1 Samuel 31, 2 Samuel 1-10 – First Samuel ends with Saul’s death. Rather than facing the torment of the Philistines, he falls on his own sword, but the first chapter of 2 Samuel gives a different account. An Amalekite reports to David that he killed Saul after Saul asked him to run him through with the sword. Either way, Saul is now dead, and David is made king of Judah, while Ishbaal (Saul’s son) supposedly reigns over the rest of Israel. Abner supports Ishbaal at first, but after having been accused of sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines, Abner turns to support David. Before he can do anything to help David’s conquest, Abner is killed by Joab (commander of David’s forces) for killing Joab’s brother Asahel. Ishbaal is also assassinated by Rechab and Baanah, who are apparently motivated by the thought of reward from David for their service, but they are killed by David as a result. With no other leader to turn to, the rest of Israel accepts David as their king at Hebron. After that, David enjoys much military success against the enemies of Israel (Philistines, Moabites, Edomites,…