Joab kills Abner.

II. SAMUEL.

The Israelites mourn for him

15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her fail from the house of Joab one that hath from her husband, even from Phaltiel the an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth son of Laish. on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or

16 And her husband went with her that lacketh bread. along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

17 And Abner had communication 31 And David said to Joab, and to with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought all the people that were with him, Rend for David in times past to be king over you: your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, 18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath and mourn before Abner. And king Daspoken of David, saying, By the hand of vid himself followed the bier. my servant David I will save my people 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and the king lifted up his voice and wept at and out of the hand of all their enemies. the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 19 And Abner also spake in the ears of 33 And the king lamented over Abner, Benjamin and Abner went also to speak and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? in the ears of David in Hebron all that 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy

:

seemed good to Israel, and that seemed feet put into fetters: as a man falleth begood to the whole house of Benjamin. fore wicked men, so fellest thou. And all

20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, the people wept agam over him. and twenty men with him: and David 35 And when all the people came to made Abner, and the men that were with cause David to eat meat while it was yet him, a feast. day, David sware, saying, So do God to

21 And Abner said unto David, I will me, and more also, if I taste bread or aught arise and go, and will gather all Israel else, till the sun be down.

unto my lord the king, that they may make 36 And all the people took notice of it, a league with thee, and that thou mayest and it pleased them: as whatsoever the reign over all that thy heart desireth. king did pleased all the people. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

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 mar. fallen this day in Israel?

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 39 And I am this day weak, though peace. anointed king; and these men the sons of 23 When Joab and all the host that was Zeruiah be too hard for me. The LORD with him were come, they told Joab, say-shall reward the doer of evil according to ing, Abner the son of Ner came to the his wickedness. king, and he hath sent him away, and he

is gone in peace.

CHAP. IV.

24 Then Joab came to the king, and AND when Saul's son heard that Abner 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.

was dead in Hebron, his 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 Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:

26 And when Joab was come out from 3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, David, he sent messengers after Abner, and were sojourners there until this day.) which brought him again from the well of 4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son Sirah: but David knew it not. that was lame of his feet: he was five years 27 And when Abner was returned to old when the tidings came of Saul and Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took to speak with him quietly, and smote him him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as there under the fifth rib that he died, for she made haste to flee, that he fell, and the blood of Asahel his brother. became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

28 T 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 rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not

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

The tribes choose David king.

CHAP. V.

He tukes Zion. of the house, as though they would have hold of Zion: the same is the city of David fetched wheat; and they smote him under 8 And David said on that day, Whosothe fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

ever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bed-chamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night. 9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called 8 And they brought the head of Ish- it, The city of David. And David built bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to round about from Millo and inward. the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth 10 And David went on, and grew great, the son of Saul thy enemy, which sought and the LORD God of hosts was with him. thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my 11 ¶ And Hiram king of Tyre sent mes lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed. sengers to David, and cedar-trees, and 9 And David answered Rechab and carpenters, and masons: and they built Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon David a house.

the Beerothite, and said unto them, As 12 And David perceived that the LORD the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my had established him king over Israel, and soul out of all adversity, that he had exalted his kingdom for his

1

10 When one told me, saying, Behold, people Israel's sake. Saul is dead, (thinking to have brought 13 ¶ And David took him more concugood tidings,) I took hold of him, and slew bines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he him in Ziklag, who thought that I would was come from Hebron and there were have given him a reward for his tidings: yet sons and daughters born to David. 11 How much more, when wicked men 14 And these be the names of those that have slain a righteous person in his own were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shamhouse upon his bed? shall I not therefore muah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solonow require his blood of your hand, and mon, take you away from the earth?

15 Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg,

phalet.

12 And David commanded his young and Japhia. men, and they slew them, and cut off their 16 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Elihands 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 sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

CHAP. V.

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, and went

HEN came all the tribes of Israel to down to the hold.

David unto Hebron, and spake, say

18 The Philistines also came and spread ing, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 2 Also in time past, when Saul was king 19 And David inquired of the LORD, over us, thou wast he that leddest out and saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said wilt thou deliver them into my hand? to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, And the LORD said unto David, Go up: and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the into thy hand. king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

5 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.

20 And David came to Baal-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 burned them.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

6 And the king and his men went to 23 And when David inquired of the Jerusalem unto the Jebusites the inhabit- LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up: but ants of the land: which spake unto Da- fetch a compass behind them, and come vid, saying, Except thou take away the upon them over against the mulberry-trees. blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in 24 And let it be, when thou hearest the hither: thinking, David cannot come in sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thy7 Nevertheless, David took the strong self: for then shall the LORD go out be

hither.

David brings the ark

from Kirjath-jeurım.

II. SAMUEL. fore thee, to smite the host of the Philis- 15 So David and all the house of Israel tines. brought up the ark of the LORD with shout25 And David did so as the LORD had ing, and with the sound of the trumpet. commanded him; and smote the Philis- 16 And as the ark of the LORD came tines from Geba until thou come to Gazer. into the city of David, Michal, Saul's CHAP. VI. daughter, looked through a window, and

AGAIN, David gathered together all saw king David leaping and dancing be

sand.

the chosen men of Israel, thirty thou-fore the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

2 And David arose, and went with all 17 ¶ And they brought in the ark of the the people that were with him from Baale LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark the tabernacle that David had pitched for of God, whose name is called by the name it: and David offered burnt-offerings and of The LORD of hosts that dwelleth between peace-offerings before the LORD.

the cherubims.

18. And as soon as David had made an

3 And they set the ark of God upon a end of offering burnt-offerings and peacenew cart, and brought it out of the house offerings, he blessed the people in the of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uz-name of the LORD of hosts. zah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab drave the new cart.

19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, 4 And they brought it out of the house as well to the women as men, to every one of Abinadab, which was at Gibeah, accom- a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, panying the ark of God: and Ahio went and a flagon of wine. So all the people before the ark. departed every one to his house.

5 And David and all the house of Israel 20 T Then David returned to bless his played before the LORD on all manner of household. And Michal the daughter of instruments made of fir-wood, even on Saul came out to meet David, and said, harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, How glorious was the king of Israel to-day, and on cornets, and on cymbals. who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes 6 And when they came to Nachon's of the handmaids of his servants, as one of threshing-floor, Uzzah put forth his hand the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth to the ark of God, and took hold of it: for himself! the oxen shook it.

21 And David said unto Michal, It was

7 And the anger of the LORD was kin- before the LORD, which chose me before dled against Uzzah, and God smote him thy father, and before all his house, to apthere for his error; and there ne died by point me ruler over the people of the LORD, the ark of God. over Israel: therefore will I play before

8 And David was displeased, because the LORD. the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and he called the name of the place Perez- and will be base in mine own sight: and uzzah to this day. of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour."

9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

10 So David would not remove the ark

23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day of her death. CHAP. VII.

of the LORD unto him into the city of Da-Not in his house, and the LORD had it came to pass, when the king

vid: but David carried it aside into the house of Ob-edom the Gittite.

given him rest round about from all his

11 And the ark of the LORD continued enemies, in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite] 2 That the king said unto Nathan the three months: and the LORD blessed Obed- prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of edom and all his household. cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within

12 ¶ And it was told king David, say-curtains. ing, The LORD hath blessed the house of 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto all that is in thy heart: for the LORD is him, because of the ark of God. So Da- with thee.

vid went and brought up the ark of God 4 ¶ And it came to pass that night, that from the house of Obed-edom into the city the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, of David with gladness.

13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

saying,

5 Go and tell my servant David,Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me a house for me to dwell in?

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this