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What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Lord Yahweh.

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For your word’s sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it.

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Therefore you are great, Yahweh God. For there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

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What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to you out of Egypt, [from] the nations and their gods?

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You established for yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God.

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Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken.

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Let your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you.’

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For you, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.

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“Now, O Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

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Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing.”

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After this it happened that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.

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He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

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David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

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David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.

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When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

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Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

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David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

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From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

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When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,

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then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. [Joram] brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

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These also did king David dedicate to Yahweh, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;

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of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

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David earned a reputation when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.

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He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

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David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness to all his people.

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Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

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

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and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was over] the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

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David said, “Is there yet any who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

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There was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “Your servant is he.”

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The king said, “Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet.”

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The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”

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Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.

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Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. David said, “Mephibosheth.” He answered, “Behold, your servant!”

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David said to him, “Don’t be afraid of him; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You shall eat bread at my table continually.”

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He did obeisance, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?”

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Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master’s son.

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You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in [the fruits], that your master’s son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread always at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

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Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your shall servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table, like one of the king’s sons.

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Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

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So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.

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It happened after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.

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David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

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But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

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So Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

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When they told it to David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

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When the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

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When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

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The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

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Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

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The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.

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He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

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Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and Yahweh do that which seems good to him.”

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So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

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When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

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When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

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Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

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It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

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The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there.

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When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

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It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.

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It happened at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on.

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David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

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David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

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The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

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David sent to Joab, [saying], “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David.

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When Uriah was come to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

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David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

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But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house.

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When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”

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Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”

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David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the next day.

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When David had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.

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It happened in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

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He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die.”

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It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.

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The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

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Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;

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and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,

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it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?

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who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”

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So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.

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The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.

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The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”

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Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”

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When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

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When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Yahweh.

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Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

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The rich man had very many flocks and herds,

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but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.

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A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him.”

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David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die!

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He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!”

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Nathan said to David, “You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

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I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.

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Why have you despised the word of Yahweh, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

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Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

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“This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

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For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”

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David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.