I give thee thanks, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praise unto thy name. And sing praise unto thy name,

Who hath shewed great salvation unto his king, and his anointed David, and his seed for ever.
(2 Samuel)
Chapter 23
David’s last speeches and hero book.

These are the last words of David: David the son of Jesse spake; the man assured of the Messiah of the God of Jacob spake sweetly with the psalms of Israel.

The Spirit of the LORD hath spoken by me, and his speech is by my tongue.

The GOD of Israel hath spoken unto me; the stronghold of Israel hath spoken, the righteous Ruler among men, the Ruler in the fear of GOD.

And as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth in the morning without cloud, when from the brightness after the rain the grass groweth out of the earth.

For my house is not so with God: for he hath set me a covenant for ever, and all things are well ordered and kept. For all my salvation and my doings are that nothing increase.

but Belial are all like the outcast thistles which cannot be grasped with hands; 7. But he that shall attack them shall have iron and spears in his hand, and shall be burned with fire in the tabernacle.

These are the names of the mighty men of David: Jashabeam the son of Hachmoni, the chiefest of the three; he took up his spear, and slew eight hundred at one time.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi, among the three valiant men with David. And they mocked the Philistines, and were gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel went up,

And he stood and smote the Philistines, until his hand was weary upon the sword. And the LORD gave great salvation at that time; and the people turned back after him to take away.

After him was Samma the son of Agah the Hararite. And the Philistines gathered themselves together into a company, and there was there a piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from before the Philistines,

And he stood in the midst of the piece, and delivered it, and smote the Philistines: and God gave great salvation.

And these three chief of thirty came down in the harvest to David in the cave of Adullam; and the band of the Philistines lay in the bottom of Rephaim.

And David was in the castle at that time, and the Philistine people were in Bethlehem.

And David longed, and said, Who shall fetch me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem under the gate?

And the three mighty men went into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, which was under the gate, and bare it, and brought it unto David. But he would not drink it, but poured it out unto the LORD.

And said, Let the LORD forbid that I should do this thing. Is it not the blood of the men that have dared their lives, and perished? And he would not drink it. So did the three mighty men.

And Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the chief of the three. He lifted up his spear, and smote three hundred: and he was also renowned among three.

And the most glorious of the three, and was chief of them: but he came not nigh unto the three.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of Ishail, of great works, of Kabzeel. And he smote two lions of Moab: and he went down, and smote a lion in the well in the snowy season.

And he smote also an Egyptian, an abominable man, which had a spear in his hand. And he went down unto him with a rod, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

This did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada: and he was famous among the three mighty men.

And more glorious than the thirty: but he came not within three. And David made him a secret council.

Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty. Elhanan the son of Dodo, at Bethlehem.

Samma the Haradite. Elika the Haradite.

Helez the Paltite. Ira the son of Ike the Thekoite.

Abieser the Anthothite. Mebunai the Hushathite.

Zalmon the Ahohite. Maherai the Netophathite.

Heleb the son of Baenah the Netophathite. Ithai the son of Ribai, of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin.

Benaiah the Pirgathonite. Hidai, of the streams of Gaa.

Abialbon the Arbathite. Asmaveth the Barhumite.

Eliakheba the Saalbonite. The children Jasen and Jonathan.

Samma the Hararite. Ahiam the son of Sarar the Hararite.

Eliphelet the son of Ahazbai the son of Maechathi. Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite.

Hezrai the Carmelite Paerai the Arbiter.

Jegeal the son of Nathan of Zobah. Bani the Gadite.

Zelek the Ammonite. Naharai the Beerothite, the armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah.

Ira the Jethrite. Gareb the Jethrite.

Uriah the Hittite. Of all these there are thirty and seven.
(2 Samuel)
Chapter 24
David’s ambition in counting the people is punished with pestilence.

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel again, and provoked David among them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.

And the king said unto Joab the captain of his host, Go thou round about all the tribes of Israel from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, and number the people, that I may know how many they are.

And Joab said unto the king: The LORD thy God do unto this people, as it is now, an hundred times more, that my lord the king may see the pleasure of his eyes: but what pleasure hath my lord the king in this matter?

And the king’s word was against Joab, and against the captains of the host. So Joab went out, and the captains of the host, from the king, to number the people of Israel.

And they passed over Jordan, and encamped at Aroer on the right hand of the city that is in the brook Gad, and at Jaeser.

And they came to Gilead, and to the low country of Hadi: and they came to Dan-jan, and to Zidon.

And they came to the strong city of Tyrus, and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out unto the south of Judah to Beersheba.

And they compassed all the country, and came to Jerusalem after nine months and twenty days.

And Joab gave the king the sum of the people that were numbered. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand mighty men that drew sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand men.

And the heart smote David, after that the people were numbered. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing: now therefore, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant: for I have done very foolishly.

And when. David arose in the morning, and the word of the LORD came unto Gad the prophet, David’s seer, saying:

Go and speak unto David, Thus saith the LORD; Three things will I bring unto thee; choose thee one that I do unto thee.

And Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Wilt thou that seven years’
tribulation shall come upon thy land, or that thou shalt flee from thine adversaries three months, and they shall pursue thee, or that three days’ pestilence shall be in thy land? Mark now, and see what I shall say again unto him that sent me.

And David said unto Gad: I am almost afraid; but let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great: I will not fall into the hand of man.

So the LORD caused a pestilence to come upon Israel from the morning even until the time appointed: and the people died from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, even seventy thousand men.

And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy her, the LORD
repented him of the evil, and said unto the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough; now therefore let thine hand be removed. Now the angel of the LORD was at the threshingfloor of Arafna the Jebusite.

And David, when he saw the angel that smote the people, said unto the LORD, Behold, I have sinned, I have done iniquity: what have these sheep done? Let thine hand be against me, and against my father’s house.

And Gad came to David at that time, and said unto him, Go up, set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Arafna the Jebusite.

So David went up, as Gad had said, and as the LORD had commanded.

And when Arafna turned, he saw the king going to him with his servants; and he worshipped upon his face to the earth.

And he said, Why cometh my lord the king to his servant? And David said, To buy of thee the threshingfloor, and to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague of the people may cease.

And Arafna said unto David, My lord the king, take and offer as it pleaseth him: behold, there is an ox for a burnt offering, and bows, and harness of an ox for wood.

And Arafna the king gave all to the king. And Arafna said unto the king: The LORD thy God, let thee be acceptable unto him.

And the king said unto Arafna, Not so; but I will buy it of thee for his money: for I will not offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God, which I have for nought. So David bought the threshingfloor and the ox for fifty shekels of silver.

And there he built an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
And