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The Report of Saul’s Death
Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag,
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on the third day, behold, it happened that a man came from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
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And David said to him, “Where have you come from?” So he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”
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Then David said to him, “How did the matter go? Please tell me.” And he answered, “The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
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So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
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Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.
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Then David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he answered, “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.”
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So David said to him, “How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
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Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and execute him!” And he struck him so that he died.
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So David said to him, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
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The Song of the Bow
Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,
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David Anointed King of Judah
It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”
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So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.
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And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
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Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.”
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So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.
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Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.
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And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
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And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.
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So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.
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So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
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So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.
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But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died.
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Joab Kills Abner
Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
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Sons of David
Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
