In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem<n id="1" /> he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.p>

So the king returned and came to the Jordan River.<n id="1" />p> <p class="bodytext">Now the people of Judah<n id="2" /> had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him<n id="3" /> cross the Jordan.

I gave you your master&#8217;s house, and put your master&#8217;s wives into your arms.<n id="1" /> I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well!

<p class="bodytext">So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke with them. (Now the Gibeonites were not descendants of Israel; they were a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had made a promise to<n id="1" /> them, but Saul tried to kill them because of his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.)

Uriah replied to David, &#8220;The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord&#8217;s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and have marital relations<n id="1" /> with my wife? As surely as you are alive,<n id="2" /> I will not do this thing!&#8221;