3 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. 2 And aunto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, bof Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 And his second, ||Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king cof Geshur; 4 And the fourth, dAdonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul. 7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was eRizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou fgone in unto my father’s concubine? 8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I ga dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? 9 hSo do God to Abner, and more also, except, ias the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, kfrom Dan even to Beer-sheba. 11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. 13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, †that is, lThou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring mMichal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face. 14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me nfor an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from oPhaltiel the son of Laish. 16 And her husband went with her †along weeping behind her to pBahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. 17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David †in times past to be king over you: 18 Now then do it: qfor the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 19 And Abner also spake in the ears of rBenjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. 21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, sthat they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest treign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? 25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know uthy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. 26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab xtook him aside in the gate to speak with him ||quietly, and smote him there yunder the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the †blood of Abner the son of Ner: 29 zLet it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not †fail from the house of Joab one athat hath an issue, or bthat is a leper, or that leaneth on ca staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother dAsahel at Gibeon in the battle.

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, eRend your clothes, and fgird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the †bier. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 33 And the king glamented over Abner, and said,

Died Abner as a hfool dieth?

34  Thy hands were not bound,

Nor thy feet put into fetters:

As a man falleth before †wicked men, so fellest thou.

And all the people wept again over him. 35 And when all the people came ito cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, jSo do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, ktill the sun be down. 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it †pleased them: as whatsoever the king did †pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. 38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am this day †weak, though anointed king; and these men lthe sons of Zeruiah mbe too hard for me: nthe Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

4 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, ahis hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. 2 And Saul’s son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the †other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for bBeeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin: 3 And the Beerothites cfled to dGittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 4 And eJonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan fout of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was ||Mephibosheth. 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. 6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him gunder the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through hthe plain all night. 8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, iwhich sought thy life; and the Lord hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. 9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, jAs the Lord liveth, kwho hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 10 lWhen one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, †thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, ||who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings: 11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now mrequire his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? 12 And David commanded his nyoung men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the osepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

5 Then acame all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, bwe are thy bone and thy flesh. 2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, cthou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, dThou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to eHebron; fand king David made a league with them in Hebron gbefore the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 *David was thirty years old when he began to reign, hand he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah iseven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

6 And the king and his men went kto Jerusalem unto lthe Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: ||thinking, David cannot come in hither. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: mthe same is the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to nthe gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul, ohe shall be chief and captain. ||Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. 9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from pMillo and inward. 10 And David †went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. 11 qAnd rHiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and †masons: and they built David an house. 12 And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that she had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

13 And tDavid took him umore concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 14 And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; ||Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 15 Ibhar also, and ||Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16 And Elishama, and ||Eliada, and Eliphalet.

17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, wand went down to the hold. 18 The Philistines also came and xspread themselves in ythe valley of Rephaim. 19 And David zinquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 20 And David came to aBaal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place ||Baal-perazim. 21 And there they left their images, and David and his men b||burned them. 22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and xspread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 And when cDavid inquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 24 And let it be, when thou dhearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then eshall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. 25 And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from ||Geba until thou come to fGazer.

6 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And aDavid arose, and went with all the people that were with him from ||Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, ||whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts bthat dwelleth between the cherubims. 3 And they †set the ark of God cupon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in ||Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of dthe house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, †accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, eeven on harps, and on psalteries, and fon timbrels, and on cornets, and gon cymbals. 6 And when they came to †Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah hput forth ihis hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen ||shook it. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and jGod smote him there for his ||error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8 And David was displeased, because the Lord had †made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place ||Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, kHow shall the ark of the Lord come to me? 10 So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom lthe Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and mthe Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.

12 *And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. nSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And it was so, that when othey that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed poxen and fatlings. 14 And David qdanced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded rwith a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter slooked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 And tthey brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in uhis place, in the midst of the vtabernacle that David had †pitched for it: and David woffered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, xhe blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. ySo all the people departed every one to his house. 20 yThen David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who zuncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the avain fellows ||shamelessly uncovereth himself! 21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, bwhich chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore cwill I play before the Lord. 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and ||of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

7 And it came to pass, awhen the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2 That the king said unto bNathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in can house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within dcurtains. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is ein thine heart; for the Lord is with thee. 4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, 5 Go and tell †my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, fShalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house gsince the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in ha tent and in a tabernacle. 7 In all the places wherein I have iwalked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with ||any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded kto feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? 8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, lI took thee from mthe sheepcote, †from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 And nI was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies †out of thy sight, and have made thee oa great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will pplant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and qmove no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as rsince the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have scaused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee tthat he will make thee an house. 12 And uwhen thy days be fulfilled, and thou xshalt sleep with thy fathers, yI will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 zHe shall build an house for my name, and I will astablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 bI will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he ccommit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, das I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: ethy throne shall be established for ever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this fvision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

18 Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, gWho am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come. hAnd is this the †manner of man, O Lord God? 20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, iknowest thy servant. 21 For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. 22 Wherefore jthou art great, O Lord God: for kthere is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And lwhat one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you mgreat things and terrible, for thy land, before nthy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24 For thou hast oconfirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, pestablish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. 26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 27 For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast †revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. 28 And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and qthy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 29 Therefore now †let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed rfor ever.