28Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “Both I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD of shedding the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29May [the guilt] fall upon the head of Joab and all his father’s house. May the house of Joab never be without someone suffering from a discharge or an eruption, or g-a male who handles the spindle,-g or one slain by the sword, or one lacking bread.”—30Now Joab and his brother Abishai had killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel during the battle at Gibeon.—31David then ordered Joab and all the troops with him to rend their clothes, gird on sackcloth, and make lament beforeh Abner; and King David himself walked behind the bier. 32And so they buried Abner at Hebron; the king wept aloud by Abner’s grave, and all the troops wept. 33And the king intoned this dirge over Abner,
“Should Abner have died the death of a churl?
34Your hands were not bound,
Your feet were not put in fetters;
But you fell as one falls
Before treacherous men!”
And all the troops continued to weep over him.
35All the troops came to urge David to eat something while it was still day; but David swore, “May God do thus to me and more if I eat bread or anything else before sundown.” 36All the troops b-took note of it-b and approved, b-just as all the troops approved everything else the king did.-b 37That day all the troops and all Israel knew that it was not by the king’s will that Abner son of Ner was killed. 38And the king said to his soldiers, “You well know that a prince, a great man in Israel, has fallen this day. 39And today I am weak, even though anointed king; those men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too savage for me. May the LORD requite the wicked for their wickedness!”
4 When [Ish-bosheth] son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, a-he lost heart-a and all Israel was alarmed. 2The son of Saul [had] two company commanders, one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite—Benjaminites, since Beeroth too was considered part of Benjamin. 3The Beerothites had fled to Gittaim,b where they have sojourned to this day. (4Jonathan son of Saul had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up and fled; but as she was fleeing in haste, he fell and was lamed. His name was Mephibosheth.c) 5Rechab and Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, started out, and they reached the home of Ish-bosheth at the heat of the day, when he was taking his midday rest. 6d-So they went inside the house, as though fetching wheat, and struck him in the belly.-d Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped by, 7and entered the house while he was asleep on his bed in his bedchamber; and they stabbed him to death. They cut off his head and took his head and made their way all night through the Arabah. 8They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron. “Here,” they said to the king, “is the head of your enemy, Ish-bosheth son of Saul, who sought your life. This day the LORD has avenged my lord the king upon Saul and his offspring.”
9But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every trouble: 10The man who told me in Ziklag that Saul was dead thought he was bringing good news. But instead of rewarding him for the news, I seized and killed him. 11How much more, then, when wicked men have killed a blameless man in bed in his own house! I will certainly avenge his blood on you, and I will rid the earth of you.” 12David gave orders to the young men, who killed them; they cut off their hands and feet and hung them up by the pool in Hebron. And they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner at Hebron.
5All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2Long before now, when Saul was king over us, it was you who b-led Israel in war;-b and the LORD said to you: You shall shepherd My people Israel; you shall be ruler of Israel.” 3All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them in Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel.
4David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
6The king and his men set out for Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the region. David was told, “You will never get in here! c-Even the blind and the lame will turn you back.” (They meant: David will never enter here.)-c 7But David captured the stronghold of Zion; it is now the City of David. 8On that occasion David said, “Those who attack the Jebusites c-shall reach the water channel and [strike down] the lame and the blind, who are hateful to David.” That is why they say: “No one who is blind or lame may enter the House.”-c
9David occupied the stronghold and renamed it the City of David; David also fortified the surrounding area, from the Millod inward. 10David kept growing stronger, for the LORD, the God of Hosts, was with him.
11eKing Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons; and they built a palace for David. 12Thus David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingship for the sake of His people Israel.
13After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: fShammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon; 15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, and Japhia; 16Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17gWhen the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, the Philistines marched up in search of David; but David heard of it, and he went down to the fastness.h 18The Philistines came and spread out over the Valley of Rephaim. 19David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hands?” And the LORD answered David, “Go up, and I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.” 20Thereupon David marched to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me as waters break through [a dam].” That is why that place was named Baal-perazim.i 21The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
22Once again the Philistines marched up and spread out over the Valley of Rephaim. 23David inquired of the LORD, and He answered, “Do not go up, but circle around behind them and confront them at the bacac trees. 24And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go into action, for the LORD will be going in front of you to attack the Philistine forces.” 25David did as the LORD had commanded him; and he routed the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.
6 David again assembled all the picked men of Israel, thirty thousand strong. 2aThen David and all the troops that were with him set out from Baalimb of Judah to bring up from there the Ark of God to which the Name was attached, the name LORD of Hosts Enthroned on the Cherubim.
3They loaded the Ark of God onto a new cart and conveyed it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Abinadab’s sons, Uzza and Ahio, guided the c-new cart. 4They conveyed it from Abinadab’s house on the hill, [Uzzah walking]d alongside-c the Ark of God and Ahio walking in front of the Ark. 5Meanwhile, David and all the House of Israel danced before the LORD to e-[the sound of] all kinds of cypress wood [instruments],-e with lyres, harps, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals.
6But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out for the Ark of God and grasped it, for the oxen had stumbled.f 7The LORD was incensed at Uzzah. And God struck him down on the spot g-for his indiscretion,-g and he died there beside the Ark of God. 8David was distressed because the LORD had inflicted a breach upon Uzzah; and that place was named Perez-uzzah,h as it is still called.
9David was afraid of the LORD that day; he said, “How can I let the Ark of the LORD come to me?” 10So David would not bring the Ark of the LORD to his place in the City of David; instead, David diverted it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11The Ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his whole household.
12It was reported to King David: “The LORD has blessed Obed-edom’s house and all that belongs to him because of the Ark of God.” iThereupon David went
