said moreover, "The (6) LORD that delivered "me out of the paw of the lion, and out "of the paw of the bear, he will deliver "me out of the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said unto David, "Go, and "the LORD be with thee." 38. And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head, also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed (c) to go, for he had not proved it and David said unto Saul, "I cannot go with these: for I have not "proved them." And David put them off him. 40. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, which he had, even in a scrip, and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. 41. And the Philistine came on, and drew near unto David, and the man that bare the shield went before him. 42. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43. And the Philistine said unto David, "Am I a dog, that "thou comest to me with staves?" and the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44. And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give thy flesh "unto the fowls of the air, and to the "beasts of the field." 45. Then said David to the Philistine, "Thou comest to me "with a sword, and with a spear, and with "a shield; but I come to thee in the "name of the LORD of hosts, the God of "the armies of Israel, whom thou hast "defied. 46. This day will the LORD "deliver thee into mine hand, and I will "smite thee, and take thine head from "thee, and I will give the carcases of the

"host of the Philistines this day unto the "fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts "of the earth; that all the earth may know "that there is a God in Israel. 47. And "all this assembly shall know that the "LORD saveth not with sword and spear: "for the battle is the LORD's, and he will "give you into our hands." 48. And it came to pass when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49. And David put his hand in his bag, and to thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with: stone, and smote the Philistine and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51. Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine, and took h sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut of h head therewith. And when the Phil tines saw their champion was dead t fled. 52. And the men of Israel and Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron: and the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. 53. And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. 54. And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent. 55. And (d) when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner the captain of the host, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" A Abner said, "As thy soul liveth, O ki

(b) v.37. "The Lord, &c." So that he confided, not in his own arm, or in his own strength, but in him who alone is a buckler to all that trust in him, who alone girdeth with strength unto the battle, and giveth victory unto kings, and delivereth his servants from the peril of the sword. Dr. Hales observes this upon "The zeal David evinced, passage: and his confidence in the divine protection, afford the finest illustration of the nature of

"I cannot tell." 56. And the king said, "Enquire thou whose son this strippling "is." 57. And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with

the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58. And Saul said to him, "Whose son

art thou, thou young man ?" And David answered, "I am the son of thy servant "Jesse the Bethlehemite."

CHAP. XII.

A David; and he came unto him, and

ND the LORD (e) sent Nathan unto

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 deat 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 f" a traveller unto the rich man, and he CC spared to take of his own flock, and of met his own herd, to dress for the wayfar

ing 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 the shall restore the lamb fourfold, be#cause 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 'f).

9. Wherefore hast thou despised the com"mandment of the LORD, to do evil in his "sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hit"tite with the sword, and hast taken his "wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him "with the sword of the children (g) 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 (6) "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 be"fore 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

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

of the LORD. 26. And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the (k) 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 d gold, with the precious stones) and it wa set on David's head: and he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance. 31. And he brought forth the people the were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under ares of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem

CHAP. XIX.

ND () it was told Joab, Bebok,

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 Bath-sheba 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 (i), because

"for Absalom." 2. And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people for the people heard say that day, how the king was grieved for his son, 3. And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4. Bu: the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, "O Absalom, my son, my son." 5. And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, "Thou hast shamed this day the "faces of all thy servants, which this da "have saved thy life, and the lives of ty "sons, and of thy daughters, and the lives "of thy wives, and the lives of thy "concubines: 6. In that thou lovest thine "enemies, and hatest thy friends; for

verse "the city of waters." Had the be city been taken, how could he be sending for David, as in verse 28. to come and encamp against the city and take it?

(1) v. 1. Before Christ 1023. (m) v. 1. "The king," i. e. "David." H was at Mahanaim.

"thou hast declared this day, that thou "regardest neither princes nor servants : "for this day I perceive that if Absalom "had lived, and all we had died this day, "then it had pleased thee well. 7. Now "therefore arise, go forth, and speak "comfortably unto thy servants: for I ["swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, "there will not tarry one with thee this "night; and that will be worse unto thee

than all the evil that befell thee from thy "youth until now." 8. Then the king rose, and sat in the gate: and they told unto all the people, saying, "Behold, the "king doth sit in the (n) gate:" and all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent. 9. And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king saved us out of the hand of "" our enemies, and he delivered us out "of the hand of the Philistines, and now "he is fled out of the land for Absalom. "10. And Absalom, whom we anointed

over us, is dead in battle: now thereI«fore why speak ye not a word of bringing "the king back (o)." 11. And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak unto the elders of Judah, "saying, Why are ye the last to bring "the king back to his house? (seeing the "speech of all Israel is come to the king, 66 even to his house.) 12. Ye are my "brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: "wherefore then are ye the last to bring "back the king? 13. And say ye to "Amasa (p), Art thou not of my bone, "and of my flesh? God do so to me and "more also, if thou be not captain of the "host before me continually in the room "of Joab." 14. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart

(n) v. 8. "The gate," i. e. " of the city of "Mahanaim."

(o) v. 10. "Back," i. e. " to Jerusalem," from whence he had fled.

(p) v. 13. "Amasa, "who had been cap"tain of Absalom's host." 2 Sam. xvii. 25. David's indignation against Joab was, because he had killed Absalom. David had given him charge before the battle, " Deal gently for my "sake with the young man, even with Absa"lom. 2 Sam. xviii. 5.”

(g) v. 19. "Did perversely." He had cursed

of one man, so that they sent this word unto the king, "Return thou and all thy "servants." 15. So the king returned, and came to Jordan: and Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan. 16. And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah, to meet king David. 17. And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons, and his twenty servants with him, and they went over Jordan before the king. 18. And there went over a ferry-boat to carry over the king's houshold, and to do what he thought good: and Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was come over Jordan; 19. and said unto the king, "Let not my lord impute "iniquity unto me, neither do thou re"member that which thy servant did (9) "perversely the day that my lord the king "went out of Jerusalem, that the king "should take it to his heart. 20. For "thy servant doth know that I have "sinned therefore behold, I am come "the first this day of all the house of "Joseph (r), to go down to meet my lord "the king." 21. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, "Shall not "Shimei be put to death for this, because "he cursed the LORD's anointed?" 22. And David said, "What have I to ❝ do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that

ye should this day be adversaries unto "me? shall there any man be put to death "this day in Israel? for do not I know "that I am this day king over Israel? 23. Therefore the king said unto Shimei, "Thou shalt not die :" and the king sware unto him. 24. And Mephibosheth the (s)

David, and cast stones at him and his servants. 1 Sam. xvi. 5. 6.

(r) v. 20. "Joseph," with whom the Benjamites were associated in their encampments. Under the standard of the camp of Ephraim were the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (Joseph's sons), and the tribe of Benjamin. Numb. ii. 18 to 24.

(s) v. 24. "The son of Saul," rather " his "grandson." He was the son of Jonathan Post, 2 Sam. xxi. 7..

son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed, until the day he came again in peace. 25. And it came to pass when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, "Wherefore wentest not "thou with me, Mephibosheth?" 26. And he answered, "My lord, O king, my ser"vant (t) deceived me: for thy servant "said (u), I will saddle me an ass, that I ❝inay ride thereon, and go to the king, be"cause thy servant is lame. 27. And he "hath slandered (x) thy servant unto my "lord the king; but my lord the king is as "an angel of God: do therefore what is "good in thine eyes. 28. For all of my "father's house were but dead men before « my lord the king : yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at "thine own table: what right therefore "have I yet to cry any more unto the "king?" 29. And the king said unto him, "Why speakest thou any more of ، thy matters ? I have said, Thou and "Ziba divide the land." 30. And Mephibosheth said unto the king, "Yea, let "him take all, forasmuch as my lord the ❝king is come again in peace unto his own "house." 31. And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. 32. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old, and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a very great man. 33. And the king said unto Barzillai, "Come thou over with 66 me, and I will feed thee with me in "Jerusalem." 34. And Barzillai said unto the king, "How long have I to live, "that I should go up with the king unto . Jerusalem. 35. I am this day fourscore "years old: and can I discern between "good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear

"any more the voice of singing-men and 6 singing women ? wherefore then should "thy servant be yet a burden unto my "lord the king? 36. Thy servant will

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go a little way over Jordan with the "king: and why should the king recom "pense it me with such a reward? 37. Let "thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, "that I may die in mine own city, and "buried by the grave of my father, and of "my mother: but behold thy servan "Chimham, let him go over with my loa “ the king, and do to him what shall seen "good unto thee." 38. And the ki answered, "Chimham shall go over with

me, and I will do to him that which "shall seem good unto thee: and what 66 soever thou shalt require of me, the " will I do for thee." 39. And all the people went over Jordan: and when the king was come over, the king kissed Bar zillain, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place. 40. Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him : and all the people of Judi (1) conducted the king, and also half the pe of Israel. 41. And behold, all the ne of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, "Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away,

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