rsv 2Samuel:3:22-39 SEEK
Seeker Overlay ON
*
Just then the servants of David arrived with Jo '
ab from a raid ,
bringing much spoil with them .
But Abner was not with David at Hebron ,
for he had sent him away ,
and he had gone in peace .
*
When Jo '
ab and all the army that was with him came ,
it was told Jo '
ab , "
Abner the son of Ner came to the king ,
and he has let him go ,
and he has gone in peace ."
*
Then Jo '
ab went to the king and said , "
What have you done ?
Behold ,
Abner came to you ;
why is it that you have sent him away ,
so that he is gone ?
*
You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you ,
and to know your going out and your coming in ,
and to know all that you are doing ."
*
When Jo '
ab came out from David '
s presence ,
he sent messengers after Abner ,
and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah ;
but David did not know about it .
*
And when Abner returned to Hebron ,
Jo '
ab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately ,
and there he smote him in the belly ,
so that he died ,
for the blood of As '
ahel his brother .
*
Afterward ,
when David heard of it ,
he said , "
I and my kingdom are for ever guiltless before the LORD for the blood of Abner the son of Ner .
*
May it fall upon the head of Jo '
ab ,
and upon all his father '
s house ;
and may the house of Jo '
ab never be without one who has a discharge ,
or who is leprous ,
or who holds a spindle ,
or who is slain by the sword ,
or who lacks bread !"
*
So Jo '
ab and Abi '
shai his brother slew Abner ,
because he had killed their brother As '
ahel in the battle at Gibeon .
*
Then David said to Jo '
ab and to all the people who were with him , "
Rend your clothes ,
and gird on sackcloth ,
and mourn before Abner ."
And King David followed the bier .
*
They buried Abner at Hebron ;
and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner ;
and all the people wept .
*
And the king lamented for Abner ,
saying , "
Should Abner die as a fool dies ?
*
Your hands were not bound ,
your feet were not fettered ;
as one falls before the wicked you have fallen ."
And all the people wept again over him .
*
Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day ;
but David swore ,
saying , "
God do so to me and more also ,
if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down !"
*
And all the people took notice of it ,
and it pleased them ;
as everything that the king did pleased all the people .
*
So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king '
s will to slay Abner the son of Ner .
*
And the king said to his servants , "
Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel ?
*
And I am this day weak ,
though anointed king ;
these men the sons of Zeru '
iah are too hard for me .
The LORD requite the evildoer according to his wickedness !"