Judahrecognized[them], and said,"She is morerighteousthanI, inasmuchas I did not giveher to my sonShelah."And he did not haverelationswith her again.
Then he examinedit and said,"It is my son'stunic.A wildbeasthas devouredhim; Josephhas surelybeen tornto pieces!"
So she removedher widow'sgarmentsand covered[herself] with a veil,and wrappedherself, and satin the gatewayof Enaim,whichis on the roadto Timnah;for she sawthat Shelahhad grownup, and she had not been givento him as a wife.
Now the manhadrelationswith his wifeEve,and she conceivedand gavebirthto Cain,and she said,"I have gottena manchildwith [the help of] the LORD."
So they pitcheda tentfor Absalomon the roof,and Absalomwentin to his father'sconcubinesin the sightof allIsrael.
Then Davidcameto his houseat Jerusalem,and the kingtookthe tenwomen,the concubineswhomhe had leftto keepthe house,and placedthem under guardand providedthem with sustenance,but did not goin to them. So they were shutup untilthe dayof their death,livingas widows.
Then Davidspoketo the LORDwhen he sawthe angelwho was strikingdownthe people,and said,"Behold,it is I who have sinned,and it is I who have donewrong;but thesesheep,whathave they done?Pleaselet Your handbe against me and against my father'shouse."
"But nowit has cometo you, and you are impatient;It touchesyou, and you are dismayed.
"OnceI have spoken,and I will not answer;Even twice,and I will addnothingmore."
"Alsobearyour disgracein that you have madejudgmentfavorablefor your sisters.Because of your sinsin whichyou actedmoreabominablythanthey, they are morein the rightthanyou. Yes,be alsoashamedand bearyour disgrace,in that you madeyour sistersappear righteous.
[Your] eyesare toopureto approveevil,And You cannot lookon wickedness[with favor]. Whydo You lookwith favor On those who dealtreacherously?Why are You silentwhen the wickedswallowup Those morerighteousthanthey?
"Thereforebearfruitin keepingwith repentance;
When they heardit, they [began] to goout oneby one,beginningwith the older ones,and He was leftalone,and the woman,where she was, in the center[of the court].
The nightis almost gone,and the dayis near.Thereforelet us lay asidethe deedsof darknessand puton the armorof light.
Nowwe knowthat whateverthe Lawsays,it speaksto thosewho are underthe Law,sothat everymouthmay be closedand allthe worldmay becomeaccountableto God;
He saidto David,"You are morerighteousthanI; for you have dealtwellwith me, while I have dealtwickedlywith you.
"You have declaredtodaythat you have donegoodto me, that the LORDdeliveredme into your handand [yet] you did not killme.
