2Samuel 1
1After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.H310H4194H7586H1732H7725H5221H6002H1732H3427H8147H3117H6860 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul's army camp. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect.H7992H3117H376H935H4264H7586H899H7167H127H7218H935H1732H5307H776H7812 3"Where have you come from?" David asked. "I escaped from the Israelite camp," the man replied.H1732H559H935H559H4264H3478H4422 4"What happened?" David demanded. "Tell me how the battle went." The man replied, "Our entire army fled from the battle. Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead."H1732H559H4100H1697H5046H559H5971H5127H4421H7235H5971H5307H4191H7586H3083H1121H4191 5"How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?" David demanded of the young man.H1732H559H5288H5046H3045H7586H3083H1121H4191 6The man answered, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him.H5288H5046H559H7136H7122H2022H1533H7586H8172H2595H7393H1167H6571H1692 7When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. 'How can I help?' I asked him.H6437H310H7200H7121H559 8"He responded, 'Who are you?' "'I am an Amalekite,' I told him.H559H559H6003 9"Then he begged me, 'Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.'H559H5975H4191H7661H270H5315 10"So I killed him," the Amalekite told David, "for I knew he couldn't live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord."H5975H4191H3045H2421H310H5307H3947H5145H7218H685H2220H935H113 11David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news.H1732H2388H899H7167H582 12They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD's army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.H5594H1058H6684H6153H7586H3083H1121H5971H3068H1004H3478H5307H2719 13Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, "Where are you from?" And he replied, "I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land."H1732H559H5288H5046H559H1121H376H1616H6003 14"Why were you not afraid to kill the LORD's anointed one?" David asked.H1732H559H3372H7971H3027H7843H3068H4899 15Then David said to one of his men, "Kill him!" So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him.H1732H7121H259H5288H559H5066H6293H5221H4191 16"You have condemned yourself," David said, "for you yourself confessed that you killed the LORD's anointed one."H1732H559H1818H7218H6310H6030H559H4191H3068H4899 17Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan,H1732H6969H7015H7586H3083H1121 18and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar.H559H3925H1121H3063H7198H3789H5612H3477 19Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills! Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!H6643H3478H2491H1116H1368H5307 20Don't announce the news in Gath, don't proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice and the pagans will laugh in triumph.H5046H1661H1319H2351H831H1323H6430H8055H1323H6189H5937 21O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled; the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.H2022H1533H2919H4306H7704H8641H4043H1368H1602H4043H7586H4899H8081 22The bow of Jonathan was powerful, and the sword of Saul did its mighty work. They shed the blood of their enemies and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.H1818H2491H2459H1368H7198H3083H7734H268H2719H7586H7725H7387 23How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.H7586H3083H157H5273H2416H4194H6504H7043H5404H1396H738 24O women of Israel, weep for Saul, for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing, in garments decorated with gold.H1323H3478H1058H7586H3847H8144H5730H5927H5716H2091H3830 25Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies dead on the hills.H1368H5307H8432H4421H3083H2491H1116 26How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women!H6887H251H3083H3966H5276H160H6381H160H802 27Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.H1368H5307H3627H4421H6
2Samuel 2
2After this, David asked the LORD, "Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?" "Yes," the LORD replied. Then David asked, "Which town should I go to?" "To Hebron," the LORD answered.H310H1732H7592H3068H559H5927H259H5892H3063H3068H559H5927H1732H559H5927H559H22752David's two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wivesH1732H5927H8147H802H293H3159H26H5037H802H37613and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron.H582H1732H5927H376H1004H3427H5892H22754Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah. When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul,H582H3063H935H4886H1732H4428H1004H3063H5046H1732H559H582H3003H1568H6912H75865he sent them this message: "May the LORD bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial.H1732H7971H4397H582H3003H1568H559H1288H3068H6213H2617H113H7586H69126May the LORD be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done.H3068H6213H2617H571H6213H2896H6213H16977Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king."H3027H2388H1121H2428H113H7586H4191H1004H3063H4886H44288But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul's son Ishbosheth.H74H1121H5369H8269H7586H6635H3947H378H1121H7586H5674H42669There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.H4427H1568H805H3157H669H1144H347810Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.H378H7586H1121H705H8141H1121H4427H3478H4427H8147H8141H1004H3063H310H173211David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.H4557H3117H1732H4428H2275H1004H3063H7651H8141H8337H232012One day Abner led Ishbosheth's troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon.H74H1121H5369H5650H378H1121H7586H3318H4266H139113About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David's troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.H3097H1121H6870H5650H1732H3318H6298H3162H1295H1391H3427H1295H129514Then Abner suggested to Joab, "Let's have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us." "All right," Joab agreed.H74H559H3097H5288H6965H7832H6440H3097H559H696515So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David.H6965H5674H4557H8147H6240H1144H378H1121H7586H8147H6240H5650H173216Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other's side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.H2388H376H7453H7218H2719H7453H6654H5307H3162H4725H7121H2521H139117A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.H3966H7186H4421H3117H74H5062H582H3478H6440H5650H173218Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David's forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,H7969H1121H6870H3097H52H6214H6214H7031H7272H259H7704H664319and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything.H6214H7291H310H74H3212H5186H3225H8040H310H7420When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes, it is," he replied.H74H6437H310H559H6214H55921"Go fight someone else!" Abner warned. "Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons." But Asahel kept right on chasing Abner.H74H559H5186H3225H8040H270H259H5288H3947H2488H6214H14H5493H31022Again Abner shouted to him, "Get away from here! I don't want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?"H74H559H3254H6214H5493H310H5221H776H5375H6440H3097H25123But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel's stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.H3985H5493H74H310H2595H5221H413H2570H2595H3318H310H5307H4191H8478H935H4725H6214H5307H4191H597524When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner. The sun was just going down as they arrived at the hill of Ammah near Giah, along the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.H3097H52H7291H310H74H8121H935H935H1389H522H6440H1520H1870H4057H139125Abner's troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.H1121H1144H6908H310H74H259H92H5975H7218H138926Abner shouted down to Joab, "Must we always be killing each other? Don't you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?"H74H7121H3097H559H2719H398H5331H3045H4751H314H559H5971H7725H310H25127Then Joab said, "God only knows what would have happened if you hadn't spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary."H3097H559H430H2416H3884H1696H1242H5971H5927H376H310H25128So Joab blew the ram's horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.H3097H8628H7782H5971H5975H7291H310H3478H3898H325429All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn't stop until they arrived at Mahanaim.H74H582H1980H3915H6160H5674H3383H3212H1338H935H426630Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel.H3097H7725H310H74H6908H5971H6908H6485H1732H5650H8672H6240H376H621431But 360 of Abner's men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin.H5650H1732H5221H1144H74H582H7969H3967H8346H376H419132Joab and his men took Asahel's body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father's tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.H5375H6214H6912H6913H1H1035H3097H582H3212H3915H2275H215
2Samuel 3
3That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul's dynasty became weaker and weaker.H752H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H1732H1980H2390H2390H1004H7586H1980H1800H18002These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron: The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.H1732H1121H3205H3205H2275H1060H550H293H31593The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.H4932H3609H26H802H5037H3761H7992H53H1121H4601H1323H8526H4428H16504The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.H7243H138H1121H2294H2549H8203H1121H375The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David's wife. These sons were all born to David in Hebron.H8345H3507H5698H1732H802H3205H1732H22756As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul.H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H74H2388H1004H75867One day Ishbosheth, Saul's son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father's concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.H7586H6370H8034H7532H1323H345H559H74H935H1H63708Abner was furious. "Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?" he shouted. "After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman?H74H3966H2734H1697H378H559H3611H7218H3063H6213H2617H3117H1004H7586H1H251H4828H4672H3027H1732H6485H3117H5771H8029May God strike me and even kill me if I don't do everything I can to help David get what the LORD has promised him!H6213H430H74H3254H3068H7650H1732H621310I'm going to take Saul's kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south."H5674H4467H1004H7586H6965H3678H1732H3478H3063H1835H88411Ishbosheth didn't dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.H3201H7725H74H1697H337212Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, "Doesn't the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you."H74H7971H4397H1732H559H776H559H3772H1285H3027H5437H347813"All right," David replied, "but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come."H559H2896H3772H1285H259H1697H7592H559H7200H6440H6440H935H4324H7586H1323H935H7200H644014David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul's son: "Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of 100 Philistines."H1732H7971H4397H378H7586H1121H559H5414H802H4324H781H3967H6190H643015So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti son of Laish.H378H7971H3947H376H6409H1121H3889H391916Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, "Go back home!" So Palti returned.H376H3212H1980H1058H310H980H559H74H3212H7725H772517Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. "For some time now," he told them, "you have wanted to make David your king.H74H1961H1697H2205H3478H559H1245H1732H8543H8032H442818Now is the time! For the LORD has said, 'I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.'"H6213H3068H559H1732H559H3027H5650H1732H3467H5971H3478H3027H6430H3027H34119Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.H74H1696H241H1144H74H3212H1696H241H1732H2275H5869H2896H3478H5869H1004H114420When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast.H74H935H1732H2275H6242H582H1732H6213H74H582H496021Then Abner said to David, "Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires." So David sent Abner safely on his way.H74H559H1732H6965H3212H6908H3478H113H4428H3772H1285H4427H5315H183H1732H7971H74H7971H3212H796522But just after David had sent Abner away in safety, Joab and some of David's troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them.H5650H1732H3097H935H1416H935H7227H7998H74H1732H2275H7971H3212H796523When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety.H3097H6635H935H5046H3097H559H74H1121H5369H935H4428H7971H3212H796524Joab rushed to the king and demanded, "What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away?H3097H935H4428H559H6213H74H935H7971H1980H321225You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you're doing!"H3045H74H1121H5369H935H6601H3045H4161H4126H3996H3045H621326Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it.H3097H3318H1732H7971H4397H310H74H7725H953H5626H1732H304527When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.H74H7725H2275H3097H5186H413H8432H8179H1696H7987H5221H2570H4191H1818H6214H25128When David heard about it, he declared, "I vow by the LORD that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner.H310H1732H8085H559H4467H5355H3068H5704H5769H1818H74H1121H536929Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!"H2342H7218H3097H1H1004H3772H1004H3097H2100H6879H2388H6418H5307H2719H2638H389930So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.H3097H52H251H2026H74H4191H251H6214H1391H442131Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, "Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner." And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave.H1732H559H3097H5971H7167H899H2296H8242H5594H6440H74H4428H1732H1980H310H429632They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside.H6912H74H2275H4428H5375H6963H1058H6913H74H5971H105833Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner: "Should Abner have died as fools die?H4428H6969H74H559H4191H74H5036H419434Your hands were not bound; your feet were not chained. No, you were murdered—the victim of a wicked plot." All the people wept again for Abner.H3027H631H7272H5066H5178H5307H6440H5766H1121H5307H5971H1058H325435David had refused to eat anything on the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him to eat. But David had made a vow, saying, "May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown."H3605H5971H935H1262H1732H1262H3899H5750H3117H1732H7650H559H6213H430H3254H2938H3899H3972H6440H8121H93536This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them!H5971H5234H3190H5869H4428H6213H5869H2896H597137So everyone in Judah and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for Abner's murder.H5971H3478H3045H3117H4428H4191H74H1121H536938Then King David said to his officials, "Don't you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel?H4428H559H5650H3045H8269H1419H5307H3117H347839And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah—Joab and Abishai—are too strong for me to control. So may the LORD repay these evil men for their evil deeds."H3117H7390H4886H4428H582H1121H6870H7186H3068H7999H6213H7451
2Samuel 4
4When Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard about Abner's death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.H7586H1121H8085H74H4191H2275H3027H7503H3478H9262Now there were two brothers, Baanah and Recab, who were captains of Ishbosheth's raiding parties. They were sons of Rimmon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Beeroth. The town of Beeroth is now part of Benjamin's territoryH7586H1121H1961H8147H582H8269H1416H8034H259H1196H8034H8145H7394H1121H7417H886H1121H1144H881H2803H11443because the original people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.H886H1272H1664H1481H31174(Saul's son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child's nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)H3083H7586H1121H1121H5223H7272H2568H8141H1121H8052H935H7586H3083H3157H539H5375H5127H2648H5127H5307H6452H8034H46485One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth's house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.H1121H7417H886H7394H1196H3212H935H2527H3117H1004H378H7901H4904H66726The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her.H935H8432H1004H3947H2406H5221H2570H7394H1196H251H44227They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night.H935H1004H7901H4296H2315H4904H5221H4191H5493H3947H7218H3212H1870H6160H39158When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth's head to David. "Look!" they exclaimed to the king. "Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the LORD has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!"H935H7218H378H1732H2275H559H4428H7218H378H1121H7586H341H1245H5315H3068H5414H5360H113H4428H3117H7586H22339But David said to Recab and Baanah, "The LORD, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness.H1732H6030H7394H1196H251H1121H7417H886H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H686910Someone once told me, 'Saul is dead,' thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That's the reward I gave him for his news!H5046H559H7586H4191H5869H1319H270H2026H6860H5414H130911How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn't I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?"H7563H582H2026H6662H376H1004H4904H1245H1818H3027H1197H77612So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.H1732H6680H5288H2026H7112H3027H7272H8518H1295H2275H3947H7218H378H6912H6913H74H2275
Dublin, OH
.H559
