And it happened after the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David stayed two days in Ziklag,

on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn and earth upon his head. And it happened when he came to David, he fell to the earth and bowed to him.

And David said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.

And David said to him, How did the matter go? Please tell me. And he answered, The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead also.

And David said to the young man who told him, How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?

And David took hold on his garments, and tore them. And likewise all the men with him did so.

And David said to the young man who told him, From where are you? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

And David said, Why were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?

And David called one of the young men and said, Go near; fall on him. And he struck him so that he died.

And David said to him, Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.

And David chanted this death dirge over Saul and over his son Jonathan.

And it happened after this, David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up! And David said, Where shall I go? And He said, To Hebron.

And David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's wife.

And David brought up his men with him, each man with his household. And they lived in the cities of Hebron.

And the men of Judah came, and they anointed David king over the house of Judah there. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead buried Saul.

And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead. And he said to them, Blessed are you of Jehovah, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.

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

And it happened, the number of days that David was king 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 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 they arose and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and twelve of the servants of David.

And there was a very grievous battle that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

And Joab returned from following Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men and Asahel were missing from David's servants.

But the servants of David had stricken three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, who died.

And there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David became stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his first-born was Amnon, the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel.

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

And it happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

And Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, who shows kindness against Judah this day to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? Am I a dog's head that you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman today?

So may God do to Abner, and more also, if I do not do to David as Jehovah has sworn,

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 Beer-sheba.

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? He said, Cut your covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Israel to you.

And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

The word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, You sought for David in times past to be king over you.

And then do it, for Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

And Abner also spoke 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 all that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

And Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men came with him. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and so that you may reign over all that your heart desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

And Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner, who brought him again from the well of Sirah. But David did not know.

And afterward David heard, and said, My kingdom and I are guiltless before Jehovah forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Tear your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier.

And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was still day; David swore, saying, So let God do to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else until the sun is down.

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. And Jehovah has 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 of Beeroth, and said to them, As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

And David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

And all the tribes of Israel came to David, to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

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

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

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites, the people of the land. And one spoke to David saying, You shall not come in here, except the blind and the lame will turn you away; also saying, David cannot come in here.

And David took the stronghold of Zion; it is the city of David.

And David said on that day, Anyone who strikes the Jebusite, let him go by the water-shaft and take the lame and the blind, the hated of David's soul. On account of this they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

And David lived in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built all around, from Millo and inward.

And David went on and became great, and Jehovah, the God of Hosts was with him.

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

And David saw that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, and that He had made his kingdom sure for His people Israel's sake.

And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. And there were still more sons and daughters born to David.

And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel. And all the Philistines came up to seek David. And David heard, and went down to the stronghold.

And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up! For I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.

And David came to Baal-perazim, and David struck them there, and said, Jehovah has broken forth on my enemies before me, like the breaking forth of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place The Breaking of Baal.

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

And David inquired of Jehovah, and He said, You shall not go up, but go around behind them and come upon them over across from the weeping trees.

And David did so, as Jehovah had commanded him. And he struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.

Again David gathered every chosen one in Israel, thirty thousand.

And David arose and went with all the people with him from beyond Baale of Judah, to bring up the ark of God from there, which is called by the Name, the Name of Jehovah of Hosts who dwells above the cherubs.

And David and all the house of Israel were dancing before Jehovah on all instruments of fir wood, with lyres and with harps, and with tambourines, and with sistra, and with cymbals.

And David was displeased because Jehovah had broken forth upon Uzzah. And he called the name of the place The Break of Uzzah to this day.

And David was afraid of Jehovah that day, and said, How shall the ark of Jehovah come to me?

And David was not willing to bring the ark of Jehovah to him into the city of David. But David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, the Levite.

And they told King David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.

And David danced before Jehovah with all his might. And David was girded with a linen ephod.

And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the ram's horn.

And it happened as the ark of Jehovah came to the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Jehovah. And she despised him in her heart.

And they brought in the ark of Jehovah and set it in its place in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

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

And David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!

And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me before your father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel. And I danced before Jehovah.

And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child by David to the day of her death.

Go and tell My servant David, So says Jehovah, Shall you build Me a house for My dwelling?

And now so shall you say to My servant David, So says Jehovah of Hosts: I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.

According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

Then King David went in and sat before Jehovah. And he said, Who am I, O Lord Jehovah? And what is my house, that You have brought me here?

And what can David say more to You? For You, O Lord Jehovah, know Your servant.

And let Your name be magnified forever, saying, The Jehovah of Hosts is the God over Israel. And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.

And it happened afterward, David struck the Philistines and humbled them. And David took The Bridle of the Metropolis out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he struck Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground. Even with two lines he measured to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became David's servants, bringing gifts.

David also struck Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

And David took from him seventeen hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but kept enough of them for a hundred chariots.

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to rescue Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.

And David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus. And the Syrians became servants to David, bringing gifts. And Jehovah preserved David wherever he went.

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

And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

And Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer.

Then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and had struck him. For Hadadezer had wars against Toi. And in his hand were silver articles, and golden articles, and bronze articles.

King David also dedicated them to Jehovah, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all nations which he subdued:

And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand men.

And he put garrisons in Edom. He put garrisons throughout all Edom, and all the men of Edom became David's servants. And Jehovah preserved David wherever he went.

And David reigned over all Israel. And David did judgment and justice to all his people.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David's sons were priests.

And David said, Is there still any that is left from the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And they called him to David, and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, Your servant.