The Assassination of Ish-bosheth

41 And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were enfeebled, and all Israel was troubled. 2 And Saul's son had two men, captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin; for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin. 3 And the Beerothites had fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day. 4 And Jonathan Saul's son had a son that was lame of [his] feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jizreel; 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. 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came in about the heat of the day into the house of Ishbosheth, who was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, [as though] they would fetch wheat; and they smote him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 They came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him; and they took his head, and went by the way of the plain all night. 8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David in Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, thine enemy who sought thy life; and Jehovah has given to my lord the king to be avenged this day of Saul and of his seed.

9 Then David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, [As] Jehovah liveth, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress, 10 when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead! and he was in his own sight a messenger of good, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag—to whom forsooth I should give a reward for his good tidings: 11 how much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? and should I not now demand his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? 12 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged [them] up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

David Made King over Israel

51 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2 Even aforetime, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel. 3 And all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah; and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

David Captures Zion

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they spoke to David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither, but the blind and the lame will drive thee back; as much as to say, David will not come in hither. 7 But David took the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, Whoever smites the Jebusites and gets up to the watercourse, and the lame and the blind hated of David's soul ...! Therefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. 9 So David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from the Millo and inward. 10 And David became continually greater; and Jehovah the God of hosts was with him.

Hiram's Recognition of David

11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. 12 And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom because of his people Israel.

David's Children Born at Jerusalem

13 And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 14 And these are the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 15 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

17 And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went down to the stronghold. 18 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19 And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou give them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up; for I will certainly give the Philistines into thy hand. 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and he said, Jehovah has broken in upon mine enemies before me, as the breaking forth of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 21 And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away. 22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 And David inquired of Jehovah; and he said, Thou shalt not go up; turn round behind them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees. 24 And it shall be, when thou hearest a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then will Jehovah have gone forth before thee, to smite the army of the Philistines. 25 And David did so, as Jehovah had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou comest to Gezer.

David Goes to Bring the Ark

61 And David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baale-Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God which is called by the name, the name of Jehovah of hosts who sitteth between the cherubim. 3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was upon the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4 And they brought it with the ark of God out of the house of Abinadab which was upon the hill; and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah on all manner of [instruments made of] cypress wood, with harps, and with lutes, and with tambours, and with sistra, and with cymbals.

6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah reached after the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen had stumbled. 7 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8 And David was indignant, because Jehovah had made a breach upon Uzzah; and he called that place Perez-Uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of Jehovah that day, and said, How shall the ark of Jehovah come to me? 10 So David would not bring the ark of Jehovah home unto himself into the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months; and Jehovah blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

12 And it was told king David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that is his, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy. 13 And it was so, that when they that bore the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatted beast. 14 And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of Jehovah, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had spread for it. And David offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah. 18 And when David had ended offering up the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts. 19 And he dealt to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a measure [of wine], and a raisin-cake. And all the people departed every one to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How honourable did the king of Israel make himself to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the lewd fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! 21 And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me rather than thy father, and than all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel; and I played before Jehovah. 22 And I will make myself yet more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight; and of the handmaids that thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.