Category: 2 Samuel

Introduction

The Second Book of Samuel

the sequel to

First Samuel

is the history of David’s reign as king, first over Judah in the south (chapters 1–4) and then over the whole nation, including Israel in the north (chapters 5–24). It is a vivid account of how David, in order to extend his kingdom and consolidate his position, had to struggle with enemies within the nation as well as with foreign powers. David is shown to be a man of deep faith and devotion to God, and one who was able to win the loyalty of his people. Yet he is also shown as being sometimes ruthless and willing to commit terrible sins to serve his own desires and ambitions. But when he is confronted with his sins by the Lord’s prophet Nathan, he confesses them and accepts the punishment that God sends.

The life and achievements of David impressed the people of Israel so much that in later times of national distress, when they longed for another king, it was for one who would be “a son of David,” that is, a descendant of David who would be like him.

Outline of Contents

David’s reign over Judah (1.1—4.12)

David’s reign over all Israel (5.1—24.25)

a. The early years (5.1—10.19)

b. David and Bathsheba (11.1—12.25)

c. Troubles and difficulties (12.26—20.26)

d. The later years (21.1—24.25)

David Learns of Saul’s Death

1 After Saul’s death David came back from his victory over the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag for two days.

2 The next day a young man arrived from Saul’s camp. To show his grief, he had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head. He went to David and bowed to the ground in respect.

3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?”

“I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he answered.

4 “Tell me what happened,” David said.

“Our army ran away from the battle,” he replied, “and many of our men were killed. Saul and his son Jonathan were also killed.”

5 “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David asked him.

6 He answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and I saw that Saul was leaning on his spear and that the chariots and cavalry of the enemy were closing in on him.

7 Then he turned around, saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Yes, sir!’

8 He asked who I was, and I told him that I was an Amalekite.

9 Then he said, ‘Come here and kill me! I have been badly wounded, and I’m about to die.’

10 So I went up to him and killed him, because I knew that he would die anyway as soon as he fell. Then I took the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm, and I have brought them to you, sir.”

11 David tore his clothes in sorrow, and all his men did the same.

12 They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of theLord, because so many had been killed in battle.

13 David asked the young man who had brought him the news, “Where are you from?”

He answered, “I’m an Amalekite, but I live in your country.”

14 David asked him, “How is it that you dared kill theLord’s chosen king?”

15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Kill him!” The man struck the Amalekite and mortally wounded him,

16 and David said to the Amalekite, “You brought this on yourself. You condemned yourself when you confessed that you killed the one whom theLordchose to be king.”

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 David sang this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,

18 and ordered itto be taught to the people of Judah. (It is recorded inThe Book of Jashar.)

19 “On the hills of Israel our leaders are dead!

The bravest of our soldiers have fallen!

20 Do not announce it in Gath

or in the streets of Ashkelon.

Do not make the women of Philistia glad;

do not let the daughters of pagans rejoice.

21 “May no rain or dew fall on Gilboa’s hills;

may its fields be always barren!

For the shields of the brave lie there in disgrace;

the shield of Saul is no longer polished with oil.

22 Jonathan’s bow was deadly,

the sword of Saul was merciless,

striking down the mighty, killing the enemy.

23 “Saul and Jonathan, so wonderful and dear;

together in life, together in death;

swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

24 “Women of Israel, mourn for Saul!

He clothed you in rich scarlet dresses

and adorned you with jewels and gold.

25 “The brave soldiers have fallen,

they were killed in battle.

Jonathan lies dead in the hills.

26 “I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan;

how dear you were to me!

How wonderful was your love for me,

better even than the love of women.

27 “The brave soldiers have fallen,

their weapons abandoned and useless.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/1-fb2acc1e8d27c44b415c42c3fbaff5cf.mp3?version_id=68—

David Is Made King of Judah

1 After this, David asked theLord, “Shall I go and take control of one of the towns of Judah?”

“Yes,” theLordanswered.

“Which one?” David asked.

“Hebron,” theLordsaid.

2 So David went to Hebron, taking with him his two wives: Ahinoam, who was from Jezreel, and Abigail, Nabal’s widow, who was from Carmel.

3 He also took his men and their families, and they settled in the towns around Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David as king of Judah.

When David heard that the people of Jabesh in Gilead had buried Saul,

5 he sent some men there with the message: “May theLordbless you for showing your loyalty to your king by burying him.

6 And now may theLordbe kind and faithful to you. I too will treat you well because of what you have done.

7 Be strong and brave! Saul your king is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me as their king.”

Ishbosheth Is Made King of Israel

8 The commander of Saul’s army, Abner son of Ner, had fled with Saul’s son Ishbosheth across the Jordan to Mahanaim.

9 There Abner made Ishbosheth king of the territories of Gilead, Asher,Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, and indeed over all Israel.

10 He was forty years old when he was made king of Israel, and he ruled for two years.

But the tribe of Judah was loyal to David,

11 and he ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years.

War between Israel and Judah

12 Abner and the officials of Ishbosheth went from Mahanaim to the city of Gibeon.

13 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, and David’s other officials met them at the pool, where they all sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the opposite side.

14 Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men from each side fight an armed contest.”

“All right,” Joab answered.

15 So twelve men, representing Ishbosheth and the tribe of Benjamin, fought twelve of David’s men.

16 Each man caught his opponent by the head and plunged his sword into his opponent’s side, so that all twenty-four of them fell down dead together. And so that place in Gibeon is called “Field of Swords.”

17 Then a furious battle broke out, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, who could run as fast as a wild deer,

19 started chasing Abner, running straight for him.

20 Abner looked back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”

“Yes,” he answered.

21 “Stop chasing me!” Abner said. “Run after one of the soldiers and take what he has.” But Asahel kept on chasing him.

22 Once more Abner said to him, “Stop chasing me! Why force me to kill you? How could I face your brother Joab?”

23 But Asahel would not quit; so Abner, with a backward thrustof his spear, struck him through the stomach so that the spear came out at his back. Asahel dropped to the ground dead, and everyone who came to the place where he was lying stopped and stood there.

24 But Joab and Abishai started out after Abner, and at sunset they came to the hill of Ammah, which is to the east of Giah on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 The men from the tribe of Benjamin gathered around Abner again and took their stand on the top of a hill.

26 Abner called out to Joab, “Do we have to go on fighting forever? Can’t you see that in the end there will be nothing but bitterness? We are your relatives. How long will it be before you order your men to stop chasing us?”

27 “I swear by the living God,” Joab answered, “that if you had not spoken, my men would have kept on chasing you until tomorrow morning.”

28 Then Joab blew the trumpet as a signal for his men to stop pursuing the Israelites; and so the fighting stopped.

29 Abner and his men marched through the Jordan Valley all that night; they crossed the Jordan River, and after marching all the next morning, they arrived back at Mahanaim.

30 When Joab gave up the chase, he gathered all his men and found that nineteen of them were missing, in addition to Asahel.

31 David’s men had killed 360 of Abner’s men from the tribe of Benjamin.

32 Joab and his men took Asahel’s body and buried it in the family tomb at Bethlehem. Then they marched all night and at dawn arrived back at Hebron.

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1 The fighting between the forces supporting Saul’s family and those supporting David went on for a long time. As David became stronger and stronger, his opponents became weaker and weaker.

David’s Sons

2 The following six sons, in order of their birth, were born to David at Hebron: Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam, from Jezreel;

3 Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, Nabal’s widow, from Carmel; Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

4 Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital;

5 Ithream, whose mother was Eglah. All of these sons were born in Hebron.

Abner Joins David

6 As the fighting continued between David’s forces and the forces loyal to Saul’s family, Abner became more and more powerful among Saul’s followers.

7 One day Ishbosheth son of Saul accused Abner of sleeping with Saul’s concubine Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah.

8 This made Abner furious. “Do you think that I would betray Saul? Do you really think I’m serving Judah?” he exclaimed. “From the very first I have been loyal to the cause of your father Saul, his brothers, and his friends, and I have kept you from being defeated by David; yet today you find fault with me about a woman!

9-10 TheLordpromised David that he would take the kingdom away from Saul and his descendants and would make David king of both Israel and Judah, from one end of the country to the other. Now may God strike me dead if I don’t make this come true!”

11 Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not say a word.

12 Abner sent messengers to David, who at that time was at Hebron,to say, “Who is going to rule this land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you win all Israel over to your side.”

13 “Good!” David answered. “I will make an agreement with you on one condition: you must bring Saul’s daughter Michal to me when you come to see me.”

14 And David also sent messengers to Ishbosheth to say, “Give me back my wife Michal. I paid a hundred Philistine foreskins in order to marry her.”

15 So Ishbosheth had her taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.

16 Paltiel followed her all the way to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. But when Abner said, “Go back home,” he did.

17 Abner went to the leaders of Israel and said to them, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king.

18 Now here is your chance. Remember that theLordhas said, ‘I will use my servant David to rescue my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’”

19 Abner spoke also to the people of the tribe of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tell David what the people of Benjamin and of Israel had agreed to do.

20 When Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, David gave a feast for them.

21 Abner told David, “I will go now and win all Israel over to Your Majesty. They will accept you as king, and then you will get what you have wanted and will rule over the whole land.” David gave Abner a guarantee of safety and sent him on his way.

Abner Is Murdered

22 Later on Joab and David’s other officials returned from a raid, bringing a large amount of loot with them. Abner, however, was no longer there at Hebron with David, because David had sent him away with a guarantee of safety.

23 When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety.

24 So Joab went to the king and said to him, “What have you done? Abner came to you—why did you let him go like that?

25 He came here to deceive you and to find out everything you do and everywhere you go. Surely you know that!”

26 After leaving David, Joab sent messengers to get Abner, and they brought him back from Sirah Well; but David knew nothing about it.

27 When Abner arrived in Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate, as though he wanted to speak privately with him, and there he stabbed him in the stomach. And so Abner was murdered because he had killed Joab’s brother Asahel.

28 When David heard the news, he said, “TheLordknows that my subjects and I are completely innocent of the murder of Abner.

29 May the punishment for it fall on Joab and all his family! In every generation may there be some man in his family who has gonorrhea or a dreaded skin disease or is fit only to do a woman’s work or is killed in battle or doesn’t have enough to eat!”

30 So Joab and his brother Abishai took revenge on Abner for killing their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

Abner Is Buried

31 Then David ordered Joab and his men to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn for Abner. And at the funeral King David himself walked behind the coffin.

32 Abner was buried at Hebron, and the king wept aloud at the grave, and so did all the people.

33 David sang this lament for Abner:

“Why did Abner have to die like a fool?

34 His hands were not tied,

And his feet were not bound;

He died like someone killed by criminals!”

And the people wept for him again.

35 All day long the people tried to get David to eat something, but he made a solemn promise, “May God strike me dead if I eat anything before the day is over!”

36 They took note of this and were pleased. Indeed, everything the king did pleased the people.

37 All of David’s people and all the people in Israel understood that the king had no part in the murder of Abner.

38 The king said to his officials, “Don’t you realize that this day a great leader in Israel has died?

39 Even though I am the king chosen by God, I feel weak today. These sons of Zeruiah are too violent for me. May theLordpunish these criminals as they deserve!”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/3-3fd58e04becc0d11e4e3ff355821a627.mp3?version_id=68—

Ishbosheth Is Murdered

1 When Saul’s son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed in Hebron, he was afraid, and all the people of Israel were alarmed.

2 Ishbosheth had two officers who were leaders of raiding parties, Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon, from Beeroth in the tribe of Benjamin. (Beeroth is counted as part of Benjamin.

3 Its original inhabitants had fled to Gittaim, where they have lived ever since.)

4 Another descendant of Saul was Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, who was five years old when Saul and Jonathan were killed. When the news about their death came from the city of Jezreel, his nurse picked him up and fled; but she was in such a hurry that she dropped him, and he became crippled.

5 Rechab and Baanah set out for Ishbosheth’s house and arrived there about noon, while he was taking his midday rest.

6 The woman at the door had become drowsy while she was sifting wheat and had fallen asleep, so Rechab and Baanah slipped in.

7 Once inside, they went to Ishbosheth’s bedroom, where he was sound asleep, and killed him. Then they cut off his head, took it with them, and walked all night through the Jordan Valley.

8 They presented the head to King David at Hebron and said to him, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul, who tried to kill you. Today theLordhas allowed Your Majesty to take revenge on Saul and his descendants.”

9 David answered them, “I take a vow by the livingLord, who has saved me from all dangers!

10 The messenger who came to me at Ziklag and told me of Saul’s death thought he was bringing good news. I seized him and had him put to death. That was the reward I gave him for his good news!

11 How much worse it will be for evil men who murder an innocent man asleep in his own house! I will now take revenge on you for murdering him and will wipe you off the face of the earth!”

12 David gave the order, and his soldiers killed Rechab and Baanah and cut off their hands and feet, which they hung up near the pool in Hebron. They took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb there at Hebron.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/4-57ad3d7653970429966a15858dff8258.mp3?version_id=68—

David Becomes King of Israel and Judah

1 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, “We are your own flesh and blood.

2 In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and theLordpromised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler.”

3 So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he ruled for forty years.

5 He ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years, and in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

6 The time came when King David and his men set out to attack Jerusalem. The Jebusites, who lived there, thought that David would not be able to conquer the city, and so they said to him, “You will never get in here; even the blind and the crippled could keep you out.” (

7 But David did capture their fortress of Zion, and it became known as “David’s City.”)

8 That day David said to his men, “Does anybody here hate the Jebusites as much as I do? Enough to kill them? Then go up through the water tunnel and attack those poor blind cripples.” (That is why it is said, “The blind and the crippled cannot enter theLord’s house.”)

9 After capturing the fortress, David lived in it and named it “David’s City.” He built the city around it, starting at the place where land was filled in on the east side of the hill.

10 He grew stronger all the time, because theLordGod Almighty was with him.

11 King Hiram of Tyre sent a trade mission to David; he provided him with cedar logs and with carpenters and stone masons to build a palace.

12 And so David realized that theLordhad established him as king of Israel and was making his kingdom prosperous for the sake of his people.

13 After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David took more concubines and wives, and had more sons and daughters.

14 The following children were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Victory over the Philistines

17 The Philistines were told that David had been made king of Israel, so their army set out to capture him. When David heard of it, he went down to a fortified place.

18 The Philistines arrived at Rephaim Valley and occupied it.

19 David asked theLord, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?”

“Yes, attack!” theLordanswered. “I will give you the victory!”

20 So David went to Baal Perazim and there he defeated the Philistines. He said, “TheLordhas broken through my enemies like a flood.” And so that place is called Baal Perazim.

21 When the Philistines fled, they left their idols behind, and David and his men carried them away.

22 Then the Philistines went back to Rephaim Valley and occupied it again.

23 Once more David consulted theLord, who answered, “Don’t attack them from here, but go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees.

24 When you hear the sound of marching in the treetops, then attack because I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army.”

25 David did what theLordhad commanded, and was able to drive the Philistines back from Geba all the way to Gezer.

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The Covenant Box Is Brought to Jerusalem

1 Once more David called together the best soldiers in Israel, a total of thirty thousand men,

2 and led them to Baalahin Judah, in order to bring from there God’s Covenant Box, bearing the name of theLordAlmighty, whose throne is above the winged creatures.

3 They took it from Abinadab’s home on the hill and placed it on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart,

4 with Ahio walking in front.

5 David and all the Israelites were dancing and singing with all their mightto honor theLord. They were playing harps, lyres, drums, rattles, and cymbals.

6 As they came to the threshing place of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Covenant Box.

7 At once theLordGod became angry with Uzzah and killed him because of his irreverence.Uzzah died there beside the Covenant Box,

8 and so that place has been called Perez Uzzahever since. David was furious because theLordhad punished Uzzah in anger.

9 Then David was afraid of theLordand said, “How can I take the Covenant Box with me now?”

10 So he decided not to take it with him to Jerusalem; instead, he turned off the road and took it to the house of Obed Edom, a native of the city of Gath.

11 It stayed there three months, and theLordblessed Obed Edom and his family.

12 King David heard that because of the Covenant Box theLordhad blessed Obed Edom’s family and all that he had; so he got the Covenant Box from Obed’s house to take it to Jerusalem with a great celebration.

13 After the men carrying the Covenant Box had gone six steps, David had them stop while he offered theLorda sacrifice of a bull and a fattened calf.

14 David, wearing only a linen cloth around his waist, danced with all his might to honor theLord.

15 And so he and all the Israelites took the Covenant Box up to Jerusalem with shouts of joy and the sound of trumpets.

16 As the Box was being brought into the city, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and jumping around in the sacred dance, and she was disgusted with him.

17 They brought the Box and put it in its place in the Tent that David had set up for it. Then he offered sacrifices and fellowship offerings to theLord.

18 When he had finished offering the sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of theLordAlmighty

19 and distributed food to them all. He gave each man and woman in Israel a loaf of bread, a piece of roasted meat,and some raisins. Then everyone went home.

20 Afterward, when David went home to greet his family, Michal came out to meet him. “The king of Israel made a big name for himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself like a fool in the sight of the servant women of his officials!”

21 David answered, “I was dancing to honor theLord, who chose me instead of your father and his family to make me the leader of his people Israel. And I will go on dancing to honor theLord,

22 and will disgrace myself even more. Youmay think I am nothing, but those women will think highly of me!”

23 Michal, Saul’s daughter, never had any children.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/6-7737fc0ffecc9c54f9471e61e94a84a9.mp3?version_id=68—

Nathan’s Message to David

1 King David was settled in his palace, and theLordkept him safe from all his enemies.

2 Then the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Here I am living in a house built of cedar, but God’s Covenant Box is kept in a tent!”

3 Nathan answered, “Do whatever you have in mind, because theLordis with you.”

4 But that night theLordsaid to Nathan,

5 “Go and tell my servant David that I say to him, ‘You are not the one to build a temple for me to live in.

6 From the time I rescued the people of Israel from Egypt until now, I have never lived in a temple; I have traveled around living in a tent.

7 In all my traveling with the people of Israel I never asked any of the leadersthat I appointed why they had not built me a temple made of cedar.’

8 “So tell my servant David that I, theLordAlmighty, say to him, ‘I took you from looking after sheep in the fields and made you the ruler of my people Israel.

9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have defeated all your enemies as you advanced. I will make you as famous as the greatest leaders in the world.

10-11 I have chosen a place for my people Israel and have settled them there, where they will live without being oppressed any more. Ever since they entered this land, they have been attacked by violent people, but this will not happen again. I promise to keep you safe from all your enemies and to give you descendants.

12 When you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will make one of your sons king and will keep his kingdom strong.

13 He will be the one to build a temple for me, and I will make sure that his dynasty continues forever.

14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him as a father punishes his son.

15 But I will not withdraw my support from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed so that you could be king.

16 You will always have descendants, and I will make your kingdom last forever. Your dynasty will never end.’”

17 Nathan told David everything that God had revealed to him.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

18 Then King David went into the Tent of theLord’s presence, sat down and prayed, “SovereignLord, I am not worthy of what you have already done for me, nor is my family.

19 Yet now you are doing even more, SovereignLord; you have made promises about my descendants in the years to come. And you let a man see this,SovereignLord!

20 What more can I say to you! You know me, your servant.

21 It was your will and purpose to do this; you have done all these great things in order to instruct me.

22 How great you are, SovereignLord! There is none like you; we have always known that you alone are God.

23 There is no other nation on earth like Israel, whom you rescued from slavery to make them your own people. The great and wonderful things you did for themhave spread your fame throughout the world. You drove outother nations and their gods as your people advanced, the people whom you set free from Egypt to be your own.

24 You have made Israel your own people forever, and you,Lord, have become their God.

25 “And now,LordGod, fulfill for all time the promise you made about me and my descendants, and do what you said you would.

26 Your fame will be great, and people will forever say, ‘TheLordAlmighty is God over Israel.’ And you will preserve my dynasty for all time.

27 LordAlmighty, God of Israel! I have the courage to pray this prayer to you, because you have revealed all this to me, your servant, and have told me that you will make my descendants kings.

28 “And now, SovereignLord, you are God; you always keep your promises, and you have made this wonderful promise to me.

29 I ask you to bless my descendants so that they will continue to enjoy your favor. You, SovereignLord, have promised this, and your blessing will rest on my descendants forever.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/7-eaad09ba48469e3b0c789c9b33a70f19.mp3?version_id=68—

David’s Military Victories

1 Some time later King David attacked the Philistines again, defeated them, and ended their control over the land.

2 Then he defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him.

3 Then he defeated the king of the Syrian state of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob, as Hadadezer was on his way to restore his control over the territory by the upper Euphrates River.

4 David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled all the rest.

5 When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men.

6 Then he set up military camps intheir territory, and they became his subjects and paid taxes to him. TheLordmade David victorious everywhere.

7 David captured the gold shields carried by Hadadezer’s officials and took them to Jerusalem.

8 He also took a great quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities ruled by Hadadezer.

9 King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated all of Hadadezer’s army.

10 So he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for his victory over Hadadezer, against whom Toi had fought many times. Joram took David presents made of gold, silver, and bronze.

11 King David dedicated them for use in worship, along with the silver and gold he took from the nations he had conquered—

12 Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—as well as part of the loot he had taken from Hadadezer.

13 David became even more famous when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Edomites in Salt Valley.

14 He set up military campsthroughout Edom, and the people there became his subjects. TheLordmade David victorious everywhere.

15 David ruled over all of Israel and made sure that his people were always treated fairly and justly.

16 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, was the commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records;

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the court secretary;

18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge ofDavid’s bodyguards; and David’s sons were priests.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/8-2ddb41f61252fc6475dcbf0119cd8586.mp3?version_id=68—

David and Mephibosheth

1 One day David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family? If there is, I would like to show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake.”

2 There was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba, and he was told to go to David. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

“At your service, sir,” he answered.

3 The king asked him, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family to whom I can show loyalty and kindness, as I promised God I would?”

Ziba answered, “There is still one of Jonathan’s sons. He is crippled.”

4 “Where is he?” the king asked.

“At the home of Machir son of Ammiel in Lodebar,” Ziba answered.

5 So King David sent for him.

6 When Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, arrived, he bowed down before David in respect. David said, “Mephibosheth,” and he answered, “At your service, sir.”

7 “Don’t be afraid,” David replied. “I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table.”

8 Mephibosheth bowed again and said, “I am no better than a dead dog, sir! Why should you be so good to me?”

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said, “I am giving Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul’s family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba answered, “I will do everything Your Majesty commands.”

So Mephibosheth ate at the king’stable, just like one of the king’s sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the members of Ziba’s family became servants of Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem, eating all his meals at the king’s table.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/9-6432d2ae7ed77e7540ecf478b70dbaa4.mp3?version_id=68—