Nevi'im
Shemu'el Bet18
2 Samuel · Chapter 18
And Dawid numbered the people that
were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
And Dawid sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
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 thousand of us: therefore now
it is
better that thou succour us out of the city.
And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying,
Deal
gently for my sake with the young man,
even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
So the people went out into the field against Yisra'el: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;
Where the people of Yisra'el were slain before the servants of Dawid, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand
men.
For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
And Absalom met the servants of Dawid. And Absalom 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 shamayim and the earth; and the mule that
was under him went away.
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest
him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten
shekels of silver, and a girdle.
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand
shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none
touch the young man Absalom.
Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against
me.
Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he
was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Yisra'el: for Joab held back the people.
And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Yisra'el fled every one to his tent.
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which
is in the king’s dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) hath avenged him of his enemies.
And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.
Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
But howsoever,
said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
And Dawid sat 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.
And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he
be alone,
there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.
And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold
another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He
is
a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed
be
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) thy Elohim, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and
me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what
it was.
And the king said
unto him, Turn aside,
and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.
And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do
thee hurt, be as
that young man
is.
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would Elohim I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
Nevi'im
Shemu'el Bet19
2 Samuel · Chapter 19
And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
And the victory that day was
turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), 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 befell thee from thy youth until now.
Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Yisra'el had fled every man to his tent.
And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Yisra'el, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
And king Dawid sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the kohanim, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Yisra'el is come to the king,
even
to his house.
Ye
are my brethren, ye
are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
And say ye to Amasa,
Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? Elohim do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as
the heart of one man; so that they sent
this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
So the king returned, and came to Yarden. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Yarden.
And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which
was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king Dawid.
And
there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Sha'ul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Yarden before the king.
And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Yarden;
And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Yerushalayim, that the king should take it to his heart.
For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Yoseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH)’S anointed?
And Dawid said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Yisra'el? for do not I know that I
am this day king over Yisra'el?
Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
And Mephibosheth the son of Sha'ul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came
again in peace.
And it came to pass, when he was come to Yerushalayim to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant
is lame.
And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king
is as an mal'akh of Elohim: do therefore
what is good in thine eyes.
For all
of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Yarden with the king, to conduct him over Yarden.
Now Barzillai was a very aged man,
even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he
was a very great man.
And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Yerushalayim.
And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Yerushalayim?
I
am this day fourscore years old:
and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
Thy servant will go a little way over Yarden with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city,
and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.
And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me,
that will I do for thee.
And all the people went over Yarden. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.
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 Yisra'el.
And, behold, all the men of Yisra'el came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all Dawid’s men with him, over Yarden?
And all the men of Judah answered the men of Yisra'el, 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
cost? or hath he given us any gift?
And the men of Yisra'el answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more
right in Dawid than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Yisra'el.
Nevi'im
Shemu'el Bet20
2 Samuel · Chapter 20
And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name
was
Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in Dawid, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Yisra'el.
So every man of Yisra'el went up from after Dawid,
and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Yarden even to Yerushalayim.
And Dawid came to his house at Yerushalayim; and the king took the ten women
his 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 shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
So Amasa went to assemble
the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
And Dawid said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than
did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Yerushalayim, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
When they
were at the great stone which
is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle
with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
And Joab said to Amasa,
Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
But Amasa took no heed to the sword that
was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth
rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that
is for Dawid,
let him go after Joab.
And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
And he went through all the tribes of Yisra'el unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast 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.
Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
And when he was come near unto her, the woman said,
Art thou Joab? And he answered, I
am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask
counsel at Abel: and so they ended
the matter.
I
am one of them that are peaceable
and faithful in Yisra'el: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Yisra'el: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH)?
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
The matter
is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king,
even
against Dawid: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast
it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Yerushalayim unto the king.
Now Joab
was over all the host of Yisra'el: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada
was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:
And Adoram
was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud
was recorder:
And Sheva
was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar
were
the kohanim:
And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about Dawid.