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

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."

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?"

How were the mighty slain in battle? Jonathan on the high hills was wounded to death.

Woe is me for thee, my brother Jonathan! Delectable to me wast thou, exceeding. Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

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,

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

And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

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

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

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

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?

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.

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.

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."

And when Joab was come out from the king, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah - unwitting to David.

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

And when all the people came to eat meat with David, while it was yet day, David sware, saying, "So do God to me and so thereto, if I taste bread or ought else till the sun be down."

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.

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 thereto in time past when Saul was king over us, thou leddest Israel in and out. And the LORD hath said to thee, 'Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.'"

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

And David waxed great and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were yet born to David.

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.

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

And David was then afraid of the LORD and said, "How should the Ark of the LORD come to my house?"

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.

Then David returned to salute his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out against him, and said, "Oh how glorious was the king of Israel today, which stripped himself today before the eyes of the maidens of his servants, as a light-brained fellow is wont to strip himself."

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 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.

And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests, and Seraiah was the scribe.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

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."

Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul was come unto David, he bowed himself and fell on his face. Then said David, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Behold thy servant."

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

And Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate ever at the king's table, and was thereto halt on both legs.

When it was told David he sent against them - for they were men exceedingly ashamed - and said, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return."

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 it was showed David, he gathered all Israel and passed over Jordan and came to Helam: where the Syrians put themselves in array against David and fought with him.

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

And David sent messengers and fetched her, and she came unto him, and he lay with her. And she was straightway purified of her uncleanness, and returned unto her house.

And when Uriah was come unto him, he demanded how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

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 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,

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

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 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."

And David was exceeding wroth with the man, and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD liveth, the fellow that hath done this thing is the child of death

And it happened the seventh day that the child died. But the servants of David durst not tell him that the child was dead. For they said, "See, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice. How much more then will he vex himself if we tell him that the child is dead?"

But David saw his servants whispering and thereby perceived that the child was dead, and said unto his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "Yea."

Then said his servants unto him, "What is this that thou hast done? Thou did fast and weep for thy child while it was alive, and as soon as it was dead thou didst rise up and didst eat meat."

And he answered, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept. For I this thought, 'Who can tell whether God will have mercy on me that the child may live?'

And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her and lay with her, and she bare a son whose name was called Solomon, and the LORD loved him.

And he took the king's crown from off his head, which weighed a hundred weight of gold, and was set with precious stones. And David wore it on his head. And he brought out the spoil of the city in exceeding great abundance.

And he brought out the people that was therein and sawed them and drew harrows of iron upon them, and shred some of them with shredding knives of iron, and thrust some into furnaces. And so he served all the cities of the children of Ammon. And then David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

And this Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for the love of his sister Tamar: for he thought it hard to come by his purpose of her, seeing she was yet a virgin.

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

And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto him, "Let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of fritters in my sight, that I may eat of her hand."

Howbeit, he would not hearken unto her voice but was too strong for her and forced her and lay with her.

And then Amnon hated her exceedingly: so that the hate wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he before loved her. And he said unto her, "Up, and away."

And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her gay kirtle that was on her and put her hand on her head and so went, and as she went cried.

And king David heard of all these things and was very wroth.

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.

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.

When Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was turned again to Absalom,

And when the wife of Tekoa was come to speak with the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance and said, "Help me, O king."

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.

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 when he shaved his head - for at every years' end he shaved it because it was heavy on him, and therefore he shaved it - the hair thereof weighed two hundred sicles weight of the king's weight.

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

And Joab went to the king and told him. And he sent for Absalom; which, when he was come, fell to the ground on his face before the king. And the king kissed him.

For thy servant vowed a vow when I was in Geshur in the land of Syria, saying, "If the LORD shall bring me again to Jerusalem, I will serve the LORD."

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 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 when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth came against him with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves and one hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred frayls of dried figs, and a bottle of wine.

And as soon as he was come, Hushai the Archite went unto Absalom and said unto him, "God save the king, God save the king."

And furthermore, unto whom shall I do service but even to his son? And as I was servant before with thy father, even so shall I be with thee."

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.

When Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him saying, "Ahithophel hath given such counsel: whether it be best we do after his saying, or not, tell thou."

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said that the counsel of Hushai the Archite was better than the counsel of Ahithophel - For it was even the LORD's determination to destroy the counsel of Ahithophel, which was good, that the LORD might bring evil upon 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 the wife took and spread a coverlet on the top of the well and strawed thereon steeped barley to dry. And the thing was not spied.

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.

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass and arose and gat him home to his own house and to his own city, and put his household in order and hanged himself and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host in the stead of Joab, which Amasa was a man's son named Ithra a Jezreelite that went into Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

And when David was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash out of Rabbah, the city of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel out of Lodebar and Barzillai the Gileadite out of Rogelim,

And the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim: