Now when Saul's son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed.

And Saul's son had two men, the captains of bands. The name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the second Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin; for Beeroth is also considered to belong to Benjamin.

And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there until this day.

Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who had crippled feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel. And his nurse took him up and fled. And as she hurried to flee, he fell and was made lame. And his name was  ¹Mephibosheth.

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and around the time of the heat of the day they came into the house of Ish-bosheth, while he was taking his noonday rest.

And they came into the midst of the house, as though they were taking wheat. And they stabbed him in the stomach. And Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

Now they had come into the house as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they struck him and killed him and beheaded him. And they took his head and traveled by the way of the Arabah all night.

And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron; and they said to the king, Here is the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. And Jehovah has granted my lord the king to be avenged this day of Saul and of his seed.

Then David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Jehovah lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress,

When one told me, saying, Saul is now dead! thinking he was a bearer of good news, I took hold of him and slew him in Ziklag — that was the reward I gave him for the news.

How much more when wicked men slay a righteous person in his own house upon his bed! And now should I not demand his blood of your hand and take you away from the earth?

Then David commanded his young men, and they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron; and they spoke, saying, Here we are; we are your bone and your flesh.

Even previously, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And Jehovah said to you, You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be ruler over Israel.

And all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. And King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anointed David  ¹king over Israel.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years.

In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. And they spoke to David, saying, You shall not come in here: Even the blind and the lame will drive you back! (thinking, David cannot come in here.)

But David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David.

And David said on that day, Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him go up to the watercourse and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul. Therefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

So David dwelt in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the  ¹Millo and inward.

And David became greater and greater; and Jehovah the God of hosts was  ¹with him.

And Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to David, as well as cedar timbers and carpenters and masons; and they built David a house.

And David perceived that Jehovah had established him as king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

And David took more  ¹concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua and Shobab and Nathan and Solomon

And Ibhar and Elishua and Nepheg and Japhia

And Elishama and Eliada and Eliphelet.

Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; and David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.

And the Philistines came and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.

Then David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up, for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.

So David came to Baal-perazim, and David struck them there. And he said, Jehovah has broken forth upon my enemies before me like the breaking forth of a flood. Therefore he called the name of that place  ¹Baal-perazim.

And  ¹the Philistines left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.

And the Philistines came up again and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.

And David inquired of Jehovah, and He said, You shall not go up; go around behind them and come upon them opposite the balsam trees.

And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act decisively; for then Jehovah will have gone forth before you to strike the army of the Philistines.

And David did as Jehovah had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from  ¹Gibeon until you come to Gezer.

And David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

And David rose up and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the  ¹Ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of Jehovah of hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim.

And they set the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

And they brought it with the Ark of God out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio went before the Ark.

And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah on all manner of instruments of cypress wood, with lyres and with harps and with tambourines and with sistrums and with cymbals.

And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah reached out for the Ark of God and took hold of it; for the oxen had stumbled.

And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his  ¹error; and he  ²died there by the Ark of God.

And David was angry because Jehovah had broken forth with an outburst upon Uzzah; and that place has been called  ¹Perez-uzzah to this day.

And David was afraid of Jehovah that day; and he said, How shall the Ark of Jehovah come to me?

So David did not want to remove the Ark of Jehovah to himself in the  ¹city of David. But David carried it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

And the Ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months; and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

And it was told King David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that he has because of the Ark of God. So David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with rejoicing.

And when those who bore the Ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

And David danced with all his might before Jehovah; and David was girded with a linen  ¹ephod.

So David and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark of Jehovah with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

And when the Ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart.

And they brought in the Ark of Jehovah and set it in its place in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

And when David finished offering up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts.

And he apportioned to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, to both men and women, to each one, a cake of bread and a  ¹portion of meat and a cake of raisins. And all the people went away, each to his own house.

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul went forth to meet David; and she said, How the king of Israel has made himself honorable today, uncovering himself today in the sight of the maids of his servants as some worthless fellow might shamelessly uncover himself!

And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel; so I played before Jehovah.

And I will yet be more lightly esteemed than this, and I will be base in my own sight; but by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them will I be honored.

And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day of her death.