of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people departed to their homes.

66

This message also from Jehovah came to Nathan the prophet: 'You shall say to my servant David: Jehovah of hosts declares, I took you from the pasture from following the sheep to be chief over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you went, to destroy all your enemies before you, and I will make you a name, like that of the great in the earth. When your life is ended and you are buried with your fathers, I will raise up your son after you, and I will establish his rule. I will be a father to him,

and he shall be my son. When he goes astray I will correct him with the discipline, and with the punishment that men inflict. I will not withdraw my favor from him as I withdrew it from him who preceded you. Your house and your dominion shall always stand firm before me; your authority shall be established forever."

93. DAVID'S TREATMENT OF JONATHAN'S SON

Then David asked, 'Is any one left of the family of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake?' And there was a servant of Saul named Ziba. When they summoned him before David, he said to him, 'Are you Ziba?' He replied, 'Your servant.' David said, 'Is there any one else belonging to the family of Saul to whom I may show kindness like that of God?' Ziba answered, 'A son of Jonathan is still living, but he is lame in his feet.' David inquired, 'Where is he?' Ziba replied, 'He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lodebar.'

Then David sent and brought him from the house of Machir; and when Meribaal the son of Jonathan

came to David, he bowed to the ground and did obeisance. David said, 'Meribaal!' He answered, 'Behold your servant!' And David said to him, ‘Fear not, for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table continually.' Meribaal bowed down and said, 'What is your servant that you should look favorably upon one as unworthy as I?'

Then David called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, 'I have given to your master's son all that belongs to Saul and to his family. You with your sons and servants shall cultivate the land for him and harvest the fruits, that your master's son may have food to eat; but Meribaal your master's son shall always eat at my table.' Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants; and he said to David, 'Your servant will do all that my lord commands.'

So Meribaal ate at David's table like one of his own sons. Meribaal also had a young son, whose name was Mica; and all who lived in the house of Ziba were Meribaal's servants. So Meribaal lived in Jerusalem, and though he was lame in both feet, he always ate at David's table.

94. DAVID'S FOREIGN CONQUESTS

David conquered the Moabites and measured them off with a line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines; one full line to put to death and one full line to save alive. So the Moabites became subject to David and paid tribute. He also put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David.

After this the king of the Ammonites died and

Hanun his son succeeded him. So David said, 'I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash as his father showed kindness to me.' Therefore David sent his servants to condole with him concerning his father. But when David's servants came to the land of the Ammonites, the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, 'Do you think that David is honoring your father by sending bearers of condolence to you? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?'

So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half of their beards, cut their robes in two down to their hips, and sent them away. When David was told about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And David said, 'Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.'

Now when the Ammonites saw that they had brought themselves into bad repute with David, they hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and of Zobah, with twenty thousand infantry, and the king of Maacah and of Ishtob with twelve thousand men. When David heard of it, he sent Joab with all the army of trained warriors. The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, but the Arameans were by themselves in the open country.

When Joab saw that he was being attacked both in the front and in the rear, he selected the picked men of Israel and placed them opposite the Arameans. The main body of the army he put under the command of Abishai his brother and placed them opposite the Ammonites. Then he said, 'If the Arameans should be too strong for me, you come and help me, but if the Ammonites should be too strong for you, then I will go and help you. Be brave, and let us show our

strength for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may Jehovah do what seems best to him.'

When Joab and the people who were with him advanced against the Arameans, they fled before him. When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

A year later, at the time when kings are accustomed to make war, David sent Joab and his army with him, and they defeated the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the section of the city where the springs were. Then Joab sent messengers to David to report: 'I have fought against Rabbah and have taken the section of the city where the springs are. Now therefore you call the rest of the people together and besiege the city and capture it, for fear that if I take the city it would be called my victory.'

So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it. He also took from the head of the Ammonite god Milcom a golden crown which weighed as much as a gold talent; and it was inset with a precious stone which was placed on David's head. He also carried away the great amount of spoil that was in the city, and took its inhabitants away as captives.

95. DAVID'S DOUBLE CRIME

One evening, while Joab was besieging Rabbath Ammon, David arose from his bed and walked upon the roof of the royal palace. From the roof he saw a

woman bathing; and she was very beautiful. And David sent to inquire about the woman; and some one said, 'Is not this Bathsheba the daughter of Elia and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?' Then David sent messengers to bring her; and she came to him, and he satisfied his passion. Then she returned to her house, but when the woman knew that she was to become a mother, she sent and told David.

Then David sent this message to Joab: 'Send me Uriah the Hittite.' So Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked him about the welfare of Joab and the people and the progress of the war. Then David said to Uriah, 'Go down to your house and wash your feet.' So Uriah left the palace, and David sent after him a supply of food. But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

When David was told, 'Uriah did not go down to his house,' he said to Uriah, ‘Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?' But Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in huts, and my master Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field; shall I then go to my house to eat and drink and to remain with my wife! As surely as Jehovah lives and you live, I cannot do this.' Then David said to Uriah, 'Stay here to-day also, and to-morrow I will let you go.' So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. But on the next day David invited him and he ate and drank in his presence, so that he made him drunk. Then in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house.

In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, ‘Place