1. Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and
spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
2. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he
that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said
to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be
a captain over Israel.
3. So all the elders of Israel came to the 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.
6. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the
Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto
David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame,
thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come
in hither.
7. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is
the city of David.
8. And David said on that day, Whosoever 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.
9. So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David.
And David built round about from Millo and inward.
10. And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts
was with him.
11. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar
trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an
house.
12. And David perceived that the LORD had established him king
over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his
people Israel's sake.
13. And David took him more concubines and wives out of
Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet
sons and daughters born to David.
14. And these be the names of those that were born unto him in
Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
15. Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
16. And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
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 down to the hold.
18. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the
valley of Rephaim.
19. And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the
Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the
LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver
the Philistines into thine hand.
20. And David came to Baalperazim, 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 Baalperazim.
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.
23. And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not
go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them
over against the mulberry trees.
24. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the
tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir
thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to
smite the host of the Philistines.
25. And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote
the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
Chapter 6
1. Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel,
thirty thousand.
2. And David arose, and went with all the people that were with
him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of
God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts
that dwelleth between the cherubims.
3. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it
out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah
and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
4. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was
at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before
the ark.
5. And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD
on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on
harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets,
and on cymbals.
6. And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put
forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for
the oxen shook it.
7. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God
smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark
of God.
8. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach
upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah
to this day.
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 of the LORD unto him into
the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house
of Obededom the Gittite.
11. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom
the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and
all his household.
12. And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed
the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him,
because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the
ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city 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.
15. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of
the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David,
Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king
David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised
him in her heart.
17. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his
place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched
for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings before the LORD.
18. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt
offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the
name of the LORD of hosts.
19. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole
multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every
one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon
of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.
20. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the
daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How
glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered
himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants,
as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
21. And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which
chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to
appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel:
therefore will I play before the LORD.
22. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in
mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast
spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
23. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the
day of her death.
