¹² It was told king David, saying, "Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God." David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy.

¹³ It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

¹⁴ David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod.

¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

¹⁶ It was so, as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

¹⁸ When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Armies.

¹⁹ He dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a cake of bread, and a portion [of flesh], and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house.

²⁰ Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"

²¹ David said to Michal, "It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. Therefore will I celebrate before Yahweh.

²² I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me."

²³ Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

¹ It happened, when the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies all around,

² that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains."

³ Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for Yahweh is with you."

⁴ It happened the same night, that the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying,

⁵ "Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says Yahweh, "Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in?

⁶ For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle.

⁷ In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"'

⁸ Now therefore you shall tell my servant David this, 'Thus says Yahweh of Armies, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Israel.

⁹ I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

¹⁰ I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,

¹¹ and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house.

¹² When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹³ He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴ I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;

¹⁵ but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever."'"

¹⁷ According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁸ Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, "Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

¹⁹ This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this after the way of men, Lord Yahweh!

²⁰ What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Lord Yahweh.

²¹ For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it.

²² Therefore you are great, Yahweh God. For there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³ What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to you out of Egypt, [from] the nations and their gods?

²⁴ You established for yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God.

²⁵ Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken.

²⁶ Let your name be magnified forever, saying, 'Yahweh of Armies is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you.'

²⁷ For you, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.

²⁸ "Now, O Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁹ Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing."

¹ After this it happened that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.

² He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

³ David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

⁴ David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.

⁵ When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

⁶ Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

⁷ David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

⁸ From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

⁹ When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,

¹⁰ then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. [Joram] brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

¹¹ These also did king David dedicate to Yahweh, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;

¹² of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ David earned a reputation when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.

¹⁴ He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁵ David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness to all his people.

¹⁶ Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

¹⁷ and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Seraiah was scribe;

¹⁸ and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was over] the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers.

¹ David said, "Is there yet any who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

² There was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" He said, "Your servant is he."

³ The king said, "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet."

⁴ The king said to him, "Where is he?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar."

⁵ Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.

⁶ Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. David said, "Mephibosheth." He answered, "Behold, your servant!"

⁷ David said to him, "Don't be afraid of him; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You shall eat bread at my table continually."

⁸ He did obeisance, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?"

⁹ Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master's son.

¹⁰ You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in [the fruits], that your master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread always at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

¹¹ Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your shall servant do." So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table, like one of the king's sons.

¹² Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

¹³ So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king's table. He was lame in both his feet.

¹ It happened after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.

² David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

³ But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn't David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?"

⁴ So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵ When they told it to David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, "Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

⁶ When the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

⁷ When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

⁸ The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

⁹ Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

¹⁰ The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.

¹¹ He said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

¹² Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and Yahweh do that which seems good to him."

¹³ So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

¹⁴ When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

¹⁶ Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

¹⁷ It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

¹⁸ The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there.

¹⁹ When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.