Bible-Reading.comII Samuel 20
1There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!”
2So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.”
5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he stayed longer than the set time which had been appointed to him.
6David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.”
7Joab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out.
9Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
11One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!”
12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
14He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him.
15They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.
16Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”
17He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your servant.” He answered, “I’m listening.”
18Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter.
19I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”
20Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,
24Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,
25Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests,
26and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
II Samuel 21
1There was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, “It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
2The king called the Gibeonites and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);
3and David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And with what should I make atonement, that you may bless the LORD’s inheritance?”
4The Gibeonites said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” He said, “I will do for you whatever you say.”
5They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and who plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,
6let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” The king said, “I will give them.”
7But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
8But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
9He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites; and they hanged them on the mountain before the LORD, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.
10Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night.
11David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
12So David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa;
13and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son. They also gathered the bones of those who were hanged.
14They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father; and they performed all that the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
15The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint;
16and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, he being armed with a new sword, thought he would kill David.
17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “Don’t go out with us to battle any more, so that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel.”
18After this, there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.
19There was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
20There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on every hand and six toes on every foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was born to the giant.
21When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him.
22These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
II Samuel 22
1David spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,
2and he said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;
3God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence.
4I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
5For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
6The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me.
7In my distress, I called on the LORD. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears.
8Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
9Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
10He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
11He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.
12He made darkness a shelter around himself, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
13At the brightness before him, coals of fire were kindled.
14The LORD thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice.
15He sent out arrows and scattered them, lightning and confused them.
16Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the LORD’s rebuke, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters.
18He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
19They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.
20He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.
22For I have kept the LORD’s ways, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23For all his ordinances were before me. As for his statutes, I didn’t depart from them.
24I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
25Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.
26With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect.
27With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
28You will save the afflicted people, but your eyes are on the arrogant, that you may bring them down.
29For you are my lamp, LORD. The LORD will light up my darkness.
30For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
31As for God, his way is perfect. The LORD’s word is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
32For who is God, besides the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God?
33God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.
34He makes his feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places.
35He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
36You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.
37You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped.
38I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.
39I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet.
40For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
41You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
42They looked, but there was no one to save; even to the LORD, but he didn’t answer them.
43Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.
44You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me.
45The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.
46The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places.
47The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
48even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me,
49who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.
50Therefore I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
51He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.”
II Samuel 23
1Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2“The LORD’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.
3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,
4shall be as the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’
5Isn’t my house so with God? Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation and all my desire. Won’t he make it grow?
6But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand.
7The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; he was called Adino the Eznite, who killed eight hundred at one time.
9After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away.
10He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and the LORD worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take plunder.
11After him was Shammah the son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.
12But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD worked a great victory.
13Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
14David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
16The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.
17He said, “Be it far from me, LORD, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.
18Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.
19Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain. However he wasn’t included as one of the three.
20Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a time of snow.
21He killed a huge Egyptian, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
22Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men.
23He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.
24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty: Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.
31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,
34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
II Samuel 24
1Again the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”
2The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, “Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the sum of the people.”
3Joab said to the king, “Now may the LORD your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”
4Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.
5They passed over the Jordan and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer;
6then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon,
7and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba.
8So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9Joab gave up the sum of the counting of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
10David’s heart struck him after he had counted the people. David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, the LORD, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.”
11When David rose up in the morning, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
12“Go and speak to David, ‘The LORD says, “I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”’”
13So Gad came to David, and told him, saying, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”
14David said to Gad, “I am in distress. Let us fall now into the LORD’s hand, for his mercies are great. Let me not fall into man’s hand.”
15So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and seventy thousand men died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba.
16When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough. Now withdraw your hand.” The LORD’s angel was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father’s house.”
18Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
19David went up according to the saying of Gad, as the LORD commanded.
20Araunah looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. Then Araunah went out and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
21Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.”
22Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.
23All this, O king, does Araunah give to the king.” Araunah said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.”
24The king said to Araunah, “No, but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25David built an altar to the LORD there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was removed from Israel.