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After this, David asked the LORD, "Shall I go and take control of one of the towns of Judah?" "Yes," the LORD answered. "Which one?" David asked. "Hebron," the LORD said.
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So David went to Hebron, taking with him his two wives: Ahinoam, who was from Jezreel, and Abigail, Nabal's widow, who was from Carmel.
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He also took his men and their families, and they settled in the towns around Hebron.
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Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David as king of Judah. When David heard that the people of Jabesh in Gilead had buried Saul,
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he sent some men there with the message: "May the LORD bless you for showing your loyalty to your king by burying him.
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And now may the LORD be kind and faithful to you. I too will treat you well because of what you have done.
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Be strong and brave! Saul your king is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me as their king."
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The commander of Saul's army, Abner son of Ner, had fled with Saul's son Ishbosheth across the Jordan to Mahanaim.
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There Abner made Ishbosheth king of the territories of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, and indeed over all Israel.
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He was forty years old when he was made king of Israel, and he ruled for two years. But the tribe of Judah was loyal to David,
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and he ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years.
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Abner and the officials of Ishbosheth went from Mahanaim to the city of Gibeon.
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Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, and David's other officials met them at the pool, where they all sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the opposite side.
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Abner said to Joab, "Let's have some of the young men from each side fight an armed contest." "All right," Joab answered.
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So twelve men, representing Ishbosheth and the tribe of Benjamin, fought twelve of David's men.
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Each man caught his opponent by the head and plunged his sword into his opponent's side, so that all twenty-four of them fell down dead together. And so that place in Gibeon is called "Field of Swords."
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Then a furious battle broke out, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David's men.
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The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, who could run as fast as a wild deer,
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started chasing Abner, running straight for him.
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Abner looked back and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes," he answered.
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"Stop chasing me!" Abner said. "Run after one of the soldiers and take what he has." But Asahel kept on chasing him.
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Once more Abner said to him, "Stop chasing me! Why force me to kill you? How could I face your brother Joab?"
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But Asahel would not quit; so Abner, with a backward thrust of his spear, struck him through the stomach so that the spear came out at his back. Asahel dropped to the ground dead, and everyone who came to the place where he was lying stopped and stood there.
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But Joab and Abishai started out after Abner, and at sunset they came to the hill of Ammah, which is to the east of Giah on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.
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The men from the tribe of Benjamin gathered around Abner again and took their stand on the top of a hill.
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Abner called out to Joab, "Do we have to go on fighting forever? Can't you see that in the end there will be nothing but bitterness? We are your relatives. How long will it be before you order your men to stop chasing us?"
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"I swear by the living God," Joab answered, "that if you had not spoken, my men would have kept on chasing you until tomorrow morning."
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Then Joab blew the trumpet as a signal for his men to stop pursuing the Israelites; and so the fighting stopped.
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Abner and his men marched through the Jordan Valley all that night; they crossed the Jordan River, and after marching all the next morning, they arrived back at Mahanaim.
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When Joab gave up the chase, he gathered all his men and found that nineteen of them were missing, in addition to Asahel.
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David's men had killed 360 of Abner's men from the tribe of Benjamin.
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Joab and his men took Asahel's body and buried it in the family tomb at Bethlehem. Then they marched all night and at dawn arrived back at Hebron.
1
All the people of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, "We are your own flesh and blood.
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In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the LORD your God promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler."
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So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel, just as the LORD had promised through Samuel.
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King David and all the Israelites went and attacked the city of Jerusalem. It was then known as Jebus, and the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were still living there.
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The Jebusites told David he would never get inside the city, but David captured their fortress of Zion, and it became known as "David's City."
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David said, "The first man to kill a Jebusite will be commander of the army!" Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, led the attack and became commander.
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Because David went to live in the fortress, it came to be called "David's City."
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He rebuilt the city, starting at the place where land was filled in on the east side of the hill, and Joab restored the rest of the city.
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David grew stronger and stronger, because the LORD Almighty was with him.
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This is the list of David's famous soldiers. Together with the rest of the people of Israel, they helped him become king, as the LORD had promised, and they kept his kingdom strong.
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First was Jashobeam of the clan of Hachmon, the leader of "The Three." He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them all in one battle.
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Next among the famous "Three" was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh.
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He fought on David's side against the Philistines at the battle of Pas Dammim. He was in a barley field when the Israelites started to run away,
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so he and his men took a stand in the middle of the field and fought the Philistines. The LORD gave him a great victory.
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One day three of the thirty leading soldiers went to a rock where David was staying near Adullam Cave, while a band of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley.
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At that time David was on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem.
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David got homesick and said, "How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem!"
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The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out as an offering to the LORD
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and said, "I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!" So he refused to drink it. These were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.
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Joab's brother Abishai was the leader of "The Famous Thirty." He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among "The Thirty."
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He was the most famous of "The Thirty" and became their leader, but he was not as famous as "The Three."
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Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was a famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
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He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man seven and a half feet tall, who was armed with a gigantic spear. Benaiah attacked him with a club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it.
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Those were the brave deeds of Benaiah, who was one of "The Thirty."
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He was outstanding among "The Thirty," but not as famous as "The Three." David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
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These are the other outstanding soldiers: Asahel, Joab's brother Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem Shammoth from Harod Helez from Pelet Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa Abiezer from Anathoth Sibbecai from Hushah Ilai from Ahoh Maharai from Netophah Heled son of Baanah from Netophah Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin Benaiah from Pirathon Hurai from the valleys near Gaash Abiel from Arbah Azmaveth from Bahurum Eliahba from Shaalbon Hashem from Gizon Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar Ahiam son of Sachar from Harar Eliphal son of Ur Hepher from Mecherah Ahijah from Pelon Hezro from Carmel Naarai son of Ezbai Joel brother of Nathan Mibhar son of Hagri Zelek from Ammon Naharai, Joab's armorbearer, from Beeroth Ira and Gareb from Jattir Uriah the Hittite Zabad son of Ahlai Adina son of Shiza (a leading member of the tribe of Reuben, with his own group of thirty soldiers) Hanan son of Maacah Joshaphat from Mithan Uzzia from Ashterah Shamma and Jeiel, sons of Hotham, from Aroer Jediael and Joha, sons of Shimri, from Tiz Eliel from Mahavah Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam Ithmah from Moab Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel from Zobah
1
I call to the LORD for help; I plead with him.
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I bring him all my complaints; I tell him all my troubles.
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When I am ready to give up, he knows what I should do. In the path where I walk, my enemies have hidden a trap for me.
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When I look beside me, I see that there is no one to help me, no one to protect me. No one cares for me.
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LORD, I cry to you for help; you, LORD, are my protector; you are all I want in this life.
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Listen to my cry for help, for I am sunk in despair. Save me from my enemies; they are too strong for me.
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Set me free from my distress; then in the assembly of your people I will praise you because of your goodness to me.
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At that time Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus.
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"He is really John the Baptist, who has come back to life," he told his officials. "That is why he has this power to perform miracles."
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For Herod had earlier ordered John's arrest, and he had him tied up and put in prison. He had done this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
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For some time John the Baptist had told Herod, "It isn't right for you to be married to Herodias!"
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Herod wanted to kill him, but he was afraid of the Jewish people, because they considered John to be a prophet.
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On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced in front of the whole group. Herod was so pleased
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that he promised her, "I swear that I will give you anything you ask for!"
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At her mother's suggestion she asked him, "Give me here and now the head of John the Baptist on a plate!"
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The king was sad, but because of the promise he had made in front of all his guests he gave orders that her wish be granted.
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So he had John beheaded in prison.
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The head was brought in on a plate and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
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John's disciples came, carried away his body, and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.
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When Jesus heard the news about John, he left there in a boat and went to a lonely place by himself. The people heard about it, and so they left their towns and followed him by land.
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Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd, his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick.
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That evening his disciples came to him and said, "It is already very late, and this is a lonely place. Send the people away and let them go to the villages to buy food for themselves."
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"They don't have to leave," answered Jesus. "You yourselves give them something to eat!"
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"All we have here are five loaves and two fish," they replied.
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"Then bring them here to me," Jesus said.
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He ordered the people to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
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Everyone ate and had enough. Then the disciples took up twelve baskets full of what was left over.
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The number of men who ate was about five thousand, not counting the women and children.
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Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people away.
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After sending the people away, he went up a hill by himself to pray. When evening came, Jesus was there alone;
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and by this time the boat was far out in the lake, tossed about by the waves, because the wind was blowing against it.
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Between three and six o'clock in the morning Jesus came to the disciples, walking on the water.
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When they saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. "It's a ghost!" they said, and screamed with fear.
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Jesus spoke to them at once. "Courage!" he said. "It is I. Don't be afraid!"
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Then Peter spoke up. "Lord, if it is really you, order me to come out on the water to you."
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"Come!" answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus.
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But when he noticed the strong wind, he was afraid and started to sink down in the water. "Save me, Lord!" he cried.
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At once Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him and said, "What little faith you have! Why did you doubt?"
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They both got into the boat, and the wind died down.
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Then the disciples in the boat worshiped Jesus. "Truly you are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.
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They crossed the lake and came to land at Gennesaret,
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where the people recognized Jesus. So they sent for the sick people in all the surrounding country and brought them to Jesus.
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They begged him to let the sick at least touch the edge of his cloak; and all who touched it were made well.
