Bible in 90 Days
The Medium Attends to Saul
20 Saul immediately fell down full-length on the ground. He was terrified because of Samuel’s words, and he had no strength because he had not eaten food all day and all night. 21 Then the woman came to Saul and saw that he was very disturbed. She told him, “Look, your servant[a] obeyed you. I put my life into your hands, and I listened to your words that you spoke to me. 22 Now, please listen to your servant.[b] I’ll put a piece of bread before you so you can eat and have strength to go on your way.”[c]
23 Saul[d] refused, saying, “I won’t eat!”
Both his servants and the woman urged him, and so he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed. 24 The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. 25 She brought it to Saul and to his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went out that night.
The Philistine Leaders Reject David
29 The Philistines gathered all their troops at Aphek, while Israel was camped at the spring in Jezreel. 2 The Philistine leaders were passing in review among[e] the military units,[f] and David and his men were among[g] them in the rear with Achish.
3 The Philistine leaders said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
Achish asked the Philistine leaders, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather[h] these years? I’ve found no fault in him from the day he deserted[i] until now.”
4 But the Philistine leaders were angry with him, so they[j] pleaded with him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the[k] place you assigned him. He mustn’t go into battle with us. Otherwise, he may become our adversary in the battle! How could there be a better way for[l] this fellow to reconcile himself with his lord? Wouldn’t it be with the heads of these men? 5 Isn’t this the same[m] David about whom the maidens[n] sang when they were dancing,
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his ten thousands’?”
Achish Sends David Home
6 Then Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are trustworthy,[o] and it seems good to me for you to campaign[p] with me as part of the army. Indeed, I’ve not found any evil in you from the time you came to me until now.[q] But the leaders don’t approve of you. 7 Now return and go in peace, so you do nothing to displease the Philistine leaders.”
8 David told Achish, “What have I done, and what have you found in your servant from the time I came before you until this very moment,[r] that I shouldn’t go out and fight the enemies of your majesty?”[s]
9 Achish answered David, “I know that I’m pleased with you. You’re[t] like an angel of God. But the Philistine leaders have said, ‘He mustn’t go into battle with us.’ 10 Now, get up early in the morning along with your lord’s servants who came with you.[u] Get up early in the morning, and go as soon as you have light.” 11 So[v] David and his men got up early in the morning to return to Philistine territory, while the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Trouble on David’s Return to Ziklag
30 When David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negev[w] and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and set it on fire. 2 They took the women in it captive, from young to old.[x] They did not kill anyone. Instead, they carried them off and went on their way. 3 David and his men came to the town, and it had been burned down. Their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and cried until they had no more strength left to cry. 5 David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s former[y] wife, had been captured. 6 David was in great danger[z] because all the people were bitter because of their sons and daughters, and they were talking about stoning him. But David found strength[aa] in the Lord his God.
David Pursues the Amalekites
7 David told Ahimelech’s son Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod.”[ab] So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 David inquired of the Lord: “Shall I pursue this raiding party?[ac] Will I overtake them?”
The Lord[ad] told David,[ae] “Pursue them! You will definitely overtake them and rescue the captives.”[af] 9 So David and 600 men who were with him set out. They came to the Wadi[ag] Besor where those who were left behind stayed. 10 David and 400 men continued the pursuit,[ah] while the 200 men who were too exhausted to cross over the Wadi[ai] Besor remained there.[aj]
An Egyptian Leads David to the Amalekites
11 They found an Egyptian man in the field, and they took him to David. They gave him food to eat and provided water for him. 12 They gave him part of a fig cake and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, he revived,[ak] since he had neither eaten food nor had he drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 David told him, “To whom do you belong and where are you from?”
The Egyptian[al] replied, “I’m a young Egyptian man, the slave of an Amalekite man. My master abandoned me, because I got sick three days ago. 14 We raided the Negev[am] of the Cherethites, the territory that belongs to Judah,[an] and the Negev[ao] of Caleb, and we set Ziklag on fire.”
15 David asked him, “Will you take me to this raiding party?”[ap]
He said, “Swear to me by God that you won’t kill me or turn me over to my master, and I’ll take you to the raiding party.”[aq]
David Defeats the Amalekites
16 The Egyptian[ar] led him to the camp,[as] and there the Amalekites[at] were spread out over the whole area, eating, drinking, and celebrating with the great amount of spoil they had taken from the territory belonging to the Philistines and to Judah. 17 David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not one of them escaped except for 400 young men who mounted camels and fled. 18 David rescued everyone whom the Amalekites[au] had captured, including[av] his two wives. 19 Nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or large, sons or daughters, spoil, or anything that they had taken for themselves—David brought back everything. 20 David took all the rest of[aw] the sheep and cattle, driving them ahead of their rescued livestock.[ax] People said about all this,[ay] “This is David’s spoil.”
David Divides the Spoil
21 David came to the 200 men who were too exhausted to follow him[az] and who had been left at the Wadi[ba] Besor. They came out to meet David and the people who were with him. As David approached the people, he asked them how they were doing.[bb] 22 At this point, all the wicked and worthless men of the group who had gone with David answered, “Because they didn’t go with us, we won’t give them any of the spoil that we recovered, except that each person may take his wife and his children and go.”
23 David said, “No, you won’t do this, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He guarded us and gave the raiding party[bc] that came against us into our hand. 24 Who will listen to you in this matter? Indeed, the share of those who went down into battle and the share of those who stayed with the supplies will be the same. They’ll share alike.” 25 From that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel, and it remains[bd] to this present[be] day.
David Shares the Spoil with the People of Judah
26 David came to Ziklag, and he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, and to his friends, telling them, “Look, this is a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord 27 in Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 Rachal, in the Jerahmeelite towns, in the Kenite towns, 30 in Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach, 31 Hebron, and for all those places where David and his men had frequented.”
Saul Killed by the Philistines(A)
31 The Philistines fought against Israel, and the army[bf] of Israel fled before the Philistines. They fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons. The Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. 3 The heaviest fighting was directed toward Saul,[bg] and when the bowmen who were shooting located Saul, he was severely wounded by them.[bh]
4 Saul told his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised people will come and run me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer did not want to do it[bi] because he was very frightened, so Saul took the sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. 6 As a result, Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day. 7 When the men of Israel who were across the valley and who were across the Jordan saw that the army[bj] of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled, and the Philistines came and occupied them.
The Philistines Desecrate Saul’s Body(B)
8 The next day, the Philistines came to strip the dead, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped him of his weapons. They sent people throughout the territory of the Philistines to report the good news in the temples of their idols and to the people. 10 They put Saul’s[bk] weapons in the temple of Asherah[bl] and fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth-shan.
The People of Jabesh-gilead Give Saul a Proper Burial(C)
11 When the residents of Jabesh-gilead heard what[bm] the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 every valiant soldier[bn] got up, traveled all night, and removed Saul’s body and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. Then they went to Jabesh and cremated the bodies[bo] there. 13 They took their bones, buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.
David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan
1 Shortly after Saul had died, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and remained in Ziklag for two days. 2 The next[bp] day, a man escaped from Saul’s camp! With torn clothes and dirty hair, he approached David, fell to the ground, and bowed down to him.
3 David asked him, “Where did you come from?
He answered him, “I just escaped from Israel’s encampment.”
4 David continued questioning him, “How did things go? Please tell me!”
He replied, “The army has fled the battlefield, many of the army are wounded[bq] or have died, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5 David asked the young man who related the story,[br] “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 The young man who had been relating the story[bs] answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa and there was Saul, leaning on his spear! Meanwhile, the chariots and horsemen were rapidly drawing near. 7 Saul[bt] glanced behind him, saw me, and called out to me, so I replied, ‘Here I am!’ 8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I’m an Amalekite!’ 9 He begged me, ‘Please—come stand here next to me and kill me, because I’m still alive.’ 10 So I stood next to him and killed him, because I knew that he wouldn’t live after he had fallen. I took the crown that had been on his head, along with the bracelet that had been on his arm, and I have brought them to your majesty.”[bu]
11 On hearing this,[bv] David grabbed his clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were attending to him. 12 They mourned and wept, and then decided to fast[bw] until dusk for Saul, for his son Jonathan, for the army of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen in battle.[bx]
13 Meanwhile, David asked the young man who had told him the story,[by] “Where are you from?”
He answered, “I’m an Amalekite, the son of a foreign man.”
14 At this David asked him, “How is it that you weren’t afraid to raise your hand to strike the Lord’s anointed?”
15 Then David called out to one of his young men and ordered him, “Go up to him and cut him down!” So he attacked him and killed him.
16 David told him, “Your blood is on your own head, because your own words[bz] testified against you! After all, you said, ‘I myself have killed the Lord’s anointed!’”
David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan
17 So David intoned this song of lament about Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he gave orders[ca] to teach the descendants of Judah the art of warfare,[cb] as is recorded in the Book of Jashar:[cc]
19 “Your beauty, Israel, lies slain on your high places!
O, how the valiant have fallen!
20 Don’t make it known in Gath!
Don’t declare it in the avenues of Ashkelon!
Otherwise, the daughters of Philistia will rejoice;
and the daughters of the uncircumcised will triumph.
21 Mountains of Gilboa,
let no dew or rain fall on you,
and may none of your fields be filled with plenty,
because in that place the shield of the valiant ones was defiled,
the shield of Saul without an anointing with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
from the blood of the valiant,
Jonathan’s bow would not retreat
nor would Saul’s sword return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan, loved and handsome in life,
in death were not separated.
Swifter than eagles they were,
and more valiant than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul!
He clothed you in scarlet luxury
and decorated your garments with gold.
25 How have the valiant fallen in the tumult of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am in distress for you, my brother Jonathan.
You have been most kind[cd] to me.
Your love for me was extraordinary[ce]—
beyond love from women.
27 How the valiant have fallen!
How the weapons of war are destroyed!”
David Becomes King over Judah
2 Some time later, David inquired of the Lord to ask, “Am I to move[cf] to any one of the cities of Judah?”
The Lord told him, “Go.”
So David asked, “To which one?”
He replied, “To Hebron.”
2 So David went there, along with his two wives Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, widow of Nabal from Carmel. 3 David brought his army[cg] with him, each soldier accompanied by his household, and they settled in the cities of Hebron. 4 After this, the army of Judah arrived, and they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
There they informed David, “The men of Jabesh-gilead buried Saul.”
5 So David sent messengers to the people[ch] of Jabesh-gilead and told them, “May the Lord bless you, because you showed gracious love like[ci] this to your lord Saul by burying him. 6 Now may the Lord reward you with gracious love, as well as faithfulness, to you, too! And I will also reward you because you did this good thing. 7 So strengthen yourselves, and be valiant in heart, because your lord Saul has died, and the household of Judah has anointed me to be king over them.”
Abner’s Rebellion and the Battle at Gibeon
8 Meanwhile, Ner’s son Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheth[cj] and brought him to Mahanaim. 9 He installed him as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all of the rest of[ck] Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth began to reign over Israel at the age of 40 years, and he reigned for two years, even though Judah’s lineage followed David. 11 The period of David’s kingship in Hebron lasted seven years and six months.
12 Ner’s son Abner and the servants of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth set out from Mahanaim for Gibeon. 13 Zeruiah’s son Joab and some of David’s staff went out to meet them at the pool of Gibeon. One side encamped on one side of the pool while the other encamped on the other side of the pool.
14 Abner told Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and fight in our presence.”
Joab replied, “Let them come.”
15 So they got up and twelve were counted to represent Benjamin and Saul’s son Ish-bosheth and twelve to represent members of David’s staff. 16 Each man grabbed his opponent by the head, plunged[cl] his sword into his opponent’s side, and then they both fell together. That’s why the place at Gibeon was named The Field of Swords.[cm] 17 The battle was very violent that day, with Abner and the men of Israel being defeated in the presence of David’s servants.
Abner Kills Joab’s Brother Asahel
18 Zeruiah’s three sons Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were there. As a runner, Asahel was fast, like one of the wild gazelles. 19 So Asahel ran straight[cn] after Abner, following him. 20 When Abner looked behind him, he said, “Is that you, Asahel?”
He answered, “I am.”
21 Abner told him, “Go off to your right or left after one of the young men and grab some war spoils.” But Asahel would not stop following him, 22 so Abner told Asahel again, “Stop following me. Why should I strike you down? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
23 But Asahel[co] refused to turn away, so Abner struck Asahel in the abdomen with the butt end of his spear, and the spear protruded through his back. He collapsed to the ground and died where he fell. Everyone gathered round the place where Asahel had collapsed and died, and stood still there.
24 Meanwhile, Joab and Abishai continued to chase Abner. At dusk, as they approached the hill of Ammah that is located near Giah on the way to the Gibeon desert, 25 the descendants of Benjamin rallied around Abner, forming a single military force. They took their stand on top of the hill.
26 Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the battle sword keep on devouring forever? Don’t you realize that the end result is bitterness? How long will it take for you to order your army[cp] to stop pursuing their own relatives?”
27 Joab answered, “As God lives, if you hadn’t spoken up, by morning my army would have broken off their pursuit of their own relatives.” 28 So Joab sounded his battle trumpet, his entire army stopped pursuing Israel any longer, and they quit fighting.
29 Abner and his army traveled through the Arabah by night, crossed the Jordan, and arrived at Mahanaim after marching all morning. 30 Joab returned from his pursuit of Abner, and when he had mustered his entire army, nineteen of David’s soldiers[cq] were missing besides Asahel. 31 Meanwhile, other[cr] soldiers of David had killed 360 of Abner’s men from the tribe of[cs] Benjamin. 32 They retrieved Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night until daybreak and arrived back in Hebron.
Abner Changes Loyalties
3 After this, a state of protracted war existed between Saul’s dynasty and David’s dynasty, and the dynasty of David continued to grow and become strong while the dynasty of Saul continued to grow weaker. 2 During this time, sons were born to David while he was living in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam from Jezreel, 3 his second was Chileab by Abigail, widow of Nabal from Carmel, his third was Absalom by Maacah, daughter of King Talmai from Geshur, 4 his fourth was Adonijah by Haggith, his fifth was Shephatiah by Abital, 5 and his sixth was Ithream by David’s wife Eglah. They were all[ct] born to David in Hebron.
6 While war continued between the dynasties of Saul and David, Abner was growing in influence within the dynasty of Saul. 7 Meanwhile, Saul had a mistress[cu] named Rizpah, who was the[cv] daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth[cw] asked Abner, “Why did you have sex with my father’s mistress?”
8 What Ish-bosheth[cx] said made Abner furious, so he replied, “A dog’s head for Judah—is that what I am? Up until today I’ve kept on showing loyalty to your father Saul’s dynasty, to his relatives and friends, and I haven’t turned you over to David, but you’re charging me today with moral guilt regarding this woman! 9 Therefore may God do to me[cy]—and more also!—just as the Lord has promised to David, since I’m doing this for him: 10 I will take away the kingdom from the dynasty of Saul by making the throne of David firm over Israel and Judah—from Dan to Beer-sheba!”
11 Ish-bosheth[cz] couldn’t say another word in response to Abner, because he was terrified of him. 12 So Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron to ask him, “Who owns this land? Cut a deal[da] with me, and look!—I’ll lend my hand in bringing all of Israel over to you!”
13 David replied, “Sounds good to me! I’ll cut a deal[db] with you under one condition: you’re not to show yourself in my presence unless you bring Saul’s daughter with you when you come to see me.” 14 Then David sent a delegation to Saul’s son Ish-bosheth to say, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was engaged with a dowry of 100 Philistine foreskins.”[dc]
15 So Ish-bosheth ordered that she be taken away from her husband, Laish’s son Paltiel. 16 Her husband accompanied her, crying as he followed after her all the way to Bahurim, where Abner told him, “Leave! Go back!” So he went back.
David’s Dynasty is Strengthened
17 Later, Abner had a talk with the elders of Israel. He said, “In the past you were looking to see David made king over you. 18 So do it, then! Because the Lord has said this about David:
‘Through my servant David I will save my people Israel
from the control of the Philistines
and from all of their enemies.’”
19 Abner also addressed the tribe of Benjamin. Furthermore, with David’s permission,[dd] Abner said anything that seemed like it would be good for Israel and for the entire tribe of Benjamin.
20 Afterwards, Abner brought 20 soldiers to David at Hebron, and David threw a party for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 So Abner told David, “Give me permission to go out and rally all of Israel to your majesty the king so they can enter into a formal agreement with you to reign over everything that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner off, and he went away in peace.
Joab Murders Abner
22 Right about then, David’s servants returned from a raid, bringing plenty of war booty with them, but Abner wasn’t in Hebron with David, since David[de] had sent him away and Abner[df] had left in peace. 23 When Joab returned with his entire army, Joab was informed, “Ner’s son Abner visited the king, and he has dismissed him. He has left in peace.”
24 So Joab approached the king and asked him, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! What’s this? You sent him away? He’s long gone now! 25 You know Ner’s son Abner came to mislead you, to learn your troop movements,[dg] and to learn everything you’re doing!”
26 As soon as Joab left David, Joab[dh] sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah, but David was not aware of this. 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab brought him aside within the gateway to talk to him alone and then stabbed him in the abdomen.[di] So he died for shedding[dj] the blood of Joab’s[dk] brother Asahel.
28 Later on, David found out about it and proclaimed, “Let me and my kingdom remain guiltless forever in the Lord’s presence for the death[dl] of Ner’s son Abner. 29 May judgment[dm] rest on Joab’s head and on his father’s entire household. May Joab’s dynasty never be without one who has a discharge,[dn] who is a leper, who walks with a cane,[do] who commits suicide,[dp] or who lacks food!” 30 He said this[dq] because Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner after he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 David ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David walked behind the funeral procession, 32 and they buried Abner at Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner’s grave, and all the people wept, too. 33 The king composed this mourning song for Abner:
“Should Abner’s death be like a fool’s?
34 Your hands were not bound,
nor were your feet in irons.
As one falls before the wicked,
you have fallen.”
Then all the people cried again because of him. 35 Everyone tried to persuade David to have a meal while there was still daylight, but David took an oath by saying, “May God to do like this to me and more, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
36 Everybody took note of this and was very pleased, just as everything else the king did pleased everyone. 37 As a result, the entire army and all of Israel understood that day that the king had nothing to do with the murder of Ner’s son Abner.
38 The king reminded his staff,[dr] “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? 39 Today, even though I’m anointed as king, I’m weak. These men, sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult[ds] for me. May the Lord repay the one who acts wickedly in accordance with his wickedness!”
The Murder of Ish-bosheth
4 When Saul’s son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his courage[dt] failed and all of Israel was disturbed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two officers in charge of some raiding parties. One was named Baanah and the other was named Rechab. They were sons of Rimmon, a descendant of Benjamin from Beeroth, which was considered to belong to the tribe of[du] Benjamin. 3 (The residents of Beeroth had evacuated to Gittaim and live there as resident aliens to this day.)
4 Meanwhile, Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. When he was five years old, news had arrived about Saul and Jonathan from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up to flee, but in her hurry to leave, he happened to fall and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.[dv]
5 Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, left and arrived during the hottest part of the day at the home of Ish-bosheth while he was taking a noon day nap. 6 They entered the house as though they intended to obtain some grain and stabbed him in the abdomen. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. 7 While they were in the house, they struck him, killed him, and cut off his head while he was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They took his head, and traveled all night along the Arabah road.
David Punishes the Killers of Ish-bosheth
8 They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron and told the king, “Look! Here’s the head of your enemy Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, who sought your life. Today the Lord has given your majesty the king vengeance on Saul and his descendants.”[dw]
9 David responded to Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite: “As the Lord lives, who has saved my life in every adversity, 10 when the man who told me ‘Look! Saul is dead!’ thought he was bringing me good news, I arrested him and had him killed at Ziklag as the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much worse will it be, then, when evil men kill an innocent man on his own bed in his own house! Shouldn’t I avenge his blood—which you are responsible for shedding[dx]—by removing you from the earth?” 12 So David commanded his personal guards,[dy] and they killed Rechab and Baanah,[dz] cut off their hands and feet, and hung up their bodies beside the pool at Hebron. They took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.
David Becomes King over Israel(D)
5 After this, all of the tribes of Israel assembled with David at Hebron and declared, “Look, we’re your own flesh and blood![ea] 2 Even back when Saul was our king, it was you who kept on leading Israel out to battle[eb] and bringing them back again.[ec] The Lord told you, ‘You yourself will shepherd my people Israel and serve as Commander-in-Chief[ed] over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where King David entered into a covenant with them in the presence of the Lord. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel.
David Establishes Jerusalem as His Capital(E)
4 David began to reign when he was 30 years old, and he reigned 40 years. 5 He reigned over Judah for seven years and six months in Hebron, and he reigned over all of Israel including Judah for 33 years in Jerusalem. 6 Later, the king and his army marched on Jerusalem against the Jebusites, who were inhabiting the territory at that time[ee] and who had told David, “You’re not coming in here! Even the blind and the lame could turn you away!” because they were thinking[ef] “David can’t come here.” 7 Even so, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which is now known as[eg] the City of David.
8 At that time,[eh] David had said, “Whoever intends to attack the Jebusites will have to climb up the water shaft to attack the lame and blind, who hate David.”[ei]
Therefore they say, “The blind and lame are never to come into the house.” 9 David occupied[ej] the fortress, naming it the City of David. He[ek] built up the surroundings from the terrace ramparts[el] inward. 10 David became more and more esteemed because the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies was with him.
11 Later, King Hiram of Tyre sent a delegation to David, accompanied by cedar[em] logs, carpenters, and stone masons. They built a palace for David. 12 So David concluded[en] that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom in order to benefit his people Israel. 13 But after arriving in Jerusalem after leaving Hebron, David took more wives and mistresses,[eo] and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
David Battles the Philistines(F)
17 When the Philistines eventually learned that Israel[ep] had anointed David to be king over Israel, they marched out in search of him.[eq] But David heard about it and retreated to his stronghold. 18 Meanwhile, the Philistines arrived and encamped in the Rephaim Valley, 19 so David asked the Lord, “Am I to go attack the Philistines? Will you give me victory over them?”[er]
“Go get them,” the Lord replied to David, “because I’m going to put the Philistines right into your hand!”
20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there. He called the place Baal-perazim,[es] because he said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has jumped out in front of me to fight my enemies.” 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his army carried them off.
22 Later, the Philistines once again marched out and encamped in the Rephaim Valley. 23 When David asked the Lord about it, he said, “Don’t attack them directly. Instead, go around to the rear and attack them opposite those balsam trees. 24 When you hear the sound of marching coming from the tops of the balsam trees, then be sure to act quickly, since the Lord will have gone out ahead of you to cut down the Philistine army.” 25 So David did exactly what the Lord ordered him to do, and he struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.
Troubles in Mishandling the Ark(G)
6 After this, David gathered together again 30,000 men from all of the choicest men of Israel. 2 Then David and all the people with him set out from Baal-judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, who is called the Name, the name of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, and who is enthroned on the cherubim. 3 They mounted the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s home in Gibeah,[et] with Abinadab’s sons Uzzah and Ahio[eu] driving the new cart. 4 As they left Abinadab’s house in Gibeah accompanied by the Ark of God, Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. 5 David and the entire assembly[ev] of Israel were dancing in the presence of the Lord with all of their strength, accompanied by all sorts of wood instruments,[ew] harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
6 When they arrived at Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out and grabbed the Ark of God because the oxen had stumbled. 7 Just then, the anger of the Lord blazed against Uzzah, and God struck him down right there because of his failure, and he died there beside the Ark of God.
8 David flew into a rage because the Lord had killed[ex] Uzzah. That’s why that place is called Perez-uzzah[ey] to this day. 9 But David feared the Lord that day, and asked, “How can the Ark of God come to me?” 10 As a result, David was unwilling to take the ark of the Lord into his care in the City of David. Instead, David left it at the home of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 So the ark of the Lord remained for three months in the household of Obed-edom the Gittite while the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.
12 Later on, David was informed, “The Lord has blessed the home of Obed-edom and everything he has since he’s in possession[ez] of the Ark of God.” So David went out joyfully and brought up the Ark of God to the City of David from Obed-edom’s home. 13 After those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed oxen and fattened animals, 14 dancing in front of the Lord with all of his strength and wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and the entire assembly[fa] of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and trumpet blasts.
David’s Wife Michal Disrespects David’s Worship
16 As the ark of the Lord was coming into the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal was peering out a window, watching King David jumping and dancing in the Lord’s presence, and she despised him in her heart. 17 They brought in the ark of the Lord, set it in place inside the tent that David had erected for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings in the presence of the Lord.
18 After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies 19 and distributed to all the people—the entire multitude of Israel, including both men and women—a cake made of bread, one made of dates, and one made of raisins to each one. Then all the people left, each headed for home.
20 When David returned to bless his household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him and called out, “How the king of Israel honored himself today by undressing himself right in front of his women staff members, just like any pervert[fb] would dare to expose himself!”
21 But David replied to Michal, “It was in front of the Lord, who appointed me to replace your father and his entire household by selecting me as Commander-in-Chief[fc] over Israel, the people of the Lord, that I danced in front of the Lord. 22 I’m going to act more shamelessly than this, even to humbling myself in my own eyes. Now as to the women staff members about whom you have spoken, they are to hold me in honor!” 23 And Saul’s daughter Michal bore no children from that day on until the day she died.
David Plans to Build the Temple(H)
7 After the king had settled down in his palace and the Lord had given him respite from all of his surrounding enemies, 2 he[fd] told the prophet Nathan, “Look now, I’m living in a cedar palace, but the Ark of God resides behind[fe] a tent[ff] curtain.”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go do everything you have in mind,[fg] because the Lord is with you.”
4 But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from the Lord:
5 “Go tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘“Are you going to build a house[fh] for me to inhabit? 6 After all, I haven’t lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I’ve moved around in a tent that served as my[fi] dwelling place. 7 Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader[fj] of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar house?’
8 “‘“Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief[fk] over my people, that is, over Israel.
9 “‘“Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation[fl] for you, like the reputation[fm] of great ones who have lived on[fn] earth. 10 I will establish a homeland[fo] for my people—for Israel—planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people[fp] will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past 11 when I had commanded judges to administer[fq] my people Israel. I’ll also grant you relief from all your enemies.”’
“‘The Lord also announces to you: “The Lord will himself build a house[fr] for you. 12 When your life[fs] is complete and you go to join[ft] your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring[fu] after you, who will come forth from your body,[fv] and I will fortify his kingdom. 13 He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies[fw] and with wounds inflicted by human beings.[fx] 15 But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. 16 Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence—your throne will be secure forever.”’”
17 Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David with precisely these words.
David’s Prayer(I)
18 Then King David went in to the presence of the Lord, sat down, and said:
“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family,[fy] that you have brought me to this? 19 And this is still a small thing to you, Lord God—you also have spoken about the future of your servant’s house, and this is the charter[fz] for mankind, O Lord God!
20 “What more can David say to you, and you surely know your servant, Lord God. 21 For the sake of your word and consistent with your desire,[ga] you have done all of these great things, informing your servant. 22 And therefore you are great, Lord God, there is no one like you, there is no God except for you, just as we’ve heard with our own ears.
23 “And who is like your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to carry out for them great and awe-inspiring accomplishments, driving out nations and their gods in front of your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt? 24 You have prepared your people Israel to be your very own people for ever, and you, Lord, have become their God!
25 “And now, Lord God, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done—and let it be done just as you’ve promised. 26 May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you. 27 For you, Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant, telling him, ‘I will build a dynasty for you,’ so that your servant has found fortitude[gb] to pray this prayer to you.
28 “Now therefore, Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have spoken to your servant these good things. 29 So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord God, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever.”
David’s Military Victories(J)
8 Sometime later, David defeated and subdued the Philistines, taking Metheg-ammah away from the Philistines. 2 David also conquered Moab, then measured them with a cord, making them lie down on the ground. He executed everyone measured out in each two lengths’ measurement of the cord, but spared the ones measured out by every third length. Then the Moabites were placed under servitude to David, and made to pay tribute.
3 David also attacked King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son from Zobah, when he was attempting to restore his hegemony[gc] over the Euphrates[gd] River. 4 David captured 1,000 of his chariots, 1,700[ge] horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses except for enough to supply[gf] 100 chariots. 5 When Arameans came from Damascus to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. 6 David erected garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, placing the Arameans under servitude to him,[gg] and they paid tribute to him. 7 David also confiscated the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s officers and took them to Jerusalem. 8 He[gh] also confiscated a vast quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities under Hadadezer’s control.
9 When King Tou of Hamath learned that David had conquered the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, 10 Tou sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory over Hadadezer, because he had been at war with Tou. Joram brought articles of silver, gold, and bronze with him, 11 and King David dedicated them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that had been dedicated from all the nations that he had conquered, 12 including from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and spoil from King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son from Zobah.
13 David made a name for himself when he returned from killing 18,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley. 14 He erected garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subservient to David, while the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
David’s Leaders(K)
15 David reigned over all of Israel, administering[gi] justice and equity to every one of his people. 16 Zeruiah’s son Joab served in charge of the army, Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was his personal archivist,[gj] 17 Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were priests, Seraiah[gk] was his personal secretary,[gl] 18 Jehoida’s son Benaiah supervised the special forces[gm] and mercenaries,[gn] and David’s sons were priests.[go]
David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth
9 Later on, David asked, “Is there anyone left alive from Saul’s household to whom I can show gracious love in memory[gp] of Jonathan?”
2 A household servant of Saul named Ziba was called to appear before David, and the king asked him, “Are you Ziba?”
“I am your servant,” Ziba replied.
3 At this the king asked, “Isn’t there still someone left from Saul’s household to whom I may show God’s gracious love?”
“There’s Jonathan’s son. He has maimed feet,” Ziba answered.
4 So David asked, “Where is he?”
Ziba responded, “He’s in Lo-debar at the home of Ammiel’s son Makir.”
5 At this, King David sent for him and brought him from the home of Ammiel’s son Makir in Lo-debar. 6 When Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and a grandson of Saul, approached David, he threw himself on his face out of respect.
“Mephibosheth!” David said as he greeted him.
“Hello! I am your servant,” he replied.
7 “Don’t be afraid,” David reassured him, “because I’m going to show gracious love to you in memory[gq] of your father Jonathan. I’m going to restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you’ll always have a place[gr] at my table!”
8 Mephibosheth[gs] bowed low again and asked, “Who am I, your servant, that you would pay attention to a dead dog like me?”
9 At this, the king called for Saul’s servant Ziba and told him, “I’m restoring to your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your servants are to farm the land on his behalf and bring in the crops in order to provide for your master’s grandson. Meanwhile, Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will always have a place[gt] at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and 20 servants.)
11 Later, Ziba told the king, “Your servant will do everything that your majesty the king commands him.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth fathered a son named Mica, and everyone who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 Mephibosheth continued to live in Jerusalem, always eating at the king’s table, since he was maimed in both feet.
Subjugation of Ammon and Aram(L)
10 Sometime later, the Ammonite king died and his son Hanun succeeded him as king, 2 so David told himself, “I will be loyal to Nahash’s son Hanun, since in his loyalty his father showed gracious love to me.” So David sent a delegation[gu] to Hanun to console him about his loss of[gv] his father.
But when David’s delegation arrived in Ammonite territory, 3 the Ammonite officials asked their lord Hanun, “Do you think that because David has sent a delegation of consolers to you that he is honoring your father? His delegation has arrived intending to search, scout the land, and then overthrow it, hasn’t it?” 4 So Hanun arrested David’s delegation, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their clothes at the waist line, and sent them away in disgrace.[gw]
5 When David had been informed about the incident,[gx] he sent word[gy] to them, since the men had been deeply humiliated. The king told them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”
6 When the Ammonites realized that they had created quite a stink with[gz] David, they hired 20,000 Aramean mercenaries from Beth-rehob and Zobah, along with the king of Maacah and 1,000 men, and 12,000 men from Tob. 7 In response, David sent out Joab and his entire army of elite soldiers. 8 The Ammonites went out in battle formation at the entrance to the city[ha] gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob, along with the army[hb] from Tob and Maacah, were out by themselves in the open fields.
9 When Joab observed that the battle lines were set up to oppose him both in front and behind, he appointed the best troops in Israel and arrayed them to oppose the Arameans, 10 putting the rest of his forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them to oppose the Ammonites. 11 He said, “If the Arameans prove too strong for me, then you are to help me. If the Ammonites prove too strong for you, then I will come help you. 12 Be strong, be courageous on behalf of our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what he thinks is best.”
13 So Joab and the soldiers who were with him attacked the Arameans in battle formation, and the Arameans retreated in front of him. 14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans retreating, they also retreated from Abishai back to the city. Then Joab broke off his attack against the Ammonites and went back to Jerusalem. 15 After the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent for the Arameans who lived beyond the Euphrates River,[hc] and they set out for Helam, with Shobach[hd] leading them as commander of Hadadezer’s army.
17 When David learned this, he mustered all of Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and approached Helam. The Arameans assembled in battle array to attack David, and started their assault. 18 But the Arameans retreated from Israel, and David’s forces[he] killed 700 of their charioteers, 40,000 soldiers, and mortally wounded Shobach, the commander of their army. As a result, Shobach[hf] died there. 19 When all the kings who were allied with[hg] Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sought terms of peace with the Israelis and became subservient to them. Furthermore, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.
David’s Adultery
11 One spring day, during the time of year when kings go off to war, David sent out Joab, along with his personal staff[hh] and all of Israel’s army. They utterly destroyed the Ammonites and then attacked Rabbah while David remained in Jerusalem. 2 Late one afternoon about dusk,[hi] David got up from his couch and was walking around on the roof of the royal palace. From there[hj] he watched a woman taking a bath, and she[hk] was very beautiful to look at.
3 David sent word[hl] to inquire about her,[hm] and someone told him, “This is Eliam’s daughter Bathsheba,[hn] the wife of Uriah the Hittite, isn’t it?” 4 So David sent some messengers, took her from her home,[ho] and she went to him, and he had sex with her. (She had been consecrating herself following her menstrual separation.)[hp] Then she returned to her home.
5 The woman conceived, and she sent this message[hq] to David: “I’m pregnant.”
6 So David summoned Joab, and told him,[hr] “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David inquired about how Joab was doing, how the army was[hs] doing, and how the war was progressing.
8 Then David told Uriah, “Go on down to your house and relax a while.”[ht] So Uriah left the king’s palace, and the king sent a gift along after him. 9 But Uriah spent the night sleeping in the alcove of the king’s palace in the company of all his master’s staff members. He refused to go down to his own home.
10 When David was told that Uriah hadn’t gone home the previous night,[hu] he quizzed him,[hv] “You just arrived from a long journey, so why didn’t you go down to your own house?”
11 Uriah replied, “The ark, along with Israel and Judah, are encamped in tents, while my commanding officer Joab and my master’s staff members are camping out in the open fields. Should I go home, eat, drink, and have sex with my wife? Not on your life![hw] I won’t do something like this, will I?”
12 Then David invited Uriah, “Stay here today, and tomorrow I’ll send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem all that day and the next. 13 Then at David’s invitation, he and Uriah dined and drank wine together, and David got him drunk. Later that evening, Uriah went out to lie on a couch in the company of his lord’s servants, and he did not go down to his house.
David Orders Uriah Killed
14 The next morning, David sent a message to Joab that Uriah took with him in his hand. 15 In the message, he wrote: “Assign Uriah to the most difficult fighting at the battle front, and then withdraw from him so that he will be struck down and killed.” 16 So as Joab began to attack the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew valiant men would be stationed.[hx] 17 When the men of the city came out to fight Joab, some of David’s army staff members fell, and Uriah the Hittite died, too.
18 Then Joab sent word to David about everything that had happened at the battle. 19 He instructed the courier, “When you have finished conveying all the news about the battle to the king, 20 if the king starts to get angry and asks you, ‘Why did you get so near the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who killed Jerubbesheth’s[hy] son Abimelech? Didn’t a woman kill him by throwing an upper millstone on him from the wall at Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ then tell him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’”
22 So the messenger left Joab, set out for Jerusalem,[hz] and disclosed to David everything that Joab had sent him to say. 23 The messenger told David, “The men surprised us and attacked us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. 24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s staff members are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite has died as well.”
25 David responded to the messenger, “Here’s what you’re to tell Joab: ‘Don’t be troubled by this incident, because the battle sword consumes one or another from time to time. Consolidate your attack against the city and conquer it.’ Be sure to encourage him.”
26 When Uriah’s wife heard about the death of her husband[ia] Uriah, she went into mourning for the head of her household.[ib] 27 When her mourning period was completed, David sent for her, brought her to his palace, and she became his wife. Later on, she bore him a son.
Meanwhile, what David had done grieved the Lord,[ic] 12 1 so the Lord sent Nathan to David.
Nathan’s Rebuke
Nathan[id] approached David[ie] and said, “There are two men in the city. One is rich and one is poor. 2 The rich man has many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing except for one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It used to share his food and drink from his own cup. It even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 4 A traveler arrived to visit the rich man. Because he was unwilling to take an animal from one of his own flocks or herds to prepare for the guest who had come to visit him, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to visit him.”
5 David flew into a rage at the man and told Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 He will restore the lamb four times its value, because he did this thing, and because he did it without compassion.”
7 But Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says:
“‘I anointed you king—and you became king over Israel.
“‘I delivered you from Saul’s control.
8 “‘I gave you your former[if] master’s household.
“‘I placed your former[ig] master’s wives right in your arms.
“‘I gave you[ih] Israel and Judah.
“‘And if this had been too little, I would have added much more than that to you!
9 “‘Why did you despise what the Lord has promised by doing what is detestable in his sight?
“‘You struck down Uriah the Hittite with a battle sword.
“‘You took his wife to be your own.[ii]
“‘You killed him with the sword of the Ammonite army.
10 “‘Therefore the sword will never leave your household, because you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’[ij]
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