Study Desk

Then they brought Ish-bosheth's head to David at Hebron, and said to the king, "See, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, who hated you and tried to kill you. So this day the Lord has punished Saul and his children for the king."

So all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. And there King David made an agreement with them before the Lord. Then they chose David to be the king of Israel.

David said on that day, "Whoever would kill the Jebusites, let him go up through the hole where the water flows, to those who cannot walk or see and who are hated by David's soul." So it is said, "Those who cannot see or walk will not come to the house."

So David came to Baal-perazim and beat them there in battle. He said, "The Lord has broken through those who hate me like the breaking through of a flood." So he gave that place the name Baal-perazim.

But the cattle pulling the wagon almost made the special box of God fall when they came to the grain-floor of Nacon. So Uzzah put out his hand and took hold of the special box so it would not fall.

David became angry because the Lord had gone against Uzzah. So that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day.

So David was not willing to move the special box of the Lord into the city of David. But he took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

Now it was told to King David, "The Lord has brought good to the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the special box of God." So David went and brought the special box of God from Obed-edom's family into the city of David with joy.

So David and all those of the family of Israel were bringing the special box of the Lord with a loud voice and the sound of the horn.

David returned to pray that good would come to his family. But Saul's daughter Michal came out to meet him, and said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today! He took his clothes off today so that his servants' young women would see him. He acted like one of the foolish ones taking his clothes off without shame!"

So David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord. He chose me over your father and all his family, and made me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. So I will act with joy before the Lord.

So now tell My servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of All says, "I took you from following the sheep in the field to be the ruler of My people Israel.

For You, O Lord of All, the God of Israel, have shown this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.' So Your servant has found strength of heart to pray this prayer to You.

So now may it please You to bring good to the house of Your servant, that it may last forever before You. For You have spoken, O Lord God. May Your good come to the family of Your servant forever."

So Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him and pray that good would come to him, because David had fought against Hadadezer and had won. Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him objects of silver, gold and brass.

So David's name was very respected when he returned from killing 18,000 Syrians in the Valley of Salt.

So David ruled all of Israel. He did what was right and good and fair for all his people.

So the king said to him, "Where is he?" Ziba answered the king, "See, he is in the family of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar."

You and your sons and your servants will grow food on the land for him. You will bring in the food so your owner's grandson may eat. But Mephibosheth your owner's grandson will always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do all that my lord the king tells your servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons.