upon Saul and upon his sons; and the forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abina- Philistines came and dwelt in them. dab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was in great anguish by reason of the archers. Then said Saul to his armour-bearer: 'Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make a mock of me.' But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all Lis men, that same day together. And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. "And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people. 10And they put his armour in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. "And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 13 And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. שמואל ב SECOND SAMUEL 1 AND it came to pass after the I was sure that he could not live after death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; it came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head; and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and prostrated himself. And David said unto him: 'From whence comest thou?' And he said unto him: 'Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.' And David said unto him: 'How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me.' And he answered: 'The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.' And David said unto the young man that told him: 'How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?" "And the young man that told him said: 'As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen pressed hard upon him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered: Here am I. And he said unto me: Who art thou? And I answered him: I am an Amalekite. And he said unto me: Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me, for the agony hath taken hold of me; because my life is just yet in me. 10So I stood beside him, and slew him, because that he was fallen; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.' "Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him. 12And they wailed, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. And David said unto the young man that told him: 'Whence art thou?' And he answered: 'I am the son of an Amalekite stranger.' 14And David said unto him: 'How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?' 15And David called one of the young men, and said: 'Go near, and fall upon him.' And he smote him that he died. 16And David said unto him: "Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying: I have slain the LORD's anointed.' 17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18and said-To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jashar: 19Thy beauty, O Israel, upon thy high places is slain! How are the mighty fallen! 20Tell it not in Gath, Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines the cities of Judah?' And the LORD rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. "Ye mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, Neither fields of choice fruits; For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, And the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan, the lovely and the pleasant In their lives, even in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions. "Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan upon thy high places is slain! *I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; Very pleasant hast thou been unto me; Wonderful was thy love to me, Passing the love of women. "How are the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war perished! 2 And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying: 'Shall I go up into any of said unto him: 'Go up.' And David said: 'Whither shall I go up?' And He said: 'Unto Hebron.' 'So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and they there anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying: 'The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.' And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them: 'Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shown this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now the LORD show kindness and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.' "Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. "And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 12And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to SECOND SAMUEL Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out; and they met together by the pool of Gibeon, and sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14And Abner said to Joab: 'Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us.' And Joab said: 'Let them arise.' 15Then they arose and passed over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together; wherefore that place was called "Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17And the battle was very sore that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. and died in the same place; and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. after Abner; and the sun went down 24But Joab and Abishai pursued when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab, and said: 'Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?' And Joab said: 'As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, surely then only after the morning from following his brother.' the people had gone away, every one Joab blew the horn, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel 28So no more, neither fought they any more. 29And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. 27 18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as light of foot as one of the roes that are in the field. 19And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind him, and said: 'Is it thou, Asahel?' And he answered: 'It is I.' 21 And Abner said to him: "Turn thee Abner; and when he had gathered all 30 And Joab returned from following aside to thy right hand or to thy left, the people together, there lacked of and lay thee hold on one of the young David's servants nineteen men and men, and take thee his armour.' But Asahel. "But the servants of David Asahel would not turn aside from had smitten of Benjamin, even of following him. 22 And Abner said Abner's men-three hundred and threeagain to Asahel. "Turn thee aside score men died. 32And they took up from following me; wherefore should Asahel, and buried him in the sepI smite thee to the ground? how then ulchre of his father, which was should I hold up my face to Joab thy Beth-lehem. And Joab and his ren brother?' 23Howbeit he refused to went all night, and the day broke turn aside, wherefore Abner with the upon them at Hebron. hinder end of the spear smote him in the groin, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, 3 in Now there was long war between of David; and David waxed stronger the house of Saul and the house That is, The field of the sharp knives. and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. *And unto David were sons born in Hebron; and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. "And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner showed himself strong in the house of Saul. "Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and [Ish-bosheth] said to Abner: 'Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?' Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said: 'Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman. "God do so to. Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD hath sworn to David, I do not even so to him; 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.' "And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. "And Abner sent messengers to David straightway, saying: Whose is the land?' saying also: 'Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring over all Israel unto thee.' 13And he said: Well; I will make a league with thee; but one thing I require of thee, that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.' And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying: 'Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.' 15And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him: 'Go, return'; and he returned. 17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying: 'In times past ye sought for David to be king over you; 18now then do it; for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying: By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.' 19And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. 21And Abner said unto David: 'I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth.' And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace. 22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, |