Ish-bosheth Murdered

1 When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, ^fhis courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (^gfor Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 ^hthe Beerothites fled ⁱto Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day).

5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him ^lin the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.¹ 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of ^mthe Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, ⁿwho sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, ^o“As the Lord lives, ^pwho has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 ^qwhen one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, ^rI seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now ^srequire his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it ^tin the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

David Anointed King of Israel

1 Then all the tribes of Israel ^ucame to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, ^vwe are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, ^wit was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ^x‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince¹ over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, ^yand King David made a covenant with them at Hebron ^zbefore the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^ahe reigned forty years. 5 ^aAt Hebron he reigned over Judah ^bseven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.²

23 These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops ^owho came to David in Hebron ^pto turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, ^qaccording to the word of the Lord. 24 The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were 6,800 armed troops. 25 Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100. 26 Of the Levites 4,600. 27 The prince Jehoiada, of the house of Aaron, and with him 3,700. 28 ^rZadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house. 29 Of the Benjaminites, ^sthe kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the ^tmajority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30 Of the Ephraimites 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were ^uexpressly named to come and make David king. 32 Of Issachar, men who ^vhad understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. 33 Of Zebulun 50,000 seasoned troops, ^wequipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David¹ with ^xsingleness of purpose. 34 Of Naphtali 1,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear. 35 Of the Danites 28,600 men equipped for battle. 36 Of ^yAsher 40,000 ^zseasoned troops ^zready for battle. 37 Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war.

38 All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with ^aa whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a ^bsingle mind to make David king. 39 And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them. 40 And also their relatives, from as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, ^ccakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

Great Is the Lord

¹ A Song of Praise. Of David.