1.2.

ch. 12. 26,

29. reh. 9. 4.

ch. 19. 31, 32. 1 Kin. 2. 7. Cp. Ezra 2. 61.

David was come to Mahanaim, that Cp. ch. 10. Shobi the son of Nahash of "Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and "Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, 28 brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, 29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, "in the wilder

z ch. 16. 2. y ch. 15. 23.

I

ness.

1 And David numbered the

18 people that were with him,

and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the z eh. 18. 19. hand of * Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself ach. 21. 17. also. 3 But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour us out of the city. 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. 7 And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9 And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And

¿ ver. 12.

c ver. 17. Cp. Josh. 17. 18, 18.

:

b

Absalom rode upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great 2oak, and his Cp. ch. 14. head caught hold of the oak, and 26. he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak. II And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle. 12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged ever. 5. thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 3 Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13 Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against 4 his life, (and there is no matter hid from the king,) then thou thyself 5 wouldest have stood aloof. 14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great Josh. 7.26 heap of stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his life time had taken and reared up for himself the pil-Gen. 28. lar, which is in the king's dale: 18 for he said, I have no son to keep 14.17. my name in remembrance: and he jch. 14. 27. called the pillar after his own name : and it is called Absalom's monument, unto this day.

& 8. 29. g ch. 19. 8 & 20. 1, 22. 1 Sam. 4.

10.

2 8. 21,

i Cp. Gen.

shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. 21 Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings? 23 But come what may, said he, I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the m Cp. Deut. Way of the Plain, and overran the Cushite.

34. 3.

24 Now David "sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, 2 All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, "Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, & Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, 4even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30 And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Tidings for my lord the king for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absa

1 Or, hast no sufficient tidings

lom? And the Cushite answered, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 33 And the king was much moved, and went up "to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son !

1 Sam. 25. 26.

[Ch. 19.1 in Heb.)

v ch. 19. 4.

1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom, 2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day, The king grieveth for his son. 3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people that are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 And the king" covered w ch. 15. 30. his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O x ch. 18. 33. Absalom, my son, my son! 5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concu bines; 6 in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that princes and servants are nought unto thee: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. 7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak

comfortably unto thy servants: y Gen. 34.3 for I swear by the LORD, if thou go (Heb.). not forth, there will not tarry a man with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now. 8 Then the king

And ch. 18. 4,

24. 33.
See Ruth

arose, and sat in the gate. they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in 4.1. the gate: and all the people came before the king.

18. 17.

& See ch.

8. 1-14.

4 Or, and

ech. 5. 20

& 8. 1.

dch. 15. 14. dhe is fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

e ch. 15. 29.

feh. 5. 1. Cp. Gen. 2. 14.

11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, to bring him to his house. 12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? 13 And say ye to Amasa, 9 ch. 17. 25. Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not 'captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. 14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, jCp. Judg. Jeven as the heart of one man; so that they sent unto the king, saying, Return thou, and all thy servants. 15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over Jordan.

h See Ruth 1. 17. i ch. 8. 16.

20.1.

& eh. 16. 5.

See ch. 16.

1-4.

16 And Shimei the son of Gera, 1 Kin. 2. 8. the Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and ich. 9. 2, 10. Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through Jordan in the presence of the king. 18 And there went over 1a ferry boat to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he 2 was come over Jordan. Cp.1 Sam. 19 And he said unto the king,

22. 15.

5-13.

m Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that See ch. 16, which thy servant "did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's

P Cp. Ex. 22. 25.

4

2.8,9,37,46.

17.

10 ch. 16. 3.

24 And Mephibosheth the son of t ch.9.6. Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, "Wherefore went- uCp. ch. 16. est not thou with me, Mephibosheth? 26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because "thy servant is lame. 27 And "he v ch. 9. 8. hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do there- ch. 14. fore what is good in thine eyes. 28 For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the y Cp. ch. 12. king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right there- mg.). fore have I yet that I should cry 13. any more unto the king? 29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I say, Thou and Ziba divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come in peace unto his own house.

x

17, 20.

18am. 29.9.

5 (mg. for mg.) & 1 Sam.26. 16 (mg. for z ch. 9.

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite al Kin. 2.7. came down from Rogelim; and he went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had bch. 17. 27provided the king with sustenance 29. while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem. 34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How e Gen. 47. 8. many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with

* Cp. 2 Kin. Num. 21.

15. 29.

16.

2 Kin. 19. Isai. 37. 23.

32.

Jer. 6. 6. Ezek. 4. 2 & 26. 8.

:

that is for David, let him follow Joab. 12 And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the high way. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the high way into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still. 13 When he was removed out of the high way, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to "Beth-maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15 And they came and besieged him in "Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mount against the city, and it stood against the rampart and all the people that were with Joab 1 battered the wall, to throw it down. 16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. 17 And he came near unto her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. 18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel and so they ended the matter. 19 I am of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD? 20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21 The matter is not so: but a man a See Josh. of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. 22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And Cp. Eccles. they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the

ch. 17. 16. z See 1 Sam.

28. 19.

24.33.

b ver. 16.

9. 14, 15.

:

:

38.

27.21.

9. 3-17.

21 in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of the LORD. Cp. Num. And the LORD said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites. ¡Cp.1 Sam. 2 And the king called the Gibeon- 22. 18, 197 ites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of See Josh. the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah:) 3 and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance & See 1 Sam. of the LORD? 4 And the Gibeon- 28.19. ites said unto him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you. 5 And they said unto the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, 6 let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in 'Gibeah of Saul, the 11 Sam. 10. chosen of the LORD. And the king said, I will give them. 7 But the m1 Sam. 10. king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of " the LORD'S oath that was n 1 Sam. 20. 8,42 between them, between David and & 23. 18. Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 But the king took the two sons of Riz- och. 8. 7. pah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom

8

26

& 11. 4.

24.