The Gospel of Mark (Part Seven)

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 <div class="label">17</div><div class="p"> 1Ahithophel said to Absalom, &#8220;I would#17:1 Or Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king 3and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.&#8221; 4This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.</div><div class="p"> 5But Absalom said, &#8220;Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.&#8221; 6When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, &#8220;Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Hushai replied to Absalom, &#8220;The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 8You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first,#17:9 Or When some of the men fall at the first attack whoever hears about it will say, &#8216;There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.&#8217; 10Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.</div><div class="p"> 11&#8220;So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba&#8212;as numerous as the sand on the seashore&#8212;be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. 12Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14Absalom and all the men of Israel said, &#8220;The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.&#8221; For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.</div><div class="p"> 15Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, &#8220;Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. 16Now send a message at once and tell David, &#8216;Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 18But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.</div><div class="p"> 20When Absalom&#8217;s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, &#8220;Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?&#8221;</div><div class="p">The woman answered them, &#8220;They crossed over the brook.&#8221;#17:20 Or &#8220;They passed by the sheep pen toward the water.&#8221; The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 21After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, &#8220;Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.&#8221; 22So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.</div><div class="p"> 23When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father&#8217;s tomb.</div><div class="s1">Absalom&#8217;s Death</div><div class="p"> 24David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether,#17:25 Hebrew Ithra, a variant of Jether an Ishmaelite#17:25 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 2:17); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Israelite who had married Abigail,#17:25 Hebrew Abigal, a variant of Abigail the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab. 26The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.</div><div class="p"> 27When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,#17:28 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew lentils, and roasted grain 29honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows&#8217; milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, &#8220;The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.&#8221;</div>
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 <div class="label">18</div><div class="p"> 1David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab&#8217;s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, &#8220;I myself will surely march out with you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3But the men said, &#8220;You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won&#8217;t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won&#8217;t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us.#18:3 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts care; for now there are ten thousand like us It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4The king answered, &#8220;I will do whatever seems best to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. 5The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, &#8220;Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.&#8221; And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.</div><div class="p"> 6David&#8217;s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7There Israel&#8217;s troops were routed by David&#8217;s men, and the casualties that day were great&#8212;twenty thousand men. 8The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.</div><div class="p"> 9Now Absalom happened to meet David&#8217;s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom&#8217;s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.</div><div class="p"> 10When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, &#8220;I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Joab said to the man who had told him this, &#8220;What! You saw him? Why didn&#8217;t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels#18:11 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams of silver and a warrior&#8217;s belt.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12But the man replied, &#8220;Even if a thousand shekels#18:12 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king&#8217;s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, &#8216;Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.#18:12 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts may be translated Absalom, whoever you may be.&#8217; 13And if I had put my life in jeopardy#18:13 Or Otherwise, if I had acted treacherously toward him&#8212;and nothing is hidden from the king&#8212;you would have kept your distance from me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14Joab said, &#8220;I&#8217;m not going to wait like this for you.&#8221; So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom&#8217;s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. 15And ten of Joab&#8217;s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.</div><div class="p"> 16Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. 17They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.</div><div class="p"> 18During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King&#8217;s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, &#8220;I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.&#8221; He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom&#8217;s Monument to this day.</div><div class="s1">David Mourns</div><div class="p"> 19Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, &#8220;Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;You are not the one to take the news today,&#8221; Joab told him. &#8220;You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king&#8217;s son is dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Then Joab said to a Cushite, &#8220;Go, tell the king what you have seen.&#8221; The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.</div><div class="p"> 22Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, &#8220;Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.&#8221;</div><div class="p">But Joab replied, &#8220;My son, why do you want to go? You don&#8217;t have any news that will bring you a reward.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23He said, &#8220;Come what may, I want to run.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So Joab said, &#8220;Run!&#8221; Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain#18:23 That is, the plain of the Jordan and outran the Cushite.</div><div class="p"> 24While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. 25The watchman called out to the king and reported it.</div><div class="p">The king said, &#8220;If he is alone, he must have good news.&#8221; And the runner came closer and closer.</div><div class="p"> 26Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper, &#8220;Look, another man running alone!&#8221;</div><div class="p">The king said, &#8220;He must be bringing good news, too.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27The watchman said, &#8220;It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;He&#8217;s a good man,&#8221; the king said. &#8220;He comes with good news.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, &#8220;All is well!&#8221; He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, &#8220;Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29The king asked, &#8220;Is the young man Absalom safe?&#8221;</div><div class="p">Ahimaaz answered, &#8220;I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king&#8217;s servant and me, your servant, but I don&#8217;t know what it was.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30The king said, &#8220;Stand aside and wait here.&#8221; So he stepped aside and stood there.</div><div class="p"> 31Then the Cushite arrived and said, &#8220;My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32The king asked the Cushite, &#8220;Is the young man Absalom safe?&#8221;</div><div class="p">The Cushite replied, &#8220;May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 33The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: &#8220;O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you&#8212;O Absalom, my son, my son!&#8221;#18:33 In Hebrew texts this verse (18:33) is numbered 19:1.</div>
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 <div class="label">19</div><div class="p"> # In Hebrew texts 19:1-43 is numbered 19:2-44. 1Joab was told, &#8220;The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.&#8221; 2And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, &#8220;The king is grieving for his son.&#8221; 3The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. 4The king covered his face and cried aloud, &#8220;O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, &#8220;Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. 6You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. 7Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don&#8217;t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, &#8220;The king is sitting in the gateway,&#8221; they all came before him.</div><div class="p">Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.</div><div class="s1">David Returns to Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 9Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, &#8220;The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom; 10and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: &#8220;Ask the elders of Judah, &#8216;Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? 12You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?&#8217; 13And say to Amasa, &#8216;Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, &#8220;Return, you and all your men.&#8221; 15Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.</div><div class="p">Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. 16Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul&#8217;s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. 18They crossed at the ford to take the king&#8217;s household over and to do whatever he wished.</div><div class="p">When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king 19and said to him, &#8220;May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. 20For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, &#8220;Shouldn&#8217;t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord&#8217;s anointed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22David replied, &#8220;What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don&#8217;t I know that today I am king over Israel?&#8221; 23So the king said to Shimei, &#8220;You shall not die.&#8221; And the king promised him on oath.</div><div class="p"> 24Mephibosheth, Saul&#8217;s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. 25When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, &#8220;Why didn&#8217;t you go with me, Mephibosheth?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26He said, &#8220;My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, &#8216;I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.&#8217; But Ziba my servant betrayed me. 27And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. 28All my grandfather&#8217;s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29The king said to him, &#8220;Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30Mephibosheth said to the king, &#8220;Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 31Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. 32Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33The king said to Barzillai, &#8220;Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34But Barzillai answered the king, &#8220;How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? 37Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 38The king said, &#8220;Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bid him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home.</div><div class="p"> 40When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.</div><div class="p"> 41Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, &#8220;Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, &#8220;We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king&#8217;s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 43Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, &#8220;We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren&#8217;t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?&#8221;</div><div class="p">But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.</div>
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 <div class="label">20</div><div class="s1">Sheba Rebels Against David</div><div class="p"> 1Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;We have no share in David,</div><div class="q2">no part in Jesse&#8217;s son!</div><div class="q1">Every man to his tent, Israel!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 2So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 3When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.</div><div class="p"> 4Then the king said to Amasa, &#8220;Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.&#8221; 5But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.</div><div class="p"> 6David said to Abishai, &#8220;Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master&#8217;s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.&#8221;#20:6 Or and do us serious injury 7So Joab&#8217;s men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.</div><div class="p"> 8While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.</div><div class="p"> 9Joab said to Amasa, &#8220;How are you, my brother?&#8221; Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab&#8217;s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.</div><div class="p"> 11One of Joab&#8217;s men stood beside Amasa and said, &#8220;Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!&#8221; 12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. 13After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.</div><div class="p"> 14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,#20:14 See Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew Berites. who gathered together and followed him. 15All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, 16a wise woman called from the city, &#8220;Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.&#8221; 17He went toward her, and she asked, &#8220;Are you Joab?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;I am,&#8221; he answered.</div><div class="p">She said, &#8220;Listen to what your servant has to say.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;I&#8217;m listening,&#8221; he said.</div><div class="p"> 18She continued, &#8220;Long ago they used to say, &#8216;Get your answer at Abel,&#8217; and that settled it. 19We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord&#8217;s inheritance?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;Far be it from me!&#8221; Joab replied, &#8220;Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! 21That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I&#8217;ll withdraw from the city.&#8221;</div><div class="p">The woman said to Joab, &#8220;His head will be thrown to you from the wall.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.</div><div class="s1">David&#8217;s Officials</div><div class="p"> 23Joab was over Israel&#8217;s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; 24Adoniram#20:24 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Kings 4:6 and 5:14); Hebrew Adoram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 25Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26and Ira the Jairite#20:26 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 23:38) Ithrite was David&#8217;s priest.</div>
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 <div class="label">21</div><div class="s1">The Gibeonites Avenged</div><div class="p"> 1During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, &#8220;It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 2The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) 3David asked the Gibeonites, &#8220;What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord&#8217;s inheritance?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4The Gibeonites answered him, &#8220;We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;What do you want me to do for you?&#8221; David asked.</div><div class="p"> 5They answered the king, &#8220;As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, 6let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul&#8212;the Lord&#8217;s chosen one.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So the king said, &#8220;I will give them to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah&#8217;s daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul&#8217;s daughter Merab,#21:8 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Samuel 18:19); most Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts Michal whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.</div><div class="p"> 10Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night. 11When David was told what Aiah&#8217;s daughter Rizpah, Saul&#8217;s concubine, had done, 12he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) 13David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.</div><div class="p"> 14They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul&#8217;s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.</div><div class="s1">Wars Against the Philistines</div><div class="p"> 15Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels#21:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David&#8217;s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David&#8217;s men swore to him, saying, &#8220;Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.</div><div class="p"> 19In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair#21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew Jaare-Oregim. the Bethlehemite killed the brother of#21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew does not have the brother of. Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver&#8217;s rod.</div><div class="p"> 20In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot&#8212;twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David&#8217;s brother, killed him.</div><div class="p"> 22These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch23" data-usfm="2SA.23">
 <div class="label">23</div><div class="s1">David&#8217;s Last Words</div><div class="p"> 1These are the last words of David:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,</div><div class="q2">the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,</div><div class="q1">the man anointed by the God of Jacob,</div><div class="q2">the hero of Israel&#8217;s songs:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 2&#8220;The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;</div><div class="q2">his word was on my tongue.</div><div class="q1"> 3The God of Israel spoke,</div><div class="q2">the Rock of Israel said to me:</div><div class="q1">&#8216;When one rules over people in righteousness,</div><div class="q2">when he rules in the fear of God,</div><div class="q1"> 4he is like the light of morning at sunrise</div><div class="q2">on a cloudless morning,</div><div class="q1">like the brightness after rain</div><div class="q2">that brings grass from the earth.&#8217;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 5&#8220;If my house were not right with God,</div><div class="q2">surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,</div><div class="q2">arranged and secured in every part;</div><div class="q1">surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation</div><div class="q2">and grant me my every desire.</div><div class="q1"> 6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,</div><div class="q2">which are not gathered with the hand.</div><div class="q1"> 7Whoever touches thorns</div><div class="q2">uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;</div><div class="q2">they are burned up where they lie.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">David&#8217;s Mighty Warriors</div><div class="p"> 8These are the names of David&#8217;s mighty warriors:</div><div class="p">Josheb-Basshebeth,#23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam). a Tahkemonite,#23:8 Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11) was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed#23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men in one encounter.</div><div class="p"> 9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim#23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there. for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.</div><div class="p"> 11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel&#8217;s troops fled from them. 12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.</div><div class="p"> 13During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for water and said, &#8220;Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!&#8221; 16So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. 17&#8220;Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!&#8221; he said. &#8220;Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?&#8221; And David would not drink it.</div><div class="p">Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.</div><div class="p"> 18Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.#23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.</div><div class="p"> 20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab&#8217;s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian&#8217;s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="li1"> 24Among the Thirty were:</div><div class="li2">Asahel the brother of Joab,</div><div class="li2">Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,</div><div class="li2"> 25Shammah the Harodite,</div><div class="li2">Elika the Harodite,</div><div class="li2"> 26Helez the Paltite,</div><div class="li2">Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,</div><div class="li2"> 27Abiezer from Anathoth,</div><div class="li2">Sibbekai#23:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai the Hushathite,</div><div class="li2"> 28Zalmon the Ahohite,</div><div class="li2">Maharai the Netophathite,</div><div class="li2"> 29Heled#23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite,</div><div class="li2">Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,</div><div class="li2"> 30Benaiah the Pirathonite,</div><div class="li2">Hiddai#23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,</div><div class="li2"> 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite,</div><div class="li2">Azmaveth the Barhumite,</div><div class="li2"> 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite,</div><div class="li2">the sons of Jashen,</div><div class="li2">Jonathan 33son of#23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of. Shammah the Hararite,</div><div class="li2">Ahiam son of Sharar#23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar the Hararite,</div><div class="li2"> 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,</div><div class="li2">Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,</div><div class="li2"> 35Hezro the Carmelite,</div><div class="li2">Paarai the Arbite,</div><div class="li2"> 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,</div><div class="li2">the son of Hagri,#23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi</div><div class="li2"> 37Zelek the Ammonite,</div><div class="li2">Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,</div><div class="li2"> 38Ira the Ithrite,</div><div class="li2">Gareb the Ithrite</div><div class="li2"> 39and Uriah the Hittite.</div><div class="li1">There were thirty-seven in all.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2SA">
 <div class="chapter ch24" data-usfm="2SA.24">
 <div class="label">24</div><div class="s1">David Enrolls the Fighting Men</div><div class="p"> 1Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, &#8220;Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 2So the king said to Joab and the army commanders#24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); Hebrew Joab the army commander with him, &#8220;Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3But Joab replied to the king, &#8220;May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4The king&#8217;s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.</div><div class="p"> 5After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. 6They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. 7Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.</div><div class="p"> 8After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.</div><div class="p"> 9Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.</div><div class="p"> 10David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, &#8220;I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad the prophet, David&#8217;s seer: 12&#8220;Go and tell David, &#8216;This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13So Gad went to David and said to him, &#8220;Shall there come on you three#24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrew seven years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14David said to Gad, &#8220;I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. 16When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, &#8220;Enough! Withdraw your hand.&#8221; The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.</div><div class="p"> 17When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, &#8220;I have sinned; I, the shepherd,#24:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd. have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">David Builds an Altar</div><div class="p"> 18On that day Gad went to David and said to him, &#8220;Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.&#8221; 19So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.</div><div class="p"> 21Araunah said, &#8220;Why has my lord the king come to his servant?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;To buy your threshing floor,&#8221; David answered, &#8220;so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22Araunah said to David, &#8220;Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23Your Majesty, Araunah#24:23 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts King Araunah gives all this to the king.&#8221; Araunah also said to him, &#8220;May the Lord your God accept you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24But the king replied to Araunah, &#8220;No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels#24:24 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams of silver for them. 25David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.</div>
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