2 Samuel 1; 2 Samuel 2; 2 Samuel 3; 2 Samuel 4

2 Samuel 1

1 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;

2 it came 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.

3 And David said unto him, Where dost thou come from? And he said unto him, I am escaped out of the camp of Israel.

4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people fled from the battle, and many of the people fell and are dead, and Saul and Jonathan, his son, are dead also.

5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How dost thou know that Saul and Jonathan, his son, are dead?

6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear, and the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me and slay me, for anguish is come upon me, and all my soul is yet in me.

10 So I stood upon him and slew him because I was sure that he could not live after 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 here unto my lord.

11 Then David took hold on his clothes and rent them and likewise all the men that were with him.

12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel because they had fallen by the sword.

13 And David said unto the young man that told him, From where art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?

15 Then David called one of the young men and said, Go near and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head, for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed.

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son.

18 (He also bade them teach the sons of Judah the use of the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of righteousness.)

19 The glory of Israel is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen!

20 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.

21 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.

22 Without the blood of the slain, without the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul never returned empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan were loved and desired in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

26 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.

27 How are the valiant fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

2 Samuel 2

1 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, Where shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

3 And David brought up his men that were with him, each one with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabeshgilead buried Saul.

5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead and said unto them, Blessed shall ye be of the LORD that ye have showed this mercy unto your lord, even unto Saul and have buried him.

6 And now the LORD show mercy and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness because ye have done this thing.

7 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.

8 But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim

9 and made him king over Gilead and over the Ashurites and over Jezreel and over Ephraim and over Benjamin and over all Israel.

10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel and reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.

11 And the number of days that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 And Abner, the son of Ner, and the slaves of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the slaves of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon, and when they met, the one group was on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and sport before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, who pertained to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the slaves of David.

16 And each one caught his fellow by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together; therefore, that place was called Helkathhazzurim, {Heb. the inheritance of the strong}, which is in Gibeon.

17 And there was a very severe battle that day where Abner and the men of Israel were overcome before the slaves of David.

18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel, and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

19 And Asahel pursued after Abner, and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, Yes.

21 Then Abner said to him, Turn aside to thy right hand or to thy left and lay hold on one of the young men and take his spoil. But Asahel would not turn aside from following after him.

22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me; why should I smite thee to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab, thy brother?

23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside; therefore, Abner with the butt 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.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner, and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together in one troop with Abner and stood on the top of a hill.

26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? Dost thou not know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then before thou bid the people to return from following their brethren?

27 And Joab replied, As God lives, if thou had not spoken, surely from this morning the people would have left off from following their brothers.

28 So Joab blew the shofar, and all the people stood still and no longer pursued after Israel, neither did they fight any more.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passing the Jordan, they went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

30 Joab also returned from following Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s slaves nineteen men and Asahel.

31 But the slaves of David had smitten of Benjamin and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and sixty men died.

32 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 the break of day.

2 Samuel 3

1 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.

2 And sons were born unto David in Hebron; and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess;

3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom, the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;

4 and the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

5 and the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

6 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.

7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, Why hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?

8 Then Abner was very angry for the words of Ishbosheth and said, Am I a dog’s head in regard to Judah? I have shown mercy 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 dost charge me today with iniquity concerning this woman?

9 Let God do to Abner and more also unless, as the LORD has sworn to David, so do I unto him,

10 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.

11 And he could not answer Abner a word again because he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? And that they should also say, Make thy covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

13 And he said, Good; I will make a covenant 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.

14 After this, David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15 So Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel, the son of Laish.

16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then Abner said unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you;

18 now then do it, for the LORD has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my slave David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies.

19 And Abner also spoke 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.

20 So Abner came to David to Hebron and twenty men with him. And David made a banquet for Abner and the men that were with him.

21 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 covenant with thee and that thou may reign over all that thy heart desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22 And, behold, the slaves 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.

23 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 has sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

24 Then Joab came to the king and said, What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast let him go?

25 Dost thou not know that Abner, the son of Ner, came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in and to know all that thou doest?

26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who caused him to return from the well of Sirah, but David did not know it.

27 And when Abner had 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.

28 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.

29 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 has an issue or that is a leper or that leans on a staff or that dies by the sword or that lacks bread.

30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth and mourn before Abner. And King David himself followed the bier.

32 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.

33 And the king lamented over Abner and said, Abner died the death of a fool!

34 Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into fetters. Thou didst fall as a man falls before wicked men. And all the people wept again over him.

35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day, David swore, saying, So do God to me, and more also if I taste bread or anything else until the sun is down.

36 And all the people understood, and it pleased them, for whatever the king did pleased all the people.

37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner, the son of Ner.

38 Then the king said unto his slaves, Do ye not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

39 And I am this day a tender anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me; the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

2 Samuel 4

1 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

2 And Saul’s son had two men that were captains of companies; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon, a Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin;

3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and were sojourners there until this day).

4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and it came to pass as she made haste to flee that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 And the sons of Rimmon, the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

6 And they came there into the midst of the house as though they were wheat merchants, and they smote him under the fifth rib; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him and beheaded him and took his head and walked all night through the plain.

8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thy enemy, who sought thy life, and the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed.

9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah, his brother, the sons of Rimmon, the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD lives, who has ransomed my soul out of all adversity,

10 when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him and slew him in Ziklag as a reward for his tidings.

11 How much more unto wicked men who have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? Shall I not, therefore, now require his blood of your hand and remove you from the earth?

12 Then David commanded his young men, and they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and hung them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.