1 Now it came to pass that Naas the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned is his stead.

2 And David said: I will shew kindness to Hanon the son of Naas: for his father did a favour to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him upon the death of his father. But when they were come into the land of the children of Ammon, to comfort Hanon,

3 The princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanon: Thou thinkest perhaps that David to do honour to thy father hath sent comforters to thee: and thou dost not take notice, that his servants are come to thee to consider, and search, and spy out thy land.

4 Wherefore Hanon shaved the heads and beards of the servants of David, and cut away their garments from the buttocks to the feet, and sent them away.

5 And when they were gone, they sent word to David, who sent to meet them (for they had suffered a great affront) and ordered them to stay at Jericho till their beards grew and then to return.

6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had done an injury to David, Hanon and the rest of the people sent a thousand talents of silver, to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria Maacha, and out of Soba.

7 And they hired two and thirty thousand chariots, and the king of Maacha, with his people. And they came and camped over against Medaba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together out of their cities, and came to battle.

8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of valiant men:

9 And the children of Ammon came out and put their army in array before the gate of the city: and the kings, that were come to their aid, stood apart in the field.

10 Wherefore Joab understanding that the battle was set against him before and behind, chose out the bravest men of all Israel, and marched against the Syrians,

11 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abisai his brother, and they went against the children of Ammon.

12 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, I will help thee.

13 Be of good courage and let us behave ourselves manfully for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord will do that which is good in his sight.

14 So Joab and the people that were with him, went against the Syrians to the battle: and he put them to flight.

15 And the children of Ammon seeing that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled from Abisai his brother, and went into the city: and Joab also returned to Jerusalem.

16 But the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, sent messengers, and brought to them the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Sophach, general of the army of Adarezer, was their leader.

17 And it was told David, and he gathered together all Israel, and passed the Jordan, and came upon them, and put his army in array against them, and they fought with him.

18 But the Syrian fled before Israel: and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and Sophach the general of the army.

19 And when the servants of Adarezer saw themselves overcome by Israel, they went over to David, and served him: and Syria would not help the children of Ammon any more.

1 And it came to pass after this, that David defeated the Philistines, and humbled them, and took away Geth, and her daughters out of the hands of the Philistines,

2 And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites were made David’s servants, and brought him gifts.

3 At that time David defeated also Adarezer king of Soba of the land of Hemath, when he went to extend his dominions as far as the river Euphrates.

4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen, and he houghed all the chariot horses, only a hundred chariots, which he reserved for himself.

5 And the Syrians of Damascus came also to help Adarezer king of Soba: and David slew of them likewise two and twenty thousand men.

6 And he put a garrison in Damascus, that Syria also should serve him, and bring gifts. And the Lord assisted him in all things to which he went.

7 And David took the golden quivers which the servants of Adarezer had, and he brought them to Jerusalem.

8 Likewise out of Thebath and Chun, cities of Adarezer, he brought very much brass, of which Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

9 Now when Thou king of Hemath heard that David had defeated all the army of Adarezer king of Soba,

10 He sent Adoram his son to king David, to desire peace of him, and to congratulate him that he had defeated and overthrown Adarezer: for Thou was an enemy to Adarezer.

11 And all the vessels of gold, and silver, and brass king David consecrated to the Lord, with the silver and gold which he had taken from all the nations, as well from Edom, and from Moab, and from the sons of Ammon, as from the Philistines, and from Amalec.

12 And Abisai the son of Sarvia slew of the Edomites in the vale of the saltpits, eighteen thousand:

13 And he put a garrison in Edom, that Edom should serve David: and the Lord preserved David in all things to which he went.

14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.

15 And Joab the son of Sarvia was over the army, and Josaphat the son of Ahilud recorder.

16 And Sadoc the son of Achitob, and Achimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests: and Susa, scribe.

17 And Banaias the son of Joiada was over the bands of the Cerethi, and the Phelethi: and the sons of David were chief about the king.

1 Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins.

2 And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee.

3 Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

4 Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in.

5 For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent,

6 Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel, whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?

7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel.

8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth.

9 And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning,

10 Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.

11 And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom.

12 He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.

13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee.

14 But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever.

15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

16 And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou shouldst give such things to me?

17 But even this hath seemed little in thy sight, and therefore thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for the time to come: and hast made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God.

18 What can David add more, seeing thou hast thus glorified thy servant, and known him?

19 O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, according to thy own heart, thou hast shewn all this magnificence, and wouldst have all the great things to be known.

20 O Lord there is none like thee: and there is no other God beside thee, of all whom we have heard of with our ears.

21 For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people Israel, whom God went to deliver, and make a people for himself, and by his greatness and terrors cast out nations before their face whom he had delivered out of Egypt?

22 And thou hast made thy people Israel to be thy own people for ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God.

23 Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.

24 And let thy name remain and be magnified for ever: and let it be said: The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, and the house of David his servant remaineth before him.

25 For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant hath found confidence to pray before thee.

26 And now O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy servant such great benefits.

27 And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be always before thee: for seeing thou blessest it, O Lord, it shall be blessed for ever.

1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent, which David had pitched for it: and they offered holocausts, and peace offerings before God.

2 And when David had made an end of offering holocausts, and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

3 And he divided to all and every one, both men and women, a loaf of bread, and a piece of roasted beef, and flour fried with oil.

4 And he appointed Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to remember his works, and to glorify, and praise the Lord God of Israel.

5 Asaph the chief, and next after him Zacharias: moreover Jahiel, and Semiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mathathias, and Eliab, and Banaias, and Obededom: and Jehiel over the instruments of psaltery, and harps: and Asaph sounded with cymbals:

6 But Banaias, and Jaziel the priests, to sound the trumpet continually before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

7 In that day David made Asaph the chief to give praise to the Lord with his brethren.

8 Praise ye the Lord, and call upon his name: make known his doings among the nations.

9 Sing to him, yea, sing praises to him: and relate all his wondrous works.

10 Praise ye his holy name: let the heart I of them rejoice, that seek the Lord.

11 Seek ye the Lord, and his power: seek ye his face evermore.

12 Remember his wonderful works, which he hath done: his signs, and the judgments of his mouth.

13 O ye seed of Israel his servants, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

14 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember for ever his covenant: the word, which he commanded to a thousand generations.

16 The covenant which he made with Abraham: and his oath to Isaac.

17 And he appointed the same to Jacob for a precept: and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

18 Saying: To thee will I give the land of Chanaan: the lot of your inheritance.

19 When they were but a small number: very few and sojourners in it.

20 And they passed from nation to nation: and from a kingdom to another people.

21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: and reproved kings for their sake.

22 Touch not my anointed: and do no evil to my prophets.

23 Sing ye to the Lord, all the earth: shew forth from day to day his salvation.

24 Declare his glory among the Gentiles: his wonders among all people.

25 For the Lord is great and exceedingly to be praised: and he is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

27 Praise and magnificence are before him: strength and joy in his place.

28 Bring ye to the Lord, O ye families of the nations: bring ye to the Lord glory and empire.

29 Give to the Lord glory to his name, bring up sacrifice, and come ye in his sight: and adore the Lord in holy becomingness.

30 Let all the earth be moved at his presence: for he hath founded the world immoveable.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad: and let them say among the nations: The Lord hath reigned.

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all things that are in them.

33 Then shall the trees of the wood give praise before the Lord: because he is come to judge the earth.

34 Give ye glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

35 And say ye: Save us, O God our saviour: and gather us together, and deliver us from the nations, that we may give glory to thy holy name, and may rejoice in singing thy praises.

36 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity: and let all the people say Amen, and a hymn to God.

37 So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brethren to minister in the presence of the ark continually day by day, and in their courses.

38 And Obededom, with his brethren sixty-eight: and Obededom the son of Idithun, and Hosa he appointed to be porters.

39 And Sadoc the priest, and his brethren priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place, which was in Gabaon.

40 That they should offer holocausts to the Lord upon the altar of holocausts continually, morning and evening, according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel.

41 And after him Heman, and Idithun, and the rest that were chosen, every one by his name to give praise to the Lord: because his mercy endureth for ever.

42 And Heman and Idithun sounded the trumpet, and played on the cymbals, and all kinds of musical instruments to sing praises to God: and the sons of Idithun he made porters.

43 And all the people returned to their houses: and David to bless also his own house.

1 He made also houses for himself in the city of David: and built a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tabernacle for it.

2 Then David said: No one ought to carry the ark of God, but the Levites, whom the Lord hath chosen to carry it, and to minister unto himself for ever.

3 And he gathered all Israel together into Jerusalem, that the ark of God might be brought into its place, which he had prepared for it.

4 And the sons of Aaron also, and the Levites.

5 Of the children of Caath, Uriel was the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty.

6 Of the sons of Merari, Asaia the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty.

7 Of the sons of Gersom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty.

8 Of the sons of Elisaphan, Semeias the chief: and his brethren two hundred.

9 Of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief: and his brethren eighty.

10 Of the sons of Oziel, Aminadab the chief: and his brethren a hundred and twelve.

11 And David called Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites, Uriel, Asaia, Joel, Semeia, Eliel, and Aminadab:

12 And he said to them: You that are the heads of the Levitical families, be sanctified with your brethren, and brine the ark of the Lord the God of Israel to the place, which is prepared for it:

13 Lest as the Lord at first struck us, because you were not present, the same should now also come to pass, by our doing some thing against the law.

14 So the priests and the Levites were sanctified, to carry the ark of the Lord the God of Israel.

15 And the sons of Levi took the ark of God as Moses had commanded, according to the word of the Lord, upon their shoulders, with the staves.

16 And David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites, to appoint some of their brethren to be singers with musical instruments, to wit, on psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, that the joyful noise might resound on high.

17 And they appointed Levites, Hemam the son of Joel, and of his brethren Asaph the son of Barachias: and of the sons of Merari, their brethren: Ethan the son of Casaia.

18 And with them their brethren: in the second rank, Zacharias, and Ben, and Jaziel, and Semiramoth, and Jahiel, and Ani, and Eliab, and Banaias, and Maasias, and Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias, and Obededom, and Jehiel, the porters.

19 Now the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, sounded with cymbals of brass.

20 And Zacharias, and Oziel, and Semiramoth, and Jehiel, and Ani, and Eliab, and Maasias, and Banaias, sung mysteries upon psalteries.

21 And Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias and Obededom, and Jehiel and Ozaziu, sung a song of victory for the octave upon harps.

22 And Chonenias chief of the Levites, presided over the prophecy, to give out the tunes: for he was very skillful.

23 And Barachias, and Elcana, were doorkeepers of the ark.

24 And Sebenias, and Josaphat, and Nathanael, and Amasai, and Zacharias, and Banaias, and Eliezer the priests, sounded with trumpets, before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehias were porters of the ark.

25 So David and all the ancients of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy.

26 And when God had helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they offered in sacrifice seven oxen, and seven rams.

27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that carried the ark, and the singing men, and Chonenias the ruler of the prophecy among the singers: and David also had on him an ephod of linen.

28 And all Israel brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord with joyful shouting, and sounding with the sound of the comet, and with trumpets, and cymbals, and psalteries, and harps.

29 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come to the city of David, Michol the daughter of Saul looking out at a window, saw king David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.

1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and masons, and carpenters, to build him a house.

2 And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, and that his kingdom was exalted over his people Israel.

3 And David took other wives in Jerusalem: and he beget sons, and daughters.

4 Now these are the names of them that were born to him in Jerusalem: Samua, and Sobad, Nathan, and Solomon,

5 Jebahar, and Elisua, and Eliphalet,

6 And Noga, and Napheg, and Japhia,

7 Elisama. and Baaliada, and Eliphalet.

8 And the Philistines hearing that David was anointed king over all Israel, went all up to seek him: and David heard of it, and went out against them.

9 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the vale of Raphaim.

10 And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said to him: Go up, and I will deliver them into thy hand.

11 And when they were come to Baalpharasim, David defeated them there, and he said: God hath divided my enemies by my hand, as waters are divided: and therefore the name of that place was called Baalpharasim.

12 And they left there their gods, and David commanded that they should be burnt.

13 Another time also the Philistines made an irruption, and spread themselves abroad in the valley.

14 And David consulted God again, and God said to him: Go not up after them, turn away from them, and come upon them over against the pear trees.

15 And when thou shalt hear the sound of one going in the tops of the pear trees, then shalt thou go out to battle. For God is gone out before thee to strike the army of the Philistines.

16 And David did as God had commanded him, and defeated the army of the Philistines, slaying them from Gabaon to Gazera.

17 And the name of David became famous in all countries, and the Lord made all nations fear him.

1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands, and of hundreds, and with all the commanders.

2 And he said to all the assembly of Israel: If it please you; and if the words which I speak come from the Lord our God, let us send to the rest of our brethren into all the countries of Israel, and to the priests, and the Levites, that dwell in the suburbs of the cities, to gather themselves to us,

3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought it not in the days of Saul.

4 And all the multitude answered that it should be so: for the word pleased all the people.

5 So David assembled all Israel from Sihor of Egypt, even to the entering into Emath, to bring the ark of God from Cariathiarim.

6 And David went up with all the men of Israel to the hill of Cariathiarim which is in Juda, to bring thence the ark of the Lord God sitting upon the cherubims, where his name is called upon.

7 And they carried the ark of God upon a new cart, out of the house of Abinadab. And Oza and his brother drove the cart.

8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might with hymns, and with harps, and with psalteries, and timbrels, and cymbals, and trumpets,

9 And when they came to the floor of Chidon, Oza put forth his hand, to hold up the ark: for the ox being wanton had made it lean a little on one side.

10 And the Lord was angry with Oza, and struck him, because he had touched the ark; and he died there before the Lord.

11 And David was troubled because the Lord had divided Oza: and he called that place the Breach of Oza to this day.

12 And he feared God at that time, saying: How can I bring in the ark of God to me?

13 And therefore he brought it not home to himself, that is, into the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gethite.

14 And the ark of God remained in the house of Obededom three months: and the Lord blessed his house, and all that he had.

1 Now these are they that came to David to Siceleg, while he yet fled from Saul the son of Cia, and they were most valiant and excellent warriors,

2 Bending the bow, and using either hand in hurling stones with slings, and shooting arrows: of the brethren of Saul of Benjamin.

3 The chief was Ahiezer, and Joas, the sons of Samaa of Gabaath, and Jaziel, and Phallet the sons of Azmoth, and Beracha, and Jehu an Anathothite.

4 And Samaias of Gabaon, the stoutest amongst the thirty and over the thirty;

5 Jeremias, and Jeheziel, and Johanan, and Jezabad of Gaderoth;

6 And Eluzai, and Jerimuth, and Baalia, and Samaria, and Saphatia the Haruphite;

7 Elcana, and Jesia, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jesbaam of Carehim:

8 And Joela, and Zabadia the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

9 From Gaddi also there went over to David, when he lay hid in the wilderness most valiant men, and excellent warriors, holding shield and spear: whose faces were like the faces of a lion, and they were swift like the roebucks on the mountains.

10 Ezer the chief, Obdias the second, Eliab the third,

11 Masmana the fourth, Jeremias the fifth.

12 Ethi the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

13 Johanan the eighth, Elzebad the ninth,

14 Jerenias the tenth, Machbani the eleventh,

15 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the army: the least of them was captain over a hundred soldiers, and the greatest over a thousand.

16 These are they who passed over the Jordan in the first month, when it is used to how over its banks: and they put to flight all that dwelt in the valleys both toward the east and toward the west.

17 And there came also of the men of Benjamin, and of Juda to the hold, in which David abode.

18 And David went out to meet them, and said: If you are come peaceably to me to help me, let my heart be joined to you: but if you plot against me for my enemies whereas I have no iniquity in my hands, let the God of our fathers see, and judge.

19 But the spirit came upon Amasai the chief among thirty, and he said: We are thine, O David, and for thee, O son of Isai: peace, peace be to thee, and peace to thy helpers. For thy God helpeth thee. So David received them, and made them captains of the band.

20 And there were some of Manasses that went over to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to fight: but he did not fight with them: because the lords of the Philistines taking counsel sent him back, saying: With the danger of our heads he will return to his master Saul.

21 So when he went back to Siceleg, there fled to him of Manasses, Ednas and Jozabad, and Jedihel, and Michael, and Ednas, and Jozabad, and Eliu, and Salathi, captains of thousands in Manasses.

22 These helped David against the rovers: for they were all most valiant men, and were made commanders in the army.

23 Moreover day by day there came some to David to help him till they became a great number, like the army of God.

24 And this is the number of the chiefs of the army who came to David, when he was in Hebron, to transfer to him the kingdom of Saul, according to the word of the Lord.

25 The sons of Juda bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred well appointed to war.

26 Of the sons of Simeon valiant men for war, seven thousand one hundred.

27 Of the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred.

28 And Joiada prince of the race of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred.

29 Sadoc also a young man of excellent disposition, and the house of his father, twenty-two principal men.

30 And of the sons of Benjamin the brethren of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto a great part of them followed the house of Saul.

31 And of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, men of great valour renowned in their kindreds.

32 And of the half tribe of Manasses, eighteen thousand, every one by their names, came to make David king.

33 Also of the sons of Issachar men of understanding, that knew all times to order what Israel should do, two hundred principal men: and all the rest of the tribe followed their counsel.

34 And of Zabulon such as went forth to battle, and stood in array well appointed with armour for war, there came fifty thousand to his aid, with no double heart.

35 And of Nephtali, a thousand leaders: and with them seven and thirty thousand, furnished with shield and spear.

36 Of Dan also twenty-eight thousand six hundred prepared for battle.

37 And of Aser forty thousand going forth to fight, and challenging in battle.

38 And on the other side of the Jordan of the sons of Ruben, and of Gad, and of the half of the tribe of Manasses a hundred and twenty thousand, furnished with arms for war.

39 All these men of war well appointed to fight, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel, were of one heart to make David king.

40 And they were there with David three days eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.

41 Moreover they that were near them even as far as Issachar, and Zabulon, and Nephtali, brought leaves on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, to eat: meal, figs, raisins, wine, oil, and oxen, and sheep in abundance, for there was joy in Israel.

1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David in Hebron, saying: We are thy bone, and thy flesh.

2 Yesterday also, and the day before when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: for the Lord thy God said to thee: Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt; be ruler over them.

3 So all the ancients of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before the Lord: and they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke in the hand of Samuel.

4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were the inhabitants of the land.

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: Thou shalt not come in here. But David took the castle of Sion, which is the city of David.

6 And he said: Whosoever shall first strike the Jebusites, shall be the head and chief captain. And Joab the son of Sarvia went up first, and was made the general.

7 And David dwelt in the castle, and therefore it was called the city of David.

8 And he built the city round about from Mello all round, and Joab built the rest of the city.

9 And David went on growing and increasing, and the Lord of hosts was with him.

10 These are the chief of the valiant men of David, who helped him to be made king over all Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Israel.

11 And this is the number of the heroes of David: Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni the chief among the thirty: he lifted up his spear against three hundred wounded by him at one time.

12 And after him was Eleazar his uncle’s son the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

13 He was with David in Phesdomim, when the Philistines were gathered to that place to battle: and the field of that country was full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistines.

14 But these men stood in the midst of the field, and defended it: and they slew the Philistines, and the Lord gave a great deliverance to his people.

15 And three of the thirty captains went down to the rock, wherein David was, to the cave of Odollam, when the Philistines encamped in the valley of Raphaim.

16 And David was in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines in Bethlehem.

17 And David longed, and said: O that some man would give me water of the cistern of Bethlehem, which is in the gate.

18 And these three broke through the midst of the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, which was in the gate, and brought it to David to drink: and he would not drink of it, but rather offered it to the Lord,

19 Saying: God forbid that I should do this in the sight of my God, and should drink the blood of these men: for with the danger of their lives they have brought me the water. And therefore he would not drink. These things did the three most valiant.

20 And Abisai the brother of Joab, he was chief of three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

21 And illustrious among the second three, and their captain: but yet he attained not to the first three.

22 Banaias the son of Joiada, a most valiant man, of Cabseel, who had done many acts: he slew the two ariels of Moab: and he went down, and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow.

23 And he slew an Egyptian, whose stature was of five cubits, and who had a spear like a weaver’s beam: and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked away the spear, that he held in his hand, and slew him with his own spear.

24 These things did Banaias the son of Joiada, who was renowned among the three valiant ones,

25 And the first among the thirty, but yet to the three he attained not: and David made him of his council.

26 Moreover the most valiant men of the army, were Asahel brother of Joab, and Elchanan the son of his uncle of Bethlehem,

27 Sammoth an Arorite, Helles a Phalonite,

28 Ira the son of Acces a Thecuite, Abiezer an Anathothite,

29 Sobbochai a Husathite, Ilai an Ahohite,

30 Maharai a Netophathite, Heled the son of Baana a Netophathite,

31 Ethai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the sons of Benjamin, Banal a Pharathonite,

32 Hurai of the torrent Gaas, Abiel an Arbathite, Azmoth a Bauramite, Eliaba a Salabonite,

33 The sons of Assem a, Gezonite, Jonathan the son of Sage an Ararite,

34 Ahiam the son of Sachar an Ararite,

35 Eliphal the son of Ur,

36 Hepher a Mecherathite, Ahia a Phelonite,

37 Hesro a Carmelite, Naarai the son of Azbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibahar the son of Agarai.

39 Selec an Ammonite, Naharai a Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia.

40 Ira a Jethrite, Gareb a Jethrite,

41 Urias a Hethite, Zabad the son of Oholi,

42 Adina the son of Siza a Rubenite the prince of the Rubenites, and thirty with him:

43 Hanan the son of Maacha, and Josaphat a Mathanite,

44 Ozia an Astarothite, Samma, and Jehiel the sons of Hotham an Arorite,

45 Jedihel the son of Zamri, and Jobs his brother a Thosaite,

46 Eliel a Mithumite, and Jeribai, and Josaia the sons of Elnaim, and Jethma a Moabite,

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel of Masobia.

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down wounded in mount Gelboe.

2 And the Philistines drew near pursuing after Saul, and his sons, and they killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchisua the sons of Saul.

3 And the battle grew hard against Saul, and the archers reached him, and wounded him with arrows.

4 And Saul said to his armourbearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest these uncircumcised come, and mock me. But his armourbearer would not, for he was struck with fear: so Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

5 And when his armourbearer saw it, to wit, that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died.

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house fell together.

7 And when the men of Israel, that dwelt in the plains, saw this, they fled: and Saul and his sons being dead, they forsook their cities, and were scattered up and down: and the Philistines came, and dwelt in them.

8 And the next day the Philistines taking away the spoils of them that were slain, found Saul and his sons lying on mount Gelboe.

9 And when they had stripped him, and cut off his head, and taken away his armour, they sent it into their land, to be carried about, and shewn in the temples of the idols and to the people.

10 And his armour they dedicated in the temple of their god, and his head they fastened up in the temple of Dagon.

11 And when the men of Jabes Galaad had heard this, to wit, all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 All the valiant men of them arose, and took the bodies of Saul and of his sons, and brought them to Jabes, and buried their bones under the oak that was in Jabes, and they fasted seven days.

13 So Saul died for his iniquities, because he transgressed the commandment of the Lord, which he had commanded, and kept it not: and moreover consulted also a witch,

14 And trusted not is the Lord: therefore he slew him, and transferred his kingdom to David the son of Isai.