At his death, Saul left the country in a deplorable position, for things were even worse than they had been at his accession. The defeat was so thorough and unexpected that, at the moment, there was no thought of resistance, all courage having vanished. It was even considered an act of daring that some men of Jabesh-Gilead (from the opposite side of the Jordan), ventured, out of gratitude to Saul who had brought aid to their town, to rescue the king's body from its disgraceful exposure. They crossed the Jordan, at Bethshan, by night, took Saul's and Jonathan's bodies from the walls, buried them under a terebinth, and mourned for them during seven days. The tribes on this side of the Jordan were not equally courageous, or perhaps felt no gratitude to Saul, who had brought misery on the land by his persecution of David. Such was the end of a king whose election the nation had hailed with so much hope and joy. CHAPTER VII. DAVID AND ISHBOSHETH. Burning of Ziklag--Defeat of the Amalekites--Judah elects David as King--Abner and Ishbosheth--War between the houses of Saul and David--Murder of Abner--Death of Ishbosheth--David recognised as sole King--Capture of Zion--Fortification of Jerusalem--War with the Philistines--Victory of David--The Heroes--Alliance with Hiram--Removal of the Ark of the Sanctuary to Jerusalem--The High-Priest--Choral Services of the Temple--Internal Government of Israel--The Gibeonites and Rizpah--Mephibosheth. 1055-1035 B. C. E.