2Samuel:1-3

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* Now it came to pass after the death of Saul , when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites , and David had abode two days in Ziklag ; * It came even to pass on the third day , that , behold , a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent , and earth upon his head : and so it was , when he came to David , that he fell to the earth , and did obeisance . * And David said unto him , From whence comest thou ? And he said unto him , Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped . * And David said unto him , How went the matter ? I pray thee , tell me . And he answered , That the people are fled from the battle , and many of the people also are fallen and dead ; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also . * And David said unto the young man that told him , How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead ? * And the young man that told him said , As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa , behold , Saul leaned upon his spear ; and , lo , the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him . * And when he looked behind him , he saw me , and called unto me . And I answered , Here am I . * And he said unto me , Who art thou ? And I answered him , I am an Amalekite . * He said unto me again , Stand , I pray thee , upon me , and slay me : for anguish is come upon me , because my life is yet whole in me . * So I stood upon him , and slew him , because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen : and I took the crown that was upon his head , and the bracelet that was on his arm , and have brought them hither unto my lord . * Then David took hold on his clothes , and rent them ; and likewise all the men that were with him : * And they mourned , and wept , and fasted until even , for Saul , and for Jonathan his son , and for the people of the LORD , and for the house of Israel ; because they were fallen by the sword . * And David said unto the young man that told him , Whence art thou ? And he answered , I am the son of a stranger , an Amalekite . * And David said unto him , How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD 'S anointed ? * And David called one of the young men , and said , Go near , and fall upon him . And he smote him that he died . * And David said unto him , Thy blood be upon thy head ; for thy mouth hath testified against thee , saying , I have slain the LORD 'S anointed . * And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son : * (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow : behold , it is written in the book of Jasher .) * The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places : how are the mighty fallen ! * Tell it not in Gath , publish it not in the streets of Askelon ; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice , lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph . * Ye mountains of Gilboa , let there be no dew , neither let there be rain , upon you , nor fields of offerings : for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away , the shield of Saul , as though he had not been anointed with oil . * From the blood of the slain , from the fat of the mighty , the bow of Jonathan turned not back , and the sword of Saul returned not empty . * Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives , and in their death they were not divided : they were swifter than eagles , they were stronger than lions . * Ye daughters of Israel , weep over Saul , who clothed you in scarlet , with other delights , who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel . * How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle ! O Jonathan , thou wast slain in thine high places . * I am distressed for thee , my brother Jonathan : very pleasant hast thou been unto me : thy love to me was wonderful , passing the love of women . * How are the mighty fallen , and the weapons of war perished ! * And it came to pass after this , that David enquired of the LORD , saying , Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah ? And the LORD said unto him , Go up . And David said , Whither shall I go up ? And he said , Unto Hebron . * So David went up thither , and his two wives also , Ahinoam the Jezreelitess , and Abigail Nabal 's wife the Carmelite . * And his men that were with him did David bring up , every man with his household : and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron . * And the men of Judah came , and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah . And they told David , saying , That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul . * And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead , and said unto them , Blessed be ye of the LORD , that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord , even unto Saul , and have buried him . * And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you : and I also will requite you this kindness , because ye have done this thing . * Therefore now let your hands be strengthened , and be ye valiant : for your master Saul is dead , and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them . * But Abner the son of Ner , captain of Saul 's host , took Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and brought him over to Mahanaim ; * And made him king over Gilead , and over the Ashurites , and over Jezreel , and over Ephraim , and over Benjamin , and over all Israel . * Ishbosheth Saul 's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel , and reigned two years . But the house of Judah followed David . * And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months . * And Abner the son of Ner , and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul , went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon . * And Joab the son of Zeruiah , and the servants of David , went out , and met together by the pool of Gibeon : and they sat down , the one on the one side of the pool , and the other on the other side of the pool . * And Abner said to Joab , Let the young men now arise , and play before us . And Joab said , Let them arise . * Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin , which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and twelve of the servants of David . * And they caught every one his fellow by the head , and thrust his sword in his fellow 's side ; so they fell down together : wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim , which is in Gibeon . * And there was a very sore battle that day ; and Abner was beaten , and the men of Israel , before the servants of David . * And there were three sons of Zeruiah there , Joab , and Abishai , and Asahel : and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe . * And Asahel pursued after Abner ; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner . * Then Abner looked behind him , and said , Art thou Asahel ? And he answered , I am . * And Abner said to him , Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left , and lay thee hold on one of the young men , and take thee his armour . But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him . * And Abner said again to Asahel , Turn thee aside from following me : wherefore should I smite thee to the ground ? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother ? * Howbeit he refused to turn aside : wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib , that the spear came out behind him ; and he fell down there , and died in the same place : and it came to pass , that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still . * Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner : and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah , that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon . * And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner , and became one troop , and stood on the top of an hill . * Then Abner called to Joab , and said , Shall the sword devour for ever ? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end ? how long shall it be then , ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren ? * And Joab said , As God liveth , unless thou hadst spoken , surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother . * So Joab blew a trumpet , and all the people stood still , and pursued after Israel no more , neither fought they any more . * And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain , and passed over Jordan , and went through all Bithron , and they came to Mahanaim . * And Joab returned from following Abner : and when he had gathered all the people together , there lacked of David 's servants nineteen men and Asahel . * But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin , and of Abner 's men , so that three hundred and threescore men died . * And they took up Asahel , and buried him in the sepulchre of his father , which was in Bethlehem . And Joab and his men went all night , and they came to Hebron at break of day . * Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David : but David waxed stronger and stronger , and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker . * And unto David were sons born in Hebron : and his firstborn was Amnon , of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess ; * And his second , Chileab , of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite ; and the third , Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur ; * And the fourth , Adonijah the son of Haggith ; and the fifth , Shephatiah the son of Abital ; * And the sixth , Ithream , by Eglah David 's wife . These were born to David in Hebron . * And it came to pass , while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David , that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul . * And Saul had a concubine , whose name was Rizpah , the daughter of Aiah : and Ishbosheth said to Abner , Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father 's concubine ? * Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth , and said , Am I a dog 's head , which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father , to his brethren , and to his friends , and have not delivered thee into the hand of David , that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman ? * So do God to Abner , and more also , except , as the LORD hath sworn to David , even so I do to him ; * To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul , and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah , from Dan even to Beersheba . * And he could not answer Abner a word again , because he feared him . * And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf , saying , Whose is the land ? saying also , Make thy league with me , and , behold , my hand shall be with thee , to bring about all Israel unto thee . * And he said , Well ; I will make a league with thee : but one thing I require of thee , that is , Thou shalt not see my face , except thou first bring Michal Saul 's daughter , when thou comest to see my face . * And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul 's son , saying , Deliver me my wife Michal , which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines . * And Ishbosheth sent , and took her from her husband , even from Phaltiel the son of Laish . * And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim . Then said Abner unto him , Go , return . And he returned . * And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel , saying , Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you : * Now then do it : for the LORD hath spoken of David , saying , By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines , and out of the hand of all their enemies . * And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin : and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel , and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin . * So Abner came to David to Hebron , and twenty men with him . And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast . * And Abner said unto David , I will arise and go , and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king , that they may make a league with thee , and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth . And David sent Abner away ; and he went in peace . * And , behold , the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop , and brought in a great spoil with them : but Abner was not with David in Hebron ; for he had sent him away , and he was gone in peace . * When Joab and all the host that was with him were come , they told Joab , saying , Abner the son of Ner came to the king , and he hath sent him away , and he is gone in peace . * Then Joab came to the king , and said , What hast thou done ? behold , Abner came unto thee ; why is it that thou hast sent him away , and he is quite gone ? * Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner , that he came to deceive thee , and to know thy going out and thy coming in , and to know all that thou doest . * And when Joab was come out from David , he sent messengers after Abner , which brought him again from the well of Sirah : but David knew it not . * And when Abner was returned to Hebron , Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly , and smote him there under the fifth rib , that he died , for the blood of Asahel his brother . * And afterward when David heard it , he said , I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner : * Let it rest on the head of Joab , and on all his father 's house ; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue , or that is a leper , or that leaneth on a staff , or that falleth on the sword , or that lacketh bread . * So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner , because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle . * And David said to Joab , and to all the people that were with him , Rend your clothes , and gird you with sackcloth , and mourn before Abner . And king David himself followed the bier . * And they buried Abner in Hebron : and the king lifted up his voice , and wept at the grave of Abner ; and all the people wept . * And the king lamented over Abner , and said , Died Abner as a fool dieth ? * Thy hands were not bound , nor thy feet put into fetters : as a man falleth before wicked men , so fellest thou . And all the people wept again over him . * And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day , David sware , saying , So do God to me , and more also , if I taste bread , or ought else , till the sun be down . * And all the people took notice of it , and it pleased them : as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people . * For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner . * And the king said unto his servants , Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel ? * And I am this day weak , though anointed king ; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me : the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness . * And when Saul 's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron , his hands were feeble , and all the Israelites were troubled .

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