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Chapter 1
Report of Saul’s Death. After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
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On the third day a man came from the field of battle, one of Saul’s people, with his garments torn and his head covered with dirt. Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.
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David asked him, “Where have you come from?” He replied, “From the Israelite camp: I have escaped.”
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“What happened?” David said. “Tell me.” He answered that the soldiers had fled the battle and many of them had fallen and were dead; and that Saul and his son Jonathan were dead.
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Then David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
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David seized his garments and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.
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David said to the youth who had reported to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.”
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David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to put forth your hand to desecrate the Lord’s anointed?”
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David then called one of the attendants and said to him, “Come, strike him down”; so he struck him and he died.
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David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, for you testified against yourself when you said, ‘I put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”
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Lament for Saul and Jonathan. Then David chanted this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan
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Chapter 2
David Is Anointed King. After this, David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord replied to him: Go up. Then David asked, “Where shall I go?” He replied: To Hebron.
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So David went up there, with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
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David also brought up his men with their families, and they dwelt in the towns of Hebron.
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Then the men of Judah came there and anointed David king over the house of Judah. A report reached David that the people of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul.
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So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead and said to them: “May you be blessed by the Lord for having done this kindness to your lord Saul in burying him.
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IV. The Reign of David
Ishbaal King of Israel. Abner, son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, took Ishbaal, son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim,
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Ishbaal, son of Saul, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years; but the house of Judah followed David.
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In all, David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah seven years and six months.
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Joab, son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David also set out and encountered them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other on the opposite side.
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So they rose and were counted off: twelve of the Benjaminites of Ishbaal, son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.
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Death of Asahel. The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s servants.
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Joab, coming from the pursuit of Abner, assembled all the men. Nineteen other servants of David were missing, besides Asahel.
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But David’s servants had struck down and killed three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin, followers of Abner.
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Chapter 3
There followed a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, in which David grew ever stronger, but the house of Saul ever weaker.