2 Samuel 20:20–23

¹⁰But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

¹⁰But Amasa tooke no heed to the sword that was in Ioabs hand: so hee smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and ^†strake him not againe, and he died: so Ioab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.

¹⁷And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should 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.

¹⁷And he said, Be it farre from me, O LORD, that I should doe this: is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues? therefore he would not drinke it. These things did these three mightie men.

⁹¶ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

⁹¶ The heart is deceitfull aboue all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?

¹⁶Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹⁶Loe, their good is not in their hand, the counsell of the wicked is farre from me.

¹⁸Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

^18*Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsell of the wicked is farre from me.

²⁹But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

²⁹But he willing to iustifie himselfe, said vnto Iesus, And who is my neighbour?

¹³He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

^13*He that couereth his sinnes, shall not prosper: but who so confesseth and forsaketh them, shall haue mercie.

⁶And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.

⁶And hee sayd vnto his men, The LORD forbid that I should doe this thing vnto my master the LORDs Anoynted, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the Anoynted of the LORD.

⁹And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?

⁹And Dauid sayd to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORDs Anointed, and be guiltlesse?

⁷And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.

⁷And it came to passe when the letter came to them, that they tooke the kings sonnes, and slewe seuentie persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Iezreel.

²²And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

²²And he said, All is well: my master hath sent me, saying, Behold, euen now there be come to mee from mount Ephraim two yong men, of the sonnes of the Prophets: Giue them, I pray thee, a talent of siluer, and two changes of garments.

²And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

³And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

²And I wil come vpon him while hee is wearie and weake handed, and wil make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee, and I will smite the king onely.

³And I wil bring backe all the people vnto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

¹AND there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

¹¶ And there happened to bee there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba the sonne of Bichri, a Beniamite, & hee blew a trumpet, and said, Wee haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritance in the sonne of Iesse: euery man to his tents, O Israel.

¹⁸And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

¹⁸And ^*Abishai the brother of Ioab, the sonne of Zeruiah, was chiefe among three, and he lift vp his speare against three hundred, ^† and slew them, and had the name among three.

¹⁵For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.

^15*For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.

¹⁹And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.

¹⁹And I will bring Israel againe to his habitation, and he shal feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soule shall be satisfied vpon mount Ephraim and Gilead.

³³And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

³³And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron died, and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was giuen him in mount Ephraim.

⁴And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.

⁵And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

⁶And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the Lord is your way wherein ye go.

⁷¶ Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

⁸And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

⁴And hee said vnto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his Priest.

⁵And they sayd vnto him, Aske counsell, we pray thee, of God, that we may know, whether our way which we goe, shall be prosperous.

⁶And the Priest said vnto them, Goe in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye goe.

⁷¶ Then the fiue men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt carelesse, after the maner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure, and there was no ^†magistrate in the land that might put them to shame in any thing, and they were farre from the Zidonians, and had no businesse with any man.

⁸And they came vnto their brethren to Zorah, and Eshtaol: and their brethren said vnto them, What say yee?

⁹And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

⁹And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-Heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the North side of the hill Gaash.

²⁴¶ And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.

²⁴¶ And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying; Come downe against the Midianites, and take before them the waters vnto Beth-barah, and Iordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselues together, and tooke the waters vnto Beth-barah, and Iordane.

¹AND there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

¹¶ And there happened to bee there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba the sonne of Bichri, a Beniamite, & hee blew a trumpet, and said, Wee haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritance in the sonne of Iesse: euery man to his tents, O Israel.

¹⁹Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

^19*Wisedome strengtheneth the wise, more then ten mightie men which are in the citie.

⁶¶ And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

⁷And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

⁸And 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.

⁹But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

¹⁰And 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?

¹¹And 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.

¹²And 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.

¹³And 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.

¹⁵And 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.

¹⁶And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

¹⁷And 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;

¹⁹And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

²⁰And 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?

²¹Who 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.

⁶¶ And Dauid sent to Ioab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Ioab sent Uriah to Dauid.

⁷And when Uriah was come vnto him, Dauid demanded of him ^†how Ioab did, and how the people did, and how the warre prospered.

⁸And Dauid said to Uriah, Goe downe to thy house, and wash thy feete. And Uriah departed out of the Kings house, and there ^†followed him a messe of meat from the king.

⁹But Uriah slept at the doore of the kings house, with all the seruants of his lord, and went not downe to his house.

¹⁰And when they had tolde Dauid, saying, Uriah went not downe vnto his house, Dauid said vnto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy iourney? why then diddest thou not goe downe vnto thine house?

¹¹And Uriah said vnto Dauid, The Arke, and Israel, and Iudah abide in tents, and my lord Ioab, and the seruants of my lord are encamped in the open fields; shall I then goe into mine house, to eate and to drinke, and to lie with my wife? As thou liuest, and as thy soule liueth, I will not doe this thing.

¹²And Dauid said to Uriah, Tary here to day also, and to morow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Ierusalem that day, and the morrow.

¹³And when Dauid had called him, hee did eate and drinke before him, and he made him drunke: and at euen hee went out to lie on his bed with the seruants of his lord, but went not downe to his house.

¹⁴¶ And it came to passe in the morning, that Dauid wrote a letter to Ioab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

¹⁵And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set yee Uriah in the forefront of the ^†hottest battel, and retire ye ^†from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

¹⁶And it came to passe when Ioab obserued the citie, that he assigned Uriah vnto a place where hee knewe that valiant men were.

¹⁷And the men of the city went out, and fought with Ioab: and there fell some of the people of the seruants of Dauid, and Uriah the Hittite died also.

¹⁸¶ Then Ioab sent, and tolde Dauid all the things concerning the warre:

¹⁹And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an ende of telling the matters of the warre vnto the King;

²⁰And if so be that the kings wrath arise, and hee say vnto thee, Wherefore approched ye so nigh vnto the city when yee did fight? Knew yee not that they would shoot from the wall?

²¹Who smote ^*Abimelech the sonne of Ierubesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a milstone vpon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? Then say thou, Thy seruant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

¹⁶And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

¹⁶And Ioab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Ioab helde backe the people.

²⁸So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

²⁸So Ioab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

¹⁶¶ Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

¹⁶¶ Then cried a wise woman out of the citie, Heare, heare; say, I pray you, vnto Ioab, Come neere hither, that I may speake with thee.

²⁸¶ And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

²⁹Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

³¹¶ And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

³²And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

³³And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

³⁴Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

³⁵And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

³⁶And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

³⁷For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

³⁸And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

³⁹And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

²⁸¶ And afterward when Dauid heard it, hee said, I and my kingdome are guiltlesse before the LORD for euer, from the ^†blood of Abner the sonne of Ner:

²⁹Let it rest on the head of Ioab, and on all his fathers house, & let there not ^†faile from the house of Ioab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

³⁰So Ioab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slaine their brother ^*Asahel at Gibeon in the battell.

³¹¶ And Dauid said to Ioab, and to all the people that were with him, Rent your clothes, and girde you with sackecloth, and mourne before Abner. And king Dauid himselfe followed the ^†biere.

³²And they buried Abner in Hebron, and the king lift vp his voice, and wept at the graue of Abner; and all the people wept.

³³And the king lamented ouer Abner, and said, Died Abner as a foole dieth?

³⁴Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feete put into fetters: as a man falleth before ^†wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept againe ouer him.

³⁵And when all the people came to cause Dauid to eate meate while it was yet day, Dauid sware, saying, So doe God to mee, and more also, if I taste bread or ought else, till the Sunne be downe.

³⁶And all the people tooke notice of it, and it ^†pleased them: as whatsoeuer the King did, pleased all the people.

³⁷For all the people, and all Israel vnderstood that day, that it was not of the King to slay Abner the sonne of Ner.

³⁸And the King said vnto his seruants, Knowe yee not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

³⁹And I am this day ^†weake, though anointed King, and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of euill, according to his wickednesse.

¹¹Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

¹¹Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily; therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill.

¹³¶ This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

¹⁴There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

¹⁵Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

¹⁶Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

¹⁷The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

¹⁸Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

¹³¶ This wisedome haue I seene also vnder the Sunne, and it seemed great vnto me:

¹⁴ There was a little citie, and few men within it; and there came a great King against it, and besieged it, & built great bulwarks against it:

¹⁵Now there was found in it a poore wise man, and hee by his wisedome deliuered the citie; yet no man remembred that same poore man.

^16*Then said I, Wisedome is better then strength: neuerthelesse, the poore mans wisedome is despised, and his words are not heard.

¹⁷The words of wise men are heard in quiet, more then the cry of him that ruleth among fooles.

¹⁸Wisedome is better then weapons of warre: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

¹⁶And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

¹⁷And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;

¹⁸And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers.

¹⁶And Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah was ouer the host, and Iehoshaphat the sonne of Ahilud was ^‖Recorder.

¹⁷And Zadok the sonne of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the sonne of Abiathar, were the Priests, and Seraiah was the ^‖scribe.

^18*And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer both the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and Dauids sonnes were ^‖chiefe rulers.

¹⁵And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.

¹⁶And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;

¹⁷And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.

¹⁵And Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah was ouer the hoste, and Iehoshaphat the sonne of Ahilud, ^‖Recorder.

¹⁶And Zadok the sonne of Ahitub, and ^†Abimelech the sonne of Abiathar, were the Priests, and ^†Shausha was Scribe.

¹⁷And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the Cherethites, and the Pelethites: and the sonnes of Dauid were ^†chiefe about the king.

³Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

⁴And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

⁵And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend:

⁶And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

³Elihoreph, and Ahiah the sonnes of Shisha, ^‖Scribes: Iehoshaphat the sonne of Ahilud the ^‖Recorder;

⁴And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the host: And Zadok and Abiathar were the Priests:

⁵And Azariah the sonne of Nathan was ouer the officers: and Zabud the sonne of Nathan was principall officer, and the kings friend.

⁶And Ahishar was ouer the houshold: and ^*Adoniram the sonne of Abda was ouer the ^‖tribute.