Study Desk

When Saul's son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.

Saul's son had two men who were leaders of raiding parties: one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the Benjaminites. Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin,

and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and still live there as foreigners to this very day.

Saul's son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. The one who had nursed him^[a] picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.^(a)

Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at Ish-bosheth's house during the heat of the day while the king was taking his midday nap.

They entered the interior of the house as if to get wheat and stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.

They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. Then they beheaded him, took his head, and traveled by way of the Arabah^(b) all night.

They brought Ish-bosheth's head to David at Hebron and said to the king, "Here's the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring."

But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As the Lord lives, the One who has redeemed my life from every distress,^(c)

when the person told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,' he thought he was a bearer of good news, but I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag.^(d) That was my reward to him for his news!

How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from your hands and wipe you off the earth?"^(e)

So David gave orders to the young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took Ish-bosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.^(f)

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron^(a) and said, "Here we are, your own flesh and blood.^[a](b)

Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out to battle and brought us back.^(c) The Lord also said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over Israel.'"

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them^(d) at Hebron in the Lord 's presence, and they anointed David king over Israel.

David was 30 years old when he began his reign;^(e) he reigned 40 years.

In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned 33 years over all Israel and Judah.

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites^(f) who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David: "You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you"; thinking, "David can't get in here."

Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.^(g)

He said that day, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites must go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind who are despised by David."^[b] For this reason it is said, "The blind and the lame will never enter the house."^[c]

David took up residence in the stronghold, which he named the city of David. He built it up all the way around from the supporting terraces inward.

David became more and more powerful,^(h) and the Lord God of Hosts was with him.⁽ⁱ⁾

King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David; he also sent cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons,^(j) and they built a palace for David.

Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

After he arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.

These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,^(k) Solomon,

Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.^(l)

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel,^(m) they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold.⁽ⁿ⁾

So the Philistines came and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

Then David inquired of the Lord :^(o) "Should I go to war against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The Lord replied to David, "Go, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you."

So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, "Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me."^(p) Therefore, he named that place the Lord Bursts Out.^[d]

The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

The Philistines came up again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

So David inquired of the Lord , and He answered, "Do not make a frontal assault. Circle around behind them and attack them opposite the balsam trees.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have marched out ahead of you to attack the camp of the Philistines."^(q)

So David did exactly as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.