en of Ifrael, Becaufe the king kin to us: wherefore then be for this matter? have we eaten he kings coft? or hath he given Et? the men of Ifrael anfwered of Judah, and said, We have in the king, and we have alfo t in David than ye: why then fpife us, that our advice fhould rft had in bringing back our d the words of the men of Jufiercer than the words of the rael. CHA P. XX. aketh a party in Ifrael. 4 Aflain. 14 Foab purfueth Sheba el. 16 A wife woman Javeth by Sheba's head. there happened to be there a of Belial, whofe name was fon of Bichri, a Benjamite, ew a trumpet, and faid, We art in David, neither have we ce in the fon of Jeffe: every s tents, O Ifrael. very man of Ifrael went up David, and followed Sheba Bichri: but the men of Juunto their king, from Jordan rufalem. | David came to his houfe at and the king took the ten concubines, whom he had > the house, and put them in fed them, but went not in : fo they were shut up unto heir death, living in widow n faid the king to Amafa, e the men of Judah within and be thou here present. hafa went to affemble the ah; but he tarried longer ime which he had appoint vid faid to Abishai, Now he fon of Bichri do us more id Abfalom: take thou thy ts, and purfue after him, it a girdle with a fword faftned upon his loyns in the fheath thereof, and as he went forth it fell out. 9. And Joab faid to Amafa, Art thou in health, my brother? and Joab took Amafa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. 10 Eut Amafa took no heed to the fword that was in Joabs hand: fo he fmote him therewith in the fifth rib, and fhed out his bowels to the ground, and ftruck him not again, and he died: fo Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the fon of Bichri. 11 And one of Joabs men ftood by him, and faid, He that favoureth Joab, and be that is for David, let him go after Joab. 12 And Amafa wallowed in bloodin the mids of the high-way: and when the man faw that all the people ftood ftill, he removed Amafa out of the highway into the field, and caft a cloth upon him, when he faw that every one that came by him, ftood still.. 13 When he was removed out of the high-way, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the fon of Bichri.. 14And he went through all the tribes of Ifrael unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went allo after him. 15 And they came and befieged him in Abel of Bech-maachah, and they caft up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16 Then cried a wife woman out of the city, Hear, hear; fay, I pray you, ununto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. 17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab And he answered,I am he. Then the said unto him,Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he anfwered, I do hear. 18 Then the fpake, saying, They werd far be it from me, that I fhould ow up or deftroy. The matter is not fo: but a man ount Ephraim (Sheba the fon of i by name) hath lift up his hand ft the king, even against David: er him only, and I will depart from ity. And the woman said unto Joab, ld, his head fhall be thrown to thee the wall. Then the woman went unto all the le in her wisdom, and they cut off cad of Sheba the fon of Bichri, and tout to Joab: and he blew a trumand they retired from the city, evean to his tent and Joab returned erufalem unto the king. Now Joab was over all the hoft Lael: and Benaiah the fon of Jehoiaas over the Cherethites, and over Pelethites: against us, that we should be deftroyed! from remaining in any of the coafts of Ifrael, 6 Let feven men of his fons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choofe. And the king faid, I will give them. 7 But the king fpared Mephibofheth the fon of Jonathan the son of Saul, becaufe of the LORDS oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the fon of Saul. 8 But the king took the two fons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom the bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibofheth, and the five fons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom he brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai che Meholathite. 9 And he delivered them into the · And Adoram was over the tri- hands of the Gibeonites, and they hangand Jehoshaphat the fon of Ahi-ed them in the hill before the LORD: was recorder: and they fell all feven together, and were put to death in the days of harveft, in the firft days in the beginning of bar ley-harvest. And Sheva was fcribe: and Zadok Abiathar were the priests: 5 And Ira alfo the Jairite was a chief about David. CHA P. XXI. e three years famine for the Gibeonites afe, by the hanging of feven of Sauls 25. 10 Rizpahs kindness unto the ad. 12 David burieth the bones of aul and Jonathan. Hen there was a famine in the days of David, three years. year after 3 and David enquired of the LORD. the LORD answered, It is for Saul, for his bloody houle, because he the Gibeonites. And the king called the Gibco, and faid unto them, (now the conites were not of the children of el, but of the remnant of the Amoand the children of Ifrael had n unto them: and Saul fought to them, in his zeal to the children of -1 and Judah) Wherefore David faid unto the To And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took fackcloth and (pread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harveft until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and fuffered neither the birds of the air to reft on them by day, nor the beafts of the field by night. 11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah the concubine of Saul had done. 12 And David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jona than his fon, from the men of Jabethgilead, which had ftolen them from the treet of Beth-fhan, where the Philiftines had hanged them, when the Philiftines had flain Saul in Gilboa. 13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jo nathan his fon; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. 14 And the bones of Saul and Jona Four giants flain. Chap. xxii. 15 Moreover, the Philiftines had yet war again with Ifrael, and David went down, and his fervants with him, and fought against the Philiftines; and David waxed faint. Davids thanksgiving. 6 The forrows of hell compaffed me a bout: the fnares of death prevented me. 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God, and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. 16 And Ifhbi-benob, which was of the fons of the giant, (the weight of 8 Then the earth fhook and tremwhofe fpear weighed three hundred fbe- bled: the foundations of heaven moved kels of brafs in weight) he being gird-and fhook because he was wroth. ed with a new Sword, thought to have flain David. 17 But Abifhai the fon of Zeruiah fuccoured him, and fmote the Philiftine, and killed him. Then the men of David fware unto him, faying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Ifrael. 18 And it came to país after this, that there was again a battle with the Philiftines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hufhathite flew Saph, which was of the fons of the giant. 19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philiftines, where Elhanan the fon of Jaare-oregim a Beth-lehemite, flew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the ftaff of whofe fpear was like a weavers beam. 20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great ftature, that had on every hand fix fingers, and on every foot fix toes, four and twenty in number; and he alfo was born to the giant. 21 And when he defied Ifrael, Jonathan the fon of Shimea the brother of David flew him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his fervants. CHA P. XXII. A pfalm of thanksgiving for Gods powerful deliverance, and manifold bleffings. Nd David fpake unto the LORD A the words of this fong, in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul. 2 And he faid, The LORD is my rock, and my fortrefs, and my deliverer, 3 The God of my rock, in him will I truft: he is my fhield, and the horn of my falvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my faviour; thou faveft me from violence. 4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: fo fhall I be faved from mine enemies. 5 When the waves of death compaffed me: the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 9 There went up a fmoke out of his noftrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens alfo and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was feen upon the wings of the wind. 12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. 13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. 14 The LORD thundred from heaven, and the moft High uttered his voice. 15 And he fent out arrows and feat tered them; lightning, and discomfited them. 16 And the chanels of the fea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blaft of the breath of his noftrils. 17 He fent from above, he took me : he drew me out of many waters. 18 He delivered me from my ftrong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too ftrong for me. 19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my ftay. 20 He brought me forth alfo into a large place he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteoufnefs: according to the cleannefs of my hands hath he recom penfed me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his ftatutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was alfo upright before him, and have kept my felf from mine iniquity. 25 Therefore the LORD hath recom penfed me according to my righteoufnefs: according to my cleanness in his eye-fight. 26 With the merciful thou wilt Davids pfalm of thanksgiving II. Samuel. thy felf merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt fhew thy felf upright. 27 With the pure thou wilt fhew thy felf pure: and with the froward thou wilt fhew thy felf unfavoury. 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt fave; but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayft bring them down. 29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. 31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that truft in him. 32 For who is God fave the LORD? and who is a rock fave our God? 33 God is my ftrength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. for Gods manifold bleffings. 48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, 49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou alfo haft lifted me up on high above them that rofe up againft me: thou haft delivered me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will fing praifes unto thy name. 51 He is the tower of falvation for his king; and fheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his feed for evermore. CHA P. XXIII. 1 David profeffeth his faith in Gods promifes. 8 A catalogue of his mighty men. 34. He maketh my feet like hinds feetNow thefe be the laft words of Da and fetteth me upon my high places. arms. 36 Thou haft alfo given me the fhield of thy falvation: and thy gentleness bath made me great. 37 Thou haft enlarged my fteps under me: fo that my feet did not flip. 38 I have pursued mine enemies, and deftroyed them and turned not again until I had confumed them. 39 And I have confumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arife: yea, they are fallen under my feet. 40 For thou haft girded me with ftrength to battle: them that rofe up against me, haft thou fubdued under me. 41 Thou haft alfo given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to fave: even unto the LORD, but he anfwered them not. 43 Then did I beat them as fmall as the duft of the earth, I did ftamp them as the mire of the ftreet, and did fpread them abroad. vid: David the fon of Jeffe faid, and the man who was raifed up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the fweet pfalmift of Ifrael, faid, 2 The spirit of the LORD fpake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of Ifrael faid, the Rock of Ifrael fpake to me, He that ruleth over men must be juft, ruling in the fear of God: 4 And he fhall be as the light of the morning, when the fun rifeth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grafs Springing out of the earth by clear hining after rain. 5 Although my houfe be not fo with God; yet he hath made with me an everlafting covenant, ordered in all things and fure: for this is all my falvation, and all my defire, although he make it not to grow. 6 But the fons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands, 7 But the man that shall touch them. must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a fpear, and they fhall be utterly burnt with fire in the fame place. 8Thefe be the names of the mighty men whom David had; The Tachmonite that fat in the feat, chief among the captains, (the fame was Adino the Eznite) he lift up his Spear against eight hundred, whom he flew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the fon of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philiftines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Ifrael were gone away. Chap. xxiil, xxiv. Davids mighty men, A catalogue of 10 He arofe, and fmote the Phili- 22 Thefe things did Benaiah the for Rines until his hand was weary, and his of Jehoiada, and had the name among hand clave unto the fword: and the three mighty men. LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11 And after him was Shammah the fon of Agee the Hararite: and the Philiftines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philiftines. 12 But he ftood in the midft of the ground and defended it, and flew the Philiftines and the LORD wrought a great victory. 13 And three of the thirty chief went down and came to David in the harveft time unto the cave of Adullam : and] the troop of the Philiftines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14 And David was then in an hold, and the garifon of the Philiftines was then in Beth-lehem. 15 And David longed, and faid, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-ichem, which is by the gate! 16 And the three mighty men brake through the hoft of the Philiftines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17 And he faid, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I fhould do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did thefe three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three: and David fet him over his guard. 18 And Abishai the brother of Joab, the fon of Zeruiah, was chief among three; and he lift up his fpear againft-1 three hundred, and flew them, and had the name among three. 19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit, he attained not unto the firft three. 20 And Benaiah the fon of Jehoiada, the fon of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he flew two tion-like men of Moab: he went down alfo and flew a lion in the midft of a pit in time of fnow. 21 And he flew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a fpear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the fpear out of the Egyptians hand, and flew him with his own fpear. 24 Afahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the fon of Ikkefh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hufhathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Mahara the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the fon of Baanah, a Ne topba bite, Ittai the fon of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benja nin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaafh, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite; of the fons of Jathen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the fon of Sharar, the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the fon of Ahabat, the fon of the Maachathite, Elian the fon of Abithophel the Cilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paatai the Arbite, 36 Igal the fon of Nathan of Zobal, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Nabarai the Beerothite, armour-bearer to Joab the fon of Zeruiah, in 38 Iraan Ithrite, Gareb an Ethrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite; thirty and feyen all. CHAP. XXIV. David numbreth the people. 10 He h ving three plagues propounded by Gad, repenteth, and choofeth the three days peftilence. 18 The plague stayed. Adagain the anger of the LORD was kindled against Ifrael, and he moved David against them, to fay, Go number Ifrael and Judah. 2 For the king faid to Joab the captain of the hoft, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Ifrael, from Dan even to Beer-fheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. 3 And Joab faid unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people (how many foever they be) an hun dred-fold, and that the eyes of my 1 |