2 Samuel 1; 2 Samuel 2; Luke 14:1-24

1 After Saul's death, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed in Ziklag two days.

2 On the third day, a man showed up from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he reached David, he fell to the ground, bowing low out of respect.

3 "Where have you come from?" David asked him. "I've escaped from the Israelite army!" he answered.

4 "What's the report?" David asked him. "Tell me!" The man answered, "The troops fled from the battle! Many of the soldiers have fallen and died. What's more, Saul and his son Jonathan have also died!"

5 "How do you know," David asked the young man who brought the news, "that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"

6 The young man who brought the news replied, "I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and Saul was there, leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him.

7 He turned around and saw me, then he called to me. ‘Yes, sir,' I answered.

8 ‘Who are you?' he asked, and I told him, ‘I'm an Amalekite.'

9 He said to me, ‘Please come over here and kill me, because convulsions have come over me but I'm still alive.'

10 So I went over to him and killed him, because I knew he couldn't survive after being wounded like that. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and I've brought them here to you, my master."

11 Then David grabbed his clothes and ripped them—and all his soldiers did the same.

12 They mourned and cried and fasted until evening for Saul, his son Jonathan, the LORD's army, and the whole house of Israel, because they had died by the sword.

13 "Where are you from?" David asked the young man who brought him the news. "I'm the son of an immigrant," he answered. "An Amalekite."

14 Then David said to him, "How is it that you weren't afraid to raise your hand and destroy the LORD's anointed?"

15 Then David called for one of the young servants. "Come here!" he said. "Strike him down!" So the servant struck the Amalekite down, and he died.

16 "Your blood is on your own head," David said to the Amalekite, "because your own mouth testified against you when you admitted, ‘I killed the LORD's anointed.'"

17 Then David sang this funeral song for Saul and his son Jonathan.

18 David ordered everyone in Judah to learn the Song of the Bow. (In fact, it is written in the scroll from Jashar.)

19 Oh, no, Israel! Your prince lies dead on your heights. Look how the mighty warriors have fallen!

20 Don't talk about it in Gath; don't bring news of it to Ashkelon's streets, or else the Philistines' daughters will rejoice; the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.

21 You hills of Gilboa! Let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields yielding grain offerings. Because it was there that the mighty warrior's shield was defiled— the shield of Saul!—never again anointed with oil.

22 Jonathan's bow never wavered from the blood of the slain, from the gore of the warriors. Never did Saul's sword return empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan! So well loved, so dearly cherished! In their lives and in their deaths they were never separated. They were faster than eagles, stronger than lions!

24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul! He dressed you in crimson with jewels; he decorated your clothes with gold jewelry.

25 Look how the mighty warriors have fallen in the midst of battle! Jonathan lies dead on your heights.

26 I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan! You were so dear to me! Your love was more amazing to me than the love of women.

27 Look how the mighty warriors have fallen! Look how the weapons of war have been destroyed!

1 Some time later, David questioned the LORD, "Should I go to one of the towns in Judah?" "Yes, go," the LORD told him. "Which one should I go to?" David asked. "To Hebron," the LORD replied.

2 So David went there, along with his two wives: Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel.

3 David also took the soldiers who were with him, each with his family, and they lived in the towns around Hebron.

4 Then the people of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was informed that it was the people of Jabesh-gilead who had buried Saul,

5 he sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead. "The LORD bless you," he said to them, "for doing this loyal deed for your master Saul by burying him.

6 May the LORD now show you loyal love and faithfulness. I myself will also reward you because you did this.

7 So now take courage and be brave—yes, your master Saul is dead, but the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

8 Meanwhile, Abner, Ner's son, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ishbosheth, Saul's son, and brought him over to Mahanaim.

9 There he made him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.

10 Saul's son Ishbosheth was 40 years old when he became king over Israel, and he ruled for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

11 The amount of time David ruled in Hebron over the house of Judah totaled seven and a half years.

12 Abner, Ner's son, along with the soldiers of Ishbosheth, Saul's son, left Mahanaim to go to Gibeon.

13 Joab, Zeruiah's son, and David's soldiers also came out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool; the other sat on the opposite side of the pool.

14 Abner said to Joab, "Let's have the young men fight in a contest before us." "All right," Joab said, "let's do it."

15 So the men came forward and were counted as they passed by: twelve for Benjamin and Ishbosheth, Saul's son; and twelve of David's soldiers.

16 Each man grabbed his opponent by the head and stuck his sword into his opponent's side so that they both fell dead together. That's why that place is called The Field of Daggers, which is located in Gibeon.

17 A fierce battle took place that day, and Abner and the Israelite troops were defeated by David's soldiers.

18 Now Zeruiah's three sons were present at the battle: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as fast as a gazelle in an open field.

19 Asahel went after Abner, staying completely focused in his pursuit of Abner.

20 Abner looked behind him and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes, it's me," Asahel answered.

21 "Break off your pursuit!" Abner told him. "Fight one of the young warriors and take his gear for yourself!" But Asahel wouldn't stop chasing him.

22 So Abner repeated himself to Asahel: "Stop chasing me. Why should I kill you? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?"

23 But Asahel wouldn't turn back, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the back end of his spear. But the spear went through Asahel's back. He fell down and died right there. Everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died just stood there,

24 but Joab and Abishai went after Abner. The sun was setting when they came to the hill of Ammah, which faces Giah on the road to the Gibeon wilderness.

25 The Benjaminites rallied behind Abner, forming a single unit. Then they took their positions on the top of a hill.

26 Abner yelled down to Joab, "Must the sword keep killing forever? Don't you realize that this will end bitterly? How long before you order the troops to stop chasing their brothers?"

27 "As surely as God lives," Joab replied, "if you hadn't just said that, the soldiers would have continued after their brothers until morning."

28 Joab blew the trumpet, and all the soldiers stopped. They didn't pursue Israel anymore, nor did they continue to fight.

29 Abner and his men then marched all night through the wilderness, crossing the Jordan River and marching all morning until they got to Mahanaim.

30 Joab, meanwhile, returned from pursuing Abner and assembled the troops. Nineteen of David's soldiers were counted missing in addition to Asahel.

31 But David's soldiers had defeated the Benjaminites, killing three hundred sixty of Abner's soldiers.

32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night. When daylight came, they were in Hebron.

1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to share a meal in the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, they were watching him closely.

2 A man suffering from an abnormal swelling of the body was there.

3 Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, "Does the Law allow healing on the Sabbath or not?"

4 But they said nothing. Jesus took hold of the sick man, cured him, and then let him go.

5 He said to them, "Suppose your child or ox fell into a ditch on the Sabbath day. Wouldn't you immediately pull it out?"

6 But they had no response.

7 When Jesus noticed how the guests sought out the best seats at the table, he told them a parable.

8 "When someone invites you to a wedding celebration, don't take your seat in the place of honor. Someone more highly regarded than you could have been invited by your host.

9 The host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give your seat to this other person.' Embarrassed, you will take your seat in the least important place.

10 Instead, when you receive an invitation, go and sit in the least important place. When your host approaches you, he will say, ‘Friend, move up here to a better seat.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests.

11 All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up."

12 Then Jesus said to the person who had invited him, "When you host a lunch or dinner, don't invite your friends, your brothers and sisters, your relatives, or rich neighbors. If you do, they will invite you in return and that will be your reward.

13 Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind.

14 And you will be blessed because they can't repay you. Instead, you will be repaid when the just are resurrected."

15 When one of the dinner guests heard Jesus' remarks, he said to Jesus, "Happy are those who will feast in God's kingdom."

16 Jesus replied, "A certain man hosted a large dinner and invited many people.

17 When it was time for the dinner to begin, he sent his servant to tell the invited guests, ‘Come! The dinner is now ready.'

18 One by one, they all began to make excuses. The first one told him, ‘I bought a farm and must go and see it. Please excuse me.'

19 Another said, ‘I bought five teams of oxen, and I'm going to check on them. Please excuse me.'

20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can't come.'

21 When he returned, the servant reported these excuses to his master. The master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go quickly to the city's streets, the busy ones and the side streets, and bring the poor, crippled, blind, and lame.'

22 The servant said, ‘Master, your instructions have been followed and there is still room.'

23 The master said to the servant, ‘Go to the highways and back alleys and urge people to come in so that my house will be filled.

24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will taste my dinner.'"