The Reign of David

And David heareth, and sendeth Joab, and all the host of the mighty men,

and the sons of Ammon come out and set battle in array at the opening of the city, and the kings who have come are by themselves in the field.

And Joab seeth that the front of the battle hath been unto him, before and behind, and he chooseth out of all the choice in Israel, and setteth in array to meet Aram,

and the remnant of the people he hath given into the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set in array to meet the sons of Ammon.

And he saith, `If Aram be stronger than I, then thou hast been to me for salvation; and if the sons of Ammon be stronger than thou, then I have saved thee;

be strong, and we strengthen ourselves, for our people, and for the cities of our God, and Jehovah doth that which is good in His eyes.'

And Joab draweth nigh, and the people who are with him, before Aram to battle, and they flee from his face;

and the sons of Ammon have seen that Aram hath fled, and they flee--they also--from the face of Abishai his brother, and go in to the city. And Joab cometh in to Jerusalem.

And Aram seeth that they have been smitten before Israel, and send messengers, and bring out Aram that is beyond the River, and Shophach head of the host of Hadarezer is before them.

And it is declared to David, and he gathereth all Israel, and passeth over the Jordan, and cometh in unto them, and setteth in array against them; yea, David setteth in array the battle to meet Aram, and they fight with him;

and Aram fleeth from the face of Israel, and David slayeth of Aram seven thousand charioteers, and forty thousand footmen, and Shophach head of the host he hath put to death.

And the servants of Hadarezer see that they have been smitten before Israel, and they make peace with David and serve him, and Aram hath not been willing to help the sons of Ammon any more.

And it cometh to pass, at the time of the turn of the year--at the time of the going out of the messengers--that Joab leadeth out the force of the host, and destroyeth the land of the sons of Ammon, and cometh in and beseigeth Rabbah--David is abiding in Jerusalem--and Joab smiteth Rabbah, and breaketh it down.

And David taketh the crown of their king from off his head, and findeth it in weight a talent of gold, and in it a precious stone, and it is on the head of David: and spoil of the city he hath brought out very much,

and the people who are in it he hath brought out, and setteth to the saw, and to cutting instruments of iron, and to axes; and thus doth David to all cities of the sons of Ammon, and David turneth back, and all the people, to Jerusalem.

And it cometh to pass, after this, that there remaineth war in Gezer with the Philistines, then hath Sibbechai the Hushathite smitten Sippai, of the children of the giant, and they are humbled.

And there is again war with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair smiteth Lahmi, brother of Goliath the Gittite, the wood of whose spear is like a beam of weavers.

And there is again war in Gath, and there is a man of measure, and his fingers and his toes are six and six, twenty and four, and also, he hath been born to the giant.

And he reproacheth Israel, and smite him doth Jonathan son of Shimea, brother of David.

These were born to the giant in Gath, and they fall by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

And there standeth up an adversary against Israel, and persuadeth David to number Israel,

And David saith unto Joab, and unto the heads of the people, `Go, number Israel from Beer-Sheba even unto Dan, and bring unto me, and I know their number.'

And Joab saith, `Jehovah doth add to His people as they are a hundred times; are they not, my lord, O king, all of them to my lord for servants? why doth my lord seek this? why is he for a cause of guilt to Israel?'

And the word of the king is severe against Joab, and Joab goeth out, and goeth up and down in all Israel, and cometh in to Jerusalem.

And Joab giveth the account of the numbering of the people unto David, and all Israel is a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand, each drawing sword, and Judah is four hundred and seventy thousand, each drawing sword.