2 Samuel
Chapter 4

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

Saul’s son had two men who were commanders of bands: the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon, the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin, and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been aliens there until this day).

Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, departed and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest.

They came to the middle of the house as if to get wheat, and they struck him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

Now when they came into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him and beheaded him. And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.

Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; thus YAHWEH has given my master the king vengeance this day on Saul and his descendants.”

David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, son of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As YAHWEH lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, when one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

“How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and destroy you from the earth?”

Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

Chapter 5

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And YAHWEH said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel.’”

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before YAHWEH at Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel.

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, “You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away”; thinking, “David cannot enter here.”

Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David.

David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” Therefore they say, “The blind or the lame shall not come into the house.”

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

David became greater and greater, for YAHWEH of hosts was with him. Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a house for David.

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

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

Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard of it, he went down to the stronghold.

Now the Philistines came and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. Then David inquired of YAHWEH, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And YAHWEH said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

So David came to Baal-perazim and defeated them there; and he said, “YAHWEH has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place Baal-perazim. They abandoned their idols there, so David and his men carried them away.

Now the Philistines came up once again and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. When David inquired of YAHWEH, He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then YAHWEH will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”

Then David did so, just as YAHWEH had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.

CHAPTER 6

Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of Elohim which is called by the Name, the very name of YAHWEH of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim. They placed the ark of Elohim on a new cart that they might bring it from the home of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart.

So they brought it with the ark of Elohim from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark.

Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before YAHWEH with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.

But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of Elohim and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of YAHWEH burned against Uzzah, and Elohim struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of Elohim.

David became angry because of YAHWEH’s outburst against Uzzah and that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. So David was afraid of YAHWEH that day; and he said, “How can the ark of YAHWEH come to me?”

And David was unwilling to move the ark of YAHWEH into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. Thus the ark of YAHWEH remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months and YAHWEH blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

Now it was told King David saying, “YAHWEH has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of Elohim.” David went and brought up the ark of Elohim from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of YAHWEH had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

And David was dancing before YAHWEH with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of YAHWEH with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

Then it happened as the ark of YAHWEH came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before YAHWEH; and she despised him in her heart.

So they brought in the ark of YAHWEH and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YAHWEH. When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of YAHWEH of hosts.

Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.

But when David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!”

So David said to Michal, “It was before YAHWEH, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of YAHWEH, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before YAHWEH. I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished.”

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

CHAPTER 7

Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and YAHWEH had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of Elohim dwells within tent curtains.”

Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for YAHWEH is with you.” But in the same night the word of YAHWEH came to Nathan, saying, “Go and say to My servant, David, ‘Thus says YAHWEH, “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

“Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says YAHWEH of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. YAHWEH also declares to you that YAHWEH will make a house for you.”

“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”

In accordance with all these words and all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

Then David the king went in and sat before YAHWEH, and he said, “Who am I, O YAHWEH Elohim; and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O YAHWEH, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O YAHWEH Elohim. Again, what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O YAHWEH Elohim!”

“For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know. For this reason You are great, O YAHWEH Elohim, for there is none like You, and there is no Elohim besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, who Elohim went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their mighty ones?”

“For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O YAHWEH have become their Elohim.

“Now, therefore, O YAHWEH thy Elohim, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken, that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, ‘YAHWEH of hosts is Elohim over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. For You, O YAHWEH of hosts, the Elohim of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.”

“Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O YAHWEH Elohim, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”