David took all the flocks and herds and drove them in front of the rest of the animals. People were saying, “This is David’s plunder!”

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days.

David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”

Now be courageous and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”

Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheth and had brought him to Mahanaim.

Abner and his men went through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan River and went through the whole region of Bitron and came to Mahanaim.

Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel.

They took Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn.

namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!”

Abner advised the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king.

Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.)

So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.

All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king’s instigation.

Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite – Recab and Baanah – went at the hottest part of the day to the home of Ish-bosheth, as he was enjoying his midday rest.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

So David was no longer willing to bring the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. David left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent.

I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth.

You made Israel your very own people for all time. You, O Lord, became their God.