of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was in great anguish by reason of the archers. Then said Saul to his armor-bearer: Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised ones come and thrust me through and make a mock of me. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer and all his men that day together. And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen in Mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols and to the people. And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shean.

Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shean; and they took their bones and buried them under the holy tree in Jabesh; and they fasted seven days.

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and had abode two days in Ziklag, it came to pass that behold, a man came out of the camp of Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head; and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth and prostrated himself. And David said unto him: Whence comest thou? And he said unto him: Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. And David said unto him: How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered: The people are fled from the battle, and also many of the people are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. And David said unto the young man that was telling him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? And the young man that told him said: As I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and the horsemen pressed hard upon him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered: Here am I. And he said unto me: Who art thou? And I answered him: I am an Amalekite. And he said unto me: Stand, I pray thee, beside me and slay me, for the agony hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood beside him and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and I have brought them hither unto my lord.

Then David took hold on his clothes and rent them; and likewise did all the men who were with him, and they mourned and wept, and fasted until even for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh and for the house of Israel, because they were fallen by the sword.

And David said unto the young man who told him: Whence art

thou? And he answered: I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said unto him: How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed? And David called one of the young men, and said: Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. And David said unto him: Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying: I have slain Yahweh's anointed.

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son. (Also, he bade them teach the children of Judah "The

Bow"; behold, it is written in the "Book of Jashar"):1

Tell it not in Gath, Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Neither fields of choice fruits;

For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,
The shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil!
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan turned not back,

And the sword of Saul returned not empty,-
Saul and Jonathan, the lovely and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided.

They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet,
Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel, with other delights.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle?
Jonathan is slain upon the high places!

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan.
Very pleasant hast thou been to me!
Thy love to me was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.

How are the mighty fallen

And the weapons of war perished!

And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of Yahweh, saying: Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And Yahweh said unto him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go? And He said: Unto Hebron. So David went up thither and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and they there anointed David king over the house of Judah.

And they told David, saying: The men of Jabesh-Gilead were they that buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of JabeshGilead, and said unto them. Blessed be ye of Yahweh, that ye have shown this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now, may Yahweh show kindness and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. Now, therefore, let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also, the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

1 Although it is now held that this beautiful elegy is one of the latest insertions in 2 Sam'l, it is preserved here, because it is so apposite to the preceding account, and could not be severed from it without loss. It was of course known to J, but all the poems in this book were inserted late.

Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king over Gilead and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. And Ishbosheth reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out, and they met together by the pool of Gibeon, and sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said: Let them arise. Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin and for Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. And they caught each one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together; wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim (the field of the sharp knives) which is in Gibeon. And the battle was very sore that day, and Abner was beaten and the men of Israel before the servants of David.

Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was as light of foot as one of the roes that are in the wilds. And Asahel pursued Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left in following Abner. Then Abner looked behind him, and said: Is it thou, Asahel? And he answered: It is I. And Abner said unto him: Turn thee aside to the right hand or to the left and lay hold on one of the young men, and take his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. And Abner said to Asahel: Turn thee aside from following me; wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? How then could I hold up my face to Joab, thy brother? Howbeit he refused to turn aside; wherefore Abner with the hinder end of his spear smote him in the groin, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in that same place; and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner; and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. Then Abner called to Joab and said: Shall the sword devour for ever? Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? And Joab said: As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, surely then only after the morning had the people gone up from following every one his brother. And Joab blew the horn, and all the people stood still and pursued after Israel no more. And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

And Joab returned from following after Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, even of Abner's men, three hundred and threescore men. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke upon them in Hebron.

Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul, weaker and weaker. And unto David were sons born in Hebron; and his firstborn was Ammon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abitai; and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah David's wife.

And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner showed himself strong in the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner: Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my Father's concubine? Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said: Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah? this day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman. God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh hath sworn unto David, I do not even so to him; to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba. And he could answer Abner not another word, because he feared him.

And Abner sent messengers to David straightway, saying: Whose is the land? saying also: Make thy league with me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring over all Israel unto thee. And he said: Well, I will make a league with thee; but one thing I require of thee, that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter when thou comest to see my face. And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying: Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed unto me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him: Go, return; and he returned.

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying: In times past ye sought for David to be king over you; now then do it; for Yahweh hath spoken of David, saying: By the hand of my servant David will I save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. And Abner spake also in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. And Abner said unto David: I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

Now behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying: Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away; and he hath gone in peace. Then Joab came to the king and said: What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto thee;

why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and all that thou doest. And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from Bor-sirah; but David knew it not.

And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly; and he smote him there in the groin so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. And afterward, when David heard it, he said: I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh for ever from the blood of Abner son of Ner. Let it fall upon the head of Joab and of all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread. And David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him: Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and wail before Abner. And King David followed the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented for Abner, and said: Should Abner die as a churl dieth? And all the people wept again over him. And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David sware, saying: God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down. And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them. Whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. So all the people and all Israel understood that day, that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. And the king said unto his servants: Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen in Israel to-day? And I am this day weak, and just anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.

Now when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were affrighted. And Saul's son had two men who were captains of bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other, Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite.

Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame on his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon. And they came into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him in the groin; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. Now when they came into his house, as he lay on his bed in the bedchamber, they smote him and slew him and beheaded him, and took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night. And they brought his head unto David to Hebron, and said unto the king. Behold the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul thine enemy who sought thy life; and Yahweh 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 unto them: As Yahweh liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, when one told me, saying: Behold, Saul is dead, and he was in his own eyes as one who brought