CHAPTERS 7-12
2SAMUEL#7
1 ¶ And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house,
and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2 That the king
said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the
ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3
And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the
LORD is with thee.
4 ¶ And it came to pass that night, that the word of the
LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
5 Go and tell my
servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house
for me to dwell in?
6 Whereas I have
not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel
out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 In all the
places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to
feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
8 Now therefore
so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took
thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people,
over Israel:
9
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all
thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name
of the great men that are in the earth.
10 Moreover I
will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may
dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11 And as since
the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused
thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will
make thee an house.
12 And when thy
days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels,
and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build
an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 I will be his
father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children
of men:
15 But my mercy
shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before
thee.
16 And thine
house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne
shall be established for ever.
17
According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did
Nathan speak unto David.
18 ¶ Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD,
and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought
me hitherto?
19 And this was
yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is
this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?
20 And what can
David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.
21 For thy word's
sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
22 Wherefore thou
art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God
beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 And what one
nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to
redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people,
which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
24 For thou hast
confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and
thou, LORD, art become their God.
25 And now, O
LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as
thou hast said.
26 And let thy
name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel:
and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
27 For thou, O
LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will
build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this
prayer unto thee.
28 And now, O
Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this
goodness unto thy servant:
29 Therefore now
let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for
ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
1 ¶ And after this it came to pass, that David smote the
Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of
the Philistines.
2 And he smote
Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground;
even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep
alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
3 David smote
also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his
border at the river Euphrates.
4 And David took
from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty
thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of
them for an hundred chariots.
5 And when the
Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the
Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
6 Then David put
garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David
whithersoever he went.
7 And David took
the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to
Jerusalem.
8 And from Betah,
and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.
9 ¶ When Toi king of Hamath heard
that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
10 Then Toi sent
Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had
fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And
Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and
vessels of brass:
11 Which also
king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had
dedicated of all nations which he subdued;
12 Of Syria, and
of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek,
and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13
And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in
the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.
14 And he put
garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom
became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
15 ¶ And David reigned over all
Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
16 And Joab the
son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was
recorder;
17 And Zadok the
son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests;
and Seraiah was the scribe;
18 And Benaiah
the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's
sons were chief rulers.
1 ¶ And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the
house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's
sake?
2 And there was of
the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him
unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is
he.
3 And the king
said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king,
Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
4 And the king
said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the
house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
5 Then king David
sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel,
from Lodebar.
6 Now when
Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he
fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered,
Behold thy servant!
7 And David said
unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan
thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and
thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
8 And he bowed
himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a
dead dog as I am?
9 ¶ Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and
said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that
pertained to Saul and to all his house.
10 Thou
therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and
thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but
Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had
fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11
Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king
hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said
the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
12 And
Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the
house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
13
So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the
king's table; and was lame on both his feet.
1 ¶ And it came to pass after this, that the king of the
children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2
Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as
his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand
of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the
children of Ammon.
3 And the princes
of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou
that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath
not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it
out, and to overthrow it?
4 Wherefore Hanun
took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off
their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them
away.
5 When they told
it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and
the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
6 ¶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank
before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the
Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of
king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.
7 And when David
heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
8 And the
children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and
Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
9 When Joab saw
that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all
the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
10 And the rest
of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.
11 And he said,
If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the
children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
12 Be of good
courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God:
and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.
13
And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle
against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
14 And when the
children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before
Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of
Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
15 ¶ And when the Syrians saw that they
were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
16 And Hadarezer
sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to
Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.
17
And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed
over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against
David, and fought with him.
18 And the
Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of
the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
19 And when all
the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before
Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to
help the children of Ammon any more.
1 ¶ And it came to pass, after the
year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent
Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the
children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
2 And it came to
pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked
upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing
herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
3 And David sent
and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter
of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 And David sent
messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with
her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her
house.
5 And the woman
conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6 ¶ And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the
Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7
And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did,
and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8 And David said
to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of
the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
9
But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of
his lord, and went not down to his house.
10 And when they
had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto
Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto
thine house?
11
And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in
tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open
fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with
my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
12 And David said
to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
13 And when David
had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at
even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not
down to his house.
14 ¶ And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote
a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 And he wrote
in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and
retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16 And it came to
pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he
knew that valiant men were.
17
And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell
some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18 Then Joab sent
and told David all the things concerning the war;
19 And charged
the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the
war unto the king,
20
And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee,
Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not
that they would shoot from the wall?
21 Who smote
Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone
upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead
also.
22 So the
messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23 And the
messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out
unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
24 And the
shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's
servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
25 Then David
said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing
displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle
more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and
encourage thou him.
26 And when the
wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her
husband.
27 And when the
mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his
wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased
the LORD.
1 ¶ And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto
him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the
other poor.
2 The rich man
had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3
But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had
bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his
children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his
bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4 And there came
a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that
was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man
that was come to him.
5 And David's
anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD
liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
6 And he shall
restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7 And Nathan said
to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee
king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee
thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the
house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast
thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast
killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy
wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore
the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to
be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the
LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I
will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he
shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst
it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said
unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD
also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14 Howbeit,
because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD
to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15 ¶ And Nathan departed unto his
house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it
was very sick.
16 David
therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay
all night upon the earth.
17 And the elders
of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth:
but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18 And it came to
pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared
to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was
yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will
he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
19
But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the
child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And
they said, He is dead.
20 Then David
arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his
apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread
before him, and he did eat.
21 Then said his
servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and
weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst
rise and eat bread.
22
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I
said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is
dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him,
but he shall not return to me.
24 And David
comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and
the LORD loved him.
25 And he sent by
the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the
LORD.
26 ¶ And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of
Ammon, and took the royal city.
27
And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against
Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
28 Now therefore
gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take
it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.
29 And David
gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
30 And he took
their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold
with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth
the spoil of the city in great abundance.
31 And he brought
forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and
under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the
brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So
David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.