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Now a wicked man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ram's horn and shouted: We have no portion in David, no inheritance in Jesse's son. Each man to his tent, Israel!

So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king.^(a)

When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the 10 concubines he had left to take care of the palace and placed them under guard.^(b) He provided for them, but he was not intimate with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.

The king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to me within three days and be here yourself."

Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.

So David said to Abishai, "Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. Take your lord's soldiers and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us."^[a]

So Joab's men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out under Abishai's command;^[b] they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out.

Joab asked Amasa, "Are you well, my brother?" Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.^(c)

Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab's hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again for Amasa was dead.^(d) Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

One of Joab's young men had stood over Amasa saying, "Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!"

Now Amasa was writhing in his blood in the middle of the highway, and the man had seen that all the people stopped. So he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him because he realized that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping.

When he was removed from the highway, all the men passed by and followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites^[c] came together and followed him.

Joab's troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built an assault ramp against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse,

a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him."

When he had come near her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. "Listen to the words of your servant," she said to him. He answered, "I'm listening."

She said, "In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,' and that's how they settled disputes.

I am a peaceful person, one of the faithful in Israel, but you're trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord 's inheritance?"

Joab protested: "Never! I do not want to destroy!

That is not my intention. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city." The woman replied to Joab, "All right. His head will be thrown over the wall to you."

The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel,^(e) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram's horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

Joab commanded the whole army of Israel;^(f) Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;

Adoram^[d] was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

Sheva was court secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

and in addition, Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

During David's reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David inquired of the Lord . The Lord answered, "It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family when he killed the Gibeonites."

The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them,^(a) but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them.

He asked the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? How can I make atonement so that you will bring a blessing on^[a] the Lord 's inheritance?"

The Gibeonites said to him, "We are not asking for money from^[b] Saul or his family,^(b) and we cannot put anyone to death in Israel."^(c) "Whatever you say, I will do for you," he said.

They replied to the king, "As for the man who annihilated us and plotted to destroy us so we would not exist within the whole territory of Israel,

let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us so we may hang^[c] them in the presence of the Lord ^(d) at Gibeah of Saul,^(e) the Lord 's chosen."^(f) The king answered, "I will hand them over."

David spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between David and Jonathan, Saul's son.^(g)

But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, who were the two sons whom Rizpah^(h) daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons whom Merab^[d](i) daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite

and handed them over to the Gibeonites. They hanged^[e] them on the hill in the presence of the Lord ; the seven of them died together. They were executed in the first days of the harvest at the beginning of the barley harvest.^[f]

Rizpah, Aiah's daughter, took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest^[g] until the rain poured down from heaven on the bodies. She kept the birds of the sky from them by day and the wild animals by night.

When it was reported to David what Saul's concubine Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, had done,

he went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the leaders of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies the day the Philistines killed Saul at Gilboa.^(j)

David had the bones brought from there. They gathered up the bones of Saul's family who had been hung^[h]

and buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan at Zela in the land of Benjamin in the tomb of Saul's father Kish. They did everything the king commanded. After this, God answered prayer for the land.^(k)

The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted.

Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant,^[i] whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds^[j] and who wore new armor, intended to kill David.

But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David's men swore to him: "You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel."^(l)

After this,^(m) there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giant.^[k]

Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed^[l] Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam.⁽ⁿ⁾

At Gath there was still another battle. A huge man was there with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—24 in all. He, too, was descended from the giant.^[m]

When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, son of David's brother Shimei, killed him.

These four were descended from the giant^[n] in Gath and were killed by David and his soldiers.

David spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

He said:^(a) The Lord is my rock, my fortress,^(b) and my deliverer,

my God, my mountain^[a] where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation,^(c) my stronghold,^(d) my refuge,^(e) and my Savior, You save me from violence.

I called to the Lord , who is worthy of praise,^(f) and I was saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death engulfed me;^(g) the torrents of destruction terrified me.

The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.^(h)

I called to the Lord in my distress; I called to my God.⁽ⁱ⁾ From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.

Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens^[b] trembled;^(j) they shook because He burned with anger.^(k)

Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.^[c]

He parted the heavens and came down,^(l) a dark cloud beneath His feet.

He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring^[d] on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering^[e] of water and thick clouds.^(m)

From the radiance of His presence, flaming coals were ignited.

The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High projected His voice.⁽ⁿ⁾

He shot arrows and scattered them;^(o) He hurled lightning bolts and routed them.^(p)

The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the Lord , at the blast of the breath^(q) of His nostrils.^(r)

He reached down from heaven and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters.^(s)

He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the Lord was my support.

He brought me out to a spacious place;^(t) He rescued me because He delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;^(u) He repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.^(v)

For I have kept the ways of the Lord ^(w) and have not turned from my God to wickedness.

Indeed, I have kept all His ordinances^(x) in mind^[f] and have not disregarded His statutes.

I was blameless before Him and kept myself from sinning.

So the Lord repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness^[g] in His sight.

With the faithful You prove Yourself faithful; with the blameless man You prove Yourself blameless;

with the pure You prove Yourself pure, but with the crooked You prove Yourself shrewd.

You rescue an afflicted people,^(y) but Your eyes are set against the proud— You humble them.^(z)

Lord , You are my lamp; the Lord illuminates my darkness.^(aa)

With You I can attack a barrier,^[h] and with my God I can leap over a wall.^(ab)

God—His way is perfect;^(ac) the word of the Lord is pure.^(ad) He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

For who is God besides the Lord ? And who is a rock? Only our God.

God is my strong refuge;^[i] He makes my way perfect.^[j]

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the^[k] heights.^[l]

He trains my hands for war;^(ae) my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have given me the shield of Your salvation;^(af) Your help^[m] exalts me.

You widen a place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.

I pursue my enemies and destroy them; I do not turn back until they are wiped out.

I wipe them out and crush them, and they do not rise; they fall beneath my feet.

You have clothed me with strength for battle; You subdue my adversaries beneath me.^(ag)

You have made my enemies retreat before me;^[n] I annihilate those who hate me.

They look, but there is no one to save them— they look to the Lord , but He does not answer them.^(ah)

I pulverize them like dust of the earth; I crush them and trample them like mud in the streets.^(ai)

You have freed me from the feuds among my people;^(aj) You have appointed me the head of nations; a people I had not known serve me.^(ak)

Foreigners submit to me grudgingly; as soon as they hear, they obey me.

Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their fortifications.^(al)

The Lord lives—may my rock be praised! God, the rock of my salvation,^(am) is exalted.

God—He gives me vengeance and casts down peoples under me.^(an)

He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; You rescue me from violent men.^(ao)

Therefore I will praise You, Lord , among the nations; I will sing about Your name.^(ap)

He is a tower of salvation for^[o] His king; He shows loyalty to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.^(aq)

These are the last words of David: The declaration of David son of Jesse,^(a) the declaration of the man raised on high,^[a] the one anointed by the God of Jacob,^(b) the favorite singer of Israel:

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, His word was on my tongue.^(c)

The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, "The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,^(d)

is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass."

Is it not true my house is with God? For He has established an everlasting covenant^(e) with me, ordered and secured in every detail.^(f) Will He not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?

But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside; they can never be picked up by hand.

The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear. They will be completely burned up on the spot.

These are the names of David's warriors:^(g) Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers.^[b] He wielded his spear^[c] against 800 men that he killed at one time.

After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle,

but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.

After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines,

but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

Three of the 30 leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam,^(h) while a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim.

At that time David was in the stronghold,⁽ⁱ⁾ and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

David was extremely thirsty^[d] and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!"

So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord .

David said, " Lord , I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?" So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah,^(j) was leader of the Three.^[e] He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.

Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.^(k)

Benaiah son of Jehoiada^(l) was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons^[f] of Ariel^[g] of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and then killed him with his own spear.

These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors.

He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

Among the Thirty were: Joab's brother Asahel,^(m) Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Heleb son of Baanah the Netophahite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,^[h]

Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of^[i]

³³Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,⁽ⁿ⁾

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

and Uriah^(o) the Hittite.^(p) There were 37 in all.

The Lord 's anger burned against Israel again, and He stirred up David against them to say: "Go, count the people of Israel and Judah."^(a)

So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, "Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the troops so I can know their number."^(b)

Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God multiply the troops 100 times more than they are^(c)—while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this?"

Yet the king's order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king's presence to register the troops of Israel.

They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer,^(d) south of the town in the middle of the valley, and then proceeded toward Gad and Jazer.

They went to Gilead and to the land of the Hittites^[a] and continued on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon.

They went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Afterward, they went to the Negev of Judah at Beer-sheba.

When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days.

Joab gave the king the total of the registration of the troops. There were 800,000 fighting men from Israel and 500,000 men from Judah.^(e)

David's conscience troubled him^(f) after he had taken a census of the troops. He said to the Lord , "I have sinned greatly in what I've done. Now, Lord , because I've been very foolish,^(g) please take away Your servant's guilt."

When David got up in the morning, a revelation from the Lord had come to the prophet Gad,^(h) David's seer:⁽ⁱ⁾

"Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them, and I will do it to you.'"

So Gad went to David, told him the choices, and asked him, "Do you want three^[b] years of famine to come on your land, to flee from your foes three months while they pursue you, or to have a plague in your land three days? Now, think it over and decide what answer I should take back to the One who sent me."

David answered Gad, "I have great anxiety. Please, let us fall into the Lord 's hands because His mercies are great,^(j) but don't let me fall into human hands."

So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba 70,000 men died.

Then the angel extended his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it,^(k) but the Lord relented concerning the destruction^(l) and said to the angel who was destroying^(m) the people, "Enough, withdraw your hand now!" The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah^[c] the Jebusite.⁽ⁿ⁾

When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the Lord , "Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one^[d] who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand be against me and my father's family."

Gad came to David that day and said to him, "Go up and set up an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."

David went up in obedience to Gad's command, just as the Lord had commanded.

Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, so he went out and bowed to the king with his face to the ground.

Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David replied, "To buy the threshing floor from you in order to build an altar to the Lord , so the plague on the people may be halted."^(o)

Araunah said to David, "My lord the king may take whatever he wants^[e] and offer it. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.^(p)

My king, Araunah gives everything here to the king." Then he said to the king, "May the Lord your God accept you."

The king answered Araunah, "No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 20 ounces^[f] of silver.

He built an altar to the Lord there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer on behalf of the land,^(q) and the plague on Israel ended.