spirit of Jehovah from that day and onwards; and Samuel riseth and goeth to Ramath.
14 And the Spirit of Jehovah turned aside from Saul, and a spirit of sadness from Jehovah terrified him;
15 and the servants of Saul say unto him, `Lo, we pray thee, a spirit of sadness from God is terrifying thee;
16 let our lord command, we pray thee, thy servants before thee, they seek a skilful man, playing on a harp, and it hath come to pass, in the spirit of sadness from God being upon thee, that he hath played with his hand, and it is well with thee.'
17 And Saul saith unto his servants, `Provide, I pray you, for me a man playing well -- then ye have brought him in unto me.'
18 And one of the servants answereth and saith, `Lo, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-Lehemite, skilful in playing, and a mighty virtuous man, and a man of battle, and intelligent in word, and a man of form, and Jehovah is with him.'
19 And Saul sendeth messengers unto Jesse, and saith, `Send unto me David thy son, who is with the flock.'
20 And Jesse taketh an ass, with bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the goats, and sendeth by the hand of David his son unto Saul.
21 And David cometh in unto Saul, and standeth before him, and he loveth him greatly; and he is a bearer of his weapons.
22 And Saul sendeth unto Jesse, saying, `Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found grace in mine eyes.'
23 And it hath come to pass, in the spirit of sadness from God being on Saul, that David hath taken the harp, and played with his hand, and Saul hath refreshment and gladness, and the spirit of sadness hath turned aside from off him.
Chapter 17
1 And the Philistines gather their camps to battle, and are gathered to Shochoh, which is to Judah, and encamp between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim;
2 and Saul and the men of Israel have been gathered, and encamp by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array to meet the Philistines.
3 And the Philistines are standing on the mountain on this side, and the Israelites are standing on the mountain on that side, and the valley is between them.
4 And there goeth out a man of the duellists from the camps of the Philistines, Goliath is his name, from Gath; his height is six cubits and a span,
5 and a helmet of brass is on his head, and with a scaled coat of mail he is clothed, and the weight of the coat of mail is five thousand shekels of brass,
6 and a frontlet of brass is on his feet, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders,
7 and the wood of his spear is like a beam of weavers', and the flame of his spear is six hundred shekels of iron, and the bearer of the buckler is going before him.
8 And he standeth and calleth unto the ranks of Israel, and saith to them, `Why are ye come out to set in array the battle? am not I the Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose for you a man, and let him come down unto me;
9 if he be able to fight with me, and have smitten me, then we have been to you for servants; and if I am able for him, and have smitten him, then ye have been to us for servants, and have served us.'
10 And the Philistine saith, `I have reproached the ranks of Israel this day; give to me a man, and we fight together.'
11 And Saul heareth -- and all Israel -- these words of the Philistine, and they are broken down and greatly afraid.
12 And David is son of this Ephrathite of Beth-Lehem-Judah, whose name is Jesse, and he hath eight sons, and the man in the days of Saul hath become aged among men;
13 and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle are Eliab the first-born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14 And David is the youngest, and the three eldest have gone after Saul,
15 and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem.
16 And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days.
17 And Jesse saith to David his son, `Take, I pray thee, to thy brethren, an ephah of this roasted corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;
18 and these ten cuttings of the cheese thou dost take in to the head of the thousand, and thy brethren thou dost inspect for welfare, and their pledge dost receive.'
19 And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 And David riseth early in the morning, and leaveth the flock to a keeper, and lifteth up, and goeth, as Jesse commanded him, and he cometh in to the path, and to the force which is going out unto the rank, and they have shouted for battle;
21 and Israel and the Philistines set in array rank to meet rank.
22 And David letteth down the goods from off him on the hand of a keeper of the goods, and runneth into the rank, and cometh and asketh of his brethren of welfare.
23 And he is speaking with them, and lo, a man of the duellists is coming up, Goliath the Philistine is his name, of Gath, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he speaketh according to those words, and David heareth;
24 and all the men of Israel when they see the man flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid.
25 And the men of Israel say, `Have ye seen this man who is coming up? for, to reproach Israel he is coming up, and it hath been -- the man who smiteth him, the king doth enrich him with great riches, and his daughter he doth give to him, and his father's house doth make free in Israel.'
26 And David speaketh unto the men who are standing by him, saying, `What is done to the man who smiteth this Philistine, and hath turned aside reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of the living God?'
27 And the people speak to him according to this word, saying, `Thus it is done to the man who smiteth him.'
28 And Eliab, his eldest brother, heareth when he speaketh unto the men, and the anger of Eliab burneth against David, and he saith, `Why is this -- thou hast come down! and to whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known thy pride, and the evil of thy heart -- for, to see the battle thou hast come down.'
29 And David saith, `What have I done now? is it not a word?'
30 And he turneth round from him unto another, and saith according to this word, and the people return him word as the first word.
31 And the words which David hath spoken are heard, and they declare before Saul, and he receiveth him;
32 and David saith unto Saul, `Let no man's heart fall because of him, thy servant doth go, and hath fought with this Philistine.'
33 And Saul saith unto David, `Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him, for a youth thou art, and he a man of war from his youth.'
34 And David saith unto Saul, `A shepherd hath thy servant been to his father among the sheep, and the lion hath come -- and the bear -- and hath taken away a sheep out of the drove,
35 and I have gone out after him, and smitten him, and delivered out of his mouth, and he riseth against me, and I have taken hold on his beard, and smitten him, and put him to death.
36 Both the lion and the bear hath thy servant smitten, and this uncircumcised Philistine hath been as one of them, for he hath reproached the ranks of the living God.'
37 And David saith, `Jehovah, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He doth deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul saith unto David, `Go, and Jehovah is with thee.'
38 And Saul clotheth David with his long robe, and hath put a helmet of brass on his head, and doth clothe him with a coat of mail.
39 And David girded his sword above his long robe, and beginneth to go, for he hath not tried it; and David saith unto Saul, `I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried;' and David turneth them aside from off him.
40 And he taketh his staff in his hand, and chooseth for him five smooth stones from the brook, and putteth them in the shepherds' habiliments that he hath, even in the scrip, and his sling is in his hand, and he draweth nigh unto the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine goeth on, going and drawing near unto David, and the man bearing the buckler is before him,
42 and the Philistine looketh attentively, and seeth David, and despiseth him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a fair appearance.
43 And the Philistine saith unto David, `Am I a dog that thou art coming unto me with staves?' and the Philistine revileth David by his gods,
44 and the Philistine saith unto David, `Come unto me, and I give thy flesh to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the field.'
45 And David saith unto the Philistine, `Thou art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which thou hast reproached.
46 This day doth Jehovah shut thee up into my hand -- and I have smitten thee, and turned aside thy head from off thee, and given the carcase of the camp of the Philistines this day to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and all the earth do know that God is for Israel.
47 and all this assembly do know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save, that the battle is Jehovah's, and He hath given you into our hand.'
48 And it hath come to pass, that the Philistine hath risen, and goeth, and draweth near to meet David, and David hasteth and runneth to the rank to meet the Philistine,
49 and David putteth forth his hand unto the vessel, and taketh thence a stone, and slingeth, and smiteth the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sinketh into his forehead, and he falleth on his face to the earth.
50 And David is stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death, and there is no sword in the hand of David,
51 and David runneth and standeth over the Philistine, and taketh his sword, and draweth it out of its sheath, and putteth him to death, and cutteth off with it his head; and the Philistines see that their hero is dead, and flee.
52 And the men of Israel rise -- also Judah -- and shout, and pursue the Philistines till thou enter the valley, and unto the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fall in the way of Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron,
53 and the sons of Israel turn back from burning after the Philistines, and spoil their camps.
54 And David taketh the head of the Philistine, and bringeth it in to Jerusalem, and his weapons he hath put in his own tent.
55 And when Saul seeth David going out to meet the Philistine, he hath said unto Abner, head of the host, `Whose son is this -- the youth, Abner?' and Abner saith, `Thy soul liveth, O king, I have not known.'
56 And the king saith, `Ask thou whose son this is -- the young man.'
57 And when David turneth back from smiting the Philistine, then Abner taketh him and bringeth him in before Saul, and the head of the Philistine in his hand;
58 and Saul saith unto him, `Whose son art thou, O youth?' and David saith, `Son of thy servant Jesse, the Beth-Lehemite.'
Chapter 18
1 And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul.
2 And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father.
3 And Jonathan maketh -- also David -- a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul,
4 and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which is upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle.
5 And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
6 And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing -- also the dancers -- to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments;
7 and the women answer -- those playing, and say, `Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.'
8 And it is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, `They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him is only the kingdom;'
9 and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth.
10 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness from God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin is in the hand of Saul,
11 and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, `I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
12 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;
13 and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people.
14 And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah is with him,
15 and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them.
17 And Saul saith unto David, `Lo, my elder daughter Merab -- her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, `Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.'
18 And David saith unto Saul, `Who am I? and what my life -- the family of my father in Israel -- that I am son-in-law to the king?'
19 And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
20 And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes,
21 and Saul saith, `I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, `By the second -- thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.'
22 And Saul commandeth his servants, `Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.'
23 And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, `Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king -- and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?'
24 And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, `According to these words hath David spoken.'
25 And Saul saith, `Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines -- to be avenged on the enemies of the king;' and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full,
27 and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife.
28 And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah is with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him,
29 and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days.
30 And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.
Chapter 19
1 And Saul speaketh unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, to put David to death,
2 and Jonathan son of Saul delighted exceedingly in David, and Jonathan declareth to David, saying, `Saul my father is seeking to put thee to death, and, now, take heed, I pray thee, in the morning, and thou hast abode in a secret place, and been hidden,
3 and I -- I go out, and have stood by the side of my father in the field where thou art, and I speak of thee unto my father, and have seen what is coming, and have declared to thee.'
4 And Jonathan speaketh good of David unto Saul his father, and saith unto him, `Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works for thee are very good;
5 yea, he putteth his life in his hand, and smiteth the Philistine, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation for all Israel; thou hast seen, and dost rejoice, and why dost thou sin against innocent blood, to put David to death for nought?'
6 And Saul hearkeneth to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul sweareth, `Jehovah liveth -- he doth not die.'
7 And Jonathan calleth for David, and Jonathan declareth to him all these words, and Jonathan bringeth in David unto Saul, and he is before him as heretofore.
8 And there addeth to be war, and David goeth out and fighteth against the Philistines, and smiteth among them -- a great smiting, and they flee from his face.
9 And a spirit of sadness from Jehovah is unto Saul, and he is sitting in his house, and his javelin in his hand, and David is playing with the hand,
10 and Saul seeketh to smite with the javelin through David, and through the wall, and he freeth himself from the presence of Saul, and he smiteth the javelin through the wall; and David hath fled and escapeth during that night.
11 And Saul sendeth messengers unto the house of David to watch him, and to put him to death in the morning; and Michal his wife declareth to David, saying, `If thou art not delivering thy life to-night -- tomorrow thou art put to death.'
12 And Michal causeth David to go down through the window, and he goeth on, and fleeth, and escapeth;
13 and Michal taketh the teraphim, and layeth on the bed, and the mattress of goats' hair she hath put for his pillows, and covereth with a garment.
14 And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and she saith, `He is sick.'
15 And Saul sendeth the messengers to see David, saying, `Bring him up in the bed unto me,' -- to put him to death.
16 And the messengers come in, and lo, the teraphim are on the bed, and the mattress of goats' hair, for his pillows.
17 And Saul saith unto Michal, `Why thus hast thou deceived me -- that thou dost send away mine enemy, and he is escaped?' and Michal saith unto Saul, `He said unto me, Send me away: why do I put thee to death?'
18 And David hath fled, and is escaped, and cometh in unto Samuel to Ramath, and declareth to him all that Saul hath done to him, and he goeth, he and Samuel, and they dwell in Naioth.
19 And it is declared to Saul, saying, `Lo, David is in Naioth in Ramah.'
20 And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and they see the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing, set over them, and the Spirit of God is on Saul's messengers, and they prophesy -- they also.
21 And they declare it to Saul, and he sendeth other messengers, and they prophesy -- they also; and Saul addeth and sendeth messengers a third time, and they prophesy -- they also.
22 And he goeth -- he also -- to Ramath, and cometh in unto the great well which is in Sechu, and asketh, and saith, `Where are Samuel and David?' and one saith, `Lo, in Naioth in Ramah.'
23 And he goeth thither -- unto Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God is upon him -- him also; and he goeth, going on, and he prophesyeth till his coming in to Naioth in Ramah,
24 and he strippeth off -- he also -- his garments, and prophesieth -- he also -- before Samuel, and falleth down naked all that day and all the night; therefore they say, `Is Saul also among the prophets?'
Chapter 20
1 And David fleeth from Naioth in Ramah, and cometh, and saith before Jonathan, `What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father, that he is seeking my life?'
2 And he saith to him, `Far be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this thing? this thing is not.'
3 And David sweareth again, and saith, `Thy father hath certainly known that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; and yet, Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, but -- as a step between me and death.'
4 And Jonathan saith to David, `What doth thy soul say? -- and I do it for thee.'
5 And David saith unto Jonathan, `Lo, the new moon is to-morrow; and I do certainly sit with the king to eat; and thou hast sent me away, and I have been hidden in a field till the third evening;
6 if thy father at all look after me, and thou hast said, David asked earnestly of me to run to Beth-Lehem his city, for a sacrifice of the days is there for all the family.
7 If thus he say: Good; peace is for thy servant; and if it be very displeasing to him -- know that the evil hath been determined by him;
8 and thou hast done kindness, to thy servant, for into a covenant of Jehovah thou hast brought thy servant with thee; -- and if there is in me iniquity, put thou me to death; and unto thy father, why is this -- thou dost bring me in?'
9 And Jonathan saith, `Far be it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.'
10 And David saith unto Jonathan, `Who doth declare to me? or what if thy father doth answer thee sharply?'
11 And Jonathan saith unto David, `Come, and we go out into the field;' and they go out both of them into the field.
12 And Jonathan saith unto David, `Jehovah, God of Israel -- when I search my father, about this time to-morrow or the third day, and lo, good is towards David, and I do not then send unto thee, and have uncovered thine ear --
13 thus doth Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus doth He add; when the evil concerning thee is good to my father, then I have uncovered thine ear, and sent thee away, and thou hast gone in peace, and Jehovah is with thee, as he was with my father;
14 and not only while I am alive dost thou do with me the kindness of Jehovah, and I die not,
15 but thou dost not cut off thy kindness from my house unto the age, nor in Jehovah's cutting off the enemies of David, each one from off the face of the ground.'
16 And Jonathan covenanteth with the house of David, and Jehovah hath sought it from the hand of the enemies of David;
17 and Jonathan addeth to cause David to swear, because he loveth him, for with the love of his own soul he hath loved him.
18 And Jonathan saith to him, `To-morrow is new moon, and thou hast been looked after, for thy seat is looked after;
19 and on the third day thou dost certainly come down, and hast come in unto the place where thou wast hidden in the day of the work, and hast remained near the stone Ezel.
20 `And I shoot three of the arrows at the side, sending out for myself at a mark;
21 and lo, I send the youth: Go, find the arrows. If I at all say to the youth, Lo, the arrows are on this side of thee -- take them, -- then come thou, for peace is for thee, and there is nothing; Jehovah liveth.
22 And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows are beyond thee, -- go, for Jehovah hath sent thee away;
23 as to the thing which we have spoken, I and thou, lo, Jehovah is between me and thee -- unto the age.'
24 And David is hidden in the field, and it is the new moon, and the king sitteth down by the food to eat,
25 and the king sitteth on his seat, as time by time, on a seat by the wall, and Jonathan riseth, and Abner sitteth at the side of Saul, and David's place is looked after.
26 And Saul hath not spoken anything on that day, for he said, `It is an accident; he is not clean -- surely not clean.'
27 And it cometh to pass on the second morrow of the new moon, that David's place is looked after, and Saul saith unto Jonathan his son, `Wherefore hath the son of Jesse not come in, either yesterday or to-day, unto the food?'
28 And Jonathan answereth Saul, `David hath been earnestly asked of me unto Beth-Lehem,
29 and he saith, Send me away, I pray thee, for a family sacrifice we have in the city, and my brother himself hath given command to me, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren; therefore he hath not come unto the table of the king.'
30 And the anger of Saul burneth against Jonathan, and he saith to him, `Son of a perverse rebellious woman! have I not known that thou art fixing on the son of Jesse to thy shame, and to the shame of the nakedness of thy mother?
31 for all the days that the son of Jesse liveth on the ground thou art not established, thou and thy kingdom; and now, send and bring him unto me, for he is a son of death.'
32 And Jonathan answereth Saul his father, and saith unto him, `Why is he put to death? what hath he done?'
33 And Saul casteth the javelin at him to smite him, and Jonathan knoweth that it hath been determined by his father to put David to death.
34 And Jonathan riseth from the table in the heat of anger, and hath not eaten food on the second day of the new moon, for he hath been grieved for David, for his father put him to shame.
35 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that Jonathan goeth out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little youth is with him.
36 And he saith to his youth, `Run, find, I pray thee, the arrows which I am shooting;' the youth is running, and he hath shot the arrow, causing it to pass over him.
37 And the youth cometh unto the place of the arrow which Jonathan hath shot, and Jonathan calleth after the youth, and saith, `Is not the arrow beyond thee?'
38 and Jonathan calleth after the youth, `Speed, haste, stand not;' and Jonathan's youth gathereth the arrows, and cometh unto his lord.
39 And the youth hath not known anything, only Jonathan and David knew the word.
40 And Jonathan giveth his weapons unto the youth whom he hath, and saith to him, `Go, carry into the city.'
41 The youth hath gone, and David hath risen from Ezel, at the south, and falleth on his face to the earth, and boweth himself three times, and they kiss one another, and they weep one with another, till David exerted himself;
42 and Jonathan saith to David, `Go in peace, in that we have sworn -- we two -- in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah is between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed -- unto the age;' and he riseth and goeth; and Jonathan hath gone in to the city.
Chapter 21
1 And David cometh in to Nob, unto Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech trembleth at meeting David, and saith to him, `Wherefore art thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?'
2 And David saith to Ahimelech the priest, `The king hath commanded me a matter, and he saith unto me, Let no man know anything of the matter about which I am sending thee, and which I have commanded thee; and the young men I have caused to know at such and such a place;
3 and now, what is there under thy hand? five loaves give into my hand, or that which is found.'
4 And the priest answereth David, and saith, `There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the youths have been kept only from women.'
5 And David answereth the priest, and saith to him, `Surely, if women have been restrained from us as heretofore in my going out, then the vessels of the young men are holy, and it is a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.'
6 And the priest giveth to him the holy thing, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence which is turned aside from the presence of Jehovah to put hot bread in the day of its being taken away.
7 And there is a man of the servants of Saul on that day detained before Jehovah, and his name is Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds whom Saul hath.
8 And David saith to Ahimelech, `And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? for neither my sword nor my vessels have I taken in my hand, for the matter of the king was urgent.'
9 And the priest saith, `The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst smite in the valley of Elah, lo, it is wrapt in a garment behind the ephod, if it thou dost take to thyself, take; for there is none other save it in this place.' And David saith, `There is none like it -- give it to me.'
10 And David riseth and fleeth on that day from the face of Saul, and cometh in unto Achish king of Gath;
11 and the servants of Achish say unto him, `Is not this David king of the land? is it not of this one they sing in dances, saying, `Saul smote among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'
12 And David layeth these words in his heart, and is exceedingly afraid of the face of Achish king of Gath,
13 and changeth his behaviour before their eyes, and feigneth himself mad in their hand, and scribbleth on the doors of the gate, and letteth down his spittle unto his beard.
14 And Achish saith unto his servants, `Lo, ye see a man acting as a madman; why do ye bring him in unto me?
15 A lack of madmen have I, that ye have brought in this one to act as a madman by me! doth this one come in unto my house?'
Chapter 22
1 And David goeth thence, and is escaped unto the cave of Adullam, and his brethren hear, and all the house of his father, and go down unto him thither;
2 and gather themselves unto him do every man in distress, and every man who hath an exactor, and every man bitter in soul, and he is over them for head, and there are with him about four hundred men.
3 And David goeth thence to Mizpeh of Moab, and saith unto the king of Moab, `Let, I pray thee, my father and my mother go out with you, till that I know what God doth for me;'
4 and he leadeth them before the king of Moab, and they dwell with him all the days of David's being in the fortress.
5 And Gad the prophet saith unto David, `Thou dost not abide in a fortress, go, and thou hast entered for thee the land of Judah;' and David goeth and entereth the forest of Hareth.
6 And Saul heareth that David hath become known, and the men who are with him, and Saul is abiding in Gibeah, under the grove in Ramah, and his spear is in his hand, and all his servants standing by him.
7 And Saul saith to his servants who are standing by him, `Hear, I pray you, ye Benjamites; also to all of you doth the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards! all of you he doth appoint heads of thousands and heads of hundreds!
8 for ye have conspired all of you against me, and there is none uncovering mine ear about my son's covenanting with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you grieving for me, and uncovering mine ear, that my son hath raised up my servant against me, to lie in wait as at this day.'
9 And answer doth Doeg the Edomite, who is set over the servants of Saul, and saith, `I have seen the son of Jesse coming in to Nob, unto Ahimelech son of Ahitub,
10 and he asketh for him at Jehovah, and provision hath given to him, and the sword of Goliath the Philistine hath given to him.
11 And the king sendeth to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests, who are in Nob, and they come all of them unto the king;
12 and Saul saith, `Hear, I pray thee, son of Ahitub;' and he saith, `Here am I, my lord.'
13 And Saul saith unto him, `Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, by thy giving to him bread and a sword, and to ask for him at God, to rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?'
14 And Ahimelech answereth the king and saith, `And who among all thy servants is as David -- faithful, and son-in-law of the king, and hath turned aside unto thy council, and is honoured in thy house?
15 To-day have I begun to ask for him at God? far be it from me! let not the king lay anything against his servant, against any of the house of my father, for thy servant hath known nothing of all this, less or more.'
16 And the king saith, `Thou dost surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all the house of thy father.'
17 And the king saith to runners, those standing by him, `Turn round, and put to death the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they have known that he is fleeing, and have not uncovered mine ear;' and the servants of the king have not been willing to put forth their hand to come against the priests of Jehovah.
18 And the king saith to Doeg, `Turn round thou, and come against the priests;' and Doeg the Edomite turneth round, and cometh himself against the priests, and putteth to death in that day eighty and five men bearing a linen ephod,
19 and Nob, the city of the priests, he hath smitten by the mouth of the sword, from man even unto woman, from infant even unto suckling, and ox, and ass, and sheep, by the mouth of the sword.
20 And there escapeth one son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, and his name is Abiathar, and he fleeth after David,
21 and Abiathar declareth to David that Saul hath slain the priests of Jehovah.
22 And David saith to Abiathar, `I have known on that day when Doeg the Edomite is there, that he doth certainly declare it to Saul; I have brought it round to every person of the house of thy father;
23 dwell with me; fear not; for he who seeketh my life seeketh thy life; for a charge art thou with me.'
Chapter 23
1 And they declare to David, saying, `Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.'
2 And David asketh at Jehovah, saying, `Do I go? -- and have I smitten among these Philistines?' And Jehovah saith unto David, `Go, and thou hast smitten among the Philistines, and saved Keilah.'
3 And David's men say unto him, `Lo, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, unto the ranks of the Philistines?'
4 And David addeth again to ask at Jehovah, and Jehovah answereth him, and saith, `Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into thy hand.'
5 And David goeth, and his men, to Keilah, and fighteth with the Philistines, and leadeth away their cattle, and smiteth among them -- a great smiting, and David saveth the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 And it cometh to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech unto David, to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand.
7 And it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, `God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.'
8 And Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men.
9 And David knoweth that against him Saul is devising the evil, and saith unto Abiathar the priest, `Bring nigh the ephod.'
10 And David saith, `Jehovah, God of Israel, Thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come in unto Keilah, to destroy the city on mine account.
11 Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up into his hand? doth Saul come down as Thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, declare, I pray Thee, to Thy servant.' And Jehovah saith, `He doth come down.'
12 And David saith, `Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up, and my men, into the hand of Saul?' And Jehovah saith, `They shut thee up.'
13 And David riseth -- and his men -- about six hundred men, and they go out from Keilah, and go up and down where they go up and down; and to Saul it hath been declared that David hath escaped from Keilah, and he ceaseth to go out.
14 And David abideth in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abideth in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeketh him all the days, and God hath not given him into his hand.
15 And David seeth that Saul hath come out to seek his life, and David is in the wilderness of Ziph, in a forest.
16 And Jonathan son of Saul riseth, and goeth unto David to the forest, and strengtheneth his hand in God,
17 and saith unto him, `Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father doth not find thee, and thou dost reign over Israel, and I am to thee for second, and also so knoweth Saul my father.'
18 And they make a covenant both of them before Jehovah; and David abideth in the forest, and Jonathan hath gone to his house.
19 And the Ziphites go up unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, `Is not David hiding himself with us in fortresses, in the forest, in the height of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desolate place?
20 And, now, by all the desire of thy soul, O king, to come down, come down, and ours is to shut him up into the hand of the king.'
21 And Saul saith, `Blessed are ye of Jehovah, for ye have pity on me;
22 go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who hath seen him there? for one hath said unto me, He is very subtile.
23 And see and know of all the hiding-places where he hideth himself, and ye have turned back unto me prepared, and I have gone with you, and it hath been, if he is in the land, that I have searched him out through all the thousands of Judah.'
24 And they rise and go to Ziph before Saul, and David and his men are in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, at the south of the desolate place.
25 And Saul and his men go to seek, and they declare to David, and he goeth down the rock, and abideth in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul heareth, and pursueth after David to the wilderness of Maon.
26 And Saul goeth on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David is hastened to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men are compassing David and his men, to catch them.
27 And a messenger hath come in unto Saul, saying, `Haste, and come, for the Philistines have pushed against the land.'
28 And Saul turneth back from pursuing after David, and goeth to meet the Philistines, therefore they have called that place `The Rock of Divisions.'
29 And David goeth up thence, and abideth in fortresses at En-gedi.
Chapter 24
1 And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, `Lo, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.'
2 And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats,
3 and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there is a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.
4 And the men of David say unto him, `Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which is on Saul -- gently.
5 And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which is on Saul,
6 and he saith to his men, `Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord -- to the anointed of Jehovah -- to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he is.'
7 And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;
8 and David riseth afterwards, and goeth out from the cave, and calleth after Saul, saying, `My lord, O king!' And Saul looketh attentively behind him, and David boweth -- face to the earth -- and doth obeisance.
9 And David saith to Saul, `Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?
10 Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and one said to slay thee, and mine eye hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he is.
11 `And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it!
12 `Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;
13 as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee.
14 `After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? -- after a dead dog! after one flea!
15 And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.'
16 And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, `Is this thy voice, my son David?' and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.
17 And he saith unto David, `More righteous thou art than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil;
18 and thou hast declared to-day how that thou hast done good with me, how that Jehovah shut me up into thy hand, and thou didst not slay me,
19 and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst to me this day.
20 `And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand;
21 and, now, swear to me by Jehovah -- thou dost not cut off my seed after me, nor dost thou destroy my name from the house of my father.'
22 And David sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.
Chapter 25
1 And Samuel dieth, and all Israel are gathered, and mourn for him, and bury him in his house, in Ramah; and David riseth and goeth down unto the wilderness of Paran.
2 And there is a man in Maon, and his work is in Carmel; and the man is very great, and he hath three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he is shearing his flock in Carmel.
3 And the name of the man is Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail, and the woman is of good understanding, and of fair form, and the man is hard and evil in doings; and he is a Calebite.
4 And David heareth in the wilderness that Nabal is shearing his flock,
5 and David sendeth ten young men, and David saith to the young men, `Go ye up to Carmel, and ye have come in unto Nabal, and asked of him in my name of welfare,
6 and said thus: To life! and thou, peace; and thy house, peace; and all that thou hast -- peace!
7 and, now, I have heard that thou hast shearers; now, the shepherds whom thou hast have been with us, we have not put them to shame, nor hath anything been looked after by them, all the days of their being in Carmel.
8 `Ask thy young men, and they declare to thee, and the young men find grace in thine eyes, for on a good day we have come; give, I pray thee, that which thy hand findeth, to thy servants, and to thy son, to David.'
9 And the young men of David come in, and speak unto Nabal according to all these words, in the name of David -- and rest.
10 And Nabal answereth the servants of David and saith, `Who is David, and who the son of Jesse? to-day have servants been multiplied who are breaking away each from his master;
11 and I have taken my bread, and my water, and my flesh, which I slaughtered for my shearers, and have given it to men whom I have not known whence they are!'
12 And the young men of David turn on their way, and turn back, and come in, and declare to him according to all these words.
13 And David saith to his men, `Gird ye on each his sword;' and they gird on each his sword, and David also girdeth on his sword, and there go up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred have remained by the vessels.
14 And to Abigail wife of Nabal hath one young man of the youths declared, saying, `Lo, David hath sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he flieth upon them;
15 and the men are very good to us, and have not put us to shame, and we have not looked after anything all the days we have gone up and down with them, in our being in the field;
16 a wall they have been unto us both by night and by day, all the days of our being with them, feeding the flock.
17 `And, now, know and consider what thou dost; for evil hath been determined against our lord, and against all his house, and he is too much a son of worthlessness to be spoken to.'
18 And Abigail hasteth, and taketh two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep, prepared, and five measures of roasted corn, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred bunches of figs, and setteth them on the asses.
19 And she saith to her young men, `Pass over before me; lo, after you I am coming;' and to her husband Nabal she hath not declared it;
20 and it hath come to pass, she is riding on the ass and is coming down in the secret part of the hill-country, and lo, David and his men are coming down to meet her, and she meeteth them.
21 And David said, `Only, in vain I have kept all that this one hath in the wilderness, and nothing hath been looked after of all that he hath, and he turneth back to me evil for good;
22 thus doth God do to the enemies of David, and thus He doth add, if I leave of all that he hath till the light of the morning -- of those sitting on the wall.'
23 And Abigail seeth David, and hasteth and cometh down from off the ass, and falleth before David on her face, and boweth herself to the earth,
24 and falleth at his feet and saith, `On me, my lord, the iniquity; and let, I pray thee, thy handmaid speak in thine ear, and hear the words of thy handmaid.
25 `Let not, I pray thee, my lord set his heart to this man of worthlessness, on Nabal, for as his name is so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; and I, thine handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord whom thou didst send;
26 and now, my lord, Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, in that Jehovah hath withheld thee from coming in with blood, and to save thy hand to thee -- now let thine enemies be as Nabal, even those seeking evil unto my lord.
27 `And, now, this blessing which thy maid-servant hath brought to my lord -- it hath been given to the young men who are going up and down at the feet of my lord.
28 `Bear, I pray thee, with the transgression of thy handmaid, for Jehovah doth certainly make to my lord a stedfast house; for the battles of Jehovah hath my lord fought, and evil is not found in thee all thy days.
29 And man riseth to pursue thee and to seek thy soul, and the soul of my lord hath been bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy God; as to the soul of thine enemies, He doth sling them out in the midst of the hollow of the sling.
30 `And it hath been, when Jehovah doth to my lord according to all the good which He hath spoken concerning thee, and appointed thee for leader over Israel,
31 that this is not to thee for a stumbling-block, and for an offence of heart to my lord -- either to shed blood for nought, or my lord's restraining himself; and Jehovah hath done good to my lord, and thou hast remembered thy handmaid.'
32 And David saith to Abigail, `Blessed is Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day to meet me,
33 and blessed is thy discretion, and blessed art thou in that thou hast restrained me this day from coming in with blood, and to restrain my hand to myself.
34 And yet, Jehovah liveth, God of Israel, who hath kept me back from doing evil with thee, for unless thou hadst hasted, and dost come to meet me, surely there had not been left to Nabal till the light of the morning, of those sitting on the wall.'
35 And David receiveth from her hand that which she hath brought to him, and to her he hath said, `Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and accept thy face.'
36 And Abigail cometh in unto Nabal, and lo, he hath a banquet in his house, like a banquet of the king, and the heart of Nabal is glad within him, and he is drunk unto excess, and she hath not declared to him anything, less or more, till the light of the morning.
37 And it cometh to pass in the morning, when the wine is gone out from Nabal, that his wife declareth to him these things, and his heart dieth within him, and he hath been as a stone.
38 And it cometh to pass, in about ten days, that Jehovah smiteth Nabal, and he dieth,
39 and David heareth that Nabal is dead, and saith, `Blessed is Jehovah who hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and His servant hath kept back from evil, and the wickedness of Nabal hath Jehovah turned back on his own head;' and David sendeth and speaketh with Abigail, to take her to him for a wife.
40 And the servants of David come in unto Abigail at Carmel, and speak unto her, saying, `David hath sent us unto thee to take thee to him for a wife.'
41 And she riseth and boweth herself -- face to the earth -- and saith, `Lo, thy handmaid is for a maid-servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.'
42 And Abigail hasteth and riseth, and rideth on the ass; and five of her young women who are going at her feet; and she goeth after the messengers of David, and is to him for a wife.
43 And Ahinoam hath David taken from Jezreel, and they are -- even both of them -- to him for wives;
44 and Saul gave Michal his daughter, wife to David, to Phalti son of Laish, who is of Gallim.
Chapter 26
1 And the Ziphites come in unto Saul, at Gibeah, saying, `Is not David hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?'
2 And Saul riseth, and goeth down unto the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 And Saul encampeth in the height of Hachilah, which is on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he seeth that Saul hath come after him in to the wilderness;
4 and David sendeth spies, and knoweth that Saul hath come unto Nachon,
5 and David riseth, and cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped, and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about him.
6 And David answereth and saith unto Ahimelech the Hittite, and unto Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, `Who doth go down with me unto Saul, unto the camp?' and Abishai saith, `I -- I go down with thee.'
7 And David cometh -- and Abishai -- unto the people by night, and lo, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear struck into the earth at his pillow, and abner and the people are lying round about him.
8 And Abishai saith unto David, `God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once -- and I do repeat it to him.'
9 And David saith unto Abishai, `Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and been acquitted?'
10 And David saith, `Jehovah liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him, or his day come that he hath died, or into battle he go down, and hath been consumed --
11 far be it from me, by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah; and, now, take, I pray thee, the spear which is at his pillow, and the cruse of water, and we go away.'
12 And David taketh the spear, and the cruse of water at the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep from Jehovah hath fallen upon them.
13 And David passeth over to the other side, and standeth on the top of the hill afar off -- great is the place between them;
14 and David calleth unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, `Dost thou not answer, Abner?' and Abner answereth and saith, `Who art thou who hast called unto the king?'
15 And David saith unto Abner, `Art not thou a man? and who is like thee in Israel? but why hast thou not watched over thy lord the king? for one of the people had come in to destroy the king, thy lord.
16 Not good is this thing which thou hast done; Jehovah liveth, but ye are sons of death, in that ye have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah; and now, see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water which is at his bolster.'
17 And Saul discerneth the voice of David, and saith, `Is this thy voice, my son David?' and David saith, `My voice, my lord, O king!'
18 and he saith, `Why is this -- my lord is pursuing after his servant? for what have I done, and what is in my hand evil?
19 And, now, let, I pray thee, my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee against me, let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men -- cursed are they before Jehovah, for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.
20 `And now, let not my blood fall to the earth over-against the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel hath come out to seek one flea, as one pursueth the partridge in mountains.'
21 And Saul saith, `I have sinned; turn back, my son David, for I do evil to thee no more, because that my soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo, I have acted foolishly, and do err very greatly.'
22 And David answereth and saith, `Lo, the king's spear; and let one of the young men pass over, and receive it;
23 and Jehovah doth turn back to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah,
24 and lo, as thy soul hath been great this day in mine eyes, so is my soul great in the eyes of Jehovah, and He doth deliver me out of all distress.'
25 And Saul saith unto David, `Blessed art thou, my son David, also working thou dost work, and also prevailing thou dost prevail.' And David goeth on his way, and Saul hath turned back to his place.
Chapter 27
1 And David saith unto his heart, `Now am I consumed one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing for me better than that I diligently escape unto the land of the Philistines, and Saul hath been despairing of me -- of seeking me any more in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped out of his hand.'
2 And David riseth, and passeth over, he and six hundred men who are with him, unto Achish son of Maoch king of Gath;
3 and David dwelleth with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, even David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess.
4 And it is declared to Saul that David hath fled to Gath, and he hath not added any more to seek him.
5 And David saith unto Achish, `If, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, they give to me a place in one of the cities of the field, and I dwell there, yea, why doth thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?'
6 And Achish giveth to him in that day Ziklag, therefore hath Ziklag been to the kings of Judah till this day.
7 And the number of the days which David hath dwelt in the field of the Philistines is days and four months;
8 and David goeth up and his men, and they push unto the Geshurite, and the Gerizite, and the Amalekite, (for they are inhabitants of the land from of old), as thou comest in to Shur and unto the land of Egypt,
9 and David hath smitten the land, and doth not keep alive man and woman, and hath taken sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and garments, and turneth back, and cometh in unto Achish.
10 And Achish saith, `Whither have ye pushed to-day?' and David saith, `Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelite, and unto the south of the Kenite.'
11 Neither man nor woman doth David keep alive, to bring in word to Gath, saying, `Lest they declare it against us, saying, Thus hath David done, and thus is his custom all the days that he hath dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.'
12 And Achish believeth in David, saying, `He hath made himself utterly abhorred among his people, in Israel, and hath been to me for a servant age-during.'
Chapter 28
1 And it cometh to pass in those days, that the Philistines gather their camps for the war, to fight against Israel, and Achish saith unto David, `Thou dost certainly know that with me thou dost go out into the camp, thou and thy men.'
2 And David saith unto Achish, `Therefore -- thou dost know that which thy servant dost do.' And Achish saith unto David, `Therefore -- keeper of my head I do appoint thee all the days.'
3 And Samuel hath died, and all Israel mourn for him, and bury him in Ramah, even in his city, and Saul hath turned aside those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
4 And the Philistines are gathered, and come in, and encamp in Shunem, and Saul gathereth all Israel, and they encamp in Gilboa,
5 and Saul seeth the camp of the Philistines, and feareth, and his heart trembleth greatly,
6 and Saul asketh at Jehovah, and Jehovah hath not answered him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.
7 And Saul saith to his servants, `Seek for me a woman possessing a familiar spirit, and I go unto her, and inquire of her;' and his servants say unto him, `Lo, a woman possessing a familiar spirit in En-dor.'
8 And Saul disguiseth himself and putteth on other garments, and goeth, he and two of the men with him, and they come in unto the woman by night, and he saith, `Divine, I pray thee, to me by the familiar spirit, and cause to come up to me him whom I say unto thee.'
9 And the woman saith unto him, `Lo, thou hast known that which Saul hath done, that he hath cut off those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land; and why art thou laying a snare for my soul -- to put me to death?'
10 And Saul sweareth to her by Jehovah, saying, `Jehovah liveth, punishment doth not meet thee for this thing.'
11 And the woman saith, `Whom do I bring up to thee?' and he saith, `Samuel -- bring up to me.'
12 And the woman seeth Samuel, and crieth with a loud voice, and the woman speaketh unto Saul, saying, `Why hast thou deceived me -- and thou Saul?'
13 And the king saith to her, `Do not fear; for what hast thou seen?' and the woman saith unto Saul, `Gods I have seen coming up out of the earth.'
14 And he saith to her, `What is his form?' and she saith, `An aged man is coming up, and he is covered with an upper robe;' and Saul knoweth that he is Samuel, and boweth -- face to thee earth -- and doth obeisance.
15 And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up?' And Saul saith, `I have great distress, and the Philistines are fighting against me, God hath turned aside from me, and hath not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams; and I call for thee to let me know what I do.'
16 And Samuel saith, `And why dost thou ask me, and Jehovah hath turned aside from thee, and is thine enemy?
17 And Jehovah doth for Himself as He hath spoken by my hand, and Jehovah rendeth the kingdom out of thy hand, and giveth it to thy neighbour -- to David.
18 Because thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, nor didst the fierceness of His anger on Amalek -- therefore this thing hath Jehovah done to thee this day;
19 yea, Jehovah giveth also Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy sons are with me; also the camp of Israel doth Jehovah give into the hand of the Philistines.'
20 And Saul hasteth and falleth -- the fulness of his stature -- to the earth, and feareth greatly because of the words of Samuel; also power was not in him, for he had not eaten bread all the day, and all the night.
21 And the woman cometh in unto Saul, and seeth that he hath been greatly troubled, and saith unto him, `Lo, thy maid-servant hath hearkened to thy voice, and I put my soul in my hand, and I obey thy words which thou hast spoken unto me;
22 and now, hearken, I pray thee, also thou, to the voice of thy maid-servant, and I set before thee a morsel of bread, and eat, and there is in thee power when thou goest in the way.'
23 And he refuseth, and saith, `I do not eat;' and his servants urge on him, and also the woman, and he hearkeneth to their voice, and riseth from the earth, and sitteth on the bed.
24 And the woman hath a calf of the stall in the house, and she hasteth and slaughtereth it, and taketh flour, and kneadeth, and baketh it unleavened things,
25 and bringeth nigh before Saul, and before his servants, and they eat, and rise, and go on, during that night.
Chapter 29
1 And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which is in Jezreel,
2 and the princes of the Philistines are passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men are passing on in the rear with Achish.
3 And the heads of the Philistines say, `What are these Hebrews?' and Achish saith unto the heads of the Philistines, `Is not this David servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have not found in him anything wrong from the day of his falling away till this day.'
4 And the heads of the Philistines are wroth against him, and the heads of the Philistines say to him, `Send back the man, and he doth turn back unto his place whither thou hast appointed him, and doth not go down with us into battle, and is not to us for an adversary in battle; and wherewith doth this one reconcile himself unto his lord -- is it not with the heads of those men?'
5 Is not this David, of whom they answer in choruses, saying, Saul hath smitten among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'
6 And Achish calleth unto David, and saith unto him, `Jehovah liveth, surely thou art upright, and good in mine eyes is thy going out, and thy coming in, with me in the camp, for I have not found in thee evil from the day of thy coming in unto me till this day; and in the eyes of the princes thou art not good;
7 and now, turn back, and go in peace, and thou dost do no evil in the eyes of the princes of the Philistines.'
8 And David saith unto Achish, `But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day that I have been before thee till this day -- that I go not in and have fought against the enemies of my lord the king?'
9 And Achish answereth and saith unto David, `I have known that thou art good in mine eyes as a messenger of God; only, the princes of the Philistines have said, He doth not go up with us into battle;
10 and now, rise thou early in the morning, and the servants of thy lord who have come with thee, when ye have risen early in the morning, and have light, then go ye.'
11 And David riseth early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to turn back unto the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone up to Jezreel.
Chapter 30
1 And it cometh to pass, in the coming in of David and his men to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites have pushed unto the south, and unto Ziklag, and smite Ziklag, and burn it with fire,
2 and they take captive the women who are in it; from small unto great they have not put any one to death, and they lead away, and go on their way.
3 And David cometh in -- and his men -- unto the city, and lo, burnt with fire, and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters have been taken captive!
4 And David lifteth up -- and the people who are with him -- their voice and weep, till that they have no power to weep.
5 And the two wives of David have been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite;
6 and David hath great distress, for the people have said to stone him, for the soul of all the people hath been bitter, each for his sons and for his daughters; and David doth strengthen himself in Jehovah his God.
7 And David saith unto Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, `Bring nigh, I pray thee, to me the ephod;' and Abiathar bringeth nigh the ephod unto David,
8 and David asketh at Jehovah, saying, `I pursue after this troop -- do I overtake it?' And He saith to him, `Pursue, for thou dost certainly overtake, and dost certainly deliver.'
9 And David goeth on, he and six hundred men who are with him, and they come in unto the brook of Besor, and those left have stood still,
10 and David pursueth, he and four hundred men, (and two hundred men stand still who have been too faint to pass over the brook of Besor),
11 and they find a man, an Egyptian, in the field, and take him unto David, and give to him bread, and he eateth, and they cause him to drink water,
12 and give to him a piece of a bunch of dried figs, and two bunches of raisins, and he eateth, and his spirit returneth unto him, for he hath not eaten bread nor drunk water three days and three nights.
13 And David saith to him, `Whose art thou? and whence art thou?' And he saith, `An Egyptian youth I am, servant to a man, an Amalekite, and my lord forsaketh me, for I have been sick three days,
14 we pushed to the south of the Cherethite, and against that which is to Judah, and against the south of Caleb, and Ziklag we burned with fire.'
15 And David saith unto him, `Dost thou bring me down unto this troop?' and he saith, `Swear to me by God -- thou dost not put me to death, nor dost thou shut me up into the hand of my lord -- and I bring thee down unto this troop.'
16 And he bringeth him down, and lo, they are spread out over the face of all the earth, eating, and drinking, and feasting, with all the great spoil which they have taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
17 And David smiteth them from the twilight even unto the evening of the morrow, and there hath not escaped of them a man, except four hundred young men who have ridden on the camels, and are fled.
18 And David delivereth all that the Amalekites have taken; also his two wives hath David delivered.
19 And there hath not lacked to them anything, from small unto great, and unto sons and daughters, and from the spoil, even unto all that they had taken to themselves, the whole hath David brought back,
20 and David taketh the whole of the flock, and of the herd, they have led on before these cattle, and they say, `This is David's spoil.'
21 And David cometh in unto the two hundred men who were too faint to go after David, and whom they cause to abide at the brook of Besor, and they go out to meet David, and to meet the people who are with him, and David approacheth the people, and asketh of them of welfare.
22 And every bad and worthless man, of the men who have gone with David, answereth, yea, they say, `Because that they have not gone with us we do not give to them of the spoil which we have delivered, except each his wife and his children, and they lead away and go.
23 And David saith, `Ye do not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given to us, and He doth preserve us, and doth give the troop which cometh against us into our hand;
24 and who doth hearken to you in this thing? for as the portion of him who was brought down into battle, so also is the portion of him who is abiding by the vessels -- alike they share.'
25 And it cometh to pass from that day and forward, that he appointeth it for a statute and for an ordinance for Israel unto this day.
26 And David cometh in unto Ziklag, and sendeth of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, (saying, `Lo, for you a blessing, of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah),'
27 to those in Beth-El, and to those in South Ramoth, and to those in Jattir,
28 and to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa,
29 and to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites,
30 and to those in Hormah, and to those in Chor-Ashan, and to those in Athach,
31 and to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men.
Chapter 31
1 And the Philistines are fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa,
2 and the Philistines follow Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, sons of Saul.
3 And the battle is hard against Saul, and the archers find him -- men with bow -- and he is pained greatly by the archers;
4 and Saul saith to the bearer of his weapons, `Draw thy sword, and pierce me with it, lest they come -- these uncircumcised -- and have pierced me, and rolled themselves on me;' and the bearer of his weapons hath not been willing, for he is greatly afraid, and Saul taketh the sword, and falleth upon it.
5 And the bearer of his weapons seeth that Saul is dead, and he falleth -- he also -- on his sword, and dieth with him;
6 and Saul dieth, and three of his sons, and the bearer of his weapons, also all his men, on that day together.
7 And they see -- the men of Israel, who are beyond the valley, and who are beyond the Jordan -- that the men of Israel have fled, and that Saul and his sons have died, and they forsake the cities and flee, and Philistines come in, and dwell in them.
8 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that the Philistines come to strip the wounded, and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa,
9 and they cut off his head, and strip off his weapons, and send into the land of the Philistines round about, to proclaim tidings in the house of their idols, and among the people;
10 and they place his weapons in the house of Ashtaroth, and his body they have fixed on the wall of Beth-Shan.
11 And they hear regarding it -- the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead -- that which the Philistines have done to Saul,
12 and all the men of valour arise, and go all the night, and take the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-Shan, and come in to Jabesh, and burn them there,
13 and they take their bones, and bury them under the tamarisk in Jabesh, and fast seven days.

2 Samuel
Chapter 1
1 And it cometh to pass, after the death of Saul, that David hath returned from smiting the Amalekite, and David dwelleth in Ziklag two days,
2 and it cometh to pass, on the third day, that lo, a man hath come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments are rent, and earth on his head; and it cometh to pass, in his coming in unto David, that he falleth to the earth, and doth obeisance.
3 And David saith to him, `Whence comest thou?' and he saith unto him, `Out of the camp of Israel I have escaped.'
4 And David saith unto him, `What hath been the matter? declare, I pray thee, to me.' And he saith, that `The people hath fled from the battle, and also a multitude hath fallen of the people, and they die; and also Saul and Jonathan his son have died.'
5 And David saith unto the youth who is declaring it to him, `How hast thou known that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?'
6 And the youth who is declaring it to him saith, I happened to meet in mount Gilboa, and lo, Saul is leaning on his spear; and lo, the chariots and those possessing horses have followed him;
7 and he turneth behind him, and seeth me, and calleth unto me, and I say, Here am I.
8 And he saith to me, Who art thou? and I say unto him, An Amalekite I am.'
9 `And he saith unto me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and put me to death, for seized me hath the arrow, for all my soul is still in me.
10 And I stand over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he doth not live after his falling, and I take the crown which is on his head, and the bracelet which is on his arm, and bring them in unto my lord hither.'
11 And David taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them, and also all the men who are with him,
12 and they mourn, and weep, and fast till the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they have fallen by the sword.
13 And David saith unto the youth who is declaring it to him, `Whence art thou?' and he saith, `Son of a sojourner, an Amalekite, I am.'
14 And David saith unto him, `How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?'
15 And David calleth to one of the youths, and saith, `Draw nigh -- fall upon him;' and he smiteth him, and he dieth;
16 and David saith unto him, `Thy blood is on thine own head, for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I -- I put to death the anointed of Jehovah.'
17 And David lamenteth with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son;
18 and he saith to teach the sons of Judah `The Bow;' lo, it is written on the book of the Upright: --
19 `The Roebuck, O Israel, On thy high places is wounded; How have the mighty fallen!
20 Declare it not in Gath, Proclaim not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest they rejoice -- The daughters of the Philistines, Lest they exult -- The daughters of the Uncircumcised!
21 Mountains of Gilboa! No dew nor rain be on you, And fields of heave-offerings! For there hath become loathsome The shield of the mighty, The shield of Saul -- without the anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the wounded, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan Hath not turned backward; And the sword of Saul doth not return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan! They are loved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they have not been parted. Than eagles they have been lighter, Than lions they have been mightier!
24 Daughters of Israel! for Saul weep ye, Who is clothing you in scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25 How have the mighty fallen In the midst of the battle! Jonathan! on thy high places wounded!
26 I am in distress for thee, my brother Jonathan, Very pleasant wast thou to me; Wonderful was thy love to me, Above the love of women!
27 How have the mighty fallen, Yea, the weapons of war perish!'
Chapter 2
1 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that David asketh at Jehovah, saying, `Do I go up into one of the cities of Judah?' and Jehovah saith unto him, `Go up.' And David saith, `Whither do I go up?' and He saith, `To Hebron.'
2 And David goeth up thither, and also his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite;
3 and his men who are with him hath David brought up -- a man and his household -- and they dwell in the cities of Hebron.
4 And the men of Judah come, and anoint there David for king over the house of Judah; and they declare to David, saying, `The men of Jabesh-Gilead are they who buried Saul.'
5 And David sendeth messengers unto the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and saith unto them, `Blessed are ye of Jehovah, in that ye have done this kindness with your lord, with Saul, that ye bury him.
6 `And, now, Jehovah doth with you kindness and truth, and also, I do with you this good because ye have done this thing;
7 and now, are your hands strong, and be ye for sons of valour, for your lord Saul. is dead, and also -- me have the house of Judah anointed for king over them.'
8 And Abner, son of Ner, head of the host which Saul hath, hath taken Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, and causeth him to pass over to Mahanaim,
9 and causeth him to reign over Gilead, and over the Ashurite, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over Israel -- all of it.
10 A son of forty years, is Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, in his reigning over Israel, and two years he hath reigned, only the house of Judah have been after David.
11 And the number of the days that David hath been king in Hebron, over the house of Judah, is seven years and six months.
12 And Abner son of Ner goeth out, and servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And Joab son of Zeruiah, and servants of David, have gone out, and they meet by the pool of Gibeon together, and sit down, these by the pool on this side, and these by the pool on that.
14 And Abner saith unto Joab, `Let the youths rise, I pray thee, and they play before us;' and Joab saith, `Let them rise.'
15 And they rise and pass over, in number twelve of Benjamin, even of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 And they lay hold, each on the head of his companion, and his sword is in the side of his companion, and they fall together, and one calleth that place Helkath-Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon,
17 and the battle is very hard on that day, and Abner is smitten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18 And there are there three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, and Asahel is light on his feet, as one of the roes which are in the field,
19 And Asahel pursueth after Abner, and hath not turned aside to go to the right or to the left, from after Abner.
20 And Abner looketh behind him, and saith, `Art thou he -- Asahel?' and he saith, `I am.'
21 And Abner saith to him, `Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and seize for thee one of the youths, and take to thee his armour;' and Asahel hath not been willing to turn aside from after him.
22 And Abner addeth again, saying unto Asahel, `Turn thee aside from after me, why do I smite thee to the earth? and how do I lift up my face unto Joab thy brother?'
23 And he refuseth to turn aside, and Abner smiteth him with the hinder part of the spear unto the fifth rib, and the spear cometh out from behind him, and he falleth there, and dieth under it; and it cometh to pass, every one who hath come unto the place where Asahel hath fallen and dieth -- they stand still.
24 And Joab and Abishai pursue after Abner, and the sun hath gone in, and they have come in unto the height of Ammah, which is on the front of Giah, the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the sons of Benjamin gather themselves together after Abner, and become one troop, and stand on the top of a certain height,
26 and Abner calleth unto Joab, and saith, `For ever doth the sword consume? hast thou not known that it is bitterness in the latter end? and till when dost thou not say to the people to turn back from after their brethren?'
27 And Joab saith, `God liveth! for unless thou hadst spoken, surely then from the morning had the people gone up each from after his brother.'
28 And Joab bloweth with a trumpet, and all the people stand still, and pursue no more after Israel, nor have they added any more to fight.
29 And Abner and his men have gone through the plain all that night, and pass over the Jordan, and go on through all Bithron, and come in to Mahanaim.
30 And Joab hath turned back from after Abner, and gathereth all the people, and there are lacking of the servants of David nineteen men, and Asahel;
31 and the servants of David have smitten of Benjamin, even among the men of Abner, three hundred and sixty men -- they died.
32 And they lift up Asahel, and bury him in the burying-place of his father, which is in Beth-Lehem, and they go all the night -- Joab and his men -- and it is light to them in Hebron.
Chapter 3
1 And the war is long between the house of Saul and the house of David, and David is going on and is strong, and the house of Saul are going on and are weak.
2 And there are born to David sons in Hebron, and his first-born is Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,
3 and his second is Chileab, of Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third is Absalom son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur,
4 and the fourth is Adonijah son of Haggith, and the fifth is Shephatiah son of Abital,
5 and the sixth is Ithream, of Eglah wife of David; these have been born to David in Hebron.
6 And it cometh to pass, in the war being between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner hath been strengthening himself in the house of Saul,
7 and Saul hath a concubine, and her name is Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Ish-Bosheth saith unto Abner, `Wherefore hast thou gone in unto the concubine of my father?'
8 And it is displeasing to Abner exceedingly, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he saith, `The head of a dog am I -- that in reference to Judah to-day I do kindness with the house of Saul thy father, unto his brethren, and unto his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David -- that thou chargest against me iniquity concerning the woman to-day?
9 thus doth God to Abner, and thus He doth add to him, surely as Jehovah hath sworn to David -- surely so I do to him:
10 to cause the kingdom to pass over from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel, and over Judah, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba.'
11 And he is not able any more to turn back Abner a word, because of his fearing him.
12 And Abner sendeth messengers unto David for himself, saying, `Whose is the land?' saying, `Make thy covenant with me, and lo, my hand is with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.'
13 And he saith, `Good -- I make with thee a covenant; only, one thing I am asking of thee, that is, Thou dost not see my face, except thou dost first bring in Michal, daughter of Saul in thy coming into see my face.'
14 And David sendeth messengers unto Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, saying, `Give up my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'
15 And Ish-Bosheth sendeth, and taketh her from a man, from Phaltiel son of Laish,
16 and her husband goeth with her, going on and weeping behind her, unto Bahurim, and Abner saith unto him, `Go, turn back;' and he turneth back.
17 And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, `Heretofore ye have been seeking David for king over you,
18 and now, do it, for Jehovah hath spoken of David saying, By the hand of David my servant -- to save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'
19 And Abner speaketh also in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner goeth also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that is good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin,
20 and Abner cometh in unto David, to Hebron, and with him twenty men, and David maketh for Abner, and for the men who are with him, a banquet.
21 And Abner saith unto David, `I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth;' and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.
22 And lo, the servants of David, and Joab, have come from the troop, and much spoil have brought with them, and Abner is not with David in Hebron, for he hath sent him away, and he goeth in peace;
23 and Joab and all the host that is with him have come, and they declare to Joab, saying, `Abner son of Ner hath come unto the king, and he sendeth him away, and he goeth in peace.'
24 And Joab cometh unto the king, and saith, `What hast thou done? lo, Abner hath come unto thee! why is this -- thou hast sent him away, and he is really gone?
25 Thou hast known Abner son of Ner, that to deceive thee he came, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou art doing.'
26 And Joab goeth out from David, and sendeth messengers after Abner, and they bring him back from the well of Sirah, and David knew not.
27 And Abner turneth back to Hebron, and Joab turneth him aside unto the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smiteth him there in the fifth rib -- and he dieth -- for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And David heareth afterwards and saith, `Acquitted am I, and my kingdom, by Jehovah, unto the age, from the blood of Abner son of Ner;
29 it doth stay on the head of Joab, and on all the house of his father, and there is not cut off from the house of Joab one having an issue, and leprous, and laying hold on a staff, and falling by a sword, and lacking bread.'
30 And Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because that he put to death Asahel their brother, in Gibeon, in battle.
31 And David saith unto Joab, and unto all the people who are with him, `Rend your garments, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner;' and king David is going after the bier.
32 And they bury Abner in Hebron, and the king lifteth up his voice, and weepeth at the grave of Abner, and all the people weep;
33 and the king lamenteth for Abner, and saith: -- `As the death of a fool doth Abner die?
34 Thy hands not bound, And thy feet to fetters not brought nigh! As one falling before sons of evil -- Thou hast fallen!' and all the people add to weep over him.
35 And all the people come to cause David to eat bread while yet day, and David sweareth, saying, `Thus doth God to me, and thus He doth add, for -- before the going in of the sun, I taste no bread or any other thing.'
36 And all the people have discerned it, and it is good in their eyes, as all that the king hath done is good in the eyes of all the people;
37 and all the people know, even all Israel, in that day, that it hath not been from the king -- to put to death Abner son of Ner.
38 And the king saith unto his servants, `Do ye not know that a prince and a great one hath fallen this day in Israel?
39 and I to-day am tender, and an anointed king: and these men, sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me; Jehovah doth recompense to the doer of the evil according to his evil.'
Chapter 4
1 And the son of Saul heareth that Abner is dead in Hebron, and his hands are feeble, and all Israel have been troubled.
2 And two men, heads of troops, have been to the son of Saul, the name of the one is Baanah, and the name of the second Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin, for also Beeroth is reckoned to Benjamin,
3 and the Beerothites flee to Gittaim, and are there sojourners unto this day.
4 And to Jonathan son of Saul is a son -- lame; he was a son of five years at the coming in of the rumour of the death of Saul and Jonathan, out of Jezreel, and his nurse lifteth him up, and fleeth, and it cometh to pass in her hasting to flee, that he falleth, and becometh lame, and his name is Mephibosheth.
5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, go, and come in at the heat of the day unto the house of Ish-Bosheth, and he is lying down -- the lying down of noon;
6 and thither they have come, unto the midst of the house, taking wheat, and they smite him unto the fifth rib, and Rechab and Baanah his brother have escaped;
7 yea, they come in to the house, and he is lying on his bed, in the inner part of his bed-chamber, and they smite him, and put him to death, and turn aside his head, and they take his head, and go the way of the plain all the night,
8 and bring in the head of Ish-Bosheth unto David in Hebron, and say unto the king, `Lo, the head of Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life; and Jehovah doth give to my lord the king vengeance this day, of Saul and of his seed.'
9 And David answereth Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and saith to them, `Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
10 when one is declaring to me, saying, Lo, Saul is dead, and he was as a bearer of tidings in his own eyes, then I take hold on him, and slay him in Ziklag, instead of my giving to him for the tidings.
11 Also -- when wicked men have slain the righteous man in his own house, on his bed; and now, do not I require his blood of your hand, and have taken you away from the earth?'
12 And David commandeth the young men, and they slay them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hang them over the pool in Hebron, and the head of Ish-Bosheth they have taken, and bury it in the burying-place of Abner in Hebron.
Chapter 5
1 And all the tribes of Israel come unto David, to Hebron, and speak, saying, `Lo, we are thy bone and thy flesh;
2 also heretofore, in Saul's being king over us, thou hast been he who is bringing out and bringing in Israel, and Jehovah saith to thee, Thou dost feed My people Israel, and thou art for leader over Israel.'
3 And all the elders of Israel come unto the king, to Hebron, and king David maketh with them a covenant in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anoint David for king over Israel.
4 A son of thirty years is David in his being king; forty years he hath reigned;
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.
6 And the king goeth, and his men, to Jerusalem, unto the Jebusite, the inhabitant of the land, and they speak to David, saying, `Thou dost not come in hither, except thou turn aside the blind and the lame;' saying, `David doth not come in hither.'
7 And David captureth the fortress of Zion, it is the city of David.
8 And David saith on that day, `Any one smiting the Jebusite, (let him go up by the watercourse), and the lame and the blind -- the hated of David's soul,' -- because the blind and lame say, `He doth not come into the house.'
9 And David dwelleth in the fortress, and calleth it -- City of David, and David buildeth round about, from Millo and inward,
10 and David goeth, going on and becoming great, and Jehovah, God of Hosts, is with him.
11 And Hiram king of Tyre sendeth messengers unto David, and cedar-trees, and artificers of wood, and artificers of stone, for walls, and they build a house for David,
12 and David knoweth that Jehovah hath established him for king over Israel, and that He hath lifted up his kingdom, because of His people Israel.
13 And David taketh again concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after his coming from Hebron, and there are born again to David sons and daughters.
14 And these are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
15 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
16 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
17 And the Philistines hear that they have anointed David for king over Israel, and all the Philistines come up to seek David, and David heareth, and goeth down unto the fortress,
18 and the Philistines have come, and are spread out in the valley of Rephaim.
19 And David asketh of Jehovah, saying, `Do I go up unto the Philistines? dost Thou give them into my hand?' And Jehovah saith unto David, `Go up, for I certainly give the Philistines into thy hand.'
20 And David cometh in to Baal-Perazim, and David smiteth them there, and saith, `Jehovah hath broken forth on mine enemies before me, as the breaking forth of waters;' therefore he hath called the name of that place Baal-Perazim.
21 And they forsake there their idols, and David and his men lift them up.
22 And the Philistines add again to come up, and are spread out in the valley of Rephaim,
23 and David asketh of Jehovah, and He saith, `Thou dost not go up, turn round unto their rear, and thou hast come to them over-against the mulberries,
24 and it cometh to pass, in thy hearing the sound of a stepping in the tops of the mulberries, then thou dost move sharply, for then hath Jehovah gone out before thee to smite in the camp of the Philistines.'
25 And David doth so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smiteth the Philistines from Geba unto thy coming to Gazer.
Chapter 6
1 And David gathered again every chosen one in Israel, thirty thousand,
2 and David riseth and goeth, and all the people who are with him, from Baale-Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God, whose name hath been called -- the name of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs -- upon it.
3 And they cause the ark of God to ride on a new cart, and lift it up from the house of Abinadab, which is in the height, and Uzzah and Ahio sons of Abinadab are leading the new cart;
4 and they lift it up from the house of Abinadab, which is in the height, with the ark of God, and Ahio is going before the ark,
5 and David and all the house of Israel are playing before Jehovah, with all kinds of instruments of fir-wood, even with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cornets, and with cymbals.
6 And they come unto the threshing-floor of Nachon, and Uzzah putteth forth his hand unto the ark of God, and layeth hold on it, for they released the oxen;
7 and the anger of Jehovah burneth against Uzzah, and God smiteth him there for the error, and he dieth there by the ark of God.
8 And it is displeasing to David, because that Jehovah hath broken forth a breach upon Uzzah, and one calleth that place Perez-Uzzah, unto this day;
9 and David feareth Jehovah on that day, and saith, `How doth the ark of Jehovah come in unto me?'
10 And David hath not been willing to turn aside unto himself the ark of Jehovah, to the city of David, and David turneth it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite,
11 and the ark of Jehovah doth inhabit the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months, and Jehovah blesseth Obed-Edom and all his house.
12 And it is declared to king David, saying, `Jehovah hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he hath, because of the ark of God;' and David goeth and bringeth up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with joy.
13 And it cometh to pass, when those bearing the ark of Jehovah have stepped six steps, that he sacrificeth an ox and a fatling.
14 And David is dancing with all strength before Jehovah, and David is girded with a linen ephod,
15 and David and all the house of Israel are bringing up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the voice of a trumpet,
16 and it hath come to pass, the ark of Jehovah hath come in to the city of David, and Michal daughter of Saul, hath looked through the window, and seeth king David moving and dancing before Jehovah, and despiseth him in her heart.
17 And they bring in the ark of Jehovah, and set it up in its place, in the midst of the tent which David hath spread out for it, and David causeth to ascend burnt-offerings before Jehovah, and peace-offerings.
18 And David finisheth from causing to ascend the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings, and blesseth the people in the name of Jehovah of Hosts,
19 and he apportioneth to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man even unto woman, to each, one cake of bread, and one eshpar, and one ashisha, and all the people go, each to his house.
20 And David turneth back to bless his house, and Michal daughter of Saul goeth out to meet David, and saith, `How honourable to-day was the king of Israel, who was uncovered to-day before the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain ones is openly uncovered!'
21 And David saith unto Michal, `-- Before Jehovah, who fixed on me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me leader over the people of Jehovah, and over Israel, -- yea, I played before Jehovah;
22 and I have been more vile than this, and have been low in mine eyes, and with the handmaids whom thou hast spoken of, with them I am honoured.'
23 As to Michal daughter of Saul, she had no child till the day of her death.
Chapter 7
1 And it cometh to pass, when the king sat in his house, and Jehovah hath given rest to him round about, from all his enemies,
2 that the king saith unto Nathan the prophet, `See, I pray thee, I am dwelling in a house of cedars, and the ark of God is dwelling in the midst of the curtain.'
3 And Nathan saith unto the king, `All that is in thine heart -- go, do, for Jehovah is with thee.'
4 And it cometh to pass in that night, that the word of Jehovah is unto Nathan, saying,
5 `Go, and thou hast said unto My servant, unto David, Thus said Jehovah, Dost thou build for Me a house for My dwelling in?
6 for I have not dwelt in a house even from the day of My bringing up the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even unto this day, and am walking up and down in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 During all the time that I have walked up and down among all the sons of Israel, a word have I spoken with one of the tribes of Israel which I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, `Why have ye not built to Me a house of cedars?
8 and now, thus dost thou say to My servant, to David: `Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have taken thee from the comely place, from after the flock, to be leader over My people, over Israel;
9 and I am with thee whithersoever thou hast gone, and I cut off all thine enemies from thy presence, and have made for thee a great name, as the name of the great ones who are in the earth,
10 and I have appointed a place for My people, for Israel, and have planted it, and it hath tabernacled in its place, and it is not troubled any more, and the sons of perverseness do not add to afflict it any more, as in the beginning,
11 even from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and I have given rest to thee from all thine enemies, and Jehovah hath declared to thee that Jehovah doth make for thee a house.
12 `When thy days are full, and thou hast lain with thy fathers, then I have raised up thy seed after thee which goeth out from thy bowels, and have established his kingdom;
13 He doth build a house for My Name, and I have established the throne of his kingdom unto the age.
14 I am to him for a father, and he is to Me for a son; whom in his dealings perversely I have even reproved with a rod of men, and with strokes of the sons of Adam,
15 and My kindness doth not turn aside from him, as I turned it aside from Saul, whom I turned aside from before thee,
16 and stedfast is thy house and thy kingdom unto the age before thee, thy throne is established unto the age.'
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so spake Nathan unto David.
18 And king David cometh in and sitteth before Jehovah, and saith, `Who am I, Lord Jehovah? and what my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?
19 And yet this is little in Thine eyes, Lord Jehovah, and Thou dost speak also concerning the house of Thy servant afar off; and this is the law of the Man, Lord Jehovah.
20 And what doth David add more to speak unto Thee? and Thou, Thou hast known Thy servant, Lord Jehovah.
21 Because of Thy word, and according to Thy heart, Thou hast done all this greatness, to cause Thy servant to know it.
22 Therefore Thou hast been great, Jehovah God, for there is none like Thee, and there is no God save Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 `And who is as Thy people, as Israel -- one nation in the earth, whom God hath gone to redeem to Him for a people, and to make for Him a name -- and to do for you the greatness -- even fearful things for Thy land, at the presence of Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed to Thee out of Egypt -- among the nations and their gods?
24 Yea, Thou dost establish to Thee Thy people Israel, to Thee for a people unto the age, and Thou, Jehovah, hast been to them for God.
25 `And now, Jehovah God, the word which Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant, and concerning his house, establish unto the age, and do as Thou hast spoken;
26 And Thy Name is great unto the age, saying, Jehovah of Hosts is God over Israel, and the house of Thy servant David is established before Thee,
27 For Thou, Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Thou hast uncovered the ear of Thy servant, saying, A house I build for thee, therefore hath Thy servant found his heart to pray unto Thee this prayer;
28 And now, Lord Jehovah, Thou art God Himself, and Thy words are truth, and Thou speakest unto Thy servant this goodness,
29 And now, begin and bless the house of Thy servant, to be unto the age before Thee, for Thou, Lord Jehovah, hast spoken, and by Thy blessing is the house of Thy servant blessed -- to the age.'
Chapter 8
1 And it cometh to pass afterwards that David smiteth the Philistines, and humbleth them, and David taketh the bridle of the metropolis out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he smiteth Moab, and measureth them with a line, causing them to lie down on the earth, and he measureth two lines to put to death, and the fulness of the line to keep alive, and the Moabites are to David for servants, bearers of a present.
3 And David smiteth Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, in his going to bring back his power by the River Euphrates;
4 and David captureth from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen, and David destroyeth utterly the whole of the charioteers, only he leaveth of them a hundred charioteers.
5 And Aram of Damascus cometh to give help to Hadadezer king of Zobah, and David smiteth of Aram twenty and two thousand men;
6 and David putteth garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and Aram is to David for a servant, bearing a present; and Jehovah saveth David whithersoever he hath gone;
7 and David taketh the shields of gold which were on the servants of Hadadezer, and bringeth them to Jerusalem;
8 and from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, hath king David taken very much brass.
9 And Toi king of Hamath heareth that David hath smitten all the force of Hadadezer,
10 and Toi sendeth Joram his son unto king David to ask of him of welfare, and to bless him, (because that he hath fought against Hadadezer, and smiteth him, for a man of wars with Toi had Hadadezer been), and in his hand have been vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass,
11 also them did king David sanctify to Jehovah, with the silver and the gold which he sanctified of all the nations which he subdued:
12 of Aram, and of Moab, and of the Bene-Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob king of Zobah.
13 And David maketh a name in his turning back from his smiting Aram in the valley of Salt -- eighteen thousand;
14 and he putteth in Edom garrisons -- in all Edom he hath put garrisons, and all Edom are servants to David; and Jehovah saveth David whithersoever he hath gone.
15 And David reigneth over all Israel, and David is doing judgment and righteousness to all his people,
16 and Joab son of Zeruiah is over the host, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud is remembrancer,
17 and Zadok son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, are priests, and Seraiah is scribe,
18 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada is over both the Cherethite and the Pelethite, and the sons of David have been ministers.
Chapter 9
1 And David saith, `Is there yet any left to the house of Saul, and I do with him kindness because of Jonathan?'
2 And the house of Saul hath a servant, and his name is Ziba, and they call for him unto David; and the king saith unto him, `Art thou Ziba?' and he saith, `Thy servant.'
3 And the king saith, `Is there not yet a man to the house of Saul, and I do with him the kindness of God?' And Ziba saith unto the king, `Jonathan hath yet a son -- lame.'
4 And the king saith to him, `Where is he?' and Ziba saith unto the king, `Lo, he is in the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, in Lo-Debar.'
5 And king David sendeth, and taketh him out of the house of Machir son of Ammiel, of Lo-Debar,
6 and Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, cometh unto David, and falleth on his face, and doth obeisance, and David saith, `Mephibosheth;' and he saith, `Lo, thy servant.'
7 And David saith to him, `Be not afraid; for I certainly do with thee kindness because of Jonathan thy father, and have given back to thee all the field of Saul thy father, and thou dost eat bread at my table continually.'
8 And he boweth himself, and saith, `What is thy servant, that thou hast turned unto the dead dog -- such as I?'
9 And the king calleth unto Ziba servant of Saul, and saith unto him, `All that was to Saul and to all his house, I have given to the son of thy lord,
10 and thou hast served for him the land, thou and thy sons, and thy servants, and hast brought in, and there hath been to the son of thy lord bread, and he hath eaten it; and Mephibosheth son of thy lord doth eat continually bread at my table;' and Ziba hath fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 And Ziba saith unto the king, `According to all that my lord the king commandeth his servant, so doth thy servant;' as to Mephibosheth, `he is eating at my table (saith the king) as one of the sons of the king.'
12 And Mephibosheth hath a young son, and his name is Micha, and every one dwelling in the house of Ziba are servants to Mephibosheth.
13 And Mephibosheth is dwelling in Jerusalem, for at the table of the king he is eating continually, and he is lame of his two feet.
Chapter 10
1 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that the king of the Bene-Ammon dieth, and Hanun his son reigneth in his stead,
2 and David saith, `I do kindness with Hanun son of Nahash, as his father did with me kindness;' and David sendeth to comfort him by the hand of his servants concerning his father, and the servants of David come in to the land of the Bene-Ammon.
3 And the heads of the Bene-Ammon say unto Hanun their lord, `Is David honouring thy father in thine eyes because he hath sent to thee comforters? for to search the city, and to spy it, and to overthrow it, hath not David sent his servants unto thee?'
4 And Hanun taketh the servants of David, and shaveth off the half of their beard, and cutteth off their long robes in the midst -- unto their buttocks, and sendeth them away;
5 and they declare it to David, and he sendeth to meet them, for the men have been greatly ashamed, and the king saith, `Abide in Jericho till your beard doth spring up -- then ye have returned.'
6 And the Bene-Ammon see that they have been abhorred by David, and the Bene-Ammon send and hire Aram of Beth-Rehob, and Aram of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and Ish-Tob with twelve thousand men;
7 and David heareth, and sendeth Joab, and all the host -- the mighty men.
8 And the Bene-Ammon come out, and set battle in array, at the opening of the gate, and Aram of Zoba, and Rehob, and Ish-Tob, and Maacah, are by themselves in the field;
9 and Joab seeth that the front of the battle hath been unto him before and behind, and he chooseth of all the chosen in Israel, and setteth in array to meet Aram,
10 and the rest of the people he hath given into the hand of Abishai his brother, and setteth in array to meet the Bene-Ammon.
11 And he saith, `If Aram be stronger than I, then thou hast been to me for salvation, and if the Bene-Ammon be stronger than thou, then I have come to give salvation to thee;
12 be strong and strengthen thyself for our people, and for the cities of our God, and Jehovah doth that which is good in His eyes.'
13 And Joab draweth nigh, and the people who are with him, to battle against Aram, and they flee from his presence;
14 and the Bene-Ammon have seen that Aram hath fled, and they flee from the presence of Abishai, and go in to the city; and Joab turneth back from the Bene-Ammon, and cometh in to Jerusalem.
15 And Aram seeth that it is smitten before Israel, and they are gathered together;
16 and Hadadezer sendeth, and bringeth out Aram which is beyond the River, and they come in to Helam, and Shobach head of the host of Hadadezer is before them.
17 And it is declared to David, and he gathereth all Israel, and passeth over the Jordan, and cometh in to Helam, and Aram setteth itself in array to meet David, and they fight with him;
18 and Aram fleeth from the presence of Israel, and David slayeth of Aram seven hundred charioteers, and forty thousand horsemen, and Shobach head of its host he hath smitten, and he dieth there.
19 And all the kings -- servants of Hadadezer -- see that they have been smitten before Israel, and make peace with Israel, and serve them; and Aram is afraid to help any more the Bene-Ammon.
Chapter 11
1 And it cometh to pass, at the revolution of the year -- at the time of the going out of the messengers -- that David sendeth Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they destroy the Bene-Ammon, and lay siege against Rabbah. And David is dwelling in Jerusalem,
2 and it cometh to pass, at evening-time, that David riseth from off his couch, and walketh up and down on the roof of the king's house, and seeth from the roof a woman bathing, and the woman is of very good appearance,
3 and David sendeth and inquireth about the woman, and saith, `Is not this Bath-Sheba, daughter of Eliam, wife of Uriah the Hittite?'
4 And David sendeth messengers, and taketh her, and she cometh unto him, and he lieth with her -- and she is purifying herself from her uncleanness -- and she turneth back unto her house;
5 and the woman conceiveth, and sendeth, and declareth to David, and saith, `I am conceiving.'
6 And David sendeth unto Joab, `Send unto me Uriah the Hittite,' and Joab sendeth Uriah unto David;
7 and Uriah cometh unto him, and David asketh of the prosperity of Joab, and of the prosperity of the people, and of the prosperity of the war.
8 And David saith to Uriah, `Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet;' and Uriah goeth out of the king's house, and there goeth out after him a gift from the king,
9 and Uriah lieth down at the opening of the king's house, with all the servants of his lord, and hath not gone down unto his house.
10 And they declare to David, saying, `Uriah hath not gone down unto his house;' and David saith unto Uriah, `Hast thou not come from a journey? wherefore hast thou not gone down unto thy house?'
11 And Uriah saith unto David, `The ark, and Israel, and Judah, are abiding in booths, and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, on the face of the field are encamping; and I -- I go in unto my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife! -- thy life, and the life of thy soul -- if I do this thing.'
12 And David saith unto Uriah, `Abide in this place also to-day, and to-morrow I send thee away;' and Uriah abideth in Jerusalem, on that day, and on the morrow,
13 and David calleth for him, and he eateth before him, and drinketh, and he causeth him to drink, and he goeth out in the evening to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, and unto his house he hath not gone down.
14 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that David writeth a letter unto Joab, and sendeth by the hand of Uriah;
15 and he writeth in the letter, saying, `Place ye Uriah over-against the front of the severest battle, and ye have turned back from after him, and he hath been smitten, and hath died.'
16 And it cometh to pass in Joab's watching of the city, that he appointeth Uriah unto the place where he knew that valiant men are;
17 and the men of the city go out and fight with Joab, and there fall some of the people, of the servants of David; and there dieth also Uriah the Hittite.
18 And Joab sendeth and declareth to David all the matters of the war,
19 and commandeth the messenger, saying, `At thy finishing all the matters of the war to speak unto the king,
20 then, it hath been, if the king's fury ascend, and he hath said to thee, Wherefore did ye draw nigh unto the city to fight? did ye not know that they shoot from off the wall?
21 Who smote Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast on him a piece of a rider from the wall, and he dieth in Thebez? why drew ye nigh unto the wall? that thou hast said, Also thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.'
22 And the messenger goeth, and cometh in, and declareth to David all that with which Joab sent him,
23 and the messenger saith unto David, `Surely the men have been mighty against us, and come out unto us into the field, and we are upon them unto the opening of the gate,
24 and those shooting shoot at thy servants from off the wall, and some of the servants of the king are dead, and also, thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.
25 And David saith unto the messenger, `Thus dost thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing be evil in thine eyes; for thus and thus doth the sword devour; strengthen thy warfare against the city, and throw it down -- and strengthen thou him.'
26 And the wife of Uriah heareth that Uriah her husband is dead, and lamenteth for her lord;
27 and the mourning passeth by, and David sendeth and gathereth her unto his house, and she is to him for a wife, and beareth to him a son; and the thing which David hath done is evil in the eyes of Jehovah.
Chapter 12
1 And Jehovah sendeth Nathan unto David, and he cometh unto him, and saith to him: `Two men have been in one city; One rich and one poor;
2 The rich hath flocks and herds very many;
3 And the poor one hath nothing, Except one little ewe-lamb, Which he hath bought, and keepeth alive, And it groweth up with him, And with his sons together; Of his morsel it eateth, And from his cup it drinketh, And in his bosom it lieth, And it is to him as a daughter;
4 And there cometh a traveller to the rich man, And he spareth to take Of his own flock, and of his own herd, To prepare for the traveller Who hath come to him, And he taketh the ewe-lamb of the poor man, And prepareth it for the man Who hath come unto him.'
5 And the anger of David burneth against the man exceedingly, and he saith unto Nathan, `Jehovah liveth, surely a son of death is the man who is doing this,
6 and the ewe-lamb he doth repay fourfold, because that he hath done this thing, and because that he had no pity.'
7 And Nathan saith unto David, `Thou art the man! Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I anointed thee for king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 and I give to thee the house of thy lord, and the wives of thy lord, into thy bosom, and I give to thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if little, then I add to thee such and such things.
9 `Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do the evil thing in His eyes? Uriah the Hittite thou hast smitten by the sword, and his wife thou hast taken to thee for a wife, and him thou hast slain by the sword of the Bene-Ammon.
10 `And now, the sword doth not turn aside from thy house unto the age, because thou hast despised Me, and dost take the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be to thee for a wife;
11 thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am raising up against thee evil, out of thy house, and have taken thy wives before thine eyes, and given to thy neighbour, and he hath lain with thy wives before the eyes of this sun;
12 for thou hast done it in secret, and I do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'
13 And David saith unto Nathan, `I have sinned against Jehovah.' And Nathan saith unto David, `Also -- Jehovah hath caused thy sin to pass away; thou dost not die;
14 only, because thou hast caused the enemies of Jehovah greatly to despise by this thing, also the son who is born to thee doth surely die.'
15 And Nathan goeth unto his house, and Jehovah smiteth the lad, whom the wife of Uriah hath born to David, and it is incurable;
16 and David seeketh God for the youth, and David keepeth a fast, and hath gone in and lodged, and lain on the earth.
17 And the elders of his house rise against him, to raise him up from the earth, and he hath not been willing, nor hath he eaten with them bread;
18 and it cometh to pass on the seventh day, that the lad dieth, and the servants of David fear to declare to him that the lad is dead, for they said, `Lo, in the lad being alive we spake unto him, and he did not hearken to our voice; and how do we say unto him, The lad is dead? -- then he hath done evil.'
19 And David seeth that his servants are whispering, and David understandeth that the lad is dead, and David saith unto his servants, `Is the lad dead?' and they say, `Dead.'
20 And David riseth from the earth, and doth bathe and anoint himself, and changeth his raiment, and cometh in to the house of Jehovah, and boweth himself, and cometh unto his house, and asketh and they place for him bread, and he eateth.
21 And his servants say unto him, `What is this thing thou hast done? because of the living lad thou hast fasted and dost weep, and when the lad is dead thou hast risen and dost eat bread.'
22 And he saith, `While the lad is alive I have fasted, and weep, for I said, Who knoweth? -- Jehovah doth pity me, and the lad hath lived;
23 and now, he hath died, why is this -- I fast? am I able to bring him back again? I am going unto him, and he doth not turn back unto me.'
24 And David comforteth Bath-Sheba his wife, and goeth in unto her, and lieth with her, and she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Solomon; and Jehovah hath loved him,
25 and sendeth by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and calleth his name Jedidiah, because of Jehovah.
26 And Joab fighteth against Rabbah of the Bene-Ammon, and captureth the royal city,
27 and Joab sendeth messengers unto David, and saith, `I have fought against Rabbah -- also I have captured the city of waters;
28 and now, gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and capture it, lest I capture the city, and my name hath been called upon it.'
29 And David gathereth all the people, and goeth to Rabbah, and fighteth against it, and captureth it;
30 and he taketh the crown of their king from off his head, and its weight is a talent of gold, and precious stones, and it is on the head of David; and the spoil of the city he hath brought out, very much;
31 and the people who are in it he hath brought out, and setteth to the saw, and to cutting instruments of iron, and to axes of iron, and hath caused them to pass over into the brick-kiln; and so he doth to all the cities of the Bene-Ammon; and David turneth back, and all the people, to Jerusalem.
Chapter 13
1 And it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name is Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her.
2 And Amnon hath distress -- even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she is a virgin, and it is hard in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.
3 And Amnon hath a friend, and his name is Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab is a very wise man,
4 and saith to him, `Wherefore art thou thus lean, O king's son, morning by morning? dost thou not declare to me?' And Amnon saith to him, `Tamar -- sister of Absalom my brother -- I am loving.'
5 And Jonadab saith to him, `Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see it, and have eaten from her hand.'
6 And Amnon lieth down, and feigneth himself sick, and the king cometh in to see him, and Amnon saith unto the king, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come, and she maketh before mine eyes two cakes, and I eat from her hand.'
7 And David sendeth unto Tamar, to the house, saying, `Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and make for him food.'
8 And Tamar goeth to the house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh the cakes,
9 and taketh the frying-pan, and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, `Take ye out every one from me;' and they go out every one from him.
10 And Amnon saith unto Tamar, `Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;' and Tamar taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into the inner chamber,
11 and she bringeth nigh unto him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith to her, `Come, lie with me, my sister.'
12 And she saith to him, `Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly.
13 And I -- whither do I cause my reproach to go? and thou -- thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now, speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.'
14 And he hath not been willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her, and lieth with her.
15 And Amnon hateth her -- a very great hatred -- that greater is the hatred with which he hath hated her than the love with which he loved her, and Amnon saith to her, `Rise, go.'
16 And she saith to him, `Because of the circumstances this evil is greater than the other that thou hast done with me -- to send me away;' and he hath not been willing to hearken to her,
17 and calleth his young man, his servant, and saith, `Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, and bolt the door after her;'
18 -- and upon her is a long coat, for such upper robes do daughters of the king who are virgins put on, -- and his servant taketh her out without, and hath bolted the door after her.
19 And Tamar taketh ashes for her head, and the long coat that is on her she hath rent, and putteth her hand on her head, and goeth, going on and crying;
20 and Absalom her brother saith unto her, `Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, keep silent, he is thy brother; set not thy heart to this thing;' and Tamar dwelleth -- but desolate -- in the house of Absalom her brother.
21 And king David hath heard all these things, and it is very displeasing to him;
22 and Absalom hath not spoken with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he humbled Tamar his sister.
23 And it cometh to pass, after two years of days, that Absalom hath shearers in Baal-Hazor, which is with Ephraim, and Absalom calleth for all the sons of the king.
24 And Absalom cometh unto the king, and saith, `Lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath shearers, let the king go, I pray thee, and his servants, with thy servant.'
25 And the king saith unto Absalom, `Nay, my son, let us not all go, I pray thee, and we are not too heavy on thee;' and he presseth on him, and he hath not been willing to go, and he blesseth him.
26 And Absalom saith, `If not -- let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us;' and the king saith to him, `Why doth he go with thee?'
27 and Absalom urgeth on him, and he sendeth with him Amnon, and all the sons of the king.
28 And Absalom commandeth his young men, saying, `See, I pray thee, when the heart of Amnon is glad with wine, and I have said unto you, Smite Amnon, that ye have put him to death; fear not; is it not because I have commanded you? be strong, yea, become sons of valour.'
29 And the young men of Absalom do to Amnon as Absalom commanded, and rise do all the sons of the king, and they ride, each on his mule, and flee.
30 And it cometh to pass -- they are in the way -- and the report hath come unto David, saying, `Absalom hath smitten all the sons of the king, and there is not left of them one;'
31 and the king riseth, and rendeth his garments, and lieth on the earth, and all his servants are standing by with rent garments.
32 And Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, answereth and saith, `Let not my lord say, The whole of the young men, the sons of the king, they have put to death; for Amnon alone is dead, for by the command of Absalom it hath been appointed from the day of his humbling Tamar his sister;
33 and now, let not my lord the king lay unto his heart the word, saying, All the sons of the king have died, for Amnon alone is dead.'
34 And Absalom fleeth, and the young man who is watching lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, much people are coming by the way behind him, on the side of the hill.
35 And Jonadab saith unto the king, `Lo, the sons of the king have come; as the word of thy servant, so it hath been.'
36 And it cometh to pass at his finishing to speak, that lo, the sons of the king have come, and they lift up their voice, and weep, and also the king and all his servants have wept -- a very great weeping.
37 And Absalom hath fled, and goeth unto Talmai, son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, and David mourneth for his son all the days.
38 And Absalom hath fled, and goeth to Geshur, and is there three years;
39 and the soul of king David determineth to go out unto Absalom, for he hath been comforted for Amnon, for he is dead.
Chapter 14
1 And Joab son of Zeruial knoweth that the heart of the king is on Absalom,
2 and Joab sendeth to Tekoah, and taketh thence a wise woman, and saith unto her, `Feign thyself a mourner, I pray thee, and put on, I pray thee, garments of mourning, and anoint not thyself with oil, and thou hast been as a woman these many days mourning for the dead,
3 and thou hast gone unto the king, and spoken unto him, according to this word;' and Joab putteth the words into her mouth.
4 And the woman of Tekoah speaketh unto the king, and falleth on her face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and saith, `Save, O king.'
5 And the king saith to her, `What -- to thee?' and she saith, `Truly a widow woman am I, and my husband dieth,
6 and thy maid-servant hath two sons; and they strive both of them in a field, and there is no deliverer between them, and the one smiteth the other, and putteth him to death;
7 and lo, the whole family hath risen against thy maid-servant, and say, Give up him who smiteth his brother, and we put him to death for the life of his brother whom he hath slain, and we destroy also the heir; and they have quenched my coal which is left -- so as not to set to my husband a name and remnant on the face of the ground.'
8 And the king saith unto the woman, `Go to thine house, and I give charge concerning thee.'
9 And the woman of Tekoah saith unto the king, `On me, my lord, O king, is the iniquity, and on the house of my father; and the king and his throne are innocent.'
10 And the king saith, `He who speaketh aught unto thee, and thou hast brought him unto me, then he doth not add any more to come against thee.'
11 And she saith, `Let, I pray thee, the king remember by Jehovah thy God, that the redeemer of blood add not to destroy, and they destroy not my son;' and he saith, `Jehovah liveth; if there doth fall of the hair of thy son to the earth.'
12 And the woman saith, `Let, I pray thee, thy maid-servant speak unto my lord the king a word;' and he saith, `Speak.'
13 And the woman saith, `And why hast thou thought thus concerning the people of God? yea, the king is speaking this thing as a guilty one, in that the king hath not brought back his outcast;
14 for we do surely die, and are as water which is running down to the earth, which is not gathered, and God doth not accept a person, and hath devised devices in that the outcast is not outcast by Him.
15 `And now that I have come to speak unto the king my lord this word, it is because the people made me afraid, and thy maid-servant saith, Let me speak, I pray thee, unto the king; it may be the king doth do the word of his handmaid,
16 for the king doth hearken to deliver his handmaid out of the paw of the man seeking to destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God,
17 and thy maid-servant saith, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for ease; for as a messenger of God so is my lord the king, to understand the good and the evil; and Jehovah thy God is with thee.'
18 And the king answereth and saith unto the woman, `Do not, I pray thee, hide from me the thing that I am asking thee;' and the woman saith, `Let, I pray thee, my lord the king speak.'
19 And the king saith, `Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this?' And the woman answereth and saith, `Thy soul liveth, my lord, O king, none doth turn to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab he commanded me, and he put in the mouth of thy maid-servant all these words;
20 in order to bring round the appearance of the thing hath thy servant Joab done this thing, and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of a messenger of God, to know all that is in the land.'
21 And the king saith unto Joab, `Lo, I pray thee, thou hast done this thing; and go, bring back the young man Absalom.'
22 And Joab falleth on his face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and blesseth the king, and Joab saith, `To-day hath thy servant known that I have found grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king, in that the king hath done the word of his servant.'
23 And Joab riseth and goeth to Geshur, and bringeth in Absalom to Jerusalem,
24 and the king saith, `Let him turn round unto his house, and my face he doth not see.' And Absalom turneth round unto his house, and the face of the king he hath not seen.
25 And like Absalom there was no man so fair in all Israel, to praise greatly; from the sole of his foot even unto his crown there was no blemish in him;
26 and in his polling his head -- and it hath been at the end of year by year that he polleth it, for it is heavy on him, and he hath polled it -- he hath even weighed out the hair of his head -- two hundred shekels by the king's weight.
27 And there are born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter, and her name is Tamar; she was a woman of a fair appearance.
28 And Absalom dwelleth in Jerusalem two years of days, and the face of the king he hath not seen;
29 and Absalom sendeth unto Joab, to send him unto the king, and he hath not been willing to come unto him; and he sendeth again a second time, and he hath not been willing to come.
30 And he saith unto his servants, `See, the portion of Joab is by the side of mine, and he hath barley there; go, and burn it with fire;' and the servants of Absalom burn the portion with fire.
31 And Joab riseth and cometh unto Absalom in the house, and saith unto him, `Why have thy servants burned the portion that I have with fire?'
32 And Absalom saith unto Joab, `Lo, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, and I send thee unto the king to say, Why have I come in from Geshur? -- good for me while I am there -- and now, let me see the king's face, and if there is in me iniquity then thou hast put me to death.'
33 And Joab cometh unto the king, and declareth it to him, and he calleth unto Absalom, and he cometh unto the king, and boweth himself to him, on his face, to the earth, before the king, and the king giveth a kiss to Absalom.
Chapter 15
1 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Absalom prepareth for himself a chariot, and horses, and fifty men are running before him;
2 and Absalom hath risen early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate, and it cometh to pass, every man who hath a pleading to come unto the king for judgment, that Absalom calleth unto him, and saith, `Of what city art thou?' and he saith, `Of one of the tribes of Israel is thy servant.'
3 And Absalom saith unto him, `See, thy matters are good and straightforward -- and there is none hearkening to thee from the king.'
4 And Absalom saith, `Who doth make me a judge in the land, that unto me doth come every man who hath a plea and judgment? -- then I have declared him righteous.'
5 And it hath come to pass, in the drawing nearing of any one to bow himself to him, that he hath put forth his hand, and laid hold on him, and given a kiss to him;
6 and Absalom doth according to this thing to all Israel who come in for judgment unto the king, and Absalom stealeth the heart of the men of Israel.
7 And it cometh to pass, at the end of forty years, that Absalom saith unto the king, `Let me go, I pray thee, and I complete my vow, that I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron,
8 for a vow hath thy servant vowed in my dwelling in Geshur, in Aram, saying, If Jehovah doth certainly bring me back to Jerusalem, then I have served Jehovah.'
9 And the king saith to him, `Go in peace;' and he riseth and goeth to Hebron,
10 and Absalom sendeth spies through all the tribes of Israel, saying, `At your hearing the voice of the trumpet, then ye have said, Absalom hath reigned in Hebron.'
11 And with Absalom have gone two hundred men, out of Jerusalem, invited ones, and they are going in their simplicity, and have not known anything;
12 and Absalom sendeth Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counsellor of David, out of his city, out of Gilo, in his sacrificing sacrifices; and the conspiracy is strong, and the people are going and increasing with Absalom.
13 And he who is declaring tidings cometh in unto David, saying, `The heart of the men of Israel hath been after Absalom.'
14 And David saith to all his servants who are with him in Jerusalem, `Rise, and we flee, for we have no escape from the face of Absalom; haste to go, lest he hasten, and have overtaken us, and forced on us evil, and smitten the city by the mouth of the sword.'
15 And the servants of the king say unto the king, `According to all that my lord the king chooseth -- lo, thy servants do.'
16 And the king goeth out, and all his household at his feet, and the king leaveth ten women -- concubines -- to keep the house.
17 And the king goeth out, and all the people at his feet, and they stand still at the farthest off house.
18 And all his servants are passing on at his side, and all the Cherethite, and all the Pelethite, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came at his feet from Gath, are passing on at the front of the king.
19 And the king saith unto Ittai the Gittite, `Why dost thou go -- thou also -- with us? turn back -- and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger, and also an exile thou -- to thy place.
20 Yesterday is thy coming in, and to-day I move thee to go with us, and I am going on that which I am going! -- turn back, and take back thy brethren with thee, -- kindness and truth.'
21 And Ittai answereth the king and saith, `Jehovah liveth, and my lord the king liveth, surely in the place where my lord the king is -- if for death, if for life, surely there is thy servant.'
22 And David saith unto Ittai, `Go and pass over;' and Ittai the Gittite passeth over, and all his men, and all the infants who are with him.
23 And all the land are weeping -- a great voice, and all the people are passing over; and the king is passing over through the brook Kidron, and all the people are passing over on the front of the way of the wilderness;
24 and lo, also Zadok, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they make the ark of God firm, and Abiathar goeth up, till the completion of all the people to pass over out of the city.
25 And the king saith to Zadok, `Take back the ark of God to the city; if I find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He hath brought me back, and shewn me it and His habitation;
26 and if thus He say, I have not delighted in thee; here am I, He doth to me as is good in His eyes.'
27 And the king saith unto Zadok the priest, `Art thou a seer? turn back to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar, your two sons with you;
28 see ye, I am tarrying in the plains of the wilderness till the coming in of a word from you to declare to me.'
29 And Zadok taketh back -- and Abiathar -- the ark of God to Jerusalem, and they abide there.
30 And David is going up in the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping, and he hath the head covered, and he is going barefooted, and all the people who are with him have covered each his head, and have gone up, going up and weeping;
31 and David declared, saying, `Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom;' and David saith, `Make foolish, I pray Thee, the counsel of Ahithophel, O Jehovah.'
32 And it cometh to pass, David hath come unto the top, where he boweth himself to God, and lo, to meet him is Hushai the Archite, his coat rent, and earth on his head;
33 and David saith to him, `If thou hast passed on with me then thou hast been on me for a burden,
34 and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I am also hitherto, and now, I am also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;
35 and are there not with thee there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it hath been, the whole of the matter that thou hearest from the house of the king thou dost declare to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests.
36 Lo, there with them are their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar, and ye have sent by their hand unto me anything that ye hear.'
37 And Hushai, David's friend, cometh in to the city, and Absalom cometh in to Jerusalem.
Chapter 16
1 And David hath passed on a little from the top, and lo, Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth -- to meet him, and a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer-fruit, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king saith unto Ziba, `What -- these to thee?' and Ziba saith, `The asses for the household of the king to ride on, and the bread and the summer-fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.'
3 And the king saith, `And where is the son of thy lord?' and Ziba saith unto the king, `Lo, he is abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day do the house of Israel give back to me the kingdom of my father.'
4 And the king saith to Ziba, `Lo, thine are all that Mephibosheth hath;' and Ziba saith, `I have bowed myself -- I find grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king.'
5 And king David hath come in unto Bahurim, and lo, thence a man is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name is Shimei, son of Gera, he cometh out, coming out and reviling;
6 and he stoneth David with stones, and all the servants of king David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his left.
7 And thus said Shimei in his reviling, `Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness!
8 Jehovah hath turned back on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Jehovah doth give the kingdom in to the hand of Absalom thy son; and lo, thou art in thine evil, for a man of blood thou art.'
9 And Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, `Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.'
10 And the king saith, `What -- to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for -- let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'
11 And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, `Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said so to him;
12 it may be Jehovah doth look on mine affliction, and Jehovah hath turned back to me good for his reviling this day.'
13 And David goeth with his men in the way, and Shimei is going at the side of the hill over-against him, going on, and he revileth, and stoneth with stones over-against him, and hath dusted with dust.
14 And the king cometh in, and all the people who are with him, wearied, and they are refreshed there.
15 And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him,
16 and it cometh to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, hath come unto Absalom, that Hushai saith unto Absalom, `Let the king live! let the king live!'
17 And Absalom saith unto Hushai, `This thy kindness with thy friend! why hast thou not gone with thy friend?'
18 And Hushai saith unto Absalom, `Nay, for he whom Jehovah hath chosen, and this people, even all the men of Israel, his I am, and with him I abide;
19 and secondly, for whom do I labour? is it not before his son? as I served before thy father so am I before thee.'
20 And Absalom saith unto Ahithophel, `Give for you counsel what we do.'
21 And Ahithophel saith unto Absalom, `Go in unto the concubines of thy father, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel hath heard that thou hast been abhorred by thy father, and the hands of all who are with thee have been strong.'
22 And they spread out for Absalom the tent on the roof, and Absalom goeth in unto the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.
23 And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days is as when one inquireth at the word of God; so is all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.
Chapter 17
1 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, `Let me choose, I pray thee, twelve thousand men, and I arise and pursue after David to-night,
2 and come upon him, and he weary and feeble-handed, and I have caused him to tremble, and all the people have fled who are with him, and I have smitten the king by himself,
3 and I bring back all the people unto thee -- as the turning back of the whole is the man whom thou art seeking -- all the people are peace.
4 And the thing is right in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
5 And Absalom saith, `Call, I pray thee, also for Hushai the Archite, and we hear what is in his mouth -- even he.'
6 And Hushai cometh in unto Absalom, and Absalom speaketh unto him, saying, `According to this word hath Ahithophel spoken; do we do his word? if not, thou -- speak thou.'
7 And Hushai saith unto Absalom, `Not good is the counsel that Ahithophel hath counselled at this time.'
8 And Hushai saith, `Thou hast known thy father and his men, that they are heroes, and they are bitter in soul as a bereaved bear in a field, and thy father is a man of war, and doth not lodge with the people;
9 lo, now, he is hidden in one of the pits, or in one of the places, and it hath been, at the falling among them at the commencement, that the hearer hath heard, and said, There hath been a slaughter among the people who are after Absalom;
10 and he also, the son of valour, whose heart is as the heart of the lion, doth utterly melt, for all Israel doth know that thy father is a hero, and sons of valour are those with him.
11 `So that I have counselled: Let all Israel be diligently gathered unto thee, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and thou thyself art going in the midst;
12 and we have come in unto him in one of the places where he is found, and we are upon him as the dew falleth on the ground, and there hath not been left of him and of all the men who are with him even one.
13 And if unto a city he is gathered, then they have caused all Israel to bear unto that city ropes, and we have drawn it unto the brook till that there hath not been found there even a stone.'
14 And Absalom saith -- and all the men of Israel -- `Better is the counsel of Hushai the Archite than the counsel of Ahithophel;' and Jehovah willed to make void the good counsel of Ahithophel for the sake of Jehovah's bringing unto Absalom the evil.
15 And Hushai saith unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, `Thus and thus hath Ahithophel counselled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus I have counselled;
16 and now, send hastily, and declare to David, saying, Lodge not to-night in the plains of the wilderness, and also, certainly pass over, lest there be a swallowing up of the king and of all the people who are with him.'
17 And Jonathan and Ahimaaz are standing at En-Rogel, and the maid-servant hath gone and declared to them -- and they go and have declared it to king David -- for they are not able to be seen to go in to the city.
18 And a youth seeth them, and declareth to Absalom; and they go on both of them hastily, and come in unto the house of a man in Bahurim, and he hath a well in his court, and they go down there,
19 and the woman taketh and spreadeth the covering over the face of the well, and spreadeth on it the ground corn, and the thing hath not been known.
20 And the servants of Absalom come in unto the woman to the house, and say, `Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?' and the woman saith to them, `They passed over the brook of water;' and they seek, and have not found, and turn back to Jerusalem.
21 And it cometh to pass, after their going on, that they come up out of the well, and go and declare to king David, and say unto David, `Rise ye, and pass over hastily the waters, for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.'
22 And David riseth, and all the people who are with him, and they pass over the Jordan, till the light of the morning, till one hath not been lacking who hath not passed over the Jordan.
23 And Ahithophel hath seen that his counsel was not done, and he saddleth the ass, and riseth and goeth unto his house, unto his city, and giveth charge unto his household, and strangleth himself, and dieth, and he is buried in the burying-place of his father.
24 And David came to Mahanaim, and Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him;
25 and Amasa hath Absalom set instead of Joab over the host, and Amasa is a man's son whose name is Ithra the Israelite who hath gone in unto Abigail, daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, mother of Joab;
26 and Israel encampeth with Absalom in the land of Gilead.
27 And it cometh to pass at the coming in of David to Mahanaim, that Shobi, son of Nahash, from Rabbah of the Bene-Ammon, and Machir son of Ammiel, from Lo-Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite, from Rogelim,
28 couch, and basin, and earthen vessel, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and roasted corn, and beans, and lentiles, and roasted pulse,
29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, have brought nigh for David, and for the people who are with him to eat, for they said, `Thy people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.'
Chapter 18
1 And David inspecteth the people who are with him, and setteth over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds,
2 and David sendeth the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king saith unto the people, `I certainly go out -- I also -- with you.'
3 And the people say, `Thou dost not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set their heart upon us; and if half of us die, they do not set their heart unto us -- for now like us are ten thousand; and now, better that thou be to us from the city for an helper.'
4 And the king saith unto them, `That which is good in your eyes I do;' and the king standeth at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,
5 and the king chargeth Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, `Gently -- for me, for the youth, for Absalom;' and all the people heard in the king's charging all the heads concerning Absalom.
6 And the people goeth out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;
7 and smitten there are the people of Israel before the servants of David, and the smiting there is great on that day -- twenty thousand;
8 and the battle is there scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplieth to devour among the people more than those whom the sword hath devoured in that day.
9 And Absalom meeteth before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule cometh in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head taketh hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that is under him hath passed on.
10 And one man seeth, and declareth to Joab, and saith, `Lo, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.'
11 And Joab saith to the man who is declaring it to him, `And lo, thou hast seen -- and wherefore didst thou not smite him there to the earth -- and on me to give to thee ten silverlings and one girdle?'
12 And the man saith unto Joab, `Yea, though I am weighing on my hand a thousand silverlings, I do not put forth my hand unto the son of the king; for in our ears hath the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe ye who is against the youth -- against Absalom;
13 or I had done against my soul a vain thing, and no matter is hid from the king, and thou -- thou dost station thyself over-against.'
14 And Joab saith, `Not right -- I tarry before thee;' and he taketh three darts in his hand, and striketh them into the heart of Absalom, while he is alive, in the midst of the oak.
15 And they go round -- ten youths bearing weapons of Joab -- and smite Absalom, and put him to death.
16 And Joab bloweth with a trumpet, and the people turneth back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab hath kept back the people;
17 and they take Absalom and cast him in the forest unto the great pit, and set up over him a very great heap of stones, and all Israel have fled -- each to his tent.
18 And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that is in the king's valley, for he said, `I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;' and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called `The monument of Absalom' unto this day.
19 And Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, `Let me run, I pray thee, and I bear the king tidings, for Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of his enemies;'
20 and Joab saith to him, `Thou art not a man of tidings this day, but thou hast borne tidings on another day, and this day thou dost not bear tidings, because the king's son is dead.'
21 And Joab saith to Cushi, `Go, declare to the king that which thou hast seen;' and Cushi boweth himself to Joab, and runneth.
22 And Ahimaaz son of Zadok addeth again, and saith unto Joab, `And whatever it be, let me run, I pray thee, I also, after the Cushite.' And Joab saith, `Why is this -- thou art running, my son, and for thee there are no tidings found?' --
23 `And, whatever it be, said he, let me run.' And he saith to him, `Run;' and Ahimaaz runneth the way of the circuit, and passeth by the Cushite.
24 And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goeth unto the roof of the gate, unto the wall, and lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, a man running by himself.
25 And the watchman calleth, and declareth to the king, and the king saith, `If by himself, tidings are in his mouth;' and he cometh, coming on and drawing near.
26 And the watchman seeth another man running, and the watchman calleth unto the gatekeeper, and saith, `Lo, a man running by himself;' and the king saith, `Also this one is bearing tidings.'
27 And the watchman saith, `I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.' And the king saith, `This is a good man, and with good tidings he cometh.'
28 And Ahimaaz calleth and saith unto the king, `Peace;' and he boweth himself to the king, on his face, to the earth, and saith, `Blessed is Jehovah thy God who hath shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.'
29 And the king saith, `Peace to the youth -- to Absalom?' And Ahimaaz saith, `I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even thy servant by Joab, and I have not known what it is.'
30 And the king saith, `Turn round, station thyself here;' and he turneth round and standeth still.
31 And lo, the Cushite hath come, and the Cushite saith, `Let tidings be proclaimed, my lord, O king; for Jehovah hath delivered thee to-day out of the hand of all those rising up against thee.'
32 And the king saith unto the Cushite, `Peace to the youth -- to Absalom?' And the Cushite saith, `Let them be -- as the youth -- the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against thee for evil.'
33 And the king trembleth, and goeth up on the upper chamber of the gate, and weepeth, and thus he hath said in his going, `My son! Absalom my son; my son Absalom; oh that I had died for thee, Absalom, my son, my son.'
Chapter 19
1 And it is declared to Joab, `Lo, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom;'
2 and the salvation on that day becometh mourning to all the people, for the people hath heard on that day, saying, `The king hath been grieved for his son.'
3 And the people stealeth away, on that day, to go in to the city, as the people steal away, who are ashamed, in their fleeing in battle;
4 and the king hath covered his face, yea, the king crieth -- a loud voice -- `My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.'
5 And Joab cometh in unto the king to the house, and saith, `Thou hast put to shame to-day the faces of all thy servants, those delivering thy life to-day, and the life of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines,
6 to love thine enemies, and to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom were alive, and all of us to-day dead, that then it were right in thine eyes.
7 `And now, rise, go out and speak unto the heart of thy servants, for by Jehovah I have sworn, that -- thou art not going out -- there doth not lodge a man with thee to-night; and this is worse for thee than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youth till now.'
8 And the king riseth, and sitteth in the gate, and to all the people they have declared, saying, `Lo, the king is sitting in the gate;' and all the people come in before the king, and Israel hath fled, each to his tents.
9 And it cometh to pass, all the people are contending through all the tribes of Israel, saying, `The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, yea, he himself delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he hath fled out of the land because of Absalom,
10 and Absalom whom we anointed over us is dead in battle, and now, why are ye silent -- to bring back the king?'
11 And king David sent unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, `Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye last to bring back the king unto his house? (and the word of all Israel hath come unto the king, unto his house;)
12 my brethren ye are, my bone and my flesh ye are, and why are ye last to bring back the king?
13 And to Amasa say ye, Art not thou my bone and my flesh? Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add, if thou art not head of the host before me all the days instead of Joab.'
14 And he inclineth the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they send unto the king, `Turn back, thou, and all thy servants.'
15 And the king turneth back, and cometh in unto the Jordan, and Judah hath come to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan,
16 and Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who is from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh down with the men of Judah, to meet king David,
17 and a thousand men are with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over the Jordan before the king.
18 And passed over hath the ferry-boat to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which is good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera hath fallen before the king in his passing over into Jordan,
19 and saith unto the king, `Let not my lord impute to me iniquity; neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, -- for the king to set it unto his heart;
20 for thy servant hath known that I have sinned; and lo, I have come to-day, first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.'
21 And Abishai son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, `For this is not Shimei put to death -- because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?'
22 And David saith, `What -- to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah, that ye are to me to-day for an adversary? to-day is any man put to death in Israel? for have I not known that to-day I am king over Israel?'
23 And the king saith unto Shimei, `Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.
24 And Mephibosheth son of Saul hath come down to meet the king -- and he prepared not his feet, nor did he prepare his upper lip, yea, his garments he washed not, even from the day of the going away of the king, till the day that he came in peace --
25 and it cometh to pass, when he hath come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king saith to him, `Why didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?'
26 And he saith, `My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for thy servant said, I saddle for me the ass, and ride on it, and go with the king, for thy servant is lame;
27 and he uttereth slander against thy servant unto my lord the king, and my lord the king is as a messenger of God; and do thou that which is good in thine eyes,
28 for all the house of my father have been nothing except men of death before my lord the king, and thou dost set thy servant among those eating at thy table, and what right have I any more -- even to cry any more unto the king?'
29 And the king saith to him, `Why dost thou speak any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba -- share ye the field.'
30 And Mephibosheth saith unto the king, `Yea, the whole let him take, after that my lord the king hath come in peace unto his house.'
31 And Barzillai the Gileadite hath gone down from Rogelim, and passeth over the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan;
32 and Barzillai is very aged, a son of eighty years, and he hath sustained the king in his abiding in Mahanaim, for he is a very great man;
33 and the king saith unto Barzillai, `Pass thou over with me, and I have sustained thee with me in Jerusalem.'
34 And Barzillai saith unto the king, `How many are the days of the years of my life, that I go up with the king to Jerusalem?
35 A son of eighty years I am to-day; do I know between good and evil? doth thy servant taste that which I am eating, and that which I drink? do I hearken any more to the voice of singers and songstresses? and why is thy servant any more for a burden unto my lord the king?
36 As a little thing, thy servant doth pass over the Jordan with the king, and why doth the king recompense me this recompense?
37 Let, I pray thee, thy servant turn back again, and I die in mine own city, near the burying-place of my father and of my mother, -- and lo, thy servant Chimham, let him pass over with my lord the king, and do thou to him that which is good in thine eyes.'
38 And the king saith, `With me doth Chimham go over, and I do to him that which is good in thine eyes, yea, all that thou dost fix on me I do to thee.'
39 And all the people pass over the Jordan, and the king hath passed over, and the king giveth a kiss to Barzillai, and blesseth him, and he turneth back to his place.
40 And the king passeth over to Gilgal, and Chimham hath passed over with him, and all the people of Judah, and they bring over the king, and also the half of the people of Israel.
41 And, lo, all the men of Israel are coming unto the king, and they say unto the king, `Wherefore have they stolen thee -- our brethren, the men of Judah?' (and they bring the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him).
42 And all the men of Judah answer against the men of Israel, `Because the king is near unto us, and why is this -- ye are displeased about this matter? have we at all eaten of the king's substance? a gift hath he lifted up to us?'
43 And the men of Israel answer the men of Judah, and say, `Ten parts we have in the king, and also in David more than you; and wherefore have ye lightly esteemed us, that our word hath not been first to bring back our king?' And the word of the men of Judah is sharper than the word of the men of Israel.
Chapter 20
1 And there hath been called there a man of worthlessness, and his name is Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and saith, `We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; each to his tents, O Israel.'
2 And every man of Israel goeth up from after David, after Sheba son of Bichri, and the men of Judah have cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even unto Jerusalem.
3 And David cometh in unto his house at Jerusalem, and the king taketh the ten women-concubines -- whom he had left to keep the house, and putteth them in a house of ward, and sustaineth them, and unto them he hath not gone in, and they are shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood living.
4 And the king saith unto Amasa, `Call for me the men of Judah in three days, and thou, stand here,'
5 and Amasa goeth to call Judah, and tarrieth beyond the appointed time that he had appointed him;
6 and David saith unto Abishai, `Now doth Sheba son of Bichri do evil to us more than Absalom; thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he have found for himself fenced cities, and delivered himself from our eye.'
7 And the men of Joab go out after him, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and all the mighty men, and they go out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri;
8 they are near the great stone that is in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab is girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle -- a sword is fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth.
9 And Joab saith to Amasa, `Art thou in peace, my brother?' and the right hand of Joab layeth hold on the beard of Amasa to give a kiss to him;
10 and Amasa hath not been watchful of the sword that is in the hand of Joab, and he smiteth him with it unto the fifth rib, and sheddeth out his bowels to the earth, and he hath not repeated it to him, and he dieth; and Joab and Abishai his brother have pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.
11 And a man hath stood by him, of the young men of Joab, and saith, `He who hath delight in Joab, and he who is for David -- after Joab!'
12 And Amasa is rolling himself in blood, in the midst of the highway, and the man seeth that all the people have stood still, and he bringeth round Amasa out of the highway to the field, and casteth over him a garment, when he hath seen that every one who hath come by him -- hath stood still.
13 When he hath been removed out of the highway, every man hath passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri.
14 And he passeth over through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maachah, and to all the Berites, and they are assembled, and go in also after him,
15 and they go in and lay siege against him, in Abel of Beth-Maachah, and cast up a mount against the city, and it standeth in a trench, and all the people who are are with Joab are destroying, to cause the wall to fall.
16 And a wise woman calleth out of the city, `Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, and I speak unto thee.'
17 And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, `Art thou Joab?' and he saith, `I am.' And she saith to him, `Hear the words of thy handmaid;' and he saith, `I am hearing.'
18 and she speaketh, saying, `They spake often in former times, saying, Let them diligently ask at Abel, and so they finished.
19 I am of the peaceable -- faithful ones of Israel; thou art seeking to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel; why dost thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?
20 And Joab answereth and saith, `Far be it -- far be it from me; I do not swallow up nor destroy.
21 The matter is not so; for a man of the hill-country of Ephraim -- Sheba son of Bichri his name -- hath lifted up his hand against the king, against David; give ye up him by himself, and I go away from the city.' And the woman saith unto Joab, `Lo, his head is cast unto thee over the wall.'
22 And the woman cometh unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast it unto Joab, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and they are scattered from the city, each to his tents, and Joab hath turned back to Jerusalem unto the king.
23 And Joab is over all the host of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada is over the Cherethite, and over the Pelethite,
24 and Adoram is over the tribute, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud is the remembrancer,
25 and Sheva is scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar are priests,
26 and also, Ira the Jairite hath been minister to David.
Chapter 21
1 And there is a famine in the days of David three years, year after year, and David seeketh the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah saith, `For Saul and for the bloody house, because that he put to death the Gibeonites.'
2 And the king calleth for the Gibeonites, and saith unto them -- as to the Gibeonites, they are not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorite, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and Saul seeketh to smite them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah --
3 yea, David saith unto the Gibeonites, `What do I do for you? and with what do I make atonement? and bless ye the inheritance of Jehovah.'
4 And the Gibeonites say to him, `We have no silver and gold by Saul and by his house, and we have no man to put to death in Israel;' and he saith, `What ye are saying I do to you.'
5 And they say unto the king, `The man who consumed us, and who devised against us -- we have been destroyed from stationing ourselves in all the border of Israel --
6 let there be given to us seven men of his sons, and we have hanged them before Jehovah, in the height of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah.' And the king saith, `I do give;'
7 and the king hath pity on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath of Jehovah that is between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul;
8 and the king taketh the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal daughter of Saul whom she bare to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite,
9 and giveth them into the hand of the Gibeonites, and they hang them in the hill before Jehovah; and the seven fall together, and they have been put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, the commencement of barley-harvest.
10 And Rizpah daughter of Aiah taketh the sackcloth, and stretcheth it out for herself on the rock, from the commencement of harvest till water hath been poured out upon them from the heavens, and hath not suffered a fowl of the heavens to rest upon them by day, or the beast of the field by night.
11 And it is declared to David that which Rizpah daughter of Aiah, concubine of Saul, hath done,
12 and David goeth and taketh the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the possessors of Jabesh-Gilead, who had stolen them from the broad place of Beth-Shan, where the Philistines hanged them, in the day of the Philistines smiting Saul in Gilboa;
13 and he bringeth up thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, and they gather the bones of those hanged,
14 and bury the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin, in Zelah, in the burying-place of Kish his father, and do all that the king commanded, and God is entreated for the land afterwards.
15 And again have the Philistines war with Israel, and David goeth down, and his servants with him, and they fight with the Philistines; and David is weary,
16 and Ishbi-Benob, who is among the children of the giant -- the weight of his spear is three hundred shekels weight of brass, and he is girded with a new one -- speaketh of smiting David,
17 and Abishai son of Zeruiah giveth help to him, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death; then swear the men of David to him, saying, `Thou dost not go out again with us to battle, nor quench the lamp of Israel.'
18 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that the battle is again in Gob with the Philistines, then hath Sibbechai the Hushathite smitten Saph, who is among the children of the giant.
19 And the battle is again in Gob with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim, the Beth-Lehemite, smiteth a brother of Goliath the Gittite, and the wood of his spear is like a beam of weavers.
20 And the battle is again in Gath, and there is a man of stature, and the fingers of his hands are six, and the toes of his feet are six, twenty and four in number, and he also hath been born to the giant,
21 and he reproacheth Israel, and smite him doth Jonathan son of Shimeah, brother of David;
22 these four have been born to the giant in Gath, and they fall by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
Chapter 22
1 And David speaketh to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,
2 and he saith: `Jehovah is my rock, And my bulwark, and a deliverer to me,
3 My God is my rock -- I take refuge in Him; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, My high tower, and my refuge! My Saviour, from violence Thou savest me!
4 The Praised One, I call Jehovah: And from mine enemies I am saved.
5 When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me,
6 The cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Before me have been the snares of death.
7 In mine adversity I call Jehovah, And unto my God I call, And He heareth from His temple my voice, And my cry is in His ears,
8 And shake and tremble doth the earth, Foundations of the heavens are troubled, And are shaken, for He hath wrath!
9 Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils. And fire from His mouth devoureth, Brands have been kindled by it.
10 And He inclineth heaven, and cometh down, And thick darkness is under His feet.
11 And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And is seen on the wings of the wind.
12 And He setteth darkness Round about Him -- tabernacles, Darkness of waters -- thick clouds of the skies.
13 From the brightness before Him Were brands of fire kindled!
14 Thunder from the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice.
15 And He sendeth forth arrows, And scattereth them; Lightning, and troubleth them;
16 And seen are the streams of the sea, Revealed are foundations of the world, By the rebuke of Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of His anger.
17 He sendeth from above -- He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters.
18 He delivereth me from my strong enemy, From those hating me, For they were stronger than I.
19 They are before me in a day of my calamity, And Jehovah is my support,
20 And He bringeth me out to a large place, He draweth me out for He delighted in me.
21 Jehovah recompenseth me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me.
22 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God.
23 For all His judgments are before me, As to His statutes, I turn not from them.
24 And I am perfect before Him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity.
25 And Jehovah returneth to me, According to my righteousness, According to my cleanness before His eyes.
26 With the kind Thou shewest Thyself kind, With the perfect man Thou shewest Thyself perfect,
27 With the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, And with the perverse Thou shewest Thyself a wrestler.
28 And the poor people Thou dost save, And Thine eyes on the high causest to fall.
29 For Thou art my lamp, O Jehovah, And Jehovah doth lighten my darkness.
30 For by Thee I run -- a troop, By my God I leap a wall.
31 God! Perfect is His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield He is to all those trusting in Him.
32 For who is God save Jehovah? And who a Rock save our God?
33 God -- my bulwark, my strength, And He maketh perfect my way;
34 Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand,
35 Teaching my hands for battle, And brought down was a bow of brass by mine arms,
36 And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy lowliness maketh me great.
37 Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden.
38 I pursue mine enemies and destroy them, And I turn not till they are consumed.
39 And I consume them, and smite them, And they rise not, and fall under my feet.
40 And Thou girdest me with strength for battle, Thou causest my withstanders to bow under me.
41 And mine enemies -- Thou givest to me the neck, Those hating me -- and I cut them off.
42 They look, and there is no saviour; Unto Jehovah, and He hath not answered them.
43 And I beat them as dust of the earth, As mire of the streets I beat them small -- I spread them out!
44 And -- Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of my people, Thou placest me for a head of nations; A people I have not known do serve me.
45 Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me, At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me.
46 Sons of a stranger fade away, And gird themselves by their close places.
47 Jehovah liveth, and blessed is my Rock, And exalted is my God -- The Rock of my salvation.
48 God -- who is giving vengeance to me, And bringing down peoples under me,
49 And bringing me forth from mine enemies, Yea, above my withstanders Thou raisest me up. From a man of violence Thou deliverest me.
50 Therefore I confess Thee, O Jehovah, among nations. And to Thy name I sing praise.
51 Magnifying the salvations of His king, And doing loving-kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed -- unto the age!'
Chapter 23
1 And these are the last words of David: -- `The affirmation of David son of Jesse -- And the affirmation of the man raised up -- Concerning the Anointed of the God of Jacob, And the Sweetness of the Songs of Israel:
2 The Spirit of Jehovah hath spoken by me, And His word is on my tongue.
3 He said -- the God of Israel -- to me, He spake -- the Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man is righteous, He is ruling in the fear of God.
4 And as the light of morning he riseth, A morning sun -- no clouds! By the shining, by the rain, Tender grass of the earth!
5 For -- not so is my house with God; For -- a covenant age-during He made with me, Arranged in all things, and kept; For -- all my salvation, and all desire, For -- He hath not caused it to spring up.
6 As to the worthless -- As a thorn driven away are all of them, For -- not by hand are they taken;
7 And the man who cometh against them Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear, And with fire they are utterly burnt In the cessation.'
8 These are the names of the mighty ones whom David hath: sitting in the seat is the Tachmonite, head of the captains -- he is Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundred -- wounded at one time.
9 And after him is Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, of the three mighty men with David; in their exposing themselves among the Philistines -- they have been gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel go up --
10 he hath arisen, and smiteth among the Philistines till that his hand hath been weary, and his hand cleaveth unto the sword, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off.
11 And after him is Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is there a portion of the field full of lentiles, and the people hath fled from the presence of the Philistines,
12 and he stationeth himself in the midst of the portion, and delivereth it, and smiteth the Philistines, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation.
13 And three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
14 and David is then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines is then in Beth-Lehem,
15 and David longeth and saith, `Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate?'
16 And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate, and take it up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,
17 and saith, `Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these things did the three mighty ones.
18 And Abishai brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he is head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, and he hath a name among three.
19 Of the three is he not the honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the first three he hath not come.
20 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valour, great in deeds from Kabzeel), he hath smitten two lion-like men of Moab, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow.
21 And he hath smitten the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian is a spear, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear.
22 These things hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among three mighty.
23 Of the thirty he is honoured, and unto the three he came not; and David setteth him over his guard.
24 Asahel brother of Joab is of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem.
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite; in all thirty and seven.
Chapter 24
1 And the anger of Jehovah addeth to burn against Israel, and an adversary moveth David about them, saying, `Go, number Israel and Judah.'
2 And the king saith unto Joab, head of the host that is with him, `Go to and fro, I pray thee, through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, and inspect ye the people -- and I have known the number of the people.'
3 And Joab saith unto the king, `Yea, Jehovah thy God doth add unto the people, as they are, a hundred times, and the eyes of my lord the king are seeing; and my lord the king, why is he desirous of this thing?'
4 And the word of the king is severe towards Joab, and against the heads of the force, and Joab goeth out, and the heads of the force, from before the king to inspect the people, even Israel;
5 and they pass over the Jordan, and encamp in Aroer, on the right of the city that is in the midst of the brook of Gad, and unto Jazer,
6 and they come in to Gilead, and unto the land of Tahtim-Hodshi, and they come in to Dan-Jaan, and round about unto Zidon,
7 and they come in to the fortress of Tyre, and all the cities of the Hivite, and of the Canaanite, and go out unto the south of Judah, to Beer-Sheba.
8 And they go to and fro through all the land, and come in at the end of nine months and twenty days to Jerusalem,
9 and Joab giveth the account of the inspection of the people unto the king, and Israel is eight hundred thousand men of valour, drawing sword, and the men of Judah five hundred thousand men.
10 And the heart of David smiteth him, after that he hath numbered the people, and David saith unto Jehovah, `I have sinned greatly in that which I have done, and now, O Jehovah, cause to pass away, I pray Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have acted very foolishly.'
11 And David riseth in the morning, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Gad the prophet, seer of David, saying,
12 `Go, and thou hast spoken unto David, Thus said Jehovah: Three -- I am lifting up for thee, choose thee one of them, and I do it to thee.'
13 And Gad cometh in unto David, and declareth to him, and saith to him, `Do seven years of famine come in to thee in thy land? or three months art thou fleeing before thine adversary -- and he pursuing thee? or are three days' pestilence in thy land? now, know and see what word I take back to Him sending me.'
14 And David saith unto Gad, `I have great distress, let us fall, I pray thee, into the hand of Jehovah, for many are His mercies, and into the hand of man let me not fall.'
15 And Jehovah giveth a pestilence on Israel from the morning even unto the time appointed, and there die of the people, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, seventy thousand men,
16 and the messenger putteth forth his hand to Jerusalem to destroy it, and Jehovah repenteth concerning the evil, and saith to the messenger who is destroying among the people, `Enough, now, cease thy hand;' and the messenger of Jehovah was near the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 And David speaketh unto Jehovah, when he seeth the messenger who is smiting among the people, and saith, `Lo, I have sinned, yea, I have done perversely; and these -- the flock -- what have they done? Let, I pray Thee, Thy hand be on me, and on the house of my father.'
18 And Gad cometh in unto David on that day, and saith to him, `Go up, raise to Jehovah an altar in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite;'
19 and David goeth up, according to the word of Gad, as Jehovah commanded.
20 And Araunah looketh, and seeth the king and his servants passing over unto him, and Araunah goeth out and boweth himself to the king -- his face to the earth.
21 And Araunah saith, `Wherefore hath my lord the king come unto his servant?' and David saith, `To buy from thee the threshing-floor, to build an altar to Jehovah, and the plague is restrained from the people.'
22 And Araunah saith unto David, `Let my lord the king take and cause to ascend that which is good in his eyes; see, the oxen for a burnt-offering, and the threshing instruments, and the instruments of the oxen, for wood;'
23 the whole hath Araunah given, as a king to a king; and Araunah saith unto the king, `Jehovah thy God doth accept thee.'
24 And the king saith unto Araunah, `Nay, for I do surely buy from thee for a price, and I do not cause to ascend to Jehovah my God burnt-offerings for nought;' and David buyeth the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver,
25 and David buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and causeth to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and Jehovah is entreated for the land, and the plague is restrained from Israel.

1 Kings
Chapter 1
1 And king David is old, entering into days, and they cover him with garments, and he hath no heat,
2 and his servants say to him, `Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and she hath stood before the king, and is to him a companion, and hath lain in thy bosom, and my lord the king hath heat.'
3 And they seek a fair young woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring her in to the king,
4 and the young woman is very very fair, and she is to the king a companion, and serveth him, and the king hath not known her.
5 And Adonijah son of Haggith is lifting himself up, saying, `I do reign;' and he prepareth for himself a chariot and horsemen, and fifty men running before him,
6 and his father hath not grieved him all his days, saying, `Wherefore thus hast thou done?' and he also is of a very good form, and his mother bare him after Absalom.
7 And his words are with Joab son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they help after Adonijah;
8 and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty ones whom David hath, have not been with Adonijah.
9 And Adonijah sacrificeth sheep and oxen and fatlings near the stone of Zoheleth, that is by En-Rogel, and calleth all his brethren, sons of the king, and for all the men of Judah, servants of the king;
10 and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty ones, and Solomon his brother, he hath not called.
11 And Nathan speaketh unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, saying, `Hast thou not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith hath reigned, and our lord David hath not known?
12 and now, come, let me counsel thee, I pray thee, and deliver thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon;
13 go and enter in unto king David, and thou hast said unto him, Hast thou not, my lord, O king, sworn to thy handmaid, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne? and wherefore hath Adonijah reigned?
14 Lo, thou are yet speaking there with the king, and I come in after thee, and have completed thy words.'
15 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto the king, to the inner chamber, and the king is very aged, and Abishag the Shunammite is serving the king:
16 and Bath-Sheba boweth and doth obeisance to the king, and the king saith, `What -- to thee?'
17 And she saith to him, `My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid: Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;
18 and now, lo, Adonijah hath reigned, and now, my lord, O king, thou hast not known;
19 and he sacrificeth ox, and fatling, and sheep in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab head of the host -- and for Solomon thy servant he hath not called.
20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on thee, to declare to them who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him;
21 and it hath been, when my lord the king lieth with his fathers, that I have been, I and my son Solomon -- reckoned sinners.'
22 And lo, she is yet speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet hath come in;
23 and they declare to the king, saying, `Lo, Nathan the prophet;' and he cometh in before the king, and boweth himself to the king, on his face to the earth.
24 And Nathan saith, `My lord, O king, thou hast said, Adonijah doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne;
25 for he hath gone down to-day, and doth sacrifice ox, and fatling, and sheep, in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for the heads of the host, and for Abiathar the priest, and lo, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, Let king Adonijah live!
26 `And for me -- me, thy servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and for Solomon thy servant, he hath not called;
27 if from my lord the king this thing hath been, then thou hast not caused thy servant to know who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.'
28 And king David answereth and saith, `Call for me for Bath-Sheba;' and she cometh in before the king, and standeth before the king.
29 And the king sweareth and saith, `Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity;
30 surely as I sware to thee by Jehovah, God of Israel, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne in my stead; surely so I do this day.'
31 And Bath-Sheba boweth -- face to the earth -- and doth obeisance to the king, and saith, `Let my lord, king David, live to the age.'
32 And king David saith, `Call for me for Zadok the priest, and for Nathan the prophet, and for Benaiah son of Jehoiada;' and they come in before the king.
33 And the king saith to them, `Take with you the servants of your lord, and ye have caused Solomon my son to ride on mine own mule, and caused him to go down unto Gihon,
34 and anointed him there hath Zadok the priest -- and Nathan the prophet -- for king over Israel, and ye have blown with a trumpet, and said, Let king Solomon live;
35 and ye have come up after him, and he hath come in and hath sat on my throne, and he doth reign in my stead, and him I have appointed to be leader over Israel, and over Judah.'
36 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answereth the king, and saith, `Amen! so doth Jehovah, God of my lord the king, say;
37 as Jehovah hath been with my lord the king, so is He with Solomon, and doth make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.'
38 And Zadok the priest goeth down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of king David, and cause him to go unto Gihon,
39 and Zadok the priest taketh the horn of oil out of the tent, and anointeth Solomon, and they blow with a trumpet, and all the people say, `Let king Solomon live.'
40 And all the people come up after him, and the people are piping with pipes, and rejoicing -- great joy, and the earth rendeth with their voice.
41 And Adonijah heareth, and all those called, who are with him, and they have finished to eat, and Joab heareth the noise of the trumpet, and saith, `Wherefore is the noise of the city roaring?'
42 He is yet speaking, and lo, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest hath come in, and Adonijah saith, `Come in, for a man of valour thou art, and thou bearest good tidings.'
43 And Jonathan answereth and saith to Adonijah, `Verily our lord king David hath caused Solomon to reign,
44 and the king sendeth with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause him to ride on the king's mule,
45 and they anoint him -- Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet -- for king in Gihon, and are come up thence rejoicing, and the city is moved; it is the noise that ye have heard.
46 `And also Solomon hath sat on the throne of the kingdom,
47 and also the servants of the king have come into bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God doth make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and his throne greater than thy throne; and the king boweth himself on the bed,
48 and also thus hath the king said, Blessed is Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath given to-day one sitting on my throne, and mine eyes seeing.'
49 And they tremble, and rise -- all those called who are for Adonijah -- and go, each on his way;
50 and Adonijah feareth because of Solomon, and riseth, and goeth, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar.
51 And it is declared to Solomon, saying, `Lo, Adonijah feareth king Solomon, and lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me as to-day -- he doth not put to death his servant by the sword.'
52 And Solomon saith, `If he becometh a virtuous man -- there doth not fall of his hair to the earth, and if evil is found in him -- then he hath died.'
53 And king Solomon sendeth, and they bring him down from off the altar, and he cometh in and boweth himself to king Solomon, and Solomon saith to him, `Go to thy house.'
Chapter 2
1 And draw near do the days of David to die, and he chargeth Solomon his son, saying,
2 `I am going in the way of all the earth, and thou hast been strong, and become a man,
3 and kept the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commands, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that thou dost wisely all that thou dost, and whithersoever thou turnest,
4 so that Jehovah doth establish His word which He spake unto me, saying, If thy sons observe their way to walk before Me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul; saying, There is not cut off a man of thine from the throne of Israel.
5 `And also, thou hast known that which he did to me -- Joab son of Zeruiah -- that which he did to two heads of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether -- that he slayeth them, and maketh the blood of war in peace, and putteth the blood of war in his girdle, that is on his loins, and in his sandals that are on his feet;
6 and thou hast done according to thy wisdom, and dost not let his old age go down in peace to Sheol.
7 `And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite thou dost do kindness, and they have been among those eating at thy table, for so they drew near unto me in my fleeing from the face of Absalom thy brother.
8 `And lo, with thee is Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, and he reviled me -- a grievous reviling -- in the day of my going to Mahanaim; and he hath come down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swear to him by Jehovah, saying, I do not put thee to death by the sword;
9 and now, acquit him not, for a wise man thou art, and thou hast known that which thou dost to him, and hast brought down his old age with blood to Sheol.'
10 And David lieth down with his fathers, and is buried in the city of David,
11 and the days that David hath reigned over Israel are forty years, in Hebron he hath reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he hath reigned thirty and three years.
12 And Solomon hath sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom is established greatly,
13 and Adonijah son of Haggith cometh in unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, and she saith, `Is thy coming peace?' and he saith, `Peace.'
14 And he saith, `I have a word unto thee,' and she saith, `Speak.'
15 And he saith, `Thou hast known that the kingdom was mine, and towards me set their faces had all Israel for reigning, and the kingdom is turned round about, and is my brother's, for from Jehovah it was his;
16 and now, one petition I am asking of thee -- turn not back my face;' and she saith unto him, `Speak.'
17 And he saith, `Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king, for he doth not turn back thy face, and he doth give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.'
18 And Bath-Sheba saith, `Good; I do speak for thee unto the king.'
19 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto king Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king riseth to meet her, and boweth himself to her, and sitteth on his throne, and placeth a throne for the mother of the king, and she sitteth at his right hand.
20 And she saith, `One small petition I ask of thee, turn not back my face;' and the king saith to her, `Ask, my mother, for I do not turn back thy face.'
21 And she saith, `Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother for a wife.'
22 And king Solomon answereth and saith to his mother, `And why art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? also ask for him the kingdom -- for he is mine elder brother -- even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.'
23 And king Solomon sweareth by Jehovah, saying, `Thus doth God to me, and thus He doth add -- surely against his soul hath Adonijah spoken this word;
24 and now, Jehovah liveth, who hath established me, and causeth me to sit on the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me an house as He spake -- surely to-day is Adonijah put to death.'
25 And king Solomon sendeth by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he falleth upon him, and he dieth.
26 And to Abiathar the priest said the king, `To Anathoth go, unto thy fields; for a man of death thou art, but in this day I do not put thee to death, because thou hast borne the ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all that my father was afflicted in.'
27 And Solomon casteth out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to fulfil the word of Jehovah which He spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 And the report hath come unto Joab -- for Joab hath turned aside after Adonijah, though after Absalom he did not turn aside -- and Joab fleeth unto the tent of Jehovah, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar.
29 And it is declared to king Solomon that Joab hath fled unto the tent of Jehovah, and lo, near the altar; and Solomon sendeth Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, `Go, fall upon him.'
30 And Benaiah cometh in unto the tent of Jehovah, and saith unto him, `Thus said the king, Come out;' and he saith, `Nay, but here I die.' And Benaiah bringeth back the king word, saying, `Thus spake Joab, yea, thus he answered me.'
31 And the king saith to him, `Do as he hath spoken, and fall upon him, and thou hast buried him, and turned aside the causeless blood which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;
32 and Jehovah hath turned back his blood on his own head, who hath fallen on two men more righteous and better than he, and slayeth them with the sword, -- and my father David knew not -- Abner son of Ner, head of the host of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, head of the host of Judah;
33 yea, turned back hath their blood on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed to the age; and for David, and for his seed, and for his house, and for his throne, there is peace unto the age, from Jehovah.'
34 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada goeth up and falleth upon him, and putteth him to death, and he is buried in his own house in the wilderness,
35 and the king putteth Benaiah son of Jehoiada in his stead over the host, and Zadok the priest hath the king put in the stead of Abiathar.
36 And the king sendeth and calleth for Shimei, and saith to him, `Build for thee a house in Jerusalem, and thou hast dwelt there, and dost not go out thence any where;
37 and it hath been, in the day of thy going out, and thou hast passed over the brook Kidron, thou dost certainly know that thou dost surely die -- thy blood is on thy head.'
38 And Shimei saith to the king, `The word is good; as my lord the king hath spoken so doth thy servant do;' and Shimei dwelleth in Jerusalem many days.
39 And it cometh to pass, at the end of three years, that flee do two of the servants of Shimei unto Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath, and they declare to Shimei, saying, `Lo, thy servants are in Gath;'
40 and Shimei riseth, and saddleth his ass, and goeth to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants, and Shimei goeth and bringeth his servants from Gath.
41 And it is declared to Solomon that Shimei hath gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and doth return,
42 and the king sendeth and calleth for Shimei, and saith unto him, `Have I not caused thee to swear by Jehovah -- and I testify against thee, saying, In the day of thy going out, and thou hast gone anywhere, thou dost certainly know that thou dost surely die; and thou sayest unto me, The word I have heard is good?
43 and wherefore hast thou not kept the oath of Jehovah, and the charge that I charged upon thee?'
44 And the king saith unto Shimei, `Thou hast known all the evil that thy heart hath known, which thou didest to David my father, and Jehovah hath turned back thine evil on thy head,
45 and king Solomon is blessed, and the throne of David is established before Jehovah unto the age.'
46 And the king chargeth Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he goeth out and falleth on him, and he dieth, and the kingdom is established in the hand of Solomon.
Chapter 3
1 And Solomon joineth in marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and taketh the daughter of Pharaoh, and bringeth her in unto the city of David, till he completeth to build his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.
2 Only, the people are sacrificing in high places, for there hath not been built a house for the name of Jehovah till those days.
3 And Solomon loveth Jehovah, to walk in the statutes of David his father -- only, in high places he is sacrificing and making perfume --
4 and the king goeth to Gibeon, to sacrifice there, for it is the great high place; a thousand burnt-offerings cause to ascend doth Solomon on that altar.
5 In Gibeon hath Jehovah appeared unto Solomon, in a dream of the night, and God saith, `Ask -- what do I give to thee?'
6 And Solomon saith, `Thou hast done with Thy servant David my father great kindness, as he walked before Thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with Thee, and Thou dost keep for him this great kindness, and dost give to him a son sitting on his throne, as at this day.
7 And now, O Jehovah my God, Thou hast caused thy servant to reign instead of David my father; and I am a little child, I do not know to go out and to come in;
8 and Thy servant is in the midst of thy people, whom Thou hast chosen, a people numerous, that is not numbered nor counted for multitude,
9 and Thou hast given to Thy servant an understanding heart, to judge Thy people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'
10 And the thing is good in the eyes of the Lord, that Solomon hath asked this thing,
11 and God saith unto him, `Because that thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thee many days, nor asked for thee riches, nor asked the life of thine enemies, and hast asked for thee discernment to understand judgment,
12 lo, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given to thee a heart, wise and understanding, that like thee there hath not been before thee, and after thee there doth not arise like thee;
13 and also, that which thou hast not asked I have given to thee, both riches and honour, that there hath not been like thee a man among the kings all thy days;
14 and if thou dost walk in My ways to keep My statutes, and My commands, as David thy father walked, then I have prolonged thy days.'
15 And Solomon awaketh, and lo, a dream; and he cometh in to Jerusalem, and standeth before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and causeth to ascend burnt-offerings, and maketh peace-offerings. And he maketh a banquet for all his servants,
16 then come in do two women, harlots, unto the king, and stand before him,
17 and the one woman saith, `O, my lord, I and this woman are dwelling in one house, and I bring forth with her, in the house;
18 and it cometh to pass on the third day of my bringing forth, that this woman also bringeth forth, and we are together, there is no stranger with us in the house, save we two, in the house.
19 And the son of this woman dieth at night, because she hath lain upon it,
20 and she riseth in the middle of the night, and taketh my son from beside me -- and thy handmaid is asleep -- and layeth it in her bosom, and her dead son she hath laid in my bosom;
21 and I rise in the morning to suckle my son, and lo, dead; and I consider concerning it in the morning, and lo, it was not my son whom I did bear.'
22 And the other woman saith, `Nay, but my son is the living, and thy son the dead;' and this one saith, `Nay, but thy son is the dead, and my son the living.' And they speak before the king.
23 And the king saith, `This one saith, This is my son, the living, and thy son is the dead; and that one saith, Nay, but thy son is the dead, and my son the living.'
24 And the king saith, `Take for me a sword;' and they bring the sword before the king,
25 and the king saith, `Cut the living child into two, and give the half to the one, and the half to the other.'
26 And the woman whose son is the living one saith unto the king (for her bowels yearned over her son), yea, she saith, `O, my lord, give to her the living child, and put it not at all to death;' and this one saith, `Let it be neither mine or thine -- cut it.'
27 And the king answereth and saith, `Give ye to her the living child, and put it not at all to death; she is its mother.'
28 And all Israel hear of the judgment that the king hath judged, and fear because of the king, for they have seen that the wisdom of God is in his heart, to do judgment.
Chapter 4
1 And king Solomon is king over all Israel,
2 and these are the heads whom he hath: Azariah son of Zadok is the priest;
3 Elihoreph and Ahiah sons of Shisha are scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud is remembrancer;
4 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada is over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar are priests;
5 and Azariah son of Nathan is over the officers; and Zabud son of Nathan is minister, friend of the king;
6 And Ahishar is over the household, and Adoniram son of Abda is over the tribute.
7 And Solomon hath twelve officers over all Israel, and they have sustained the king and his household -- a month in the year is on each one for sustenance;
8 and these are their names: Ben-Hur in the hill-country of Ephraim;
9 Ben-Dekar in Makaz, and Shaalbim, and Beth-Shemesh, and Elon-Beth-Hanan.
10 Ben-Hesed is in Aruboth, hath Sochoh and all the land of Hepher;
11 Ben-Abinadab hath all the elevation of Dor, Taphath daughter of Solomon became his wife.
12 Baana Ben-Ahilud hath Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-Shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-Shean unto Abel-Meholah, unto beyond Jokneam.
13 Ben-Geber, in Ramoth-Gilead, hath the small towns of Jair son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; he hath a portion of Argob that is in Bashan, sixty great cities with wall and brazen bar.
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo hath Mahanaim.
15 Ahimaaz is in Naphtali; he also hath taken Basemath daughter of Solomon for a wife.
16 Baanah Ben-Hushai is in Asher, and in Aloth.
17 Jehoshaphat Ben-Paruah is in Issachar.
18 Shimei Ben-Elah is in Benjamin.
19 Geber Ben-Uri is in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorite, and of Og king of Bashan: and one officer who is in the land.
20 Judah and Israel are many, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.
21 And Solomon hath been ruling over all the kingdoms, from the River to the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt: they are bringing nigh a present, and serving Solomon, all days of his life.
22 And the provision of Solomon for one day is thirty cors of flour, and sixty cors of meal;
23 ten fat oxen, and twenty feeding oxen, and a hundred sheep, apart from hart, and roe, and fallow-deer, and fatted beasts of the stalls,
24 for he is ruling over all beyond the river, from Tiphsah and unto Gaza, over all the kings beyond the river, and he hath peace from all his servants round about.
25 And Judah dwelleth -- and Israel -- in confidence, each under his vine, and under his fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, all the days of Solomon.
26 And Solomon hath forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27 And these officers have sustained king Solomon and every one drawing near unto the table of king Solomon, each in his month; they let nothing be lacking.
28 And the barley and the straw, for horses and for dromedaries, they bring in unto the place where they are, each according to his ordinance.
29 And God giveth wisdom to Solomon, and understanding, very much, and breadth of heart, as the sand that is on the edge of the sea;
30 and the wisdom of Solomon is greater than the wisdom of any of the sons of the east, and than all the wisdom of Egypt;
31 and he is wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol, and his name is in all the nations round about.
32 And he speaketh three thousand similes, and his songs are five, and the chief one;
33 and he speaketh concerning the trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that is coming out in the wall, and he speaketh concerning the cattle, and concerning the fowl, and concerning the creeping things, and concerning the fishes,
34 and there come out of all the peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth who have heard of his wisdom.
Chapter 5
1 And Hiram king of Tyre sendeth his servants unto Solomon, for he heard that they had anointed him for king instead of his father, for Hiram was a lover of David all the days;
2 and Solomon sendeth unto Hiram, saying,
3 `Thou hast known David my father, that he hath not been able to build a house to the name of Jehovah his God, because of the wars that have been round about him, till Jehovah's putting them under the soles of his feet.
4 `And now, Jehovah my God hath given rest to me round about, there is no adversary nor evil occurrence,
5 and lo, I am saying to build a house to the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son whom I appoint in thy stead on thy throne, he doth build the house for My name.
6 `And now, command, and they cut down for me cedars out of Lebanon, and my servants are with thy servants, and the hire of thy servants I give to thee according to all that thou sayest, for thou hast known that there is not among us a man acquainted with cutting wood, like the Sidonians.'
7 And it cometh to pass at Hiram's hearing the words of Solomon, that he rejoiceth exceedingly, and saith, `Blessed is Jehovah to-day, who hath given to David a wise son over this numerous people.'
8 And Hiram sendeth unto Solomon, saying, I have heard that which thou hast sent unto me, I do all thy desire concerning cedar-wood, and fir-wood,
9 my servants bring down from Lebanon to the sea, and I make them floats in the sea unto the place that thou sendest unto me, and I have spread them out there; and thou dost take them up, and thou dost execute my desire, to give the food of my house.'
10 And Hiram is giving to Solomon cedar-trees, and fir-trees, all his desire,
11 and Solomon hath given to Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat, food for his house, and twenty cors of beaten oil; thus doth Solomon give to Hiram year by year.
12 And Jehovah hath given wisdom to Solomon as He spake to him, and there is peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they make a covenant both of them.
13 And king Solomon lifteth up a tribute out of all Israel, and the tribute is thirty thousand men,
14 and he sendeth them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month, by changes, a month they are in Lebanon, two months in their own house; and Adoniram is over the tribute.
15 And king Solomon hath seventy thousand bearing burdens, and eighty thousand hewing in the mountain,
16 apart from the heads of the officers of Solomon, who are over the work, three thousand and three hundred, those ruling over the people who are working in the business.
17 And the king commandeth, and they bring great stones, precious stone, to lay the foundation of the house, hewn stones;
18 and the builders of Solomon, and the builders of Hiram, and the Giblites hew, and prepare the wood and the stones to build the house.
Chapter 6
1 And it cometh to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year -- in the month of Zif, it is the second month -- of the reigning of Solomon over Israel, that he buildeth the house for Jehovah.
2 As to the house that king Solomon hath built for Jehovah, sixty cubits is its length, and twenty its breadth, and thirty cubits its height.
3 As to the porch on the front of the temple of the house, twenty cubits is its length on the front of the breadth of the house; ten by the cubit is its breadth on the front of the house;
4 and he maketh for the house windows of narrow lights.
5 And he buildeth against the wall of the house a couch round about, even the walls of the house round about, of the temple and of the oracle, and maketh sides round about.
6 The lowest couch, five by the cubit is its breadth; and the middle, six by the cubit is its breadth; and the third, seven by the cubit is its breadth, for withdrawings he hath put to the house round about, without -- not to lay hold on the walls of the house.
7 And the house, in its being built, of perfect stone brought thither hath been built, and hammer, and the axe -- any instrument of iron -- was not heard in the house, in its being built.
8 The opening of the middle side is at the right shoulder of the house, and with windings they go up on the middle one, and from the middle one unto the third.
9 And he buildeth the house, and completeth it, and covereth the house with beams and rows of cedars.
10 And he buildeth the couch against all the house, five cubits is its height, and it taketh hold of the house by cedar-wood.
11 And the word of Jehovah is unto Solomon, saying,
12 `This house that thou art building -- if thou dost walk in My statutes, and My judgments dost do, yea, hast done all My commands, to walk in them, then I have established My word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father,
13 and have tabernacled in the midst of the sons of Israel, and do not forsake My people Israel.'
14 And Solomon buildeth the house and completeth it;
15 and he buildeth the walls of the house within with beams of cedar, from the floor of the house unto the walls of the ceiling; he hath overlaid with wood the inside, and covereth the floor of the house with ribs of fir.
16 And he buildeth the twenty cubits on the sides of the house with ribs of cedar, from the floor unto the walls; and he buildeth for it within, for the oracle, for the holy of holies.
17 And forty by the cubit was the house, it is the temple before it.
18 And the cedar for the house within is carvings of knobs and openings of flowers; the whole is cedar, there is not a stone seen.
19 And the oracle in the midst of the house within he hath prepared, to put there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah.
20 And before the oracle is twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits is its height; and he overlayeth it with gold refined, and overlayeth the altar with cedar.
21 And Solomon overlayeth the house within with gold refined, and causeth it to pass over in chains of gold before the oracle, and overlayeth it with gold.
22 And the whole of the house he hath overlaid with gold, till the completion of all the house; and the whole of the altar that the oracle hath, he hath overlaid with gold.
23 And he maketh within the oracle two cherubs, of the oil-tree, ten cubits is their height;
24 and five cubits is the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the second wing of the cherub, ten cubits from the ends of its wings even unto the ends of its wings;
25 and ten by the cubit is the second cherub, one measure and one form are to the two cherubs,
26 the height of the one cherub is ten by the cubit, and so is the second cherub;
27 and he setteth the cherubs in the midst of the inner house, and they spread out the wings of the cherubs, and a wing of the one cometh against the wall, and a wing of the second cherub is coming against the second wall, and their wings are unto the midst of the house, coming wing against wing;
28 and he overlayeth the cherubs with gold,
29 and all the walls of the house round about he hath carved with openings of carvings, cherubs, and palm trees, and openings of flowers, within and without.
30 And the floor of the house he hath overlaid with gold, within and without;
31 as to the opening of the oracle, he made doors of the oil-tree; the lintel, side-posts, a fifth.
32 And the two doors are of the oil-tree, and he hath carved upon them carvings of cherubs, and palm-trees, and openings of flowers, and overlaid with gold, and he causeth the gold to go down on the cherubs and on the palm-trees.
33 And so he hath made for the opening of the temple, side-posts of the oil-tree, from the fourth.
34 And the two doors are of fir-tree, the two sides of the one door are revolving, and the two hangings of the second door are revolving.
35 And he hath carved cherubs, and palms, and openings of flowers, and overlaid with straightened gold the graved work.
36 And he buildeth the inner court, three rows of hewn work, and a row of beams of cedar.
37 In the fourth year hath the house of Jehovah been founded, in the month Zif,
38 and in the eleventh year, in the month Bul -- that is the eighth month -- hath the house been finished in all its matters, and in all its ordinances, and he buildeth it seven years.
Chapter 7
1 And his own house hath Solomon built thirteen years, and he finisheth all his house.
2 And he buildeth the house of the forest of Lebanon; a hundred cubits is its length, and fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height, on four rows of cedar pillars, and cedar-beams on the pillars;
3 and it is covered with cedar above, on the sides that are on the forty and five pillars, fifteen in the row.
4 And windows are in three rows, and sight is over-against sight three times.
5 And all the openings and the side-posts are square -- windows; and sight is over-against sight three times.
6 And the porch of the pillars he hath made; fifty cubits its length, and thirty cubits its breadth, and the porch is before them, and pillars and a thick place are before them.
7 And the porch of the throne where he judgeth -- the porch of judgment -- he hath made, and it is covered with cedar from the floor unto the floor.
8 As to his house where he dwelleth, the other court is within the porch -- as this work it hath been; and a house he maketh for the daughter of Pharaoh -- whom Solomon hath taken -- like this porch.
9 All these are of precious stone, according to the measures of hewn work, sawn with a saw, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and at the outside, unto the great court.
10 And the foundation is of precious stone, great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits;
11 and above are precious stone, according to the measures of hewn work, and cedar;
12 and the great court round about is three rows of hewn work, and a row of cedar-beams, even for the inner court of the house of Jehovah, and for the porch of the house.
13 And king Solomon sendeth and taketh Hiram out of Tyre --
14 he is son of a woman, a widow, of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father a man of Tyre, a worker in brass, and he is filled with the wisdom and the understanding, and the knowledge to do all work in brass -- and he cometh unto king Solomon, and doth all his work.
15 And he formeth the two pillars of brass; eighteen cubits is the height of the one pillar, and a cord of twelve cubits doth compass the second pillar.
16 And two chapiters he hath made to put on the tops of the pillars, cast in brass; five cubits the height of the one chapiter, and five cubits the height of the second chapiter.
17 Nets of net-work, wreaths of chain-work are for the chapiters that are on the top of the pillars, seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the second chapiter.
18 And he maketh the pillars, and two rows round about on the one net-work, to cover the chapiters that are on the top, with the pomegranates, and so he hath made for the second chapiter.
19 And the chapiters that are on the top of the pillars are of lily-work in the porch, four cubits;
20 and the chapiters on the two pillars also above, over-against the protuberance that is beside the net; and the pomegranates are two hundred, in rows round about on the second chapiter.
21 And he raiseth up the pillars for the porch of the temple, and he raiseth up the right pillar, and calleth its name Jachin, and he raiseth up the left pillar, and calleth its name Boaz;
22 and on the top of the pillars is lily-work; and the work of the pillars is completed.
23 And he maketh the molten sea, ten by the cubit from its edge unto its edge; it is round all about, and five by the cubit is its height, and a line of thirty by the cubit doth compass it round about;
24 and knops beneath its brim round about are compassing it, ten by the cubit, going round the sea round about; in two rows are the knops, cast in its being cast.
25 It is standing on twelve oxen, three facing the north, and three facing the west, and three facing the south, and three facing the east, and the sea is upon them above, and all their hinder parts are inward.
26 And its thickness is an handbreadth, and its edge as the work of the edge of a cup, flowers of lilies; two thousand baths it containeth.
27 And he maketh the ten bases of brass; four by the cubit is the length of the one base, and four by the cubit its breadth, and three by the cubit its height.
28 And this is the work of the base: they have borders, and the borders are between the joinings;
29 and on the borders that are between the joinings are lions, oxen, and cherubs, and on the joinings a base above, and beneath the lions and the oxen are additions -- sloping work.
30 And four wheels of brass are to the one base, and axles of brass; and its four corners have shoulders -- under the laver are the molten shoulders, beside each addition.
31 And its mouth within the chapiter and above is by the cubit, and its mouth is round, the work of the base, a cubit and half a cubit; and also on its mouth are carvings and their borders, square, not round.
32 And the four wheels are under the borders, and the spokes of the wheels are in the base, and the height of the one wheel is a cubit and half a cubit.
33 And the work of the wheels is as the work of the wheel of a chariot, their spokes, and their axles, and their felloes, and their naves; the whole is molten.
34 And four shoulders are unto the four corners of the one base; out of the base are its shoulders.
35 And in the top of the base is the half of a cubit in the height all round about; and on the top of the base its spokes and its borders are of the same.
36 And he openeth on the tablets of its spokes, and on its borders, cherubs, lions, and palm-trees, according to the void space of each, and additions round about.
37 Thus he hath made the ten bases; one casting, one measure, one form, have they all.
38 And he maketh ten lavers of brass; forty baths doth the one laver contain, four by the cubit is the one laver, one laver on the one base is to the ten bases;
39 and he putteth the five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house, and the sea he hath put on the right side of the house, eastward -- over-against the south.
40 And Hiram maketh the lavers, and the shovels, and the bowls; and Hiram completeth to do all the work that he made for king Solomon, for the house of Jehovah;
41 pillars two, and bowls of the chapiters that are on the top of the pillars two, and the nets two, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that are on the top of the pillars;
42 and the pomegranates four hundred for the two nets, two rows of pomegranates for the one net, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that are on the front of the pillars;
43 and the ten bases, and the ten lavers on the bases;
44 and the one sea, the twelve oxen under the sea,
45 and the pots, and the shovels, and the bowls; and all these vessels, that Hiram hath made to king Solomon for the house of Jehovah, are of brass -- polished.
46 In the circuit of the Jordan hath the king cast them, in the thick soil of the ground, between Succoth and Zarthan.
47 And Solomon placeth the whole of the vessels; because of the very great abundance, the weight of the brass hath not been searched out.
48 And Solomon maketh all the vessels that are in the house of Jehovah: the altar of gold, and the table -- on which is the bread of the Presence -- of gold,
49 and the candlesticks, five on the right, and five on the left, before the oracle, of refined gold, and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold,
50 and the basins, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and the censers, of refined gold, and the hinges for the doors of the inner-house, for the holy of holies, for the doors of the house of the temple, of gold.
51 And it is complete -- all the work that king Solomon hath made for the house of Jehovah, and Solomon bringeth in the sanctified things of David his father; the silver, and the gold, and the vessels he hath put in the treasuries of the house of Jehovah.
Chapter 8
1 Then doth Solomon assemble the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, princes of the fathers of the sons of Israel, unto king Solomon, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the city of David -- it is Zion;
2 and all the men of Israel are assembled unto king Solomon, in the month of Ethanim, in the festival -- is the seventh month.
3 And all the elders of Israel come in, and the priests lift up the ark,
4 and bring up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that are in the tent, yea, the priests and the Levites bring them up.
5 And king Solomon and all the company of Israel who are met unto him are with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that are not counted nor numbered for multitude.
6 And the priests bring in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, unto the oracle of the house, unto the holy of holies, unto the place of the wings of the cherubs;
7 for the cherubs are spreading forth two wings unto the place of the ark, and the cherubs cover over the ark, and over its staves from above;
8 and they lengthen the staves, and the heads of the staves are seen from the holy place on the front of the oracle, and are not seen without, and they are there unto this day.
9 There is nothing in the ark, only the two tables of stone which Moses put there in Horeb, when Jehovah covenanted with the sons of Israel in their going out of the land of Egypt.
10 And it cometh to pass, in the going out of the priests from the holy place, that the cloud hath filled the house of Jehovah,
11 and the priests have not been able to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the honour of Jehovah hath filled the house of Jehovah.
12 Then said Solomon, `Jehovah hath said to dwell in thick darkness;
13 I have surely built a house of habitation for Thee; a fixed place for Thine abiding to the ages.'
14 And the king turneth round his face, and blesseth the whole assembly of Israel; and all the assembly of Israel is standing.
15 And he saith, `Blessed is Jehovah, God of Israel, who spake by His mouth with David my father, and by His hand hath fulfilled it, saying,
16 From the day that I brought out My people, even Israel, from Egypt, I have not fixed on a city out of all the tribes of Israel, to build a house for My name being there; and I fix on David to be over My people Israel.
17 `And it is with the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Jehovah, God of Israel,
18 and Jehovah saith unto David my father, Because that it hath been with thy heart to build a house for My name, thou hast done well that it hath been with thy heart;
19 only, thou dost not build the house, but thy son who is coming out from thy loins, he doth build the house for My name.
20 `And Jehovah doth establish His word which He spake, and I am risen up instead of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah spake, and build the house for the name of Jehovah, God of Israel,
21 and set there a place for the ark, where is the covenant of Jehovah which He made with our fathers in His bringing them out from the land of Egypt.'
22 And Solomon standeth before the altar of Jehovah, over-against all the assembly of Israel, and spreadeth his hands towards the heavens,
23 and saith, `Jehovah, God of Israel, there is not a God like Thee, in the heavens above, and on the earth beneath, keeping the covenant and the kindness for Thy servants, those walking before Thee with all their heart,
24 who hast kept for Thy servant David my father that which Thou spakest to him; yea, Thou speakest with Thy mouth, and with Thy hand hast fulfilled it, as at this day.
25 `And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, keep for Thy servant David my father that which Thou spakest to him, saying, There is not cut off to thee a man from before Me, sitting on the throne of Israel -- only, if thy sons watch their way, to walk before Me as thou hast walked before Me.
26 `And now, O God of Israel, let it be established, I pray Thee, Thy word which Thou hast spoken to Thy servant, David my father.
27 But, is it true? -- God dwelleth on the earth! lo, the heavens, and the heavens of the heavens do not contain Thee, how much less this house which I have builded!
28 `Then thou hast turned unto the prayer of Thy servant, and unto his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry and unto the prayer which Thy servant is praying before Thee to-day,
29 for Thine eyes being open towards this house night and day, towards the place of which Thou hast said, My Name is there; to hearken unto the prayer which Thy servant prayeth towards this place.
30 `Then Thou hast hearkened unto the supplication of Thy servant, and of Thy people Israel, which they pray towards this place; yea, Thou dost hearken in the place of Thy dwelling, in the heavens -- and Thou hast hearkened, and hast forgiven,
31 that which a man sinneth against his neighbour, and he hath lifted up upon him an oath to cause him to swear, and the oath hath come in before Thine altar in this house,
32 then Thou dost hear in the heavens, and hast done, and hast judged Thy servants, to declare wicked the wicked, to put his way on his head, and to declare righteous the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33 `In Thy people Israel being smitten before an enemy, because they sin against Thee, and they have turned back unto Thee, and have confessed Thy name, and prayed, and made supplication unto Thee in this house,
34 then thou dost hear in the heavens, and hast forgiven the sin of Thy people Israel, and brought them back unto the ground that Thou gavest to their fathers.
35 `In the heavens being restrained, and there is no rain, because they sin against Thee, and they have prayed towards this place, and confessed Thy name, and from their sin turn back, for Thou dost afflict them,
36 then Thou dost hear in the heavens, and hast forgiven the sin of Thy servants, and of Thy people Israel, for Thou directest them the good way in which they go, and hast given rain on Thy land which Thou hast given to Thy people for inheritance.
37 `Famine -- when it is in the land; pestilence -- when it is; blasting, mildew, locust; caterpillar -- when it is; when its enemy hath distressed it in the land in its gates, any plague, any sickness, --
38 any prayer, any supplication that is of any man of all Thy people Israel, who know each the plague of his own heart, and hath spread his hands towards this house,
39 then Thou dost hear in the heavens, the settled place of Thy dwelling, and hast forgiven, and hast done, and hast given to each according to all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest, (for Thou hast known -- Thyself alone -- the heart of all the sons of man),
40 so that they fear Thee all the days that they are living on the face of the ground that Thou hast given to our fathers.
41 `And also, unto the stranger who is not of Thy people Israel, and hath come from a land afar off for Thy name's sake --
42 (for they hear of Thy great name, and of Thy strong hand, and of Thy stretched-out arm) -- and he hath come in and prayed towards this house,
43 Thou dost hear in the heavens, the settled place of Thy dwelling, and hast done according to all that the stranger calleth unto Thee for, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Thy name, to fear Thee like Thy people Israel, and to know that Thy name hath been called on this house which I have builded.
44 `When Thy people doth go out to battle against its enemy, in the way that Thou dost send them, and they have prayed unto Jehovah the way of the city which thou hast fixed on, and of the house which I have builded for Thy name;
45 then Thou hast heard in the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and hast maintained their cause.
46 `When they sin against Thee (for there is not a man who sinneth not), and Thou hast been angry with them, and hast given them up before an enemy, and they have taken captive their captivity unto the land of the enemy far off or near;
47 and they have turned it back unto their heart in the land whither they have been taken captive, and have turned back, and made supplication unto Thee, in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely -- we have done wickedly;
48 yea, they have turned back unto Thee, with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and have prayed unto Thee the way of their land, which Thou gavest to their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have builded for Thy name:
49 `Then Thou hast heard in the heavens, the settled place of Thy dwelling, their prayer and their supplication, and hast maintained their cause,
50 and hast forgiven Thy people who have sinned against Thee, even all their transgressions which they have transgressed against Thee, and hast given them mercies before their captors, and they have had mercy on them --
51 (for Thy people and Thy inheritance are they, whom Thou didst bring out of Egypt, out of the midst of the furnace of iron) --
52 for Thine eyes being open unto the supplication of Thy servant, and unto the supplication of Thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all they call unto Thee for;
53 for Thou hast separated them to Thyself for an inheritance, out of all the peoples of the earth, as Thou didst speak by the hand of Moses Thy servant, in Thy bringing out our fathers from Egypt, O Lord Jehovah.'
54 And it cometh to pass, at Solomon's finishing to pray unto Jehovah all this prayer and supplication, he hath risen from before the altar of Jehovah, from bending on his knees, and his hands spread out to the heavens,
55 and he standeth and blesseth all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
56 `Blessed is Jehovah who hath given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He hath spoken; there hath not fallen one word of all His good word, which He spake by the hand of Moses his servant.
57 `Jehovah our God is with us as He hath been with our fathers; He doth not forsake us nor leave us;
58 to incline our heart unto Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers;
59 and these my words with which I have made supplication before Jehovah, are near unto Jehovah our God by day and by night, to maintain the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel, the matter of a day in its day;
60 for all the peoples of the earth knowing that Jehovah, He is God; there is none else;
61 and your heart hath been perfect with Jehovah our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commands, as at this day.'
62 And the king and all Israel with him are sacrificing a sacrifice before Jehovah;
63 and Solomon sacrificeth the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he hath sacrificed to Jehovah, oxen, twenty and two thousand, and sheep, a hundred and twenty thousand; and the king and all the sons of Israel dedicate the house of Jehovah.
64 On that day hath the king sanctified the middle of the court that is before the house of Jehovah, for he hath made there the burnt-offering, and the present, and the fat of the peace-offerings; for the altar of brass that is before Jehovah is too little to contain the burnt-offering, and the present, and the fat of the peace-offerings.
65 And Solomon maketh, at that time, the festival -- and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entering in of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt -- before Jehovah our God, seven days and seven days; fourteen days.
66 On the eighth day he hath sent the people away, and they bless the king, and go to their tents, rejoicing and glad of heart for all the good that Jehovah hath done to David His servant, and to Israel His people.
Chapter 9
1 And it cometh to pass, at Solomon's finishing to build the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king, and all the desire of Solomon that he delighted to do,
2 that Jehovah appeareth unto Solomon a second time, as He appeared unto him in Gibeon,
3 and Jehovah saith unto him, `I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication with which thou hast made supplication before Me; I have hallowed this house that thou hast built to put My name there -- unto the age, and Mine eyes and My heart have been there all the days.
4 `And thou -- if thou dost walk before Me as David thy father walked, in simplicity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee -- My statutes and My judgments thou dost keep --
5 then I have established the throne of thy kingdom over Israel -- to the age, as I spake unto David thy father, saying, There is not cut off to thee a man from being on the throne of Israel.
6 `If ye at all turn back -- you and your sons -- from after Me, and keep not My commands -- My statutes, that I have set before you, and ye have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them,
7 then I have cut off Israel from the face of the ground that I have given to them, and the house that I have hallowed for My name I send away from My presence, and Israel hath been for a simile and for a byword among all the peoples;
8 as to this house, that is high, every one passing by it is astonished, and hath hissed, and they have said, Wherefore hath Jehovah done thus to this land and to this house?
9 and they have said, Because that they have forsaken Jehovah their God, who brought out their fathers from the land of Egypt, and they lay hold on other gods, and bow themselves to them, and serve them; therefore hath Jehovah brought in upon them all this evil.'
10 And it cometh to pass, at the end of twenty years, that Solomon hath built the two houses, the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king.
11 Hiram king of Tyre hath assisted Solomon with cedar-trees, and with fir-trees, and with gold, according to all his desire; then doth king Solomon give to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
12 And Hiram cometh out from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon hath given to him, and they have not been right in his eyes,
13 and he saith, `What are these cities that thou hast given to me, my brother?' and one calleth them the land of Cabul unto this day.
14 And Hiram sendeth to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.
15 And this is the matter of the tribute that king Solomon hath lifted up, to build the house of Jehovah, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer,
16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt hath gone up and doth capture Gezer, and doth burn it with fire, and the Canaanite who is dwelling in the city he hath slain, and giveth it with presents to his daughter, wife of Solomon.)
17 And Solomon buildeth Gezer, and Beth-Horon the lower,
18 and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land;
19 and all the cities of stores that king Solomon hath, and the cities of the chariots, and the cities of the horsemen, and the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
20 The whole of the people that is left of the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, who are not of the sons of Israel --
21 their sons who are left behind them in the land, whom the sons of Israel have not been able to devote -- he hath even lifted up on them a tribute of service unto this day.
22 And out of the sons of Israel Solomon hath not appointed a servant, for they are the men of war, and his servants, and his heads, and his captains, and the heads of his chariots, and his horsemen.
23 These are the heads of the officers who are over the work of Solomon, fifty and five hundred, those ruling among the people who are labouring in the work.
24 Only, the daughter of Pharaoh went up out of the city of David unto her house that Solomon built for her; then he built Millo.
25 And Solomon caused to ascend, three times in a year, burnt-offerings and peace-offerings on the altar that he built to Jehovah, and he perfumed it with that which is before Jehovah, and finished the house.
26 And a navy hath king Solomon made in Ezion-Geber, that is beside Eloth, on the edge of the Sea of Suph, in the land of Edom.
27 And Hiram sendeth in the navy his servants, shipmen knowing the sea, with servants of Solomon,
28 and they come in to Ophir and take thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and bring it in unto king Solomon.
Chapter 10
1 And the queen of Sheba is hearing of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, and cometh to try him with enigmas,
2 and she cometh to Jerusalem, with a very great company, camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stone, and she cometh unto Solomon, and speaketh unto him all that hath been with her heart.
3 And Solomon declareth to her all her matters -- there hath not been a thing hid from the king that he hath not declared to her.
4 And the queen of Sheba seeth all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he built,
5 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the standing of his ministers, and their clothing, and his butlers, and his burnt-offering that he causeth to ascend in the house of Jehovah, and there hath not been in her any more spirit.
6 And she saith unto the king, `True hath been the word that I heard in my land, concerning thy matters and thy wisdom;
7 and I gave no credence to the words till that I have come, and my eyes see, and lo, it was not declared to me -- the half; thou hast added wisdom and goodness unto the report that I heard.
8 O the happiness of thy men, O the happiness of thy servants -- these -- who are standing before thee continually, who are hearing thy wisdom!
9 Jehovah thy God is blessed who delighted in thee, to put thee on the throne of Israel; in Jehovah's loving Israel to the age He doth set thee for king, to do judgment and righteousness.
10 And she giveth to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices very many, and precious stone; there came not like that spice any more for abundance that the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
11 And also, the navy of Hiram that bore gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir almug-trees very many, and precious stone;
12 and the king maketh the almug-trees a support for the house of Jehovah, and for the house of the king, and harps and psalteries for singers; there have not come such almug-trees, nor have there been seen such unto this day.
13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire that she asked, apart from that which he gave to her as a memorial of king Solomon, and she turneth and goeth to her land, she and her servants.
14 And the weight of the gold that hath come to Solomon in one year is six hundred sixty and six talents of gold,
15 apart from that of the tourists, and of the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the land.
16 And king Solomon maketh two hundred targets of alloyed gold -- six hundred of gold go up on the one target;
17 and three hundred shields of alloyed gold -- three pounds of gold go up on the one shield; and the king putteth them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
18 And the king maketh a great throne of ivory, and overlayeth it with refined gold;
19 six steps hath the throne, and a round top is to the throne behind it, and hands are on this side and on that, unto the place of the sitting, and two lions are standing near the hands,
20 and twelve lions are standing there on the six steps, on this side and on that; it hath not been made so for any kingdom.
21 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon are of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon are of refined gold -- there are none of silver; it was not reckoned in the days of Solomon for anything,
22 for a navy of Tarshish hath the king at sea with a navy of Hiram; once in three years cometh the navy of Tarshish, bearing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
23 And king Solomon is greater than any of the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom,
24 and all the earth is seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God hath put into his heart,
25 and they are bringing each his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, the matter of a year in a year.
26 And Solomon gathereth chariots, and horsemen, and he hath a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, and he placeth them in the cities of the chariot, and with the king in Jerusalem.
27 And the king maketh the silver in Jerusalem as stones, and the cedars he hath made as the sycamores that are in the low country, for abundance.
28 And the outgoing of the horses that king Solomon hath is from Egypt, and from Keveh; merchants of the king take from Keveh at a price;
29 and a chariot cometh up and cometh out of Egypt for six hundred silverlings, and a horse for fifty and a hundred, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Aram; by their hand they bring out.
Chapter 11
1 And king Solomon hath loved many strange women, and the daughter of Pharaoh, females of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon, and of the Hittites,
2 of the nations of which Jehovah said unto the sons of Israel, `Ye do not go in to them, and they do not go in to you; surely they turn aside your heart after their gods;' to them hath Solomon cleaved for love.
3 And he hath women, princesses, seven hundred, and concubines three hundred; and his wives turn aside his heart.
4 And it cometh to pass, at the time of the old age of Solomon, his wives have turned aside his heart after other gods, and his heart hath not been perfect with Jehovah his God, like the heart of David his father.
5 And Solomon goeth after Ashtoreth goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites;
6 and Solomon doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and hath not been fully after Jehovah, like David his father.
7 Then doth Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is on the front of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the sons of Ammon;
8 and so he hath done for all his strange women, who are perfuming and sacrificing to their gods.
9 And Jehovah sheweth Himself angry with Solomon, for his heart hath turned aside from Jehovah, God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice,
10 and given a charge unto him concerning this thing, not to go after other gods; and he hath not kept that which Jehovah commanded,
11 and Jehovah saith to Solomon, `Because that this hath been with thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant and My statutes that I charged upon thee, I surely rend the kingdom from thee, and have given it to thy servant.
12 `Only, in thy days I do it not, for the sake of David thy father; out of the hand of thy son I rend it;
13 only all the kingdom I do not rend away; one tribe I give to thy son, for the sake of David My servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, that I have chosen.'
14 And Jehovah raiseth up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; of the seed of the king is he in Edom;
15 and it cometh to pass, in David's being with Edom, in the going up of Joab head of the host to bury the slain, that he smiteth every male in Edom --
16 for six months did Joab abide there, and all Israel, till the cutting off of every male in Edom --
17 and Hadad fleeth, he and certain Edomites, of the servants of his father, with him, to go in to Egypt, and Hadad is a little youth,
18 and they rise out of Midian, and come into Paran, and take men with them out of Paran, and come in to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he giveth to him a house, and bread hath commanded for him, and land hath given to him.
19 And Hadad findeth grace in the eyes of Pharaoh exceedingly, and he giveth to him a wife, the sister of his own wife, sister of Tahpenes the mistress;
20 and the sister of Tahpenes beareth to him Genubath his son, and Tahpenes weaneth him within the house of Pharaoh, and Genubath is in the house of Pharaoh in the midst of the sons of Pharaoh.
21 And Hadad hath heard in Egypt that David hath lain with his fathers, and that Joab head of the host is dead, and Hadad saith unto Pharaoh, `Send me away, and I go unto my land.'
22 And Pharaoh saith to him, `But, what art thou lacking with me, that lo, thou art seeking to go unto thine own land?' and he saith, `Nay, but thou dost certainly send me away.'
23 And God raiseth to him an adversary, Rezon son of Eliadah, who hath fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah, his lord,
24 and gathereth unto himself men, and is head of a troop in David's slaying them, and they go to Damascus, and dwell in it, and reign in Damascus;
25 and he is an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, (besides the evil that Hadad did), and he cutteth off in Israel, and reigneth over Aram.
26 And Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda -- the name of whose mother is Zeruah, a widow woman -- servant to Solomon, he also lifteth up a hand against the king;
27 and this is the thing for which he lifted up a hand against the king: Solomon built Millo -- he shut up the breach of the city of David his father,
28 and the man Jeroboam is mighty in valour, and Solomon seeth the young man that he is doing business, and appointeth him over all the burden of the house of Joseph.
29 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Jeroboam hath gone out from Jerusalem, and Ahijah the Shilonite, the prophet, findeth him in the way, and he is covering himself with a new garment; and both of them are by themselves in a field,
30 and Ahijah layeth hold on the new garment that is on him, and rendeth it -- twelve pieces,
31 and saith to Jeroboam, `Take to thee ten pieces, for thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, lo, I am rending the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and have given to thee the ten tribes,
32 and the one tribe he hath for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have fixed on, out of all the tribes of Israel.
33 `Because they have forsaken Me, and bow themselves to Ashtoreth, goddess of the Zidonians, to Chemosh god of Moab, and to Milcom god of the sons of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do that which is right in Mine eyes, and My statutes and My judgments, like David his father.
34 `And I do not take the whole of the kingdom out of his hand, for prince I make him all days of his life, for the sake of David My servant whom I chose, who kept My commands and My statutes;
35 and I have taken the kingdom out of the hand of his son, and given it to thee -- the ten tribes;
36 and to his son I give one tribe, for there being a lamp to David My servant all the days before Me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen to Myself to put My name there.
37 `And thee I take, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth, and thou hast been king over Israel;
38 and it hath been, if thou dost hear all that I command thee, and hast walked in My ways, and done that which is right in Mine eyes, to keep My statutes and My commands, as did David My servant, that I have been with thee, and have built for thee a stedfast house, as I built for David, and have given to thee Israel,
39 and I humble the seed of David for this; only, not all the days.'
40 And Solomon seeketh to put Jeroboam to death, and Jeroboam riseth and fleeth to Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and he is in Egypt till the death of Solomon.
41 And the rest of the matters of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written on the book of the matters of Solomon?
42 And the days that Solomon hath reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel are forty years,
43 and Solomon lieth with his fathers, and is buried in the city of David his father, and reign doth Rehoboam his son in his stead.
Chapter 12
1 And Rehoboam goeth to Shechem, for to Shechem hath all Israel come to make him king.
2 And it cometh to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat's hearing (and he is yet in Egypt where he hath fled from the presence of Solomon the king, and Jeroboam dwelleth in Egypt),
3 that they send and call for him; and they come -- Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel -- and speak unto Rehoboam, saying,
4 `Thy father made hard our yoke, and thou, now, make light some of the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.'
5 And he saith unto them, `Go -- yet three days, and come back unto me;' and the people go.
6 And king Rehoboam consulteth with the elders who have been standing in the presence of Solomon his father, in his being alive, saying, `How are ye counselling to answer this people?'
7 And they speak unto him, saying, `If, to-day, thou art servant to this people, and hast served them, and answered them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.'
8 And he forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, who are standing before him;
9 and he saith unto them, `What are ye counselling, and we answer this people, who have spoken unto me, saying, Lighten somewhat of the yoke that thy father put upon us?'
10 And they speak unto him -- the lads who had grown up with him -- saying, `Thus dost thou say to this people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make it light upon us; thus dost thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father;
11 and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I -- I chastise you with scorpions.'
12 And they come -- Jeroboam and all the people -- unto Rehoboam, on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, `Come back unto me on the third day.'
13 And the king answereth the people sharply, and forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled him,
14 and speaketh unto them, according to the counsel of the lads, saying, `My father made your yoke heavy, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I -- I chastise you with scorpions;'
15 and the king hearkened not unto the people, for the revolution was from Jehovah, in order to establish His word that Jehovah spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16 And all Israel see that the king hath not hearkened unto them, and the people send the king back word, saying, `What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to thy tents, O Israel; now see thy house, O David!' and Israel goeth to its tents.
17 As to the sons of Israel, those dwelling in the cities of Judah -- over them reign doth Rehoboam.
18 And king Rehoboam sendeth Adoram who is over the tribute, and all Israel cast at him stones, and he dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem;
19 and Israel transgresseth against the house of David unto this day.
20 And it cometh to pass, at all Israel's hearing that Jeroboam hath returned, that they send and call him unto the company, and cause him to reign over all Israel; none hath been after the house of David save the tribe of Judah alone.
21 And Rehoboam cometh to Jerusalem, and assembleth all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight with the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 And the word of God is unto Shemaiah a man of God, saying,
23 `Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people, saying,
24 Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren the sons of Israel; turn back each to his house, for from Me hath this thing been;' and they hear the word of Jehovah, and turn back to go according to the word of Jehovah.
25 And Jeroboam buildeth Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelleth in it, and goeth out thence, and buildeth Penuel;
26 and Jeroboam saith in his heart, `Now doth the kingdom turn back to the house of David --
27 if this people go up to make sacrifices in the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem, then hath the heart of this people turned back unto their lord, unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they have slain me, and turned back unto Rehoboam king of Judah.'
28 And the king taketh counsel, and maketh two calves of gold, and saith unto them, `Enough to you of going up to Jerusalem; lo, thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'
29 And he setteth the one in Beth-El, and the other he hath put in Dan,
30 and this thing becometh a sin, and the people go before the one -- unto Dan.
31 And he maketh the house of high places, and maketh priests of the extremities of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi;
32 and Jeroboam maketh a festival in the eighth month, in the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival that is in Judah, and he offereth on the altar -- so did he in Beth-El -- to sacrifice to the calves which he made, and he hath appointed in Beth-El the priests of the high places that he made.
33 And he offereth up on the altar that he made in Beth-El, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he devised of his own heart, and he maketh a festival to the sons of Israel, and offereth on the altar -- to make perfume.
Chapter 13
1 And lo, a man of God hath come from Judah, by the word of Jehovah, unto Beth-El, and Jeroboam is standing by the altar -- to make perfume;
2 and he calleth against the altar, by the word of Jehovah, and saith, `Altar! altar! thus said Jehovah, Lo, a son is born to the house of David -- Josiah his name -- and he hath sacrificed on thee the priests of the high places who are making perfume on thee, and bones of man are burnt on thee.'
3 And he hath given on that day a sign, saying, `This is the sign that Jehovah hath spoken, Lo, the altar is rent, and the ashes poured forth that are on it.'
4 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the word of the man of God that he calleth against the altar in Beth-El, that Jeroboam putteth forth his hand from off the altar, saying, `Catch him;' and his hand is dried up that he hath put forth against him, and he is not able to bring it back unto him,
5 and the altar is rent, and the ashes poured forth from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of Jehovah.
6 And the king answereth and saith unto the man of God, `Appease, I pray thee, the face of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me, and my hand doth come back unto me;' and the man of God appeaseth the face of Jehovah, and the hand of the king cometh back unto him, and it is as at the beginning.
7 And the king speaketh unto the man of God, `Come in with me to the house, and refresh thyself, and I give to thee a gift.'
8 And the man of God saith unto the king, `If thou dost give to me the half of thine house, I do not go in with thee, nor do I eat bread, nor do I drink water, in this place;
9 for so He commanded me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Thou dost not eat bread nor drink water, nor turn back in the way that thou hast come.'
10 And he goeth on in another way, and hath not turned back in the way in which he came in unto Beth-El.
11 And a certain aged prophet is dwelling in Beth-El, and his son cometh and recounteth to him all the deed that the man of God hath done to-day in Beth-El, the words that he hath spoken unto the king, -- yea, they recount them to their father.
12 And their father saith unto them, `Where is this -- the way he hath gone?' and his sons see the way that the man of God hath gone who came from Judah.
13 And he saith unto his sons, `Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle for him the ass, and he rideth on it,
14 and goeth after the man of God, and findeth him sitting under the oak, and saith unto him, `Art thou the man of God who hast come from Judah?' and he saith, `I am.'
15 And he saith unto him, `Come with me to the house, and eat bread.'
16 And he saith, `I am not able to turn back with thee, and to go in with thee, nor do I eat bread or drink with thee water in this place,
17 for a word is unto me by the word of Jehovah, Thou dost not eat bread nor drink there water, thou dost not turn back to go in the way in which thou camest.'
18 And he saith to him, `I also am a prophet like thee, and a messenger spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee unto thy house, and he doth eat bread and drink water;' -- he hath lied to him.
19 And he turneth back with him, and eateth bread in his house, and drinketh water.
20 And it cometh to pass -- they are sitting at the table -- and a word of Jehovah is unto the prophet who brought him back,
21 and he calleth unto the man of God who came from Judah, saying, `Thus said Jehovah, Because that thou hast provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and hast not kept the command that Jehovah thy God charged thee,
22 and turnest back and dost eat bread and drink water in the place of which He said unto thee, Thou dost not eat bread nor drink water -- thy carcase cometh not in unto the burying-place of thy fathers.'
23 And it cometh to pass, after his eating bread, and after his drinking, that he saddleth for him the ass, for the prophet whom he had brought back,
24 and he goeth, and a lion findeth him in the way, and putteth him to death, and his carcase is cast in the way, and the ass is standing near it, and the lion is standing near the carcase.
25 And lo, men are passing by, and see the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing near the carcase, and they come and speak of it in the city in which the old prophet is dwelling.
26 And the prophet who brought him back out of the way heareth and saith, `It is the man of God who provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth him to the lion, and it destroyeth him, and putteth him to death, according to the word of Jehovah that he spake to him.'
27 And he speaketh unto his sons saying, `Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle it.
28 And he goeth and findeth his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion are standing near the carcase -- the lion hath not eaten the carcase nor destroyed the ass.
29 And the prophet taketh up the carcase of the man of God, and placeth it on the ass, and bringeth it back, and the old prophet cometh in unto the city to mourn and to bury him,
30 and he placeth his carcase in his own grave, and they mourn for him, `Oh, my brother!'
31 And it cometh to pass, after his burying him, that he speaketh unto his sons, saying, `At my death -- ye have buried me in the burying-place in which the man of God is buried; near his bones place my bones;
32 for the word certainly cometh to pass that he called by the word of Jehovah concerning the altar which is Beth-El, and concerning all the houses of the high places that are in cities of Samaria.'
33 After this thing Jeroboam hath not turned from his evil way, and turneth back, and maketh of the extremities of the people priests of high places; he who is desirous he consecrateth his hand, and he is of the priests of the high places.
34 And in this thing is the sin of the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the ground.
Chapter 14
1 At that time was Abijah son of Jeroboam sick,
2 and Jeroboam saith to his wife, `Rise, I pray thee, and change thyself, and they know not that thou art wife of Jeroboam, and thou hast gone to Shiloh; lo, there is Ahijah the prophet; he spake unto me of being king over this people;
3 and thou hast taken in thy hand ten loaves, and crumbs, and a bottle of honey, and hast gone in unto him; he doth declare to thee what becometh of the youth.'
4 And the wife of Jeroboam doth so, and riseth, and goeth to Shiloh, and entereth the house of Ahijah, and Ahijah is not able to see, for his eyes have stood because of his age.
5 And Jehovah said unto Ahijah, `Lo, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to seek a word from thee concerning her son, for he is sick; thus and thus thou dost speak unto her, and it cometh to pass at her coming in, that she is making herself strange.'
6 And it cometh to pass, at Ahijah's hearing the sound of her feet as she came in to the opening, that he saith, `Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why is this -- thou art making thyself strange? and I am sent unto thee with a sharp thing:
7 Go, say to Jeroboam, Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Because that I have made thee high out of the midst of the people, and appoint thee leader over my people Israel,
8 and rend the kingdom from the house of David, and give it to thee, -- and thou hast not been as My servant David who kept My commands, and who walked after Me with all his heart, to do only that which is right in Mine eyes,
9 and thou dost evil above all who have been before thee, and goest, and makest to thee other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and Me thou hast cast behind thy back:
10 `Therefore, lo, I am bringing in evil unto the house of Jeroboam, and have cut off to Jeroboam those sitting on the wall -- shut up and left -- in Israel, and have put away the posterity of the house of Jeroboam, as one putteth away the dung till its consumption;
11 him who dieth of Jeroboam in a city do the dogs eat, and him who dieth in a field do fowl of the heavens eat, for Jehovah hath spoken.
12 `And thou, rise, go to thy house; in the going in of thy feet to the city -- hath the lad died;
13 and all Israel have mourned for him, and buried him, for this one -- by himself -- cometh of Jeroboam unto a grave, because there hath been found in him a good thing towards Jehovah, God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.
14 `And Jehovah hath raised up for Him a king over Israel who cutteth off the house of Jeroboam this day -- and what? -- even now!
15 And Jehovah hath smitten Israel as the reed is moved by the waters, and hath plucked Israel from off this good ground that He gave to their fathers, and scattered them beyond the River, because that they made their shrines, provoking Jehovah to anger;
16 and He giveth up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned, and that he caused Israel to sin.'
17 And the wife of Jeroboam riseth, and goeth, and cometh to Tirzah; she hath come in to the threshold of the house, and the youth dieth;
18 and they bury him, and mourn for him do all Israel, according to the word of Jehovah, that he spake by the hand of His servant Ahijah the prophet.
19 And the rest of the matters of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
20 And the days that Jeroboam reigned are twenty and two years, and he lieth with his fathers, and reign doth Nadab his son in his stead.
21 And Rehoboam son of Solomon hath reigned in Judah; a son of forty and one years is Rehoboam in his reigning, and seventeen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah chose to set His name there, out of all the tribes of Israel, and the name of his mother is Naamah the Ammonitess.
22 And Judah doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and they make Him zealous above all that their fathers did by their sins that they have sinned.
23 And they build -- also they -- for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and shrines, on every high height, and under every green tree;
24 and also a whoremonger hath been in the land; they have done according to all the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel.
25 And it cometh to pass, in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, gone up hath Shishak king of Egypt against Jerusalem,
26 and he taketh the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the house of the king, yea, the whole he hath taken; and he taketh all the shields of gold that Solomon made.
27 And king Rehoboam maketh in their stead shields of brass, and hath made them a charge on the hand of the heads of the runners, those keeping the opening of the house of the king,
28 and it cometh to pass, from the going in of the king to the house of Jehovah, the runners bear them, and have brought them back unto the chamber of the runners.
29 And the rest of the matters of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
30 And war hath been between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days;
31 and Rehoboam lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David, and the name of his mother is Naamah the Ammonitess, and reign doth Abijam his son in his stead.
Chapter 15
1 And in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam son of Nebat, reigned hath Abijam over Judah;
2 three years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Maachah daughter of Abishalom;
3 and he walketh in all the sins of his father, that he did before him, and his heart hath not been perfect with Jehovah his God, as the heart of David his father;
4 but for David's sake hath Jehovah his God given to him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem,
5 in that David did that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and turned not aside from all that He commanded him all days of his life -- only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite;
6 and war hath been between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
7 And the rest of the matters of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? And war hath been between Abijam and Jeroboam;
8 and Abijam lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in the city of David, and reign doth Asa his son in his stead.
9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned hath Asa over Judah,
10 and forty and one years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Maachah daughter of Abishalom.
11 And Asa doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, like David his father,
12 and removeth the whoremongers out of the land, and turneth aside all the idols that his fathers made;
13 and also Maachah his mother -- he turneth her aside from being mistress, in that she made a horrible thing for a shrine, and Asa cutteth down her horrible thing, and burneth it by the brook Kidron;
14 and the high places have not turned aside; only, the heart of Asa hath been perfect with Jehovah all his days,
15 and he bringeth in the sanctified things of his father, and his own sanctified things, to the house of Jehovah, silver, and gold, and vessels.
16 And war hath been between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days,
17 and Baasha king of Israel goeth up against Judah, and buildeth Ramah, not to permit any one going out and coming in to Asa king of Judah.
18 And Asa taketh all the silver and the gold that are left in the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the house of the king, and giveth them into the hand of his servants, and king Asa sendeth them unto Ben-Hadad, son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion king of Aram, who is dwelling in Damascus, saying,
19 `A covenant is between me and thee, between my father and thy father; lo, I have sent to thee a reward of silver and gold; go, break thy covenant with Baasha king of Israel, and he goeth up from off me.'
20 And Ben-Hadad hearkeneth unto king Asa, and sendeth the heads of the forces that he hath against cities of Israel, and smiteth Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-Beth-Maachah, and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali;
21 and it cometh to pass at Baasha's hearing, that he ceaseth from building Ramah, and dwelleth in Tirzah.
22 And king Asa hath summoned all Judah -- there is none exempt -- and they lift up the stones of Ramah, and its wood, that Baasha hath built, and king Asa buildeth with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
23 And the rest of all the matters of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? Only, at the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet;
24 and Asa lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigneth in his stead.
25 And Nadab son of Jeroboam hath reigned over Israel, in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigneth over Israel two years,
26 and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and goeth in the way of his father, and in his sin that he made Israel to sin.
27 And conspire against him doth Baasha son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, and Baasha smiteth him in Gibbethon, which is to the Philistines -- and Nadab and all Israel are laying siege against Gibbethon --
28 yea, Baasha putteth him to death in the third year of Asa king of Judah, and reigneth in his stead.
29 And it cometh to pass, at his reigning, he hath smitten the whole house of Jeroboam, he hath not left any breathing to Jeroboam till his destroying him, according to the word of Jehovah, that He spake by the hand of His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,
30 because of the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned, and that he caused Israel to sin, by his provocation with which he provoked to anger Jehovah, God of Israel.
31 And the rest of the matters of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
32 And war hath been between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah reigned hath Baasha son of Ahijah over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years,
34 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he caused Israel to sin.
Chapter 16
1 And a word of Jehovah is unto Jehu son of Hanani, against Baasha, saying,
2 `Because that I have raised thee up out of the dust, and appoint thee leader over My people Israel, and thou walkest in the way of Jeroboam, and causest My people Israel to sin -- to provoke Me to anger with their sins;
3 lo, I am putting away the posterity of Baasha, even the posterity of his house, and have given up thy house as the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat;
4 him who dieth of Baasha in a city do the dogs eat, and him who dieth of his in a field do fowl of the heavens eat.'
5 And the rest of the matters of Baasha, and that which he did, and his might, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
6 And Baasha lieth with his fathers, and is buried in Tirzah, and Elah his son reigneth in his stead.
7 And also by the hand of Jehu son of Hanani the prophet a word of Jehovah hath been concerning Baasha, and concerning his house, and concerning all the evil that he did in the eyes of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger with the work of his hands, to be like the house of Jeroboam, and concerning that for which he smote him.
8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah reigned hath Elah son of Baasha over Israel in Tirzah, two years;
9 and conspire against him doth his servant Zimri (head of the half of the chariots) and he is in Tirzah drinking -- a drunkard in the house of Arza, who is over the house in Tirzah.
10 And Zimri cometh in and smiteth him, and putteth him to death, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigneth in his stead;
11 and it cometh to pass in his reigning, at his sitting on his throne, he hath smitten the whole house of Baasha; he hath not left to him any sitting on the wall, and of his redeemers, and of his friends.
12 And Zimri destroyeth the whole house of Baasha, according to the word of Jehovah, that He spake concerning Baasha, by the hand of Jehu the prophet:
13 concerning all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, that they sinned, and that they caused Israel to sin to provoke Jehovah, God of Israel, with their vanities.
14 And the rest of the matters of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
15 In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, reigned hath Zimri seven days in Tirzah; and the people are encamping against Gibbethon, which is to the Philistines;
16 and the people who are encamping hear, saying, `Zimri hath conspired, and also hath smitten the king;' and all Israel cause Omri head of the host to reign over Israel on that day in the camp.
17 And Omri goeth up, and all Israel with him, from Gibbethon, and they lay siege to Tirzah.
18 And it cometh to pass, at Zimri's seeing that the city hath been captured, that he cometh in unto a high place of the house of the king, and burneth over him the house of the king with fire, and dieth,
19 for his sins that he sinned, to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, to walk in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he did, to cause Israel to sin;
20 and the rest of the matters of Zimri, and his conspiracy that he made, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
21 Then are the sons of Israel parted into halves; half of the people hath been after Tibni son of Ginath to cause him to reign, and the half after Omri;
22 and stronger are the people that are after Omri than the people that are after Tibni son of Ginath, and Tibni dieth, and Omri reigneth.
23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah reigned hath Omri over Israel twelve years; in Tirzah he hath reigned six years,
24 and he buyeth the mount Samaria from Shemer, with two talents of silver, and buildeth on the mount, and calleth the name of the city that he hath built by the name of Shemer, lord of the hill -- Samaria.
25 And Omri doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and doth evil above all who are before him,
26 and walketh in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and in his sin that he caused Israel to sin, to provoke Jehovah, God of Israel, with their vanities.
27 And the rest of the matters of Omri that he did, and his might that he got, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
28 And Omri lieth with his fathers, and is buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigneth in his stead.
29 And Ahab son of Omri hath reigned over Israel in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab son of Omri reigneth over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years,
30 and Ahab son of Omri doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah above all who are before him.
31 And it cometh to pass -- hath it been light his walking in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat? -- then he taketh a wife, Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, and goeth and serveth Baal, and boweth himself to it,
32 and raiseth up an altar for Baal, in the house of the Baal, that he built in Samaria;
33 and Ahab maketh the shrine, and Ahab addeth to do so as to provoke Jehovah, God of Israel, above all the kings of Israel who have been before him.
34 In his days hath Hiel the Beth-Elite built Jericho; in Abiram his first-born he laid its foundation, and in Segub his youngest he set up its doors, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake by the hand of Joshua son of Nun.
Chapter 17
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, saith unto Ahab, `Jehovah, God of Israel, liveth, before whom I have stood, there is not these years dew and rain, except according to my word.'
2 And the word of Jehovah is unto him, saying,
3 `Go from this place; and thou hast turned for thee eastward, and been hidden by the brook Cherith, that is on the front of the Jordan,
4 and it hath been, from the brook thou dost drink, and the ravens I have commanded to sustain thee there.'
5 And he goeth and doth according to the word of Jehovah, yea, he goeth and dwelleth by the brook Cherith, that is on the front of the Jordan,
6 and the ravens are bringing to him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and of the brook he drinketh.
7 And it cometh to pass, at the end of days, that the brook drieth up, for there hath been no rain in the land,
8 and the word of Jehovah is unto him, saying,
9 `Rise, go to Zarephath, that is to Zidon, and thou hast dwelt there; lo, I have commanded there a widow woman to sustain thee.'
10 And he riseth, and goeth to Zarephath, and cometh in unto the opening of the city, and lo there, a widow woman gathering sticks, and he calleth unto her, and saith, `Bring, I pray thee, to me, a little water in a vessel, and I drink.'
11 And she goeth to bring it, and he calleth unto her and saith, `Bring, I pray thee, to me a morsel of bread in thy hand.'
12 And she saith, `Jehovah thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but the fulness of the hand of meal in a pitcher, and a little oil in a dish; and lo, I am gathering two sticks, and have gone in and prepared it for myself, and for my son, and we have eaten it -- and died.'
13 And Elijah saith unto her, `Fear not, go, do according to thy word, only make for me thence a little cake, in the first place, and thou hast brought out to me; and for thee and for thy son make -- last;
14 for thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, The pitcher of meal is not consumed, and the dish of oil is not lacking, till the day of Jehovah's giving a shower on the face of the ground.'
15 And she goeth, and doth according to the word of Elijah, and she eateth, she and he, and her household -- days;
16 the pitcher of meal was not consumed, and the dish of oil did not lack, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake by the hand of Elijah.
17 And it cometh to pass, after these things, the son of the woman, mistress of the house, hath been sick, and his sickness is very severe till that no breath hath been left in him.
18 And she saith unto Elijah, `What -- to me and to thee, O man of God? thou hast come unto me to cause mine iniquity to be remembered, and to put my son to death!'
19 And he saith unto her, `Give to me thy son;' and he taketh him out of her bosom, and taketh him up unto the upper chamber where he is abiding, and layeth him on his own bed,
20 and crieth unto Jehovah, and saith, `Jehovah my God, also on the widow with whom I am sojourning hast Thou done evil -- to put her son to death?'
21 And he stretcheth himself out on the lad three times, and calleth unto Jehovah, and saith, `O Jehovah my God, let turn back, I pray Thee, the soul of this lad into his midst;'
22 and Jehovah hearkeneth to the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the lad turneth back into his midst, and he liveth.
23 And Elijah taketh the lad, and bringeth him down from the upper chamber of the house, and giveth him to his mother, and Elijah saith, `See, thy son liveth!'
24 And the woman saith unto Elijah, `Now, this I have known, that a man of God thou art, and the word of Jehovah in thy mouth is truth.'
Chapter 18
1 And the days are many, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Elijah in the third year, saying, `Go, appear unto Ahab, and I give rain on the face of the ground;'
2 and Elijah goeth to appear unto Ahab. And the famine is severe in Samaria,
3 and Ahab calleth unto Obadiah, who is over the house -- and Obadiah hath been fearing Jehovah greatly,
4 and it cometh to pass, in Jezebel's cutting off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah taketh a hundred prophets, and hideth them, fifty men in a cave, and hath sustained them with bread and water --
5 and Ahab saith unto Obadiah, `Go through the land, unto all fountains of waters, and unto all the brooks, if so be we find hay, and keep alive horse and mule, and do not cut off any of the cattle.'
6 And they apportion to themselves the land, to pass over into it; Ahab hath gone in one way by himself, and Obadiah hath gone in another way by himself;
7 and Obadiah is in the way, and lo, Elijah -- to meet him; and he discerneth him, and falleth on his face, and saith, `Art thou he -- my lord Elijah?'
8 And he saith to him, `I am; go, say to thy lord, Lo, Elijah.'
9 And he saith, `What have I sinned, that thou art giving thy servant into the hand of Ahab -- to put me to death?
10 Jehovah thy God liveth, if there is a nation and kingdom whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee; and they said, He is not, then he caused the kingdom and the nation to swear, that it doth not find thee;
11 and now, thou art saying, Go, say to thy lord, Lo, Elijah;
12 and it hath been, I go from thee, and the Spirit of Jehovah doth lift thee up, whither I know not, and I have come to declare to Ahab, and he doth not find thee, and he hath slain me; and thy servant is fearing Jehovah from my youth.
13 `Hath it not been declared to my lord that which I have done in Jezebel's slaying the prophets of Jehovah, that I hide of the prophets of Jehovah a hundred men, fifty by fifty in a cave, and sustained them with bread and water?
14 and now thou art saying, Go, say to my lord, Lo, Elijah -- and he hath slain me!'
15 And Elijah saith, `Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood, surely to-day I appear unto him.'
16 And Obadiah goeth to meet Ahab, and declareth it to him, and Ahab goeth to meet Elijah,
17 and it cometh to pass at Ahab's seeing Elijah, that Ahab saith unto him, `Art thou he -- the troubler of Israel?'
18 And he saith, `I have not troubled Israel, but thou and the house of thy father, in your forsaking the commands of Jehovah, and thou goest after the Baalim;
19 and now, send, gather unto me all Israel, unto the mount of Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the shrine, four hundred -- eating at the table of Jezebel.'
20 And Ahab sendeth among all the sons of Israel, and gathereth the prophets unto the mount of Carmel;
21 and Elijah cometh nigh unto all the people, and saith, `Till when are ye leaping on the two branches? -- if Jehovah is God, go after Him; and if Baal, go after him;' and the people have not answered him a word.
22 And Elijah saith unto the people, `I -- I have been left a prophet of Jehovah -- by myself; and the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men;
23 and let them give to us two bullocks, and they choose for themselves the one bullock, and cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood, and place no fire; and I -- I prepare the other bullock, and have put it on the wood, and fire I do not place; --
24 and ye have called in the name of your god, and I -- I call in the name of Jehovah, and it hath been, the god who answereth by fire -- He is the God.' And all the people answer and say, `Good is the word.'
25 And Elijah saith to the prophets of Baal, `Choose for you the one bullock, and prepare first, for ye are the multitude, and call ye in the name of your god, and place no fire.'
26 And they take the bullock that one gave to them, and prepare, and call in the name of Baal from the morning even till the noon, saying, `O Baal, answer us!' and there is no voice, and there is none answering; and they leap on the altar that one had made.
27 And it cometh to pass, at noon, that Elijah playeth on them, and saith, `Call with a loud voice, for he is a god, for he is meditating, or pursuing, or on a journey; it may be he is asleep, an doth awake.'
28 And they call with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their ordinance, with swords and with spears, till a flowing of blood is on them;
29 and it cometh to pass, at the passing by of the noon, that they feign themselves prophets till the going up of the present, and there is no voice, and there is none answering, and there is none attending.
30 And Elijah saith to all the people, `Come nigh unto me;' and all the people come nigh unto him, and he repaireth the altar of Jehovah that is broken down;
31 and Elijah taketh twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah was, saying, `Israel is thy name;'
32 and he buildeth with the stones an altar, in the name of Jehovah, and maketh a trench, as about the space of two measures of seed, round about the altar.
33 And he arrangeth the wood, and cutteth in pieces the bullock, and placeth it on the wood, and saith, `Fill ye four pitchers of water, and pour on the burnt-offering, and on the wood;
34 and he saith, `Do it a second time;' and they do it a second time; and he saith, `Do it a third time;' and they do it a third time;
35 and the water goeth round about the altar, and also, the trench he hath filled with water.
36 And it cometh to pass, at the going up of the evening-present, that Elijah the prophet cometh nigh and saith, `Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to-day let it be known that Thou art God in Israel, and I Thy servant, that by Thy word I have done the whole of these things;
37 answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, and this people doth know that Thou art Jehovah God; and Thou hast turned their heart backward.'
38 And there falleth a fire of Jehovah, and consumeth the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and the water that is in the trench it hath licked up.
39 And all the people see, and fall on their faces, and say, `Jehovah, He is the God, Jehovah, He is the God.'
40 And Elijah saith to them, `Catch ye the prophets of Baal; let not a man escape of them;' and they catch them, and Elijah bringeth them down unto the stream Kishon, and doth slaughter them there.
41 And Elijah saith to Ahab, `Go up, eat and drink, because of the sound of the noise of the shower.'
42 And Ahab goeth up to eat, and to drink, and Elijah hath gone up unto the top of Carmel, and he stretcheth himself out on the earth, and he placeth his face between his knees,
43 and saith unto his young man, `Go up, I pray thee, look attentively the way of the sea;' and he goeth up and looketh attentively, and saith, `There is nothing;' and he saith, `Turn back,' seven times.
44 And it cometh to pass, at the seventh, that he saith, `Lo, a little thickness as the palm of a man is coming up out of the sea.' And he saith, `Go up, say unto Ahab, `Bind -- and go down, and the shower doth not restrain thee.'
45 And it cometh to pass, in the meantime, that the heavens have become black -- thick clouds and wind -- and the shower is great; and Ahab rideth, and goeth to Jezreel,
46 and the hand of Jehovah hath been on Elijah, and he girdeth up his loins, and runneth before Ahab, till thine entering Jezreel.
Chapter 19
1 And Ahab declareth to Jezebel all that Elijah did, and all how he slew all the prophets by the sword,
2 and Jezebel sendeth a messenger unto Elijah, saying, `Thus doth the gods, and thus do they add, surely about this time to-morrow, I make thy life as the life of one of them.'
3 And he feareth, and riseth, and goeth for his life, and cometh in to Beer-Sheba, that is Judah's, and leaveth his young man there,
4 and he himself hath gone into the wilderness a day's Journey, and cometh and sitteth under a certain retem-tree, and desireth his soul to die, and saith, `Enough, now, O Jehovah, take my soul, for I am not better than my fathers.'
5 And he lieth down and sleepeth under a certain retem-tree, and lo, a messenger cometh against him, and saith to him, `Rise, eat;'
6 and he looketh attentively, and lo, at his bolster a cake baken on burning stones, and a dish of water, and he eateth, and drinketh, and turneth, and lieth down.
7 And the messenger of Jehovah turneth back a second time, and cometh against him, and saith, `Rise, eat, for the way is too great for thee;'
8 and he riseth, and eateth, and drinketh, and goeth in the power of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God -- Horeb.
9 And he cometh in there, unto the cave, and lodgeth there, and lo, the word of Jehovah is unto him, and saith to him, `What -- to thee, here, Elijah?'
10 And he saith, `I have been very zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant -- Thine altars they have thrown down, and Thy prophets they have slain by the sword, and I am left, I, by myself, and they seek my life -- to take it.'
11 And He saith, `Go out, and thou hast stood in the mount before Jehovah.' And lo, Jehovah is passing by, and a wind -- great and strong -- is rending mountains, and shivering rocks before Jehovah: -- not in the wind is Jehovah; and after the wind a shaking: -- not in the shaking is Jehovah;
12 and after the shaking a fire: -- not in the fire is Jehovah; and after the fire a voice still small;
13 and it cometh to pass, at Elijah's hearing it, that he wrappeth his face in his robe, and goeth out, and standeth at the opening of the cave, and lo, unto him is a voice, and it saith, `What -- to thee, here, Elijah?'
14 And he saith, `I have been very zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, Thine altars they have thrown down, and Thy prophets they have slain by the sword, and I am left, I, by myself, and they seek my life -- to take it.'
15 And Jehovah saith unto him, `Go turn back on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and thou hast gone in, and anointed Hazael for king over Aram,
16 and Jehu son of Nimshi thou dost anoint for king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel-Meholah, thou dost anoint for prophet in thy stead.
17 `And it hath been, him who is escaped from the sword of Hazael, put to death doth Jehu, and him who is escaped from the sword of Jehu put to death doth Elisha;
18 and I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.'
19 And he goeth thence, and findeth Elisha son of Shaphat, and he is plowing; twelve yoke are before him, and he is with the twelfth; and Elijah passeth over unto him, and casteth his robe upon him,
20 and he forsaketh the oxen, and runneth after Elijah, and saith, `Let me give a kiss, I pray thee, to my father and to my mother, and I go after thee.' And he saith to him, `Go, turn back, for what have I done to thee?'
21 And he turneth back from after him, and taketh the yoke of oxen, and sacrificeth it, and with instruments of the oxen he hath boiled their flesh, and giveth to the people, and they eat, and he riseth, and goeth after Elijah, and serveth him.
Chapter 20
1 And Ben-Hadad king of Aram hath gathered all his force, and thirty and two kings are with him, and horse and chariot, and he goeth up and layeth siege against Samaria, and fighteth with it,
2 and sendeth messengers unto Ahab king of Israel, to the city,
3 and saith to him, `Thus said Ben-Hadad, `Thy silver and thy gold are mine, and thy wives and thy sons -- the best -- are mine.'
4 And the king of Israel answereth and saith, `According to thy word, my lord, O king: I am thine, and all that I have.'
5 And the messengers turn back and say, `Thus spake Ben-Hadad, saying, Surely I sent unto thee, saying, Thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy sons, to me thou dost give;
6 for if, at this time to-morrow, I send my servants unto thee then they have searched thy house, and the houses of thy servants, and it hath been, every desirable thing of thine eyes they place in their hand, and have taken away.'
7 And the king of Israel calleth to all the elders of the land, and saith, `Know, I pray you, and see that evil this one is seeking, for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I withheld not from him.'
8 And all the elders and all the people say unto him, `Do not hearken, nor consent.'
9 And he saith to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, `Say to my lord the king, All that thou didst send for unto thy servant at the first I do, and this thing I am not able to do;' and the messengers go and take him back word.
10 And Ben-Hadad sendeth unto him, and saith, `Thus do the gods to me, and thus do they add, if the dust of Samaria suffice for handfuls for all the people who are at my feet.'
11 And the king of Israel answereth and saith, `Speak ye: let not him who is girding on boast himself as him who is loosing his armour.'
12 And it cometh to pass at the hearing of this word -- and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the booths -- that he saith unto his servants, `Set yourselves;' and they set themselves against the city.
13 And lo, a certain prophet hath come nigh unto Ahab king of Israel, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, `Hast thou seen all this great multitude? lo, I am giving it into thy hand to-day, and thou hast known that I am Jehovah.'
14 And Ahab saith, `By whom?' and he saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By the young men of the heads of the provinces;' and he saith, `Who doth direct the battle?' and he saith, `Thou.'
15 And he inspecteth the young men of the heads of the provinces, and they are two hundred, two and thirty, and after them he hath inspecteth the whole of the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand,
16 and they go out at noon, and Ben-Hadad is drinking -- drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings, helping him.
17 And the young men of the heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sendeth, and they declare to him, saying, `Men have come out of Samaria.'
18 And he saith, `If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.'
19 And these have gone out of the city -- the young men of the heads of the provinces -- and the force that is after them,
20 and smite each his man, and Aram fleeth, and Israel pursueth them, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapeth on a horse, and the horsemen;
21 and the king of Israel goeth out, and smiteth the horses, and the charioteers, and hath smitten among the Aramaeans a great smiting.
22 And the prophet cometh nigh unto the king of Israel, and saith to him, `Go, strengthen thyself, and know and see that which thou dost, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram is coming up against thee.'
23 And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him, `Gods of hills are their gods, therefore they were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not stronger than they?
24 `And this thing do thou: turn aside the kings each out of his place, and set captains in their stead;
25 and thou, number to thee a force as the force that is fallen from thee, and horse for horse, and chariot for chariot, and we fight with them in the plain; are we not stronger than they?' and he hearkeneth to their voice, and doth so.
26 And it cometh to pass at the turn of the year, that Ben-Hadad inspecteth the Aramaeans, and goeth up to Aphek, to battle with Israel,
27 and the sons of Israel have been inspected, and supported, and go to meet them, and the sons of Israel encamp before them, like two flocks of goats, and the Aramaeans have filled the land.
28 And there cometh nigh a man of God, and speaketh unto the king of Israel, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, Because that the Aramaeans have said, God of hills is Jehovah, and He is not God of valleys -- I have given the whole of this great multitude into thy hand, and ye have known that I am Jehovah.'
29 And they encamp one over-against another seven days, and it cometh to pass on the seventh day, that the battle draweth near, and the sons of Israel smite Aram -- a hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30 And those left flee to Aphek, unto the city, and the wall falleth on twenty and seven chief men who are left, and Ben-Hadad hath fled, and cometh in unto the city, into the innermost part.
31 And his servants say unto him, `Lo, we pray thee, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel -- that they are kind kings; let us put, we pray thee, sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our heads, and we go out unto the king of Israel; it may be he doth keep thee alive.'
32 And they gird sackcloth on their loins, and ropes are on their heads, and they come in unto the king of Israel, and say, `Thy servant Ben-Hadad hath said, Let me live, I pray thee;' and he saith, `Is he yet alive? he is my brother.'
33 And the men observe diligently, and hasten, and catch it from him, and say, `Thy brother Ben-Hadad;' and he saith, `Go ye in, bring him;' and Ben-Hadad cometh out unto him, and he causeth him to come up on the chariot.
34 And he saith unto him, `The cities that my father took from thy father, I give back, and streets thou dost make for thee in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria;' -- `and I, with a covenant, send thee away;' and he maketh with him a covenant, and sendeth him away.
35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour by the word of Jehovah, `Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man refuseth to smite him,
36 and he saith to him, `Because that thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, lo, thou art going from me, and the lion hath smitten thee;' and he goeth from him, and the lion findeth him, and smiteth him.
37 And he findeth another man, and saith, `Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man smiteth him, smiting and wounding,
38 and the prophet goeth and standeth for the king on the way, and disguiseth himself with ashes on his eyes.
39 And it cometh to pass -- the king is passing by -- that he hath cried unto the king, and saith, `Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle, and lo, a man hath turned aside and bringeth in unto me a man, and saith, Keep this man; if he be at all missing, then hath thy life been for his life, or a talent of silver thou dost weigh out;
40 and it cometh to pass, thy servant is working hither and thither, and he is not!' and the king of Israel saith unto him, Right is thy judgment; thou hast determined it.'
41 And he hasteth and turneth aside the ashes from off his eyes, and the king of Israel discerneth him, that he is of the prophets,
42 and he saith unto him, `Thus said Jehovah, Because thou hast sent away the man I devoted, out of thy hand, even thy life hath been for his life, and thy people for his people;'
43 and the king of Israel goeth unto his house, sulky and wroth, and cometh in to Samaria.
Chapter 21
1 And it cometh to pass, after these things, a vineyard hath been to Naboth the Jezreelite, that is in Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab king of Samaria,
2 and Ahab speaketh unto Naboth, saying, `Give to me thy vineyard, and it is to me for a garden of green herbs, for it is near by my house, and I give to thee in its stead a better vineyard than it; if good in thine eyes, I give to thee silver -- its price.'
3 And Naboth saith unto Ahab, `Far be it from me, by Jehovah, my giving the inheritance of my fathers to thee;'
4 and Ahab cometh in unto his house, sulky and wroth, because of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite hath spoken unto him when he saith, `I do not give to thee the inheritance of my fathers,' and he lieth down on his bed, and turneth round his face, and hath not eaten bread.
5 And Jezebel his wife cometh in unto him, and speaketh unto him, `What is this? -- thy spirit sulky, and thou art not eating bread!'
6 And he saith unto her, `Because I speak unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and say to him, Give to me thy vineyard for money, or if thou desire, I give to thee a vineyard in its stead; and he saith, I do not give to thee my vineyard.'
7 And Jezebel his wife saith unto him, `Thou now dost execute rule over Israel! rise, eat bread, and let thy heart be glad, -- I do give to thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.'
8 And she writeth letters in the name of Ahab, and sealeth with his seal, and sendeth the letters unto the elders, and unto the freemen, who are in his city, those dwelling with Naboth,
9 and she writeth in the letters, saying, `Proclaim a fast, and cause Naboth to sit at the head of the people,
10 and cause two men -- sons of worthlessness -- to sit over-against him, and they testify of him, saying, Thou hast blessed God and Melech; and they have brought him out, and stoned him, and he dieth.'
11 And the men of his city, the elders and the freemen who are dwelling in his city, do as Jezebel hath sent unto them, as written in the letters that she sent unto them,
12 they have proclaimed a fast, and caused Naboth to sit at the head of the people,
13 and two men -- sons of worthlessness -- come in, and sit over-against him, and the men of worthlessness testify of him, even Naboth, before the people, saying, `Naboth blessed God and Melech;' and they take him out to the outside of the city, and stone him with stones, and he dieth;
14 and they send unto Jezebel, saying, `Naboth was stoned, and is dead.'
15 And it cometh to pass, at Jezebel's hearing that Naboth hath been stoned, and is dead, that Jezebel saith unto Ahab, `Rise, possess the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, that he refused to give to thee for money, for Naboth is not alive but dead.'
16 And it cometh to pass, at Ahab's hearing that Naboth is dead, that Ahab riseth to go down unto the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to possess it.
17 And the word of Jehovah is unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18 `Rise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, -- lo, in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he hath gone down to possess it,
19 and thou hast spoken unto him, saying, Thus said Jehovah, Hast thou murdered, and also possessed? and thou hast spoken unto him, saying, Thus said Jehovah, In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, do the dogs lick thy blood, even thine.'
20 And Ahab saith unto Elijah, `Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?' and he saith, `I have found -- because of thy selling thyself to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah;
21 lo, I am bringing in unto thee evil, and have taken away thy posterity, and cut off to Ahab those sitting on the wall, and restrained, and left, in Israel,
22 and given up thy house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, for the provocation with which thou hast provoked Me, and dost cause Israel to sin.
23 `And also of Jezebel hath Jehovah spoken, saying, The dogs do eat Jezebel in the bulwark of Jezreel;
24 him who dieth of Ahab in a city do the dogs eat, and him who dieth in a field do fowl of the heavens eat;
25 surely there hath none been like Ahab, who sold himself to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, whom Jezebel his wife hath moved,
26 and he doth very abominably to go after the idols, according to all that the Amorite did whom Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel.'
27 And it cometh to pass, at Ahab's hearing these words, that he rendeth his garments, and putteth sackcloth on his flesh, and fasteth, and lieth in sackcloth, and goeth gently.
28 And the word of Jehovah is unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29 `Hast thou seen that Ahab hath been humbled before Me? because that he hath been humbled before Me, I bring not in the evil in his days; in the days of his son I bring in the evil on his house.'
Chapter 22
1 And they sit still three years, there is no war between Aram and Israel,
2 and it cometh to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat king of Judah cometh down unto the king of Israel,
3 and the king of Israel saith unto his servants, `Have ye not known that ours is Ramoth-Gilead? and we are keeping silent from taking it out of the hand of the king of Aram!'
4 And he saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Dost thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-Gilead?' and Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `As I am, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.'
5 And Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `Seek, I pray thee, to-day, the word of Jehovah;'
6 and the king of Israel gathereth the prophets, about four hundred men, and saith unto them, `Do I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' and they say, `Go up, and the Lord doth give it into the hand of the king.'
7 And Jehoshaphat saith, `Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, and we seek by him?'
8 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Yet -- one man to seek Jehovah by him, and I have hated him, for he doth not prophesy concerning me good, but evil -- Micaiah son of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, `Let not the king say so.'
9 And the king of Israel calleth unto a certain eunuch, and saith, `Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.'
10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah are sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, in a threshing-floor, at the opening of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets are prophesying before them.
11 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By these thou dost push the Aramaeans till they are consumed;'
12 and all the prophets are prophesying so, saying, `Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper, and Jehovah hath given it into the hand of the king.'
13 And the messenger who hath gone to call Micaiah hath spoken unto him, saying, `Lo, I pray thee, the words of the prophets, with one mouth, are good towards the king; let it be, I pray thee, thy word as the word of one of them -- and thou hast spoken good.'
14 And Micaiah saith, `Jehovah liveth; surely that which Jehovah saith unto me -- it I speak.'
15 And he cometh in unto the king, and the king saith unto him, `Micaiah, do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead, to battle, or do we forbear?' and he saith unto him, `Go up, and prosper, and Jehovah hath given it into the hand of the king.'
16 And the king saith unto him, `How many times am I adjuring thee that thou speak nothing unto me but truth in the name of Jehovah?'
17 And he saith, `I have seen all Israel scattered on the hills as sheep that have no shepherd, and Jehovah saith, These have no master; they turn back each to his house in peace.'
18 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Have I not said unto thee, He doth not prophesy of me good, but evil?'
19 And he saith, `Therefore, hear a word of Jehovah; I have seen Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing by Him, on His right and on His left;
20 and Jehovah saith, Who doth entice Ahab, and he doth go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead? and this one saith thus, and that one is saying thus.
21 `And the spirit goeth out, and standeth before Jehovah, and saith, I -- I do entice him; and Jehovah saith unto him, By what?
22 and he saith, I go out, and have been a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets; and He saith, Thou dost entice, and also thou art able; go out and do so.
23 And now, lo, Jehovah hath put a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah hath spoken concerning thee -- evil.'
24 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah draweth nigh, and smiteth Micaiah on the cheek, and saith, `Where is this -- he hath passed over -- the Spirit of Jehovah -- from me to speak with thee?'
25 And Micaiah saith, `Lo, thou art seeing on that day, when thou goest in to the innermost chamber to be hidden.'
26 And the king of Israel saith, `Take Micaiah, and turn him back unto Amon head of the city, and unto Joash son of the king,
27 and thou hast said, Thus said the king, Place ye this one in the house of restraint, and cause him to eat bread of oppression, and water of oppression, till my coming in peace.'
28 And Micaiah saith, `If thou at all return in peace -- Jehovah hath not spoken by me;' and he saith, `Hear, O peoples, all of them.'
29 And the king of Israel goeth up, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, to Ramoth-Gilead.
30 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat to disguise himself, and to go into battle, `And thou, put on thy garments.' And the king of Israel disguiseth himself, and goeth into battle.
31 And the king of Aram commanded the heads of the charioteers whom he hath -- thirty and two -- saying, `Ye do not fight with small or with great, but with the king of Israel by himself.'
32 And it cometh to pass, at the heads of the charioteers seeing Jehoshaphat, that they said, `He is only the king of Israel;' and they turn aside to him to fight, and Jehoshaphat crieth out,
33 and it cometh to pass, at the heads of the charioteers seeing that he is not the king of Israel, that they turn back from after him.
34 And a man hath drawn with a bow, in his simplicity, and smiteth the king of Israel between the joinings and the coat of mail, and he saith to his charioteer, `Turn thy hand, and take me out from the camp, for I have become sick.'
35 And the battle increaseth on that day, and the king hath been caused to stand in the chariot, over-against Aram, and he dieth in the evening, and the blood of the wound runneth out unto the midst of the chariot,
36 and he causeth the cry to pass over through the camp, at the going in of the sun, saying, `Each unto his city, and each unto his land.'
37 And the king dieth, and cometh into Samaria, and they bury the king in Samaria;
38 and one rinseth the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs lick his blood -- when the armour they had washed -- according to the word of Jehovah that He spake.
39 And the rest of the matters of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 And Ahab lieth with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigneth in his stead.
41 And Jehoshaphat son of Asa hath reigned over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel,
42 Jehoshaphat is a son of thirty and five years in his reigning, and twenty and five years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
43 And he walketh in all the way of Asa his father, he hath not turned aside from it, to do that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah; only the high places have not turned aside, yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.
44 And Jehoshaphat maketh peace with the king of Israel;
45 and the rest of the matters of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he got, and with which he fought, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 And the remnant of the whoremongers who were left in the days of Asa his father he took away out of the land;
47 and there is no king in Edom; he set up a king.
48 Jehoshaphat made ships at Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, and they went not, for the ships were broken in Ezion-Geber.
49 Then said Ahaziah son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, `Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships;' and Jehoshaphat was not willing.
50 And Jehoshaphat lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoram his son reigneth in his stead.
51 Ahaziah son of Ahab hath reigned over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigneth over Israel two years,
52 and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin,
53 and serveth the Baal, and boweth himself to it, and provoketh Jehovah, God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

2 Kings
Chapter 1
1 And Moab transgresseth against Israel after the death of Ahab,
2 and Ahaziah falleth through the lattice in his upper chamber that is in Samaria, and is sick, and sendeth messengers, and saith unto them, `Go ye, inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron if I recover from this sickness.'
3 And a messenger of Jehovah hath spoken unto Elijah the Tishbite, `Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and speak unto them, Is it because there is not a God in Israel -- ye are going to inquire of Baal Zebub god of Ekron?
4 and therefore, thus said Jehovah, The bed whither thou hast gone up, thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die;' and Elijah goeth on.
5 And the messengers turn back unto him, and he saith unto them, `What is this -- ye have turned back!'
6 And they say unto him, `A man hath come up to meet us, and saith unto us, Go, turn back unto the king who sent you, and ye have said unto him, Thus said Jehovah, Is it because there is not a God in Israel -- thou art sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron? therefore, the bed whither thou hast gone up, thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die.'
7 And he saith unto them, `What is the fashion of the man who hath come up to meet you, and speaketh unto you these words?'
8 And they say unto him, `A man -- hairy, and a girdle of skin girt about his loins;' and he saith, `He is Elijah the Tishbite.'
9 And he sendeth unto him a head of fifty and his fifty, and he goeth up unto him (and lo, he is sitting on the top of the hill), and he speaketh unto him, `O man of God, the king hath spoken, Come down.'
10 And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto the head of the fifty, `And if I am a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;' and fire cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty.
11 And he turneth and sendeth unto him another head of fifty and his fifty, and he answereth and speaketh unto him, `O man of God, thus said the king, Haste, come down.'
12 And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto them, `If I am a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;' and fire of God cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty.
13 And he turneth and sendeth a third head of fifty and his fifty, and the third head of fifty goeth up, and cometh in, and boweth on his knees over-against Elijah, and maketh supplication unto him, and speaketh unto him, `O man of God, let be precious, I pray thee, my soul and the soul of thy servants -- these fifty -- in thine eyes.
14 Lo, come down hath fire from the heavens, and consumeth the two heads of the former fifties and their fifties; and, now, let my soul be precious in thine eyes.'
15 And a messenger of Jehovah speaketh unto Elijah, `Go down with him, be not afraid of him;' and he riseth and goeth down with him unto the king,
16 and speaketh unto him, `Thus said Jehovah, Because that thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron -- is it because there is not a God in Israel to inquire of His word? therefore, the bed whither thou hast gone up -- thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die.'
17 And he dieth, according to the word of Jehovah that Elijah spake, and Jehoram reigneth in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, for he had no son.
18 And the rest of the matters of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Chapter 2
1 And it cometh to pass, at Jehovah's taking up Elijah in a whirlwind to the heavens, that Elijah goeth, and Elisha, from Gilgal,
2 and Elijah saith unto Elisha, `Abide, I pray thee, here, for Jehovah hath sent me unto Beth-El;' and Elisha saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, if I leave thee;' and they go down to Beth-El.
3 And sons of the prophets who are in Beth-El come out unto Elisha, and say unto him, `Hast thou known that to-day Jehovah is taking thy lord from thy head?' and he saith, `I also have known -- keep silent.'
4 And Elijah saith to him, `Elisha, abide, I pray thee, here, for Jehovah hath sent me to Jericho;' and he saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, if I leave thee;' and they come in to Jericho.
5 And sons of the prophets who are in Jericho come nigh unto Elisha, and say unto him, `Hast thou known that to-day Jehovah is taking thy lord from thy head?' and he saith, `I also have known -- keep silent.'
6 And Elijah saith to him, `Abide, I pray thee, here, for Jehovah hath sent me to the Jordan;' and he saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, if I leave thee;' and they go on both of them,
7 -- and fifty men of the sons of the prophets have gone on, and stand over-against afar off -- and both of them have stood by the Jordan.
8 And Elijah taketh his robe, and wrappeth it together, and smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and they pass over both of them on dry land.
9 And it cometh to pass, at their passing over, that Elijah hath said unto Elisha, `Ask, what do I do for thee before I am taken from thee?' and Elisha saith, `Then let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit unto me;'
10 and he saith, `Thou hast asked a hard thing; if thou dost see me taken from thee, it is to thee so; and if not, it is not.'
11 And it cometh to pass, they are going, going on and speaking, and lo, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and they separate between them both, and Elijah goeth up in a whirlwind, to the heavens.
12 And Elisha is seeing, and he is crying, `My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen;' and he hath not seen him again; and he taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them into two pieces.
13 And he taketh up the robe of Elijah, that fell from off him, and turneth back and standeth on the edge of the Jordan,
14 and he taketh the robe of Elijah that fell from off him, and smiteth the waters, and saith, `Where is Jehovah, God of Elijah -- even He?' and he smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and Elisha passeth over.
15 And they see him -- the sons of the prophets who are in Jericho -- over-against, and they say, `Rested hath the spirit of Elijah on Elisha;' and they come to meet him, and bow themselves to him to the earth,
16 and say unto him, `Lo, we pray thee, there are with thy servants fifty men, sons of valour: let them go, we pray thee, and they seek thy lord, lest the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and doth cast him on one of the hills, or into one of the valleys;' and he saith, `Ye do not send.'
17 And they press upon him, till he is ashamed, and he saith, `Send ye;' and they send fifty men, and they seek three days, and have not found him;
18 and they turn back unto him -- and he is abiding in Jericho -- and he saith unto them, `Did I not say unto you, Do not go?'
19 And the men of the city say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the site of the city is good, as my lord seeth, and the waters are bad, and the earth sterile.'
20 And he saith, `Bring to me a new dish, and place there salt;' and they bring it unto him,
21 and he goeth out unto the source of the waters, and casteth there salt, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, I have given healing to these waters; there is not thence any more death and sterility.'
22 And the waters are healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha, that he spake.
23 And he goeth up thence to Beth-El, and he is going up in the way, and little youths have come out from the city, and scoff at him, and say to him, `Go up, bald-head! go up, bald-head!'
24 And he looketh behind him, and seeth them, and declareth them vile in the name of Jehovah, and two bears come out of the forest, and rend of them forty and two lads.
25 And he goeth thence unto the hill of Carmel, and thence he hath turned back to Samaria.
Chapter 3
1 And Jehoram son of Ahab hath reigned over Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigneth twelve years,
2 and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, only not like his father, and like his mother, and he turneth aside the standing-pillar of Baal that his father made;
3 only to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin he hath cleaved, he hath not turned aside from it.
4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master, and he rendered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with wool,
5 and it cometh to pass at the death of Ahab, that the king of Moab transgresseth against the king of Israel.
6 And king Jehoram goeth out in that day from Samaria, and inspecteth all Israel,
7 and goeth and sendeth unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, `The king of Moab hath transgressed against me; dost thou go with me unto Moab for battle?' and he saith, `I go up, as I, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.
8 And he saith, `Where is this -- the way we go up?' and he saith, `The way of the wilderness of Edom.'
9 And the king of Israel goeth, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they turn round the way seven days, and there hath been no water for the camp, and for the cattle that are at their feet,
10 and the king of Israel saith, `Alas, for Jehovah hath called for these three kings, to give them into the hand of Moab.'
11 And Jehoshaphat saith, `Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah, and we seek Jehovah by him?' And one of the servants of the king of Israel answereth and saith, `Here is Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.'
12 And Jehoshaphat saith, `The word of Jehovah is with him;' and go down unto him do the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom.
13 And Elisha saith unto the king of Israel, `What -- to me and to thee? go unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother;' and the king of Israel saith to him, `Nay, for Jehovah hath called for these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.'
14 And Elisha saith, `Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood; for unless the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah I am lifting up, I do not look unto thee, nor see thee;
15 and now, bring to me a minstrel; and it hath been, at the playing of the minstrel, that the hand of Jehovah is on him,
16 and he saith, `Thus said Jehovah, Make this valley ditches -- ditches;
17 for thus said Jehovah, Ye do not see wind, nor do ye see rain, and that valley is full of water, and ye have drunk -- ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
18 `And this hath been light in the eyes of Jehovah, and he hath given Moab into your hand,
19 and ye have smitten every fenced city, and every choice city, and every good tree ye cause to fall, and all fountains of waters ye stop, and every good portion ye mar with stones.'
20 And it cometh to pass in the morning, at the ascending of the morning-present, that lo, waters are coming in from the way of Edom, and the land is filled with the waters,
21 and all Moab have heard that the kings have come up to fight against them, and they are called together, from every one girding on a girdle and upward, and they stand by the border.
22 And they rise early in the morning, and the sun hath shone on the waters, and the Moabites see, from over-against, the waters red as blood,
23 and say, `Blood this is; the kings have been surely destroyed, and they smite each his neighbour; and now for spoil, Moab!'
24 And they come in unto the camp of Israel, and the Israelites rise, and smite the Moabites, and they flee from their face; and they enter into Moab, so as to smite Moab,
25 and the cities they break down, and on every good portion they cast each his stone, and have filled it, and every fountain of water they stop, and every good tree they cause to fall -- till one had left its stones in Kir-Haraseth, and the slingers go round and smite it.
26 And the king of Moab seeth that the battle has been too strong for him, and he taketh with him seven hundred men, drawing sword, to cleave through unto the king of Edom, and they have not been able,
27 and he taketh his son, the first-born who reigneth in his stead, and causeth him to ascend -- a burnt-offering on the wall, and there is great wrath against Israel, and they journey from off him, and turn back to the land.
Chapter 4
1 And a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets hath cried unto Elisha, saying, `Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and thou hast known that thy servant was fearing Jehovah, and the lender hath come to take my two children to him for servants.'
2 And Elisha saith unto her, `What do I do for thee? declare to me, what hast thou in the house?' and she saith, `Thy maid-servant hath nothing in the house except a pot of oil.'
3 And he saith, `Go, ask for thee vessels from without, from all thy neighbours -- empty vessels -- let them not be few;
4 and thou hast entered, and shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and hast poured out into all these vessels, and the full ones thou dost remove.'
5 And she goeth from him, and shutteth the door upon her, and upon her sons; they are bringing nigh unto her, and she is pouring out,
6 and it cometh to pass, at the filling of the vessels, that she saith unto her son, `Bring nigh unto me a vessel more,' and he saith unto her, `There is not a vessel more;' and the oil stayeth.
7 And she cometh and declareth to the man of God, and he saith, `Go, sell the oil, and repay thy loan; and thou and thy sons do live of the rest.'
8 And the day cometh that Elisha passeth over unto Shunem, and there is a great woman, and she layeth hold on him to eat bread, and it cometh to pass, at the time of his passing over, he turneth aside thither to eat bread,
9 and she saith unto her husband, `Lo, I pray thee, I have known that a holy man of God he is, passing over by us continually;
10 let us make, I pray thee, a little upper chamber of the wall, and we set for him there a bed, and a table, and a high seat, and a candlestick; and it hath been, in his coming in unto us, he doth turn aside thither.'
11 And the day cometh, that he cometh in thither, and turneth aside unto the upper chamber, and lieth there,
12 and he saith unto Gehazi his young man, `Call for this Shunammite;' and he calleth for her, and she standeth before him.
13 And he saith to him, `Say, I pray thee, unto her, Lo, thou hast troubled thyself concerning us with all this trouble; what -- to do for thee? is it to speak for thee unto the king, or unto the head of the host?' and she saith, `In the midst of my people I am dwelling.'
14 And he saith, `And what -- to do for her?' and Gehazi saith, `Verily she hath no son, and her husband is aged.'
15 And he saith, `Call for her;' and he calleth for her, and she standeth at the opening,
16 and he saith, `At this season, according to the time of life, thou art embracing a son;' and she saith, `Nay, my lord, O man of God, do not lie unto thy maid-servant.'
17 And the woman conceiveth and beareth a son, at this season, according to the time of life, that Elisha spake of unto her.
18 And the lad groweth, and the day cometh that he goeth out unto his father, unto the reapers,
19 and he saith unto his father, `My head, my head;' and he saith unto the young man, `Bear him unto his mother;'
20 and he beareth him, and bringeth him in unto his mother, and he sitteth on her knees till the noon, and dieth.
21 And she goeth up, and layeth him on the bed of the man of God, and shutteth the door upon him, and goeth out,
22 and calleth unto her husband, and saith, `Send, I pray thee, to me, one of the young men, and one of the asses, and I run unto the man of God, and return.'
23 And he saith, `Wherefore art thou going unto him to-day? -- neither new moon nor sabbath!' and she saith, `Peace to thee!'
24 And she saddleth the ass, and saith unto her young man, `Lead, and go, do not restrain riding for me, except I have said so to thee.'
25 And she goeth, and cometh in unto the man of God, unto the hill of Carmel, and it cometh to pass, at the man of God's seeing her from over-against, that he saith unto Gehazi his young man, `Lo, this Shunammite;
26 now, run, I pray thee, to meet her, and say to her, Is there peace to thee? is there peace to thy husband? is there peace to the lad?' and she saith, `Peace.'
27 And she cometh in unto the man of God, unto the hill, and layeth hold on his feet, and Gehazi cometh nigh to thrust her away, and the man of God saith, `Let her alone, for her soul is bitter to her, and Jehovah hath hidden it from me, and hath not declared it to me.'
28 And she saith, `Did I ask a son from my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?'
29 And he saith to Gehazi, `Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go; when thou dost meet a man, thou dost not salute him; and when a man doth salute thee, thou dost not answer him; and thou hast laid my staff on the face of the youth.'
30 And the mother of the youth saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth -- if I leave thee;' and he riseth and goeth after her.
31 And Gehazi hath passed on before them, and layeth the staff on the face of the youth, and there is no voice, and there is no attention, and he turneth back to meet him, and declareth to him, saying, `The youth hath not awaked.'
32 And Elisha cometh in to the house, and lo, the youth is dead, laid on his bed,
33 and he goeth in and shutteth the door upon them both, and prayeth unto Jehovah.
34 And he goeth up, and lieth down on the lad, and putteth his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands, and stretcheth himself upon him, and the flesh of the lad becometh warm;
35 and he turneth back and walketh in the house, once hither and once thither, and goeth up and stretcheth himself upon him, and the youth sneezeth till seven times, and the youth openeth his eyes.
36 And he calleth unto Gehazi, and saith, `Call unto this Shunammite;' and he calleth her, and she cometh in unto him, and he saith, `Lift up thy son.'
37 And she goeth in, and falleth at his feet, and boweth herself to the earth, and lifteth up her son, and goeth out.
38 And Elisha hath turned back to Gilgal, and the famine is in the land, and the sons of the prophets are sitting before him, and he saith to his young man, `Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.'
39 And one goeth out unto the field to gather herbs, and findeth a vine of the field, and gathereth of it gourds of the field -- the fulness of his garment -- and cometh in and splitteth them into the pot of pottage, for they knew them not;
40 and they pour out for the men to eat, and it cometh to pass at their eating of the pottage, that they have cried out, and say, `Death is in the pot, O man of God!' and they have not been able to eat.
41 And he saith, `Then bring ye meal;' and he casteth into the pot, and saith, `Pour out for the people, and they eat;' and there was no evil thing in the pot.
42 And a man hath come from Baal-Shalishah, and bringeth in to the man of God bread of first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in its husk, and he saith, `Give to the people, and they eat.'
43 And his minister saith, `What -- do I give this before a hundred men?' and he saith, `Give to the people, and they eat, for thus said Jehovah, Eat and leave;'
44 and he giveth before them, and they eat and leave, according to the word of Jehovah.
Chapter 5
1 And Naaman, head of the host of the king of Aram, was a great man before his lord, and accepted of face, for by him had Jehovah given salvation to Aram, and the man was mighty in valour -- leprous.
2 And the Aramaeans have gone out by troops, and they take captive out of the land of Israel a little damsel, and she is before the wife of Naaman,
3 and she saith unto her mistress, `O that my lord were before the prophet who is in Samaria; then he doth recover him from his leprosy.'
4 And one goeth in and declareth to his lord, saying, `Thus and thus she hath spoken, the damsel who is from the land of Israel.'
5 And the king of Aram saith, `Go thou, enter, and I send a letter unto the king of Israel;' and he goeth and taketh in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of garments.
6 And he bringeth in the letter unto the king of Israel, saying, `And now, at the coming in of this letter unto thee, lo, I have sent unto thee Naaman my servant, and thou hast recovered him from his leprosy.'
7 And it cometh to pass, at the king of Israel's reading the letter, that he rendeth his garments, and saith, `Am I God, to put to death and to keep alive, that this one is sending unto me to recover a man from his leprosy? for surely know, I pray you, and see, for he is presenting himself to me.'
8 And it cometh to pass, at Elisha the man of God's hearing that the king of Israel hath rent his garments, that he sendeth unto the king, saying, `Why hast thou rent thy garments? let him come, I pray thee, unto me, and he doth know that there is a prophet in Israel.'
9 And Naaman cometh, with his horses and with his chariot, and standeth at the opening of the house for Elisha;
10 and Elisha sendeth unto him a messenger, saying, `Go, and thou hast washed seven times in Jordan, and thy flesh doth turn back to thee -- and be thou clean.
11 And Naaman is wroth, and goeth on, and saith, `Lo, I said, Unto me he doth certainly come out, and hath stood and called in the name of Jehovah his God, and waved his hand over the place, and recovered the leper.
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? do I not wash in them and I have been clean?' and he turneth and goeth on in fury.
13 And his servants come nigh, and speak unto him, and say, `My father, a great thing had the prophet spoken unto thee -- dost thou not do it? and surely, when he hath said unto thee, Wash, and be clean.'
14 And he goeth down and dippeth in Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh doth turn back as the flesh of a little youth, and is clean.
15 And he turneth back unto the man of God, he and all his camp, and cometh in, and standeth before him, and saith, `Lo, I pray thee, I have known that there is not a God in all the earth except in Israel; and now, take, I pray thee, a blessing from thy servant.'
16 And he saith, `Jehovah liveth, before whom I have stood -- if I take it;' and he presseth on him to take, and he refuseth.
17 And Naaman saith, `If not -- let be given, I pray thee, to thy servant, a couple of mules' burden of earth, for thy servant doth make no more burnt-offering and sacrifice to other gods, but to Jehovah.
18 For this thing Jehovah be propitious to thy servant, in the coming in of my lord into the house of Rimmon to bow himself there, and he was supported by my hand, and I bowed myself in the house of Rimmon; for my bowing myself in the house of Rimmon Jehovah be propitious, I pray thee, to thy servant in this thing.'
19 And he saith to him, `Go in peace.' And he goeth from him a kibrath of land,
20 And Gehazi, servant of Elisha the man of God, saith, `Lo, my lord hath spared Naaman this Aramaean, not to receive from his hand that which he brought; Jehovah liveth; surely if I have run after him, then I have taken from him something.'
21 And Gehazi pursueth after Naaman, and Naaman seeth one running after him, and alighteth from off the chariot to meet him, and saith, `Is there peace?'
22 And he saith, `Peace; my lord hath sent me, saying, Lo, now, this, come unto me have two young men from the hill-country of Ephraim, of the sons of the prophets; give, I pray thee, to them, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.'
23 And Naaman saith, `Be pleased, take two talents;' and he urgeth on him, and bindeth two talents of silver in two purses, and two changes of garments, and giveth unto two of his young men, and they bear before him;
24 and he cometh in unto the high place, and taketh out of their hand, and layeth up in the house, and sendeth away the men, and they go.
25 And he hath come in, and doth stand by his lord, and Elisha saith unto him, `Whence -- Gehazi?' and he saith, `Thy servant went not hither or thither.'
26 And he saith unto him, `My heart went not when the man turned from off his chariot to meet thee; is it a time to take silver, and to take garments, and olives, and vines, and flock, and herd, and men-servants, and maid-servants?
27 yea, the leprosy of Naaman doth cleave to thee, and to thy seed, -- to the age;' and he goeth out from before him -- leprous as snow.
Chapter 6
1 And sons of the prophet say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the place where we are dwelling before thee is too strait for us;
2 let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and we take thence each one beam, and we make for ourselves there a place to dwell there;' and he saith, `Go.'
3 And the one saith, `Be pleased, I pray thee, and go with thy servants;' and he saith, `I -- I go.'
4 And he goeth with them, and they come in to the Jordan, and cut down the trees,
5 and it cometh to pass, the one is felling the beam, and the iron hath fallen into the water, and he crieth and saith, `Alas! my lord, and it asked!'
6 And the man of God saith, `Whither hath it fallen?' and he sheweth him the place, and he cutteth a stick, and casteth thither, and causeth the iron to swim,
7 and saith, `Raise to thee;' and he putteth forth his hand and taketh it.
8 And the king of Aram hath been fighting against Israel, and taketh counsel with his servants, saying, `At such and such a place is my encamping.'
9 And the man of God sendeth unto the king of Israel, saying, `Take heed of passing by this place, for thither are the Aramaeans coming down;
10 and the king of Israel sendeth unto the place of which the man of God spake to him, and warned him, and he is preserved there not once nor twice.
11 And the heart of the king of Aram is tossed about concerning this thing, and he calleth unto his servants, and saith unto them, `Do ye not declare to me who of us is for the king of Israel?'
12 And one of his servants saith, `Nay, my lord, O king, for Elisha the prophet, who is in Israel, declareth to the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in the inner part of thy bed-chamber.'
13 And he saith, `Go ye and see where he is, and I send and take him;' and it is declared to him, saying, `Lo -- in Dothan.'
14 And he sendeth thither horses and chariot, and a heavy force, and they come in by night, and go round against the city.
15 And the servant of the man of God riseth early, and goeth out, and lo, a force is surrounding the city, and horse and chariot, and his young man saith unto him, `Alas! my lord, how do we do?'
16 And he saith, `Fear not, for more are they who are with us than they who are with them.'
17 And Elisha prayeth, and saith, `Jehovah, open, I pray Thee, his eyes, and he doth see;' and Jehovah openeth the eyes of the young man, and he seeth, and lo, the hill is full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha.
18 And they come down unto it, and Elisha prayeth unto Jehovah, and saith, `Smite, I pray Thee, this nation with blindness;' and He smiteth them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.
19 And Elisha saith unto them, `This is not the way, nor is this the city; come after me, and I lead you unto the man whom ye seek;' and he leadeth them to Samaria.
20 And it cometh to pass, at their coming in to Samaria, that Elisha saith, `Jehovah, open the eyes of these, and they see;' and Jehovah openeth their eyes, and they see, and lo, in the midst of Samaria!
21 And the king of Israel saith unto Elisha, at his seeing them, `Do I smite -- do I smite -- my father?'
22 And he saith, `Thou dost not smite; those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow art thou smiting? set bread and water before them, and they eat, and drink, and go unto their lord.'
23 And he prepareth for them great provision, and they eat and drink, and he sendeth them away, and they go unto their lord: and troops of Aram have not added any more to come in to the land of Israel.
24 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathereth all his camp, and goeth up, and layeth siege to Samaria,
25 and there is a great famine in Samaria, and lo, they are laying siege to it, till the head of an ass is at eighty silverlings, and a forth of the cab of dovesdung at five silverlings.
26 And it cometh to pass, the king of Israel is passing by on the wall, and a woman hath cried unto him, saying, `Save, my lord, O king.'
27 And he saith, `Jehovah doth not save thee -- whence do I save thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the wine-vat?'
28 And the king saith to her, `What -- to thee?' and she saith, `This woman said unto me, Give thy son, and we eat him to-day, and my son we eat to-morrow;
29 and we boil my son and eat him, and I say unto her on the next day, Give thy son, and we eat him; and she hideth her son.'
30 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the woman, that he rendeth his garments, and he is passing by on the wall, and the people see, and lo, the sackcloth is on his flesh within.
31 And he saith, `Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add -- if it remain -- the head of Elisha son of Shaphat -- upon him this day.'
32 And Elisha is sitting in his house, and the elders are sitting with him, and the king sendeth a man from before him; before the messenger doth come unto him, even he himself said unto the elders, `Have ye seen that this son of the murderer hath sent to turn aside my head? see, at the coming in of the messenger, shut the door, and ye have held him fast at the door, is not the sound of the feet of his lord behind him?'
33 He is yet speaking with them, and lo, the messenger is coming down unto him, and he saith, `Lo, this is the evil from Jehovah: what -- do I wait for Jehovah any more?'
Chapter 7
1 And Elisha saith, `Hear ye a word of Jehovah: thus said Jehovah, About this time to-morrow, a measure of fine flour is at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'
2 And the captain whom the king hath, by whose hand he hath been supported, answereth the man of God and saith, `Lo, Jehovah is making windows in the heavens -- shall this thing be?' and he saith, `Lo, thou art seeing it with thine eyes, and thereof thou dost not eat.'
3 And four men have been leprous, at the opening of the gate, and they say one unto another, `What -- we are sitting here till we have died;
4 if we have said, We go in to the city, then the famine is in the city, and we have died there; and if we have sat here, then we have died; and now, come and we fall unto the camp of Aram; if they keep us alive, we live, and if they put us to death -- we have died.'
5 And they rise in the twilight, to go in unto the camp of Aram, and they come in unto the extremity of the camp of Aram, and lo, there is not a man there,
6 seeing Jehovah hath caused the camp of Aram to hear a noise of chariot and a noise of horse -- a noise of great force, and they say one unto another, `Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Egypt, to come against us.'
7 And they rise and flee in the twilight, and forsake their tents, and their horses, and their asses -- the camp as it is -- and flee for their life.
8 And these lepers come in unto the extremity of the camp, and come in unto one tent, and eat, and drink, and lift up thence silver, and gold, and garments, and go and hide; and they turn back and go in unto another tent, and lift up thence, and go and hide.
9 And they say one unto another, `We are not doing right this day; a day of tidings it is, and we are keeping silent; and -- we have waited till the light of the morning, then hath punishment found us; and now, come and we go in and declare to the house of the king.'
10 And they come in, and call unto the gatekeeper of the city, and declare for themselves, saying, `We have come in unto the camp of Aram, and lo, there is not there a man, or sound of man, but the bound horse, and the bound ass, and tents as they are.'
11 and he calleth the gatekeepers, and they declare to the house of the king within.
12 And the king riseth by night, and saith unto his servants, `Let me declare, I pray you, to you that which the Aramaeans have done to us; they have known that we are famished, and they are gone out from the camp to be hidden in the field, saying, When they come out from the city, then we catch them alive, and unto the city we enter.'
13 And one of his servants answereth and saith, `Then let them take, I pray thee, five of the horses that are left, that have been left in it -- lo, they are as all the multitude of Israel who have been left in it; lo, they are as all the multitude of Israel who have been consumed -- and we send and see.'
14 And they take two chariot-horses, and the king sendeth after the camp of Aram, saying, `Go, and see.'
15 And they go after them unto the Jordan, and lo, all the way is full of garments and vessels that the Aramaeans have cast away in their haste, and the messengers turn back and declare to the king.
16 And the people go out and spoil the camp of Aram, and there is a measure of fine flour at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, according to the word of Jehovah.
17 And the king hath appointed the captain, by whose hand he is supported, over the gate, and the people tread him down in the gate, and he dieth, as the man of God spake, which he spake in the coming down of the king unto him,
18 yea, it cometh to pass, according to the speaking of the man of God unto the king, saying, `Two measures of barley at a shekel, and a measure of fine flour at a shekel are, at this time to-morrow, in the gate of Samaria;'
19 and the captain answereth the man of God, and saith, `And lo, Jehovah is making windows in the heavens -- it is according to this word?' and he saith, `Lo, thou art seeing with thine eyes, and thereof thou dost not eat;'
20 and it cometh to him so, and the people tread him down in the gate, and he dieth.
Chapter 8
1 And Elisha spake unto the woman whose son he had revived, saying, `Rise and go, thou and thy household, and sojourn where thou dost sojourn, for Jehovah hath called for a famine, and also, it is coming unto the land seven years.'
2 And the woman riseth, and doth according to the word of the man of God, and goeth, she and her household, and sojourneth in the land of the Philistines seven years.
3 And it cometh to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman turneth back from the land of the Philistines, and goeth out to cry unto the king, for her house, and for her field.
4 And the king is speaking unto Gehazi, servant of the man of God, saying, `Recount, I pray thee, to me, the whole of the great things that Elisha hath done.'
5 And it cometh to pass, he is recounting to the king how he had revived the dead, and lo, the woman whose son he had revived is crying unto the king, for her house and for her field, and Gehazi saith, `My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this her son, whom Elisha revived.'
6 And the king asketh at the woman, and she recounteth to him, and the king appointeth to her a certain eunuch, saying, `Give back all that she hath, and all the increase of the field from the day of her leaving the land even till now.'
7 And Elisha cometh in to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram is sick, and it is declared to him, saying, `The man of God hath come hither.'
8 And the king saith unto Hazael, `Take in thy hand a present, and go to meet the man of God, and thou hast sought Jehovah by him, saying, Do I revive from this sickness?'
9 And Hazael goeth to meet him, and taketh a present in his hand, even of every good thing of Damascus, a burden of forty camels, and he cometh in and standeth before him, and saith, `Thy son Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, hath sent me unto thee, saying, Do I revive from this sickness?'
10 And Elisha saith unto him, `Go, say, Thou dost certainly not revive, seeing Jehovah hath shewed me that he doth surely die.'
11 And he setteth his face, yea, he setteth it till he is ashamed, and the man of God weepeth.
12 And Hazael saith, `Wherefore is my lord weeping?' and he saith, `Because I have known the evil that thou dost to the sons of Israel -- their fenced places thou dost send into fire, and their young men with sword thou dost slay, and their sucklings thou dost dash to pieces, and their pregnant women thou dost rip up.'
13 And Hazael saith, `But what, is thy servant the dog, that he doth this great thing?' And Elisha saith, `Jehovah hath shewed me thee -- king of Aram.'
14 And he goeth from Elisha, and cometh in unto his lord, and he saith unto him, `What said Elisha to thee?' and he saith, `He said to me, Thou dost certainly recover.'
15 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that he taketh the coarse cloth, and dippeth in water, and spreadeth on his face, and he dieth, and Hazael reigneth in his stead.
16 And in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel -- and Jehoshaphat is king of Judah -- hath Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah reigned;
17 a son of thirty and two years was he in his reigning, and eight years he hath reigned in Jerusalem.
18 And he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for a daughter of Ahab was to him for a wife, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah,
19 and Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, as He said to him, to give to him a lamp -- to his sons all the days.
20 In his days hath Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and they cause a king to reign over them,
21 and Joram passeth over to Zair, and all the chariots with him, and he himself hath risen by night, and smiteth Edom, that is coming round about unto him, and the heads of the chariots, and the people fleeth to its tents;
22 and Edom revolteth from under the hand of Judah till this day; then doth Libnah revolt at that time.
23 And the rest of the matters of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
24 And Joram lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David, and reign doth Ahaziah his son in his stead.
25 In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel reigned hath Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah;
26 a son of twenty and two years is Ahaziah in his reigning, and one year he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Athaliah daughter of Omri king of Israel,
27 and he walketh in the way of the house of Ahab, and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, like the house of Ahab, for he is son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
28 And he goeth with Joram son of Ahab to battle with Hazael king of Aram in Ramoth-Gilead, and the Aramaeans smite Joram,
29 and Joram the king turneth back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds with which the Arameans smite him in Ramah, in his fighting with Hazael king of Aram, and Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah hath gone down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he is sick.
Chapter 9
1 And Elisha the prophet hath called to one of the sons of the prophets, and saith to him, `Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead,
2 and thou hast gone in there, and see thou there Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, and thou hast gone in, and caused him to rise out of the midst of his brethren, and brought him in to the inner part of an inner-chamber,
3 and taken the vial of oil, and poured on his head, and said, Thus said Jehovah, I have anointed thee for king unto Israel; and thou hast opened the door, and fled, and dost not wait.'
4 And the young man goeth -- the young man the prophet -- to Ramoth-Gilead,
5 and cometh in, and lo, chiefs of the force are sitting, and he saith, `I have a word unto thee, O chief!' and Jehu saith, `Unto which of all of us?' and he saith, `Unto thee, O chief.'
6 And he riseth and cometh in to the house, and he poureth the oil on his head, and saith to him, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have anointed thee for king unto the people of Jehovah, unto Israel,
7 and thou hast smitten the house of Ahab thy lord, and I have required the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, from the hand of Jezebel;
8 and perished hath all the house of Ahab, and I have cut off to Ahab those sitting on the wall, and restrained, and left, in Israel,
9 and I have given up the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha son of Ahijah,
10 and Jezebel do the dogs eat in the portion of Jezreel, and there is none burying;' and he openeth the door and fleeth.
11 And Jehu hath gone out unto the servants of his lord, and one saith to him, `Is there peace? wherefore came this madman unto thee?' and he saith unto them, `Ye have known the man and his talk.'
12 And they say, `False, declare, we pray thee, to us;' and he saith, `Thus and thus spake he unto me, saying, Thus said Jehovah, I have anointed thee for king unto Israel.'
13 And they haste and take each his garment, and put it under him at the top of the stairs, and blow with a trumpet, and say, `Reigned hath Jehu!'
14 And Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspireth against Joram -- (and Joram was keeping in Ramoth-Gilead, he and all Israel, from the presence of Hazael king of Aram,
15 and king Joram turneth back to be healed in Jezreel, of the wounds with which the Aramaeans smite him, in his fighting with Hazael king of Aram) -- and Jehu saith, `If it is your mind, let not an escaped one go out from the city, to go to declare it in Jezreel.'
16 And Jehu rideth, and goeth to Jezreel, for Joram is lying there, and Ahaziah king of Judah hath gone down to see Joram.
17 And the watchman is standing on the tower in Jezreel, and seeth the company of Jehu in his coming, and saith, `A company I see;' and Joram saith, `Take a rider and send to meet them, and let him say, Is there peace?'
18 and the rider on the horse goeth to meet him, and saith, `Thus said the king, Is there peace?' and Jehu saith, `What -- to thee and to peace? turn round behind me.' And the watchman declareth, saying, `The messenger came unto them, and he hath not returned.'
19 And he sendeth a second rider on a horse, and he cometh in unto them, and saith, `Thus said the king, Is there peace?' and Jehu saith, `What -- to thee and to peace? turn round behind me.'
20 And the watchman declareth, saying, `He came unto them, and he hath not returned, and the driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi, for with madness he driveth.'
21 And Jehoram saith, `Harness;' and his chariot is harnessed, and Jehoram king of Israel goeth out, and Ahaziah king of Judah, each in his chariot, and they go out to meet Jehu, and find him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22 And it cometh to pass, at Jehoram's seeing Jehu, that he saith, `Is there peace, Jehu?' and he saith, `What is the peace, while the whoredoms of Jezebel thy mother, and her witchcrafts, are many?'
23 And Jehoram turneth his hands, and fleeth, and saith unto Ahaziah, `Deceit, O Ahaziah!'
24 And Jehu hath filled his hand with a bow, and smiteth Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow goeth out from his heart, and he boweth down in his chariot.
25 And Jehu saith unto Bidkar his captain, `Lift up, cast him into the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite -- for, remember, I and thou were riding together after Ahab his father, and Jehovah lifted upon him this burden:
26 Have I not the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons seen yesternight -- the affirmation of Jehovah -- yea, I have recompensed to thee in this portion -- the affirmation of Jehovah; -- and now, lift up, cast him into the portion, according to the word of Jehovah.'
27 And Ahaziah king of Judah hath seen, and fleeth the way of the garden-house, and Jehu pursueth after him, and saith, `Smite him -- also him -- in the chariot,' in the going up to Gur, that is Ibleam, and he fleeth to Megiddo, and dieth there,
28 and his servants carry him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and bury him in his burying-place, with his fathers, in the city of David.
29 And in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab reign did Ahaziah over Judah.
30 And Jehu cometh in to Jezreel, and Jezebel hath heard, and putteth her eyes in paint and maketh right her head, and looketh out through the window.
31 And Jehu hath come into the gate, and she saith, `Was there peace to Zimri -- slayer of his lord?'
32 And he lifteth up his face unto the window, and saith, `Who is with me? -- who?' and look out unto him do two or three eunuchs;
33 And he saith, `Let her go;' and they let her go, and some of her blood is sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses, and he treadeth her down.
34 And he cometh in, and eateth, and drinketh, and saith, `Look after, I pray you, this cursed one, and bury her, for she is a king's daughter.'
35 And they go to bury her, and have not found of her except the skull, and the feet, and the palms of the hands.
36 And they turn back, and declare to him, and he saith, `The word of Jehovah it is, that He spake by the hand of this servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel do the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel,
37 and the carcase of Jezebel hath been as dung on the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel, that they say not, This is Jezebel.'
Chapter 10
1 And Ahab hath seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu writeth letters, and sendeth to Samaria, unto the heads of Jezreel, the elders, and unto the supporters of Ahab, saying,
2 `And now, at the coming in of this letter unto you, and with you are sons of your lord, and with you are the chariots and the horses, and a fenced city, and the armour,
3 and ye have seen the best and the uprightest of the sons of your lord, and have set him on the throne of his father, and fight ye for the house of your lord.'
4 And they fear very greatly, and say, `Lo, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand -- we?'
5 And he who is over the house, and he who is over the city, and the elders, and the supporters, send unto Jehu, saying, `Thy servants we are, and all that thou sayest unto us we do; we do not make any one king -- that which is good in thine eyes do.'
6 And he writeth unto them a letter a second time, saying, `If ye are for me, and to my voice are hearkening, take the heads of the men -- the sons of your lord, and come unto me about this time to-morrow, to Jezreel;' and the sons of the king are seventy men, with the great ones of the city those bringing them up.
7 And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the letter unto them, that they take the sons of the king, and slaughter seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and send unto him to Jezreel,
8 and the messenger cometh in, and declareth to him, saying, `They have brought in the heads of the sons of the king,' and he saith, `Make them two heaps at the opening of the gate till the morning.'
9 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that he goeth out, and standeth, and saith unto all the people, `Righteous are ye; lo, I have conspired against my lord, and slay him -- and who smote all these?
10 Know ye now, that nothing doth fall of the word of Jehovah to the earth that Jehovah spake against the house of Ahab, and Jehovah hath done that which He spake by the hand of His servant Elijah.'
11 And Jehu smiteth all those left to the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances, and his priests, till he hath not left to him a remnant.
12 And he riseth, and cometh in and goeth to Samaria; he is at the shepherds' shearing-house in the way,
13 and Jehu hath found the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and saith, `Who are ye?' and they say, `Brethren of Ahaziah we are, and we go down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the mistress.'
14 And he saith, `Catch them alive;' and they catch them alive, and slaughter them at the pit of the shearing-house, forty and two men, and he hath not left a man of them.
15 And he goeth thence, and findeth Jehonadab son of Rechab -- to meet him, and blesseth him, and saith unto him, `Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?' and Jehonadab saith, `It is;' -- `Then it is; give thy hand;' and he giveth his hand, and he causeth him to come up into him into the chariot,
16 and saith, `Come with me, and look on my zeal for Jehovah;' and they cause him to ride in his chariot.
17 And he cometh in to Samaria, and smiteth all those left to Ahab in Samaria, till his destroying him, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Elisha.
18 And Jehu gathereth the whole of the people, and saith unto them, `Ahab served Baal a little -- Jehu doth serve him much:
19 and now, all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests, call ye unto me; let not a man be lacking, for a great sacrifice I have for Baal; every one who is lacking -- he doth not live;' and Jehu hath done it in subtilty, in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
20 And Jehu saith, `Sanctify a restraint for Baal;' and they proclaim it.
21 And Jehu sendeth into all Israel, and all the servants of Baal come in, and there hath not been left a man who hath not come in; and they come in to the house of Baal, and the house of Baal is full -- mouth to mouth.
22 And he saith to him who is over the wardrobe, `Bring out clothing to all servants of Baal;' and he bringeth out to them the clothing.
23 And Jehu goeth in, and Jehonadab son of Rechab, to the house of Baal, and saith to the servants of Baal, `Search and see, lest there be here with you of the servants of Jehovah -- but, the servants of Baal by themselves.'
24 And they come in to make sacrifices and burnt-offerings, and Jehu hath set for himself in an out-place eighty men, and saith, `The man who letteth escape any of the men whom I am bringing in unto your hand -- his soul for his soul.'
25 And it cometh to pass at his finishing to make the burnt-offering, that Jehu saith to the runners, and to the captains, `Go in, smite them, let none come out;' and they smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the runners and the captains cast them out; and they go unto the city, to the house of Baal,
26 and bring out the standing-pillars of the house of Baal, and burn them,
27 and break down the standing-pillar of Baal, and break down the house of Baal, and appoint it for a draught-house unto this day.
28 And Jehu destroyeth Baal out of Israel,
29 only -- the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin, Jehu hath not turned aside from after them -- the calves of gold that are at Beth-El, and in Dan.
30 And Jehovah saith unto Jehu, `Because that thou hast done well, to do that which is right in Mine eyes -- according to all that is in My heart thou hast done to the house of Ahab -- the sons of the fourth generation do sit for thee on the throne of Israel.'
31 And Jehu hath not taken heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, God of Israel, with all his heart, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam, that he caused Israel to sin.
32 In those days hath Jehovah begun to cut off some in Israel, and Hazael smiteth them in all the border of Israel,
33 from the Jordan, at the sun-rising, the whole land of Gilead, of the Gadite, and the Reubenite, and the Manassahite (from Aroer, that is by the brook Arnon), even Gilead and Bashan.
34 And the rest of the matters of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35 And Jehu lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in Samaria, and reign doth Jehoahaz his son in his stead.
36 And the days that Jehu hath reigned over Israel are twenty and eight years, in Samaria.
Chapter 11
1 And Athaliah is mother of Ahaziah, and she hath seen that her son is dead, and she riseth, and destroyeth all the seed of the kingdom;
2 and Jehosheba daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, taketh Joash son of Ahaziah, and stealeth him out of the midst of the sons of the king who are put to death, him and his nurse, in the inner part of the bed-chambers, and they hide him from the presence of Athaliah, and he hath not been put to death,
3 and he is with her, in the house of Jehovah, hiding himself, six years, and Athaliah is reigning over the land.
4 And in the seventh year hath Jehoiada sent and taketh the heads of the hundreds, of the executioners and of the runners, and bringeth them in unto him, to the house of Jehovah, and maketh with them a covenant, and causeth them to swear in the house of Jehovah, and sheweth them the son of the king,
5 and commandeth them, saying, `This is the thing that ye do; The third of you are going in on the sabbath, and keepers of the charge of the house of the king,
6 and the third is at the gate of Sur, and the third at the gate behind the runners, and ye have kept the charge of the house pulled down;
7 and two parts of you, all going out on the sabbath -- they have kept the charge of the house of Jehovah about the king,
8 and ye have compassed the king round about, each with his weapons in his hand, and he who is coming unto the ranges is put to death; and be ye with the king in his going out and in his coming in.'
9 And the heads of the hundreds do according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and take each his men going in on the sabbath, with those going out on the sabbath, and come in unto Jehoiada the priest,
10 and the priest giveth to the heads of the hundreds the spears and the shields that king David had, that are in the house of Jehovah.
11 And the runners stand, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right shoulder of the house unto the left shoulder of the house, by the altar and by the house, by the king round about;
12 and he bringeth out the son of the king, and putteth on him the crown, and the testimony, and they make him king, and anoint him, and smite the hand, and say, `Let the king live.'
13 And Athaliah heareth the voice of the runners and of the people, and she cometh in unto the people, to the house of Jehovah,
14 and looketh, and lo, the king is standing by the pillar, according to the ordinance, and the heads, and the trumpets, are by the king, and all the people of the land are rejoicing, and blowing with trumpets, and Athaliah rendeth her garments, and calleth, `Conspiracy! conspiracy!'
15 And Jehoiada the priest commandeth the heads of the hundreds, inspectors of the force, and saith unto them, `Bring her out unto the outside of the ranges, and him who is going after her, put to death by the sword:' for the priest had said, `Let her not be put to death in the house of Jehovah.'
16 And they make for her sides, and she entereth the way of the entering in of the horses to the house of the king, and is put to death there.
17 And Jehoiada maketh the covenant between Jehovah and the king and the people, to be for a people to Jehovah, and between the king and the people.
18 And all the people of the land go in to the house of Baal, and break it down, its altars and its images they have thoroughly broken, and Mattan priest of Baal they have slain before the altars; and the priest setteth inspectors over the house of Jehovah,
19 and taketh the heads of the hundreds, and the executioners, and the runners, and all the people of the land, and they bring down the king from the house of Jehovah, and come by the way of the gate of the runners, to the house of the king, and he sitteth on the throne of the kings.
20 And all the people of the land rejoice, and the city is quiet, and Athaliah they have put to death by the sword in the house of the king;
21 a son of seven years is Jehoash in his reigning.
Chapter 12
1 In the seventh year of Jehu reigned hath Jehoash, and forty years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Zibiah of Beer-Sheba,
2 and Jehoash doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah all his days in which Jehoiada the priest directed him,
3 only, the high places have not turned aside, still are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.
4 And Jehoash saith unto the priests, `All the money of the sanctified things that is brought in to the house of Jehovah, the money of him who is passing over, each the money of his valuation, all the money that it goeth up on the heart of a man to bring in to the house of Jehovah,
5 do the priests take to them, each from his acquaintance, and they strengthen the breach of the house, in all places where there is found a breach.'
6 And it cometh to pass, in the twenty and third year of king Jehoash, the priests have not strengthened the breach of the house,
7 and king Jehoash calleth to Jehoiada the priest, and to the priests, and saith unto them, `Wherefore are ye not strengthening the breach of the house? and now, receive no money from your acquaintances, but for the breach of the house give it.'
8 And the priests consent not to receive money from the people, nor to strengthen the breach of the house,
9 and Jehoiada the priest taketh a chest, and pierceth a hole in its lid, and putteth it near the altar, on the right side, as one cometh in to the house of Jehovah, and the priests keeping the threshold have put there all the money that is brought in to the house of Jehovah.
10 And it cometh to pass, at their seeing that the money is abundant in the chest, that there goeth up a scribe of the king, and of the high priest, and they bind it up, and count the money that is found in the house of Jehovah,
11 and have given the weighed money into the hands of those doing the work, those inspecting the house of Jehovah, and they bring it out to those working in the wood, and to builders who are working in the house of Jehovah,
12 and to those repairing the wall, and to hewers of stone, and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen the breach of the house of Jehovah, and for all that goeth out on the house, to strengthen it.
13 Only, there is not made for the house of Jehovah basins of silver, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, any vessel of gold, and vessel of silver, out of the money that is brought into the house of Jehovah;
14 for to those doing the work they give it, and they have strengthened with it the house of Jehovah,
15 and they do not reckon with the men into whose hand they give the money to give to those doing the work, for in faithfulness they are dealing.
16 The money of a trespass-offering, and the money of sin-offerings is not brought in to the house of Jehovah -- for the priests it is.
17 Then go up doth Hazael king of Aram, and fighteth against Gath, and captureth it, and Hazael setteth his face to go up against Jerusalem;
18 and Jehoash king of Judah taketh all the sanctified things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had sanctified, and his own sanctified things, and all the gold that is found in the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the house of the king, and sendeth to Hazael king of Aram, and he goeth up from off Jerusalem.
19 And the rest of the matters of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20 And his servants rise, and make a conspiracy, and smite Joash in the house of Millo, that is going down to Silla:
21 yea, Jozachar son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad son of Shemer, his servants, have smitten him, and he dieth, and they bury him with his fathers in the city of David, and reign doth Amaziah his son, in his stead.
Chapter 13
1 In the twenty and third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, hath Jehoahaz son of Jehu reigned over Israel, in Samaria -- seventeen years,
2 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and goeth after the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin -- he turned not aside from it,
3 and the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He giveth them into the hand of Hazael king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-Hadad son of Hazael, all the days.
4 And Jehoahaz appeaseth the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah hearkeneth unto him, for He hath seen the oppression of Israel, for oppressed them hath the king of Aram, --
5 and Jehovah giveth to Israel a saviour, and they go out from under the hand of Aram, and the sons of Israel dwell in their tents as heretofore;
6 only, they have not turned aside from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, that he caused Israel to sin, therein they walked, and also, the shrine hath remained in Samaria, --
7 for he left not to Jehoahaz of the people except fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Aram hath destroyed them, and maketh them as dust for threshing.
8 And the rest of the matters of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
9 And Jehoahaz lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in Samaria, and reign doth Joash his son in his stead.
10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah reigned hath Jehoash son of Jehoahaz over Israel, in Samaria -- sixteen years,
11 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin, therein he walked.
12 And the rest of the matters of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
13 And Joash lieth with his fathers, and Jeroboam hath sat on his throne, and Joash is buried in Samaria, with the kings of Israel.
14 And Elisha hath been sick with his sickness in which he dieth, and come down unto him doth Joash king of Israel, and weepeth on his face, and saith, `My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen.'
15 And Elisha saith to him, `Take bow and arrows:' and he taketh unto him bow and arrows.
16 And he saith to the king of Israel, `Place thy hand on the bow;' and he placeth his hand, and Elisha putteth his hands on the hands of the king,
17 and saith, `Open the window eastward;' and he openeth, and Elisha saith, `Shoot,' and he shooteth; and he saith, `An arrow of salvation to Jehovah, and an arrow of salvation against Aram, and thou hast smitten Aram, in Aphek, till consuming.'
18 And he saith, `Take the arrows,' and he taketh; and he saith to the king of Israel, `Smite to the earth;' and he smiteth three times, and stayeth.
19 And the man of God is wroth against him, and saith, `By smiting five or six times then thou hadst smitten Aram till consuming; and now, three times thou dost smite Aram.'
20 And Elisha dieth, and they bury him, and troops of Moab come in to the land, at the coming in of the year,
21 and it cometh to pass, they are burying a man, and lo, they have seen the troop, and cast the man into the grave of Elisha, and the man goeth and cometh against the bones of Elisha, and liveth, and riseth on his feet.
22 And Hazael king of Aram hath oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz,
23 and Jehovah doth favour them, and pity them, and turn unto them, for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and hath not been willing to destroy them, nor to cast them from His presence as yet.
24 And Hazael king of Aram dieth, and reign doth Ben-Hadad his son in his stead,
25 and Jehoash son of Jehoahaz turneth and taketh the cities out of the hand of Ben-Hadad son of Hazael that he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father in war; three times hath Joash smitten him, and he bringeth back the cities of Israel.
Chapter 14
1 In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned hath Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah;
2 a son of twenty and five years was he in his reigning, and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jehoaddan of Jerusalem,
3 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, only not like David his father, according to all that Joash his father did he hath done,
4 only, the high places have not turned aside -- yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.
5 And it cometh to pass, when the kingdom hath been strong in his hand, that he smiteth his servants, those smiting the king his father,
6 and the sons of those smiting him he hath not put to death, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses that Jehovah commanded, saying, `Fathers are not put to death for sons, and sons are not put to death for fathers, but each for his own sin is put to death.'
7 He hath smitten Edom, in the valley of salt -- ten thousand, and seized Selah in war, and one calleth its name Joktheel unto this day,
8 then hath Amaziah sent messengers unto Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, `Come, we look one another in the face.'
9 And Jehoash king of Israel sendeth unto Amaziah king of Judah, saying, `The thorn that is in Lebanon hath sent unto the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son for a wife; and pass by doth a beast of the field that is in Lebanon, and treadeth down the thorn.
10 Thou hast certainly smitten Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up; be honoured, and abide in thy house; and why dost thou stir thyself up in evil, that thou hast fallen, thou, and Judah with thee?'
11 And Amaziah hath not hearkened, and go up doth Jehoash king of Israel, and they look one another in the face, he and Amaziah king of Judah, in Beth-Shemesh, that is Judah's,
12 and Judah is smitten before Israel, and they flee each to his tent.
13 And Amaziah king of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, caught hath Jehoash king of Israel in Beth-Shemesh, and they come in to Jerusalem, and he bursteth through the wall of Jerusalem, at the gate of Ephraim unto the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits,
14 and hath taken all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that are found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the house of the king, and the sons of the pledges, and turneth back to Samaria.
15 And the rest of the matters of Jehoash that he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
16 And Jehoash lieth with his fathers, and is buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and reign doth Jeroboam his son in his stead.
17 And Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah liveth after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years,
18 and the rest of the matters of Amaziah are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
19 And they make a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fleeth to Lachish, and they send after him to Lachish, and put him to death there,
20 and lift him up on the horses, and he is buried in Jerusalem, with his fathers, in the city of David.
21 And all the people of Judah take Azariah, and he is a son of sixteen years, and cause him to reign instead of his father Amaziah;
22 he hath built Elath, and bringeth it back to Judah, after the lying of the king with his fathers.
23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, reigned hath Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel in Samaria -- forty and one years,
24 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin.
25 He hath brought back the border of Israel, from the entering in of Hamath unto the sea of the desert, according to the word of Jehovah, God of Israel, that He spake by the hand of His servant Jonah son of Amittai the prophet, who is of Gath-Hepher,
26 for Jehovah hath seen the affliction of Israel -- very bitter, and there is none restrained, and there is none left, and there is no helper to Israel;
27 and Jehovah hath not spoken to blot out the name of Israel from under the heavens, and saveth them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Joash.
28 And the rest of the matters of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought, and with which he brought back Damascus, and Hamath of Judah, into Israel, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
29 And Jeroboam lieth with his fathers, with the kings of Israel, and reign doth Zechariah his son in his stead.
Chapter 15
1 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned hath Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah,
2 a son of sixteen years was he in his reigning, and fifty and two years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jecholiah of Jerusalem,
3 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Amaziah his father did,
4 only, the high places have not turned aside -- yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.
5 And Jehovah smiteth the king, and he is a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwelleth in a separate house, and Jotham son of the king is over the house, judging the people of the land.
6 And the rest of the matters of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
7 And Azariah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Jotham his son in his stead.
8 In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah reigned hath Zechariah son of Jeroboam over Israel, in Samaria, six months,
9 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, as did his fathers, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin.
10 And Shallum son of Jabesh conspireth against him, and smiteth him before the people, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead.
11 And the rest of the matters of Zechariah, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
12 It is the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Jehu, saying, `Sons of the fourth generation do sit for thee on the throne of Israel;' and it is so.
13 Shallum son of Jabesh hath reigned in the thirty and ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigneth a month of days in Samaria;
14 and go up doth Menahem son of Gadi from Tirzah and cometh in to Samaria, and smiteth Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead.
15 And the rest of the matters of Shallum, and his conspiracy that he made, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
16 Then doth Menahem smite Tiphsah, and all who are in it, and its borders from Tirzah, for it opened not to him, and he smiteth it, all its pregnant women he hath ripped up.
17 In the thirty and ninth year of Azariah king of Judah reigned hath Menahem son of Gadi over Israel -- ten years in Samaria.
18 And he doth the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath turned not aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin, all his days.
19 Pul king of Asshur hath come against the land, and Menahem giveth to Pul a thousand talents of silver, for his hand being with him to strengthen the kingdom in his hand.
20 And Menahem bringeth out the silver from Israel, from all the mighty men of wealth, to give to the king of Asshur, fifty shekels of silver for each one, and the king of Asshur turneth back and hath not stayed there in the land.
21 And the rest of the matters of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
22 And Menahem lieth with his fathers, and reign doth Pekahiah his son in his stead.
23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah hath Pekahiah son of Menahem reigned over Israel, in Samaria -- two years,
24 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin.
25 And Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, doth conspire against him, and smiteth him in Samaria, in the high place of the house of the king with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the sons of the Gileadites, and he putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead.
26 And the rest of the matters of Pekahiah, and all that he did, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
27 In the fifty and second year of Azariah king of Judah, reigned hath Pekah son of Remaliah over Israel, in Samaria -- twenty years,
28 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin.
29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel hath Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur come, and taketh Ijon, and Abel-Beth-Maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and removeth them to Asshur.
30 And make a conspiracy doth Hoshea son of Elah against Pekah son of Remaliah, and smiteth him, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.
31 And the rest of the matters of Pekah, and all that he did, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
32 In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel reigned hath Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah.
33 A son of twenty and five years was he in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jerusha daughter of Zadok,
34 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Uzziah his father did he hath done.
35 Only, the high places have not turned aside -- yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places; he hath built the high gate of the house of Jehovah.
36 And the rest of the matters of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
37 In those days hath Jehovah begun to send against Judah Rezin king of Amram and Pekah son of Remaliah.
38 And Jotham lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David his father, and reign doth Ahaz his son in his stead.
Chapter 16
1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah reigned hath Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah.
2 A son of twenty years is Ahaz in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he hath not done that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father,
3 and he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, and also his son he hath caused to pass over into fire, according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel,
4 and he sacrificeth and maketh perfume in high places, and on the heights, and under every green tree.
5 Then doth Rezin king of Aram go up, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, to Jerusalem, to battle, and they lay siege to Ahaz, and they have not been able to fight.
6 At that time hath Rezin king of Aram brought back Elath to Aram, and casteth out the Jews from Elath, and the Aramaeans have come in to Elath, and dwell there unto this day.
7 And Ahaz sendeth messengers unto Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur, saying, `Thy servant and thy son am I; come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.'
8 And Ahaz taketh the silver and the gold that is found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the house of the king, and sendeth to the king of Asshur -- a bribe.
9 And hearken unto him doth the king of Asshur, and the king of Asshur goeth up unto Damascus, and seizeth it, and removeth the people of it to Kir, and Rezin he hath put to death.
10 And king Ahaz goeth to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur at Damascus, and seeth the altar that is in Damascus, and king Ahaz sendeth unto Urijah the priest the likeness of the altar, and its pattern, according to all its work,
11 and Urijah the priest buildeth the altar according to all that king Ahaz hath sent from Damascus; so did Urijah the priest till the coming in of king Ahaz from Damascus.
12 And the king cometh in from Damascus, and the king seeth the altar, and the king draweth near on the altar, and offereth on it,
13 and perfumeth his burnt-offering, and his present, and poureth out his libation, and sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings that he hath, on the altar.
14 As to the altar of brass that is before Jehovah -- he bringeth it near from the front of the house, from between the altar and the house of Jehovah, and putteth it on the side of the altar, northward.
15 And king Ahaz commandeth him -- Urijah the priest -- saying, `On the great altar perfume the burnt-offering of the morning, and the present of the evening, and the burnt-offering of the king, and his present, and the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their present, and their libations; and all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice, on it thou dost sprinkle, and the altar of brass is to me to inquire by.'
16 And Urijah the priest doth according to all that king Ahaz commanded.
17 And king Ahaz cutteth off the borders of the bases, and turneth aside from off them the laver, and the sea he hath taken down from off the brazen oxen that are under it, and putteth it on a pavement of stones.
18 And the covered place for the sabbath that they built in the house, and the entrance of the king without, he turned from the house of Jehovah, because of the king of Asshur.
19 And the rest of the matters of Ahaz that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20 And Ahaz lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Hezekiah his son in his stead.
Chapter 17
1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah reigned hath Hoshea son of Elah in Samaria, over Israel -- nine years,
2 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, only, not as the kings of Israel who were before him;
3 against him came up Shalmaneser king of Asshur, and Hoshea is to him a servant, and doth render to him a present.
4 And the king of Asshur findeth in Hoshea a conspiracy, in that he hath sent messengers unto So king of Egypt, and hath not caused a present to go up to the king of Asshur, as year by year, and the king of Asshur restraineth him, and bindeth him in a house of restraint.
5 And the king of Asshur goeth up into all the land, and he goeth up to Samaria, and layeth siege against it three years;
6 in the ninth year of Hoshea hath the king of Asshur captured Samaria, and removeth Israel to Asshur, and causeth them to dwell in Halah, and in Habor, by the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 And it cometh to pass, because the sons of Israel have sinned against Jehovah their God -- who bringeth them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt -- and fear other gods,
8 and walk in the statutes of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, and of the kings of Israel that they made;
9 and the sons of Israel do covertly things that are not right against Jehovah their God, and build for them high places in all their cities, from a tower of the watchers unto the fenced city,
10 and set up for them standing-pillars and shrines on every high height, and under every green tree,
11 and make perfume there in all high places, like the nations that Jehovah removed from their presence, and do evil things to provoke Jehovah,
12 and serve the idols, of which Jehovah said to them, `Ye do not do this thing;'
13 And Jehovah testifieth against Israel, and against Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and every seer, saying, `Turn back from your evil ways, and keep My commands, My statutes, according to all the law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent unto you by the hand of My servants the prophets;'
14 and they have not hearkened, and harden their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who did not remain stedfast in Jehovah their God,
15 and reject His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies that He testified against them, and go after the vain thing, and become vain, and after the nations that are round about them, of whom Jehovah commanded them not to do like them;
16 And they forsake all the commands of Jehovah their God, and make to them a molten image -- two calves, and make a shrine, and bow themselves to all the host of the heavens, and serve Baal,
17 and cause their sons and their daughters to pass over through fire, and divine divinations, and use enchantments, and sell themselves to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, to provoke Him;
18 That Jehovah sheweth himself very angry against Israel, and turneth them aside from His presence; none hath been left, only the tribe of Judah by itself.
19 Also Judah hath not kept the commands of Jehovah their God, and they walk in the statutes of Israel that they had made.
20 And Jehovah kicketh against all the seed of Israel, and afflicteth them, and giveth them into the hand of spoilers, till that He hath cast them out of His presence,
21 for He hath rent Israel from the house of David, and they make Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam driveth Israel from after Jehovah, and hath caused them to sin a great sin,
22 and the sons of Israel walk in all the sins of Jeroboam that he did, they have not turned aside therefrom,
23 till that Jehovah hath turned Israel aside from His presence, as He spake by the hand of all His servants the prophets, and Israel is removed from off its land to Asshur, unto this day.
24 And the king of Asshur bringeth in from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and causeth them to dwell in the cities of Samaria instead of the sons of Israel, and they possess Samaria, and dwell in its cities;
25 and it cometh to pass, at the commencement of their dwelling there, they have not feared Jehovah, and Jehovah doth send among them the lions, and they are destroying among them.
26 And they speak to the king of Asshur, saying, `The nations that thou hast removed, and dost place in the cities of Samaria, have not known the custom of the God of the land, and He sendeth among them the lions, and lo, they are destroying them, as they do not know the custom of the God of the land.'
27 And the king of Asshur commandeth, saying, `Cause to go thither one of the priests whom ye removed thence, and they go and dwell there, and he doth teach them the custom of the God of the land.'
28 And one of the priests whom they removed from Samaria cometh in, and dwelleth in Beth-El, and he is teaching them how they do fear Jehovah,
29 and they are making each nation its gods, and place them in the houses of the high places that the Samaritans have made, each nation in their cities where they are dwelling.
30 And the men of Babylon have made Succoth-Benoth, and the men of Cuth have made Nergal, and the men of Hamath have made Ashima,
31 and the Avites have made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites are burning their sons with fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, gods of Sepharvim.
32 And they are fearing Jehovah, and make to themselves from their extremities priests of high places, and they are acting for them in the house of the high places.
33 Jehovah they are fearing, and their gods they are serving, according to the custom of the nations whence they removed them.
34 Unto this day they are doing according to the former customs -- they are not fearing Jehovah, and are not doing according to their statutes, and according to their ordinances, and according to the law, and according to the command, that Jehovah commanded the sons of Jacob whose name He made Israel,
35 and Jehovah maketh with them a covenant, and chargeth them, saying, `Ye do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them,
36 but Jehovah who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a stretched-out arm, Him ye do fear, and to Him ye bow yourselves, and to Him ye do sacrifice;
37 and the statutes, and the judgments, and the law, and the command, that He wrote for you, ye observe to do all the days, and ye do not fear other gods;
38 and the covenant that I have made with you ye do not forget, and ye do not fear other gods;
39 but Jehovah your God ye do fear, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies;'
40 and they have not hearkened, but according to their former custom they are doing,
41 and these nations are fearing Jehovah, and their graven images they have served, both their sons and their sons' sons; as their fathers did, they are doing unto this day.
Chapter 18
1 And it cometh to pass, in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, reigned hath Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah;
2 a son of twenty and five years was he in his reigning, and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Abi daughter of Zechariah.
3 And he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father did,
4 he hath turned aside the high places, and broken in pieces the standing-pillars, and cut down the shrine, and beaten down the brazen serpent that Moses made, for unto these days were the sons of Israel making perfume to it, and he calleth it `a piece of brass.'
5 In Jehovah, God of Israel, he hath trusted, and after him there hath not been like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among any who were before him;
6 and he cleaveth to Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from after Him, and keepeth His commands that Jehovah commanded Moses.
7 And Jehovah hath been with him, in every place where he goeth out he acteth wisely, and he rebelleth against the king of Asshur, and hath not served him;
8 he hath smitten the Philistines unto Gaza, and its borders, from a tower of watchers unto the fenced city.
9 And it cometh to pass, in the fourth year of king Hezekiah -- it is the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel -- come up hath Shalmaneser king of Asshur against Samaria, and layeth siege to it,
10 and they capture it at the end of three years; in the sixth year of Hezekiah -- it is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel -- hath Samaria been captureth,
11 and the king of Asshur removeth Israel to Asshur, and placed them in Halah, and in Habor by the river Gozan, and in cities of the Medes,
12 because that they have not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah their God, and transgress His covenant -- all that He commanded Moses, servant of Jehovah -- yea, they have not hearkened nor done it.
13 And in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah hath Sennacherib king of Asshur come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and seizeth them,
14 and Hezekiah king of Judah sendeth unto the king of Asshur to Lachish, saying, `I have sinned, turn back from off me; that which thou puttest on me I bear;' and the king of Asshur layeth on Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold,
15 and Hezekiah giveth all the silver that is found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the house of the king;
16 at that time hath Hezekiah cut off the doors of the temple of Jehovah, and the pillars that Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and giveth them to the king of Asshur.
17 And the king of Asshur sendeth Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the butlers, from Lachish, unto king Hezekiah, with a heavy force, to Jerusalem, and they go up and come in to Jerusalem, and they go up, and come in and stand by the conduit of the upper pool that is in the highway of the fuller's field.
18 And they call unto the king, and go out unto them doth Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who is over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the remembrancer.
19 And the chief of the butlers saith unto them, `Say, I pray you, unto Hezekiah, Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur, What is this confidence in which thou hast confided?
20 Thou hast said: Only a word of the lips! counsel and might are for battle; now, on whom hast thou trusted that thou hast rebelled against me?
21 `Now, lo, thou hast trusted for thee on the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; which a man leaneth on, and it hath gone into his hand, and pierced it! -- so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all those trusting on him.
22 `And when ye say unto me, Unto Jehovah our God we have trusted, is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath turned aside, and saith to Judah and to Jerusalem, Before this altar do ye bow yourselves in Jerusalem?
23 `And, now, give a pledge for thee, I pray thee, to my lord the king of Asshur, and I give to thee two thousand horses, if thou art able to give for thee riders on them.
24 And how dost thou turn back the face of one captain of the least of the servants of my lord, that thou dost trust for thee on Egypt for chariot, and for horsemen?
25 Now, without Jehovah have I come up against this place to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up against this land, and thou hast destroyed it.'
26 And Eliakim son of Hilkiah saith -- and Shebna, and Joah -- to the chief of the butlers, `Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants in Aramaean, for we are understanding, and do not speak with us in Jewish, in the ears of the people who are on the wall.'
27 And the chief of the butlers saith unto them, `For thy lord, and unto thee, hath my lord sent me to speak these words? is it not for the men, those sitting on the wall to eat their own dung and to drink their own water, with you?'
28 And the chief of the butlers standeth and calleth with a great voice in Jewish, and speaketh and saith, `Hear ye a word of the great king, the king of Asshur:
29 thus said the king, Let not Hezekiah lift you up, for he is not able to deliver you out of his hand;
30 and let not Hezekiah make you trust unto Jehovah, saying, Jehovah doth certainly deliver us, and this city is not given into the hand of the king of Asshur.
31 `Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for thus said the king of Asshur, Make with me a blessing, and come out unto me, and eat ye each of his vine, and each of his fig-tree, and drink ye each the waters of his own well,
32 till my coming in, and I have taken you unto a land like your own land, a land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive, and honey, and live, and die not; and do not hearken unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, Jehovah doth deliver us.
33 `Have the gods of the nations delivered at all each his land out of the hand of the king of Asshur?
34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? where the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah, that they have delivered Samaria out of my hand?
35 Who are they among all the gods of the lands that have delivered their land out of my hand, that Jehovah doth deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'
36 And the people have kept silent, and have not answered him a word, for the command of the king is, saying, `Do not answer him.'
37 And Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who is over the house, cometh in, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the remembrancer, unto Hezekiah, with rent garments, and they declare to him the words of the chief of the butlers.
Chapter 19
1 And it cometh to pass, at king Hezekiah's hearing, that he rendeth his garments, and covereth himself with sackcloth, and entereth the house of Jehovah,
2 and sendeth Eliakim, who is over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covering themselves with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz,
3 and they say unto him, `Thus said Hezekiah -- A day of distress, and rebuke, and despising is this day; for come have sons unto the birth, and power there is not to bring forth.
4 `It may be Jehovah thy God doth hear all the words of the chief of the butlers with which the king of Asshur his lord hath sent him to reproach the living God, and hath decided concerning the words that Jehovah thy God hath heard, and thou hast lifted up prayer for the remnant that is found.'
5 And the servants of king Hezekiah come in unto Isaiah,
6 and Isaiah saith to them, `Thus do ye say unto your lord: Thus said Jehovah, Be not afraid because of the words that thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Asshur have reviled Me.
7 Lo, I am giving in him a spirit, and he hath heard a report, and hath turned back to his land, and I have caused him to fall by the sword in his land.'
8 And the chief of the butlers turneth back and findeth the king of Asshur fighting against Libnah, for he hath heard that he hath journeyed from Lachish.
9 And he heareth concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, saying, `Lo, he hath come out to fight with thee;' and he turneth and sendeth messengers unto Hezekiah, saying,
10 `Thus do ye speak unto Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God lift thee up in whom thou art trusting, saying, Jerusalem is not given into the hand of the king of Asshur.
11 Lo, thou hast heard that which the kings of Asshur have done to all the lands -- to devote them; and thou art delivered!
12 did the gods of the nations deliver them whom my fathers destroyed -- Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the sons of Eden, who are in Thelassar?
13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?'
14 And Hezekiah taketh the letters out of the hand of the messengers, and readeth them, and goeth up to the house of Jehovah, and Hezekiah spreadeth it before Jehovah.
15 And Hezekiah prayeth before Jehovah, and saith, `O Jehovah, God of Israel, inhabiting the cherubs, Thou art God Himself -- Thyself alone -- to all the kingdoms of the earth: Thou hast made the heavens and the earth.
16 Incline, O Jehovah, Thine ear, and hear; open, O Jehovah, Thine eyes, and see; and hear Thou the words of Sennacherib with which he hath sent him to reproach the living God.
17 `Truly, O Jehovah, kings of Asshur have laid waste the nations, and their land,
18 and have put their gods into fire, for they are no gods, but work of the hands of man, wood and stone, and destroy them.
19 And now, O Jehovah our God, save us, we pray Thee, out of his hand, and know do all kingdoms of the earth that Thou art Jehovah God -- Thyself alone.'
20 And Isaiah son of Amoz sendeth unto Hezekiah, saying, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed unto Me concerning Sennacherib king of Asshur I have heard:
21 this is the word that Jehovah spake concerning him: `Trampled on thee -- laughed at thee, Hath the virgin daughter of Zion Behind thee shaken the head -- Hath the daughter of Jerusalem?
22 Whom hast thou reproached and reviled? And against whom lifted up a voice? Yea, thou dost lift up on high thine eyes -- Against the Holy One of Israel!
23 By the hand of thy messengers Thou hast reproached the Lord, and sayest: In the multitude of my chariots I have come up to a high place of mountains -- The sides of Lebanon, And I cut down the height of its cedars, The choice of its firs, And I enter the lodging of its extremity, The forest of its Carmel.
24 I have digged, and drunk strange waters, And I dry up with the sole of my steps All floods of a bulwark.
25 Hast thou not heard from afar, it I made, From days of old that I formed it? Now I have brought it in, And it becometh a desolation, Ruinous heaps are fenced cities,
26 And their inhabitants are feeble-handed, They were broken down, and are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the tender grass, Grass of the roofs, And blasted corn -- before it hath risen up!
27 And thy sitting down, and thy going out, And thy coming in, I have known, And thine anger towards Me;
28 Because of thine anger towards Me, And thy noise -- it came up into Mine ears, I have put My hook in thy nose, And My bridle in thy lips, And have caused thee to turn back, In the way in which thou camest.
29 And this to thee is the sign, Food of the year is the spontaneous growth, And in the second year the self-produced, And in the third year sow ye, and reap, And plant vineyards, and eat their fruits.
30 And it hath continued -- The escaped of the house of Judah That hath been left -- to take root beneath, And hath made fruit upward.
31 For from Jerusalem goeth out a remnant, And an escape from mount Zion; The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts doth this.
32 Therefore, thus said Jehovah, Concerning the king of Asshur: He doth not come in unto this city, Nor doth he shoot there an arrow, Nor doth he come before it with shield. Nor doth he pour out against it a mount.
33 In the way that he cometh in -- In it he turneth back, And unto this city he doth not come in, The affirmation of Jehovah --
34 And I have covered over this city, To save it, for Mine own sake, And for the sake of David My servant.'
35 And it cometh to pass, in that night, that a messenger of Jehovah goeth out, and smiteth in the camp of Asshur a hundred eighty and five thousand, and they rise early in the morning, and lo, all of them are dead corpses.
36 And Sennacherib king of Asshur journeyeth, and goeth, and turneth back, and dwelleth in Nineveh;
37 and it cometh to pass, he is bowing himself in the house of Nisroch his god, and Adramelech and Sharezar his sons have smitten him with the sword, and they have escaped to the land of Ararat, and Esar-Haddon his son reigneth in his stead.
Chapter 20
1 In those days hath Hezekiah been sick unto death, and come unto him doth Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, and saith unto him, `Thus said Jehovah: Give a charge to thy house, for thou art dying, and dost not live.'
2 And he turneth round his face unto the wall, and prayeth unto Jehovah, saying,
3 `I pray Thee, O Jehovah, remember, I pray Thee, how I have walked habitually before Thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and that which is good in Thine eyes I have done;' and Hezekiah weepeth -- a great weeping.
4 And it cometh to pass -- Isaiah hath not gone out to the middle court -- that the word of Jehovah hath been unto him, saying,
5 `Turn back, and thou hast said unto Hezekiah, leader of My people: Thus said Jehovah, God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tear, lo, I give healing to thee, on the third day thou dost go up to the house of Jehovah;
6 and I have added to thy days fifteen years, and out of the hand of the king of Asshur I deliver thee and this city, and have covered over this city for Mine own sake, and for the sake of David My servant.'
7 And Isaiah saith, `Take ye a cake of figs;' and they take and lay it on the boil, and he reviveth.
8 And Hezekiah saith unto Isaiah, `What is the sign that Jehovah doth give healing to me, that I have gone up on the third day to the house of Jehovah?'
9 And Isaiah saith, `This is to thee the sign from Jehovah, that Jehovah doth the thing that He hath spoken -- The shadow hath gone on ten degrees, or it doth turn back ten degrees?'
10 And Hezekiah saith, `It hath been light for the shadow to incline ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow turn backward ten degrees.'
11 And Isaiah the prophet calleth unto Jehovah, and He bringeth back the shadow by the degrees that it had gone down in the degrees of Ahaz -- backward ten degrees.
12 At that time hath Berodach-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick;
13 and Hezekiah hearkeneth unto them, and sheweth them all the house of his treasury, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the good ointment, and all the house of his vessels, and all that hath been found in his treasuries; there hath not been a thing that Hezekiah hath not shewed them, in his house, and in all his dominion.
14 And Isaiah the prophet cometh in unto king Hezekiah, and saith unto him, `What said these men? and whence come they unto thee?' And Hezekiah saith, `From a land afar off they have come -- from Babylon.'
15 And he saith, `What saw they in thy house?' and Hezekiah saith, `All that is in my house they saw; there hath not been a thing that I have not shewed them among my treasures.'
16 And Isaiah saith unto Hezekiah, `Hear a word of Jehovah:
17 Lo, days are coming, and borne hath been all that is in thy house, and that thy father have treasured up till this day, to Babylon; there is not left a thing, said Jehovah;
18 and of thy sons who go out from thee, whom thou begettest, they take away, and they have been eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'
19 And Hezekiah saith unto Isaiah, `Good is the word of Jehovah that thou hast spoken;' and he saith, `Is it not -- if peace and truth are in my days?'
20 And the rest of the matters of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and bringeth in the waters to the city, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah lieth with his fathers, and reign doth Manasseh his son in his stead.
Chapter 21
1 A son of twelve years is Manasseh in his reigning, and fifty and five years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Hephzi-Bah;
2 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel,
3 and he turneth and buildeth the high places that Hezekiah his father destroyed, and raiseth altars for Baal, and maketh a shrine, as did Ahab king of Israel, and boweth himself to all the host of the heavens, and serveth them.
4 And he hath built altars in the house of Jehovah, of which Jehovah said, `In Jerusalem I put My name.'
5 And he buildeth altars to all the host of the heavens in the two courts of the house of Jehovah;
6 and he hath caused his son to pass through fire, and observed clouds, and used enchantment, and dealt with a familiar spirit and wizards; he hath multiplied to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah -- to provoke to anger.
7 And he setteth the graven image of the shrine that he made in the house of which Jehovah said unto David and unto Solomon his son, `In this house, and in Jerusalem, that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I put My name -- to the age;
8 and I do not add to cause the foot of Israel to move from the ground that I gave to their fathers, only, if they observe to do according to all that I commanded them, and to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.'
9 And they have not hearkened, and Manasseh causeth them to err, to do the evil thing above the nations that Jehovah destroyed from the presence of the sons of Israel.
10 And Jehovah speaketh by the hand of his servants the prophets, saying,
11 `Because that Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations -- he hath done evil above all that the Amorites have done who are before him, and causeth also Judah to sin by his idols;
12 therefore thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Lo, I am bringing in evil on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever heareth of it, tingle do his two ears.
13 And I have stretched out over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab, and wiped Jerusalem as one wipeth the dish -- he hath wiped, and hath turned it on its face.
14 `And I have left the remnant of Mine inheritance, and given them into the hand of their enemies, and they have been for a prey and for a spoil to all their enemies,
15 because that they have done the evil thing in Mine eyes, and are provoking Me to anger from the day that their fathers came out of Egypt, even unto this day.'
16 And also, innocent blood hath Manasseh shed very much, till that he hath filled Jerusalem -- mouth to mouth; apart from his sin that he hath caused Judah to sin, to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah.
17 And the rest of the matters of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
18 And Manasseh lieth with his fathers, and is buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and reign doth Amon his son in his stead.
19 A son of twenty and two years is Amon in his reigning, and two years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz of Jotbah,
20 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, as did Manasseh his father,
21 and walketh in all the way that his father walked in, and serveth the idols that his father served, and boweth himself to them,
22 and forsaketh Jehovah, God of his fathers, and hath not walked in the way of Jehovah.
23 And the servants of Amon conspire against him, and put the king to death in his own house,
24 and the people of the land smite all those conspiring against king Amon, and the people of the land cause Josiah his son to reign in his stead.
25 And the rest of the matters of Amon that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
26 and one burieth him in his burying-place in the garden of Uzza, and reign doth Josiah his son in his stead.
Chapter 22
1 A son of eight years is Josiah in his reigning, and thirty and one years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Boskath,
2 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in all the way of David his father, and hath not turned aside -- right or left.
3 And it cometh to pass, in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, the king hath sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Jehovah, saying,
4 `Go up unto Hilkiah the high priest, and he doth complete the silver that is brought into the house of Jehovah, that the keepers of the threshold have gathered from the people,
5 and they give it into the hand of the doers of the work, the overseers, in the house of Jehovah, and they give it to the doers of the work that is in the house of Jehovah, to strengthen the breach of the house,
6 to artificers, and to builders, and to repairers of the wall, and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen the house;
7 only, the silver that is given into their hand is not reckoned with them, for in faithfulness they are dealing.
8 And Hilkiah the high priest saith unto Shaphan the scribe, `A book of the law I have found in the house of Jehovah;' and Hilkiah giveth the book unto Shaphan, and he readeth it.
9 And Shaphan the scribe cometh in unto the king, and bringeth the king back word, and saith, `Thy servants have poured out the silver that hath been found in the house, and give it into the hand of the doers of the work, the inspectors, in the house of Jehovah.'
10 And Shaphan the scribe declareth to the king, saying, `A book hath Hilkiah the priest given to me;' and Shaphan readeth it before the king.
11 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the book of the law, that he rendeth his garments,
12 and the king commandeth Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam son of Shaphan, and Achbor son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah servant of the king, saying,
13 `Go, seek Jehovah for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found, for great is the fury of Jehovah that is kindled against us, because that our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all that is written for us.'
14 And Hilkiah the priest goeth, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, unto Huldah the prophetess, wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the garments, and she is dwelling in Jerusalem in the second, and they speak unto her.
15 And she saith unto them, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Say to the man who hath sent you unto me:
16 Thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am bringing in evil unto this place and on its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah hath read,
17 because that they have forsaken Me, and make perfume to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger with every work of their hands, and My wrath hath been kindled against this place, and it is not quenched.
18 `And unto the king of Judah, who is sending you to seek Jehovah, thus do ye say unto him, Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, The words that thou hast heard --
19 because thy heart is tender, and thou art humbled because of Jehovah, in thy hearing that which I have spoken against this place, and against its inhabitants, to be for a desolation, and for a reviling, and dost rend thy garments, and weep before Me -- I also have heard -- the affirmation of Jehovah --
20 therefore, lo, I am gathering thee unto thy fathers, and thou hast been gathered unto thy grave in peace, and thine eyes do not look on any of the evil that I am bringing in on this place;' and they bring the king back word.
Chapter 23
1 And the king sendeth, and they gather unto him all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 and the king goeth up to the house of Jehovah, and every man of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, from small unto great, and he readeth in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that is found in the house of Jehovah.
3 And the king standeth by the pillar, and maketh the covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep His commands, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all the heart, and with all the soul, to establish the words of this covenant that are written on this book, and all the people stand in the covenant.
4 And the king commandeth Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring out from the temple of Jehovah all the vessels that are made for Baal, and for the shrine, and for all the host of the heavens, and he burneth them at the outside of Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and hath borne their ashes to Beth-El.
5 And he hath caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah have appointed, (and they make perfume in high places, in cities of Judah and suburbs of Jerusalem,) and those making perfume to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of the heavens.
6 And he bringeth out the shrine from the house of Jehovah to the outside of Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burneth it at the brook Kidron, and beateth it small to dust, and casteth its dust on the grave of the sons of the people.
7 And he breaketh down the houses of the whoremongers that are in the house of Jehovah, where the women are weaving houses for the shrine.
8 And he bringeth in all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defileth the high places where the priests have made perfume, from Geba unto Beer-Sheba, and hath broken down the high places of the gates that are at the opening of the gate of Joshua, head of the city, that is on a man's left hand at the gate of the city;
9 only, the priests of the high places come not up unto the altar of Jehovah in Jerusalem, but they have eaten unleavened things in the midst of their brethren.
10 And he hath defiled Topheth, that is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, so that no man doth cause his son and his daughter to pass over through fire to Molech.
11 And he causeth to cease the horses that the kings of Judah have given to the sun from the entering in of the house of Jehovah, by the chamber of Nathan-Melech the eunuch, that is in the suburbs, and the chariots of the sun he hath burnt with fire.
12 And the altars that are on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, that the kings of Judah made, and the altars that Manasseh made in the two courts of the house of Jehovah, hath the king broken down, and removeth thence, and hath cast their dust unto the brook Kidron.
13 And the high places that are on the front of Jerusalem, that are on the right of the mount of corruption, that Solomon king of Israel had built to Ashtoreth abomination of the Zidonians, and Chemosh abomination of Moab, and to Milcom abomination of the sons of Ammon, hath the king defiled.
14 And he hath broken in pieces the standing-pillars, and cutteth down the shrines, and filleth their place with bones of men;
15 and also the altar that is in Beth-El, the high place that Jeroboam son of Nebat made, by which he made Israel sin, both that altar and the high place he hath broken down, and doth burn the high place -- he hath beat it small to dust, and hath burnt the shrine.
16 And Josiah turneth, and seeth the graves that are there in the mount, and sendeth and taketh the bones out of the graves, and burneth them on the altar, and defileth it, according to the word of Jehovah that the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things.
17 And he saith, `What is this sign that I see?' and the men of the city say unto him, `The grave of the man of God who hath come from Judah, and proclaimeth these things that thou hast done concerning the altar of Beth-El.'
18 And he saith, `Let him alone, let no man touch his bones;' and they let his bones escape, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria.
19 And also all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria, that the kings of Israel made to provoke to anger, hath Josiah turned aside, and doth to them according to all the deeds that he did in Beth-El.
20 And he slayeth all the priests of the high places who are there by the altars, and burneth the bones of man upon them, and turneth back to Jerusalem.
21 And the king commandeth the whole of the people, saying, `Make ye a passover to Jehovah your God, as it is written on this book of the covenant.'
22 Surely there hath not been made like this passover from the days of the judges who judged Israel, even all the days of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of Judah;
23 but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, hath this passover been made to Jehovah in Jerusalem.
24 And also, those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah, and in Jerusalem, hath Josiah put away, in order to establish the words of the law that are written on the book that Hilkiah the priest hath found in the house of Jehovah.
25 And like him there hath not been before him a king who turned back unto Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, and after him there hath none risen like him.
26 Only, Jehovah hath not turned back from the fierceness of His great anger with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh provoked him,
27 and Jehovah saith, `Also Judah I turn aside from my presence, as I turned Israel aside, and I have rejected this city that I have chosen -- Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name is there.'
28 And the rest of the matters of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
29 In his days hath Pharaoh-Nechoh king of Egypt come up against the king of Asshur, by the river Phrat, and king Josiah goeth out to meet him, and he putteth him to death in Megiddo, when he seeth him.
30 And his servants cause him to ride dying from Megiddo, and bring him in to Jerusalem, and bury him in his own grave, and the people of the land take Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and anoint him, and cause him to reign instead of his father.
31 A son of twenty and three years is Jehoahaz in his reigning, and three months he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah,
32 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did,
33 and Pharaoh-Nechoh bindeth him in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, from reigning in Jerusalem, and he putteth a fine on the land -- a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
34 And Pharaoh-Nechoh causeth Eliakim son of Josiah to reign instead of Josiah his father, and turneth his name to Jehoiakim, and Jehoahaz he hath taken away, and he cometh in to Egypt, and dieth there.
35 And the silver and the gold hath Jehoiakim given to Pharaoh; only he valued the land to give the silver by the command of Pharaoh; from each, according to his valuation, he exacted the silver and the gold, from the people of the land, to give to Pharaoh-Nechoh.
36 A son of twenty and five years is Jehoiakim in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Zebudah daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah,
37 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did.
Chapter 24
1 In his days hath Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon come up, and Jehoiakim is to him a servant three years; and he turneth and rebelleth against him,
2 and Jehovah sendeth against him the troops of the Chaldeans, and the troops of Aram, and the troops of Moab, and the troops of the sons of Ammon, and He sendeth them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of Jehovah, that He spake by the hand of His servants the prophets;
3 only, by the command of Jehovah it hath been against Judah to turn them aside from His presence, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did,
4 and also the innocent blood that he hath shed, and he filleth Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Jehovah was not willing to forgive.
5 And the rest of the matters of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
6 And Jehoiakim lieth with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigneth in his stead.
7 And the king of Egypt hath not added any more to go out from his own land, for the king of Babylon hath taken, from the brook of Egypt unto the river Phrat, all that had been to the king of Egypt.
8 A son of eighteen years is Jehoiachin in his reigning, and three months he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem,
9 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did.
10 At that time come up have servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and the city goeth into siege,
11 and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon cometh against the city, and his servants are laying siege to it,
12 and Jehoiachin king of Judah goeth out unto the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his chiefs, and his eunuchs, and the king of Babylon taketh him in the eighth year of his reign,
13 and bringeth out thence all the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the house of the king, and cutteth in pieces all the vessels of gold that Solomon king of Israel made in the temple of Jehovah, as Jehovah had spoken.
14 And he hath removed all Jerusalem, and all the chiefs, and all the mighty ones of valour -- ten thousand is the removal -- and every artificer and smith, none hath been left save the poor of the people of the land.
15 And he removeth Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the mother of the king, and the wives of the king, and his eunuchs, and the mighty ones of the land -- he hath caused a removal to go from Jerusalem to Babylon,
16 and all the men of valour seven thousand, and the artificers and the smiths a thousand, the whole are mighty men, warriors; and the king of Babylon bringeth them in a captivity to Babylon.
17 And the king of Babylon causeth Mattaniah his father's brother to reign in his stead, and turneth his name to Zedekiah.
18 A son of twenty and one years is Zedekiah in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah,
19 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah according to all that Jehoiakim did,
20 for, by the anger of Jehovah it hath been against Jerusalem and against Judah, till he cast them out from His presence, that Zedekiah rebelleth against the king of Babylon.
Chapter 25
1 And it cometh to pass, in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth of the month, come hath Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, he and all his force, against Jerusalem, and encampeth against it, and buildeth against it a fortification round about.
2 And the city entereth into siege till the eleventh year of king Zedekiah,
3 on the ninth of the month -- when the famine is severe in the city, and there hath not been bread for the people of the land,
4 then the city is broken up, and all the men of war go by night the way of the gate, between the two walls that are by the garden of the king, and the Chaldeans are against the city round about, and the king goeth the way of the plain.
5 And the force of the Chaldeans pursue after the king, and overtake him in the plains of Jericho, and all his force have been scattered from him;
6 and they seize the king, and bring him up unto the king of Babylon, to Riblah, and they speak with him -- judgment.
7 And the sons of Zedekiah they have slaughtered before his eyes, and the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and bindeth him with brazen fetters, and they bring him to Babylon.
8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh of the month (it is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), hath Nebuzaradan chief of the executioners, servant of the king of Babylon, come to Jerusalem,
9 and he burneth the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem, yea, every great house he hath burned with fire;
10 and the walls of Jerusalem round about have all the forces of the Chaldeans, who are with the chief of the executioners, broken down.
11 And the rest of the people, those left in the city, and those falling who have fallen to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude, hath Nebuzaradan chief of the executioners removed;
12 and of the poor of the land hath the chief of the executioners left for vine-dressers and for husbandmen.
13 And the pillars of brass that are in the house of Jehovah, and the bases, and the sea of brass, that is in the house of Jehovah, have the Chaldeans broken in pieces, and bear away their brass to Babylon.
14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they minister they have taken,
15 and the fire-pans, and the bowls that are wholly of silver, hath the chief of the executioners taken.
16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases that Solomon made for the house of Jehovah, there was no weighing of the brass of all these vessels;
17 eighteen cubits is the height of the one pillar, and the chapiter on it is of brass, and the height of the chapiter is three cubits, and the net and the pomegranates are on the chapiter round about -- the whole is of brass; and like these hath the second pillar, with the net.
18 And the chief of the executioners taketh Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold,
19 and out of the city he hath taken a certain eunuch who is appointed over the men of war, and five men of those seeing the king's face who have been found in the city, and the head scribe of the host, who mustereth the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who are found in the city,
20 and Nebuzaradan chief of the executioners taketh them, and causeth them to go unto the king of Babylon, to Libnah,
21 and the king of Babylon smiteth them, and putteth them to death in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he removeth Judah from off its land.
22 And the people that is left in the land of Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath left -- he appointeth over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan.
23 And all the heads of the forces hear -- they and the men -- that the king of Babylon hath appointed Gedaliah, and they come in unto Gedaliah, to Mizpah, even Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan son of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maachathite -- they and their men;
24 and Gedaliah sweareth to them, and to their men, and saith to them, `Be not afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans, dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it is good for you.'
25 And it cometh to pass, in the seventh month, come hath Ishmael son of Nathaniah, son of Elishama of the seed of the kingdom, and ten men with him, and they smite Gedaliah, and he dieth, and the Jews and the Chaldeans who have been with him in Mizpah.
26 And all the people rise, from small even unto great, and the heads of the forces, and come in to Egypt, for they have been afraid of the presence of the Chaldeans.
27 And it cometh to pass, in the thirty and seventh year of the removal of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the twenty and seventh of the month hath Evil-Merodach king of Babylon lifted up, in the year of his reigning, the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, out of the house of restraint,
28 and speaketh with him good things and putteth his throne above the throne of the kings who are with him in Babylon,
29 and hath changed the garments of his restraint, and he hath eaten bread continually before him all days of his life,
30 and his allowance -- a continual allowance -- hath been given to him from the king, the matter of a day in its day, all days of his life.