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David Hears of Saul’s Death
After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
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On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.
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“Where have you come from?” David asked him. He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”
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“What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.” “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
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Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
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Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them.
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David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,” he answered.
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David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
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Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died.
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For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”
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David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan
David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,
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David Anointed King Over Judah
In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
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So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
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David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.
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Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul,
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War Between the Houses of David and Saul
Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
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Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.
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The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.
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Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.
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So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
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The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.
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Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.
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But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner.
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The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
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Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
