Study Desk

And David was dancing before the LORD with all his strength, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread, one of dates, and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people left, each to his house.

But when David returned to bless his own household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How the king of Israel dignified himself today! For he exposed himself today in the sight of his servants' female slaves, as one of the rabble shamelessly exposes himself!"

But David said to Michal, "I was before the LORD, who preferred me to your father and to all his house, to appoint me as ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. So I will celebrate before the LORD!

Now it came about, when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,

"When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from you, and I will establish his kingdom.

"He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

"Now then, LORD God, the word that You have spoken about Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do just as You have spoken,

Then David defeated Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the Euphrates River.

Toi sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and bless him, because he had fought Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold, and bronze.

So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people.

Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, "Mephibosheth." And he said, "Here is your servant!"

Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said to him, "Everything that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson.

Then Ziba said to the king, "In accordance with everything that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons.

So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he ate at the king's table regularly. And he was disabled in his two feet.

Now it happened afterward that the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place.

Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent some of his servants to console him about his father. But when David's servants came to the land of the Ammonites,

the commanders of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, "Do you think that David is simply honoring your father since he has sent you servants to console you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?"

But the remainder of the people he placed under the command of his brother Abishai, and he lined them up against the sons of Ammon.

"Be strong, and let's show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight."