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

Ye mountains of Gilboa, upon you be neither dew nor rain, nor fields whence heave offerings come: For there the shields of the mighty were cast from them, the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil.

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 Joab answered, "As truly as God liveth, if thou hadst so said, then even in the morning had the people departed, each from following his brother."

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

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

And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Wherefore liest thou with my father's concubine?"

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

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 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 the cause why Joab and Abishai slew Abner was that Abner had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.

And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king lifted up his voice and wept over the sepulchre of Abner, and so did all the people.

Now this Saul's son had two men that were become captains over the soldiers, the one called Baanah and the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, and of the children of Benjamin: for Beeroth was reckoned to pertain to Benjamin.

And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame on his feet: five years old was he when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel. And his nurse took him up and fled away. And as she made haste to flee and was amazed, the child fell and became halt and was called Mephibosheth.

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

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

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 ever, when they that bare the Ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he offered an ox and a fat sheep.

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;

And therefore will I play before the LORD, and will yet be more vile than so, and I will be meek in mine own sight: and of the very same maidservants which thou hast spoken of, shall I be had in honour."

Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

And in process, as the king dwelt in his house after that the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies,

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

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.

See therefore that thou and thy sons and thy servants till the land for him, and bring in, that thy master's son may have food to eat. For Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat meat always upon my table." For this Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

This Mephibosheth had a son that was young named Mica, and all that dwelled in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

And when the woman had perceived that she had conceived, she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."

And the messengers went and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him with,

and she was his wife and bare him a son. But the deed that David had committed displeased the LORD.

And the rich had exceeding great abundance of sheep and oxen.

But the poor had nothing, save one little lamb which he bought and nourished up. And it grew up with him and his children, and did eat of his own meat and drank of his own cup, and slept in his bosom, and was as dear unto him as his daughter.

and shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity."

And I gave thee thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah - and would, if that had been too little, have given thee twice so much more.

and sent messengers to David, saying, "I have made assault to Rabbah, and also have taken the castle from whence they had their water.

And it chanced that Absalom, David's son, had a fair sister named Tamar, whom afterward Amnon, another son of David, loved.

But Amnon had a companion called Jonadab, the son of Shimeah the brother of David: which Jonadab was a very wise man.

Then said Amnon unto Tamar, "Bring the meat into the chamber that I may eat it of thine hand." And Tamar took the fritters which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother,

And she had a kirtle of divers colors upon her: for with such were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled; made strait unto them. Then his servant brought her out at the doors and locked the doors after her.

And Absalom said unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. Howbeit, Absalom hated Amnon because he had forced his sister Tamar.

And it happened, two year after, that Absalom had a sheep shearing in Baal Hazor besides the tribe of Ephraim, and bade all the king's sons.

And while they were yet in the way, tidings came to David that Absalom had slain all the king's sons, so that none was left alive.

And as soon as he had left speaking: behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their voices and wept. And thereto the king and all his servants wept exceedingly.

And by that time, the king turned his mind from pursuing Absalom. For he had left mourning for the death of Amnon.

he sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, "Feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel. And anoint not thyself with oil. But be as a woman that had long time mourned for the death of somebody.

And thy handmaid had two sons which fought together in the fields where was no man to go between them, and the one slew the other.

And this Absalom had three sons born him and one daughter named Tamar, which was a fair woman to look upon.

When Absalom had dwelt two years in Jerusalem without coming into the king's presence he sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king.

And Absalom said to Joab, "Behold, I sent for thee desiring thee to come; because I would have sent thee to the king, for to say wherefore I am come from Geshur. It had been as good for me to have bidden there still. Now therefore let me come to the king's presence, or else if there be any trespass in me, kill me."

And thereto he used to rise up early in the mornings and to stand by the wayside that led to the gate of the city. And all the men of Israel that had complaints and came to the king for judgment, he called unto him, and said, "Of what city art thou?" And when the other answered, "thy servant is of such a tribe of Israel,"

And behold, Zadok and all the Levites were with him and bare the ark of the covenant of God. And when they had fetched down the Ark of God, Abiathar came up, until the people were all come over, out of the city.

And David went up on Mount Olivet and wept as he went, and had his head covered and went thereto barefoot. And all the people that was with him, had every man his head covered, and as they went, wept also.

When David was come to the top of the mount and had bowed himself unto God: behold, Hushai the Archite came against him with his coat torn and earth upon his head.

And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days, was as a man had asked counsel of God: even so was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both unto David and also unto Absalom.

Nevertheless there was a lad saw them, which told it to Absalom. But they went both of them away quickly and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his yard, into which they went down.

And when Absalom's servants came to the wife to the house and asked where one Ahimaaz and Jonathan were, the wife said unto them, "They be gone over the little brook of water." And when they had sought them and could not find them, then they returned to Jerusalem.

And the man answered Joab, "Though I had a thousand sicles of silver told in my hand yet would I not stretch out mine hand against the king's son. For we heard with our ears when the king charged thee, Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Spare me the lad Absalom.'

Moreover though I had jeoparded my life and done falsely thereto, yet could nought of all the matter have been hid from the king: yea, and thou thyself wouldest be against me."

And the king was moved and went up to a chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went thus he said, "My son Absalom, my son, my son, my son Absalom, would to God I had died for thee Absalom, my son, my son."

in that thou lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends. Thou hast declared this day that thou carest neither for thy lords nor servants. For this day I do perceive, if Absalom had lived, and all we died this day, that then it had pleased thee well.

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet nor shaved his beard nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, until he came again in peace.

which Barzillai was a very aged man, even four score year old, and had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a man of very great substance.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, "We have ten parts in the king, and have thereto more right to David than ye. Why then did ye despise us, that our advice had not been first had in restoring our king again?" And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

And when David was come to his house to Jerusalem, he took the ten wives his concubines that he had left behind him to keep the house, and put them in ward and ministered all things unto them: but lay no more with them. And so they were enclosed unto the day of the death of them, and lived a widow's life.

And when they were come to the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa met them. And Joab had his garment that he had about him, gird unto him, and had girded thereon a knife joined fast to his loins, in such a sheath that as he went it fell sometimes out.

And the king called the Gibeonites and spake unto them. Now these Gibeonites are not of the children of Israel, but a remnant of the Amorites - and the children of Israel sware unto them. And yet Saul sought to slay them, for a zeal that he had to the children of Israel and of Judah.

But the king had compassion on Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them: that is to say, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

And when it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah the concubine of Saul had done,

he went and took the bones of Saul, and of Jonathan his son, and of the men of Jabesh in Gilead, which they had stolen from the street of Bet-Shean, where the Philistines had hanged them in the days when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa.

and buried them with the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin, in Zela, in the sepulchre of Kish his father. And when they had performed all that the king commanded, God was then at one with the land.

And the Philistines had yet again war with Israel. And David went down, and his servants with him, and fought with the Philistines.

And there was yet battle in Gath, where was a man of a size and had on every hand six fingers and on every foot six toes - twenty four in all - and was also of the kindred of the Giants, and defied Israel.

And David spake the words of this song unto the LORD, what time the LORD had delivered him out of the hands of all his enemies, and out of the hands of Saul.

When they had compassed me in the day of my tribulation, the LORD stayed me up.

But I had all his laws in my sight, and I turned my face from none of his ordinances.

And the LORD did to me again, according to my righteousness, and after my pureness that I had in his sight.

I followed mine enemies and destroyed them, and turned not again until I had consumed them.

And these three of the thirty of the lords went down and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave Adullam. And the Host of the Philistines had pitched in the valley of Giants.

And David longed and said, "Oh, that I had of the water that is in the well in the gate of Bethlehem for to drink."

And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man, which had a spear in his hand. And Benaiah went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with his own spear.

And so when they had been abroad throughout all the land they returned to Jerusalem again at the end of nine months and twenty days.

And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And he said unto the LORD, "I have sinned exceedingly in that I have done. And now LORD take away the trespass of thy servant: for I have done foolishly."

And when the Angel stretched out his hand unto Jerusalem to have destroyed it, the LORD had compassion to do that evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, "It is sufficient: let thine hand cease." And the Angel was at the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite.