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.

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,

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 there was three sons of Zeruiah there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel - which Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild roe -

Howbeit, he would in no wise depart. Then Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the short ribs, that the spear came out behind him: that he fell down in the same place and died there. And as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

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

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

And when Abner was come again to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate, to speak with him guilefully, and there smote him under the short ribs that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

And the king said unto his servants, "Know ye not, how that there is a lord, and that a great, fallen this day in Israel?

And these Beerothites fled to Gittaim and sojourned there until the same time.

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 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 the LORD was wrath with Uzzah; and God smote him in the same place for his fault, and there he died by the ark of God.

Wherefore, thou art great O LORD God and there is none like thee, neither is there any God save thou, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

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 said the king, "Remaineth there yet any man of the kindred of Saul, whom I may show the mercy of God upon?" And Ziba said unto the king, "Jonathan hath yet a son which is lame on both feet."

Howbeit, the Syrians fled before Israel. And David destroyed seven hundred chariots of them and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of his host, that he there died.

And David said moreover to Uriah, "Go down to thine house and wash thy feet." And Uriah departed out of the king's palace, and there followed him a service from the king's table.

And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And there were certain overthrown of the people and of the servants of David - and Uriah the Hittite died also.

And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him and said unto him, "There were two men in one city, a rich and a poor.

And there came a stranger unto the rich man. And he could not find in his heart to take of his own sheep nor of his beasts to dress for the stranger that was come unto him. But took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to him."

But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked about. And behold, there came much people by a way that was behind his back along by a hill's side.

And so Absalom escaped and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

Then said she, "Let the king remember his LORD God, that the next of the blood gather not on heaps together to destroy, and that they slay not my son." And he said, "As sure as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son's head fall to the earth."

Moreover, in all Israel there was not so goodly a man as Absalom, or so greatly praised - from the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no blemish in him.

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 Absalom sent also for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, and fetched him out of his city Giloh, when he sacrificed sacrifices. And there was wrought strong treason. And the people drew to Absalom in great multitude.

And there came a messenger to David and said, "The hearts of the men of Israel are to follow Absalom."

And Ittai answered the king and said, "As surely as the LORD liveth, and as surely as my lord the king liveth: in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there will thy servant be."

And see, I will tarry in the fields of the wilderness until there come some word from you to be told me."

And so Zadok and Abiathar carried the Ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they tarried there.

And thou hast there with thee, Zadok and Abiathar the priests, unto which thou shalt show all that thou canst hear out of the king's house.

And behold, ye have there with you their two sons: Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son, by which ye shall send me all that ye can hear."

Then said the king to Ziba, "What hast thou there?" And Ziba said, "Asses for the king's household to ride on, and bread and fruit for the young men to eat, and wine to drink, if any man faint in the wilderness."

And the king and all that were with him came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

And we will come upon him in one place or other, where we shalt find him, and we will pitch a field against him, even as thick as the dew falleth on the ground. And there shall not one of them be left, neither he nor any of all that are with him.

Moreover, if he take a town then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one stone found upon another."

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.

Then David arose and all the people that were with him, and they were come over Jordan by that it was day, that there lacked not one of them that was not come over Jordan.

where the people of Israel were put to the worse before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter that day, even of twenty thousand men.

And Joab said unto him that told him, "Lo, sawest thou him? And why didst thou not there smite him to the ground, that I should have given thee ten sicles of silver and a soldier's girdle?"

And David sat between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes and saw: and behold, there came a man running alone.

And the watchman called and told the king. And the king said, "If he come alone, there is tidings in his mouth." And he came and drew nigh.

And the watchman saw another man running, and called unto the porter and said, "Behold, there cometh another running alone." And the king answered, "He is also a tidings bringer."

Now therefore up and come out, and speak kindly unto thy servants, I swear by the LORD, except thou come out, there will not tarry one man with thee this night. And that will be worse unto thee, than all the evil that fell on thee from thine youth unto this hour."

And there went over a boat to carry over the king's household and to do him pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell before the king, as he was come over Jordan,

And the king said, "What matter is between you and me ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? There shall no man die this day in Israel: for I know that I am this day king over Israel."

And there happened to be an unthrifty fellow named Sheba, the son of Bichri a man of Benjamin which blew a trumpet and said, "We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Jesse, O Israel.

And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and the men of might. And they departed out of Jerusalem to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.

And Amasa lay wallowing in blood in the midst of the way. And there was a man that saw all the people stand still. And when he saw that all that came by him stood still, he rolled Amasa out of the way into the field and cast a cloth upon him.

The matter is not so: But there is a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, which hath lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver us him only, and I will depart from the city." And the woman said unto Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown through the wall to thee."

Then there fell a hunger in the days of David: three years, year by year. And David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is for Saul's sake and the house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites."

And there was yet, after this, battle with the Philistines at Nob, in which Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph of the sons of Haraphah.

And there was yet the third battle in Gob, with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of the Jair slew Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite: the staff of whose spear was as great as a weaver's cloth beam.

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 next to him, Eleazar the son of Dodi the son of Ahohi, one of the three principal that were with David, which - when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together in battle, and the men of Israel were gone up -

And then Joab delivered up the reckoning of the number of the people unto the king. And there were found in Israel nine hundred thousand men of might that drew swords. And the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

And Gad came to David and showed him and said unto him, "Whether wilt thou have seven years hunger in thy land, or that thou flee three months before thine enemies and they following thee, or that there be three days pestilence in thy land? Now understand, and see what word I shall bring again to him that sent me."

And the LORD sent a pestilence in Israel from the morning unto the end of the time appointed. And there died of the people between Dan and Beersheba seventy thousand men.

And David built there an altar unto the LORD and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. And so the LORD was agreed with the land. And the plague ceased from Israel.