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 in the house 1 of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto 8) my father's concubine? Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I shew kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou chargest me 'this' day with a fault concerning this woman. 9)°God do so to Abner, and more also, lif, as the LORD hath sworn to David, 10 I do not even so to him; to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, 11 from Dan even to Beer-sheba. °And he could not answer Abner another word, 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 13 Israel unto thee. "And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee but one thing I require of thee, that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see 14 my face. And David sent messen

1 Or, Ishewed himself strong for "Or, the fault of this woman

gers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, say ing, Deliver me my wife Michal, Iwhom I betrothed to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from "Paltiel 16 the son of Laish. And her husband went with her, weeping las he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return: and he returned.

17)

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king 18 over you: now then do it for 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 (19 the hand of all their enemies. And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to 20 the whole house of Benjamin.

So

Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were 21 with him a feast. And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant1 with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that 'thy soul' desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went 22 in peace. And, behold, the servants

of David and Joab came from la foray', 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, 24 and he is gone in peace. 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 thy 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, and they brought him 'back' from the well of Sirah: but David 27 knew it not. And when Abner was

returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the 'belly, 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 let it fall upon the head of Joab,

and upon all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or 30 that lacketh bread. So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had 'killed' their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

34

'Should Abner 'die! as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters:

As a man falleth before the children of iniquity', so 'didst thou 'fall'.

And all the people wept again over 35) him. And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun 36 be down. And all the people took

notice of it, and it pleased them as whatsoever the king did pleased all 37 the people. So all the people and

all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the 38 son of Ner. And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this (39 day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD reward the wicked doer according to his wickedness.

heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became! feeble, and all the 2 Israelites were troubled. And 'Ishbosheth, 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 'the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also is 3 reckoned to Benjamin: and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have been' sojourners there until this day.)

4

Now Jonathan, 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 out 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 1Mephibosheth.

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, 'as he took 6 his rest at noon. 02 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him 'in' the belly and Rechab and Baanah his 7 brother escaped. Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the 'Arabah' all night. 8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which 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, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adver10) sity, when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his (11 tidings. "How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood Or, there came... Imen fetching wheat

3

of your hand, and take you away from 12 the earth? And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the Igravel of Abner in Hebron.

51

Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and (2 thy flesh. In 'times' past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt 3 be prince over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a Icovenant with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty 5 years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the 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. Never

theless David took the strong hold of Zion; the same is the city of David. (8)°And David said on that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse', and Ismite the lame and the blind, "that are hated of David's soul. Wherefore they say, "There are the blind and the lame; he cannot come into the house. And David dwelt in the 'strong hold', and called it the city of David. And David built round about 10 from Millo and inward. And David

12 built David an' house. And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.

13

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters 14 born to David. And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, and Ibhar, and Elishua; and Ne16 pheg, and Japhia; and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet.

15

17

And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. 18 Now the Philistines 'had come and spread themselves in the valley of 19 Rephaim. And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up Jagainst the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will certainly deliver the Philis(20 tines into thine hand. And David

came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and 'he' said, The LORD hath broken mine enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that 21) place 10Baal-perazim. And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the 23 valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up: 'make' a 'circuit behind them, and come upon them over 24 against the mulberry trees. And it Ishall be, when thou hearest the sound of 'marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then is the LORD 'gone! out before thee to smite the host of (25 the Philistines. And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and smote the Philistines from 12Geba until thou come to 'Gezer1.

61) And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, (2) thirty thousand. °And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God,

2 which is called by the Name, leven the name of the LORD of hosts that 3 sitteth upon the 'cherubim'. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill': and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of 4 Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went 5 before the ark. "And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all manner of instruments made of "fir wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and 'with 'casta6 nets', and 'with cymbals. And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon', Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; 7 for the oxen stumbled'. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the 8 ark of God. And David was displeased, because the LORD had 'broken forth upon Uzzah : and he called 'that' place 10 Perez-uzzah, unto this day.

9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, How shall the ark of the LORD come 'unto' 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 the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the LORD 'remained' in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed 12 Obed-edom, and all his 'house". "And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. 11And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David 13 with joy. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had

1 See 1 Chr. xiii. 5-14.

2 Heb. whereupon is called the Name.

3 Or, dwelleth between

4 Or, Gibeah

See Chr. xiii. 8.

..

• Or, Icypress

7 Or, Isistral

gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox 14 and a fatling. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen 15 ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the 16 sound of the trumpet. And it was so', as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, that' Michal "the daughter of Saul looked 'out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she 17 despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, in the midst of the Itent that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And when' David had made an end of offering 'the' burnt offering! and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of (19) hosts. And he dealt among all the

people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men 'and' women, to every one a cake of bread, and a portion 12of flesh, and a 'cake' of raisins'. So all the people de20 parted every one to his house. Then 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 uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly 21 uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me 'prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore 22) will I play before the LORD. And I will be yet more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: 'but of the handmaids which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in 23 honour. And Michal the daughter

of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

71) 18And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his ene2 mies round about, that the king said

10 That is, The breach of Uzzah. 11 See 1 Chr. xv. 25, xvi. 3. 12 Or, of Iwinel

13 See I Chr. xvii.

unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3 °And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the 4 LORD is with thee. And it came to pass the same night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, say5 ing, Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me lan house for me to dwell in? 6 for I have not dwelt in lan house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent *(7 and in a tabernacle. In all places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not 8 built me an house of cedar? ""Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be "prince' over my people, over Israel: and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before theel; and I will make thee a great name, like unto the name of the great ones that (10) are in the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them 11 any more, as at the first', and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover the LORD telleth thee that the LORD' (12 will make thee an house. "When thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will 13 establish his kingdom. "He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his king14 dom for ever. "I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes

18) Then David the king went in, and sat before the LORD; and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me 19 thus far1? "And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes', O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come; and this too after the 20) manner of 'men", O Lord GOD! And

what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy servant, O 21 Lord GOD. For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness', to make thy servant know it'. 22 °Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard 23) with our ears. 06 And what one na

tion in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem unto himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and terrible things for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee lout of Egypt, from the nations and 24 their gods? And thou didst establish to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God. 25 °And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, Iconfirm thou it for ever, and do as (26 thou hast spoken. And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is God over Israel: and the house of thy servant David shall be established before 27 thee. For thou, O LORD of hosts,

the 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