After the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and had been two days in Ziklag:

Behold, there came a man the third day out of the host from Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the earth and did obeisance.

To whom David said, "Whence comest thou?" And the other answered him, "Out of the host of Israel am I escaped."

And David said to him again, "How hath it chanced? Tell me." And he said, "The people fled from the battle, and many of the people are overthrown and dead: and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead thereto."

And David said unto the young man that told him, "How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?"

Then David took his clothes and rent them, and so did all the men that were with him.

Then said David unto the young man that brought him tidings, "Whence art thou?" And he said, "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite."

And David said unto him, "How is it that thou wast not afraid to lay thine hand on the LORD's anointed, to destroy him?"

And David called one of his young men, and said, "Go and run upon him." And he smote him that he died.

Then said David unto him, "Thy blood upon thine own head; for thine own mouth hath testified against thee, saying, 'I have slain the LORD's anointed.'"

And David sang this song of mourning over Saul and Jonathan his son,

After this David asked the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Juda? And the LORD said, "Go." And David answered, "Whither shall I go?" He answered, "Unto Hebron."

And so David went thither with his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.

And the men that were with him, did David carry up also, every man with his house. And they dwelt in the towns of Hebron.

And the men of Judah came, and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. When it was told David, how the men of Jabesh in Gilead had buried Saul,

And Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel - and reigned two years. But the house of Judah only followed David.

And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the Pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one part on the one side the pool and the other on the other side.

Then there arose and went over: twelve of Benjamin by number, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and twelve of the servants of David.

And there began an exceeding cruel battle that same day. But Abner and the men of Israel were put to the worse of the servants of David.

And Joab returned from after Abner and gathered all the people together. And there lacked, of David's servants, nineteen persons and Asahel.

But the servants of David had slain, of Benjamin and of Abner's men, three hundred and three score men.

There was long strife between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

And David had children born him in Hebron: his eldest son was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

the sixth, Ithream by Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

And as long as there was battle between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner held up the house of Saul.

Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head, then? That I, against Judah, do mercy unto the house of Saul thy father - and unto his brethren and kinsfolk - and have not delivered them into the hand of David? And thou layest a trespass to my charge this day for a woman's sake?

So do God to Abner, and so thereto: except that as the LORD hath sworn to David, I so do to him,

and bring the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, even from Dan to Beersheba."

And Abner sent messengers to David forthwith, saying, "Whose is the land?" And he said thereto, "Make a bond with me, and see, my hand is with thee, to bring all Israel unto thee."

And David answered, "Well said. I will make a bond with thee. But one thing I require of thee, that thou see not my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see me."

And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son saying, "Deliver me my wife Michal which I married with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "Ye have long gone about that David should be king over you.

Now then, do it. For the LORD hath said of David, 'By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel; out of the hands of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"

And like words had he with Benjamin, and then went to tell in the ears of David in Hebron all that Israel was content with and the whole house of Benjamin.

And when Abner was come to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him: David made him and the men that were with him a feast.

Then Abner said unto David, "I will up and go gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make an appointment with thee, that thou mayest be king over all that thine heart desireth." And so David let Abner depart, and he went in peace.

And see, the servants of David and Joab came from chasing robbers and brought a great prey with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron: for he had sent him away to depart in peace.

And when Joab was come out from the king, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah - unwitting to David.

And when it afterward came to David's ear, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever, concerning the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

And David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him, "Rent your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner." And king David himself followed the bier.

And when all the people came to eat meat with David, while it was yet day, David sware, saying, "So do God to me and so thereto, if I taste bread or ought else till the sun be down."

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David, to Hebron and said to the king, "Behold there the head of Ishbosheth Saul's son, thine enemy, which sought thy soul. But the LORD 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 surely as the LORD liveth, which hath delivered my soul out of all adversities:

And David commanded his young men, and they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and hanged them up by the pole in Hebron. And they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and said, "See, we are thy bones and thy flesh.

And so all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron. And king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

Then went the king and his men to Jerusalem, unto the Jebusites the inhabiters of the land. And they said unto David, "Except thou take away the blind and the lame thou shalt not come in hither" - meaning thereby that David should not have come in thither.

Nevertheless David took the hold of Zion, which is in the city of David.

Then said David the same day, "Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, and getteth up to the gutters of the houses: smite the lame and the blind that hate David's soul." Wherefore they said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house."

And David dwelt in the tower and called it the city of David. And David built round about it from Mello inward.

And David waxed great and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and masons, to build David a house.

Whereby David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were yet born to David.

But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, they came all up to seek David. And as soon as David heard of it, he gat him to a hold.

And David asked of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go to the Philistines? And wilt thou deliver them into my hands?" And the LORD said unto David, "Go, for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hands."

And David came to Baalperazim and smote them there, and said, "The LORD hath divided mine enemies asunder before me, as a man would divide water." And therefore he called the name of the said place, Baalperazim.

And there they left their images, and David and his men took them up.

And David asked the LORD, and he said, "Go not. But compass them on the back side and come down upon them from the pear trees.

And David did as the LORD commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Gibeah to Gezer.

After that, David chose out all the chief young men in Israel to the sum of thirty thousand;

And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all manner instruments of fir wood - with harps, psalteries, timbrels, fiddles and cymbals.

And David was displeased because the LORD had rent Uzzah. And the name of the place was called Perezuzzah until this day.

And David was then afraid of the LORD and said, "How should the Ark of the LORD come to my house?"

And so David would not bring the Ark of the LORD with him into the city of David. But carried it into the house of Obededom, a Gittite.

And when it was told king David how that the LORD had blessed the house of Obededom and all that pertained unto him, because of the Ark of God, he went and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obededom unto the city of David with gladness.

And David danced before the LORD with all his might, in a linen ephod gird unto him.

And David and all the house of Israel brought the ark of the LORD with shouting and trumpet blowing.

And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window and saw King David spring and dance before the LORD, and therefore despised him in her heart.

And when they had brought in the Ark of the LORD, and had set it even in his place, even in the tabernacle that David had prepared for it: David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts;

Then David returned to salute his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out against him, and said, "Oh how glorious was the king of Israel today, which stripped himself today before the eyes of the maidens of his servants, as a light-brained fellow is wont to strip himself."

But David said again to Michal, "I thought to dance before the LORD - which chose me, rather thy father and all his kin, and commanded me to be ruler over all the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

"Go and tell my servant David, thus sayeth the LORD, 'Shalt thou go build me a house for the LORD to dwell in?

Now therefore so say unto my servant David, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, 'I took thee out of a shepherd's cote from following sheep to be a ruler over my people Israel.

And when Nathan had told David all these words and all this vision,

then went King David and set him down before the LORD and said, "What am I, Lord Jehovah, and what is my kin, that thou shouldest have brought me this far forth?

And what can David say more unto thee, seeing thou knowest thy servant, Lord Jehovah?

And let thy name be great forever, that men may say, 'The LORD of Hosts is the God of Israel.' And let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.

After that, David beat the Philistines and subdued them, and took the bridle of bondage out of their hands.

And he beat the Moabites and measured them with a line, making them lie along the earth; so that he brought two parts of them to death, and let one part live. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and paid tribute.

David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as he went to make the end of his coasts at the river Euphrates.

And David took a thousand and seven hundred horsemen of his, and twenty thousand footmen, and destroyed all his chariots - reserving one hundred of them.

Then came the Syrians of Damascus to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah. And David slew of them two and twenty thousand men and put soldiers in Syria, Damascus.

And the Syrians became servants to David paying tribute. And thus the LORD saved David in all that he went to.

And David took the shields of gold that were upon the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

When Toi, king of Hamath, had heard how David had discomforted all the host of Hadadezer,

he sent Joram his son unto king David to salute him with peace and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and beaten him - for Toi kept war with Hadadezer - which son brought vessels of silver, gold and of brass with him.

And them also King David did dedicate unto the LORD with the silver and gold that he consecrated of all nations which he subdued:

And David made him a name after he returned from the slaughter of the Syrians in the valley of salt where he slew eighteen thousand men.

And he put keepers in Edom, even throughout all Edom put he soldiers; and all Edom became his servants. And the LORD kept David whatsoever he took in hand.

And David reigned over all Israel and executed right and justice unto all his people.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

Then said David, "Is there yet any man left of the house of Saul, that I may show him mercy for Jonathan's sake?"

And there was, of the household of Saul, a servant named Ziba which was called unto David. And the king said unto him, "Art thou Ziba?" And he said, "Thy servant is the man."

Then king David sent and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, out of Lodebar.

Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul was come unto David, he bowed himself and fell on his face. Then said David, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Behold thy servant."

And David said, "Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan's sake and will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat meat on mine own table always."