David felt guilty after he had numbered the army. David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly by doing this! Now, O Lord, please remove the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

David said to the young man who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

David said to the young man who told this to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am an Amalekite, the son of a resident foreigner.”

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.’”

David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven and a half years.

So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.

Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David’s soldiers.

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

As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential in the house of Saul.

God will severely judge Abner if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him,

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.

When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner!

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood!

David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

So David asked the Lord what he should do. This time the Lord said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees.

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

while David and all Israel were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing and playing various stringed instruments, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.

David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah, which remains its name to this very day.

“Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in?