It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and paid him honor.

And David said unto him, From where come you? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray you, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

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

And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

And he said unto me, Who are you? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

He said unto me again, Stand, I pray you, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here unto my lord.

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

And David said unto him, How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?

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

You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, you were slain in your high places.

I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant have you been unto me: your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be you of the LORD, that you have shown this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

And now the LORD show kindness and truth unto you: and I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.

Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be you valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.

And there was a very fierce battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Are you Asahel? And he answered, I am.

And Abner said to him, Turn you aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay you hold on one of the young men, and take you his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn you aside from following me: why should I strike you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?

Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill.

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour forever? know you not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brethren?

And Joab said, As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up every one from following his brother.

So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in unto my father's concubine?

Then was Abner very angry because of the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against Judah does show kindness this day unto the house of Saul your father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David, that you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?

So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD has sworn to David, even so I do to him;

And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make your league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Israel unto you.

And he said, Well; I will make a league with you: but one thing I require of you, that is, You shall not see my face, except you first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.

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

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, You sought for David in times past to be king over you:

Now then do it: for the LORD 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.

So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with you, and 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 was gone in peace.

When Joab and all the host that were with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have you done? behold, Abner came unto you; why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?

You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.

And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that has an issue, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls on the sword, or that lacks bread.

And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Tear your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the coffin.

And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dies?

Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters: as a man falls before wicked men, so fell you. And all the people wept again over him.

And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David swore, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, till the sun be down.

And the king said unto his servants, Know you not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:

And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they struck him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and got themselves away through the plain all night.

And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his descendants

And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

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

Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were he that led out and brought in Israel: and the LORD said to you, You shall feed my people Israel, and you shall be a captain over Israel.

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.

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: who spoke unto David, saying, Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here: thinking, David cannot come in here.

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

And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? will you deliver them into my hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.

And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, You shall not go up; but go around behind them, and come upon them opposite the mulberry trees.

And let it be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall move quickly: for then shall the LORD go out before you, to strike the army of the Philistines.

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

And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who dwells between the cherubim.

And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.

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 leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

And he distributed among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to the women and to the men, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house.

Then 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 base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!

And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, who chose me before your father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I make merry before the LORD.

And I will yet be more contemptible than this, and will be abased in my own sight: and of the maidservants whom you have spoken, of them shall I be held in honor.

That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.

And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you.

Go and tell my servant David, Thus says the LORD, Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in?

For I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.

In all the places in which I have moved about with all the children of Israel spoke I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why build you not me a house of cedar?

Now therefore so shall you say unto my servant David, Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:

And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as before,

Since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that he will make you a house.

And when your days be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who shall proceed out of your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you: your throne shall be established forever.

Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

And this was yet a small thing in your sight, O Lord GOD; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

And what can David say more unto you? for you, Lord GOD, know your servant.

For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, have you done all these great things, to make your servant know them.

Therefore you are great, O LORD God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

And what one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make himself a name, and to do for you great things and awesome, for your land, before your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

For you have confirmed to yourself your people Israel to be a people unto you forever: and you, LORD, have become their God.