The Reign of David

Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.

The Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.

Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.

When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died.

So Saul died, and his three sons; and all his house died together.

When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.

On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

They stripped him, and took his head, and his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to their idols, and to the people.

They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.

When all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

all the valiant men arose, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the LORD’s word, which he didn’t keep; and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire,

and didn’t inquire of the LORD: therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.

Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. The LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’”

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the LORD’s word by Samuel.

David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (the same is Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not come in here.” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David.

David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.

David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David.

He built the city all around, from Millo even around; and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

David grew greater and greater; for the LORD of Hosts was with him.

Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the LORD’s word concerning Israel.

This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time.