CHAP. XXIII. i David prcfejseth his faith in God's proseises, i A catalogue of h:s mighty men.

N' O \V these be the last words ofDavid. David the son of J else said, and the man •u.hs ivaj railed up on high, the anointed of the Cod ot Jacob, and the sweet ufidmist of Israel, laid,

I The Spirit of the Lokd spake by me, and his word lisas in my tongue.

jThe God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel lpake to me. He that rulcth over men Kufi be julf , ruling in the fear of God.

+ And ke shall be as the light of the morning, tuhen the fun rileth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grafs springing out ot the earth by clear mining after rain.

5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he iiutn made with mean everlatkingcovenant, ordered inall/^ui£.r;ind sure: tot this is all my salvation, andaUmr desire, although he make /'/ not to grow.

6 But she sons of Belial snail be all os them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

7 But the man that (hall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in thesame place.

t ^f These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonire that fat in the feat, chits among the Captains; the fame -was Adino the £znite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men ef Israel were gone away:

Io He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lo R D wrought a great victory that day: and the people returned aster him only to spoil.

II And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full oflentiles i and the people fled from the Philistines.

jx But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

11 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam. And the troop of the Philistine* pitched V* the valley of Rephanji, ' f

i+ Ar.d David ivas then in an hold, and th« garrison of the Philistines was then in ikth-lchem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of tile water of the well of Beth-lehem which is by the gate!

16 And the three mighty men brake through the holt of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem that ivas by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lor D, that I sliouM do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18 And Abilhai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruhh, was chief amamj three. And he listed up his spear against three hundred, and Hew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not uuto the first three.

10 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

11 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

13 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attaintd not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

»+ Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

15 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

isi Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesli the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebun. nai the Hulhathite,

28 Zalrnon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heleb the son of Baanah a Netophathite, Ittai the Ion of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

V J 10 Benaiah

ad bowed himself before the king on his sice upon the ground.

Ji And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee to build an altar unto the Loud, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

« And Araunr.ii said unto David, Let ay lord the king take and offer up what sleuth good unto him: behold, here he oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments ot' the oxen for wood.

»3 All these things did Araunah, as a

king, give unto the king. And ArauJ nah said unto the king, The Lor. D tiiy God accept tliee.

»4 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I osier burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threlhingfloor and the oxen for sift)- shekels of hlver.

25 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was staved from Israel.

CHAP. I.

i Atijhag eheri/keth David in his extreme egt. ^Adonijah, D at id'sdarling, usurped tit kingdom. 32 Solomon, by David's assortment, is anointed king by Zadok aid Nathan. 50 AJonijah, fleeing to the Urns of the altar, is di/mijsed by Solomon.

NOW king David was old and stricken in years j and they covered him with clothes, but he pt no heat.

» Wherefore his servants said unto tin, Let there be sought for my lord tit king a young virgin: and let her fand before the king, aud let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get h«at.

3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, »nd found Abifhag a Shunaiumite, and brought her to the king.

+ And the damsel ivas very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

5 H Then Adoniiah the son of Haggith suited himself, saying, I will be king: wdhe prepared him chariots and horfemen, and fifty men to run before him. SAndhisfatherhad notdispleased him ^anytime, in saying, Why halt thou done so? and he also ivas a very goodly "f>; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son 01 Zeruiah, and with Abiatharthe priest: '"dthcyfollowingAdoniiah, helped him. 'ButZadok the priest, and Benaiah '« son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the Pallet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the ra>jhty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. ! And Adonijah flew sheep and oxen

and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheletli., which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, andallth« men of Judah the king's servants:

10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, aud"the mighty men, and Solomon his brother he called not.

11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-fheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adoniiah the son of Haggilh doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it hot?

11 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 Go, and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he fiiasl sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

1+ Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15 And Bath-fheba went in unto the king into the chamber. And the king was very old; and Abifhag the Shunaiumite ministered unto the king.

16 And Bath-fheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? •

17 And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lor D thy God unto thine handmaid, faying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall lit upon my throne.

18 And now, behold, Adoniiah rcigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:

lo And he hath stain oxea and fat U 4. cattle Solomon anointed hmg*

eattle and (heap in abundance, and hath called all the 16ns of the king, and Abiathar the priclf, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou (houldest tell them who (hall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

u Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon ihall be counted offenders.

22 And lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

23 And they told the king, saying, fiehold, Nathan the prophet. And when Tie was come in before the king, he bowed himlelf before the king with his face to the ground.

24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he (hall sit upon my throne?

25 For he is gone down this day, and hath (lain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and fay, God save king Adonijah.

26 But me, e-ven me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath lie not called.

27 Is this thing done by my lord the Icing, and thou hast not (hewed // unto thy servant, who should (it on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-lheba. And (he came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

29 And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

30 Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son (hall reign after me, and he sliall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

31 Then Bath-iheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

31 qj And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

33 The kingalsosaid unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon;

34. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

35 Then ye (hall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he (hall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LoRDGodof my lord the king say so too.

37 As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solo. mon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

39 AhdZadok the priest took an horn ofoiloutof the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

4.0 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them."

41 And Adonijah and all the guests that •were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the found of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

42 And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adoniiah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the (on of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:

45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

47 And moreover the king's servant* came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better tiian thy name, and make his

throne David's charge to Sckmon.

throne greater than thy throne. And tlie king bowed himself upon the bed.

4? And also thus said the king, lilell'e& he the Lord God of Israel, which bath given one to sit on ray throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

49 And all the guests that <uicrc with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man hi» way.

50 «J And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth- king Solomon : for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horn; of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not flay his servant with the sword.

51 And Solomon said, If he will stiew himself a worthy man, there (hall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he (hall die. 53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

CHAP. II. I Davui, having given a chargeto Solomon, \odieth. i» Solomonfucceedeth. 13 Adonijah is put to death. 18 Joab is stain. 36 ShimeVs death.

NO W the days of David drew nigh that he ihould die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,

a I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgements, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou tnayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

4 That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, faying. If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth, with all their heart and with all their soul, there (hall not fail thee (said he) a man en the throne of Israel.

5 Moreover thou knowest also what joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the (on of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war Boon his girdle that itiai about his loins, and in his shoes that -were on his feet.

6 Co therefore according to thy wis

dom, and let not his hoar head ga down to the grave in peace.

7 But (hew kindnels unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they tame to me when I tied because of Absalom thy brother.

8 And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the Ion of Gera, a Beniamite of Bahui'im, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I (ware to him by the. Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wife man, and knowest what thou ou^'htest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou, down to the grave with blood.

10 *l SoDavid slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

11 And the days that David reigned over Israel ivere forty years: (even years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

"*J Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was elcablilhed greatly.

13 *J And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-(heba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Contest thou peaceably? And he (aid, Peaceably.

14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And (lie said, Say on.

r 5 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the Lord.

16 And nowlalk one petition of thee, deny me not. And (he said unto him, Say on.

17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

18 And Bath-fheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

19 Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.

20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee (ay me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, ray mother: for I will not say thee nay.

Si And she said, Let Abishag the

Shu-'