27) enemies of the LORD; to them which were in Beth-el, and to them which were in Ramoth of the South, and 28 to them which were in Jattir; and

to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to 29 them which were in Eshtemoa; and

to them which were in Racal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites; 30 and to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in 1Corashan, and to them which were in 31 Athach; and to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.

:

311 2Now the Philistines fought against Israel and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell 2 down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, 'the sons of 3 Saul'. "And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers 'overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. 4°Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took 5) his sword, and fell upon it.

And

when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his 6 sword, and died with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that 1 same day together. And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were 'beyond Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8

And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the peo10 ple. And they put his armour in the house of the Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth11 shan. And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done 12 to Saul, all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt 13 them there. And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree 'in' Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

II. SAMUEL.-I. 1 Now; 4 (That). = [19]

answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9 And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, "beside me, and slay me, for 2anguish hath taken hold of1 me; be10 cause my life is yet whole in me.

So

I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto 11 my lord. Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 and they mourned, and wept, and

fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by 13 the sword. And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the 14 son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to put forth thine hand to 15 destroy the LORD'S anointed?

And

David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. 16 And he smote him that he died. And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

(21)

22

23

(24

(25

26

27

21

How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!

And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto 2 Hebron. So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of 3 Nabal the Carmelite. And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. (4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that 5 buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead,

"Or, Igiddiness

3 Or, The Upright 4 Or, The gazelle

7 Heb. with delights.

8 Or, O Jonathan, slain &c.

and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto 6 Saul, and have buried him. °And

now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have 7) done this thing. Now therefore let your hands be 'strong, and be ye valiant for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

8 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, had taken 1Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought 9 him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king over Gilead, and over the 2Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over 10 all Israel. °(Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years.) But the house of Judah 11 followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12

And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to 13 Gibeon. °And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee', arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let 15 them arise. Then they arose and went over by number; twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the serv16 ants of David. And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called 'Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17) And 'the' battle was very sore that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of 18) David. And 'the three sons of Zerui

ah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel and Asahel was as light of foot 19 as a wild roe. "And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left

1 In 1 Chr. viii. 33, ix. 39, Eshbaal.

2 The Vulgate and Syriac have, Geshurites.

Heb. them together.

20 from following Abner. "Then Abner looked behind him, and said, 'Is it! thou, Asahel? And he answered, 21 It is I. And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his Garmour. But Asahel would not turn

22 aside from following of him. And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up 23 my face to Joab thy brother? How

beit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the 'belly', that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of 25 the wilderness of Gibeon. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one 'band', and stood on the top 26 of an hill. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their 27 brethren? And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst 'not' spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed 28 every one his brother. So Joab blew

'the' trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, 29) neither fought they any more. °And Abner and his men went all that night through the 'Arabah'; and they passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. 30 And Joab returned from following Abner and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and 31 Asahel. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and 32) threescore men died. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in

6

And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner 1made himself strong in the house 7 of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto 8) my father's concubine? Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head 'that belongeth to Judah? This day do I shew kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou chargest me 'this' day with a fault concerning this woman. 9)°God do so to Abner, and more also, lif, as the LORD hath sworn to David, 10 I do not even so to him; to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, 11 from Dan even to Beer-sheba. And he could not answer Abner Janother' word, because he feared him.

And Abner sent messengers David 3on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all 13 Israel unto thee. "And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see 14 my face. And David sent messen

1 Or, Ishewed himself strong for Or, the fault of this woman

gers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from "Paltiell 16 the son of Laish. And her husband went with her, weeping las he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return: and he returned.

17)

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king 18 over you: now then do it for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of (19 the hand of all their enemies. And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to 20 the whole house of Benjamin.

So

Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were 21 with him a feast. And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant! with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that 'thy soul' desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went 22 in peace. And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray', and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 23 °When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, 24 and he is gone in peace. Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? 25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner. that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. 26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back' from the well of Sirah: but David 27 knew it not. And when Abner was

returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the 'belly!, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 29 let it fall upon the head of Joab,

and upon all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or 30 that lacketh bread. So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king 'lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the peo33 ple wept. And the king lamented ifor Abner, and said,

34

'Should Abner 'die' as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters:

As a man falleth before the chil

dren of iniquity', so 'didst thou 'fall'.

And all the people wept again over 35) him. And all the people came to cause David to eat 'bread' while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun 36 be down. And all the people took

notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all 37 the people. So all the people and

all Ísrael understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the 38 son of Ner. And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this (39 day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD reward the wicked doer according to his wickedness.

heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands 'became feeble, and all the 2 Israelites were troubled. And Ishbosheth', Saul's son, had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon 'the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also lis 3 reckoned to Benjamin: and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have been' sojourners there until this day.)

4

Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was 1Mephibosheth.

5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, 'as he took 6 his rest at noon. 2And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him 'in' the belly and Rechab and Baanah his 7 brother escaped. Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the 'Arabah' all night. 8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. 9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adver10) sity, when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his (11 tidings. "How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood Or, there came... Imen fetching wheat