9One day David asked, "Is anyone in Saul's family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"H1732H559H3426H3498H1004H7586H6213H2617H3083 2He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul's servants. "Are you Ziba?" the king asked."Yes sir, I am," Ziba replied.H1004H7586H5650H8034H6717H7121H1732H4428H559H6717H559H5650 3The king then asked him, "Is anyone still alive from Saul's family? If so, I want to show God's kindness to them." Ziba replied, "Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet."H4428H559H657H376H1004H7586H6213H2617H430H6717H559H4428H3083H1121H5223H7272 4"Where is he?" the king asked."In Lo-debar," Ziba told him, "at the home of Makir son of Ammiel."H4428H559H375H6717H559H4428H1004H4353H1121H5988H3810 5So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home.H4428H1732H7971H3947H1004H4353H1121H5988H3810 6His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, "Greetings, Mephibosheth." Mephibosheth replied, "I am your servant."H4648H1121H3083H1121H7586H935H1732H5307H6440H7812H1732H559H4648H559H5650 7"Don't be afraid!" David said. "I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!"H1732H559H3372H6213H6213H2617H3083H1H7725H7704H7586H1H398H3899H7979H8548 8Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, "Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?"H7812H559H5650H6437H4191H3611 9Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.H4428H7121H6717H7586H5288H559H5414H113H1121H1961H7586H1004 10You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master's household. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will eat here at my table." (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)H1121H5650H5647H127H935H113H1121H3899H398H4648H113H1121H398H3899H8548H7979H6717H2568H6240H1121H6242H5650 11Ziba replied, "Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded." And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David's table, like one of the king's own sons.H559H6717H4428H113H4428H6680H5650H5650H6213H4648H398H7979H259H4428H1121 12Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba's household were Mephibosheth's servants.H4648H6996H1121H8034H4316H4186H1004H6717H5650H4648 13And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king's table.H4648H3427H3389H398H8548H4428H7979H6455H8147H7272
10Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king.H310H4428H1121H5983H4191H2586H1121H4427 2David said, "I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me." So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father's death. But when David's ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon,H559H1732H6213H2617H2586H1121H5176H1H6213H2617H1732H7971H5162H3027H5650H1H1732H5650H935H776H1121H5983 3the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, "Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!"H8269H1121H5983H559H2586H113H5869H1732H3513H1H7971H5162H1732H7971H5650H5668H2713H5892H7270H2015 4So Hanun seized David's ambassadors and shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.H2586H3947H1732H5650H1548H2677H2206H3772H4063H2677H8357H7971 5When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, "Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back." For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.H5046H1732H7971H7125H582H3966H3637H4428H559H3427H3405H2206H6779H7725 6When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob.H1121H5983H7200H887H1732H1121H5983H7971H7936H758H1050H758H6678H6242H505H7273H4428H4601H505H376H382H6240H8147H505H376 7When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them.H1732H8085H7971H3097H6635H1368 8The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.H1121H5983H3318H4421H6186H6607H8179H758H6678H7340H382H4601H905H7704 9When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel's elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields.H3097H7200H6440H4421H6440H268H977H977H3478H6186H7125H758 10He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites.H3499H5971H5414H3027H52H251H6186H7125H1121H5983 11"If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me," Joab told his brother. "And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you.H559H758H2388H3444H1121H5983H2388H1980H3467 12Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the LORD's will be done."H2388H2388H5971H5892H430H3068H6213H5869H2896 13When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away.H3097H5066H5971H4421H758H5127H6440 14And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.H1121H5983H7200H758H5127H5127H6440H52H935H5892H3097H7725H1121H5983H935H3389 15The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel. So when they regrouped,H758H7200H5062H6440H3478H622H3162 16they were joined by additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops arrived at Helam under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer's forces.H1928H7971H3318H758H5676H5104H935H2431H7731H8269H6635H1928H6440 17When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David.H5046H1732H622H3478H622H5674H3383H935H2431H758H6186H7125H1732H3898 18But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David's forces killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army.H758H5127H6440H3478H1732H2026H7651H3967H7393H758H705H505H6571H5221H7731H8269H6635H4191 19When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.H4428H5650H1928H7200H5062H6440H3478H7999H3478H5647H758H3372H3467H1121H5983
11In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.H8141H8666H6256H4428H4397H3318H1732H7971H3097H5650H3478H7843H1121H5983H6696H7237H1732H3427H3389 2Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.H6153H6256H1732H6965H4904H1980H1406H4428H1004H1406H7200H802H7364H802H3966H2896H4758 3He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite."H1732H7971H1875H802H559H1339H1323H463H802H223H2850 4Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.H1732H7971H4397H3947H935H7901H6942H2932H7725H1004 5Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, "I'm pregnant."H802H2029H7971H5046H1732H559H2030 6Then David sent word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent him to David.H1732H7971H3097H7971H223H2850H3097H7971H223H1732 7When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing.H223H935H1732H7592H3097H7965H5971H7965H4421H7965 8Then he told Uriah, "Go on home and relax." David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace.H1732H559H223H3381H1004H7364H7272H223H3318H4428H1004H310H4864H4428 9But Uriah didn't go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard.H223H7901H6607H4428H1004H5650H113H3381H1004 10When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, "What's the matter? Why didn't you go home last night after being away for so long?"H5046H1732H559H223H3381H1004H1732H559H223H935H1870H3381H1004 11Uriah replied, "The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master's men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing."H223H559H1732H727H3478H3063H3427H5521H113H3097H5650H113H2583H6440H7704H589H935H1004H398H8354H7901H802H2416H5315H2416H6213H1697 12"Well, stay here today," David told him, "and tomorrow you may return to the army." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.H1732H559H223H3427H3117H4279H7971H223H3427H3389H3117H4283 13Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn't get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard.H1732H7121H398H8354H6440H7937H6153H3318H7901H4904H5650H113H3381H1004 14So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver.H1242H1732H3789H5612H3097H7971H3027H223 15The letter instructed Joab, "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed."H3789H5612H559H3051H223H6440H4136H2389H4421H7725H310H5221H4191 16So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy's strongest men were fighting.H3097H8104H5892H5414H223H4725H3045H2428H582 17And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.H582H5892H3318H3898H3097H5307H5971H5650H1732H223H2850H4191 18Then Joab sent a battle report to David.H3097H7971H5046H1732H1697H4421 19He told his messenger, "Report all the news of the battle to the king.H6680H4397H559H3615H1696H1697H4421H4428 20But he might get angry and ask, 'Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn't they know there would be shooting from the walls?H4428H2534H5927H559H5066H5892H3898H3045H3384H2346 21Wasn't Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?' Then tell him, 'Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.'"H5221H40H1121H3380H802H7993H6400H7393H2346H4191H8405H5066H2346H559H5650H223H2850H4191 22So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David.H4397H3212H935H5046H1732H3097H7971 23"The enemy came out against us in the open fields," he said. "And as we chased them back to the city gate,H4397H559H1732H582H1396H3318H7704H6607H8179 24the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king's men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite."H3384H3384H2346H5650H4428H5650H4191H5650H223H2850H4191 25"Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged," David said. "The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!"H1732H559H4397H559H3097H1697H3415H5869H2719H398H2090H4421H2388H5892H2040H2388 26When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.H802H223H8085H223H376H4191H5594H1167 27When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done.H60H5674H1732H7971H622H1004H802H3205H1121H1697H1732H6213H3415H5869H3068
12So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor.H3068H7971H5416H1732H935H559H8147H582H259H5892H259H6223H259H7326 2The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle.H6223H3966H7235H6629H1241 3The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter.H7326H259H6996H3535H7069H2421H1431H3162H1121H398H6595H8354H3563H7901H2436H1323 4One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."H935H1982H6223H376H2550H3947H6629H1241H6213H732H935H3947H7326H376H3535H6213H376H935 5David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!H1732H639H3966H2734H376H559H5416H3068H2416H376H6213H1121H4194 6He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."H7999H3535H706H6118H6213H1697H834H2550 7Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.H5416H559H1732H376H559H3068H430H3478H4886H4428H3478H5337H3027H7586 8I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.H5414H113H1004H113H802H2436H5414H1004H3478H3063H4592H3254H2007H2007 9Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.H959H1697H3068H6213H7451H5869H5221H223H2850H2719H3947H802H802H2026H2719H1121H5983 10From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own.H2719H5704H5769H5493H1004H6118H959H3947H802H223H2850H802 11"This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.H559H3068H6965H7451H1004H3947H802H5869H5414H7453H7901H802H5869H8121 12You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."H6213H5643H6213H1697H3478H8121 13Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin.H1732H559H5416H2398H3068H5416H559H1732H3068H5674H2403H4191 14Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD by doing this, your child will die."H657H1697H5006H5006H341H3068H5006H1121H3209H4191H4191 15After Nathan returned to his home, the LORD sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah's wife.H5416H3212H1004H3068H5062H3206H223H802H3205H1732H605 16David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground.H1732H1245H430H5288H1732H6684H6685H935H7901H3885H776 17The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.H2205H1004H6965H6965H776H14H1262H3899 18Then on the seventh day the child died. David's advisers were afraid to tell him. "He wouldn't listen to reason while the child was ill," they said. "What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?"H7637H3117H3206H4191H5650H1732H3372H5046H3206H4191H559H3206H2416H1696H8085H6963H6213H7451H6213H559H3206H4191 19When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. "Is the child dead?" he asked."Yes," they replied, "he is dead."H1732H7200H5650H3907H1732H995H3206H4191H1732H559H5650H3206H4191H559H4191 20Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the LORD. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.H1732H6965H776H7364H5480H2498H8071H935H1004H3068H7812H935H1004H7592H7760H3899H398 21His advisers were amazed. "We don't understand you," they told him. "While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again."H559H5650H1697H6213H6684H1058H3206H2416H3206H4191H6965H398H3899 22David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the LORD will be gracious to me and let the child live.'H559H3206H2416H6684H1058H559H3045H3068H2603H2603H3206H2416 23But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me."H4191H6684H3201H7725H1980H7725 24Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The LORD loved the childH1732H5162H1339H802H935H7901H3205H1121H7121H8034H8010H3068H157 25and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means "beloved of the LORD"), as the LORD had commanded.H7971H3027H5416H5030H7121H8034H3041H3068 26Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications.H3097H3898H7237H1121H5983H3920H4410H5892 27Joab sent messengers to tell David, "I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.H3097H7971H4397H1732H559H3898H7237H3920H5892H4325 28Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory."H622H3499H5971H622H2583H5892H3920H3920H5892H7121H8034 29So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it.H1732H622H5971H622H3212H7237H3898H3920 30David removed the crown from the king's head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.H3947H4428H5850H7218H4948H3603H2091H3368H68H1732H7218H3318H7998H5892H3966H7235 31He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.H3318H5971H7760H4050H2757H1270H4037H1270H5674H4404H6213H5892H1121H5983H1732H5971H7725H3389
89[A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.] I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.H4905H387H250H7891H2617H3068H5769H6310H3045H530H1755H1755 2Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.H559H2617H1129H5769H530H3559H8064 3The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him.H3772H1285H972H7650H1732H5650 4‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” InterludeH2233H3559H5704H5769H1129H3678H1755H1755H5542 5All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.H8064H3034H6382H3068H530H6951H6918 6For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?H7834H6186H3068H1121H410H1819H3068 7The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.H410H7227H6206H5475H6918H3372H5439 8O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful.H3068H430H6635H2626H3050H530H5439 9You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves.H4910H1348H3220H1530H7721H7623 10You crushed the great sea monster. You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.H1792H7294H1792H2491H6340H341H5797H2220 11The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.H8064H776H8398H4393H3245 12You created north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.H6828H3225H1254H8396H2768H7442H8034 13Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.H1369H2220H5810H3027H7311H3225 14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.H6664H4941H4349H3678H2617H571H6923H6440 15Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.H835H5971H3045H8643H1980H3068H216H6440 16They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness.H8034H1523H3117H6666H7311 17You are their glorious strength. It pleases you to make us strong.H8597H5797H7522H7161H7311H7311 18Yes, our protection comes from the Lord, and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.H3068H4043H6918H3478H4428 19Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people. You said, “I have raised up a warrior. I have selected him from the common people to be king.H1696H2377H2623H559H7737H5828H1368H7311H977H5971 20I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil.H4672H1732H5650H6944H8081H4886 21I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong.H3027H3559H2220H553 22His enemies will not defeat him, nor will the wicked overpower him.H341H5378H1121H5766H6031 23I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him.H3807H6862H6440H5062H8130 24My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and by my authority he will grow in power.H530H2617H8034H7161H7311 25I will extend his rule over the sea, his dominion over the rivers.H7760H3027H3220H3225H5104 26And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’H7121H1H410H6697H3444 27I will make him my firstborn son, the mightiest king on earth.H5414H1060H5945H4428H776 28I will love him and be kind to him forever; my covenant with him will never end.H2617H8104H5769H1285H539 29I will preserve an heir for him; his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.H2233H7760H5703H3678H3117H8064 30But if his descendants forsake my instructions and fail to obey my regulations,H1121H5800H8451H3212H4941 31if they do not obey my decrees and fail to keep my commands,H2490H2708H8104H4687 32then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their disobedience with beating.H6485H6588H7626H5771H5061 33But I will never stop loving him nor fail to keep my promise to him.H2617H6331H530H8266 34No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.H1285H2490H8138H4161H8193 35I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie.H259H7650H6944H3576H1732 36His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun.H2233H5769H3678H8121 37It will be as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky!” InterludeH3559H5769H3394H539H5707H7834H5542 38But now you have rejected him and cast him off. You are angry with your anointed king.H2186H3988H5674H4899 39You have renounced your covenant with him; you have thrown his crown in the dust.H5010H1285H5650H2490H5145H776 40You have broken down the walls protecting him and ruined every fort defending him.H6555H1448H7760H4013H4288 41Everyone who comes along has robbed him, and he has become a joke to his neighbors.H5674H1870H8155H2781H7934 42You have strengthened his enemies and made them all rejoice.H7311H3225H6862H341H8055 43You have made his sword useless and refused to help him in battle.H7725H6697H2719H6965H4421 44You have ended his splendor and overturned his throne.H2892H7673H4048H3678H4048H776 45You have made him old before his time and publicly disgraced him. InterludeH3117H5934H7114H5844H955H5542 46O Lord, how long will this go on? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger burn like fire?H3068H5641H5331H2534H1197H784 47Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence!H2142H2465H1254H1121H120H7723 48No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave. InterludeH1397H2421H7200H4194H4422H5315H3027H7585H5542 49Lord, where is your unfailing love? You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.H136H7223H2617H7650H1732H530 50Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced! I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.H2142H136H2781H5650H5375H2436H7227H5971 51Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord; they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.H341H2778H3068H2778H6119H4899 52Praise the Lord forever! Amen and amen!H1288H3068H5769H543H543
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; he was Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, "Greetings, Mephibosheth." Mephibosheth replied, "I am your servant."H4648
