Page images
PDF
EPUB

abimei curseth Davić.

SAMUEL. Abithophel's counsel overthrown.
thee; the man whom thou feekeft is as if ail
returned: fo all the people fhall be in peace.
4 And the faying pleafed Abfalom well,
and all the elders of Ifrael.

mifchief, becaufe thou art a bloody man. 9 Then faid Abishai the fon of Zerulah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curfe my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

10 And the king faid, What have I to do with you, ye fons of Zeruiah? fo let him curfe, because the LORD hath faid unto him, Curfe David. Who fhall then fay, Wherefore hast

thou done fo

11 And David faid to Abishai, and to all his fervants, Behold, my fon, which came forth of my bowels, feeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjámite do it? Jet him alone, and let him curfe: for the LORD hath bidden him.

Iz It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his curling this day.

13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's fide over against him, and curfed as he went, and threw tones at him, and caft duft.

14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themfelves there.

15¶ And Abfalom, and all the people the men of Ifrael, came to Jerufalem, and Ahi. thophel with him.

16 And it came to pafs, when Hufhai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Abfalom, that Hufhal faid unto Abfalom, God fave the king, God fave the king.

17 And Abfalom faid to Huthai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why wenteft thou not with thy friend!

18 And Huthai faid unto Abfalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Ifrael, choofe, his will I be, and with him will abide.

19 And again, whom should I ferve? bould I not ferve in the prefence of his fon? As I have ferved in thy father's prefence, fo will I be in thy prefence.

20 Then faid Abfalom to Ahithophel, Give counfel among you what we shall do.

21 And Ahithophel faid unto Abfalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Ifrael fhall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father; then shall the hands of all that are with thee be ftrong.

22 So they fpread Abfalom a tent upon the top of the houfe: and Abfalom went in unto his father's concubines in the fight of all Ifrael.

23 And the counfel of Ahithophe!, which he counfelled in thofe days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: fo was all the counfel of Ahithophel, both with David and with Abfalom.

CHAP. XVII. Abithophel's counsel is overthrown by Hufear's, according to God's appointment. 15 Secret intelligence is fent to David. 23 Abithophel bangeth himself. Moreover, Ahithophel faid unto Abfalom, Le me now ohoofe out twelve thoufand men, and I will arife and purfue after David this night.

2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him fhall flee: and I will fmite the king only.

3 And I will bring back all the people unto

5 Then faid Abfalom, Call now Huthai the Archite alfo, and let us hear likewife what he faith.

6 And when Hufhai was come to Abfalom, Abfalom fpake unto him, faying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: thall we do after his faying? If not, speak thou.

7 And Huthai faid unto Abfalom, The coun fel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

8 For, faid Hushai, thou knoweft thy fa ther and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chated in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy fa ther is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

9 Behold, he is hid now in fome pit, or in fome other place: and it will come to pafs, when fome of them be overthrown at the firft, that whofoever heareth it will fay, There is a laughter among the people that follow Absa

iom.

10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, thall utterly melt: for all Ifrael knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.'

II Therefore I counsel, that all Ifrael be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-theba, as the fand that is by the fea for multitude, and that thou go to battie in thine own perfon.

12 So thail we come upon him in fome place where he fhall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground and of him, and of all the men that are with him, there fhall not be left fo much as one.

13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then fhall all Ifrael bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one fmall tone found there.

14 And Abfalom and all the men of Ifrael faid, The counfel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counfel of Ahithophel: for the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counfel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Abfalom.

15 Then faid Huthaí unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counfel Abfalom and the elders of Ifrael; and thus and thus have I counselled.

16 Now therefore fend quickly, and tell David, faying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wildernefs, but fpeedily pafs over; left the king be fwallowed up, and all the people that are with him.

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; (for they might not be feen to come into the city,) and a wench went and told them: and they went and told king David.

18 Nevertheless, a,lad faw them, and told

Abfalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court, whither they went down.

19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

20 And when Abfalom's fervants came to the

woman to the houfe, they faid, Where is a

Abithophel hangeth bimfelf.

Chap. xvifi.

Abfalom fain by Foad. himaaz and Jonathan? And the woman faid againft Ifrael: and the battle was in the wood unto them, They be gone over the brook of of Ephraim, water. And when they had fought, and could not find them, they returned to Jerufalem. 21 And it came to pass atter they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and faid unto David, Arife, and pafs quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against

you.

22 Then David arofe, and all the people that were with him, and they paffed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.

23 And when Ahithophel faw that his counsel was not followed, he faddled his afs, and arofe, and gat him home to his houfe, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the fepulchre of his father.

24 Then David came to Mahanaim: and Abfalom paffed over Jordan, he and all the men of Ifrael with him.

25 And Abfalom made Amafa captain of the hoft instead of Joab: which Amafa was a man's fon whofe name was Ithra, an Ifraelite, that went in to Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, fifter to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

26 So Ifrael and Abfalom pitched in the land o. Gilead.

27 And it came to pafs, when David was come to Mabanaim, that Shobi the fon of Nahath of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the fon of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

28 Brought beds, and bafons, and earthen veffels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulfe,

zy And honey, and butter, and theep, and cheefe 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 wildernefs.

CHA P. XVIII. David viewing the armies, 5 giveth them charge of Absalom. 9 Abfalom is flain by Foab: 33 David lamenteth for him.

A were with him, and let captains of thouND David numbered the people that

sands and captains of hundreds over them.

2 And David fent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the fon of Zerulah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king faid unto the people, I will furely go forth with you myfelfalfo.

3 But the people answered, 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 now thou art worth ten thoufand of us; therefore now it is better that thou fuccour us out of the city.

4 And the king faid unto them, What feemeth you beft I will do. And the king ftood by the gate fide, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

5 And the king commanded Joab and Abithai and Ittai, faying, Deal gently for my fake with the young man, even with Abfalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Abfalom.

So the people went out into the held

7 Where the people of Ifrael were flain before the fervants of David; and there was there a great fiaughter that day of twenty thou fand mens

8 For the battle was there fcattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 And Abfalom met the fervants of Da. vid. "And Abfalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

10 And a certain man faw it, and told Joab, and faid, Behold, I saw Abfalom hanged in an oak.

11 And Joab faid unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou faweft him; and why didit thou not fmite him there to the ground, and I would have given thee ten bekels of filver, and a girdle?"

12 And the man faid unto Joab, Though I fhould receive a thoufand hekels of ülver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's fon: for in our hear ing the king charged thee and Abifhai and Ittai, faying, Beware that none touch the young man Abfalom.

13 Otherwife I should have wrought falfehood against mine own life, for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyfelf wouldeft have fet thyfelf againft me.

14 Then faid Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thruft them through the heart of Abfalom, while he was yet alive in the midft of the oak,

15 And ten young men that bare Joah's armour compaffed about, and i'mote Abfalom, and flew him.

16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Ifrael: for Joab held back the people.

17 And they took Abfalom, and caft him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very fed every one to his tent. great heap of stones upon him: and all Ifract

18 Now Abfalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himfelf a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he faid, have no fon to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day Abfalom's place.

19 Then faid Ahimaaz the fon of Zadok, Let me now run and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.

20 And Joab faid unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tid. ings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, becaufe the king's fon is dead.

21 Then faid Joab to Cufhi, Go tell the king what thou haft feen. And Cushi bowed him felf unto Joab, and ran.

22 Then faid Ahimaaz the fon of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howfoever, let me, I pray thee, alfo run after Cufhi. And Joab faid, Wherefore wilt thou run, my fon, seeing that thou haft no tidings ready?

23 But howsoever, faid he, let me run

1

David mourneth for Abfalom.

II. SAMUEL.

David is brought back.

And he faid unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz hateft thy friends: for thou haft declared this ran by the way of the plain, and overran day, that thou regardeft neither princes nor Cufhi. fervants: for this day I perceive, that if Ab. falom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

24 And David fat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over 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 faid, if he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.

26 And the watchman faw another man running, and the watchman called unto the porter, and faid, Behold, another man running alone. And the king faid, He alfo bring. eth tidings.

27 And the watchman faid, Me thinketh the running of the foremont is like the rim. ning of Ahimaaz the (on of Zadok. And the king faid, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

28 And Ahimaaz called, and faid unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and faid, Bleifed be the LORD thy God, which hath de livered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

29 And the king faid, is the young man Abfalom fafe! And Ahimaaz anfwered, When Joab fent the king's fervant, and me thy fer. vant, I faw a great tumult, but I knew not what it quas.

30 And the king faid unto him, Turn afide, and ftand here. And he turned afide, and ftood still.

31 And, behold, Cufhi came; and Cushi faid, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rofe up against thee.

32 And the king faid unto Cufhi, Is the young man Abfalon. fafe And Cuthi anfwered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rife 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 faid, O my fon Abfalom! my fon, my fon Abfalom! would God I had died for thee, O Abfalom my fon, my fon!

CHAP. XIX.

Foab caufeth the king to cease his mourning. 9 The Ifraelites bring the king back. 11 Da. vid fendeth to the priests to incite them of Judah. 16 Shimei is pardoned.

A

ND it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Abfalom. 2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard fay that day, how the king was grieved for his fon.

3 And the people gat them by ftealth that day into the city, as people being afhamed feal away when they flee in battle.

4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my fon Ab. falom! O Abfalom, my fon, my fon!

5 And Joah came into the houfe to the king, and faid, Thou haft fhamed this day the faces of all thy fervants, which this day have faved thy life, and the lives of thy fons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

6 In that thou loveit thine enemies, and

7 Now therefore arife, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy fervants: for Ifwear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night; and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befel thee from thy youth until now. •

8 Then the king arofe, and fat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, faying, Behold, the king doth fit in the gate. And alt the people came before the king; for Ifrael had fed every man to his tent.

9 And all the people were at ftrife throughout all the tribes of Ifrael, faying, The king faved us out of the hand of our ene mies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he is fied out of the land for Abfalom.

10 And Abfalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle: now therefore why fpeak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

11 And king David fent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, faying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, faying, Why are ye the laft to bring the king back to his houfe feeing the fpeech of all Ifrael is come to the king, even to his house.

12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh; wherefore then are ye the laft to bring back the king?

13 And fay ye to Amafa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my fleth? God do fo to me, and more alfo, if thou be not captain of the hoft before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; fo that they fent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy fervants.

15 So the king returned, and came to Jer. dan. And Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

16 And Shimei the fon of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hafted, and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the fervant of the houfe of Saul, and his fifteen fons and his twenty fervants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

18 And there went over a ferry boat to car. ry over the king's houfehold, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the fon or Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

19 And faid unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy fervant did perverfely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerufalem, that the king fhould take it to his heart.

20 For thy fervant doth know that I have finned; therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the houfe of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.

21 But Abishai the fon of Zeruiah answered and faid, Shall not shimei be put to death for this, because he curfed the LORD's anointed?

22 And David faid, What have I to do with you, ye fons of Zeruiah, that ye thould

[ocr errors]

Shimei pardoned.

Chap. xx. this day be adversaries unto me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Ifrael for do not I know that I am this day king Over Ifrael?

23 Therefore the king faid unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die: and the king (ware unto him.

24 And Mephibofheth the fon of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dreffed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor wathed his clothes, from the day the king departed, until the day he came again in peace. 25 And it came to pafs, when he was come to Jerufalem to meet the king, that the king faid unto him, Wherefore wenteft not thou with me, Mephibofheth?

26 And he anfwered, My lord, O king, my fervant deceived me: for thy fervant faid, I will faddle me an afs, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy fervant is lame.

27 And he hath flandered thy fervant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God; do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

28 For all of my father's houfe were but dead men before my lord the king; yet didft thou fet thy fervant among them that did

eat at thine own table what right therefore

have I yet to cry any more unto the king! 29 And the King faid unto him, Why fpeakeit thou any more of thy matters! I have faid, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

30 And Mephibofheth faid unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forafmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourfcore years old: and he had provited the king of fuftenance while he lay at Mahanaim; tor he was a very great man. 33 And the king faid unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerufalem.

34 And Barzillai faid unto the king, How long have 1 to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerufalem?

35 I am this day fourfcore years old: and can I difcern between good and evil? Can thy fervant tafte what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of finging men and finging women! Wherefore then thould thy fervant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

36 Thy fervant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why thould the king recompenfe it me with fuch a reward? 37 Let thy fervant, I pray thce, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of y mother. But behold, thy fervant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king, and do to him what thall feem good unto thee. 38 And the king anfwered, Chimham fhall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall feem good unto thee: and whatfoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kiled Barzillai, and bleffed him; and he returned unto his own place.

Sheba's confpiracy.

40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Ifrael.

41 And, behold, all the men of Ifrael came to the king, and faid unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah ftolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?

42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Ifrael, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? Have we eaten at all of the king's cof? or hath he given us any gift?

43 And the men of Ifrael anfivered the men of Judah, and faid, We have ten parts in the king, and we have alfo more right in David than ye: why then did ye defpife us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were hercer than the words of the men of Ifrael. СНАР. XX.

1 Sheba maketh a party in Ifrael. 10 Amafa is Rain. 14 Joab pursueth Sheba unto Abel. 16 A woman faveth the city by Sheba's head.

AND there happened to be there a man of

Belial, whofe name was Sheba, the fon of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trum pet, and faid, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the fon of Jeffe every man to his tents, O Ifrael.

2 50 every man of Ifrael went up from after David, and followed Sheba the fon of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerufalem.

3 And David came to his houfe at Je ruialem; and the king took the ten women bis concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were thut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Then faid the king to Amafa, Affemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here prefent.

5 So Amafa went to affemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the fet time which he had appointed him.

6 And David faid to Abithai, Now, hall Sheba the fon of Bichri do us more harm than did Abfalom: take thou thy lord's fervants, and purfue after him, left he get him fenced cities, and efcape us.

7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pele thites, and all the mighty men and they went out of Jerufalem, to pursue after Sheba the fon of Bichri.

8 When they were at the great ftone which is in Gibeon, Amafa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword faftened upon his loins in the theath 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 kifs him.

10 But Amafa took no heed to the fword that was in Joab's hand: fo he fmote him therewith in the fifth rib, and thed out his bowels to the ground, and ftruck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichti.

Amafa flain.

II. SAMUEL.

11 And one of Joab's men ftood by him, and faid, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

12 And Amafa wallowed in blood in the midit of the highway. And when the man faw that all the people stood still, he removed Amafa out of the highway into the field, and cart a cloth upon him, when he faw that every one that came by him ftood still.

13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to purfue after sheba the son of Bichri.

14. And he went through all the tribes of Ifrael unto Abel and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered togeth er, and went also after him.

15 And they came and befieged him in Abel of Beth-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, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman faid, Art thou Joab? And he an. fwered, I am be. Then the faid unto hima, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he anfwered, I do hear.

18 Then the fpake, faying, They were wont to speak in old time, faying, They shall furely aik counsel at Abel: and fo they ended

the matter.

19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Ifrael: thou feekett to destroy a city and a mother in Ifrael: why wilt thou fwallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

20 And Joab anfwered and faid, Far be it, far be it from me, that I fhould fwallow up or deftrov.

21 The matter is not fo: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the fon 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 faid unto Joab, Behold, his head fhall be thrown to thee over the wall.

22 Then the woman went unto all the peo ple in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the fon of Bichri, and caft it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerufalem unto the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the hoft of Ifrael: and Benaiah the fon of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the fon of Ahilud was recorder : 25 And Sheva was fcribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

26 And Iraalfo the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

СНАР. ХХІ. 1 The three years' famine for the Gibeonites ceafe by the banging of seven of Saui's fons. 10 Kizpah's kindness unto the dead. 12 David burieth the bones of Saul and Jonathan. HEN there was a famine in the days of

David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD anfwered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he flew the Gibeonites.

2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and faid unto them; (now the Gibeonites were

Three years of famine. not of the children of Ifrael, but of the rem nant of the Amorites; and the children of Ifrael had fworn unto them: and Saul fought to lay them in his zeal to the children of If rael and Judah.)

3 Wherefore David faid unto the Gibeon ites, What thall I do for you? and wherewith fhall I make the atonement, that ye may blefs the inheritance of the LORD!

4. And the Gibeonites faid unto him, We will have no filver nor gold of Saul, nor of his houfe; neither for us fhalt thou kill any man in Ifrael. And he faid, What ye thall fay, that will I do for you.

And they answered the king, The man that confumed us, and that devised against us that we thould be destroyed 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 Mephiboiheth, the fon of Jonathan, the fon of Saul, becaufe of the LORD'S oath that was between them, be tween 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 fon of Barzillai the Meholathite:

9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all feven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harveft.

10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took fackcloth, and fpread 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 beatts of the field by night.

[ocr errors]

II 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 Jonathan his fon from the men of Jabeth-gilead, which had ftolen them from the ftreet of Beth-than, where the Philiftines had hanged them, when the Phili ftines had flain Saul in Gilboa:

33 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his fon; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his fon buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the fepulchre of Kith his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.

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.

of

16 And Ifhbi-benob, which was of the fons weighed three hundred fells of brafs in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have flain David.

17 But Abishai the fon of Zeruiah fuccoured him, and fmote the Philiftine, and killed

« PreviousContinue »