Study Desk

Then sayde his seruauntes vnto him: What maner of thinge is this that thou doest? Whan the childe was alyue, thou fastedst and weptest: but now that it is deed, thou stodest up and eatest?

And whan Dauid had comforted Bethseba his wife, he wente in vnto her, and laye with her. And she bare a sonne, whom he called Salomon. And the LORDE loued him.

and toke their kynges crowne fro his heade (which in weight had a talente of golde, and precious stones) and was set vpon Dauids heade, and very moch spoyle caried he out of the cite.

And Ammon was in greate combraunce, in so moch that he was euen sicke, because of Thamar his sister. For she was a virgin, and Ammon thoughte it shulde beharde for him to do eny thinge vnto her.

Thamar wente vnto hir brother Amons house, but he laye in his bed. And she toke floure, and mixte it, and dighte it before his eyes, and made him a syppynge.

but called his boye that serued him, and sayde: Put awaye this woman fro me, and locke the dore after her.

And she had a partye garment on: for soch garmentes wayre ye kynges doughters whyle they were virgins. And wha his seruaunt had put hir forth, & lockte the dore after her,

As for Absalom, he spake nether euell ner good to Ammon: but Absalom hated Ammon, because he had forced his sister Thamar.

and came to the kynge, and sayde: Beholde, thy seruaunt hath shepe clyppers, let it please ye kynge with his seruauntes to go with his seruaunte.

But Absalom commaunded his yongemen, and sayde: Take hede whan Ammon is mery with wyne (and I saye vnto you: Smyte Ammon, and slaye him) that ye be not afrayed: for I haue commaunded you, be stronge, and playe the men.

So Absaloms yonge men dyd vnto Ammon, as Absalom had commaunded them. Then stode all the kynges children vp, and euery one gat him vp vpo his Mule, and fled.

Then stode the kynge vp, and rente his clothes, & layed him downe vpon the earth, and all his seruautes that stode aboute him, rente their clothes.

Then answered Ionadab ye sonne of Simea Dauids brother, and sayde: Let not my lorde thynke that all the yonge men the kynges children are deed, but yt Ammon is deed onely: for Absalom hath kepte it in him selfe sence the daie that he forced his sister Thamar.

As for Absalom, he fled. And the yongeman that kepte the watch, lifte vp his eyes, and loked, and beholde, A greate people came in the waye one after another by the hill syde.

And whan he had ended his talkynge, the kynges children came, and lifte vp their voyce, and wepte. The kynge and all his seruauntes wepte also very sore.

But Absalom fled, and wente vnto Thalmai the sonne of Ammihud kynge of Gesur. As for Dauid, he mourned for his sonne euery daye.

And beholde, all the whole kynred ryseth vp agaynst thy handmayden, and saye: Delyuer him which hath smytten his brother, that we maye kyll him, for the soule of his brother whom he hath slayne, and that we maye destroye the heyre also. And thus are they mynded to put out my sparke, which yet is lefte, that there shulde no name ner eny thinge els remayne ouer vnto my hußbade vpon earth.

And the woman of Thecoa saide vnto ye kynge: The trespace be vpon me (my lorde ye kynge) and vpon my fathers house: but the kynge and his seate be vngiltye.

She sayde: Let the kynge thynke vpon the LORDE his God, that there be not to many auengers of bloude to destroye, and that they brynge not my sonne to naught. He sayde: As truly as the LORDE lyueth, there shall not one heer of thy sonne fall vpon the earth.

The woman sayde: Wherfore hast thou deuised soch a thinge agaynst the people of God? And how happeneth it that the kynge speaketh soch, to make himselfe giltie, and causeth not his outlawe to be broughte agayne?