Bible-Reading.comII Samuel 1
1After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag,
2on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.
3David said to him, “Where do you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”
4David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him.
7When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’
8He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers in me.’
10So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise.
12They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”
14David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
15David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died.
16David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’”
17David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
18(and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
19“Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
20Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.
23Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.
24You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan was slain on your high places.
26I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.
27How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”
II Samuel 2
1After this, David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” The LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.”
2So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
3David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.
4The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”
5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.
6Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.
7Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
8Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
9He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.
14Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”
15Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.
16They each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
17The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.
18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.
19Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”
21Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.
22Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”
23However, he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.
26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
27Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”
28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more.
29Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
30Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.
31But David’s servants had struck Benjamin and Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.
32They took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.
II Samuel 3
1Now there was a long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker.
2Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
5and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house.
7Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to your father Saul’s house, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman!
9God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him:
10to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
11He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.
12Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel around to you.”
13David said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”
14David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel the son of Laish.
16Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned.
17Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.
18Now 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.’”
19Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.
21Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
22Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone?
25You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”
26When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.
27When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29Let it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier.
32They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept.
33The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.” All the people wept again over him.
35All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else, until the sun goes down.”
36All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people.
37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.
38The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel?
39I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
II Samuel 4
1When Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is considered a part of Benjamin;
3and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until today).
4Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news came about Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse picked him up and fled. As she hurried to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
5The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth as he took his rest at noon.
6They came there into the middle of the house as though they would have fetched wheat, and they struck him in the body; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7Now when they came into the house as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him, killed him, beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
8They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! The LORD has avenged my lord the king today of Saul and of his offspring.”
9David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
10when someone told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ thinking that he brought good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.
11How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand, and rid the earth of you?”
12David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in Abner’s grave in Hebron.
II Samuel 5
1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
2In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and in. The LORD said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be prince over Israel.’”
3So 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.
4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “The blind and the lame will keep you out of here,” thinking, “David can’t come in here.”
7Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. This is David’s city.
8David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him go up to the watercourse and strike those lame and blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame can’t come into the house.”
9David lived in the stronghold, and called it David’s city. David built around from Millo and inward.
10David grew greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of Armies, was with him.
11Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, with cedar trees, carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house.
12David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.
13David took more concubines and wives for himself out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.
14These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,
16Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.
18Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
19David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?” The LORD said to David, “Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
20David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there. Then he said, “The LORD has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.
21They left their images there, and David and his men took them away.
22The Philistines came up yet again and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23When David inquired of the LORD, he said, “You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them in front of the mulberry trees.
24When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then stir yourself up; for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”
25David did so, as the LORD commanded him, and struck the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.
II Samuel 6
1David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah, to bring up from there God’s ark, which is called by the Name, even the name of the LORD of Armies who sits above the cherubim.
3They set God’s ark on a new cart, and brought it out of Abinadab’s house that was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
4They brought it out of Abinadab’s house which was in the hill, with God’s ark; and Ahio went before the ark.
5David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with castanets, and with cymbals.
6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for God’s ark and took hold of it, for the cattle stumbled.
7The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by God’s ark.
8David was displeased because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah to this day.
9David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, “How could the LORD’s ark come to me?”
10So David would not move the LORD’s ark to be with him in David’s city; but David carried it aside into Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house.
11The LORD’s ark remained in Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his house.
12King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that belongs to him, because of God’s ark.” So David went and brought up God’s ark from the house of Obed-Edom into David’s city with joy.
13When those who bore the LORD’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
14David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.
15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the LORD’s ark with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
16As the LORD’s ark came into David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
17They brought in the LORD’s ark, and set it in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
18When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Armies.
19He gave to all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a portion of bread, dates, and raisins. So all the people departed, each to his own house.
20Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”
21David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will celebrate before the LORD.
22I will be yet more undignified than this, and will be worthless in my own sight. But the maids of whom you have spoken will honor me.”
23Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.