am I, O LORD, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

Thou hast not hearkened unto these things, O Lord, O Lord, but hast spoken to the house of thy servant of things to come. This is the manner of a man that is God the LORD.

And what shall David speak more unto thee? Thou knowest thy servant, O Lord, O Lord!

For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make them known unto thy servant.

Wherefore also thou art greatly esteemed, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God but thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

For where is there a nation in the earth like thy people Israel, for whom God went to redeem a people unto him, and to make him a name, and to do such great and terrible things in thy land before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed unto thee from Egypt, from the heathen, and from their gods?

And thou hast prepared for thee thy people Israel, for thy people for ever: and thou, O
LORD, art become their God.

Now therefore, O LORD GOD, confirm the word for ever, which thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, and do as thou hast spoken: 26. And thy name shall be magnified for ever; and it shall be said, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel. And the house of thy servant David shall stand before thee.

For thou, O LORD of hosts, O God of Israel, hast opened the ear of thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house. Therefore thy servant hath found his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

Now, O LORD, O LORD, thou art GOD, and thy words shall be truth. Thou hast spoken these good things concerning thy servant.

Now therefore lift up and bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou, O LORD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing shall thy servant’s house be blessed for ever.
(2 Samuel)
Chapter 8
David triumphs and orders the offices.

And it came to pass afterward, that David smote the Philistines, and weakened them, and took the bridle of the Philistines’ hand.

And he smote Moab to the ground, so that he put two parts to death, and left one part alive. So the Moabites became servile unto David, that they brought him gifts.

And David smote Hadarezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to recover his power by the river Phrath.

And David took of them a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand
footmen; and he crippled all the chariots, and left an hundred chariots.

And the Syrians came from Damascus to help Hadarezer king of Zobah: and David smote the Syrians twenty and two thousand men.

And he put people in Damascus in Syria. So Syria was servile unto David, that they brought him gifts. For the LORD helped David whithersoever he went.

And David took the shields of gold that were Hadarezer’s servants, and brought them to Jerusalem.

But from Betah and Berothai, the cities of Hadarezer, king David took almost much brass.

And it came to pass, when Toi king of Hemath heard that David had smitten all the power of Hadarezer, that he was smitten,

And he sent Jehoram his son unto David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Toi had fought with Hadarezer:) and he had with him jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and jewels of brass, 11. Which king David also sanctified unto the LORD, with the silver and gold which he sanctified unto the LORD out of all the heathen which he brought in among him: 12. Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadarezer the son of Rehob king of Zobah.

And David made him a name, when he returned, and smote the Syrians in the valley of salt, eighteen thousand.

And he put people in all Edom, and all Edom was subject unto David: for the LORD helped David whithersoever he went.

So David reigned over all Israel; and he established righteousness and justice among all the people.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was chancellor;

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

Benaiah the son of Jehoioda was over the Krethi and Plethi: and the sons of David were priests.
(2 Samuel)
Chapter 9
Good deed of David against Mephiboseth

And David said: Is there any left of the house of Saul, that I should show him mercy for Jonathan’s sake?

And there was a servant of the house of Saul, whose name was Ziba; and they called him to David. And the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Yea, thy servant.

And the king said: Is there any other of the house of Saul, that I may do God’s mercy upon him? And Ziba said unto the king: There is yet a son of Jonathan, lame of foot.

And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is at Lodabar, in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel.

And king David sent and fetched him from Lodabar, of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel.

And when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul came to David, he fell on his face, and worshipped. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he said, Here am I thy servant.

And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will shew thee mercy for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father: and thou shalt eat bread daily at my table.

And he worshipped, and said, Who am I thy servant, that thou turnest to a dead dog, as I am?

And the king called Ziba Saul’s son, and said unto him, All that was Saul’s, and all his house, have I given unto thy master’s son.

Now therefore work his field, thou, and thy children, and thy servants, and bring it in, that it may be thy lord’s son’s bread, that he may feed himself: but Mephibosheth thy lord’s son shall eat bread daily at my table. And Ziba had fifteen sons, and twenty servants.

And Ziba said unto the king: All that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall
his servant do. And Mephibosheth eat upon my table, as the king’s children eat one.

And Mephibosheth had a little son, whose name was Micah. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba served Mephibosheth.

And Mephibosheth dwelt at Jerusalem, because he did eat daily at the king’s table: and he limped with both his feet.
(2 Samuel)
Chapter 10
The Ammonites mock David’s servants and are defeated.

And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died; and Hanon his son reigned in his stead.

And David said, I will shew mercy unto Hanon the son of Naha, as his father shewed mercy unto me. And he sent and comforted him by his servants concerning his father. And the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon,

And the mighty men of the children of Ammon said unto Hanon their lord, Thinkest thou that David hath honoured thy father in thy sight, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee?
Thinkest thou not that therefore he hath sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to search it, and to return?

And Hanon took David’s servants, and shaved half their beards, and cut off half their garments, even to the girdle, and sent them away.

And when it was told David, he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly defiled. And the king said unto them, Tarry at Jericho until your beard be grown, and then come again.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, they sent, and dined with the Syrians of the house of Rehob, and with the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maachah a thousand men, and of Ishob twelve thousand men.

And when David heard it, he sent Joab with all the host of the men of war.

And the children of Ammon went out, and prepared themselves to battle at the gate. And the Syrians of Zobah, and of Rehob, and of Ishob, and of Maachah, were alone in the field.

And it came to pass, when Joab saw that the battle was set upon him, both before and behind, that he chose out of all the young men of Israel, and armed himself against the Syrians.

And the rest of the people he put under the hand of Abishai his brother, to make ready against the children of Ammon;

And said, If the Syrians outnumber me, come to my help: but if the children of Ammon outnumber thee, I will come to thy help.

Be of good cheer, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God: but let the LORD do that which is right in his sight.

And Joab came near with the people that were with him to fight against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, they fled from Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they came in multitude.

And Hadarezer