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2 Samuel 1-12
New American Standard Bible

David Learns of Saul’s Death

1 Now it came about after (A)the death of Saul, when David had returned from (B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David stayed two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, (C)a man came from [a]Saul’s camp (D)with his clothes torn and [b]dust on his head. And it happened when he came to David, (E)he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3 Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 David said to him, “(F)How did things go? Please tell me.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 The young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on (G)Mount Gilboa, and behold, (H)Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen had overtaken him. 7 When he looked behind himself, he saw me, and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 8 Then he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I [c]answered him, ‘(I)I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Please stand next to me and finish me off, for [d]agony has seized me because my [e]life still lingers in me.’ 10 So I stood next to him (J)and finished him off, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And (K)I took the crown which was on his head and the band which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then (L)David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and (M)fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 Then David said to the young man who informed him, “Where are you from?” And he [f]answered, “(N)I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.” 14 And David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid (O)to reach out with your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Come forward, [g]put him to death.” (P)So he struck him and he died. 16 And David said to him, “[h](Q)Your blood is on your head, because (R)your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have finished off the Lord’s anointed.’”

David’s Song of Mourning for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David (S)sang this song of mourning over Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the mourning song of the bow; behold, it is written in (T)the Book of Jashar.

19 “[i]Your beauty, Israel, is [j]slaughtered on your high places!
(U)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (V)Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
Or (W)the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
The daughters of (X)the uncircumcised will celebrate.
21 (Y)Mountains of Gilboa,
(Z)May there be no dew nor rain on you, or fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
The shield of Saul, not (AA)anointed with oil.
22 (AB)From the blood of those [k]slaughtered, from the fat of the mighty,
(AC)The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return [l]unstained.
23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in [m]life,
And in their deaths they were not separated;
(AD)They were swifter than eagles,
(AE)They were mightier than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with jewelry,
Who put gold jewelry on your apparel.
25 (AF)How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is [n]slaughtered on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been [o]a close friend to me.
(AG)Your love for me was more wonderful
Than the love of women.
27 (AH)How the mighty have fallen,
And (AI)the weapons of war have perished!”

David Made King over Judah

2 Then it came about afterward that (AJ)David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “(AK)To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and (AL)his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the [p]widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And (AM)David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they settled in the cities of Hebron. 4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they (AN)anointed David king over the house of Judah.

And they told David, saying, “It was (AO)the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “(AP)May you be blessed of the Lord because you have [q]shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him. 6 And now (AQ)may the Lord [r]show kindness and truth to you; and I also will [s]show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. 7 Now then, let your hands be strong and be [t]valiant, since Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

Ish-bosheth Made King over Israel

8 But (AR)Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken [u]Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to (AS)Mahanaim. 9 And he made him king over (AT)Gilead, over the (AU)Ashurites, over (AV)Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11 And (AW)the [v]time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Civil War

12 Now Abner the son of Ner, went from Mahanaim to (AX)Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul. 13 And (AY)Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met [w]them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, [x]Abner’s men on the one side of the pool and [y]Joab’s men on the other side of the pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Now have the young men arise and (AZ)hold a martial skills match in our presence.” And Joab said, “Have them arise!” 15 So they got up and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 And each one of them seized his [z]opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his [aa]opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called [ab]Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17 That day the battle was very severe, and (BA)Abner and the men of Israel were defeated [ac]by the servants of David.

18 Now (BB)the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was (BC)as [ad]swift-footed as one of the gazelles that is in the field. 19 Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn [ae]to the right or to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind himself and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he said, “It is I!” 21 So Abner said to him, “Turn aside for your own good to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his equipment.” But Asahel was unwilling to turn aside from following him. 22 Then Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn aside for your own good from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? (BD)How then could I [af]show my face to your brother Joab?” 23 However, he refused to turn aside; so Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it happened that all who came thereafter to the place where (BE)Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah by way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one troop, and they stood on the top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Should the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that it will be bitter in the end? So how long will you [ag]refrain from telling the people to turn back from pursuing their kinsmen?” 27 Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, then the people of Judah certainly would have withdrawn in the morning, each from pursuing his brother.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people halted and no longer pursued Israel, (BF)nor did they continue to fight anymore. 29 Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to (BG)Mahanaim.

30 Then Joab returned from pursuing Abner; but he gathered all the people together, and [ah]nineteen of David’s servants were missing, besides Asahel. 31 However, the servants of David had struck and killed many of Benjamin and Abner’s men; 360 men were dead. 32 And they carried Asahel away and buried him (BH)in his father’s tomb, which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men traveled all night until the day [ai]dawned at Hebron.

The House of David Strengthened

3 Now (BI)there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David became steadily stronger, while the house of Saul became steadily weaker.

2 (BJ)Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by (BK)Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the [aj]widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of (BL)Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of (BM)Geshur; 4 and the fourth, (BN)Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins David

6 Now it happened that while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, (BO)Abner was [ak]strengthening himself in the house of Saul. 7 And Saul had a concubine whose name was (BP)Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and [al]Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth’s [am]question and said, “(BQ)Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not let you fall into the hands of David; yet today you call me to account for wrongdoing with [an]that woman? 9 (BR)May God do so to [ao]me, and more so, if (BS)as the Lord has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him: 10 (BT)to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, (BU)from Dan even to Beersheba!” 11 And Ish-bosheth could no longer say a word in response to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

12 Then Abner sent messengers to David at his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” 13 And he said, “Good! I will make a covenant with you, only I require one thing of you, [ap]namely, that (BV)you shall not see my face unless you (BW)first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see [aq]me.” 14 So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed (BX)for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 Ish-bosheth sent men and [ar]had her taken from her husband, from [as]Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, [at]following her as far as (BY)Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.

17 Now Abner had a [au]consultation with (BZ)the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken regarding David, saying, ‘(CA)By the hand of My servant David [av]I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hands of all their enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke [aw]to Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak [ax]to David in Hebron everything that seemed good to Israel and to (CB)the entire house of Benjamin.

20 Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David held a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Abner said to David, “Let me set out and go and (CC)gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that (CD)you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David let Abner go, and he went in peace.

22 And behold, (CE)the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought a large amount of plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, since he had let him go, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, they informed Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go on his way, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you let him go, so that he is already gone? 25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to gain your confidence, and to learn of (CF)your [ay]going out and coming in and to find out everything that you are doing.”

Joab Murders Abner

26 When Joab left David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know about it. 27 So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there (CG)he struck him in the belly, so that he died on account of the blood of his brother Asahel. 28 Afterward, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 (CH)May it turn upon the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may there not be eliminated from the house of Joab (CI)someone who suffers a discharge, or has leprosy, or [az]holds the spindle, or falls by the sword, or lacks bread.” 30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner (CJ)because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “(CK)Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king raised his voice and wept at (CL)the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And (CM)the king sang a song of mourning for Abner and said,

“Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in bronze shackles;
As one falls before the [ba]wicked, you have fallen.”

And all the people wept over him again. 35 Then all the people came (CN)to provide [bb]food for David in his distress while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, “(CO)May God do so to me, and more so, if I taste bread or anything else (CP)before the sun goes down.” 36 Now all the people took note of David’s vow, and it [bc]pleased them, just as everything that the king did [bd]pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been the desire of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a leader and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39 And I am (CQ)weak today, though anointed king; and these men, (CR)the sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. (CS)May the Lord repay the evildoer in proportion to his evil.”

Ish-bosheth Murdered

4 Now when [be]Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that (CT)Abner had died in Hebron, [bf](CU)his courage failed, and all Israel was horrified. 2 And Saul’s son had two men who were commanders of troops: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for (CV)Beeroth is also considered (CW)part of Benjamin, 3 and the Beerothites fled to (CX)Gittaim and have lived there as strangers until this day).

4 Now (CY)Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was disabled in both feet. He was five years old when the (CZ)news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up and fled. But it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and could no longer walk. And his name was [bg](DA)Mephibosheth.

5 So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, departed and came to the house of (DB)Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while he was taking his midday rest. 6 [bh]And they came to the interior of the house as if [bi]to get wheat, and (DC)they struck him in the belly; and Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. 7 Now when they had come into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him, and they beheaded him. And they took his head and [bj](DD)traveled by way of the Arabah all night. 8 Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth (DE)the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; so the Lord has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and his [bk]descendants.”

9 But David replied to Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord lives, (DF)who has redeemed my life from all distress, 10 (DG)when the one who informed me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ also [bl]viewed himself as the bearer of good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now (DH)require his blood from your hands and eliminate you both from the earth?” 12 Then (DI)David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet, and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth (DJ)and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

David King over All Israel

5 (DK)Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and [bm]said, “Behold, we are (DL)your bone and your flesh. 2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, (DM)you were the one who led Israel [bn]out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘(DN)You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be (DO)a leader over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David (DP)made a covenant with them before the Lord in Hebron; then (DQ)they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was (DR)thirty years old when he became king, and (DS)he reigned for forty years. 5 At Hebron (DT)he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

6 (DU)Now the king and his men went to (DV)Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they said to [bo]David, “You shall not come in here, but even those who are blind and those who limp will turn you away,” [bp]thinking, “David cannot enter here.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is, (DW)the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites is to reach those who limp and those who are blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” For that reason they say, “People who are blind and people who limp shall not come into the house.” 9 So David lived in the stronghold, and called it (DX)the city of David. And David built all around from the [bq](DY)Millo and inward. 10 (DZ)David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of armies was with him.

11 (EA)Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, carpenters, and [br]stonemasons; and (EB)they built a house for David. 12 And David realized that the Lord had appointed him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

13 Meanwhile (EC)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now (ED)these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

War with the Philistines

17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, (EE)all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard about it, he went down to the (EF)stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines came and overran (EG)the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So (EH)David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?” And (EI)the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.” 20 Then David came to (EJ)Baal-perazim and [bs]defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place [bt]Baal-perazim. 21 And the Philistines abandoned their idols there, so (EK)David and his men carried them away.

22 Now (EL)the Philistines came up once again and overran the Valley of Rephaim. 23 So (EM)David inquired of the Lord, but He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs. 24 And it shall be, when (EN)you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baka-shrubs, then you shall [bu]act promptly, for then (EO)the Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 25 Then David did so, just as the Lord had commanded him; he struck and killed the Philistines from [bv](EP)Geba [bw]as far as (EQ)Gezer.

Peril in Moving the Ark

6 (ER)Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David [bx]departed from [by](ES)Baale-judah, with all the people who were with him, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the (ET)Name, the very name of the Lord of armies who (EU)is [bz]enthroned above the cherubim. 3 They had mounted the ark of God on (EV)a new cart and moved it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 4 So (EW)they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. 5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel (EX)were celebrating before the Lord (EY)with all kinds of instruments made of juniper wood, and with [ca]lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

6 But when they came to the (EZ)threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah (FA)reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen nearly overturned it. 7 And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and (FB)God struck him down there for [cb]his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 Then David became angry because [cc]of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah; and that place has been called [cd]Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 So (FC)David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 And David was unwilling to move the ark of the Lord into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of (FD)Obed-edom, the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord (FE)blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

12 Now it was reported to King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” (FF)So David went and brought the ark of God up from the house of Obed-edom to (FG)the city of David with joy. 13 And so it was, that [ce]when (FH)those carrying the ark of the Lord marched six paces, he sacrificed an (FI)ox and a fattened steer. 14 And (FJ)David was dancing before the Lord with all his strength, and David was (FK)wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with joyful shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

16 Then it happened, as the ark of the Lord was coming into the city of David, that (FL)Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she was contemptuous of him in her heart.

17 Now they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it (FM)in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and (FN)David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, (FO)he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of armies. 19 Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread, one of dates, and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people left, each to his house.

20 But when David returned to bless his own household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel dignified himself today! For (FP)he exposed himself today in the sight of his servants’ female slaves, as one of the (FQ)rabble shamelessly exposes himself!” 21 But David said to Michal, “(FR)I was before the Lord, who preferred me to your father and to all his house, to appoint me as ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. So I will [cf]celebrate before the Lord! 22 And I might demean myself even more than this and be lowly in my own sight, but with the female slaves of whom you have spoken, with them I am to be held in honor!” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

David Plans to Build a Temple

7 (FS)Now it came about, when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2 that the king said to (FT)Nathan the prophet, “See now, I live in (FU)a house of cedar, but the ark of God (FV)remains within the tent.” 3 Nathan said to the king, “(FW)Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But in the same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and say to My servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “(FX)Should you build Me a house for My dwelling? 6 For (FY)I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; rather, I have been moving about (FZ)in a tent, that is, in a dwelling place. 7 (GA)Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, (GB)whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

God’s Covenant with David

8 Now then, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “(GC)I Myself took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, (GD)to be leader over My people Israel. 9 And (GE)I have been with you wherever you have gone, and (GF)have eliminated all your enemies from you; I will also make a great name for you, like the names of the great men who [cg]are on the earth. 10 And I will establish a place for My people Israel, and (GG)will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, (GH)nor will [ch]malicious people oppress them anymore as previously, 11 even (GI)from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and (GJ)I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that (GK)the Lord will make a house for you. 12 (GL)When your days are finished and you [ci](GM)lie down with your fathers, (GN)I will raise up your [cj]descendant after you, who will come from [ck]you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 (GO)He shall build a house for My name, and (GP)I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 (GQ)I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; (GR)when he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and with strokes of sons of mankind, 15 but My favor shall not depart from him, (GS)as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from you. 16 (GT)Your house and your kingdom shall endure before [cl]Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’” 17 In accordance with all these words and all of this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer

18 Then David the king came in and sat before the Lord, and he said, “(GU)Who am I, Lord [cm]God, and who are the members of my household, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, Lord God, (GV)for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant regarding the distant future. And (GW)this is the [cn]custom of mankind, Lord God. 20 Again what more can David say to You? For (GX)You know Your servant, Lord God! 21 (GY)For the sake of Your word, and according to Your heart, You have done all this greatness, to let Your servant know. 22 For this reason (GZ)You are great, Lord God; for (HA)there is no one like You, and there is no God except You, (HB)according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And (HC)what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, and to make a name for Himself, and (HD)to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, [co]because of (HE)Your people whom (HF)You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from other nations and their gods? 24 For (HG)You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and (HH)You, Lord, have become their God. 25 Now then, Lord God, the word that You have spoken about Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do just as You have spoken, 26 (HI)so that Your name may be great forever, by saying, ‘The Lord of armies is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, Lord of armies, God of Israel, have [cp]given a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘(HJ)I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found [cq]courage to pray this prayer to You. 28 Now then, Lord God, You are God, and (HK)Your words are truth; and You have [cr]promised this good thing to Your servant. 29 And now, may [cs]it please You to bless the house of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You. For You, Lord God, have spoken; and [ct](HL)with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”

David’s Triumphs

8 (HM)Now it happened afterward that David [cu]defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took [cv]control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines.

2 (HN)And He [cw]defeated (HO)Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and a full line to keep alive. And (HP)the Moabites became servants to David, (HQ)bringing tribute.

3 Then David [cx]defeated (HR)Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as (HS)he went to restore his [cy]power at the Euphrates River. 4 And David captured from him [cz]1,700 horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers; and David (HT)hamstrung almost all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for a hundred chariots. 5 When (HU)the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David [da]killed twenty-two thousand men among the Arameans. 6 Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus, and (HV)the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And (HW)the Lord helped David wherever he went. 7 David took the shields of gold which were [db]carried by the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from [dc]Betah and (HX)Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a very large amount of bronze.

9 Now when Toi king of (HY)Hamath heard that David had [dd]defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son [de]Joram to King David to [df]greet him and bless him, because he had fought Hadadezer and [dg]defeated him; for Hadadezer [dh]had been at war with Toi. And [di]Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold, and bronze. 11 King David also (HZ)consecrated these gifts to the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had consecrated from all the nations which he had subdued: 12 from [dj]Aram, (IA)Moab, (IB)the sons of Ammon, (IC)the Philistines, (ID)Amalek, and from the spoils of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 So (IE)David made a name for himself when he returned from [dk]killing eighteen thousand [dl]Arameans in (IF)the Valley of Salt. 14 He also put garrisons in Edom. In all Edom he put garrisons, and (IG)all the Edomites became servants to David. And (IH)the Lord helped David wherever he went.

15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David [dm]administered justice and righteousness for all his people. 16 (II)Joab the son of Zeruiah was commander over the army, and (IJ)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was (IK)secretary. 17 (IL)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were (IM)priests, and Seraiah was (IN)scribe. 18 (IO)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [dn]was over the (IP)Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were [do](IQ)chief ministers.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

9 Then David said, “Is there [dp]anyone still left of the house of Saul, (IR)so that I could show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they summoned him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you (IS)Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 Then the king said, “Is there no one remaining of the house of Saul to whom I could show the (IT)kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “(IU)There is still a son of Jonathan, one who is disabled in both feet.” 4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is (IV)in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent [dq]messengers who brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 (IW)Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and (IX)fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he said, “Here is your servant!” 7 Then David said to him, “Do not be afraid, for (IY)I will assuredly show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I (IZ)will restore to you all the [dr]land of your [ds]grandfather Saul; and (JA)you yourself shall [dt]eat at my table regularly.” 8 Again he prostrated himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should be concerned about (JB)a dead dog like me?”

9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “(JC)Everything that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s [du]grandson. 10 You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s grandson will have food [dv]to eat; nevertheless (JD)Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, (JE)shall [dw]eat at my table regularly.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “In accordance (JF)with everything that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at [dx]David’s table as one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because (JG)he ate at the king’s table regularly. And (JH)he was disabled in his two feet.

Ammon and Aram Defeated

10 (JI)Now it happened afterward that (JJ)the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of (JK)Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent [dy]some of his servants to console him about his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, 3 the commanders of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, “[dz]Do you think that David is simply honoring your father since he has sent you servants [ea]to console you? (JL)Has David not sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and (JM)shaved off half of their beards, and (JN)cut off their robes in the middle as far as their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When messengers informed David, he sent servants to meet them, because the men were extremely humiliated. And the king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then you shall return.”

6 Now when the sons of Ammon saw that (JO)they had become repulsive to David, the sons of Ammon sent messengers and (JP)hired the Arameans of (JQ)Beth-rehob and the (JR)Arameans of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of (JS)Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men. 7 When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all the army, the warriors. 8 And the sons of Ammon came out and lined up for battle (JT)at the entrance of the [eb]city, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of (JU)Tob and Maacah were stationed by themselves in the field.

9 Now when Joab saw that [ec]the battle was set against him at the front and at the rear, he selected warriors from all the choice men in Israel, and lined them up against the Arameans. 10 But the remainder of the people he placed [ed]under the command of his brother Abishai, and he lined them up against the sons of Ammon. 11 And he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. 12 (JV)Be strong, and let’s show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; and (JW)may the Lord do what is good in His sight.” 13 So Joab and the people who were with him advanced to the battle against the Arameans, and (JX)they fled from him. 14 When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Abishai and entered the city. (JY)Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been [ee]defeated by Israel, they assembled together. 16 (JZ)And Hadadezer sent word and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam; and (KA)Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer [ef]led them. 17 Now when it was reported to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans lined up against David and fought him. 18 But the Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed (KB)seven hundred charioteers of the Arameans and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. 19 When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they had been [eg]defeated by Israel, (KC)they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the sons of Ammon anymore.

Bathsheba, David’s Great Sin

11 (KD)Then it happened [eh](KE)in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they brought destruction on the sons of Ammon and (KF)besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.

2 Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on (KG)the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 3 So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not (KH)Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of (KI)Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers and [ei]had her brought, and when she came to him, (KJ)he slept with her; (KK)and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 5 But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, “(KL)I am pregnant.”

6 Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, (KM)David asked about Joab’s well-being and [ej]that of the people, and the condition of the war. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and (KN)wash your feet.” So Uriah left the king’s house, and a gift from the king [ek]was sent after him. 9 But Uriah slept (KO)at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 Now when they informed David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 And Uriah said to David, “(KP)The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in [el]temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and (KQ)the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and to sleep with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.” 12 Then David said to Uriah, “(KR)Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the day after. 13 Now David summoned [em]Uriah, and he ate and drank in his presence, and he (KS)made [en]Uriah drunk; and in the evening Uriah went out to lie on his bed (KT)with his lord’s servants, and he still did not go down to his house.

14 So in the morning David (KU)wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 (KV)He had written in the letter [eo]the following: “[ep]Station Uriah on the front line of the [eq]fiercest battle and pull back from him, (KW)so that he may be struck and killed.” 16 So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he [er]stationed Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 And the men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and (KX)Uriah the Hittite also died. 18 Then Joab sent a messenger and reported to David all the events of the war. 19 He ordered the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king, 20 then it shall be that if the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you move against the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who (KY)struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did a woman not throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you move against the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’”

22 So the messenger departed and came and reported to David everything that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we [es]pressed them as far as the entrance of the gate. 24 Also, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants died, and your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.” 25 Then David said to the messenger, “This is what you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing [et]displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; [eu]fight with determination against the city and overthrow it’; and thereby encourage him.”

26 Now when Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, (KZ)she mourned for her husband. 27 When the time of mourning was over, David sent servants and [ev]had her brought to his house and (LA)she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But (LB)the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Nathan Rebukes David

12 Then the Lord sent (LC)Nathan to David. And (LD)he came to him and [ew]said,

“There were two men in a city, the one wealthy and the other poor.
2 The wealthy man had a great many flocks and herds.
3 But the poor man had nothing at all except (LE)one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nurtured;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat [ex]scraps from him and drink from his cup and lie [ey]in his lap,
And was like a daughter to him.
4 Now a visitor came to the wealthy man,
And he could not bring himself to take any animal from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the traveler who had come to him;
So he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this certainly [ez](LF)deserves to die! 6 So he must make restitution for the lamb (LG)four times over, since he did this thing and [fa]had no compassion.”

7 Nathan then said to David, “(LH)You yourself are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘(LI)It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I also gave you (LJ)your master’s house and put your master’s wives [fb]into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you [fc]many more things like these! 9 Why (LK)have you despised the word of the Lord, by doing evil in His sight? (LL)You have struck and killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, you (LM)have taken his wife as your wife, and you have slaughtered him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 Now then, (LN)the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 This is what the Lord says: ‘Behold, I am going to raise up evil against you from your own household; (LO)I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will sleep with your wives in [fd]broad daylight. 12 Indeed, (LP)you did it secretly, but (LQ)I will do this thing before all Israel, and [fe]in open daylight.’” 13 Then David said to Nathan, “(LR)I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has (LS)allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die. 14 However, since by this deed you have (LT)shown utter disrespect for the [ff]Lord, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.

Loss of a Child

Later the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s [fg]widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child; and David (LU)fasted and went and (LV)lay all night on the ground. 17 (LW)The elders of his household stood beside him in order to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. 18 Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to [fh]us. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm?” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” 20 So David got up from the ground, (LX)washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and (LY)worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and when he asked, they served him food, and he ate.

21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was [fi]alive; but when the child died, you got up and ate food.” 22 And he said, “While the child was still alive, (LZ)I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘(MA)Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’ 23 But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? (MB)I am going to him, but (MC)he will not return to me.”

Solomon Born

24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and slept with her; and she gave birth to a son, and [fj](MD)he named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved him, 25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him [fk]Jedidiah for the Lord’s sake.

War Again

26 (ME)Now Joab fought against (MF)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and captured the royal city. 27 Then Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, I have even captured the city of waters. 28 Now then, gather the rest of the people and camp opposite the city and capture it, or I will capture the city myself and it will be named after me.” 29 So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. 30 Then (MG)he took the crown of [fl]their king from his head; and its weight was a [fm]talent of gold, and it had a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the plunder of the city in great amounts. 31 He also brought out the people who were in it, and (MH)put some to work at saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and made [fn]others [fo]serve at the brick [fp]works. And he did the same to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:2 Lit the camp connected with Saul
  2. 2 Samuel 1:2 Lit earth
  3. 2 Samuel 1:8 Lit said to
  4. 2 Samuel 1:9 Or dizziness
  5. 2 Samuel 1:9 Lit whole life is still in me
  6. 2 Samuel 1:13 Lit said
  7. 2 Samuel 1:15 Lit fall on him
  8. 2 Samuel 1:16 I.e., his death was his own responsibility
  9. 2 Samuel 1:19 Lit The
  10. 2 Samuel 1:19 Lit pierced
  11. 2 Samuel 1:22 Lit pierced
  12. 2 Samuel 1:22 Or without success
  13. 2 Samuel 1:23 Lit their lives
  14. 2 Samuel 1:25 Lit pierced
  15. 2 Samuel 1:26 Lit very friendly to
  16. 2 Samuel 2:2 Lit wife
  17. 2 Samuel 2:5 Lit done
  18. 2 Samuel 2:6 Lit do
  19. 2 Samuel 2:6 Lit do
  20. 2 Samuel 2:7 Lit sons of valor
  21. 2 Samuel 2:8 I.e., man of shame; cf. 1 Chr 8:33, Eshbaal
  22. 2 Samuel 2:11 Lit number of days
  23. 2 Samuel 2:13 Lit them together
  24. 2 Samuel 2:13 Lit these on
  25. 2 Samuel 2:13 Lit these on
  26. 2 Samuel 2:16 Lit fellow
  27. 2 Samuel 2:16 Lit fellow’s
  28. 2 Samuel 2:16 I.e., the field of sword-edges
  29. 2 Samuel 2:17 Lit in front of
  30. 2 Samuel 2:18 Lit light in his feet
  31. 2 Samuel 2:19 Lit to go to
  32. 2 Samuel 2:22 Lit lift up
  33. 2 Samuel 2:26 Lit not tell the people
  34. 2 Samuel 2:30 Lit nineteen men
  35. 2 Samuel 2:32 Lit dawned for them
  36. 2 Samuel 3:3 Lit wife
  37. 2 Samuel 3:6 Or remaining faithful to
  38. 2 Samuel 3:7 As in some mss and ancient versions; MT he
  39. 2 Samuel 3:8 Lit words
  40. 2 Samuel 3:8 Lit the
  41. 2 Samuel 3:9 Lit Abner
  42. 2 Samuel 3:13 Lit saying
  43. 2 Samuel 3:13 Lit my face
  44. 2 Samuel 3:15 Lit took her
  45. 2 Samuel 3:15 In 1 Sam 25:44, Palti
  46. 2 Samuel 3:16 Lit after her
  47. 2 Samuel 3:17 Lit a word
  48. 2 Samuel 3:18 As in many mss and ancient versions; MT he
  49. 2 Samuel 3:19 Lit in the ears of
  50. 2 Samuel 3:19 Lit in the ears of
  51. 2 Samuel 3:25 I.e., daily business
  52. 2 Samuel 3:29 I.e., an effeminate man; LXX holds on to a staff (prob. a crutch)
  53. 2 Samuel 3:34 Lit sons of wickedness
  54. 2 Samuel 3:35 Lit bread
  55. 2 Samuel 3:36 Lit was good in their eyes
  56. 2 Samuel 3:36 Lit was good in the eyes of all
  57. 2 Samuel 4:1 As in some mss; MT he
  58. 2 Samuel 4:1 Lit his hands dropped
  59. 2 Samuel 4:4 In 1 Chr 8:34 and 9:40, Merib-baal
  60. 2 Samuel 4:6 Lit And here they
  61. 2 Samuel 4:6 Lit takers of wheat
  62. 2 Samuel 4:7 Lit went
  63. 2 Samuel 4:8 Lit seed
  64. 2 Samuel 4:10 Lit was as a bearer of good news in his own eyes
  65. 2 Samuel 5:1 Lit said, saying
  66. 2 Samuel 5:2 I.e., to battle and in (returning) from battle
  67. 2 Samuel 5:6 Lit David, saying
  68. 2 Samuel 5:6 Lit saying
  69. 2 Samuel 5:9 I.e., terraced structure
  70. 2 Samuel 5:11 Lit stone wall craftsmen
  71. 2 Samuel 5:20 Lit David struck
  72. 2 Samuel 5:20 I.e., the master of breakthroughs
  73. 2 Samuel 5:24 Or pay attention
  74. 2 Samuel 5:25 In 1 Chr 14:16, Gibeon
  75. 2 Samuel 5:25 Lit until you come to
  76. 2 Samuel 6:2 Lit arose and went
  77. 2 Samuel 6:2 I.e., Kiriath-jearim
  78. 2 Samuel 6:2 Lit sitting
  79. 2 Samuel 6:5 Or zithers
  80. 2 Samuel 6:7 Lit the
  81. 2 Samuel 6:8 Lit the Lord broke through a breakthrough
  82. 2 Samuel 6:8 I.e., outburst against Uzzah
  83. 2 Samuel 6:13 Or each time those
  84. 2 Samuel 6:21 Or dance
  85. 2 Samuel 7:9 Or were
  86. 2 Samuel 7:10 Lit sons of malice
  87. 2 Samuel 7:12 I.e., die
  88. 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit seed
  89. 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit your bowels
  90. 2 Samuel 7:16 As in LXX and some ancient mss; MT you
  91. 2 Samuel 7:18 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  92. 2 Samuel 7:19 Or law
  93. 2 Samuel 7:23 Or before Your
  94. 2 Samuel 7:27 Lit uncovered the ear of
  95. 2 Samuel 7:27 Lit his heart
  96. 2 Samuel 7:28 Lit spoken
  97. 2 Samuel 7:29 Lit You be resolved and bless
  98. 2 Samuel 7:29 Lit from
  99. 2 Samuel 8:1 Lit struck
  100. 2 Samuel 8:1 Lit the bridle of the mother city
  101. 2 Samuel 8:2 Lit struck
  102. 2 Samuel 8:3 Lit struck
  103. 2 Samuel 8:3 Lit hand
  104. 2 Samuel 8:4 Here LXX reads as 1 Chr 18:4; partial DSS text appears to also
  105. 2 Samuel 8:5 Lit struck
  106. 2 Samuel 8:7 Lit on
  107. 2 Samuel 8:8 In 1 Chr 18:8, Tibhath
  108. 2 Samuel 8:9 Lit struck
  109. 2 Samuel 8:10 In 1 Chr 18:10, Hadoram
  110. 2 Samuel 8:10 Lit ask him of his welfare
  111. 2 Samuel 8:10 Lit struck
  112. 2 Samuel 8:10 Lit was a man of wars
  113. 2 Samuel 8:10 Lit there were in his hand
  114. 2 Samuel 8:12 Some mss Edom
  115. 2 Samuel 8:13 Lit striking
  116. 2 Samuel 8:13 Some mss Edom
  117. 2 Samuel 8:15 Lit was doing
  118. 2 Samuel 8:18 See 1 Chr 18:17; MT and the Cherethites
  119. 2 Samuel 8:18 Lit priests
  120. 2 Samuel 9:1 Lit he who is
  121. 2 Samuel 9:5 Lit and he brought
  122. 2 Samuel 9:7 Lit field
  123. 2 Samuel 9:7 Lit father
  124. 2 Samuel 9:7 Lit eat bread
  125. 2 Samuel 9:9 Lit son
  126. 2 Samuel 9:10 Lit and eat it
  127. 2 Samuel 9:10 Lit eat bread
  128. 2 Samuel 9:11 Lit my
  129. 2 Samuel 10:2 Lit by the hand of
  130. 2 Samuel 10:3 Lit In your eyes is David honoring
  131. 2 Samuel 10:3 Lit consoling
  132. 2 Samuel 10:8 Lit gate
  133. 2 Samuel 10:9 Lit the faces of the battle were against
  134. 2 Samuel 10:10 Lit in the hand of
  135. 2 Samuel 10:15 Lit struck
  136. 2 Samuel 10:16 Lit was before them
  137. 2 Samuel 10:19 Lit struck
  138. 2 Samuel 11:1 Lit at the return of the year
  139. 2 Samuel 11:4 Lit took her
  140. 2 Samuel 11:7 Lit welfare of
  141. 2 Samuel 11:8 Lit went out
  142. 2 Samuel 11:11 Or huts
  143. 2 Samuel 11:13 Lit him
  144. 2 Samuel 11:13 Lit him
  145. 2 Samuel 11:15 Lit saying
  146. 2 Samuel 11:15 Lit Give
  147. 2 Samuel 11:15 Lit severe
  148. 2 Samuel 11:16 Lit gave
  149. 2 Samuel 11:23 Lit were upon
  150. 2 Samuel 11:25 Lit be evil in your sight
  151. 2 Samuel 11:25 Lit seize your battle against
  152. 2 Samuel 11:27 Lit brought her
  153. 2 Samuel 12:1 Lit said to him
  154. 2 Samuel 12:3 Lit his piece
  155. 2 Samuel 12:3 Or on his chest
  156. 2 Samuel 12:5 Lit is a son of death
  157. 2 Samuel 12:6 Or showed no consideration
  158. 2 Samuel 12:8 Lit on your lap; or chest
  159. 2 Samuel 12:8 Lit like these and like these
  160. 2 Samuel 12:11 Lit the sight of this sun
  161. 2 Samuel 12:12 Lit before the sun
  162. 2 Samuel 12:14 Lit enemies of the Lord (a euphemistic reference to God); DSS word of the Lord
  163. 2 Samuel 12:15 Lit wife
  164. 2 Samuel 12:18 Lit our voice
  165. 2 Samuel 12:21 Some ancient versions still alive
  166. 2 Samuel 12:24 Some mss she
  167. 2 Samuel 12:25 I.e., beloved of the Lord
  168. 2 Samuel 12:30 Or Milcom; MT Malcam, prob. a variant spelling of Milcom; cf. Zeph 1:5
  169. 2 Samuel 12:30 About 75 lb. or 34 kg
  170. 2 Samuel 12:31 Lit them
  171. 2 Samuel 12:31 Another reading of MT lit pass through
  172. 2 Samuel 12:31 Lit mold; i.e., for molding bricks
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2 Samuel 1-11
New International Version

David Hears of Saul’s Death(A)

1 After the death(B) of Saul, David returned from striking down(C) the Amalekites(D) and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man(E) arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head.(F) When he came to David, he fell(G) to the ground to pay him honor.(H)

3 “Where have you come from?” David asked him.

He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”

4 “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.”

“The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”

5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,(I)” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?’

8 “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’

“‘An Amalekite,(J)’ I answered.

9 “Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me!(K) I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’

10 “So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown(L) that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore(M) them. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?”

“I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,(N)” he answered.

14 David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?(O)”

15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!”(P) So he struck him down, and he died.(Q) 16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head.(R) Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 David took up this lament(S) concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,(T) 18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):(U)

19 “A gazelle[a] lies slain on your heights, Israel.
    How the mighty(V) have fallen!(W)

20 “Tell it not in Gath,(X)
    proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,(Y)
lest the daughters of the Philistines(Z) be glad,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.(AA)

21 “Mountains of Gilboa,(AB)
    may you have neither dew(AC) nor rain,(AD)
    may no showers fall on your terraced fields.[b](AE)
For there the shield of the mighty was despised,
    the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil.(AF)

22 “From the blood(AG) of the slain,
    from the flesh of the mighty,
the bow(AH) of Jonathan did not turn back,
    the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
23 Saul and Jonathan—
    in life they were loved and admired,
    and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,(AI)
    they were stronger than lions.(AJ)

24 “Daughters of Israel,
    weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
    who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.(AK)

25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!
    Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 I grieve(AL) for you, Jonathan(AM) my brother;(AN)
    you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,(AO)
    more wonderful than that of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen!
    The weapons of war have perished!”(AP)

David Anointed King Over Judah

2 In the course of time, David inquired(AQ) of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.

The Lord said, “Go up.”

David asked, “Where shall I go?”

“To Hebron,”(AR) the Lord answered.

2 So David went up there with his two wives,(AS) Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail,(AT) the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him,(AU) each with his family, and they settled in Hebron(AV) and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron,(AW) and there they anointed(AX) David king over the tribe of Judah.

When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead(AY) who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless(AZ) you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness,(BA) and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong(BB) and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

War Between the Houses of David and Saul(BC)

8 Meanwhile, Abner(BD) son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth(BE) son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.(BF) 9 He made him king over Gilead,(BG) Ashuri(BH) and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.(BI)

10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.(BJ)

12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.(BK) 13 Joab(BL) son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”

“All right, let them do it,” Joab said.

15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger(BM) into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.[c]

17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated(BN) by David’s men.(BO)

18 The three sons of Zeruiah(BP) were there: Joab,(BQ) Abishai(BR) and Asahel.(BS) Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.(BT) 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?”

“It is,” he answered.

21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”(BU)

23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach,(BV) and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.(BW)

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.

26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour(BX) forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”

27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”

28 So Joab(BY) blew the trumpet,(BZ) and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.

29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah.(CA) They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours[d] and came to Mahanaim.(CB)

30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb(CC) at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.

3 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.(CD) David grew stronger and stronger,(CE) while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.(CF)

2 Sons were born to David in Hebron:

His firstborn was Amnon(CG) the son of Ahinoam(CH) of Jezreel;

3 his second, Kileab the son of Abigail(CI) the widow of Nabal of Carmel;

the third, Absalom(CJ) the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;(CK)

4 the fourth, Adonijah(CL) the son of Haggith;

the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

5 and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah.

These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Goes Over to David

6 During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner(CM) had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had had a concubine(CN) named Rizpah(CO) daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

8 Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head(CP)—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! 9 May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised(CQ) him on oath 10 and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.”(CR) 11 Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.”

13 “Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.”(CS) 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal,(CT) whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

15 So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband(CU) Paltiel(CV) son of Laish. 16 Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim.(CW) Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.

17 Abner conferred with the elders(CX) of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. 18 Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines(CY) and from the hand of all their enemies.(CZ)’”

19 Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin(DA) wanted to do. 20 When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast(DB) for him and his men. 21 Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant(DC) with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.”(DD) So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

22 Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.

24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! 25 You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”

26 Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. 27 Now when Abner(DE) returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him(DF) in the stomach, and he died.(DG)

28 Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent(DH) before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May his blood(DI) fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family!(DJ) May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore(DK) or leprosy[e] or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”

30 (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

31 Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth(DL) and walk in mourning(DM) in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept(DN) aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.

33 The king sang this lament(DO) for Abner:

“Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
34     Your hands were not bound,
    your feet were not fettered.(DP)
You fell as one falls before the wicked.”

And all the people wept over him again.

35 Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,(DQ) if I taste bread(DR) or anything else before the sun sets!”

36 All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. 37 So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part(DS) in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

38 Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen(DT) in Israel this day? 39 And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah(DU) are too strong(DV) for me.(DW) May the Lord repay(DX) the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

Ish-Bosheth Murdered

4 When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner(DY) had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth(DZ) is considered part of Benjamin, 3 because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim(EA) and have resided there as foreigners to this day.

4 (Jonathan(EB) son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news(EC) about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled.(ED) His name was Mephibosheth.)(EE)

5 Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth,(EF) and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.(EG) 6 They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed(EH) him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.

7 They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah.(EI) 8 They brought the head(EJ) of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul,(EK) your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged(EL) my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

9 David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered(EM) me out of every trouble, 10 when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag.(EN) That was the reward I gave him for his news! 11 How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood(EO) from your hand and rid the earth of you!”

12 So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them.(EP) They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.

David Becomes King Over Israel(EQ)

5 All the tribes of Israel(ER) came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.(ES) 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.(ET) And the Lord said(EU) to you, ‘You will shepherd(EV) my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.(EW)’”

3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant(EX) with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed(EY) David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old(EZ) when he became king, and he reigned(FA) forty(FB) years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months,(FC) and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

David Conquers Jerusalem(FD)(FE)

6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem(FF) to attack the Jebusites,(FG) who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion(FH)—which is the City of David.(FI)

8 On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft(FJ) to reach those ‘lame and blind’(FK) who are David’s enemies.[f]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces[g](FL) inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful,(FM) because the Lord God Almighty(FN) was with him.(FO)

11 Now Hiram(FP) king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom(FQ) for the sake of his people Israel.

13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives(FR) in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there:(FS) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,(FT) Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines(FU)

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.(FV) 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;(FW) 19 so David inquired(FX) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[h](FY) 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.(FZ)

22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound(GA) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front(GB) of you to strike the Philistine army.” 25 So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines(GC) all the way from Gibeon[i](GD) to Gezer.(GE)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem(GF)(GG)

6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2 He and all his men went to Baalah[j](GH) in Judah to bring up from there the ark(GI) of God, which is called by the Name,[k](GJ) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned(GK) between the cherubim(GL) on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart(GM) and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.(GN) Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 with the ark of God on it,[l] and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and all Israel were celebrating(GO) with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[m] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.(GP)

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of(GQ) the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act;(GR) therefore God struck him down,(GS) and he died there beside the ark of God.

8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath(GT) had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[n](GU)

9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How(GV) can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom(GW) the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.(GX)

12 Now King David(GY) was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed(GZ) a bull and a fattened calf. 14 Wearing a linen ephod,(HA) David was dancing(HB) before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts(HC) and the sound of trumpets.(HD)

16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David,(HE) Michal(HF) daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it,(HG) and David sacrificed burnt offerings(HH) and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18 After he had finished sacrificing(HI) the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed(HJ) the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins(HK) to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women.(HL) And all the people went to their homes.

20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked(HM) in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

21 David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed(HN) me ruler(HO) over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

God’s Promise to David(HP)

7 After the king was settled in his palace(HQ) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies(HR) around him,(HS) 2 he said to Nathan(HT) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house(HU) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”(HV)

3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,(HW) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you(HX) the one to build me a house to dwell in?(HY) 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.(HZ) I have been moving from place to place with a tent(IA) as my dwelling.(IB) 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,(IC) did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd(ID) my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house(IE) of cedar?(IF)”’

8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,(IG) and appointed you ruler(IH) over my people Israel.(II) 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone,(IJ) and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.(IK) Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.(IL) 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant(IM) them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.(IN) Wicked(IO) people will not oppress them anymore,(IP) as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[o](IQ) over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.(IR)

“‘The Lord declares(IS) to you that the Lord himself will establish(IT) a house(IU) for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest(IV) with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood,(IW) and I will establish his kingdom.(IX) 13 He is the one who will build a house(IY) for my Name,(IZ) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.(JA) 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.(JB) When he does wrong, I will punish him(JC) with a rod(JD) wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him,(JE) as I took it away from Saul,(JF) whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[p]; your throne(JG) will be established(JH) forever.(JI)’”

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer(JJ)

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I,(JK) Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree,(JL) Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human![q]

20 “What more can David say(JM) to you? For you know(JN) your servant,(JO) Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

22 “How great(JP) you are,(JQ) Sovereign Lord! There is no one like(JR) you, and there is no God(JS) but you, as we have heard with our own ears.(JT) 23 And who is like your people Israel(JU)—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name(JV) for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders(JW) by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed(JX) from Egypt?[r] 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own(JY) forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.(JZ)

25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise(KA) you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name(KB) will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established(KC) in your sight.

27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy,(KD) and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing(KE) the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

David’s Victories(KF)

8 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines(KG) and subdued(KH) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

2 David also defeated the Moabites.(KI) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.(KJ)

3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer(KK) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,(KL) when he went to restore his monument at[s] the Euphrates(KM) River. 4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers[t] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung(KN) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

5 When the Arameans of Damascus(KO) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6 He put garrisons(KP) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject(KQ) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.(KR)

7 David took the gold shields(KS) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tebah[u] and Berothai,(KT) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

9 When Tou[v] king of Hamath(KU) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,(KV) 10 he sent his son Joram[w] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

11 King David dedicated(KW) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom[x](KX) and Moab,(KY) the Ammonites(KZ) and the Philistines,(LA) and Amalek.(LB) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David became famous(LC) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites[y] in the Valley of Salt.(LD)

14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites(LE) became subject to David.(LF) The Lord gave David victory(LG) wherever he went.(LH)

David’s Officials(LI)

15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right(LJ) for all his people. 16 Joab(LK) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat(LL) son of Ahilud was recorder;(LM) 17 Zadok(LN) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar(LO) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;(LP) 18 Benaiah(LQ) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites(LR) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.[z]

David and Mephibosheth

9 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”(LS)

2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba.(LT) They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“At your service,” he replied.

3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan;(LU) he is lame(LV) in both feet.”

4 “Where is he?” the king asked.

Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir(LW) son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.(LX)

David said, “Mephibosheth!”

“At your service,” he replied.

7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.(LY) I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.(LZ)”

8 Mephibosheth(MA) bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog(MB) like me?”

9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson(MC) may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s[aa] table like one of the king’s sons.(MD)

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth.(ME) 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.

David Defeats the Ammonites(MF)

10 In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. 2 David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash,(MG) just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out(MH) and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard,(MI) cut off their garments at the buttocks,(MJ) and sent them away.

5 When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious(MK) to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean(ML) foot soldiers from Beth Rehob(MM) and Zobah,(MN) as well as the king of Maakah(MO) with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.(MP)

7 On hearing this, David sent Joab(MQ) out with the entire army of fighting men. 8 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.

9 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 10 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai(MR) his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. 11 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. 12 Be strong,(MS) and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”(MT)

13 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites(MU) realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

15 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

17 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. 18 But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers.[ab] He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. 19 When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject(MV) to them.

So the Arameans(MW) were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

David and Bathsheba

11 In the spring,(MX) at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab(MY) out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army.(MZ) They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.(NA) But David remained in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof(NB) of the palace. From the roof he saw(NC) a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba,(ND) the daughter of Eliam(NE) and the wife of Uriah(NF) the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her.(NG) She came to him, and he slept(NH) with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.)(NI) Then she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

6 So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah(NJ) the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.”(NK) So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.

10 David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”

11 Uriah said to David, “The ark(NL) and Israel and Judah are staying in tents,[ac] and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love(NM) to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

12 Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:19 Gazelle here symbolizes a human dignitary.
  2. 2 Samuel 1:21 Or / nor fields that yield grain for offerings
  3. 2 Samuel 2:16 Helkath Hazzurim means field of daggers or field of hostilities.
  4. 2 Samuel 2:29 See Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  5. 2 Samuel 3:29 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  6. 2 Samuel 5:8 Or are hated by David
  7. 2 Samuel 5:9 Or the Millo
  8. 2 Samuel 5:20 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
  9. 2 Samuel 5:25 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 14:16); Hebrew Geba
  10. 2 Samuel 6:2 That is, Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Chron. 13:6)
  11. 2 Samuel 6:2 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate do not have the Name.
  12. 2 Samuel 6:4 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text cart 4 and they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill
  13. 2 Samuel 6:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 13:8) songs
  14. 2 Samuel 6:8 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah.
  15. 2 Samuel 7:11 Traditionally judges
  16. 2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you
  17. 2 Samuel 7:19 Or for the human race
  18. 2 Samuel 7:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 17:21; Hebrew wonders for your land and before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from the nations and their gods.
  19. 2 Samuel 8:3 Or his control along
  20. 2 Samuel 8:4 Septuagint (see also Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chron. 18:4); Masoretic Text captured seventeen hundred of his charioteers
  21. 2 Samuel 8:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 18:8); Hebrew Betah.
  22. 2 Samuel 8:9 Hebrew Toi, a variant of Tou; also in verse 10
  23. 2 Samuel 8:10 A variant of Hadoram
  24. 2 Samuel 8:12 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram
  25. 2 Samuel 8:13 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (that is, Arameans)
  26. 2 Samuel 8:18 Or were chief officials (see Septuagint and Targum; see also 1 Chron. 18:17)
  27. 2 Samuel 9:11 Septuagint; Hebrew my
  28. 2 Samuel 10:18 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 19:18); Hebrew horsemen
  29. 2 Samuel 11:11 Or staying at Sukkoth
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1 Samuel 31
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