Chapter 56

11:17. And the men coming out of the city, fought against Joab, and there fell some of the people of the servants of David, and Urias the Hethite was killed also.

11:18. Then Joab sent, and told David all things concerning the battle.

11:19. And he charged the messenger, saying: When thou hast told all the words of the battle to the king,

11:20. If thou see him to be angry, and he shall say: Why did you approach so near to the wall to fight? knew you not that many darts are thrown from above off the wall?

11:21. Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerobaal? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall and slew him in Thebes? Why did you go near the wall? Thou shalt say: Thy servant Urias the Hethite is also slain.

11:22. So the messenger departed, and came and told David all that Joab had commanded him.

11:23. And the messenger said to David: The men prevailed against us, and they came out to us into the field: and we vigorously charged and pursued them even to the gate of the city.

11:24. And the archers shot their arrows at thy servants from off the wall above: and some of the king's servants are slain, and thy servant Urias the Hethite is also dead.

11:25. And David said to the messenger: Thus shalt thou say to Joab: Let not this thing discourage thee: for various is the event of war: and sometimes one, sometimes another is consumed by the sword: encourage thy warriors against the city, and exhort them that thou mayest overthrow it.

11:26. And the wife of Urias heard that Urias her husband was dead, and she mourned for him.

11:27. And the mourning being over, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son: and this thing which David had done, was displeasing to the Lord.

2 Kings Chapter 12

Nathan's parable. David confesseth his sin, and is forgiven: yet so as to be sentenced to most severe temporal punishments. The death of the child. The birth of Solomon. The taking of Rabbath.

12:1. And the Lord sent Nathan to David: and when he was come to him, he said to him: There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor.

12:2. The rich man had exceeding many sheep and oxen.

12:3. But the poor man had nothing at all but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and which had grown up in his house together with his children, eating of his bread, and drinking of his cup, and sleeping in his bosom: and it was unto him as a daughter.

12:4. And when a certain stranger was come to the rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, to make a feast for that stranger, who was come to him, but took the poor man's ewe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

12:5. And David's anger being exceedingly kindled against that man, he said to Nathan: As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this is a child of death.

12:6. He shall restore the ewe fourfold, because he did this thing, and had no pity.

12:7. And Nathan said to David: Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee from the hand of Saul,

12:8. And gave thee thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Juda: and if these things be little, I shall add far greater things unto thee.

12:9. Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight? Thou hast killed Urias the Hethite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

12:10. Therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Urias the Hethite to be thy wife.

12:11. Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes and give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

I will raise, etc... All these evils, inasmuch as they were punishments, came upon David by a just judgment of God, for his sin, and therefore God says, I will raise, etc.; but inasmuch as they were sins, on the part of Absalom and his associates, God was not the author of them, but only permitted them.

12:12. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the sun.

12:13. And David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David: The Lord also hath taken away thy sin: thou shalt not die.

12:14. Nevertheless, because thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, for this thing, the child that is born to thee, shall surely die.

12:15. And Nathan returned to his house. The Lord also struck the child which the wife of Urias had borne to David, and his life was despaired of.

12:16. And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground.

12:17. And the ancients of his house came, to make him rise from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat meat with them.

12:18. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died: and the servants of David feared to tell him, that the child was dead. For they said: Behold when the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice: how much more will he afflict himself if we tell him that the child is dead?

12:19. But when David saw his servants whispering, he understood that the child was dead: and he said to his servants: Is the child dead? They answered him He is dead.

12:20. Then David arose from the ground, and washed and anointed himself: and when he had changed his apparel, he went into the house of the Lord: and worshipped, and then he came into his own house, and he called for bread, and ate.

12:21. And his servants said to him: What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou didst rise up, and eat bread.

12:22. And he said: While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept for him: for I said: Who knoweth whether the Lord may not give him to me, and the child may live?

12:23. But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Shall I be able to bring him back any more? I shall go to him rather: but he shall not return to me.

12:24. And David comforted Bethsabee his wife, and went in unto her, and slept with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon, and the Lord loved him.

12:25. And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name, Amiable to the Lord, because the Lord loved him.

Amiable to the Lord... Or, beloved of the Lord. In Hebrew, Jedidiah.

12:26. And Joab fought against Rabbath of the children of Ammon, and laid close siege to the royal city.

12:27. And Joab sent messengers to David, saying: I have fought against Rabbath, and the city of waters is about to be taken.

The city of waters... Rabbath the royal city of the Ammonites, was called the city of waters, from being encompassed with waters.

12:28. Now therefore gather thou the rest of the people together, and besiege the city and take it: lest when the city shall be wasted by me, the victory be ascribed to my name.

12:29. Then David gathered all the people together, and went out against Rabbath: and after fighting, he took it.

12:30. And he took the crown of their king from his head, the weight of which was a talent of gold, set with most precious stones, and it was put upon David's head, and the spoils of the city which were very great he carried away.

12:31. And bringing forth the people thereof he sawed them, and drove over them chariots armed with iron: and divided them with knives, and made them pass through brickkilns: so did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon: and David returned, with all the army to Jerusalem.

2 Kings Chapter 13

Ammon ravisheth Thamar. For which Absalom killeth him, and flieth to Gessur.

13:1. And it came to pass after this that Ammon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar.

13:2. And he was exceedingly fond of her, so that he fell sick for the love of her: for as she was a virgin, he thought it hard to do any thing dishonestly with her.

13:3. Now Ammon had a friend, named Jonadab the son of Semmaa the brother of David, a very wise man:

A very wise man... That is, a crafty and subtle man: for the counsel he gave on this occasion shews that his wisdom was but carnal and worldly.

13:4. And he said to him: Why dost thou grow so lean from day to day, O son of the king? why dost thou not tell me the reason of it? And Ammon said to him: I am in love with Thamar the sister of my brother Absalom.

13:5. And Jonadab said to him: Lie down upon thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray thee, come to me, to give me to eat, and to make me a mess, that I may eat it at her hand.

13:6. So Ammon lay down, and made as if he were sick: and when the king came to visit him, Ammon said to the king: I pray thee let my sister Thamar come, and make in my sight two little messes, that I may eat at her hand.

13:7. Then David sent home to Thamar, saying: Come to the house of thy brother Ammon, and make him a mess.

13:8. And Thamar came to the house of Ammon her brother: but he was laid down: and she took meal and tempered it: and dissolving it in his sight she made little messes.

13:9. And taking what she had boiled, she poured it out, and set it before him, but he would not eat: and Ammon said: Put out all persons from me. And when they had put all persons out,

13:10. Ammon said to Thamar: Bring the mess into the chamber, that I may eat at thy hand. And Thamar took the little messes which she had made, and brought them in to her brother Ammon in the chamber.

13:11. And when she had presented him the meat, he took hold of her, and said: Come lie with me, my sister.

13:12. She answered him: Do not so, my brother, do not force me: for no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly.

13:13. For I shall not be able to bear my shame, and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel: but rather speak to the king, and he will not deny me to thee.

13:14. But he would not hearken to her prayers, but being stronger overpowered her and lay with her.

13:15. Then Ammon hated her with an exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before. And Ammon said to her: Arise, and get thee gone.

13:16. She answered him: The evil which now thou dost against me, in driving me away, is greater than that which thou didst before. And he would not hearken to her:

13:17. But calling the servants that ministered to him, he said: Thrust this woman out from me: and shut the door after her.

13:18. And she was clothed with a long robe: for the king's daughters that were virgins, used such kind of garments. Then his servant thrust her out: and shut the door after her.

13:19. And she put ashes on her head, and rent her long robe and laid her hands upon her head, and went on crying.

13:20. And Absalom her brother said to her: Hath thy brother Ammon lain with thee? but now, sister, hold thy peace, he is thy brother: and afflict not thy heart for this thing. So Thamar remained pining away in the house of Absalom her brother.

13:21. And when king David heard of these things he was exceedingly grieved: and he would not afflict the spirit of his son Ammon, for he loved him, because he was his firstborn.

13:22. But Absalom spoke not to Ammon neither good nor evil: for Absalom hated Ammon because he had ravished his sister Thamar.

13:23. And it came to pass after two years, that the sheep of Absalom were shorn in Baalhasor, which is near Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons:

13:24. And he came to the king, and said to him: Behold thy servant's sheep are shorn. Let the king, I pray, with his servants come to his servant.

13:25. And the king said to Absalom: Nay, my son, do not ask that we should all come, and be chargeable to thee. And when he pressed him, and he would not go, he blessed him.

13:26. And Absalom said: If thou wilt not come, at least let my brother Ammon, I beseech thee, come with us. And the king said to him: It is not necessary that he should go with thee.

13:27. But Absalom pressed him, so that he let Ammon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom made a feast as it were the feast of a king.

13:28. And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying: Take notice when Ammon shall be drunk with wine, and when I shall say to you: Strike him, and kill him, fear not: for it is I that command you: take courage, and be valiant men.

13:29. And the servants of Absalom did to Ammon as Absalom had commanded them. And all the king's sons arose and got up every man upon his mule, and fled.

13:30. And while they were yet in the way, a rumour came to David, saying: Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one them left.

13:31. Then the king rose up, and rent his garments: and fell upon the ground, and all his servants, that stood about him, rent their garments.

13:32. But Jonadab the son of Semmaa David's brother answering, said: Let not my lord the king think that all the king's sons are slain: Ammon only is dead, for he was appointed by the mouth of Absalom from the day that he ravished his sister Thamar.

13:33. Now therefore let not my lord the king take this thing into his heart, saying: All the king's sons are slain: for Ammon only is dead.

13:34. But Absalom fled away: and the young man that kept the watch, lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there came much people by a by-way on the side of the mountain.

13:35. And Jonadab said to the king: Behold the king's sons are come: as thy servant said, so it is.

13:36. And when he made an end of speaking, the king's sons also appeared: and coming in they lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very much.

13:37. But Absalom fled, and went to Tholomai the son of Ammiud the king of Gessur. And David mourned for his son every day.

13:38. And Absalom after he was fled, and come into Gessur, was there three years. And king David ceased to pursue after Absalom, because he was comforted concerning the death of Ammon.

2 Kings Chapter 14

Joab procureth Absalom's return, and his admittance to the king's presence.

14:1. And Joab the son of Sarvia, understanding that the king's heart was turned to Absalom,

14:2. Sent to Thecua, and fetched from thence a wise woman: and said to her: Feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, and be not anointed with oil, that thou mayest be as a woman that had a long time been mourning for one dead.

14:3. And thou shalt go in to the king, and shalt speak to him in this manner. And Joab put the words in her mouth.

14:4. And when the woman of Thecua was come in to the king, she fell before him upon the ground, and worshipped, and said: Save me, O king.

14:5. And the king said to her: What is the matter with thee? She answered: Alas, I am a widow woman: for my husband is dead.

14:6. And thy handmaid had two sons: and they quarrelled with each other in the field, and there was none to part them: and the one struck the other, and slew him.

14:7. And behold the whole kindred rising against thy handmaid, saith: Deliver him that hath slain his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother, whom he slew, and that we may destroy the heir: and they seek to quench my spark which is left, and will leave my husband no name, nor remainder upon the earth.

14:8. And the king said to the woman: Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

14:9. And the woman of Thecua said to the king: Upon me, my lord be the iniquity, and upon the house of my father: but may the king and his throne be guiltless.

14:10. And the king said: If any one shall say ought against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

14:11. And she said: Let the king remember the Lord his God, that the next of kin be not multiplied to take revenge, and that they may not kill my son. And he said: As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

14:12. The woman said: Let thy hand maid speak one word to my lord the king. And he said: Speak.

14:13. And the woman said: Why hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God, and why hath the king spoken this word, to sin, and not bring home again his own exile?

14:14. We all die, and like waters that return no more, we fall down into the earth: neither will God have a soul to perish, but recalleth, meaning that he that is cast off should not altogether perish.

14:15. Now therefore I am come, to speak this word to my lord the king before the people. And thy handmaid said: I will speak to the king, it maybe the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

14:16. And the king hath hearkened to me to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of all that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

14:17. Then let thy handmaid say, that the word of the Lord the king be made as a sacrifice. For even as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, that he is neither moved with blessing nor cursing: wherefore the Lord thy God is also with thee.

14:18. And the king answering, said to the woman: Hide not from me the thing that I ask thee. And the woman said to him: Speak, my lord the king.

14:19. And the king said: Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? The woman answered, and said: By the health of thy soul, my lord, O king, it is neither on the left hand, nor on the right, in all these things which my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he commanded me, and he put all these words into the mouth of thy handmaid.

14:20. That I should come about with this form of speech, thy servant Joab commanded this: but thou, my lord, O king, art wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to understand all things upon earth.

14:21. And the king said to Joab: Behold I am appeased and have granted thy request: Go therefore and fetch back the boy Absalom.

14:22. And Joab falling down to the ground upon his face, adored, and blessed the king: and Joab said: This day thy servant hath understood, that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king: for thou hast fulfilled the request of thy servant.

Blessed... That is, and gave thanks to the king.

14:23. Then Joab arose and went to Gessur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

14:24. But the king said: Let him return into his house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned into his house, and saw not the king's face.

14:25. But in all Israel there was not a man so comely, and so exceedingly beautiful as Absalom: from the sole of the foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

14:26. And when he polled his hair (now he was polled once a year, because his hair was burdensome to him) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred sicles, according to the common weight.

14:27. And there were born to Absalom three sons: and one daughter, whose name was Thamar, and she was very beautiful.

14:28. And Absalom dwelt two years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

14:29. He sent therefore to Joab, to send him to the king: but he would not come to him. And when he had sent the second time, and he would not come to him,

14:30. He said to his servants: You know the field of Joab near my field, that hath a crop of barley: go now and set it on fire. So the servants of Absalom set the corn on fire. And Joab's servants coming with their garments rent, said: The servants of Absalom have set part of the field on fire.

14:31. Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said: Why have thy servants set my corn on fire?

14:32. And Absalom answered Joab: I sent to thee beseeching thee to come to me, that I might send thee to the king, to say to him: Wherefore am I come from Gessur? it had been better for me to be there: I beseech thee therefore that I may see the face of the king: and if he be mindful of my iniquity, let him kill me.

14:33. So Joab going in to the king, told him all: and Absalom was called for, and, he went in to the king: and prostrated himself on the ground before him: and the king kissed Absalom.

2 Kings Chapter 15

Absalom's policy and conspiracy. David is obliged to flee.

15:1. Now after these things Absalom made himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

15:2. And Absalom rising up early stood by the entrance of the gate, and when any man had business to come to the king's judgment, Absalom called him to him, and said: Of what city art thou? He answered, and said: Thy servant is of such tribe of Israel.

15:3. And Absalom answered him: Thy words seem to me good and just. But there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee. And Absalom said:

15:4. O that they would make me judge over the land, that all that have business might come to me, that I might do them justice.

15:5. Moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

15:6. And this he did to all Israel that came for judgment, to be heard by the king, and he enticed the hearts of the men of Israel.

15:7. And after forty years, Absalom said to king David: Let me go, and pay my vows which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.

15:8. For thy servant made a vow, when he was in Gessur of Syria, saying: If the Lord shall bring me again into Jerusalem, I will offer sacrifice to the Lord.

15:9. And king David said to him: Go in peace. And he arose, and went to Hebron.

15:10. And Absalom sent spies into all the tribes of Israel, saying: As soon as you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye: Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

15:11. Now there went with Absalom two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called, going with simplicity of heart, and knowing nothing of the design.

15:12. Absalom also sent for Achitophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city Gilo. And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom.

15:13. And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom.

15:14. And David said to his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem: Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom: make haste to go out, lest he come and overtake us, and bring ruin upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

15:15. And the king's servants said to him: Whatsoever our lord the king shall command, we thy servants will willingly execute.

15:16. And the king went forth, and all his household on foot: and the king left ten women his concubines to keep the house:

Concubines... That is, wives of an inferior degree.

15:17. And the king going forth and all Israel on foot, stood afar off from the house:

15:18. And all his servants walked by him, and the bands of the Cerethi, and the Phelethi, and all the Gethites, valiant warriors, six hundred men who had followed him from Geth on foot, went before the king.

15:19. And the king said to Ethai the Gethite: Why comest thou with us: return and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and art come out of thy own place.

15:20. Yesterday thou camest, and to day shalt thou be forced to go forth with us? but I shall go whither I am going: return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee, and the Lord will shew thee mercy, and truth, because thou hast shewn grace and fidelity.

15:21. And Ethai answered the king, saying: As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth: in what place soever thou shalt be, my lord, O king, either in death, or in life, there will thy servant be.