# verses

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<pb/>Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, ‘Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.’


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<pb/>When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, <pb/><t>‘Our god has delivered our enemy </t><t>into our hands, </t><t>the one who laid waste our land </t><t>and multiplied our slain.’ </t>


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<pb/>While they were in high spirits, they shouted, ‘Bring out Samson to entertain us.’ So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. <pb/>When they stood him among the pillars,


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Samson said to the servant who held his hand, ‘Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.’


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Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform.


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Then Samson prayed to the LORD, ‘Sovereign LORD, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.’


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Then Samson reached towards the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other,


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Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines!’ Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.


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<pb/>Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led <f>[48]</f> Israel for twenty years.


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said to his mother, ‘The eleven hundred shekels <f>[49]</f> of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse — I have that silver with me; I took it.’ <pb/>Then his mother said, ‘The LORD bless you, my son!’


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<pb/>When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, ‘I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you.’


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<pb/>So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels <f>[50]</f> of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house.


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<pb/>Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest.


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left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way <f>[51]</f> he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.


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<pb/>Micah asked him, ‘Where are you from?’ <pb/>‘I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,’ he said, ‘and I’m looking for a place to stay.’


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<pb/>Then Micah said to him, ‘Live with me and be my father and priest, and I’ll give you ten shekels <f>[52]</f> of silver a year, your clothes and your food.’


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And Micah said, ‘Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.’


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<pb/>In those days Israel had no king. <pb/>And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.


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So the Danites sent five of their leading men from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out the land and explore it. These men represented all the Danites. They told them, ‘Go, explore the land.’ <pb/>So they entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.


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When they were near Micah’s house, they recognised the voice of the young Levite; so they turned in there and asked him, ‘Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?’


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<pb/>Then they said to him, ‘Please enquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful.’


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<pb/>So the five men left and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living in safety, like the Sidonians, at peace and secure. And since their land lacked nothing, they were prosperous. <f>[53]</f> Also, they lived a long way from the Sidonians and had no relationship with anyone else. <f>[54]</f>


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<pb/>When they returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their fellow Danites asked them, ‘How did you find things?’


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<pb/>They answered, ‘Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. Aren’t you going to do something? Don’t hesitate to go there and take it over.


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When you get there, you will find an unsuspecting people and a spacious land that God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing whatever.’


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On their way they set up camp near Kiriath Jearim in Judah. This is why the place west of Kiriath Jearim is called Mahaneh Dan <f>[55]</f> to this day.


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<pb/>Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish said to their fellow Danites, ‘Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod, some household gods and an image overlaid with silver? Now you know what to do.’


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The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance of the gate.


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<pb/>When the five men went into Micah’s house and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods, the priest said to them, ‘What are you doing?’


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<pb/>They answered him, ‘Be quiet! Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest. Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?’


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The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people.


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Putting their little children, their livestock and their possessions in front of them, they turned away and left.


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<pb/>When they had gone some distance from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites.


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As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, ‘What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?’


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<pb/>He replied, ‘You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, “What’s the matter with you?” ’


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<pb/>The Danites answered, ‘Don’t argue with us, or some of the men may get angry and attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.’


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So the Danites went their way, and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him, turned round and went back home.


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<pb/>Then they took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a people at peace and secure. They attacked them with the sword and burned down their city.


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There was no-one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob. <pb/>The Danites rebuilt the city and settled there.


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They named it Dan after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel — though the city used to be called Laish.


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There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, <f>[56]</f> and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land.


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<pb/>In those days Israel had no king. <pb/>Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.


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But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her parents’ home in Bethlehem, Judah. After she had been there for four months,


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her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her parents’ home, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.


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His father-in-law, the woman’s father, prevailed on him to stay; so he remained with him three days, eating and drinking, and sleeping there.


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<pb/>On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to leave, but the woman’s father said to his son-in-law, ‘Refresh yourself with something to eat; then you can go.’


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So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Afterwards the woman’s father said, ‘Please stay tonight and enjoy yourself.’


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On the morning of the fifth day, when he rose to go, the woman’s father said, ‘Refresh yourself. Wait till afternoon!’ So the two of them ate together.


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<pb/>Then when the man, with his concubine and his servant, got up to leave, his father-in-law, the woman’s father, said, ‘Now look, it’s almost evening. Spend the night here; the day is nearly over. Stay and enjoy yourself. Early tomorrow morning you can get up and be on your way home.’


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But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went towards Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.


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<pb/>When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, ‘Come, let’s stop at this city of the Jebusites and spend the night.’


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<pb/>His master replied, ‘No. We won’t go into any city whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.’


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There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no-one took them in for the night.


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<pb/>That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was living in Gibeah (the inhabitants of the place were Benjaminites), came in from his work in the fields.


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When he looked and saw the traveller in the city square, the old man asked, ‘Where are you going? Where did you come from?’


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<pb/>He answered, ‘We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the LORD. <f>[57]</f> No-one has taken me in for the night.


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We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves your servants — me, the woman and the young man with us. We don’t need anything.’


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<pb/>‘You are welcome at my house,’ the old man said. ‘Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.’


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So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.


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<pb/>While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, ‘Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.’


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<pb/>The owner of the house went outside and said to them, ‘No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this outrageous thing.


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Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t do such an outrageous thing.’


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<pb/>But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.


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At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.


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<pb/>When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold.


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He said to her, ‘Get up; let’s go.’ But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.


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<pb/>When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel.


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Everyone who saw it was saying to one another, ‘Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Just imagine! We must do something! So speak up!’


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<pb/>Then all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came together as one and assembled before the LORD in Mizpah.


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The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, four hundred thousand men armed with swords.


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(The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the Israelites said, ‘Tell us how this awful thing happened.’


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<pb/>So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, said, ‘I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night.


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During the night the men of Gibeah came after me and surrounded the house, intending to kill me. They raped my concubine, and she died.


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I took my concubine, cut her into pieces and sent one piece to each region of Israel’s inheritance, because they committed this lewd and outrageous act in Israel.


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<pb/>All the men rose up together as one, saying, ‘None of us will go home. No, not one of us will return to his house.


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But now this is what we’ll do to Gibeah: we’ll go up against it in the order decided by casting lots.


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We’ll take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred from a thousand, and a thousand from ten thousand, to get provisions for the army. Then, when the army arrives at Gibeah <f>[58]</f> in Benjamin, it can give them what they deserve for this outrageous act done in Israel.’


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<pb/>The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, ‘What about this awful crime that was committed among you?


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Now turn those wicked men of Gibeah over to us so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.’ <pb/>But the Benjaminites would not listen to their fellow Israelites.


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At once the Benjaminites mobilised twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah.


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Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.


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<pb/>Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them fit for battle.


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<pb/>The Israelites went up to Bethel <f>[59]</f> and enquired of God. They said, ‘Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Benjaminites?’ <pb/>The LORD replied, ‘Judah shall go first.’


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The Israelites went out to fight the Benjaminites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah.


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The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day.


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But the Israelites encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day.


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The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and they enquired of the LORD. They said, ‘Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjaminites, our fellow Israelites?’ <pb/>The LORD answered, ‘Go up against them.’


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This time, when the Benjaminites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them armed with swords.


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<pb/>Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD.


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with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) They asked, ‘Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjaminites, our fellow Israelites, or not?’ <pb/>The LORD responded, ‘Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.’


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They went up against the Benjaminites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before.


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The Benjaminites came out to meet them and were drawn away from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as before, so that about thirty men fell in the open field and on the roads — the one leading to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.


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While the Benjaminites were saying, ‘We are defeating them as before,’ the Israelites were saying, ‘Let’s retreat and draw them away from the city to the roads.’


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<pb/>All the men of Israel moved from their places and took up positions at Baal Tamar, and the Israelite ambush charged out of its place on the west <f>[60]</f> of Gibeah. <f>[61]</f>


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Then ten thousand of Israel’s able young men made a frontal attack on Gibeah. The fighting was so heavy that the Benjaminites did not realise how near disaster was.


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The LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel, and on that day the Israelites struck down 25,100 Benjaminites, all armed with swords.


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Then the Benjaminites saw that they were beaten. <pb/>Now the men of Israel had given way before Benjamin, because they relied on the ambush they had set near Gibeah.


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Those who had been in ambush made a sudden dash into Gibeah, spread out and put the whole city to the sword.


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The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city,


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and then the Israelites would counterattack. <pb/>The Benjaminites had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites (about thirty), and they said, ‘We are defeating them as in the first battle.’


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But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjaminites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke.


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Then the Israelites counterattacked, and the Benjaminites were terrified, because they realised that disaster had come on them.


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So they fled before the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness, but they could not escape the battle. And the Israelites who came out of the towns cut them down there.


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They surrounded the Benjaminites, chased them and easily <f>[62]</f> overran them in the vicinity of Gibeah on the east.


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As they turned and fled towards the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, the Israelites cut down five thousand men along the roads. They kept pressing after the Benjaminites as far as Gidom and struck down two thousand more.


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But six hundred of them turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed for four months.


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The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put all the towns to the sword, including the animals and everything else they found. All the towns they came across they set on fire.


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<pb/>The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: ‘Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjaminite.’


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<pb/>The people went to Bethel, <f>[63]</f> where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly.


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‘LORD, God of Israel,’ they cried, ‘why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?’


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<pb/>Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.


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<pb/>Then the Israelites asked, ‘Who from all the tribes of Israel has failed to assemble before the LORD?’ For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to assemble before the LORD at Mizpah was to be put to death.


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<pb/>Now the Israelites grieved for the tribe of Benjamin, their fellow Israelites. ‘Today one tribe is cut off from Israel,’ they said.


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‘How can we provide wives for those who are left, since we have taken an oath by the LORD not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?’


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Then they asked, ‘Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to assemble before the LORD at Mizpah?’ They discovered that no-one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.


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<pb/>So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children.


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They found among the people living in Jabesh Gilead four hundred young women who had never slept with a man, and they took them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan.


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So the Benjaminites returned at that time and were given the women of Jabesh Gilead who had been spared. But there were not enough for all of them.


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And the elders of the assembly said, ‘With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left?


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The Benjaminite survivors must have heirs,’ they said, ‘so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.


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We can’t give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath: “Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite.”


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But look, there is the annual festival of the LORD in Shiloh, which lies north of Bethel, east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.’


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and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin.


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When their fathers or brothers complain to us, we will say to them, “Do us the favour of helping them, because we did not get wives for them during the war. You will not be guilty of breaking your oath because you did not give your daughters to them.” ’


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<pb/>So that is what the Benjaminites did. While the young women were dancing, each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife. Then they returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the towns and settled in them.


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<pb/>At that time the Israelites left that place and went home to their tribes and clans, each to his own inheritance.


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<pb/>In the days when the judges ruled, <f>[1]</f> there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.


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The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.


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They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,


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<pb/>When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.


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With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.


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<pb/>Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.


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May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.’ <pb/>Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud


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<pb/>But Naomi said, ‘Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?


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Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me — even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons —


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would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!’


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<pb/>At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.


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<pb/>‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.’


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<pb/>But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.


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Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’


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<pb/>So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, ‘Can this be Naomi?’


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<pb/>‘Don’t call me Naomi, <f>[2]</f>’ she told them. ‘Call me Mara, <f>[3]</f> because the Almighty <f>[4]</f> has made my life very bitter.


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I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted <f>[5]</f> me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.’


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<pb/>So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.


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<pb/>Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.


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<pb/>And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favour.’ <pb/>Naomi said to her, ‘Go ahead, my daughter.’


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So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.


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<pb/>Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, ‘The LORD be with you!’ <pb/>‘The LORD bless you!’ they answered.


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She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.” She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.’


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<pb/>So Boaz said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.


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Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.’


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<pb/>At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, ‘Why have I found such favour in your eyes that you notice me — a foreigner?’


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<pb/>Boaz replied, ‘I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband — how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.


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May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.’


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<pb/>‘May I continue to find favour in your eyes, my lord,’ she said. ‘You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant — though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.’


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<pb/>At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.’ <pb/>When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over.


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As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, ‘Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her.


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Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.’


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<pb/>So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. <f>[6]</f>


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She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.


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<pb/>Her mother-in-law asked her, ‘Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!’ <pb/>Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. ‘The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,’ she said.


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<pb/>‘The LORD bless him!’ Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. ‘He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.’ She added, ‘That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers. <f>[7]</f>’


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<pb/>Then Ruth the Moabite said, ‘He even said to me, “Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.” ’


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<pb/>Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, ‘It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.’


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<pb/>So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.


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<pb/>One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, ‘My daughter, I must find a home <f>[8]</f> for you, where you will be well provided for.


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Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing-floor.


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Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing-floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.


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When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.’


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<pb/>When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down.


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In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned — and there was a woman lying at his feet!


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<pb/>‘Who are you?’ he asked. <pb/>‘I am your servant Ruth,’ she said. ‘Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer <f>[9]</f> of our family.’


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<pb/>‘The LORD bless you, my daughter,’ he replied. ‘This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.


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And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.


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Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I.


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Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.’


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<pb/>So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognised; and he said, ‘No-one must know that a woman came to the threshing-floor.’


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<pb/>He also said, ‘Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.’ When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he <f>[10]</f> went back to town.


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<pb/>When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, ‘How did it go, my daughter?’ <pb/>Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her


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and added, ‘He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, “Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.” ’


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<pb/>Then Naomi said, ‘Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.’


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<pb/>Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer <f>[11]</f> he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, ‘Come over here, my friend, and sit down.’ So he went over and sat down.


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Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, ‘Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.


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I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you <f>[12]</f> will not, tell me, so I will know. For no-one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.’ <pb/>‘I will redeem it,’ he said.


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<pb/>Then Boaz said, ‘On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the <f>[13]</f> dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.’


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<pb/>At this, the guardian-redeemer said, ‘Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.’


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<pb/>(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalising transactions in Israel.)


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<pb/>Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, ‘Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.


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I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his home town. Today you are witnesses!’


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<pb/>Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, ‘We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.


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Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.’


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<pb/>So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.


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The women said to Naomi: ‘Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!


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He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.’


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The women living there said, ‘Naomi has a son!’ And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.


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<pb/>There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite <f>[1]</f> from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.


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He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.


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<pb/>Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD.


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Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.


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This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.


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Her husband Elkanah would say to her, ‘Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?’


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<pb/>Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the LORD’s house.


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And she made a vow, saying, ‘LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.’


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Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk


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<pb/>‘Not so, my lord,’ Hannah replied, ‘I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.


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Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.’


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<pb/>She said, ‘May your servant find favour in your eyes.’ Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.


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<pb/>Early the next morning they arose and worshipped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.


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So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, <f>[2]</f> saying, ‘Because I asked the LORD for him.’


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<pb/>When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfil his vow,


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Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, ‘After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.’ <f>[3]</f>


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<pb/>‘Do what seems best to you,’ her husband Elkanah told her. ‘Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his <f>[4]</f> word.’ So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.


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<pb/>After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, <f>[5]</f> an ephah <f>[6]</f> of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.


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and she said to him, ‘Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.


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So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he shall be given over to the LORD.’ And he worshipped the LORD there.


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<pb/>Then Hannah prayed and said: <pb/><t>‘My heart rejoices in the LORD; </t><t>in the LORD my horn <f>[7]</f> is lifted high. </t><t>My mouth boasts over my enemies, </t><t>for I delight in your deliverance. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘There is no-one holy like the LORD; </t><t>there is no-one besides you; </t><t>there is no Rock like our God. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘Do not keep talking so proudly </t><t>or let your mouth speak such arrogance, </t><t>for the LORD is a God who knows, </t><t>and by him deeds are weighed. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘The bows of the warriors are broken, </t><t>but those who stumbled are armed with strength. </t>


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<t>Those who were full hire themselves out for food, </t><t>but those who were hungry are hungry no more. </t><t>She who was barren has borne seven children, </t><t>but she who has had many sons pines away. <pb/> </t>


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<t>He raises the poor from the dust </t><t>and lifts the needy from the ash heap; </t><t>he seats them with princes </t><t>and makes them inherit a throne of honour. <pb/>‘For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; </t><t>on them he has set the world. </t>


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<t>He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, </t><t>but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. <pb/>‘It is not by strength that one prevails; </t>


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<t>those who oppose the LORD will be broken. </t><t>The Most High will thunder from heaven; </t><t>the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. <pb/>‘He will give strength to his king </t><t>and exalt the horn of his anointed.’ </t>


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Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled


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and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.


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But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, ‘Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.’


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<pb/>If the person said to him, ‘Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,’ the servant would answer, ‘No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.’


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<pb/>This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD’s sight, for they <f>[8]</f> were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.


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Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.


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Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, ‘May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to <f>[9]</f> the LORD.’ Then they would go home.


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And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.


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<pb/>Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


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So he said to them, ‘Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours.


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If one person sins against another, God <f>[10]</f> may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?’ His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the LORD’s will to put them to death.


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<pb/>Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh?


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I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites.


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Why do you <f>[11]</f> scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honour your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?”


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<pb/>‘Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: “I promised that members of your family would minister before me for ever.” But now the LORD declares: “Far be it from me! Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained.


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The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no-one in it will reach old age,


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and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no-one in your family line will ever reach old age.


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Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.


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<pb/>‘ “And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you — they will both die on the same day.


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I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always.


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Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, ‘Appoint me to some priestly office so that I can have food to eat.’ ” ’


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<pb/>The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.


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<pb/>One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.


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The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was.


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And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ <pb/>But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down.


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<pb/>Again the LORD called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ <pb/>‘My son,’ Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’


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<pb/>A third time the LORD called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ <pb/>Then Eli realised that the LORD was calling the boy.


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So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.


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<pb/>The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ <pb/>Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’


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<pb/>And the LORD said to Samuel: ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.


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At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family — from beginning to end.


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For I told him that I would judge his family for ever because of the sin he knew about; his sons uttered blasphemies against God, <f>[12]</f> and he failed to restrain them.


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Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, “The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.” ’


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<pb/>Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,


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<pb/>‘What was it he said to you?’ Eli asked. ‘Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.’


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So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, ‘He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.’


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<pb/>And Samuel’s word came to all Israel. <pb/>Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek.


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The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield.


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When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, ‘Why did the LORD bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.’


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<pb/>So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.


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<pb/>When the ark of the LORD’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.


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Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, ‘What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?’ <pb/>When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp,


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the Philistines were afraid. ‘A god has <f>[13]</f> come into the camp,’ they said. ‘Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before.


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We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.


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Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!’


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<pb/>So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.


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<pb/>That same day a Benjaminite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head.


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When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.


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<pb/>Eli heard the outcry and asked, ‘What is the meaning of this uproar?’ <pb/>The man hurried over to Eli,


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He told Eli, ‘I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.’ <pb/>Eli asked, ‘What happened, my son?’


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<pb/>The man who brought the news replied, ‘Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.’


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<pb/>When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backwards off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led <f>[14]</f> Israel for forty years.


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<pb/>His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labour and gave birth, but was overcome by her labour pains.


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As she was dying, the women attending her said, ‘Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.’ But she did not respond or pay any attention.


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<pb/>She named the boy Ichabod, <f>[15]</f> saying, ‘The Glory has departed from Israel’ — because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.


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When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.


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But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.


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That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.


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<pb/>The LORD’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumours. <f>[16]</f>


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When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, ‘The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.’


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So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?’ <pb/>They answered, ‘Let the ark of the god of Israel be moved to Gath.’ So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.


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<pb/>But after they had moved it, the LORD’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumours. <f>[17]</f>


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So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. <pb/>As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, ‘They have brought the ark of the god of Israel round to us to kill us and our people.’


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So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, ‘Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it <f>[18]</f> will kill us and our people.’ For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it.


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the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.’


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<pb/>They answered, ‘If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it back to him without a gift; by all means send a guilt offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted from you.’


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<pb/>The Philistines asked, ‘What guilt offering should we send to him?’ <pb/>They replied, ‘Five gold tumours and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.


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Make models of the tumours and of the rats that are destroying the country, and give glory to Israel’s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land.


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Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When Israel’s god dealt harshly with them, did they not send the Israelites out so that they could go on their way?


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<pb/>‘Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.


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Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way,


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but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, towards Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we shall know that it was not his hand that struck us but that it happened to us by chance.’


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<pb/>So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves.


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They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumours.


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Then the cows went straight up towards Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.


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<pb/>Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight.


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The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.


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The Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD.


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<pb/>These are the gold tumours the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the LORD — one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.


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And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers — the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock on which the Levites set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.


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<pb/>But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy <f>[19]</f> of them to death because they looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them.


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And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, ‘Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?’


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<pb/>Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, ‘The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to your town.’


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<pb/>So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD.


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The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time — twenty years in all. <pb/>Then all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD.


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So Samuel said to all the Israelites, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’


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When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, ‘We have sinned against the LORD.’ Now Samuel was serving as leader <f>[20]</f> of Israel at Mizpah.


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<pb/>When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.


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They said to Samuel, ‘Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.’


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Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel’s behalf, and the LORD answered him.


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<pb/>While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.


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The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.


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<pb/>Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, <f>[21]</f> saying, ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us.’


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<pb/>So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines.


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The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighbouring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.


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From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.


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But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the LORD.


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The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.


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But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.


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They said to him, ‘You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead <f>[23]</f> us, such as all the other nations have.’


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<pb/>But when they said, ‘Give us a king to lead us,’ this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.


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And the LORD told him: ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.


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As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.


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Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.’


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He said, ‘This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: he will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.


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Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plough his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.


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He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.


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Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle <f>[24]</f> and donkeys he will take for his own use.


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When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.’


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Then we shall be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.’


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The LORD answered, ‘Listen to them and give them a king.’ <pb/>Then Samuel said to the Israelites, ‘Everyone go back to your own town.’


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<pb/>There was a Benjaminite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.


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Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.


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<pb/>Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, ‘Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.’


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So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.


text:
<pb/>When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, ‘Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.’


text:
<pb/>But the servant replied, ‘Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.’


text:
<pb/>Saul said to his servant, ‘If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?’


text:
<pb/>The servant answered him again. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I have a quarter of a shekel <f>[25]</f> of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.’


text:
(Formerly in Israel, if someone went to enquire of God, they would say, ‘Come, let us go to the seer,’ because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)


text:
<pb/>‘Good,’ Saul said to his servant. ‘Come, let’s go.’ So they set out for the town where the man of God was.


text:
<pb/>As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, ‘Is the seer here?’


text:
<pb/>‘He is,’ they answered. ‘He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place.


text:
As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterwards, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.’


text:
<pb/>They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming towards them on his way up to the high place.


text:
‘About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.’


text:
<pb/>When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, ‘This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.’


text:
<pb/>Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, ‘Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?’


text:
<pb/>‘I am the seer,’ Samuel replied. ‘Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart.


text:
As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?’


text:
<pb/>Saul answered, ‘But am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?’


text:
<pb/>Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited — about thirty in number.


text:
<pb/>So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, ‘Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, “I have invited guests.” ’ And Saul dined with Samuel that day.


text:
<pb/>After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.


text:
They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, ‘Get ready, and I will send you on your way.’ When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together.


text:
As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, ‘Tell the servant to go on ahead of us’ — and the servant did so — ‘but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.’


text:
<pb/>Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance? <f>[26]</f>


text:
When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, “The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, ‘What shall I do about my son?’ ”


text:
<pb/>‘Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine.


text:
<pb/>‘After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.


text:
The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.


text:
<pb/>‘Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.’


text:
<pb/>As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.


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When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.


text:
When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, ‘What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?’


text:
<pb/>A man who lived there answered, ‘And who is their father?’ So it became a saying: ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’


text:
<pb/>Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, ‘Where have you been?’ <pb/>‘Looking for the donkeys,’ he said. ‘But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.’


text:
<pb/>Saul replied, ‘He assured us that the donkeys had been found.’ But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.


text:
and said to them, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.”


text:
But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, “No, appoint a king over us.” So now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.’


text:
<pb/>When Samuel had made all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.


text:
Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found.


text:
So they enquired further of the LORD, ‘Has the man come here yet?’ <pb/>And the LORD said, ‘Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.’


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<pb/>They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others.


text:
Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no-one like him among all the people.’ <pb/>Then the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’


text:
<pb/>Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the LORD. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.


text:
But some scoundrels said, ‘How can this fellow save us?’ They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.


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<pb/>Nahash <f>[27]</f> the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, ‘Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.’


text:
<pb/>But Nahash the Ammonite replied, ‘I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.’


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<pb/>The elders of Jabesh said to him, ‘Give us seven days so that we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no-one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.’


text:
<pb/>When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud.


text:
Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, ‘What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?’ Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.


text:
<pb/>When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger.


text:
He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, ‘This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.’ Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out together as one.


text:
When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.


text:
<pb/>They told the messengers who had come, ‘Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, “By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.” ’ When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated.


text:
They said to the Ammonites, ‘Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.’


text:
<pb/>The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.


text:
<pb/>The people then said to Samuel, ‘Who was it that asked, “Shall Saul reign over us?” Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.’


text:
So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.


text:
<pb/>Samuel said to all Israel, ‘I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.


text:
Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and grey, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.


text:
Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.’


text:
<pb/>‘You have not cheated or oppressed us,’ they replied. ‘You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.’


text:
<pb/>Samuel said to them, ‘The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.’ <pb/>‘He is witness,’ they said.


text:
<pb/>Then Samuel said to the people, ‘It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt.


text:
Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before the LORD as to all the righteous acts performed by the LORD for you and your ancestors.


text:
<pb/>‘After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the LORD for help, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.


text:
<pb/>‘But they forgot the LORD their God; so he sold them into the hands of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.


text:
They cried out to the LORD and said, “We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.”


text:
Then the LORD sent Jerub-Baal, <f>[28]</f> Barak, <f>[29]</f> Jephthah and Samuel, <f>[30]</f> and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.


text:
<pb/>‘But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, “No, we want a king to rule over us” — even though the LORD your God was your king.


text:
If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God — good!


text:
But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.


text:
Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realise what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king.’


text:
<pb/>Then Samuel called on the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel.


text:
<pb/>The people all said to Samuel, ‘Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.’


text:
<pb/>‘Do not be afraid,’ Samuel replied. ‘You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.


text:
Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.


text:
For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own.


text:
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.


text:
But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.


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<pb/>Saul was thirty <f>[31]</f> years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for forty- <f>[32]</f> two years.


text:
<pb/>Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.


text:
<pb/>Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, ‘Let the Hebrews hear!’


text:
So all Israel heard the news: ‘Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.’ And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.


text:
<pb/>The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand <f>[33]</f> chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven.


text:
When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.


text:
Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. <pb/>Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.


text:
He waited for seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter.


text:
So he said, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.’ And Saul offered up the burnt offering.


text:
<pb/>‘What have you done?’ asked Samuel. <pb/>Saul replied, ‘When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,


text:
I thought, “Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favour.” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.’


text:
<pb/>‘You have done a foolish thing,’ Samuel said. ‘You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.


text:
But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.’


text:
<pb/>Then Samuel left Gilgal <f>[34]</f> and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.


text:
<pb/>Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah <f>[35]</f> of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.


text:
Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned towards Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual,


text:
another towards Beth Horon, and the third towards the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim facing the wilderness.


text:
<pb/>Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, ‘Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!’


text:
So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their ploughshares, mattocks, axes and sickles <f>[36]</f> sharpened.


text:
The price was two-thirds of a shekel <f>[37]</f> for sharpening ploughshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel <f>[38]</f> for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.


text:
<pb/>So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.


text:
<pb/>One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armour-bearer, ‘Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.’ But he did not tell his father.


text:
<pb/>Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men,


text:
among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’s priest in Shiloh. No-one was aware that Jonathan had left.


text:
<pb/>On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh.


text:
<pb/>Jonathan said to his young armour-bearer, ‘Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.’


text:
<pb/>‘Do all that you have in mind,’ his armour-bearer said. ‘Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.’


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If they say to us, “Wait there until we come to you,” we will stay where we are and not go up to them.


text:
But if they say, “Come up to us,” we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands.’


text:
<pb/>So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. ‘Look!’ said the Philistines. ‘The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.’


text:
The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, ‘Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.’ <pb/>So Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, ‘Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.’


text:
<pb/>Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armour-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armour-bearer followed and killed behind him.


text:
In that first attack Jonathan and his armour-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. <f>[39]</f>


text:
<pb/>Then panic struck the whole army — those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties — and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God. <f>[40]</f>


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Then Saul said to the men who were with him, ‘Muster the forces and see who has left us.’ When they did, it was Jonathan and his armour-bearer who were not there.


text:
<pb/>Saul said to Ahijah, ‘Bring the ark of God.’ (At that time it was with the Israelites.) <f>[41]</f>


text:
While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, ‘Withdraw your hand.’


text:
<pb/>Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords.


text:
Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.


text:
When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit.


text:
<pb/>Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!’ So none of the troops tasted food.


text:
When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no-one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.


text:
But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. <f>[42]</f>


text:
Then one of the soldiers told him, ‘Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food today!” That is why the men are faint.’


text:
<pb/>Jonathan said, ‘My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey.


text:
How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?’


text:
<pb/>That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted.


text:
They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.


text:
Then someone said to Saul, ‘Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that has blood in it.’ <pb/>‘You have broken faith,’ he said. ‘Roll a large stone over here at once.’


text:
Then he said, ‘Go out among the men and tell them, “Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.” ’ <pb/>So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there.


text:
<pb/>Saul said, ‘Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.’ <pb/>‘Do whatever seems best to you,’ they replied. <pb/>But the priest said, ‘Let us enquire of God here.’


text:
<pb/>So Saul asked God, ‘Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?’ But God did not answer him that day.


text:
<pb/>Saul therefore said, ‘Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today.


text:
As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.’ But not one of them said a word.


text:
<pb/>Saul then said to all the Israelites, ‘You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.’ <pb/>‘Do what seems best to you,’ they replied.


text:
<pb/>Then Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, <f>[43]</f> respond with Thummim.’ Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared.


text:
<pb/>Then Saul said to Jonathan, ‘Tell me what you have done.’ <pb/>So Jonathan told him, ‘I tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now I must die!’


text:
<pb/>But the men said to Saul, ‘Should Jonathan die — he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.’ So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.


text:
<pb/>After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings <f>[44]</f> of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. <f>[45]</f>


text:
He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.


text:
<pb/>Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his elder daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal.


text:
His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle.


text:
<pb/>All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.


text:
<pb/>Samuel said to Saul, ‘I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD.


text:
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt.


text:
Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy <f>[46]</f> all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” ’


text:
<pb/>So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim — two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah.


text:
Then he said to the Kenites, ‘Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.’ So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.


text:
<pb/>Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt.


text:
But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves <f>[47]</f> and lambs — everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.


text:
‘I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.’ Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.


text:
<pb/>Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, ‘Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honour and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.’


text:
<pb/>When Samuel reached him, Saul said, ‘The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.’


text:
<pb/>But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?’


text:
<pb/>Saul answered, ‘The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.’


text:
<pb/>‘Enough!’ Samuel said to Saul. ‘Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.’ <pb/>‘Tell me,’ Saul replied.


text:
<pb/>Samuel said, ‘Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.


text:
And he sent you on a mission, saying, “Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.”


text:
Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?’


text:
<pb/>‘But I did obey the LORD,’ Saul said. ‘I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.


text:
The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.’


text:
<pb/>But Samuel replied: <pb/><t>‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices </t><t>as much as in obeying the LORD? </t><t>To obey is better than sacrifice, </t><t>and to heed is better than the fat of rams. </t>


text:
<t>For rebellion is like the sin of divination, </t><t>and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. </t><t>Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, </t><t>he has rejected you as king.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.


text:
<pb/>But Samuel said to him, ‘I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!’


text:
Samuel said to him, ‘The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbours — to one better than you.


text:
He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.’


text:
<pb/>Saul replied, ‘I have sinned. But please honour me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.’


text:
<pb/>Then Samuel said, ‘Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.’ <pb/>Agag came to him in chains. <f>[48]</f> And he thought, ‘Surely the bitterness of death is past.’


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<pb/>But Samuel said, <pb/><t>‘As your sword has made women childless, </t><t>so will your mother be childless among women.’ </t> <pb/>And Samuel put Agag to death before the LORD at Gilgal.


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Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.


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<pb/>The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’


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<pb/>But Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.’ <pb/>The LORD said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.”


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Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.’


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<pb/>Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, ‘Do you come in peace?’


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<pb/>Samuel replied, ‘Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.


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<pb/>When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.’


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<pb/>But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’


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<pb/>Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, ‘The LORD has not chosen this one either.’


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Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, ‘The LORD has not chosen these.’


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So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ <pb/>‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep.’ <pb/>Samuel said, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’


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<pb/>So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. <pb/>Then the LORD said, ‘Rise and anoint him; this is the one.’


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<pb/>So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.


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<pb/>Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil <f>[49]</f> spirit from the LORD tormented him.


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Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.’


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<pb/>One of the servants answered, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him.’


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So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.


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<pb/>David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armour-bearers.


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Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, ‘Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.’


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<pb/>Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.


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<pb/>Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah.


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Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.


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<pb/>A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. <f>[50]</f>


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He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armour of bronze weighing five thousand shekels <f>[51]</f>;


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His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. <f>[52]</f> His shield-bearer went ahead of him.


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<pb/>Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and let him come down to me.


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If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.’


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Then the Philistine said, ‘This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.’


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<pb/>Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old.


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Jesse’s three eldest sons had followed Saul to the war: the firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah.


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<pb/>Now Jesse said to his son David, ‘Take this ephah <f>[53]</f> of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.


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Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance <f>[54]</f> from them.


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They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.’


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<pb/>Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.


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David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were.


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As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.


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<pb/>Now the Israelites had been saying, ‘Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.’


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<pb/>David asked the men standing near him, ‘What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’


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<pb/>They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, ‘This is what will be done for the man who kills him.’


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<pb/>When Eliab, David’s eldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, ‘Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.’


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He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.


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<pb/>David said to Saul, ‘Let no-one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’


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<pb/>Saul replied, ‘You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’


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<pb/>But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,


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I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.


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Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.


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The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.’ <pb/>Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the LORD be with you.’


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<pb/>Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armour on him and a bronze helmet on his head.


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David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. <pb/>‘I cannot go in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not used to them.’ So he took them off.


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Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.


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<pb/>Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield-bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David.


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He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him.


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He said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.


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<pb/>David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.


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This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.


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All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.’


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<pb/>As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet him.


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Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.


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<pb/>So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.


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<pb/>David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. <pb/>When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.


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Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath <f>[55]</f> and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.


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<pb/>David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.


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<pb/>As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, ‘Abner, whose son is that young man?’ <pb/>Abner replied, ‘As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.’


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<pb/>As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head.


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<pb/>‘Whose son are you, young man?’ Saul asked him. <pb/>David said, ‘I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.’


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<pb/>After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.


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Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.


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<pb/>Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.


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<pb/>When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lyres.


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As they danced, they sang: <pb/><t>‘Saul has slain his thousands, </t><t>and David his tens of thousands.’ </t>


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<pb/>Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. ‘They have credited David with tens of thousands,’ he thought, ‘but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?’


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<pb/>The next day an evil <f>[56]</f> spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand


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So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns.


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<pb/>Saul said to David, ‘Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD.’ For Saul said to himself, ‘I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!’


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<pb/>But David said to Saul, ‘Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?’


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So <f>[57]</f> when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.


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<pb/>Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.


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‘I will give her to him,’ he thought, ‘so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.’


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<pb/>Then Saul ordered his attendants: ‘Speak to David privately and say, “Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.” ’


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<pb/>They repeated these words to David. But David said, ‘Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.’


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Saul replied, ‘Say to David, “The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.” ’ Saul’s plan was for David to fall by the hands of the Philistines.


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<pb/>When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,


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David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.


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<pb/>The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.


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<pb/>Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David


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and warned him, ‘My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.


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I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.’


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<pb/>Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, ‘Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.


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He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The LORD won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?’


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<pb/>Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: ‘As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.’


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<pb/>So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.


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<pb/>Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.


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<pb/>But an evil <f>[58]</f> spirit from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre,


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Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.


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<pb/>Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, ‘If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.’


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Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.


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<pb/>Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, ‘Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.’


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<pb/>Saul said to Michal, ‘Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?’ <pb/>Michal told him, ‘He said to me, “Let me get away. Why should I kill you?” ’


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<pb/>When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.


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so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.


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Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied.


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Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, ‘Where are Samuel and David?’ <pb/>‘Over in Naioth at Ramah,’ they said.


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<pb/>So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth.


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He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’


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<pb/>Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, ‘What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?’


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<pb/>‘Never!’ Jonathan replied. ‘You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why should he hide this from me? It isn’t so!’


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<pb/>But David took an oath and said, ‘Your father knows very well that I have found favour in your eyes, and he has said to himself, “Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.” Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.’


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<pb/>So David said, ‘Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast, and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow.


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If your father misses me at all, tell him, “David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his home town, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.”


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If he says, “Very well,” then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me.


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As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the LORD. If I am guilty, then kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?’


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<pb/>‘Never!’ Jonathan said. ‘If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?’


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<pb/>Then Jonathan said to David, ‘I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favourably disposed towards you, will I not send you word and let you know?


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But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.


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But show me unfailing kindness like the LORD’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed,


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and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family — not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.’


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<pb/>So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘May the LORD call David’s enemies to account.’


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And Jonathan made David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.


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<pb/>Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.


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The day after tomorrow, towards evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel.


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Then I will send a boy and say, “Go, find the arrows.” If I say to him, “Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,” then come, because, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe; there is no danger.


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But if I say to the boy, “Look, the arrows are beyond you,” then you must go, because the LORD has sent you away.


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And about the matter you and I discussed — remember, the LORD is witness between you and me for ever.’


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He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, <f>[59]</f> and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.


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Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, ‘Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean — surely he is unclean.’


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But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, ‘Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?’


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He said, “Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favour in your eyes, let me go to see my brothers.” That is why he has not come to the king’s table.’


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<pb/>Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, ‘You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you?


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As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!’


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But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.


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<pb/>Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.


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<pb/>In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him,


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and he said to the boy, ‘Run and find the arrows I shoot.’ As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.


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When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, ‘Isn’t the arrow beyond you?’


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Then he shouted, ‘Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!’ The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.


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<pb/>After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together — but David wept the most.


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<pb/>Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, “The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants for ever.” ’ Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. <f>[60]</f>


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<pb/> <f>[61]</f> <n>[1]</n> David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, ‘Why are you alone? Why is no-one with you?’


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<pb/>David answered Ahimelek the priest, ‘The king sent me on a mission and said to me, “No-one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.” As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place.


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<pb/>But the priest answered David, ‘I don’t have any ordinary bread to hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here — provided the men have kept themselves from women.’


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<pb/>David replied, ‘Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever <f>[62]</f> I set out. The men’s bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!’


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So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.


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<pb/>Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief shepherd.


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<pb/>David asked Ahimelek, ‘Don’t you have a spear or sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s mission was urgent.’


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<pb/>The priest replied, ‘The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.’ <pb/>David said, ‘There is none like it; give it to me.’


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But the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: <pb/><t>‘ “Saul has slain his thousands, </t><t>and David his tens of thousands”?’ </t>


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So he feigned insanity in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.


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Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?’


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<pb/>David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.


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All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered round him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.


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<pb/>From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, ‘Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?’


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So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.


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<pb/>But the prophet Gad said to David, ‘Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.’ So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.


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<pb/>Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated, spear in hand, under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side.


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He said to them, ‘Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?


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Is that why you have all conspired against me? No-one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.’


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<pb/>But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, ‘I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub at Nob.


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Ahimelek enquired of the LORD for him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.’


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<pb/>Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelek son of Ahitub and all the men of his family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king.


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<pb/>Saul said to him, ‘Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and enquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?’


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<pb/>Ahimelek answered the king, ‘Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household?


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Was that day the first time I enquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.’


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<pb/>Then the king ordered the guards at his side: ‘Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.’ <pb/>But the king’s officials were unwilling to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.


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<pb/>The king then ordered Doeg, ‘You turn and strike down the priests.’ So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.


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He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.


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Then David said to Abiathar, ‘That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family.


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Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.’


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<pb/>When David was told, ‘Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing-floors,’


text:
he enquired of the LORD, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’ <pb/>The LORD answered him, ‘Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.’


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<pb/>But David’s men said to him, ‘Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!’


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<pb/>Once again David enquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, ‘Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.’


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So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.


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<pb/>Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, ‘God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.’


text:
<pb/>When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Bring the ephod.’


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David said, ‘LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me.


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Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.’ <pb/>And the LORD said, ‘He will.’


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<pb/>Again David asked, ‘Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?’ <pb/>And the LORD said, ‘They will.’


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<pb/>So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.


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<pb/>David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.


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<pb/>While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that <f>[63]</f> Saul had come out to take his life.


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‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said. ‘My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You shall be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.’


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The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.


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<pb/>The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?


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Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.’


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Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.


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Find out about all the hiding-places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.’


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<pb/>So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.


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Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.


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<pb/>Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,


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Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. <f>[64]</f>


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<pb/> <f>[66]</f> <n>[1]</n> After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the Desert of En Gedi.’


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So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.


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<pb/>He came to the sheepfolds along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.


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The men said, ‘This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said <f>[67]</f> to you, “I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.” ’ Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.


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He said to his men, ‘The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.’


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With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.


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<pb/>Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, ‘My lord the king!’ When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.


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This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD gave you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, “I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.”


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See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.


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May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.


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May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.’


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<pb/>When David finished saying this, Saul asked, ‘Is that your voice, David my son?’ And he wept aloud.


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You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD gave me into your hands, but you did not kill me.


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When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.


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I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.


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Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.’


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<pb/>So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.


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<pb/>Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran. <f>[68]</f>


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<pb/>A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel.


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His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings — he was a Calebite.


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Say to him: “Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!


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<pb/>‘ “Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not ill-treat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing.


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Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favourable towards my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.” ’


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<pb/>Nabal answered David’s servants, ‘Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days.


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Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?’


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David said to his men, ‘Each of you strap on your sword!’ So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.


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<pb/>One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, ‘David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.


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Yet these men were very good to us. They did not ill-treat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.


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Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no-one can talk to him.’


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<pb/>Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs <f>[69]</f> of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.


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<pb/>As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending towards her, and she met them.


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David had just said, ‘It’s been useless — all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good.


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May God deal with David, <f>[70]</f> be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!’


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<pb/>When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.


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She fell at his feet and said: ‘Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say.


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Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name — his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent.


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And now, my lord, as surely as the LORD your God lives and as you live, since the LORD has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.


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<pb/>‘Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The LORD your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the LORD’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live.


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Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling.


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When the LORD has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel,


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my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.’


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<pb/>David said to Abigail, ‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me.


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May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.


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Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.’


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<pb/>Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought to him and said, ‘Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.’


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<pb/>When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak.


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Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.


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<pb/>When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, ‘Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.’ <pb/>Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.


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His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, ‘David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.’


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<pb/>She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, ‘I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.’


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Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife.


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But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel <f>[71]</f> son of Laish, who was from Gallim.


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<pb/>The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?’


text:
<pb/>So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David.


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Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there,


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<pb/>Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army camped around him.


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<pb/>David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, ‘Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?’ <pb/>‘I’ll go with you,’ said Abishai.


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<pb/>So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying round him.


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<pb/>Abishai said to David, ‘Today God has given your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.’


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<pb/>But David said to Abishai, ‘Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?


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As surely as the LORD lives,’ he said, ‘the LORD himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.


text:
But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.’


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<pb/>So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No-one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.


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<pb/>Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them.


text:
He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, ‘Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?’ <pb/>Abner replied, ‘Who are you who calls to the king?’


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<pb/>David said, ‘You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king.


text:
What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?’


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<pb/>Saul recognised David’s voice and said, ‘Is that your voice, David my son?’ <pb/>David replied, ‘Yes it is, my lord the king.’


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And he added, ‘Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of?


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Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have driven me today from my share in the LORD’s inheritance and have said, “Go, serve other gods.”


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Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea — as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.’


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<pb/>Then Saul said, ‘I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.’


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The LORD rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD gave you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed.


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As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble.’


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<pb/>Then Saul said to David, ‘May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.’ <pb/>So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.


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<pb/>But David thought to himself, ‘One of these days I shall be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.’


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<pb/>So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok king of Gath.


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David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.


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<pb/>Then David said to Achish, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?’


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<pb/>Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.)


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Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.


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<pb/>When Achish asked, ‘Where did you go raiding today?’ David would say, ‘Against the Negev of Judah’ or ‘Against the Negev of Jerahmeel’ or ‘Against the Negev of the Kenites.’


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He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, ‘They might inform on us and say, “This is what David did.” ’ And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory.


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Achish trusted David and said to himself, ‘He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.’


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<pb/>In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, ‘You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.’


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<pb/>David said, ‘Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.’ <pb/>Achish replied, ‘Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.’


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<pb/>Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.


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<pb/>The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.


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Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go and enquire of her.’ <pb/>‘There is one in Endor,’ they said.


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<pb/>So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. ‘Consult a spirit for me,’ he said, ‘and bring up for me the one I name.’


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<pb/>But the woman said to him, ‘Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?’


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<pb/>Saul swore to her by the LORD, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this.’


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<pb/>When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’


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<pb/>The king said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. What do you see?’ <pb/>The woman said, ‘I see a ghostly figure <f>[72]</f> coming up out of the earth.’


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<pb/>‘What does he look like?’ he asked. <pb/>‘An old man wearing a robe is coming up,’ she said. <pb/>Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.


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<pb/>Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ <pb/>‘I am in great distress,’ Saul said. ‘The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.’


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<pb/>Samuel said, ‘Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has departed from you and become your enemy?


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The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbours — to David.


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Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today.


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The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.’


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<pb/>Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.


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<pb/>When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, ‘Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.


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Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so that you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.’


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<pb/>He refused and said, ‘I will not eat.’ <pb/>But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.


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<pb/>The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she slaughtered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast.


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<pb/>The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.


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As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.


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The commanders of the Philistines asked, ‘What about these Hebrews?’ <pb/>Achish replied, ‘Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.’


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<pb/>But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, ‘Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favour than by taking the heads of our own men?


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Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: <pb/><t>‘ “Saul has slain his thousands, </t><t>and David his tens of thousands”?’ </t>


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<pb/>So Achish called David and said to him, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased for you to serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you.


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<pb/>‘But what have I done?’ asked David. ‘What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?’


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<pb/>Achish answered, ‘I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, “He must not go up with us into battle.”


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Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.’


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<pb/>So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.


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<pb/>David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it,


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and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.


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<pb/>When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.


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David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.


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<pb/>Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, ‘Bring me the ephod.’ Abiathar brought it to him,


text:
and David enquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?’ <pb/>‘Pursue them,’ he answered. ‘You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.’


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Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.


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<pb/>They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat —


text:
part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.


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<pb/>David asked him, ‘Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?’ <pb/>He said, ‘I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago.


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We raided the Negev of the Kerethites, some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag.’


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<pb/>David asked him, ‘Can you lead me down to this raiding party?’ <pb/>He answered, ‘Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them.’


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<pb/>He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and revelling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah.


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David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.


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Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.


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He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, ‘This is David’s plunder.’


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<pb/>Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were.


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But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, ‘Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.’


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<pb/>David replied, ‘No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us.


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Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All shall share alike.’


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<pb/>When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, ‘Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.’


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<pb/>Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa.


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The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.


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The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.


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<pb/>Saul said to his armour-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.’ <pb/>But the armour-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.


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<pb/>When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.


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<pb/>The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.


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They cut off his head and stripped off his armour, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people.


text:
all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them.


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Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.


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<pb/>After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.


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On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honour.


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<pb/>‘Where have you come from?’ David asked him. <pb/>He answered, ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp.’


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<pb/>‘What happened?’ David asked. ‘Tell me.’ <pb/>‘The men fled from the battle,’ he replied. ‘Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.’


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<pb/>Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’


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<pb/>‘I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,’ the young man said, ‘and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit.


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<pb/>‘Then he said to me, “Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.”


text:
<pb/>‘So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.’


text:
They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.


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<pb/>David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘Where are you from?’ <pb/>‘I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,’ he answered.


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<pb/>Then David called one of his men and said, ‘Go, strike him down!’ So he struck him down, and he died.


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For David had said to him, ‘Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, “I killed the LORD’s anointed.” ’


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and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):


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<pb/><t>‘A gazelle <f>[1]</f> lies slain on your heights, Israel. </t><t>How the mighty have fallen! <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘Tell it not in Gath, </t><t>proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, </t><t>lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, </t><t>lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘Mountains of Gilboa, </t><t>may you have neither dew nor rain, </t><t>may no showers fall on your terraced fields. <f>[2]</f> </t><t>For there the shield of the mighty was despised, </t><t>the shield of Saul — no longer rubbed with oil. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘From the blood of the slain, </t><t>from the flesh of the mighty, </t><t>the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, </t><t>the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. </t>


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<t>Saul and Jonathan — </t><t>in life they were loved and admired, </t><t>and in death they were not parted. </t><t>They were swifter than eagles, </t><t>they were stronger than lions. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘Daughters of Israel, </t><t>weep for Saul, </t><t>who clothed you in scarlet and finery, </t><t>who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. <pb/> </t>


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<t>I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; </t><t>you were very dear to me. </t><t>Your love for me was wonderful, </t><t>more wonderful than that of women. <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>In the course of time, David enquired of the LORD. ‘Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?’ he asked. <pb/>The LORD said, ‘Go up.’ <pb/>David asked, ‘Where shall I go?’ <pb/>‘To Hebron,’ the LORD answered.


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<pb/>So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.


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David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.


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Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. <pb/>When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul,


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he sent messengers to them to say to them, ‘The LORD bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him.


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May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favour because you have done this.


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Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.’


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<pb/>Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.


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<pb/>Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.


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<pb/>Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.


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Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.


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<pb/>Then Abner said to Joab, ‘Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.’ <pb/>‘All right, let them do it,’ Joab said.


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<pb/>So they stood up and were counted — twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.


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Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim. <f>[3]</f>


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<pb/>The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.


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<pb/>The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.


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<pb/>Then Abner said to him, ‘Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.’ But Asahel would not stop chasing him.


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<pb/>Again Abner warned Asahel, ‘Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?’


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<pb/>But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.


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<pb/>But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.


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Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.


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<pb/>Abner called out to Joab, ‘Must the sword devour for ever? Don’t you realise that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?’


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<pb/>Joab answered, ‘As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.’


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<pb/>So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.


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<pb/>All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours <f>[4]</f> and came to Mahanaim.


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<pb/>Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.


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They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.


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<pb/>The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.


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<pb/><t>Sons were born to David in Hebron: <pb/>his firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; <pb/> </t>


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<t>his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; <pb/>the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; <pb/>the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; <pb/> </t>


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<t>and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah. <pb/>These were born to David in Hebron. </t>


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<pb/>During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul.


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Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, ‘Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?’


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<pb/>Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, ‘Am I a dog’s head — on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offence involving this woman!


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May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oath


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and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.’


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<pb/>Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, ‘Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.’


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<pb/>‘Good,’ said David. ‘I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.’


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Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, ‘Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.’


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Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, ‘Go back home!’ So he went back.


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<pb/>Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, ‘For some time you have wanted to make David your king.


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Now do it! For the LORD promised David, “By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.” ’


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<pb/>Abner also spoke to the Benjaminites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do.


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When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men.


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Then Abner said to David, ‘Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.’ So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.


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<pb/>Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.


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When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.


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<pb/>So Joab went to the king and said, ‘What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone!


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You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.’


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<pb/>Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it.


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Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.


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<pb/>Later, when David heard about this, he said, ‘I and my kingdom are for ever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.


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May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy <f>[5]</f> or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.’


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<pb/>(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle of Gibeon.)


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<pb/>Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, ‘Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.’ King David himself walked behind the bier.


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<t>Your hands were not bound, </t><t>your feet were not fettered. </t><t>You fell as one falls before the wicked.’ </t> <pb/>And all the people wept over him again.


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<pb/>Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, ‘May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!’


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So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.


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<pb/>Then the king said to his men, ‘Do you not realise that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?


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And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!’


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<pb/>When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.


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Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin — Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin,


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<pb/>(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)


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<pb/>Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.


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They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.


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<pb/>They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they travelled all night by way of the Arabah.


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They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, ‘Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the LORD has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.’


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<pb/>David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble,


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when someone told me, “Saul is dead,” and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!


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How much more — when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed — should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!’


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<pb/>So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.


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In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, “You shall shepherd my people Israel, and you shall become their ruler.” ’


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<pb/>When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.


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In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.


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<pb/>The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, ‘You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.’ They thought, ‘David cannot get in here.’


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<pb/>On that day David had said, ‘Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those “lame and blind” who are David’s enemies. <f>[6]</f>’ That is why they say, ‘The “blind and lame” will not enter the palace.’


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<pb/>David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces <f>[7]</f> inwards.


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<pb/>Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.


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Then David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.


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<pb/>After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.


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<pb/>When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.


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so David enquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?’ <pb/>The LORD answered him, ‘Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.’


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<pb/>So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, ‘As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me.’ So that place was called Baal Perazim. <f>[8]</f>


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so David enquired of the LORD, and he answered, ‘Do not go straight up, but circle round behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.


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As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.’


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So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon <f>[9]</f> to Gezer.


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He and all his men went to Baalah <f>[10]</f> in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, <f>[11]</f> the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark.


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They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart


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David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, <f>[13]</f> harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.


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<pb/>When they came to the threshing-floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.


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The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.


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<pb/>Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. <f>[14]</f>


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He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.


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The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.


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<pb/>Now King David was told, ‘The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.’ So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.


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When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.


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<pb/>As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.


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<pb/>They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD.


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After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty.


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Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.


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<pb/>When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, ‘How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!’


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<pb/>David said to Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel — I will celebrate before the LORD.


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I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honour.’


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<pb/>After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him,


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he said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.’


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<pb/>Nathan replied to the king, ‘Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you.’


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<pb/>‘Go and tell my servant David, “This is what the LORD says: are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?


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I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling.


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Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ ”


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<pb/>‘Now then, tell my servant David, “This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.


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I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.


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And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people shall not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning


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and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders <f>[15]</f> over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. <pb/>‘ “The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you:


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when your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.


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He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.


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I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.


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But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.


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Your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me <f>[16]</f>; your throne shall be established for ever.” ’


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<pb/>Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: <pb/>‘Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?


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And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant — and this decree, Sovereign LORD, is for a mere human! <f>[17]</f>


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For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.


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<pb/>‘How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no-one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.


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And who is like your people Israel — the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? <f>[18]</f>


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You have established your people Israel as your very own for ever, and you, LORD, have become their God.


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<pb/>‘And now, LORD God, keep for ever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised,


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so that your name will be great for ever. Then people will say, “The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!” And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.


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<pb/>‘LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, “I will build a house for you.” So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.


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Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.


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Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever in your sight; for you, Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed for ever.’


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<pb/>In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.


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<pb/>David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.


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<pb/>Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at <f>[19]</f> the River Euphrates.


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David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers <f>[20]</f> and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.


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<pb/>When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.


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He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.


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<pb/>David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.


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From Tebah <f>[21]</f> and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.


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<pb/>When Tou <f>[22]</f> king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,


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he sent his son Joram <f>[23]</f> to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.


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<pb/>King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued:


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Edom <f>[24]</f> and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.


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<pb/>And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites <f>[25]</f> in the Valley of Salt.


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<pb/>He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.


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Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests. <f>[26]</f>


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<pb/>David asked, ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’


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<pb/>Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, ‘Are you Ziba?’ <pb/>‘At your service,’ he replied.


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<pb/>The king asked, ‘Is there no-one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?’ <pb/>Ziba answered the king, ‘There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.’


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<pb/>‘Where is he?’ the king asked. <pb/>Ziba answered, ‘He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.’


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<pb/>When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honour. <pb/>David said, ‘Mephibosheth!’ <pb/>‘At your service,’ he replied.


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<pb/>‘Don’t be afraid,’ David said to him, ‘for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’


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<pb/>Mephibosheth bowed down and said, ‘What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?’


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<pb/>Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, ‘I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.


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You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.’ (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)


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<pb/>Then Ziba said to the king, ‘Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.’ So Mephibosheth ate at David’s <f>[27]</f> table like one of the king’s sons.


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<pb/>Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth.


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And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.


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<pb/>In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king.


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David thought, ‘I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.’ So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. <pb/>When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites,


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the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think David is honouring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?’


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So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.


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<pb/>When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, ‘Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.’


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<pb/>When the Ammonites realised that they had become obnoxious to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.


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The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.


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<pb/>Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.


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He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites.


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Joab said, ‘If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you.


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Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight.’


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When the Ammonites realised that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.


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Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the River Euphrates; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.


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<pb/>When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him.


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But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. <f>[28]</f> He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there.


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When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them. <pb/>So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.


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<pb/>In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.


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<pb/>One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman washing. The woman was very beautiful,


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and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, ‘She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’


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Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.


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When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going.


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Then David said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house and wash your feet.’ So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him.


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But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.


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<pb/>David was told, ‘Uriah did not go home.’ So he asked Uriah, ‘Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?’


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<pb/>Uriah said to David, ‘The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, <f>[29]</f> and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!’


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<pb/>Then David said to him, ‘Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.’ So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.


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At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.


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In it he wrote, ‘Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so that he will be struck down and die.’


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<pb/>So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were.


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When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.


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the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, “Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall?


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Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth <f>[30]</f>? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?” If he asks you this, then say to him, “Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.” ’


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The messenger said to David, ‘The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate.


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Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’


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<pb/>David told the messenger, ‘Say this to Joab: “Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.” Say this to encourage Joab.’


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After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.


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<pb/>The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, ‘There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.


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but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.


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<pb/>‘Now a traveller came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveller who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.’


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<pb/>David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die!


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<pb/>Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.


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I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.


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Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.


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Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.”


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<pb/>‘This is what the LORD says: “Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight.


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<pb/>Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ <pb/>Nathan replied, ‘The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.


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But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for <f>[31]</f> the LORD, the son born to you will die.’


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<pb/>After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.


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David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth <f>[32]</f> on the ground.


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The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.


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<pb/>On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, ‘While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.’


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<pb/>David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realised that the child was dead. ‘Is the child dead?’ he asked. <pb/>‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘he is dead.’


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<pb/>Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.


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<pb/>His attendants asked him, ‘Why are you acting in this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!’


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<pb/>He answered, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, “Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.”


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But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.’


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<pb/>Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;


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and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. <f>[33]</f>


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Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, ‘I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.


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Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I shall take the city, and it will be named after me.’


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David took the crown from their king’s <f>[34]</f> head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent <f>[35]</f> of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city


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and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labour with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. <f>[36]</f> David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.


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<pb/>In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.


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<pb/>Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.


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<pb/>Now Amnon had an advisor named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man.


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He asked Amnon, ‘Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?’ <pb/>Amnon said to him, ‘I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.’


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<pb/>‘Go to bed and pretend to be ill,’ Jonadab said. ‘When your father comes to see you, say to him, “I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so that I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.” ’


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<pb/>So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.’


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<pb/>David sent word to Tamar at the palace: ‘Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.’


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So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it.


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Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat. <pb/>‘Send everyone out of here,’ Amnon said. So everyone left him.


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Then Amnon said to Tamar, ‘Bring the food here into my bedroom so that I may eat from your hand.’ And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.


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<pb/>‘No, my brother!’ she said to him. ‘Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing.


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What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.’


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<pb/>Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, ‘Get up and get out!’


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<pb/>‘No!’ she said to him. ‘Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.’ <pb/>But he refused to listen to her.


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He called his personal servant and said, ‘Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.’


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So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate <f>[37]</f> robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore.


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Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.


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<pb/>Her brother Absalom said to her, ‘Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.’ And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman.


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And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.


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<pb/>Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep-shearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there.


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Absalom went to the king and said, ‘Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his attendants please join me?’


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<pb/>‘No, my son,’ the king replied. ‘All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you.’ Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go but gave him his blessing.


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<pb/>Then Absalom said, ‘If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us.’ <pb/>The king asked him, ‘Why should he go with you?’


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<pb/>Absalom ordered his men, ‘Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, “Strike Amnon down,” then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.’


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So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.


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<pb/>While they were on their way, the report came to David: ‘Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left.’


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The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his attendants stood by with their clothes torn.


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<pb/>But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, ‘My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s express intention ever since the day that Amnon raped his sister Tamar.


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My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.’


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<pb/>Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. <pb/>Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, ‘I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill.’ <f>[38]</f>


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<pb/>Jonadab said to the king, ‘See, the king’s sons have come; it has happened just as your servant said.’


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<pb/>As he finished speaking, the king’s sons came in, wailing loudly. The king, too, and all his attendants wept very bitterly.


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<pb/>Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned many days for his son.


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So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, ‘Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead.


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<pb/>When the woman from Tekoa went <f>[39]</f> to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honour, and she said, ‘Help me, Your Majesty!’


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I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no-one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him.


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Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, “Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.” They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.’


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<pb/>But the woman from Tekoa said to him, ‘Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt.’


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<pb/>The king replied, ‘If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.’


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<pb/>She said, ‘Then let the king invoke the LORD his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son shall not be destroyed.’ <pb/>‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ he said, ‘not one hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.’


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<pb/>Then the woman said, ‘Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.’ <pb/>‘Speak,’ he replied.


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<pb/>The woman said, ‘Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son?


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Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.


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<pb/>‘And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, “I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request.


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Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.”


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<pb/>‘And now your servant says, “May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the LORD your God be with you.” ’


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<pb/>Then the king said to the woman, ‘Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.’ <pb/>‘Let my lord the king speak,’ the woman said.


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<pb/>The king asked, ‘Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all this?’ <pb/>The woman answered, ‘As surely as you live, my lord the king, no-one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant.


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Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God — he knows everything that happens in the land.’


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<pb/>Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honour, and he blessed the king. Joab said, ‘Today your servant knows that he has found favour in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.’


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But the king said, ‘He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.’ So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.


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<pb/>In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.


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Whenever he cut the hair of his head — he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him — he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels <f>[40]</f> by the royal standard.


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<pb/>Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.


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Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come.


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Then he said to his servants, ‘Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.’ So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.


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<pb/>Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house, and he said to him, ‘Why have your servants set my field on fire?’


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<pb/>Absalom said to Joab, ‘Look, I sent word to you and said, “Come here so that I can send you to the king to ask, ‘Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!’ ” Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.’


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<pb/>So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.


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<pb/>In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.


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He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, ‘What town are you from?’ He would answer, ‘Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.’


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Then Absalom would say to him, ‘Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.’


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And Absalom would add, ‘If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.’


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<pb/>Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.


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Absalom behaved in this way towards all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.


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<pb/>At the end of four <f>[41]</f> years, Absalom said to the king, ‘Let me go to Hebron and fulfil a vow I made to the LORD.


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While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: “If the LORD takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron. <f>[42]</f>” ’


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<pb/>Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, ‘As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, “Absalom is king in Hebron.” ’


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Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter.


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While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, to come from Giloh, his home town. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.


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<pb/>Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.’


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<pb/>The king’s officials answered him, ‘Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.’


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<pb/>The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace.


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All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.


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<pb/>The king said to Ittai the Gittite, ‘Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.


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You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness.’ <f>[43]</f>


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<pb/>But Ittai replied to the king, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.’


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<pb/>David said to Ittai, ‘Go ahead, march on.’ So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.


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<pb/>The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on towards the wilderness.


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<pb/>Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.


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<pb/>Then the king said to Zadok, ‘Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favour in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling-place again.


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But if he says, “I am not pleased with you,” then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.’


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<pb/>The king also said to Zadok the priest, ‘Do you understand? Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You and Abiathar return with your two sons.


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<pb/>But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.


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Now David had been told, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’ So David prayed, ‘LORD, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.’


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<pb/>When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head.


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But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, “Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,” then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice.


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Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace.


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Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.’


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<pb/>When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.


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<pb/>The king asked Ziba, ‘Why have you brought these?’ <pb/>Ziba answered, ‘The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.’


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<pb/>The king then asked, ‘Where is your master’s grandson?’ <pb/>Ziba said to him, ‘He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, “Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.” ’


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<pb/>Then the king said to Ziba, ‘All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.’ <pb/>‘I humbly bow,’ Ziba said. ‘May I find favour in your eyes, my lord the king.’


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<pb/>As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.


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He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left.


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The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!’


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<pb/>Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.’


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<pb/>But the king said, ‘What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, “Curse David,” who can ask, “Why do you do this?” ’


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<pb/>David then said to Abishai and all his officials, ‘My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjaminite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.


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It may be that the LORD will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.’


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<pb/>So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt.


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The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.


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Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, ‘Long live the king! Long live the king!’


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<pb/>Absalom said to Hushai, ‘So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?’


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<pb/>Hushai said to Absalom, ‘No, the one chosen by the LORD, by these people, and by all the men of Israel — his I will be, and I will remain with him.


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Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.’


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<pb/>Ahithophel answered, ‘Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.’


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So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.


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<pb/>Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who enquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.


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<pb/>Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘I would <f>[44]</f> choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.


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I 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


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and 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.’


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<pb/>But Absalom said, ‘Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so that we can hear what he has to say as well.’


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When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, ‘Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.’


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You 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.


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Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, <f>[45]</f> whoever hears about it will say, “There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.”


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Then 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.


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<pb/>‘So I advise you: let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba — as numerous as the sand on the seashore — be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle.


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Then 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.


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If 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.’


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<pb/>Absalom and all the men of Israel said, ‘The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.’ For the LORD had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.


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<pb/>Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, ‘Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so.


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Now send a message at once and tell David, “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.” ’


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<pb/>Jonathan 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.


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But 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.


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His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered corn over it. No-one knew anything about it.


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<pb/>When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, ‘Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?’ <pb/>The woman answered them, ‘They crossed over the brook.’ <f>[46]</f> The men searched but found no-one, so they returned to Jerusalem.


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<pb/>After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, ‘Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.’


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So 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.


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<pb/>When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his home town. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.


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Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether, <f>[47]</f> an Ishmaelite <f>[48]</f> who had married Abigail, <f>[49]</f> the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.


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<pb/>When 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


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brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, <f>[50]</f>


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honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, ‘The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.’


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<pb/>David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.


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David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, ‘I myself will surely march out with you.’


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<pb/>But the men said, ‘You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. <f>[51]</f> It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.’


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<pb/>The king answered, ‘I will do whatever seems best to you.’ <pb/>So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands.


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The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, ‘Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.’ And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.


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<pb/>David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.


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There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great — twenty thousand men.


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The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.


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<pb/>Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in mid-air, while the mule he was riding kept on going.


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<pb/>When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, ‘I have just seen Absalom hanging in an oak tree.’


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<pb/>Joab said to the man who had told him this, ‘What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels <f>[52]</f> of silver and a warrior’s belt.’


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<pb/>But the man replied, ‘Even if a thousand shekels <f>[53]</f> were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, “Protect the young man Absalom for my sake. <f>[54]</f>”


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And if I had put my life in jeopardy <f>[55]</f> — and nothing is hidden from the king — you would have kept your distance from me.’


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<pb/>Joab said, ‘I’m not going to wait like this for you.’ So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree.


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They 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.


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<pb/>During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, ‘I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.’ He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.


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<pb/>Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, ‘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.’


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<pb/>‘You are not the one to take the news today,’ Joab told him. ‘You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.’


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<pb/>Then Joab said to a Cushite, ‘Go, tell the king what you have seen.’ The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.


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<pb/>Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, ‘Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.’ <pb/>But Joab replied, ‘My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.’


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<pb/>He said, ‘Come what may, I want to run.’ <pb/>So Joab said, ‘Run!’ Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain <f>[56]</f> and outran the Cushite.


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<pb/>While 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.


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The watchman called out to the king and reported it. <pb/>The king said, ‘If he is alone, he must have good news.’ And the runner came closer and closer.


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<pb/>Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper, ‘Look, another man running alone!’ <pb/>The king said, ‘He must be bringing good news, too.’


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<pb/>The watchman said, ‘It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.’ <pb/>‘He’s a good man,’ the king said. ‘He comes with good news.’


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<pb/>Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, ‘All is well!’ He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, ‘Praise be to the LORD your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.’


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<pb/>The king asked, ‘Is the young man Absalom safe?’ <pb/>Ahimaaz answered, ‘I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.’


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<pb/>Then the Cushite arrived and said, ‘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.’


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<pb/>The king asked the Cushite, ‘Is the young man Absalom safe?’ <pb/>The Cushite replied, ‘May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.’


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<pb/>The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: ‘O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you — O Absalom, my son, my son!’ <f>[57]</f>


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And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, ‘The king is grieving for his son.’


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<pb/>Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, ‘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.


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You 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.


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Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don’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.’


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<pb/>So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, ‘The king is sitting in the gateway,’ they all came before him. <pb/>Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.


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<pb/>Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, ‘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;


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and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?’


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<pb/>King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: ‘Ask the elders of Judah, “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?


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You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?”


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And say to Amasa, “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.” ’


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<pb/>He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, ‘Return, you and all your men.’


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Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan. <pb/>Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan.


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Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.


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With him were a thousand Benjaminites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was.


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They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished. <pb/>When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king


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and said to him, ‘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.


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For 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.’


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<pb/>Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, ‘Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the LORD’s anointed.’


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<pb/>David replied, ‘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’t I know that today I am king over Israel?’


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<pb/>Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his moustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely.


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When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, ‘Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?’


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<pb/>He said, ‘My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, “I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so that I can go with the king.” But Ziba my servant betrayed me.


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And 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.


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All my grandfather’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?’


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<pb/>Mephibosheth said to the king, ‘Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.’


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<pb/>Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there.


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Now 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.


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The king said to Barzillai, ‘Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.’


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<pb/>But Barzillai answered the king, ‘How many more years shall I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?


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I 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?


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Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way?


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Let 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.’


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<pb/>The king said, ‘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.’


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<pb/>So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bade him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home.


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<pb/>When 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.


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<pb/>Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, ‘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?’


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<pb/>All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, ‘We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?’


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<pb/>Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, ‘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’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?’ <pb/>But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.


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<pb/>Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, <pb/><t>‘We have no share in David, </t><t>no part in Jesse’s son! </t><t>Every man to his tent, Israel!’ </t>


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<pb/>So 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.


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<pb/>When 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.


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<pb/>Then the king said to Amasa, ‘Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.’


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<pb/>David said to Abishai, ‘Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.’ <f>[59]</f>


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So Joab’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.


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<pb/>While 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.


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<pb/>Joab said to Amasa, ‘How are you, my brother?’ Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.


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Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’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.


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<pb/>One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, ‘Whoever favours Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!’


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Amasa 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 realised that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him.


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After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.


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<pb/>Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites, <f>[60]</f> who gathered together and followed him.


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All 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,


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a wise woman called from the city, ‘Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so that I can speak to him.’


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He went towards her, and she asked, ‘Are you Joab?’ <pb/>‘I am,’ he answered. <pb/>She said, ‘Listen to what your servant has to say.’ <pb/>‘I’m listening,’ he said.


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We 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’s inheritance?’


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That 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’ll withdraw from the city.’ <pb/>The woman said to Joab, ‘His head will be thrown to you from the wall.’


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<pb/>Then 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.


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<pb/><t>Joab was over Israel’s entire army; <pb/>Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Adoniram <f>[61]</f> was in charge of forced labour; <pb/>Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, ‘It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.’


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<pb/>The 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.)


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David asked the Gibeonites, ‘What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the LORD’s inheritance?’


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<pb/>The Gibeonites answered him, ‘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.’ <pb/>‘What do you want me to do for you?’ David asked.


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<pb/>They answered the king, ‘As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel,


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let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul — the LORD’s chosen one.’ <pb/>So the king said, ‘I will give them to you.’


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<pb/>The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.


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But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, <f>[63]</f> whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.


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He 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 harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.


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<pb/>Rizpah 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.


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he 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.)


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David 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.


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<pb/>They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer on behalf of the land.


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<pb/>Once 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.


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And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels <f>[64]</f> and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David.


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But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, ‘Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.’


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<pb/>In 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.


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<pb/>In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair <f>[65]</f> the Bethlehemite killed the brother of <f>[66]</f> Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.


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<pb/>In 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 — twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha.


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<pb/>David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.


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<t>my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, </t><t>my shield <f>[67]</f> and the horn <f>[68]</f> of my salvation. </t><t>He is my stronghold, my refuge and my saviour — </t><t>from violent people you save me. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘In my distress I called to the LORD; </t><t>I called out to my God. </t><t>From his temple he heard my voice; </t><t>my cry came to his ears. </t>


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<t>The earth trembled and quaked, </t><t>the foundations of the heavens <f>[69]</f> shook; </t><t>they trembled because he was angry. </t>


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<t>Smoke rose from his nostrils; </t><t>consuming fire came from his mouth, </t><t>burning coals blazed out of it. </t>


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<t>He made darkness his canopy around him — </t><t>the dark <f>[71]</f> rain clouds of the sky. </t>


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<t>He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, </t><t>with great bolts of lightning he routed them. </t>


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<t>The valleys of the sea were exposed </t><t>and the foundations of the earth laid bare </t><t>at the rebuke of the LORD, </t><t>at the blast of breath from his nostrils. <pb/> </t>


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<t>He brought me out into a spacious place; </t><t>he rescued me because he delighted in me. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; </t><t>according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. </t>


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<t>The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, </t><t>according to my cleanness <f>[72]</f> in his sight. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘To the faithful you show yourself faithful, </t><t>to the blameless you show yourself blameless, </t>


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<t>With your help I can advance against a troop <f>[73]</f>; </t><t>with my God I can scale a wall. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘As for God, his way is perfect: </t><t>the LORD’s word is flawless; </t><t>he shields all who take refuge in him. </t>


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<t>‘I pursued my enemies and crushed them; </t><t>I did not turn back till they were destroyed. </t>


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<t>They cried for help, but there was no-one to save them — </t><t>to the LORD, but he did not answer. </t>


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<t>I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; </t><t>I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘You have delivered me from the attacks of the peoples; </t><t>you have preserved me as the head of nations. </t><t>People I did not know now serve me, </t>


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<t>who sets me free from my enemies. </t><t>You exalted me above my foes; </t><t>from a violent man you rescued me. </t>


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<t>Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; </t><t>I will sing the praises of your name. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘He gives his king great victories; </t><t>he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, </t><t>to David and his descendants for ever.’</t>


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<pb/>These are the last words of David: <pb/><t>‘The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, </t><t>the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, </t><t>the man anointed by the God of Jacob, </t><t>the hero of Israel’s songs: <pb/> </t>


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<t>The God of Israel spoke, </t><t>the Rock of Israel said to me: </t><t>“When one rules over people in righteousness, </t><t>when he rules in the fear of God, </t>


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<t>he is like the light of morning at sunrise </t><t>on a cloudless morning, </t><t>like the brightness after rain </t><t>that brings grass from the earth.” <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘If my house were not right with God, </t><t>surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, </t><t>arranged and secured in every part; </t><t>surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation </t><t>and grant me my every desire. </t>


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<t>But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, </t><t>which are not gathered with the hand. </t>


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<t>Whoever touches thorns </t><t>uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; </t><t>they are burned up where they lie.’ </t>


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<pb/>These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: <pb/>Josheb-Basshebeth, <f>[77]</f> a Tahkemonite, <f>[78]</f> was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed <f>[79]</f> in one encounter.


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<pb/>Next 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 <f>[80]</f> for battle. Then the Israelites retreated,


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but 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.


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<pb/>Next 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’s troops fled from them.


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But 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.


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<pb/>During 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.


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David longed for water and said, ‘Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!’


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So 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.


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‘Far be it from me, LORD, to do this!’ he said. ‘Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?’ And David would not drink it. <pb/>Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.


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<pb/>Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. <f>[81]</f> He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.


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Was he not held in greater honour than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.


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<pb/>Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.


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And 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’s hand and killed him with his own spear.


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Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.


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He was held in greater honour than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.


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<pb/><t>Among the Thirty were: <pb/>Asahel the brother of Joab, <pb/>Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Heled <f>[83]</f> son of Baanah the Netophathite, <pb/>Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, <pb/> </t>


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<t>son of <f>[85]</f> Shammah the Hararite, <pb/>Ahiam son of Sharar <f>[86]</f> the Hararite, <pb/> </t>


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<t>Zelek the Ammonite, <pb/>Naharai the Beerothite, the armour-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’


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<pb/>So the king said to Joab and the army commanders <f>[88]</f> with him, ‘Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enrol the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.’


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<pb/>But Joab replied to the king, ‘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?’


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<pb/>The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enrol the fighting men of Israel.


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<pb/>After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.


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Then they went towards the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.


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<pb/>After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


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<pb/>Joab 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.


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<pb/>David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, ‘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.’


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<pb/>Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer:


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‘Go and tell David, “This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.” ’


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<pb/>So Gad went to David and said to him, ‘Shall there come on you three <f>[89]</f> 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.’


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<pb/>David said to Gad, ‘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.’


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<pb/>So 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.


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When 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, ‘Enough! Withdraw your hand.’ The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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<pb/>When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned; I, the shepherd, <f>[90]</f> have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.’


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<pb/>On that day Gad went to David and said to him, ‘Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’


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When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming towards him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.


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<pb/>Araunah said, ‘Why has my lord the king come to his servant?’ <pb/>‘To buy your threshing-floor,’ David answered, ‘so that I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped.’


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<pb/>Araunah said to David, ‘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.


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Your Majesty, Araunah <f>[91]</f> gives all this to the king.’ Araunah also said to him, ‘May the LORD your God accept you.’


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<pb/>But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’ <pb/>So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels <f>[92]</f> of silver for them.


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David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered his prayer on behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.


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So his attendants said to him, ‘Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.’


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<pb/>Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.


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The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.


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<pb/>Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, ‘I will be king.’ So he got chariots and horses <f>[1]</f> ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him.


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(His father had never rebuked him by asking, ‘Why do you behave as you do?’ He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)


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<pb/>Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support.


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But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David’s special guard did not join Adonijah.


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<pb/>Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah,


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<pb/>Then Nathan asked Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, ‘Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it?


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Go in to King David and say to him, “My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: ‘Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne’? Why then has Adonijah become king?”


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While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.’


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<pb/>So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him.


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Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king. <pb/>‘What is it you want?’ the king asked.


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<pb/>She said to him, ‘My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the LORD your God: “Solomon your son shall become king after me, and he will sit on my throne.”


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He has sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant.


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My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.


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Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.’


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And the king was told, ‘Nathan the prophet is here.’ So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.


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<pb/>Nathan said, ‘Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne?


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Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. At this very moment they are eating and drinking with him and saying, “Long live King Adonijah!”


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But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite.


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Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?’


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<pb/>Then King David said, ‘Call in Bathsheba.’ So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.


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<pb/>The king then took an oath: ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble,


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I will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.’


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<pb/>Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, ‘May my lord King David live for ever!’


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<pb/>King David said, ‘Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.’ When they came before the king,


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he said to them: ‘Take your lord’s servants with you and put Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.


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There shall Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, “Long live King Solomon!”


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Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.’


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<pb/>Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, ‘Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.


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As the LORD was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!’


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<pb/>So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and put Solomon on King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.


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Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, ‘Long live King Solomon!’


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And all the people went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.


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<pb/>Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, ‘What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?’


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<pb/>Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, ‘Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.’


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The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule,


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and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds with it. That’s the noise you hear.


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Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, “May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greater than yours!” And the king bowed in worship on his bed


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and said, “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.” ’


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Then Solomon was told, ‘Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, “Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.” ’


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<pb/>Solomon replied, ‘If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.’


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Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, ‘Go to your home.’


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and observe what the LORD your God requires: walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go


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and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: “If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.”


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<pb/>‘Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me — what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt round his waist and the sandals on his feet.


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<pb/>‘But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.


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<pb/>‘And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: “I will not put you to death by the sword.”


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But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his grey head down to the grave in blood.’


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<pb/>Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, ‘Do you come peacefully?’ <pb/>He answered, ‘Yes, peacefully.’


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<pb/>‘As you know,’ he said, ‘the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the LORD.


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<pb/>So he continued, ‘Please ask King Solomon — he will not refuse you — to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.’


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<pb/>When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.


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<pb/>‘I have one small request to make of you,’ she said. ‘Do not refuse me.’ <pb/>The king replied, ‘Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.’


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<pb/>King Solomon answered his mother, ‘Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him — after all, he is my older brother — yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!’


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<pb/>Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: ‘May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request!


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And now, as surely as the LORD lives — he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised — Adonijah shall be put to death today!’


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<pb/>To Abiathar the priest the king said, ‘Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign LORD before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.’


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So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD, fulfilling the word the LORD had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.


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<pb/>When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.


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King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, ‘Go, strike him down!’


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<pb/>So Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, ‘The king says, “Come out!” ’ <pb/>But he answered, ‘No, I will die here.’ <pb/>Benaiah reported to the king, ‘This is how Joab answered me.’


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<pb/>Then the king commanded Benaiah, ‘Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.


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The LORD will repay him for the blood he shed, because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them — Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army — were better men and more upright than he.


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May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants for ever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the LORD’s peace for ever.’


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<pb/>So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country.


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The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.


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<pb/>Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, ‘Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.


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The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.’


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<pb/>Shimei answered the king, ‘What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.’ And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.


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<pb/>But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, ‘Your slaves are in Gath.’


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At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.


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the king summoned Shimei and said to him, ‘Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, “On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die”? At that time you said to me, “What you say is good. I will obey.”


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<pb/>The king also said to Shimei, ‘You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing.


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<pb/>Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died. <pb/>The kingdom was now established in Solomon’s hands.


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<pb/>Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem.


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The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD.


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Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.


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<pb/>The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.


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At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’


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<pb/>Solomon answered, ‘You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.


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<pb/>‘Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.


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Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.


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So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?’


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So God said to him, ‘Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,


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I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.


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Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both wealth and honour — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.


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And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.’


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Then Solomon awoke — and he realised it had been a dream. <pb/>He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.


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One of them said, ‘Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me.


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The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no-one in the house but the two of us.


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So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast.


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The next morning, I got up to nurse my son — and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.’


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<pb/>The other woman said, ‘No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.’ <pb/>But the first one insisted, ‘No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.’ And so they argued before the king.


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<pb/>The king said, ‘This one says, “My son is alive and your son is dead,” while that one says, “No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.” ’


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<pb/>The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, ‘Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!’ <pb/>But the other said, ‘Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!’


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<pb/>Then the king gave his ruling: ‘Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.’


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<pb/>When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.


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<t>Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, secretaries; <pb/>Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, recorder; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Azariah son of Nathan, in charge of the district governors; <pb/>Zabud son of Nathan, a priest and advisor to the king; <pb/> </t>


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<pb/>Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year.


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<t>Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and in all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah across to Jokmeam; <pb/> </t>


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<t>Ben-Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (the settlements of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead were his, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan and its sixty large walled cities with bronze gate bars); <pb/> </t>


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<t>Geber son of Uri, in Gilead (the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and the country of Og king of Bashan). He was the only governor over the district. </t>


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<pb/>The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.


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And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.


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<pb/>Solomon’s daily provisions were thirty cors <f>[2]</f> of the finest flour and sixty cors <f>[3]</f> of meal,


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ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl.


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For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the River Euphrates, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides.


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During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig-tree.


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<pb/>Solomon had four <f>[4]</f> thousand stalls for chariot horses, and twelve thousand horses. <f>[5]</f>


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<pb/>The district governors, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king’s table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking.


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They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.


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<pb/>God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.


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Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.


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He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite — wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.


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He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.


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From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. <f>[6]</f>


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<pb/> <f>[7]</f> <n>[1]</n> When Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David.


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<pb/>‘You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet.


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I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, “Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.”


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<pb/>‘So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no-one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.’


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<pb/>When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, ‘Praise be to the LORD today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.’


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<pb/>So Hiram sent word to Solomon: <pb/>‘I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs.


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My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food for my royal household.’


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and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors <f>[8]</f> of wheat as food for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths <f>[9]</f>, <f>[10]</f> of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year.


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The LORD gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.


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He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labour.


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as well as thirty-three hundred <f>[11]</f> foremen who supervised the project and directed the workers.


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At the king’s command they removed from the quarry large blocks of high-grade stone to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple.


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The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram and workers from Byblos cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.


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<pb/>In the four hundred and eightieth <f>[12]</f> year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD.


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<pb/>The temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high. <f>[13]</f>


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The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits, <f>[14]</f> and projected ten cubits <f>[15]</f> from the front of the temple.


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Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms.


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The lowest floor was five cubits <f>[16]</f> wide, the middle floor six cubits <f>[17]</f> and the third floor seven. <f>[18]</f> He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.


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<pb/>In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.


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<pb/>The entrance to the lowest <f>[19]</f> floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third.


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And he built the side rooms all along the temple. The height of each was five cubits, and they were attached to the temple by beams of cedar.


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‘As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfil through you the promise I gave to David your father.


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He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, panelling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling, and covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper.


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He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.


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The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was to be seen.


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<pb/>He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there.


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The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.


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Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold.


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So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.


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One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits — ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip.


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He placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room.


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<pb/>On the walls all round the temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers.


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<pb/>For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors out of olive wood that were one fifth of the width of the sanctuary.


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And on the two olive-wood doors he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold.


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In the same way, for the entrance to the main hall he made doorframes out of olive wood that were one quarter of the width of the hall.


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He carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings.


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<pb/>And he built the inner courtyard of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.


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In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.


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He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high, <f>[21]</f> with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams.


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It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns — forty-five beams, fifteen to a row.


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All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other. <f>[22]</f>


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<pb/>He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty wide. <f>[23]</f> In front of it was a portico, and in front of that were pillars and an overhanging roof.


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<pb/>He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge, and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling. <f>[24]</f>


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And the palace in which he was to live, set farther back, was similar in design. Solomon also made a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.


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<pb/>All these structures, from the outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces.


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The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality, some measuring ten cubits <f>[25]</f> and some eight. <f>[26]</f>


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The great courtyard was surrounded by a wall of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams, as was the inner courtyard of the temple of the LORD with its portico.


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whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all the work assigned to him.


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<pb/>He cast two bronze pillars, each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference. <f>[28]</f>


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He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; each capital was five cubits <f>[29]</f> high.


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He made pomegranates in two rows <f>[30]</f> encircling each network to decorate the capitals on top of the pillars. <f>[31]</f> He did the same for each capital.


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The capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were in the shape of lilies, four cubits <f>[32]</f> high.


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On the capitals of both pillars, above the bowl-shaped part next to the network, were the two hundred pomegranates in rows all around.


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He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin <f>[33]</f> and the one to the north Boaz. <f>[34]</f>


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<pb/>He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits <f>[35]</f> to measure round it.


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Below the rim, gourds encircled it — ten to a cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.


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<pb/>The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were towards the centre.


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It was a handbreadth <f>[36]</f> in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths. <f>[37]</f>


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<pb/>He also made ten movable stands of bronze; each was four cubits long, four wide and three high. <f>[38]</f>


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On the panels between the uprights were lions, bulls and cherubim — and on the uprights as well. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths of hammered work.


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Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and each had a basin resting on four supports, cast with wreaths on each side.


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On the inside of the stand there was an opening that had a circular frame one cubit <f>[39]</f> deep. This opening was round, and with its basework it measured a cubit and a half. <f>[40]</f> Around its opening there was engraving. The panels of the stands were square, not round.


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The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand. The diameter of each wheel was a cubit and a half.


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At the top of the stand there was a circular band half a cubit <f>[41]</f> deep. The supports and panels were attached to the top of the stand.


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He engraved cherubim, lions and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and on the panels, in every available space, with wreaths all around.


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This is the way he made the ten stands. They were all cast in the same moulds and were identical in size and shape.


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<pb/>He then made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths <f>[42]</f> and measuring four cubits across, one basin to go on each of the ten stands.


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He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north. He placed the Sea on the south side, at the south-east corner of the temple.


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He also made the pots <f>[43]</f> and shovels and sprinkling bowls. <pb/>So Huram finished all the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of the LORD:


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<pb/><t>the two pillars; <pb/>the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; <pb/>the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network decorating the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars); <pb/> </t>


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<t>the pots, shovels and sprinkling bowls. </t> <pb/>All these objects that Huram made for King Solomon for the temple of the LORD were of burnished bronze.


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Solomon left all these things unweighed, because there were so many; the weight of the bronze was not determined.


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<pb/>Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in the LORD’s temple: <pb/><t>the golden altar; <pb/>the golden table on which was the bread of the Presence; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the lampstands of pure gold (five on the right and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary); <pb/>the gold floral work and lamps and tongs; <pb/> </t>


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<t>the pure gold dishes, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; <pb/>and the gold sockets for the doors of the innermost room, the Most Holy Place, and also for the doors of the main hall of the temple. </t>


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<pb/>When all the work King Solomon had done for the temple of the LORD was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated — the silver and gold and the furnishings — and he placed them in the treasuries of the LORD’s temple.


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<pb/>Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.


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All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.


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and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up,


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and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.


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<pb/>The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.


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The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles.


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These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.


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There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.


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And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.


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Then he said: <pb/>‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said,


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“Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, but I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.”


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<pb/>‘My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.


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But the LORD said to my father David, “You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name.


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Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood — he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.”


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<pb/>‘The LORD has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.


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I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.’


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<pb/>Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands towards heaven


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and said: <pb/>‘LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below — you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.


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You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it — as it is today.


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<pb/>‘Now LORD, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, “You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.”


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<pb/>‘But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!


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Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.


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May your eyes be open towards this temple night and day, this place of which you said, “My Name shall be there,” so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays towards this place.


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Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray towards this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling-place, and when you hear, forgive.


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<pb/>‘When anyone wrongs their neighbour and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple,


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then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.


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<pb/>‘When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,


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then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.


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<pb/>‘When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray towards this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,


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then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.


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<pb/>‘When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,


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and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel — being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands towards this temple —


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then hear from heaven, your dwelling-place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart),


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<pb/>‘As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name —


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for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm — when they come and pray towards this temple,


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then hear from heaven, your dwelling-place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.


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<pb/>‘When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the LORD towards the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name,


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<pb/>‘When they sin against you — for there is no-one who does not sin — and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near;


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and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, “We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly”;


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and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you towards the land you gave their ancestors, towards the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;


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And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offences they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;


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for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.


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<pb/>‘May your eyes be open to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you.


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For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance, just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign LORD, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.’


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<pb/>When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out towards heaven.


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<pb/>‘Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.


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May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors.


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And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need,


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And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.’


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Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the LORD: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the LORD.


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<pb/>On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the LORD, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar that stood before the LORD was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.


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<pb/>So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him — a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the LORD our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all.


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On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the LORD had done for his servant David and his people Israel.


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<pb/>When Solomon had finished building the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do,


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The LORD said to him: <pb/>‘I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there for ever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.


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<pb/>‘As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,


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I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever, as I promised David your father when I said, “You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.”


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<pb/>‘But if you <f>[44]</f> or your descendants turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you <f>[45]</f> and go off to serve other gods and worship them,


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then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.


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This temple will become a heap of rubble. All <f>[46]</f> who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, “Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?”


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People will answer, “Because they have forsaken the LORD their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshipping and serving them — that is why the LORD brought all this disaster on them.” ’


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<pb/>At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings — the temple of the LORD and the royal palace —


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King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold he wanted.


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But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them.


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‘What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?’ he asked. And he called them the Land of Kabul, <f>[47]</f> a name they have to this day.


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<pb/>Here is the account of the forced labour King Solomon conscripted to build the LORD’s temple, his own palace, the terraces, <f>[49]</f> the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.


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(Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.


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as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horses <f>[51]</f> — whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.


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<pb/>There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites).


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Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land — whom the Israelites could not exterminate <f>[52]</f> — to serve as slave labour, as it is to this day.


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But Solomon did not make slaves of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers.


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They were also the chief officials in charge of Solomon’s projects — 550 officials supervising those who did the work.


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<pb/>After Pharaoh’s daughter had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.


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<pb/>Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the LORD, burning incense before the LORD along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.


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<pb/>King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. <f>[53]</f>


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They sailed to Ophir and brought back 420 talents <f>[54]</f> of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.


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<pb/>When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.


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Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.


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the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at <f>[55]</f> the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.


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<pb/>She said to the king, ‘The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.


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But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.


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How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!


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Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.’


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<pb/>And she gave the king 120 talents <f>[56]</f> of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


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<pb/>(Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almug-wood <f>[57]</f> and precious stones.


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The king used the almug-wood to make supports <f>[58]</f> for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almug-wood has never been imported or seen since that day.)


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<pb/>King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.


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not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.


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<pb/>King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels <f>[60]</f> of gold went into each shield.


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He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas <f>[61]</f> of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.


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The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.


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Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.


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All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days.


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The king had a fleet of trading ships <f>[62]</f> at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.


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Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift — articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.


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<pb/>Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, <f>[63]</f> which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.


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The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.


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Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue <f>[64]</f> — the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.


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They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. <f>[65]</f> They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.


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<pb/>King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter — Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.


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They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, ‘You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.’ Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.


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He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.


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As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.


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So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.


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<pb/>On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites.


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<pb/>The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.


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So the LORD said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.


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Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son.


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Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.’


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<pb/>Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.


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Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom.


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Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom.


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They set out from Midian and went to Paran. Then taking people from Paran with them, they went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.


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<pb/>Pharaoh was so pleased with Hadad that he gave him a sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage.


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The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son named Genubath, whom Tahpenes brought up in the royal palace. There Genubath lived with Pharaoh’s own children.


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<pb/>While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David rested with his ancestors and that Joab the commander of the army was also dead. Then Hadad said to Pharaoh, ‘Let me go, so that I may return to my own country.’


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<pb/>‘What have you lacked here that you want to go back to your own country?’ Pharaoh asked. <pb/>‘Nothing,’ Hadad replied, ‘but do let me go!’


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<pb/>And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah.


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When David destroyed Zobah’s army, Rezon gathered a band of men around him and became their leader; they went to Damascus, where they settled and took control.


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Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram and was hostile towards Israel.


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<pb/>Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was one of Solomon’s officials, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah.


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<pb/>Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the terraces <f>[66]</f> and had filled in the gap in the wall of the city of David his father.


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Now Jeroboam was a man of standing, and when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labour force of the tribes of Joseph.


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<pb/>About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country,


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Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes.


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But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe.


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I will do this because they have <f>[67]</f> forsaken me and worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did.


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<pb/>‘ “But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees.


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I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name.


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However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel.


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If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you.


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<pb/>Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to Shishak the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Solomon’s reign — all he did and the wisdom he displayed — are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon?


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Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.


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When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from <f>[68]</f> Egypt.


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So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him:


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‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labour and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.’


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<pb/>Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. ‘How would you advise me to answer these people?’ he asked.


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<pb/>They replied, ‘If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favourable answer, they will always be your servants.’


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<pb/>But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.


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He asked them, ‘What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, “Lighten the yoke your father put on us”?’


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<pb/>The young men who had grown up with him replied, ‘These people have said to you, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.” Now tell them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.


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My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” ’


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<pb/>Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, ‘Come back to me in three days.’


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he followed the advice of the young men and said, ‘My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’


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So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfil the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.


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<pb/>When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: <pb/><t>‘What share do we have in David, </t><t>what part in Jesse’s son? </t><t>To your tents, Israel! </t><t>Look after your own house, David!’ </t> <pb/>So the Israelites went home.


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<pb/>King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, <f>[69]</f> who was in charge of forced labour, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.


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<pb/>When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.


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<pb/>When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin — a hundred and eighty thousand able young men — to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.


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‘Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,


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“This is what the LORD says: do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.” ’ So they obeyed the word of the LORD and went home again, as the LORD had ordered.


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<pb/>Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel. <f>[70]</f>


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If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.’


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<pb/>After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’


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And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other. <f>[71]</f>


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<pb/>Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites.


text:
He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.


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On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.


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<pb/>By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering.


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By the word of the LORD he cried out against the altar: ‘Altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: “A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.” ’


text:
That same day the man of God gave a sign: ‘This is the sign the LORD has declared: the altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.’


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<pb/>When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, ‘Seize him!’ But the hand he stretched out towards the man shrivelled up, so that he could not pull it back.


text:
Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.


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<pb/>Then the king said to the man of God, ‘Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.’ So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.


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<pb/>But the man of God answered the king, ‘Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here.


text:
For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: “You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.” ’


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<pb/>Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king.


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Their father asked them, ‘Which way did he go?’ And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken.


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So he said to his sons, ‘Saddle the donkey for me.’ And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it


text:
and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, ‘Are you the man of God who came from Judah?’ <pb/>‘I am,’ he replied.


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<pb/>The man of God said, ‘I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place.


text:
I have been told by the word of the LORD: “You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.” ’


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<pb/>The old prophet answered, ‘I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: “Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.” ’ (But he was lying to him.)


text:
<pb/>While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back.


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He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, ‘This is what the LORD says: “You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you.


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You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.” ’


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<pb/>When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him.


text:
As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it.


text:
Some people who passed by saw the body lying there, with the lion standing beside the body, and they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived.


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<pb/>When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard of it, he said, ‘It is the man of God who defied the word of the LORD. The LORD has given him over to the lion, which has mauled him and killed him, as the word of the LORD had warned him.’


text:
Then he went out and found the body lying on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the body nor mauled the donkey.


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So the prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to his own city to mourn for him and bury him.


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<pb/>After burying him, he said to his sons, ‘When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.


text:
For the message he declared by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true.’


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<pb/>Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places.


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This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.


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and Jeroboam said to his wife, ‘Go, disguise yourself, so that you won’t be recognised as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there — the one who told me I would be king over this people.


text:
Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.’


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So Jeroboam’s wife did what he said and went to Ahijah’s house in Shiloh. <pb/>Now Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age.


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But the LORD had told Ahijah, ‘Jeroboam’s wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else.’


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<pb/>So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretence? I have been sent to you with bad news.


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Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.


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I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.


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You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me.


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<pb/>‘ “Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel — slave or free. <f>[72]</f> I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone.


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Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country. The LORD has spoken!”


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All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the LORD, the God of Israel, has found anything good.


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<pb/>‘The LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam. Even now this is beginning to happen. <f>[73]</f>


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And the LORD will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their ancestors and scatter them beyond the River Euphrates, because they aroused the LORD’s anger by making Asherah poles. <f>[74]</f>


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And he will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.’


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<pb/>Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died.


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They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, as the LORD had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah.


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<pb/>The other events of Jeroboam’s reign, his wars and how he ruled, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.


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He reigned for twenty-two years and then rested with his ancestors. And Nadab his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.


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<pb/>Judah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than those who were before them had done.


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They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree.


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There were even male shrine-prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.


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He carried off the treasures of the temple of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.


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So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace.


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Whenever the king went to the LORD’s temple, the guards bore the shields, and afterwards they returned them to the guardroom.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Rehoboam’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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And Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. And Abijah <f>[75]</f> his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah <f>[76]</f> became king of Judah,


text:
and he reigned in Jerusalem for three years. His mother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom. <f>[77]</f>


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<pb/>He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been.


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Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong.


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For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD’s commands all the days of his life — except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.


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As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.


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And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.


text:
and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.


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He expelled the male shrine-prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.


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He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.


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Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.


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He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.


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Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.


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<pb/>Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the LORD’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.


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‘Let there be a treaty between me and you,’ he said, ‘as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.’


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<pb/>Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.


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Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah — no-one was exempt — and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.


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<pb/>As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased.


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Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.


text:
<pb/>Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for two years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.


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<pb/>Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it.


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<pb/>As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the LORD given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.


text:
This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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<pb/>In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned for twenty-four years.


text:
He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.


text:
‘I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins.


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So I am about to wipe out Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat.


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Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country.’


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Baasha’s reign, what he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


text:
<pb/>Moreover, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani to Baasha and his house, because of all the evil he had done in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger by the things he did, becoming like the house of Jeroboam — and also because he destroyed it.


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<pb/>In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah for two years.


text:
<pb/>Zimri, one of his officials, who had command of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah at the time, getting drunk in the home of Arza, the palace administrator at Tirzah.


text:
Zimri came in, struck him down and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Then he succeeded him as king.


text:
<pb/>As soon as he began to reign and was seated on the throne, he killed off Baasha’s whole family. He did not spare a single male, whether relative or friend.


text:
So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu —


text:
because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Elah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


text:
<pb/>In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah for seven days. The army was encamped near Gibbethon, a Philistine town.


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When the Israelites in the camp heard that Zimri had plotted against the king and murdered him, they proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day there in the camp.


text:
When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him. So he died,


text:
because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD and following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Zimri’s reign, and the rebellion he carried out, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


text:
<pb/>Then the people of Israel were split into two factions; half supported Tibni son of Ginath for king, and the other half supported Omri.


text:
But Omri’s followers proved stronger than those of Tibni son of Ginath. So Tibni died and Omri became king.


text:
<pb/>In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.


text:
He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents <f>[79]</f> of silver and built a city on the hill, calling it Samaria, after Shemer, the name of the former owner of the hill.


text:
He followed completely the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.


text:
<pb/>As for the other events of Omri’s reign, what he did and the things he achieved, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


text:
<pb/>In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel for twenty-two years.


text:
He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.


text:
Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.


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<pb/>In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken by Joshua son of Nun.


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<pb/>Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe <f>[80]</f> in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.’


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<pb/>So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.


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The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.


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‘Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have instructed a widow there to supply you with food.’


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So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’


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<pb/>‘As surely as the LORD your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread — only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it — and die.’


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<pb/>Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.


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For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.” ’


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<pb/>She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.


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For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.


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<pb/>Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.


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She said to Elijah, ‘What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?’


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<pb/>‘Give me your son,’ Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.


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Then he cried out to the LORD, ‘LORD my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?’


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Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the LORD, ‘LORD my God, let this boy’s life return to him!’


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Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, ‘Look, your son is alive!’


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<pb/>Then the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.’


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<pb/>After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: ‘Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.’


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and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD.


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While Jezebel was killing off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)


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Ahab had said to Obadiah, ‘Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.’


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<pb/>As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognised him, bowed down to the ground, and said, ‘Is it really you, my lord Elijah?’


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<pb/>‘What have I done wrong,’ asked Obadiah, ‘that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death?


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As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you.


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I don’t know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshipped the LORD since my youth.


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Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred of the LORD’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water.


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<pb/>Elijah said, ‘As the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.’


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<pb/>‘I have not made trouble for Israel,’ Elijah replied. ‘But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the LORD’s commands and have followed the Baals.


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Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’


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Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’ <pb/>But the people said nothing.


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<pb/>Then Elijah said to them, ‘I am the only one of the LORD’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.


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Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.


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Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire — he is God.’ <pb/>Then all the people said, ‘What you say is good.’


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<pb/>Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.’


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So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it. <pb/>Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. ‘Baal, answer us!’ they shouted. But there was no response; no-one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.


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<pb/>At noon Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or travelling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’


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So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.


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Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no-one answered, no-one paid attention.


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<pb/>Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come here to me.’ They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down.


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Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, ‘Your name shall be Israel.’


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With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench round it large enough to hold two seahs <f>[81]</f> of seed.


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He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, ‘Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.’


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<pb/>‘Do it again,’ he said, and they did it again. <pb/>‘Do it a third time,’ he ordered, and they did it the third time.


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<pb/>At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.


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Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’


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<pb/>Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.


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<pb/>When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The LORD — he is God! The LORD — he is God!’


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<pb/>Then Elijah commanded them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!’ They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.


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So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.


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<pb/>‘Go and look towards the sea,’ he told his servant. And he went up and looked. <pb/>‘There is nothing there,’ he said. <pb/>Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’


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<pb/>The seventh time the servant reported, ‘A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.’ <pb/>So Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, “Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.” ’


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<pb/>Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rainstorm came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.


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The power of the LORD came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.


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<pb/>Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.


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So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.’


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<pb/>Elijah was afraid <f>[82]</f> and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,


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while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’


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Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. <pb/>All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’


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He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.


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<pb/>The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’


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So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.


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There he went into a cave and spent the night. <pb/>And the word of the LORD came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’


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<pb/>He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’


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<pb/>The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’ <pb/>Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.


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After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.


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When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. <pb/>Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’


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<pb/>The LORD said to him, ‘Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.


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Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.


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Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.


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Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel — all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.’


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<pb/>So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.


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Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,’ he said, ‘and then I will come with you.’ <pb/>‘Go back,’ Elijah replied. ‘What have I done to you?’


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<pb/>So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the ploughing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.


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<pb/>Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he went up and besieged Samaria and attacked it.


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<pb/>The messengers came again and said, ‘This is what Ben-Hadad says: “I sent to demand your silver and gold, your wives and your children.


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But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.” ’


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<pb/>The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, ‘See how this man is looking for trouble! When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him.’


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<pb/>So he replied to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, ‘Tell my lord the king, “Your servant will do all you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.” ’ They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.


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<pb/>Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.’


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<pb/>The king of Israel answered, ‘Tell him: “One who puts on his armour should not boast like one who takes it off.” ’


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<pb/>Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, <f>[83]</f> and he ordered his men: ‘Prepare to attack.’ So they prepared to attack the city.


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<pb/>Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the LORD.” ’


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<pb/>‘But who will do this?’ asked Ahab. <pb/>The prophet replied, ‘This is what the LORD says: “The junior officers under the provincial commanders will do it.” ’ <pb/>‘And who will start the battle?’ he asked. <pb/>The prophet answered, ‘You will.’


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<pb/>So Ahab summoned the 232 junior officers under the provincial commanders. Then he assembled the rest of the Israelites, 7,000 in all.


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They set out at noon while Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.


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The junior officers under the provincial commanders went out first. <pb/>Now Ben-Hadad had dispatched scouts, who reported, ‘Men are advancing from Samaria.’


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<pb/>He said, ‘If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.’


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<pb/>The junior officers under the provincial commanders marched out of the city with the army behind them


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and each one struck down his opponent. At that, the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with some of his horsemen.


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The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans.


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<pb/>Afterwards, the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, ‘Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.’


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<pb/>Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, ‘Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.


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You must also raise an army like the one you lost — horse for horse and chariot for chariot — so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.’ He agreed with them and acted accordingly.


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When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.


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<pb/>The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.” ’


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<pb/>For seven days they camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle was joined. The Israelites inflicted a hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean foot soldiers in one day.


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The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek, where the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid in an inner room.


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<pb/>His officials said to him, ‘Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth round our waists and ropes round our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.’


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<pb/>Wearing sackcloth round their waists and ropes round their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, ‘Your servant Ben-Hadad says: “Please let me live.” ’ <pb/>The king answered, ‘Is he still alive? He is my brother.’


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<pb/>The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. ‘Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!’ they said. <pb/>‘Go and get him,’ the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab brought him up into his chariot.


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<pb/>‘I will return the cities my father took from your father,’ Ben-Hadad offered. ‘You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.’ <pb/>Ahab said, ‘On the basis of a treaty I will set you free.’ So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.


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<pb/>By the word of the LORD one of the company of the prophets said to his companion, ‘Strike me with your weapon,’ but he refused.


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<pb/>So the prophet said, ‘Because you have not obeyed the LORD, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.’ And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.


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<pb/>The prophet found another man and said, ‘Strike me, please.’ So the man struck him and wounded him.


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Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes.


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As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, ‘Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, “Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent <f>[84]</f> of silver.”


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While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.’ <pb/>‘That is your sentence,’ the king of Israel said. ‘You have pronounced it yourself.’


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<pb/>Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognised him as one of the prophets.


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He said to the king, ‘This is what the LORD says: “You have set free a man I had determined should die. <f>[85]</f> Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.” ’


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<pb/>Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.


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Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.’


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<pb/>So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, ‘I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.’ He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.


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<pb/>He answered her, ‘Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, “Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.” But he said, “I will not give you my vineyard.” ’


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<pb/>Jezebel his wife said, ‘Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.’


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<pb/>So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him.


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In those letters she wrote: <pb/>‘Proclaim a day of fasting and give Naboth a prominent seat among the people.


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But put two scoundrels opposite him and get them to bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.’


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<pb/>So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them.


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Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, ‘Naboth has cursed both God and the king.’ So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.


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<pb/>As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, ‘Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.’


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When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.


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‘Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.


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Say to him, “This is what the LORD says: have you not murdered a man and seized his property?” Then say to him, “This is what the LORD says: in the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood — yes, yours!” ’


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<pb/>Ahab said to Elijah, ‘So you have found me, my enemy!’ <pb/>‘I have found you,’ he answered, ‘because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD.


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He says, “I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel — slave or free. <f>[86]</f>


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I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.”


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<pb/>‘And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: “Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of <f>[87]</f> Jezreel.”


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<pb/>‘Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.’


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<pb/>(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.


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He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)


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<pb/>When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.


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‘Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.’


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The king of Israel had said to his officials, ‘Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?’


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<pb/>So he asked Jehoshaphat, ‘Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?’ <pb/>Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, ‘I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.’


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<pb/>So the king of Israel brought together the prophets — about four hundred men — and asked them, ‘Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?’ <pb/>‘Go,’ they answered, ‘for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.’


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<pb/>The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one prophet through whom we can enquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.’ <pb/>‘The king should not say such a thing,’ Jehoshaphat replied.


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<pb/>So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, ‘Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.’


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<pb/>Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing-floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.


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Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, ‘This is what the LORD says: “With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.” ’


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<pb/>All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. ‘Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,’ they said, ‘for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.’


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<pb/>The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favourably.’


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<pb/>When he arrived, the king asked him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?’ <pb/>‘Attack and be victorious,’ he answered, ‘for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.’


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<pb/>The king said to him, ‘How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?’


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<pb/>Then Micaiah answered, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said, “These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.” ’


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<pb/>The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?’


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<pb/>Micaiah continued, ‘Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing round him on his right and on his left.


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And the LORD said, “Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?” <pb/>‘One suggested this, and another that.


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<pb/>‘ “By what means?” the LORD asked. <pb/>‘ “I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,” he said. <pb/>‘ “You will succeed in enticing him,” said the LORD. “Go and do it.”


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<pb/>‘So now the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you.’


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<pb/>Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. ‘Which way did the spirit from <f>[88]</f> the LORD go when he went from me to speak to you?’ he asked.


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<pb/>The king of Israel then ordered, ‘Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son


text:
and say, “This is what the king says: put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.” ’


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<pb/>Micaiah declared, ‘If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.’ Then he added, ‘Mark my words, all you people!’


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The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.’ So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.


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<pb/>Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, ‘Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.’


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When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, ‘Surely this is the king of Israel.’ So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out,


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<pb/>But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armour. The king told his chariot driver, ‘Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.’


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All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.


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As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: ‘Every man to his town. Every man to his land!’


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They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), <f>[89]</f> and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


text:
Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.


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In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. <f>[90]</f>


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<pb/>As for the other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, the things he achieved and his military exploits, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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He rid the land of the rest of the male shrine-prostitutes who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa.


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<pb/>Now Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships <f>[91]</f> to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail — they were wrecked at Ezion Geber.


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At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Let my men sail with yours,’ but Jehoshaphat refused.


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<pb/>Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for two years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, because he followed the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.


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He served and worshipped Baal and aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.


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Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, ‘Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.’


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<pb/>But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?”


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Therefore this is what the LORD says: “You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” ’ So Elijah went.


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<pb/>‘A man came to meet us,’ they replied. ‘And he said to us, “Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says: is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’ ” ’


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<pb/>They replied, ‘He had a garment of hair <f>[1]</f> and had a leather belt round his waist.’ <pb/>The king said, ‘That was Elijah the Tishbite.’


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<pb/>Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, ‘Man of God, the king says, “Come down!” ’


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<pb/>Elijah answered the captain, ‘If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!’ Then the fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.


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<pb/>At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, ‘Man of God, this is what the king says, “Come down at once!” ’


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<pb/>‘If I am a man of God,’ Elijah replied, ‘may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!’ Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.


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<pb/>So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. ‘Man of God,’ he begged, ‘please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants!


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See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!’


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<pb/>The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, ‘Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.’ So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.


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<pb/>He told the king, ‘This is what the LORD says: is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’


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So he died, according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. <pb/>Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram <f>[2]</f> succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.


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As for all the other events of Ahaziah’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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<pb/>When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.


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Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.’ <pb/>But Elisha said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.


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<pb/>The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, ‘Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?’ <pb/>‘Yes, I know,’ Elisha replied, ‘so be quiet.’


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<pb/>Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.’ <pb/>And he replied, ‘As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went to Jericho.


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<pb/>The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, ‘Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?’ <pb/>‘Yes, I know,’ he replied, ‘so be quiet.’


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<pb/>Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.’ <pb/>And he replied, ‘As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them walked on.


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<pb/>Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan.


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Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.


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<pb/>When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ <pb/>‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied.


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<pb/>‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours — otherwise, it will not.’


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<pb/>As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.


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Elisha saw this and cried out, ‘My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’ And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.


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<pb/>Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.


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He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. ‘Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?’ he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.


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<pb/>The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, ‘The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.’ And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.


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‘Look,’ they said, ‘we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.’ <pb/>‘No,’ Elisha replied, ‘do not send them.’


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<pb/>But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, ‘Send them.’ And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him.


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When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, ‘Didn’t I tell you not to go?’


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<pb/>The people of the city said to Elisha, ‘Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.’


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<pb/>Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, ‘This is what the LORD says: “I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.” ’


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<pb/>From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ they said. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’


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He turned round, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.


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<pb/>Joram <f>[3]</f> son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years.


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He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made.


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Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.


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<pb/>Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.


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He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: ‘The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?’ <pb/>‘I will go with you,’ he replied. ‘I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.’


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<pb/>So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.


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<pb/>‘What!’ exclaimed the king of Israel. ‘Has the LORD called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?’


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<pb/>But Jehoshaphat asked, ‘Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may enquire of the LORD?’ <pb/>An officer of the king of Israel answered, ‘Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah. <f>[4]</f>’


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<pb/>Jehoshaphat said, ‘The word of the LORD is with him.’ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.


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<pb/>Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.’ <pb/>‘No,’ the king of Israel answered, ‘because it was the LORD who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.’


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<pb/>Elisha said, ‘As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you.


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But now bring me a harpist.’ <pb/>While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came on Elisha


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For this is what the LORD says: you will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.


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You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, block up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.’


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<pb/>The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was — water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.


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<pb/>Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border.


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When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red — like blood.


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‘That’s blood!’ they said. ‘Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!’


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<pb/>But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites.


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They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it.


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<pb/>When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed.


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Then he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.


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<pb/>The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.’


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<pb/>Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?’ <pb/>‘Your servant has nothing there at all,’ she said, ‘except a small jar of olive oil.’


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Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.’


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<pb/>She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.


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When all the jars were full, she said to her son, ‘Bring me another one.’ <pb/>But he replied, ‘There is not a jar left.’ Then the oil stopped flowing.


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<pb/>She went and told the man of God, and he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.’


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<pb/>One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he passed by, he stopped there to eat.


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Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.’


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Elisha said to him, ‘Tell her, “You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?” ’ <pb/>She replied, ‘I have a home among my own people.’


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<pb/>‘What can be done for her?’ Elisha asked. <pb/>Gehazi said, ‘She has no son, and her husband is old.’


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‘About this time next year,’ Elisha said, ‘you will hold a son in your arms.’ <pb/>‘No, my lord!’ she objected. ‘Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!’


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<pb/>But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.


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He said to his father, ‘My head! My head!’ <pb/>His father told a servant, ‘Carry him to his mother.’


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After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died.


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<pb/>She called her husband and said, ‘Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.’


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<pb/>‘Why go to him today?’ he asked. ‘It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.’ <pb/>‘That’s all right,’ she said.


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<pb/>She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, ‘Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.’


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So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. <pb/>When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Look! There’s the Shunammite!


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Run to meet her and ask her, “Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?” ’ <pb/>‘Everything is all right,’ she said.


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<pb/>When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, ‘Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me why.’


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<pb/>Elisha said to Gehazi, ‘Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.’


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<pb/>But the child’s mother said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So he got up and followed her.


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<pb/>Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, ‘The boy has not awakened.’


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Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm.


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Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got onto the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.


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<pb/>Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, ‘Call the Shunammite.’ And he did. When she came, he said, ‘Take your son.’


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<pb/>Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, ‘Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.’


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<pb/>One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild gourd plant and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no-one knew what they were.


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The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, ‘Man of God, there is death in the pot!’ And they could not eat it.


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<pb/>Elisha said, ‘Get some flour.’ He put it into the pot and said, ‘Serve it to the people to eat.’ And there was nothing harmful in the pot.


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<pb/>A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe corn, along with some ears of new corn. ‘Give it to the people to eat,’ Elisha said.


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<pb/>‘How can I set this before a hundred men?’ his servant asked. <pb/>But Elisha answered, ‘Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the LORD says: “They will eat and have some left over.” ’


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<pb/>Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. <f>[5]</f>


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<pb/>Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.


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She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’


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‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents <f>[6]</f> of silver, six thousand shekels <f>[7]</f> of gold and ten sets of clothing.


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The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: ‘With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.’


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<pb/>As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, ‘Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!’


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<pb/>When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: ‘Why have you torn your robes? Make the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.’


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Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’


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<pb/>But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.


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Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So he turned and went off in a rage.


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<pb/>Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed”!’


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So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.


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<pb/>Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.’


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<pb/>The prophet answered, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.’ And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.


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<pb/>‘If you will not,’ said Naaman, ‘please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD.


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But may the LORD forgive your servant for this one thing: when my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also — when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant for this.’


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Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, ‘My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.’


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<pb/>So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running towards him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. ‘Is everything all right?’ he asked.


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<pb/>‘Everything is all right,’ Gehazi answered. ‘My master sent me to say, “Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent <f>[8]</f> of silver and two sets of clothing.” ’


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<pb/>‘By all means, take two talents,’ said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi.


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When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.


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<pb/>When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, ‘Where have you been, Gehazi?’ <pb/>‘Your servant didn’t go anywhere,’ Gehazi answered.


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<pb/>But Elisha said to him, ‘Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes — or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?


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Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants for ever.’ Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous — it had become as white as snow.


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<pb/>The company of the prophets said to Elisha, ‘Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us.


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Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.’ <pb/>And he said, ‘Go.’


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<pb/>Then one of them said, ‘Won’t you please come with your servants?’ <pb/>‘I will,’ Elisha replied.


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As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe-head fell into the water. ‘Oh no, my lord!’ he cried out. ‘It was borrowed!’


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<pb/>The man of God asked, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float.


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<pb/>Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, ‘I will set up my camp in such and such a place.’


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<pb/>The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: ‘Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.’


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So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.


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<pb/>This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, ‘Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?’


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<pb/>‘None of us, my lord the king,’ said one of his officers, ‘but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.’


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<pb/>‘Go, find out where he is,’ the king ordered, ‘so that I can send men and capture him.’ The report came back: ‘He is in Dothan.’


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Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.


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<pb/>When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked.


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<pb/>‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’


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<pb/>And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.


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<pb/>As the enemy came down towards him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, ‘Strike this army with blindness.’ So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.


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<pb/>Elisha told them, ‘This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.’ And he led them to Samaria.


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<pb/>After they entered the city, Elisha said, ‘LORD, open the eyes of these men so that they can see.’ Then the LORD opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.


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<pb/>When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, ‘Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?’


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<pb/>‘Do not kill them,’ he answered. ‘Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.’


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So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.


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<pb/>Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilised his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.


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There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels <f>[9]</f> of silver, and a quarter of a cab <f>[10]</f> of seed pods <f>[11]</f> for five shekels. <f>[12]</f>


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<pb/>As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, ‘Help me, my lord the king!’


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<pb/>The king replied, ‘If the LORD does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing-floor? From the winepress?’


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Then he asked her, ‘What’s the matter?’ <pb/>She answered, ‘This woman said to me, “Give up your son so that we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.”


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So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, “Give up your son so that we may eat him,” but she had hidden him.’


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<pb/>When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth on his body.


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He said, ‘May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!’


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<pb/>Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, ‘Don’t you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?’


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While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him. <pb/>The king said, ‘This disaster is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?’


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<pb/>Elisha replied, ‘Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: about this time tomorrow, a seah <f>[13]</f> of the finest flour will sell for a shekel <f>[14]</f> and two seahs <f>[15]</f> of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.’


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<pb/>The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, ‘Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?’ <pb/>‘You will see it with your own eyes,’ answered Elisha, ‘but you will not eat any of it!’


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<pb/>Now there were four men with leprosy <f>[16]</f> at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, ‘Why stay here until we die?


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If we say, “We’ll go into the city” — the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.’


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<pb/>At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no-one was there,


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for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, ‘Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!’


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So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.


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<pb/>The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.


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<pb/>Then they said to each other, ‘What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.’


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<pb/>So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, ‘We went into the Aramean camp and no-one was there — not a sound of anyone — only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.’


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<pb/>The king got up in the night and said to his officers, ‘I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide in the countryside, thinking, “They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get into the city.” ’


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<pb/>One of his officers answered, ‘Make some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight will be like that of all the Israelites left here — yes, they will only be like all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what happened.’


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<pb/>So they selected two chariots with their horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army. He commanded the drivers, ‘Go and find out what has happened.’


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They followed them as far as the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight. So the messengers returned and reported to the king.


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Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the LORD had said.


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<pb/>Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house.


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It happened as the man of God had said to the king: ‘About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.’


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<pb/>The officer had said to the man of God, ‘Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?’ The man of God had replied, ‘You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!’


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<pb/>Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, ‘Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.’


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The woman proceeded to do as the man of God said. She and her family went away and stayed in the land of the Philistines for seven years.


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<pb/>At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land.


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The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, ‘Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.’


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Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land. <pb/>Gehazi said, ‘This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.’


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The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. <pb/>Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, ‘Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.’


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<pb/>Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram was ill. When the king was told, ‘The man of God has come all the way up here,’


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he said to Hazael, ‘Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God. Consult the LORD through him; ask him, “Will I recover from this illness?” ’


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<pb/>Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, ‘Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, “Will I recover from this illness?” ’


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<pb/>Elisha answered, ‘Go and say to him, “You will certainly recover.” Nevertheless, <f>[17]</f> the LORD has revealed to me that he will in fact die.’


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<pb/>‘Why is my lord weeping?’ asked Hazael. <pb/>‘Because I know the harm you will do to the Israelites,’ he answered. ‘You will set fire to their fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women.’


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<pb/>Hazael said, ‘How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?’ <pb/>‘The LORD has shown me that you will become king of Aram,’ answered Elisha.


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<pb/>Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, ‘What did Elisha say to you?’ Hazael replied, ‘He told me that you would certainly recover.’


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But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah.


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He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD.


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Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants for ever.


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So Jehoram <f>[18]</f> went to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night; his army, however, fled back home.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Jehoram’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?


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Jehoram rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.


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Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel.


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He followed the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab’s family.


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<pb/>Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram;


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so King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramoth <f>[19]</f> in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. <pb/>Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab, because he had been wounded.


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<pb/>The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, ‘Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead.


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When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room.


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Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, “This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.” Then open the door and run; don’t delay!’


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When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. ‘I have a message for you, commander,’ he said. <pb/>‘For which of us?’ asked Jehu. <pb/>‘For you, commander,’ he replied.


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<pb/>Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and declared, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “I anoint you king over the LORD’s people Israel.


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You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the LORD’s servants shed by Jezebel.


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The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel — slave or free. <f>[20]</f>


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I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.


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As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no-one will bury her.” ’ Then he opened the door and ran.


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<pb/>When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, ‘Is everything all right? Why did this maniac come to you?’ <pb/>‘You know the man and the sort of things he says,’ Jehu replied.


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<pb/>‘That’s not true!’ they said. ‘Tell us.’ <pb/>Jehu said, ‘Here is what he told me: “This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.” ’


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<pb/>They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, ‘Jehu is king!’


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<pb/>So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead against Hazael king of Aram,


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but King Joram <f>[21]</f> had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, ‘If you desire to make me king, don’t let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.’


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Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.


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<pb/>When the lookout standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out, ‘I see some troops coming.’ <pb/>‘Get a horseman,’ Joram ordered. ‘Send him to meet them and ask, “Do you come in peace?” ’


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<pb/>The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, ‘This is what the king says: “Do you come in peace?” ’ <pb/>‘What do you have to do with peace?’ Jehu replied. ‘Fall in behind me.’ <pb/>The lookout reported, ‘The messenger has reached them, but he isn’t coming back.’


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<pb/>So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them he said, ‘This is what the king says: “Do you come in peace?” ’ <pb/>Jehu replied, ‘What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.’


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<pb/>The lookout reported, ‘He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi — he drives like a maniac.’


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<pb/>‘Hitch up my chariot,’ Joram ordered. And when it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite.


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When Joram saw Jehu he asked, ‘Have you come in peace, Jehu?’ <pb/>‘How can there be peace,’ Jehu replied, ‘as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?’


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<pb/>Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot.


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Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, ‘Pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahab his father when the LORD spoke this prophecy against him:


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“Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, declares the LORD, and I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.” <f>[22]</f> Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the LORD.’


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<pb/>When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. <f>[23]</f> Jehu chased him, shouting, ‘Kill him too!’ They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam, but he escaped to Megiddo and died there.


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His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in the City of David.


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<pb/>Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she put on eye makeup, arranged her hair and looked out of a window.


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As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, ‘Have you come in peace, you Zimri, you murderer of your master?’ <f>[24]</f>


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<pb/>He looked up at the window and called out, ‘Who is on my side? Who?’ Two or three eunuchs looked down at him.


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‘Throw her down!’ Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.


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<pb/>Jehu went in and ate and drank. ‘Take care of that cursed woman,’ he said, ‘and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.’


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They went back and told Jehu, who said, ‘This is the word of the LORD that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: on the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. <f>[25]</f>


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Jezebel’s body will be like dung on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no-one will be able to say, “This is Jezebel.” ’


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<pb/>Now there were in Samaria seventy sons of the house of Ahab. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria: to the officials of Jezreel, <f>[26]</f> to the elders and to the guardians of Ahab’s children. He said,


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‘You have your master’s sons with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons. Now as soon as this letter reaches you,


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choose the best and most worthy of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s house.’


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<pb/>So the palace administrator, the city governor, the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: ‘We are your servants and we will do anything you say. We will not appoint anyone as king; you do whatever you think best.’


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<pb/>Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, ‘If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.’ <pb/>Now the royal princes, seventy of them, were with the leading men of the city, who were bringing them up.


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When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.


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When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, ‘They have brought the heads of the princes.’ <pb/>Then Jehu ordered, ‘Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.’


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<pb/>The next morning Jehu went out. He stood before all the people and said, ‘You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?


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Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The LORD has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.’


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So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends and his priests, leaving him no survivor.


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he met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, ‘Who are you?’ <pb/>They said, ‘We are relatives of Ahaziah, and we have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother.’


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<pb/>‘Take them alive!’ he ordered. So they took them alive and slaughtered them by the well of Beth Eked — forty-two of them. He left no survivor.


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<pb/>After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab son of Rekab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, ‘Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?’ <pb/>‘I am,’ Jehonadab answered. <pb/>‘If so,’ said Jehu, ‘give me your hand.’ So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot.


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<pb/>When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all who were left there of Ahab’s family; he destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD spoken to Elijah.


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<pb/>Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, ‘Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much.


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Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests. See that no-one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.’ But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.


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Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other.


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And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, ‘Bring robes for all the servants of Baal.’ So he brought out robes for them.


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<pb/>Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, ‘Look around and see that no-one who serves the LORD is here with you — only servants of Baal.’


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So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: ‘If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life.’


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<pb/>As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: ‘Go in and kill them; let no-one escape.’ So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal.


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They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.


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However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit — the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.


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<pb/>The LORD said to Jehu, ‘Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.’


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Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.


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<pb/>In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory


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east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.


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<pb/>As for the other events of Jehu’s reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?


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<pb/>Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king.


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<pb/>When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.


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But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram <f>[27]</f> and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.


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He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.


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<pb/>In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the LORD. Then he showed them the king’s son.


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He commanded them, saying, ‘This is what you are to do: you who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath — a third of you guarding the royal palace,


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a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple —


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and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.


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Station yourselves round the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks <f>[28]</f> is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.’


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<pb/>The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men — those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty — and came to Jehoiada the priest.


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Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the LORD.


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The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves round the king — near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.


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<pb/>Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’


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<pb/>When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the LORD.


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She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, ‘Treason! Treason!’


