the house of Eshbaal, as he slept his noontide sleep. And, behold, the woman that kept the door of the house was winnowing wheat, and she slumbered and slept, and the brethren, Rechab and Baanah, went privily into the house. And when they were come into the house, Eshbaal lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head.

And they went by the road of the Arabah all night; and they brought Eshbaal's head unto David to Hebron, and said to the king: Behold, the head of Eshbaal son of Saul thine enemy, who sought thy life; but Jehovah hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them: As Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag; which was the reward I gave him for his tidings. How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But the head of Eshbaal they took, and buried in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

CHAPTER VI.

II. SAMUEL, v., vi., viii., xxi. I. CHRONICLES, xi., xiii.~xvi.

PSALMS, xxiv.

DAVID KING OF ISRAEL.

The Parliament of Hebron-Capture of Jerusalem-Water from the Well of Bethlehem-Philistine War-Brave Deeds-The Philistines Subdued-Fetching the Ark-The Breach of Uzzah-The Ark Abandoned—It Brings Success-Second Attempt—A Processional Hymn-The Ark in Jerusalem.

THEN came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying: Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and Jehovah said of thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah ; and they anointed David king over Israel.

Then the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. And they spake to David, saying: Thou shalt not come in hither; the very blind and lame shall turn thee away (meaning that David could not come in thither). Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. Now David had said: Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he was made chief captain.

Then the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to a place of hiding. And while David was in hiding, and a garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem, David longed, and said: Oh that one would give me to drink water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! And three of his heroes broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David. But David would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah, saying: Far be it from me to do such a thing! Shall I drink the life-blood of these men? For with their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it.

And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of Jehovah, saying Shall I go up against the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And Jehovah said to David Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thine hand. Then David came to Baal-perazim, and smote them there. And they left their images behind them there, and David and his men took them.

Then the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of Jehovah, and He said: Thou shalt not go up to meet them; but make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the balsam-trees. And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the balsam-trees, then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is Jehovah gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as Jehovah commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Gibeon until thou come to Gezer.

FETCHING THE ARK.

265

And the Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines; and David waxed faint. And Ishbi-benob, one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware to him, saying: Thou shalt no more go out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.

And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gezer; when Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, one of the sons of the giant.

And there was again a battle at Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in all; he also was born to the giant. And he defied Israel, and Jonathan, the son of Shimei, David's brother, slew him.

And there was long war with the Philistines, but it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took the dominion out of the hand of the Philistines.

Then David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him unto Baal of Judah, to bring up thence the Ark of God, whereupon is called the Name, even the name of Jehovah of Hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim. And they set the Ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and his brethren, sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, Uzzah going with the Ark of God,

and his brethren going before the Ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah with all their might; with songs, and with harps, and with lyres, and with timbrels, and with castanets, and with cymbals.

And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God, and took hold of it; because the oxen were nigh to shake it off. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah ; and God smote him there suddenly; and he died there by the Ark of God. And David was displeased, because Jehovah had broken forth upon Uzzah; and he called that place The Breach of Uzzah, unto this day. And David was afraid of Jehovah that day; and he said : How shall the Ark of Jehovah come unto me? So David would not remove the Ark of Jehovah unto him into the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the Ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months; and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.

Then it was told King David, saying: Jehovah hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the Ark of God. So David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with joy. And it came to pass, that when they that bare the Ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

And after such a manner was the song of the people,