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The 1st Chapter
After the death of Saul, when
David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and had been
two days in Zikeleg: Behold, there came a man the third day out of
the host from Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head.
And when he came to David, he fell to the earth and did obeisance.
To whom David said: whence comest thou? And the other answered him:
Out of the host of Israel am I escaped. And David said to him again:
How hath it chanced? tell me. And he said: the people fled from the
battle: and many of the people are overthrown and dead: and Saul and
Jonathas his son are dead thereto.
And David said unto the young man that told him: how knowest
thou that Saul and Jonathas his son be dead? and the young man that
told him, said: I was by chance in mount Gelboe. And see, Saul
leaned upon his spear, and the chariots and horsemen followed him at
the heels. And Saul looked back and called me. And I answered: here
am I. And he said unto me: what art thou? and I said unto him: I am
an Amalekite. And he said unto me: come on me and slay me: For
anguish is come upon me and my life is yet all in me. And I went on
him and slew him: for 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 unto my Lord
hither.
Then David took his clothes and *rent them, and so did all the
men that were with him. And they mourned, wept and fasted until
evening, for Saul and Jonathas his son, and for the people of the
Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they were overthrown with
the sword.
Then said David unto the young man that brought him tidings.
Whence art thou? And he said: I am the son of an alien an Amalekite.
And David said unto him: How is it that thou wast not afraid to lay
thine hand on the Lords anointed, to destroy him? And David called
one of his young men and said: Go and run upon him. And he smote him
that he died. Then said David unto him: thy blood upon thine own
head: for thine own mouth hath testified against thee saying: I have
slain the Lords anointed.
And David sang this song of mourning over Saul and Jonathas
his son, and bade to teach the children of Israel the *staves
thereof. And behold it is written in the book of the righteous.
The glory of Israel is slain upon the high hills: Oh how were
the mighty overthrown? Tell it not in Geth: nor publish it in the
streets of Askalon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
and that the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph thereof. Ye
mountains of Gelboe, upon you be neither dew nor rain, nor fields
whence heave offerings come. For there the shields of the mighty
were cast from them: the shield of Saul, as though he had not been
anointed with oil. The bow of Jonathas and the sword of Saul turned
never back again empty, from the blood of the wounded and from the
fat of the mighty warriors.
Saul and Jonathas lovely and pleasant in their lives, were in
their deaths not divided, men swifter than Eagles and stronger than
Lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, which clothed you in
purple and garments of pleasure, and bordered your raiment with
ornaments of gold. How were the mighty slain in battle? Jonathas on
the high hills was wounded to death: Woe is me for thee my brother
Jonathas: delectable to me wast thou exceeding. Thy love to me was
wonderful, passing the love of women. How were the mighty
overthrown, and how were the weapons of war forlorn.
*rent (ripped) *staves (set of verses)
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The 2nd Chapter
After this David asked the Lord
saying: shall I go up into any of the cities of Juda? And the Lord
said; go. And David answered whither shall I go? He answered, unto
Hebron. And so David went thither with his two wives also, Ahinoam
the Jezrahelite and Abigail Nabals wife the Carmelite. And the men
that were with him, did David carry up also, every man with his
house. And they dwelt in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Juda
came and there anointed David King over the house of Juda. When it
was told David, how the men of Jabes in Galaad had buried Saul, he
sent messengers unto them and said unto them: blessed are ye unto
the Lord, that ye have showed such kindness unto your Lord Saul, and
have buried him. Wherefore the Lord show you mercy and truth again.
And I will do you good also, because ye have done this thing. And
now let your hands stir them and play ye the men, though your master
Saul be dead. And finally understand that the house of Juda have
anointed me king over them. But Abner the son of Ner that was
captain of Sauls host, took Isboseth the son of Saul and brought him
to Mahanaim and made him king over Galaad and over the Assurites,
and over Jezrahel: and over Ephraim and Benjamin and over all
Israel. And Isboseth Sauls son was forty years old when he began to
reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Juda only
followed David. And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the
house of Juda was seven years and six months. And Abner the son of
Ner and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul went out of
Mahanaim, to Gabaon. And Joab the son of Zaruiah and the servants of
David went out and met them by the *Pool of Gabaon. And they sat
down, the one part on the one side the pool and the other on the
other side. And Abner said to Joab: let the young men arise and play
before us. And Joab answered: be it. Then there arose and went over:
twelve of Benjamin by number which pertained to Isboseth the son of
Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. And they caught each his
fellow that came against him, by the head and thrust his sword in
his side, and so fell down all at once. Wherefore the place was
called Helath Zurim which is in Gabaon. And there began an exceeding
cruel battle that same day. But Abner and the men of Israel were put
to the worse of the servants of David.
And there was three sons of Zaruiah there: Joab, Abisai and
Asahel: which Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild roe, and
followed after Abner and turned neither to the right hand nor to the
left from Abner. Then Abner looked behind him and said: art thou
Asahel? And he said ye. Then said Abner: turn thee either to the
right hand or to the left and catch one of the young men and take
thee his spoil. But Asahel would not depart from him. And Abner said
again to Asahel: turn from me, for I were loth to smite thee to the
ground. For then how should I hold up my face before Joab thy
brother? howbeit he would in no wise depart.
Then Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under
the short ribs, that the spear came out behind him: that he fell
down in the same place and died there. And as many as came to the
place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still. But Joab and
Abisai followed Abner till the *son went down. And when they were
come to the hill Amah that lieth before Giah in the way that goeth
through the wilderness of Gabaon, the children of Benjamin gathered
themselves together after Abner on a plump and stood still on the
top of an hill. Then Abner called to Joab and said: shall the sword
devour without end? knowest thou not that bitterness is known to
come in the latter end? how long shall it be, before thou bid the
people return from following their brethren? And Joab answered: as
truly as God liveth, if thou hadst so said, then even in the morning
had the people departed, each from following his brother. And
therewith Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still and
pursued after Israel no more nor fought no more. And Abner and his
men walked all that night by the wild fields, and went over Jordan,
and passed through all Bethhoron and came to Mahanaim.
And Joab returned from after Abner and gathered all the
people together. And there lacked of Davids servants nineteen
persons and Asahel. But the servants of David had slain of Benjamin
and of Abners men, three hundred and three score men. And they took
up Asahel and buried him in the sepulcher of his father in
Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and came in the
dawning to Hebron.
*Pool (or Pole) *sonne; exactly as in the original, else where sun
is written sunne.
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The 3rd Chapter
There was long strife between
the house of Saul and the house of David. But David waxed stronger
and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. And
David had children born him in Hebron: his eldest son was Amnon of
Ahinoam the Jezrahelite: the second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of
Nabal the Carmelite: the third Absalom the son of Maachah the
daughter of Tholmai the King of Gessur: the fourth Adoniah the son
of Hagith: the fifth Saphaitiah the son of Abital: the sixth
Jethraam by Egla Davids wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
And as long as there was battle between the house of Saul and the
house of David, Abner held up the house of Saul. And Saul had a
concubine named Riphah the daughter of Aiah. And Isboseth said to
Abner: Wherefore liest thou with my fathers concubine? Then was
Abner very wroth for the words of Isboseth and said: Am I not a dogs
head, which Against Juda have showed mercy this day unto the house
of Saul thy father and to his brethren and friends, and have not
delivered them into the hand of David: seeing thou findest a fault
in me this day for a woman? So do God to Abner and so thereto:
except that as the Lord hath sworn to David, I so do to him, and
bring the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of
David over Israel and over Juda, even from Dan to Bersabe. And he
could give Abner never a word to answer because he feared him.
And Abner sent messengers to David forthwith, saying: whose is
the land? And he said thereto: make a bond with me, and see, my hand
is with thee, to bring all Israel unto thee. And David answered well
said, I will make a bond with thee. But one thing I require of thee,
that thou see not my face, except thou first bring Michol Sauls
daughter, when thou comest to see me.
And David sent messengers to Isboseth Sauls son saying:
deliver me my wife Michol which I married with an hundred foreskins
of the Philistines. And Isboseth sent and took her from her husband
Phaltiel the son of Lais. And her husband went with her, and came
weeping behind her, till they came to Bathurim. Then said Abner unto
him go and return. And he returned. And Abner had communication with
the elders of Israel, saying: ye have long gone about that David
should be king over you. Now then do it: for the Lord hath said of
David, by the hand of my servant David, I will save my people
Israel, out of the hands of the Philistines, and out of the hand of
all their enemies. And like words had he with Benjamin, and then
went to tell in the ears of David in Hebron all that Israel was
content with and the whole house of Benjamin. And when Abner was
come to David to Hebron and twenty men with him: David made him and
the men that were with him a feast. Then Abner said unto David: I
will up and go gather all Israel unto my Lord the king, that they
may make an appointment with thee, that thou mayest be king over all
that thine heart desireth. And so David let Abner depart, and he
went in peace.
And see, the servants of David and Joab came from chasing
robbers and brought a great prey with them. But Abner was not with
David in Hebron: for he had sent him away to depart in peace. When
Joab and all the host that was with him were come, men told Joab
saying: Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him
away that he is gone in peace. Then Joab went to the king and said:
what hast thou done? See, Abner came unto thee, why hast thou sent
him away, that he should escape quite? Thou mightest know Abner the
son of Ner, that he came to flatter with thee, and to know thy
conversation and behavior, and to know all that thou doest. And when
Joab was come out from the king, he sent messengers after Abner,
which brought him again from the well of Sirah unwitting to David.
And when Abner was come again to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the
gate, to speak with him guilefully, and there smote him under the
short ribs that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. And
when it afterward came to Davids ear, he said: I and my kingdom are
guiltless before the Lord for ever, concerning the blood of Abner
the son of Ner. It fall therefore on the head of Joab and on all his
fathers house: that the house of Joab be never without one or other
that hath running issues or without lepers and goers on crutches,
and that fall on the sword and that lack bread. And the cause why
Joab and Abisai slew Abner was, that Abner had slain their brother
Asahel at Gabaon in battle. And David said to Joab and to all the
people that were with him, *rent your clothes and put on sackcloth
and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the *bere.
And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king lifted up his
voice and wept over the sepulcher of Abner, and so did all the
people. And the king lamented over Abner and said: Abner died not as
a wretch dieth. Thy hands were not manacled nor thy feet brought
into *gyves: but as men fall before wicked children, so fellest
thou. And all the people wept yet more over him.
And when all the people came to eat meat with David, while it
was yet day, David sware saying: so do God to me and so thereto, if
I taste bread or ought else, till the *son be down. And the people
knew it, and it pleased them, as well as all other good things which
the king did in the sight of the people. And all the people and all
Israel thereto understood that day how that it was not the kings
mind, to slay Abner the son of Ner. And the king said unto his
servants: know ye not, how that there is a Lord and that a great
fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day tender, though I be
anointed king. And these men the sons of Zaruiah be too good for me
to rule? But the Lord reward the doer of evil according to his
wickedness.
*bere (bury, or buriers) *rent (rip)
*gyves (gives, punishment) *sonne; exactly as in the original, else
where sun is written sunne.
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The 4th Chapter
When Sauls son heard that Abner
was dead in Hebron, his hands fainted and all Israel was troubled.
Now this Sauls son had two men that were become captains over the
soldiers, the one called Baanah and the other Rechab, the sons of
Remon a Berothite, and of the children of Benjamin: for Beroth was
reckoned to pertain to Benjamin. And these Berothites fled to
Gethaim and sojourned there until the same time. And Jonathas Sauls
son had a son that was lame on his feet: five years old was he when
the tidings came of Saul and Jonathas out of Jezrahel. And his nurse
took him up and fled away. And as she made haste to flee and was
amazed, the child fell and became halt and was called Miphiboseth.
And these sons of Remon the Berothite, Rechab and Baanah went, and
came in the heat of the day to the house of Isboseth, as he slept on
a bed at noon. And behold they came into the house as though they
would have bought wheat, and smote him under the short ribs and
fled. For they came into the house as he slept on his bed in his
resting chamber, and smote him and slew him and beheaded him and
took his head and gat them away through the wild fields all night.
And they brought the head of Isboseth unto David, to Hebron and said
to the king: behold there the head of Isboseth Sauls son thine
enemy, which sought thy soul. But the Lord hath avenged my lord the
king this day of Saul and of his seed.
And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of
Remon the Berothite and said unto them: as surely as the Lord liveth
which hath delivered my soul out of all adversities: him that told
me how that Saul was dead, thinking to have brought me good tidings,
I caught and slew in Zikeleg, to give him a reward for his tidings
bringing. And how much more ought I to deal with wicked men that
have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? Now
therefore think ye that I will not require his blood of your hands
and take you from the earth? And David commanded his young men, and
they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and hanged
them up by the *pole in Hebron. And they took the head of Isboseth
and buried it in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.
*pole (or pool)
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The 5th Chapter
Then came all the tribes of
Israel to David to Hebron and said: see, we are thy bones and thy
flesh. And thereto in time past when Saul was king over us, thou
leddest Israel in and out. And the Lord hath said to thee: thou
shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over
Israel. And so all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron.
And King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord.
And they anointed David King over Israel. David was thirty years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he
reigned over Juda seven years and six months. And in Jerusalem he
reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Juda.
Then went the King and his men to Jerusalem, unto the
Jebusites the inhabiters of the land. And they said unto David:
except thou take away the blind and the lame thou shalt not come in
hither, meaning thereby that David should not have come in thither.
Nevertheless David took the hold of Sion, which is in the city of
David. Then said David the same day: whosoever winneth the walls and
the lame and the blind hated of Davids soul. Wherefore the blind and
the lame shall not come into the house. And David dwelt in the tower
and called it the city of David. And David built round about it from
Mello inward. And David waxed great and the Lord God of hosts was
with him. And Hiram King of Tyre sent messengers to David with Cedar
trees and carpenters and Masons, to build David an house. Whereby
David perceived that the Lord had stablished him King over Israel
and had exalted his kingdom for his people Israels sake. And David
took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was
come from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were yet born to
David. And these be the names of the sons that were born him in
Jerusalem: Samua, Sobab, Nathan, Salamon, Jebahar, Elisua, Nepheg,
Japhia, Elisama, Eliada, and Eliphalet.
But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David
King over Israel, they came all up to seek David. And as soon as
David heard of it, he gat him to an hold. And the Philistines came
and laid them along in the valley of Raphaim. And David asked of the
Lord saying: shall I go to the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver
them into my hands? And the Lord said unto David: go for I will
deliver the Philistines into thy hands. And David came to Baal
Pharazim and smote them there and said: the Lord hath divided mine
enemies asunder before me, as a man would divide water. And
therefore he called the name of the said place, Baal Pharazim. And
there they left their Images and David and his men took them up. And
the Philistines came yet again and laid them in the valley Raphaim.
And David asked the Lord, and he said go not. But compass them on
the back side and come down upon them from the *Peretrees. And when
thou hearest the noise of a thing going in the tops of the Peretrees,
then move. For then the Lord is gone out before thee, to smite the
host of the Philistines. And David did as the Lord commanded him and
smote the Philistines from Gabaah to Gezer.
*Peretrees (pear trees) cap P.
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The 6th Chapter
After that, David chose out all
the chief young men in Israel to the sum of thirty thousand, and
arose and went and all the folk that were with him of the men of
Juda, to fetch away the Ark of God upon which is called the name of
the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubins. And they put
the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of
Abinadab that dwelt at Gabaah. And Ozah and Ahio the sons of
Abinadab drove the new cart. And when they brought it out of that
house of Abinadab that dwelt at Gabaah with the Ark of God, Ahio
went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played
before the Lord with all manner instruments of fir wood, with harps,
psalteries, timbrels, fiddles and cymbals.
And when they came to Nachons threshing floor, Ozah put his
hand to the ark of God and held it, for the oxen stumbled. And the
Lord was wrath with Ozah and God smote him in the same place for his
fault, and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased
because the Lord had rent Ozah. And the name of the place was called
Perez Ozah until this day. And David was then afraid of the Lord and
said: how should the Ark of the Lord come to my house? And so David
would not bring the Ark of the Lord with him into the city of David.
But carried it into the house of Obed Edom a Gethite. And the Ark of
the Lord continued in the house of Obed Edom the Gethite, three
months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and all his household. And
when it was told King David how that the Lord had blessed the house
of Obed Edom and all that pertained unto him, because of the Ark of
God, he went and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed Edom
unto the city of David with gladness. And ever when they that bare
the Ark of the Lord, had gone six *passes, he offered an ox and a
fat sheep. And David danced before the Lord with all his might in a
linen Ephod gird unto him. And David and all the house of Israel
brought the ark of the Lord with shouting and trumpet blowing.
And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michol
Sauls daughter looked through a window and saw King David spring and
dance before the Lord, and therefore despised him in her heart. And
when they had brought in the Ark of the Lord, and had set it even in
his place, even in the tabernacle that David had prepared for it:
David offered burntofferings and peaceofferings before the Lord, and
as soon as David had made and end of offering burntofferings and
peaceofferings he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of
Hosts, and gave among all the folk, even among the whole multitude
of Israel, as well to the women as men every one a Cake of bread and
a piece of flesh and a flacket of wine. And so the people departed
every man to his house.
Then David returned to salute his household. And Michol the
daughter of Saul came out against him and said: Oh how glorious was
the king of Israel today, which stripped himself today before the
eyes of the maidens of his servants, as a light brained fellow is
wont to strip himself. But David said again to Michol, I will make
sport before the Lord which chose me before thy father and before
all his kin, commanding me to be ruler over all his people Israel.
And I will be yet more vile than so, and will be meek in mine own
sight: and shall for all that of the very same maidservants which
thou speakest of, be had in honor. But the said Michol daughter to
Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
*passes (paces),
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The 7th Chapter
And in
process as the king dwelt in his house after that the Lord had given
him rest round about from all his enemies, he said unto Nathan the
prophet: behold, I dwell in a house of Cedar trees, but the Ark of
God dwelleth in the midst of curtains. Then said Nathan unto the
King: go and do all that is in thine heart, for the Lord is with
thee.
But that same night the word of the Lord came unto Nathan
saying: go and tell my servant David, thus saith the Lord: shalt
thou go build me an house for the Lord to dwell in? For I have not
dwelt in any house since the time I brought the children of Israel
out of Egypt, unto this day: but have walked in a tent and in a
tabernacle. In any way where I went among the children of Israel,
spake I one word with any of the tribes of Israel which I commanded
to feed my people Israel saying: why build ye not me an house of
Cedar tree? Now therefore so say unto my servant David, thus saith
the Lord of Hosts I took thee out of a shepherds cote from following
sheep to be a ruler over my people Israel. And I was with thee in
all that thou wentest to, and have destroyed all thine enemies out
of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of
the great men of the world. And I will appoint a place for my people
Israel, and will plant it and they shall continue in one place and
shall move no more, neither shall wicked people trouble them any
more as they did at the beginning, and since the time I commanded
Judges to be over my people Israel, and I will give thee rest from
all thine enemies. And the Lord telleth thee that he will build thee
an household.
And when thy days be fulfilled and thou laid to rest with thy
fathers, then I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed
out of thy body, and will stablish his kingdom. And he shall build
an house for my name, and I will stablish the seat of his kingdom
for ever: I will be his father and he shall be my son: insomuch that
if he sin, I will but rebuke him with such a rod as men be rebuked
with and with such plagues as the children of men be plagued with.
But my mercy will I not take away from him, as I took it from Saul,
whom I put down before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall
endure without end after thee, and thy seat shall be stablished for
ever. And when Nathan had told David all these words and all this
vision: Then went king David and set him down before the Lord and
said: what am I Lord Jehovah, and what is my kin, that thou
shouldest have brought me this far forth? And is this a small thing
in thy sight Lord Jehovah, but that thou shouldest speak also of thy
servants house for a great while to come? is this a law among men
Lord Jehovah? And what can David say more unto thee, seeing thou
knowest thy servant Lord Jehovah? Even for thy words sake and
according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things
to make them known unto thy servant.
Wherefore thou art great O' Lord God and there is none like
thee, neither is there any God save thou, according to all that we
have heard with our ears. And what one people in the earth is like
thy people Israel, which God went and delivered to be his people,
and to make him a name, and to show them great and terrible things
in the earth, before thy people which thou redeemest to thee out of
Egypt, even from the people and from their Gods. And thou hast
ordained thy people Israel to be thy people for ever. And thou Lord
art their God. And now Lord God the thing thou hast said of thy
servant and of his house make it good for ever and do as thou hast
said. And let thy name be great for ever, that men may say, the Lord
of Hosts is the God of Israel: and let the house of thy servant
David be stablished before thee. For thou Lord of Hosts God of
Israel hast told in the ear of thy servant saying: I will build thee
an house. And therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray
this prayer unto thee. And now Lord Jehovah thou art the God, and
thy words must be true: for thou hast told this goodness unto thy
servant. And now go to and bless the household of thy servant, that
it may continue for ever before thee. For thou Lord Jehovah hast
said that of thy blessing the house of thy servant shall be blessed
forever. |
Chapters 1-7
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8-14 |
15-19 |
20-end |
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