<p class="bodytext">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 Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth<n id="1" /> said to Abner, &#8220;Why did you have sexual relations with<n id="2" /> my father&#8217;s concubine?&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

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!&#8221;

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Then David asked, &#8220;Is anyone still left from the family<n id="2" /> of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Now there was a servant from Saul&#8217;s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, &#8220;Are you Ziba?&#8221; He replied, &#8220;At your service.&#8221;<n id="1" />

When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground.<n id="1" /> David said, &#8220;Mephibosheth?&#8221; He replied, &#8220;Yes, at your service.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

let seven of his male descendants be turned over to us, and we will execute<n id="1" /> them before the <sc>Lordsc> in Gibeah of Saul, who was the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s chosen one.&#8221;<n id="2" /> The king replied, &#8220;I will turn them over.&#8221;p>

David<n id="1" /> brought the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son from there; they also gathered up the bones of those who had been executed.p>

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">David sang<n id="2" /> to the <sc>Lordsc> the words of this song when<n id="3" /> the <sc>Lordsc> rescued him from the power<n id="4" /> of all his enemies, including Saul.<n id="5" />

They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron, saying to the king, &#8220;Look! The head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life! The <sc>Lordsc> has granted vengeance to my lord the king this day against<n id="1" /> Saul and his descendants!&#8221;p>

he<n id="1" /> went and took the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan<n id="2" /> from the leaders<n id="3" /> of Jabesh Gilead. (They had secretly taken<n id="4" /> them from the plaza at Beth Shan. It was there that Philistines<n id="5" /> publicly exposed their corpses<n id="6" /> after<n id="7" /> they<n id="8" /> had killed Saul at Gilboa.)

On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.<n id="1" /> When he approached David, the man<n id="2" /> threw himself to the ground.<n id="3" />p>

David inquired, &#8220;How were things going?<n id="1" /> Tell me!&#8221; He replied, &#8220;The people fled from the battle and many of them<n id="2" /> fell dead.<n id="3" /> Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!&#8221;

They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s people, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword.p>

<p class="poetry">O mountains of Gilboa,p> <p class="poetry">may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil.<n id="3" />p>

The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people<n id="1" /> of Judah.p> <p class="bodytext">David was told,<n id="2" /> &#8220;The people<n id="3" /> of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.&#8221;

So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, &#8220;May you be blessed by the <sc>Lordsc> because you have shown this kindness<n id="1" /> to your lord Saul by burying him.

Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people<n id="1" /> of Judah followed David.

So David said, &#8220;Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul&#8217;s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand:<n id="1" /> &#8220;Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired<n id="2" /> for a hundred Philistine foreskins.&#8221;