His sin in numbering the people.

B. C. 1018.

ch, 20, 26. ach. 11. 3, 6.

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

CHAPTER XXIV.

David's sin in numbering the people. 10 His confession thereof. 11 Of three judgments offered. he chooseth the three days' pestilence. 16 The destroying angel is stayed, and Jerusalem spared. 18 David erecteth an altar, and offereth a sacrifice unto the Lord.

AND again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, "Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that dI may know the number of the people.

3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?

4 Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. 5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the "river of Gad, and toward Jazer:

6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to A Zidon,

7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba.

8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand

men.

10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the in1 Sam. 13. iquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

13.

[Or,
And when,

1 Sam. 22. 5. ⚫ 1 Sam. 9.9. 1 Chr. 29. 29.

11 # For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet "Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

A pestilence sent upon Israel.

13 So Gad came to David, and told him, | and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

B. C. 1017.

See 1 Chr. 21. 12.

7 PM. 103. 8.13. 14. & 119.156.

14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. 15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Is-Or, many. rael from the morning even to the time appointed and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand

men.

16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, "the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, "I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. 18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of +Araunah the Jebusite.

rSee Is. 47.6.

Zech. 1. 15.
1 Chr. 21. 14.
& 27. 24.

Ex. 12. 23.

1 Chr. 21. 15.

Gen. 6. 6.

1 Sam. 15.11. Joel 2. 13,14.

21 Chr.21.15. Ornan. See ver. 18.

2 Chr. 3. 1. y 1 Chr. 21. 17.

#1 Chr. 21. 18. &c. + Heb. Araniah.

a See Gen 23. 8-16.

19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. 20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. 21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? "And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the peo-Num. 16. 48, ple. 22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

50.

el Kin, 19.21.

23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God dac-dEx. 20. 40,41. cept thee.

24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing. floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the treated for the land, and stayed from Israel.

See 1 Chr. 21 24, 25.

LORD was en- fch. 21. 14. the plague was g ver. 21.

B. C. 1015.

† Heb.entered into days.

† Heb. them seek.

↑ Heb.

Let

a damsel, a virgin.

↑ Heb, be a cherisher unto him.

a Josh, 19. 18.

62 Sam. 3. 4. + Heb. reign.

CHAPTER I. Abishag cherisheth David in his extreme age. 5 Adonijah aspireth to the kingdom. 11 Nathan and Bath-sheba induce the king to secure the succession to Solomon. 32 Solomon anointed king. 41 At the tidings thereof, Adonijah fleeth to the horns of the altar. 51 He is spared by Solomon.

No

TOW king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king ta young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her † cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a "Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: e 2 Sam. 15. 1. and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 And his father had not displeased him Heb. fremt at any time in saying, Why hast thou done his days. so? and he also was a very goodly man; d 2 Sam.3.3,4. dand his mother bare him after Absalom. 1 Chr. 3. 2. 7 And the conferred with Joab the son of

words were with Joab. e 2 Sam,20,25.

+ Heb. his Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. 8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

f ch. 2. 22, 28. +Heb. helped after Adonijah.

7 ch. 4. 18.

h 2 Sam. 23, 8.

Or. The well Rogel,

2 Sam, 17.17.

i2 Sam, 3, 4.

9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:

10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his broth er, he called not.

11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of iHaggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

12 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, *1 Chr. 22. 9. Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

+Heb. fill up.

14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and + confirm thy words.

15 And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

16 And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obei

19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle m ver. 7, 8, 9, and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called. 20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall "sleep with his fan Deut. 31.16. thers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted toffenders.

And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23 And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? 25° For he is gone down this day, and hatho ver. 19. slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, P† God save king Ad-p1Sam.10.24. onijah. + Heb. Let king Adonijah live.

26 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

+ Heb. before the king.

28Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she came tinto the king's presence, and stood before the king. 29 And the king sware, and said, As the 12 Sam, 4.9. LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

30 Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

31 Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, "Let my lord king David live for

Adonijah is put to death.

B. C. 1014.

e ch. 1. 5.

1 Chr. 22. 9. 10. & 28. 5, 6.7. Prov. 21. 30. Dan. 2. 21. tieb. turn not away my face, P. 132. 10. ech. 1. 3, 4.

ƒ Ex. 20. 12. g See Ps, 45.9.

h ch. 1. 7.

i Ruth 1. 17.

& 2 Sam. 7. 11, 13.

1 Chr. 22. 10.

Josh. 21. 18. t Heb. a man of death.

m 1 Sam. 23.6. 2 Sam. 15.24, 29.

nl Sam.22.20, 23.

o 1 Sam. 2.3135.

pch. 1. 7.

14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on. 15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for dit was his from the LORD.

16 And now I ask one petition of thee, + deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.

17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunam

mite to wife.

18 And Bath-sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

19 Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and f bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.

20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not say thee nay. 21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for h Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

23 Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

24 Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.. 25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.

26 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art t worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because "thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from 2 Sam. 15.24. being priest unto the LORD; that he might "fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. 28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab Phad turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and 7 caught hold on the horns of the altar. 29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

7 ch. 1. 50.

r Ex. 21. 14.

30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

31 And the king said unto him, "Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him;

Joab is slain by Benaiah.

that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

32 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous "and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, *Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: "but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

36 And the king sent and called for dShimei, and said unto him, Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither. 37 For it shall be, that on the day thou 2 Sam. 16.5. goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: f thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

38 And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king bath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

ver. 8.

e2 Sam. 15.23.

ƒ Lev. 20. 9. Josh. 2. 19. 2 Sam. 1. 16.

1011.

39 And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah 9 1 Sam. 27. 2. king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath. 40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimel went, and brought his servants from Gath.

41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.

42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good. 43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

h2 Sam. 16. 5.

¡Ps. 7. 16. Ez. 17. 19.

44 The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest hall the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father; therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head: 45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and kthe throne of David shall be established & Prov. 25.5. before the LORD for ever.

46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and feli upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Solomon's prayer for wisdom.

B. C. 1014.

62 Sam. 5.7.

c ch. 7. 1. dch. 6.

ech. 9. 15, 19.

fLev. 17.3, 4,

5.

Deut. 12. 2, 4, 5.

ch. 22. 43.

9 Deut. 6.5.&

30. 16, 20. P1. 31. 23. Rom. 8.25. 1 Cor. 8. 3 A ver. 6, 14. i2 Chr. 1. 3. k 1 Chr.16.39. 2 Chr. 1. 3.

{ ch. 9. 2.

2 Chr. 1. 7. Num. 12. 6. Matt.1.20. & 2. 13, 19.

daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and dthe house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

2fOnly the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.

3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

4 And ithe king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

5/In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

6" And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou 2 Chr. 1. 8, hast kept for him this great kindness, that &c. thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

Or, bounty. @ ch.24.&9.4

2 Kings 20.3.

Pa. 15. 2. p ch. 1. 48.

71 Chr. 29. 1. - Num. 27.17. Deut. 7. 6. Gen. 13. 16. & 15. 5.

2 Chr. 1. 10.
Prov. 2.3-9.
James 1. 5.

+ Heb.
kearing.

x Ps. 72. 1. 2.
y Heb. 5. 14.
z James 4. 3.

days.

7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

9" Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked Heb. many riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to thy word: blo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

↑ Heb.
to hear.
ai John 5.14.
15,

beh. 4.29, 30,
31.& 5.12. &
10. 21
Ere. 1. 16.

e Mutt. 6. 33.
Eph. 3.20.

d ch. 4. 21, 24. & 10. 23, 25, ke. Prov. 3. 16.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both driches, and honour so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will Or, hath not lengthen thy days.

been,

ch. 15. 5. Ps. 91 16. Prov. 3. 2.

15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, So Gen.41.7. and offered peace offerings, and made a A So Gen. 40. feast to all his servants. 20.

ch. 8. 65. Esth. 1. 3.

Dan. 5. 1.

Mark 6. 21. ¡Num. 27. 2.

16 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and i stood before him.

17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

Solomon's wisdom is proved.

19 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. they spake before the king.

Thus

23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king for they saw that the wisdom of God was tin him to do judgment.

CHAPTER IV.

Solomon's princes. 7 His twelve officers for provision. 20 The prosperity and extent of his kingdom. 22 Is daily provision. 28 is stables. 29 His wisdom.

O king Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, 3 Elihoreph and Ahial, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud,

the recorder.

4 And 6 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

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

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

7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.

8 And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:

9 The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elonbeth-banan:

10 The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Socoh, and all the land of Hepher:

11 The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah,