David
mourned for Saul and Jonathan, and then, as God commanded him, he
went to live in Hebron. And the men of the tribe of Judah made him
leader and king. Immediately, Abner, the captain of Saul's army,
proclaimed Ishabasheth, one of Saul's sons, king of the tribe of
Benjamin and all Israel, and there was long war between
the house of Saul
and the and the house of David. But David grew stronger and
stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
Finally, the
leaders of all the twelve tribes of Israel came to David to ask
him to become king over Israel. David took the stronghold of Zion
in Jerusalem, and it was named the City of David. They built him a
great house of cedar and stone and proclaimed him king. David led
the armies against the Philistines and the Moabites and the
Syrians, and conquered them all. He dedicated the spoils of these
nations to God. He reigned over all Israel forty years and gave
judgment and justice to all his people.
