When David returned from striking down the Amelekites, a man came from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head and fell to the ground and paid homage. He informed him that all Israelites fled from the battle and that Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead. He told him that Saul asked him to stand beside him and kill him, so he killed Saul knowing that he could not live after he had fallen.

 

David tore his clothes and so did all the men who were with him. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of Israel for they had fallen by the sword.

 

David said to the young man, “How is it that you were not afraid to put your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” Then David called one of the young men and said “Go and execute him”. And he struck him down and he died. And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed’”.

 

God then commanded David to return to the city of Hebron, where the men of Judah anointed him the king over Judah.

 

After this David fought a number of battles with Philistines and his political rivals from the house of Saul, but prevailed over all his enemies and solidified his position as the King of all tribes of Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned forty years. David became greater and greater for the LORD, The God of hosts was with him. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees also carpenters and masons who built David a house. And David knew that Lord had established him king over Israel and that he exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

 

And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.

 

David then brought the ark of God with great festivities and music and jubilation on a new cart. David danced with all his might before the LORD. And when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six steps he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. Then David brought the ark in the city and kept it in a tent that he pitched and distributed among all the people the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a potion of meat and cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed to their houses.

 

While David was dancing before the LORD his wife Michal looked at him from the window and despised him in her heart. When David came to bless his household, his wife Michal came to meet him and said, “How the King of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”.

And David said to Michal , “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD - and I will celebrate before the LORD. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken by them I shall be held in honor”. And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.