Bible in 90 Days
20 Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy,[a] having not eaten anything[b] all that day and night. 21 When the woman came to Saul and saw how terrified he was, she said to him, “Your servant has done what you asked.[c] I took my life into my own hands and did what you told me.[d] 22 Now it’s your turn to listen to your servant! Let me set before you a bit of bread so that you can eat. When you regain your strength, you can go on your way.”
23 But he refused, saying, “I won’t eat!” Both his servants and the woman urged[e] him to eat, so he gave in.[f] He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed. 24 Now the woman[g] had a well-fed calf[h] at her home that she quickly slaughtered. Taking some flour, she kneaded it and baked bread without leaven. 25 She brought it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and left that same night.
David Is Rejected by the Philistine Leaders
29 The Philistines assembled all their troops[i] at Aphek, while Israel camped at the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 When the leaders of the Philistines were passing in review at the head of their units of hundreds and thousands,[j] David and his men were passing in review in the rear with Achish.
3 The leaders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the leaders of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me for quite some time?[k] I have found no fault with him from the day of his defection until the present time!”[l]
4 But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said[m] to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become[n] our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men?[o] 5 Isn’t this David, of whom they sang as they danced,[p]
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands’?”
6 So Achish summoned David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have you[q] serving[r] with me in the army.[s] I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opinion[t] of the leaders, you are not reliable.[u] 7 So turn and leave[v] in peace. You must not do anything that the leaders of the Philistines consider improper!”[w]
8 But David said to Achish, “What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day that I first came into your presence until the present time, that I shouldn’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as reliable[x] as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’ 10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your lord who have come with you.[y] When you get up early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough to see, leave.”[z]
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to return[aa] to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
David Defeats the Amalekites
30 On the third day David and his men came to Ziklag. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They attacked Ziklag and burned it.[ab] 2 They took captive the women and all[ac] who were in it, from the youngest to the oldest, but they did not kill anyone. They simply carried them off and went on their way.
3 When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned.[ad] Their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the men[ae] who were with him wept loudly[af] until they could weep no more.[ag] 5 David’s two wives had been taken captive—Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the Carmelite, Nabal’s widow. 6 David was very upset, for the men[ah] were thinking of stoning him;[ai] each man grieved bitterly[aj] over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the Lord his God.
7 Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Should I pursue this raiding band? Will I overtake them?” He said to him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them and carry out a rescue!”
9 So David went, accompanied by his 600 men. When he came to the Wadi Besor, those who were in the rear stayed there.[ak] 10 David and 400 men continued the pursuit, but 200 men who were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor stayed there.
11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave him bread to eat and water to drink. 12 They gave him a slice of pressed figs and two bunches of raisins to eat. This greatly refreshed him,[al] for he had not eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” The young man said, “I am an Egyptian, the servant of an Amalekite man. My master abandoned me when I was ill for three days. 14 We conducted a raid on the Negev of the Kerethites, on the area of Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb. We burned Ziklag.”[am] 15 David said to him, “Can you take us down to this raiding party?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to this raiding party.”
16 So he took David[an] down, and they found them spread out over the land. They were eating and drinking and enjoying themselves because of all the loot[ao] they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 But David struck them down from twilight until the following evening. None of them escaped, with the exception of 400 young men who got away on camels.[ap] 18 David retrieved everything the Amalekites had taken; he[aq] also rescued his two wives. 19 There was nothing missing, whether small or great. He retrieved sons and daughters, the plunder, and everything else they had taken.[ar] David brought everything back. 20 David took all the flocks and herds and drove them in front of the rest of the animals. People were saying, “This is David’s plunder!”
21 Then David approached the 200 men who had been too exhausted to go with him,[as] those whom they had left at the Wadi Besor. They went out to meet David and the people who were with him. When David approached the people, he asked how they were doing. 22 But all the evil and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us,[at] we won’t give them any of the loot we retrieved! They may take only their wives and children. Let them lead them away and be gone!”
23 But David said, “No! You shouldn’t do this, my brothers. Look at what the Lord has given us![au] He has protected us and has delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. 24 Who will listen to you in this matter? The portion of the one who went down into the battle will be the same as the portion of the one who remained with the equipment! Let their portions be the same!”
25 From that time onward it was a binding ordinance[av] for Israel, right up to the present time.
26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah who were his friends, saying, “Here’s a gift[aw] for you from the looting of the Lord’s enemies!” 27 The gift was for those in the following locations:[ax] for those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir; 28 for those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 and Racal; for those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites; 30 for those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach, 31 and Hebron; and for those in whatever other places David and his men had traveled.
The Death of Saul
31 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines stayed right on the heels[ay] of Saul and his sons. They[az] struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. 3 Saul himself was in the thick of the battle;[ba] the archers[bb] spotted him and wounded him severely.
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and stab me with it! Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come, stab me, and torture me.” But his armor-bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. 6 So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together that day.
7 When the men of Israel who were in the valley and across the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. The Philistines came and occupied them.
8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip loot from the corpses, they discovered Saul and his three sons lying dead[bc] on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off Saul’s[bd] head and stripped him of his armor. They sent messengers to announce the news in the temple of their idols and among their people throughout the surrounding land of the Philistines. 10 They placed Saul’s armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths[be] and hung his corpse on the city wall of Beth Shan.
11 When the residents of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their warriors set out and traveled throughout the night. They took Saul’s corpse and the corpses of his sons from the city wall of Beth Shan and went[bf] to Jabesh, where they burned them. 13 They took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh; then they fasted for seven days.
David Learns of the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan
1 After the death of Saul,[bg] when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites,[bh] he stayed at Ziklag[bi] for two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.[bj] When he approached David, the man[bk] threw himself to the ground.[bl]
3 David asked him, “Where are you coming from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 David inquired, “How were things going?[bm] Tell me!” He replied, “The people fled from the battle and many of them[bn] fell dead.[bo] Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!” 5 David said to the young man[bp] who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”[bq] 6 The young man[br] said, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me. I answered, ‘Here I am!’ 8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I’m[bs] an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me, ‘Stand over me and finish me off![bt] I’m very dizzy,[bu] even though I’m still alive.’[bv] 10 So I stood over him and put him to death, since I knew that he couldn’t live in such a condition.[bw] Then I took the crown which was on his head and the[bx] bracelet which was on his arm. I have brought them here to my lord.”[by]
11 David then grabbed his own clothes[bz] and tore them, as did all the men who were with him. 12 They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s army, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who told this to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am an Amalekite, the son of a resident foreigner.”[ca] 14 David replied to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the soldiers[cb] and said, “Come here and strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. 16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”
David’s Tribute to Saul and Jonathan
17 Then David chanted this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 (He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught “The Bow.”[cc] Indeed, it is written down in the Scroll of the Upright One.)[cd]
19 “The beauty[ce] of Israel lies slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
20 Don’t report it in Gath,
don’t spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon,[cf]
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate!
21 O mountains of Gilboa,
may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings![cg]
For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled;[ch]
the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil.[ci]
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of warriors,
the bow of Jonathan was not turned away.
The sword of Saul never returned[cj] empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved[ck] during their lives,
and not even in their deaths were they separated.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet[cl] as well as jewelry,
who put gold jewelry on your clothes.
25 How the warriors have fallen
in the midst of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your high places!
26 I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan.
You were very dear to me.
Your love was more special to me than the love of women.
27 How the warriors have fallen!
The weapons of war[cm] are destroyed!
David is Anointed King
2 Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied,[cn] “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the cities[co] of Hebron. 4 The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people[cp] of Judah.
David was told,[cq] “The people[cr] of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness[cs] to your lord Saul by burying him. 6 Now may the Lord show you true kindness![ct] I also will reward you,[cu] because you have done this deed. 7 Now be courageous[cv] and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”
David’s Army Clashes with the Army of Saul
8 Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish Bosheth[cw] and had brought him to Mahanaim. 9 He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites,[cx] Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. 10 Ish Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people[cy] of Judah followed David. 11 David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven-and-a-half years.[cz]
12 Then Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish Bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group stationed themselves on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool. 14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight[da] before us.” Joab said, “So be it!”[db]
15 So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 As they grappled with one another, each one stabbed his opponent with his sword and they fell dead together.[dc] So that place is called the Field of Flints;[dd] it is in Gibeon.
17 Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David’s soldiers.[de] 18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there—Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.) 19 Asahel chased Abner, without turning to the right or to the left as he followed Abner.
20 Then Abner turned and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes it is!” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or to your left. Capture one of the soldiers[df] and take his equipment for yourself!” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. 22 So Abner spoke again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground.[dg] How then could I show[dh] my face in the presence of Joab your brother?” 23 But Asahel[di] refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his[dj] spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel[dk] collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner.[dl] Everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell dead paused in respect.[dm]
24 So Joab and Abishai chased Abner. At sunset they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 The Benjaminites formed their ranks[dn] behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.
26 Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will turn bitter in the end? When will you tell the people to turn aside from pursuing their brothers?” 27 Joab replied, “As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit[do] of their brothers.” 28 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks.[dp] They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting.[dq] 29 Abner and his men went through the rift valley[dr] all that night. They crossed the Jordan River[ds] and went through the whole region of Bitron[dt] and came to Mahanaim.
30 Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel. 31 But David’s soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner’s men—in all, 360 men had died! 32 They took Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn. 3 1 However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker.
2 Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. 3 His second son[du] was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow[dv] of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. 4 His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abital. 5 His sixth son was Ithream, born to David’s wife Eglah. These sons[dw] were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Defects to David’s Camp
6 As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential[dx] in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish Bosheth[dy] said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with[dz] my father’s concubine?”[ea]
8 These words of Ish Bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating[eb] loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives[ec] and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today![ed] 9 God will severely judge Abner[ee] if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him,[ef] 10 namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!” 11 Ish Bosheth[eg] was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers[eh] to David saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement[ei] with me, and I will do whatever I can[ej] to cause all Israel to turn to you.” 13 So David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.”[ek]
14 David sent messengers to Ish Bosheth son of Saul with this demand:[el] “Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired[em] for 100 Philistine foreskins.” 15 So Ish Bosheth took her[en] from her husband Paltiel[eo] son of Laish. 16 Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!”[ep] So he returned home.
17 Abner advised[eq] the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king.[er] 18 Act now! For the Lord has said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save[es] my people Israel from[et] the Philistines and from all their enemies.’”
19 Then Abner spoke privately with[eu] the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately[ev] of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to.[ew] 20 When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a banquet for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Abner said to David, “Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement[ex] with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.
Abner Is Killed
22 Now David’s soldiers[ey] and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David[ez] had sent him away and he had left in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”
24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner[fa] has come to you. Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way![fb] 25 You know Abner the son of Ner. Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return[fc] and to discover everything that you are doing!”
26 Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.) 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him[fd] in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel.[fe]
28 When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May his blood whirl over[ff] the head of Joab and the entire house of his father![fg] May the males of Joab’s house[fh] never cease to have[fi] someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle[fj] or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”
30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.
31 David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes. Put on sackcloth. Lament before Abner!” Now King David followed[fk] behind the funeral pallet.[fl] 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly[fm] over Abner’s grave, and all the people wept too. 33 The king chanted the following lament for Abner:
“Should Abner have died like a fool?
34 Your hands[fn] were not bound,
and your feet were not put into irons.
You fell the way one falls before criminals.”
All the people[fo] wept over him again. 35 Then all the people came and encouraged David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath saying, “God will punish me severely[fp] if I taste bread or anything whatsoever before the sun sets!”
36 All the people noticed this and it pleased them.[fq] In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people. 37 All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king’s instigation.[fr]
38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great leader[fs] has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear![ft] May the Lord punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!”[fu]
Ish Bosheth is killed
4 When Ish Bosheth[fv] the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he was very disheartened,[fw] and all Israel was afraid. 2 Now Saul’s son[fx] had two men who were in charge of raiding units; one was named Baanah and the other Recab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, who was a Benjaminite. (Beeroth is regarded as belonging to Benjamin, 3 for the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have remained there as resident foreigners until the present time.)[fy]
4 Now Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to get away, he fell and was injured.[fz] Mephibosheth was his name.
5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite—Recab and Baanah—went at the hottest part of the day to the home of Ish Bosheth, as he was enjoying his midday rest. 6 They[ga] entered the house under the pretense of getting wheat[gb] and mortally wounded him[gc] in the stomach. Then Recab and his brother Baanah escaped.
7 They had entered[gd] the house while Ish Bosheth[ge] was resting on his bed in his bedroom. They mortally wounded him[gf] and then cut off his head.[gg] Taking his head,[gh] they traveled on the way of the rift valley[gi] all that night. 8 They brought the head of Ish Bosheth to David in Hebron, saying to the king, “Look! The head of Ish Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life! The Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king this day against[gj] Saul and his descendants!”
9 David replied to Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered my life from all adversity, 10 when someone told me that Saul was dead—even though he thought he was bringing good news[gk]—I seized him and killed him in Ziklag. That was the good news I gave to him! 11 Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept[gl] in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove[gm] you from the earth?”
12 So David issued orders to the soldiers and they put them to death. Then they cut off their hands and feet and hung them[gn] near the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish Bosheth[go] and buried it in the tomb of Abner[gp] in Hebron.[gq]
David Is Anointed King Over Israel
5 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood![gr] 2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel.[gs] The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
3 When all the leaders[gt] of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them[gu] in Hebron before the Lord. They designated[gv] David as king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
David Occupies Jerusalem
6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites[gw] said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”
7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). 8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies[gx] by going through the water tunnel.”[gy] For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.”[gz]
9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards. 10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God[ha] of Heaven’s Armies[hb] was with him.[hc]
11 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace[hd] for David. 12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
Conflict with the Philistines
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated[he] king over Israel, they all[hf] went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress. 18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed[hg] hand the Philistines over to you.”
20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.[hh] 21 The Philistines[hi] abandoned their idols[hj] there, and David and his men picked them up.
22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 23 So David asked the Lord what he should do.[hk] This time[hl] the Lord[hm] said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees.[hn] 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army[ho] of the Philistines.” 25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.[hp]
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
6 David again assembled[hq] all the best[hr] men in Israel, 30,000 in number. 2 David and all the men who were with him traveled[hs] to[ht] Baalah[hu] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name[hv] of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it. 3 They loaded the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart. 4 They brought[hw] it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark, 5 while David and all Israel[hx] were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing[hy] and playing various stringed instruments,[hz] tambourines, rattles,[ia] and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon,[ib] Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of[ic] the ark of God,[id] because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah,[ie] he[if] killed him on the spot[ig] for his negligence.[ih] He died right there beside the ark of God.
8 David was angry because the Lord attacked[ii] Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah,[ij] which remains its name to this very day. 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How will the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 So David was no longer willing to bring the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. David left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his family.[ik] 12 King David was told,[il] “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. 13 Those who carried the ark of the Lord took six steps and then David[im] sacrificed an ox and a fatling calf. 14 Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord.[in] 15 David and all Israel[io] were bringing up the ark of the Lord, shouting and blowing trumpets.[ip]
16 As the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him.[iq] 17 They brought the ark of the Lord and put it in its place[ir] in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 When David finished offering the burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 19 He then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel,[is] both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake,[it] and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home.[iu] 20 When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house,[iv] Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to meet him.[iw] She said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished[ix] himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servants’ slave girls the way a vulgar fool[iy] might do!”
21 David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family[iz] and appointed me as leader over the Lord’s people Israel. 22 I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this.[ja] But with the slave girls whom you mentioned, let me be distinguished.” 23 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no children to the day of her death.
The Lord Establishes a Covenant with David
7 The king settled into his palace,[jb] for the Lord gave him relief[jc] from all his enemies on all sides.[jd] 2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “You should go[je] and do whatever you have in mind,[jf] for the Lord is with you.” 4 That night the Lord’s message came to Nathan, 5 “Go, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has said: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent.[jg] 7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say[jh] to any of their leaders[ji] whom I appointed to care for[jj] my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”’
8 “So now, say this to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd[jk] to make you leader of my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated[jl] all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth.[jm] 10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle[jn] them there; they will live there and not be disturbed[jo] anymore. Violent men[jp] will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief[jq] from all your enemies. The Lord declares[jr] to you that he himself[js] will build a dynastic house[jt] for you. 12 When the time comes for you to die,[ju] I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you,[jv] and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent.[jw] 14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me[jx] permanently; your dynasty[jy] will be permanent.’” 17 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.[jz]
David Offers a Prayer to God
18 King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family,[ka] that you should have brought me to this point? 19 And you didn’t stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family.[kb] Is this your usual way of dealing with men,[kc] O Sovereign Lord? 20 What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition,[kd] O Sovereign Lord! 21 For the sake of your promise and according to your purpose[ke] you have done this great thing in order to reveal it to your servant.[kf] 22 Therefore you are great, O Sovereign Lord, for there is none like you. There is no God besides you! What we have heard is true.[kg] 23 Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation[kh] on the earth? Their God[ki] went[kj] to claim[kk] a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land,[kl] before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods.[km] 24 You made Israel your very own people for all time.[kn] You, O Lord, became their God. 25 So now, O Lord God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality.[ko] Do as you promised,[kp] 26 so you may gain lasting fame,[kq] as people say,[kr] ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ The dynasty[ks] of your servant David will be established before you, 27 for you, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, have told[kt] your servant, ‘I will build you a dynastic house.’[ku] That is why your servant has had the courage[kv] to pray this prayer to you. 28 Now, O Sovereign Lord, you are the true God.[kw] May your words prove to be true![kx] You have made this good promise to your servant.[ky] 29 Now be willing to bless your servant’s dynasty[kz] so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O Sovereign Lord, have spoken. By your blessing may your servant’s dynasty be blessed from now on into the future!”[la]
David Subjugates Nearby Nations
8 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah[lb] from the Philistines.[lc] 2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third.[ld] The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.[le] 3 David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish[lf] his authority[lg] over the Euphrates[lh] River. 4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers[li] and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but 100 of the chariot horses.[lj] 5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected[lk] David wherever he campaigned.[ll] 7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem.[lm] 8 From Tebah[ln] and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.
9 When King Toi[lo] of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he[lp] sent his son Joram[lq] to King David to extend his best wishes[lr] and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer.[ls] He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze.[lt] 11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord,[lu] along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from[lv] all the nations that he had subdued, 12 including[lw] Edom,[lx] Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek. This also included some of the plunder taken from[ly] King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.
13 David became famous[lz] when he returned from defeating the Edomites[ma] in the Valley of Salt; he defeated[mb] 18,000 in all. 14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom,[mc] and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 15 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people.[md]
David’s Cabinet
16 Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of[me] the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar[mf] were priests; Seraiah was scribe; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada supervised[mg] the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.[mh]
David Finds Mephibosheth
9 [mi] Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family[mj] of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”
2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.”[mk] 3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family[ml] that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
5 So King David had him brought[mm] from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in[mn] Lo Debar. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground.[mo] David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.”[mp]
7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. I will give back to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will be a regular guest at my table.”[mq] 8 Then Mephibosheth[mr] bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?”[ms]
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson. 10 You will cultivate[mt] the land for him—you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce[mu] and it will be[mv] food for your master’s grandson to eat.[mw] But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest[mx] at David’s table,[my] just as though he were one of the king’s sons.
12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.
David and the Ammonites
10 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him.[mz] 2 David said, “I will express my loyalty[na] to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal[nb] to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death.[nc] When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy?[nd] No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!”[ne]
4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed,[nf] and then sent them away. 5 Messengers[ng] told David what had happened,[nh] so he sent them to the men who were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”
6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them,[ni] they[nj] sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah,[nk] in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish Tob.[nl]
7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.[nm] 8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.[nn] 10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army[no] and they were deployed[np] against the Ammonites. 11 Joab[nq] said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me,[nr] you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you,[ns] I will come to your rescue. 12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!”[nt]
13 So Joab and his men[nu] marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to[nv] Jerusalem.
15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces.[nw] 16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from[nx] beyond the Euphrates River,[ny] and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them.[nz]
17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River,[oa] and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers.[ob] He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer[oc] saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel.[od] The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba
11 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings[oe] normally conduct wars,[of] David sent out Joab with his officers[og] and the entire Israelite army.[oh] They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem.[oi] 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace.[oj] From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive.[ok] 3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger[ol] said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
4 David sent some messengers to get her.[om] She came to[on] him and he went to bed with her.[oo] (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.)[op] Then she returned to her home. 5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”
6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going.[oq] 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.”[or] When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him.[os] 9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all[ot] the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.
10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?” 11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and go to bed with[ou] my wife? As surely as you are alive,[ov] I will not do this thing!” 12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one.[ow] 13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah at the front in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”
16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers[ox] were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers[oy] fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.
18 Then Joab sent a full battle report to David.[oz] 19 He instructed the messenger as follows: “When you finish giving the battle report to the king, 20 if the king becomes angry and asks you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone[pa] down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. 23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us[pb] in the field. But we forced them to retreat[pc] all the way to the door of the city gate. 24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers[pd] died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” 25 David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing upset you.[pe] There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down.[pf] Press the battle against the city and conquer[pg] it.’ Encourage him with these words.”[ph]
26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him.[pi] 27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace.[pj] She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord.[pk]
Nathan the Prophet Confronts David
12 So the Lord sent Nathan[pl] to David. When he came to David,[pm] Nathan[pn] said,[po] “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children.[pp] It used to[pq] eat his food,[pr] drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms.[ps] It was just like a daughter to him.
4 “When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home,[pt] he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed[pu] the traveler who had come to visit him.[pv] Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked[pw] it for the man who had come to visit him.”
5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die![px] 6 Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!”[py]
7 Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘I chose[pz] you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms.[qa] I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! 9 Why have you shown contempt for the Lord’s decrees[qb] by doing evil in my[qc] sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife to be your own wife! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’
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