2 Samuel
David mourned over the deaths of Jonathan and Saul. He was anointed king at Hebron, but Abner, one of the captains of his army, named Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, to be king. Abner was overthrown but the tribes of Israel split between the two kings. Ish-bosheth was frightened by the death of Abner and ended up being killed. David reunited Israel and reigned for forty years. The king of Tyre built him a house. His wife, the daughter of Saul, began to hate him and never bore a child.
God told Nathan to tell David to build a real temple for Him. David defeated many people and garnered much wealth. He searched for members of Saul's house to show them kindness. David's army defeated the Syrians. David impregnated Bath-Sheba, the wife of another man. He had his servant Joab make sure that the husband would die. God killed David's child as a punishment but his second child was Solomon. One of David's sons, Ammon, fell in love with his brother Absalom's sister, Tamar. Ammon forced her will.
When she revealed this to Absalom, he told her to be quiet and wait. He arranged for all the sons of the king to be killed. David was very angry when he heard of this. Absalom planned to set up his own kingdom and many people followed him. David traveled with his people who were "hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness." 2 Samuel, 17:29. The king counted his people and set Joab in charge of the army. They defeated Absalom, but David mourned his death.
David was old at this point and wanted to return to Bethlehem to die. A man named Sheba of the Benjamin family, rallied against David and there was more strife. His own people betrayed him. Famine came to Israel until David delivered seven of Saul's sons to an enemy he tortured. David fought the Philistines and killed many. He sang a song of praise to God. As he lay on his deathbed he remembered all the deeds of God and warned his people to keep the commandments. David counted the people for God one last time and then admitted to his previous sin against the husband of Bath-Sheba. The people sinned again and an angel of God killed many of the tribe of Dan. David built an altar to atone for his sins.
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