When the men of Israel that were of the other side of the valley, and they of the other side Jordan, heard that the men of Israel were put to flight, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left the cities, and ran away, and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

On the morrow when the Philistines were come to strip them that were slain, they found Saul and his sons lying in mount Gilboa.

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

And the young man that told him, said, "I was by chance in mount Gilboa. And see, Saul leaned upon his spear, and the chariots and horsemen followed him at the heels.

And I went on him and slew him: for 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 unto my lord hither."

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.

Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and that the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph thereof.

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.

he sent messengers unto them and said unto them, "Blessed are ye unto the LORD, that ye have showed such kindness unto your lord Saul, and have buried him.

And now let your hands stir them and play ye the men, though your master Saul be dead. And finally, understand that the house of Judah have anointed me king over them."

But Abner the son of Ner that was captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him to Mahanaim;

And they caught each his fellow that came against him, by the head and thrust his sword in his side, and so fell down all at once. Wherefore the place was called Helkathhazzurim which is in Gibeon.

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 Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn from me! Why wilt thou that I smite thee to the ground? For then how should I hold up my face before Joab thy brother?"

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.

But Joab and Abishai followed Abner till the sun went down. And when they were come to the hill Ammah that lieth before Giah in the way that goeth through the wilderness of Gibeon,

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour without end? Knowest thou not that bitterness is wont to come in the latter end? How long shall it be, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?"

And Abner and his men walked all that night by the wild fields, and went over Jordan, and passed through all Bithron and came to Mahanaim.

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 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 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 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.

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

Then Joab went to the king, and said, "What hast thou done? See, Abner came unto thee, why hast thou sent him away, that he should escape quite?

Thou mightest know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to flatter with thee, and to know thy conversation and behaviour, and to know all that thou doest."

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.

It fall therefore on the head of Joab and on all his father's house: that the house of Joab be never without one or other that hath running issues or without lepers and goers on crutches, and that fall on the sword and that lack bread."

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

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 all the people and all Israel thereto understood that day how that it was not the king's mind to slay Abner the son of Ner.

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?

When Ishbosheth heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands fainted and all Israel was troubled.

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.

him that told me how that Saul was dead, thinking to have brought me good tidings, I caught and slew in Ziklag, to give him a reward for his tidings-bringing.

And how much more ought I to deal with wicked men that have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? Now therefore think ye that I will not require his blood of your hands and take you from the earth?"

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.

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."

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

And these be the names of the sons that were born him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

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.

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

and arose and went, with all the folk that were with him of the men of Judah, to fetch away the Ark of God: upon which is called the name of the LORD of Hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

And they put the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that dwelt at Gibeah. And Uzzah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab drove the new cart.

And when they brought it out of that house of Abinadab that dwelt at Gibeah, with the Ark of God, Ahio went before the ark.

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

Then said Nathan unto the king, "Go, and do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee."

But that same night the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,

And I was with thee in all that thou wentest to, and have destroyed all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men of the world.

and since the time I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will give thee rest from all thine enemies. And the LORD telleth thee that he will build thee a household.

I will be his father and he shall be my son; insomuch that if he sin, I will but rebuke him with such a rod as men be rebuked with and with such plagues as the children of men be plagued with.

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 is this a small thing in thy sight Lord Jehovah, but that thou shouldest speak also of thy servant's house for a great while to come? Is this a law among men Lord Jehovah?

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.

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.

And now go to and bless the household of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee. For thou, Lord Jehovah, hast said that of thy blessing the house of thy servant shall be blessed forever."

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.

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.

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

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 the other bowed himself and said, "What is thy servant that thou shouldst vouchsafe to look upon such a dead dog as I am?"

Then the king called unto Ziba, Saul's young man, saying unto him, "I give unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his kin.

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.

Then said Ziba unto the king, "All that my lord hath said unto his servant, thy servant shall do." "For," said the king, "Mephibosheth must eat upon my table, as one of the king's sons."

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

It happened, after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

the lords of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, "Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, because he hath sent to comfort thee? Nay, he hath rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city and to spy it out, even to overthrow it."

And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank unto David, they sent and hired the sons of Bethrehob of the Syrians of Zobah: twenty thousand footmen; and of king Maacah: a thousand men; and of Ishtob: twelve thousand men.

When Joab saw that the front of the battle was before and after, he chose of all the best of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians.

And forthwith Joab proceeded, and the people that was with him, into battle against the Syrians: which fled before him.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. And so Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered them together.

And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river. And the host of them came; and Sobah, the captain of the host of Hadadezer before them.

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 when all the kings that were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with them and served them. And so the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

And it came to pass in the beginning of a new year, in the times when kings are wont to go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel. And they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

And it chanced in an evening that David arose from his couch and walked upon the roof of the king's palace; and from the roof saw a very beautiful woman washing herself. And he sent to enquire what woman it should be.

And it was answered again, that she was Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam and wife to Uriah the Hittite.

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

Then they told David, saying, "Uriah descended not into his house." Then said David unto Uriah, "Seeing that thou art come from journeying, why dost thou not go down unto thine house?"

And Uriah said unto David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in pavilions; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord lie in tents upon the flat earth - and should I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By thy life and as sure as thy soul liveth, I will not do that thing."

Then said David unto Uriah, "Tarry here this day also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart." And so Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day and on the morrow.

And he wrote in the letter saying, "Put Uriah in the forefront of the battle where it is most strong, and come back from him that he may be smitten to death."

And as Joab beseiged the city he assigned Uriah unto a place where he wist that strong men were.

if he begin to fume and say unto thee, 'Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city to fight? Wist ye not that men would hurl and shoot from the walls?

Who smote Abimelech son of Jerubbosheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from off the walls, that he died in Thebes? Why then went ye nigh the walls?" Then say thou, 'Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"

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

Then said David unto the messenger, "Thus wise say unto Joab, 'Let not that thing trouble thee. For the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city and destroy it, and see that thou courage, Joab."

And when the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. And as soon as the mourning was ended, David sent and fetched her to his house,