2Samuel 1-3; Psalms 87 - Prayer Tents

David Learns of Saul’s Death

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

David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan

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

David Anointed King of Judah

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.H310H1732H7592H3068H559H5927H259H5892H3063H3068H559H5927H1732H559H5927H559H2275

2David's two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wivesH1732H5927H8147H802H293H3159H26H5037H802H3761

3and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron.H582H1732H5927H376H1004H3427H5892H2275

4Then 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,H582H3063H935H4886H1732H4428H1004H3063H5046H1732H559H582H3003H1568H6912H7586

5he sent them this message: "May the LORD bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial.H1732H7971H4397H582H3003H1568H559H1288H3068H6213H2617H113H7586H6912

6May 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.H3068H6213H2617H571H6213H2896H6213H1697

7Now 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."H3027H2388H1121H2428H113H7586H4191H1004H3063H4886H4428

Ishbosheth Proclaimed King of Israel

8But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul's son Ishbosheth

.H74H1121H5369H8269H7586H6635H3947H378H1121H7586H5674H4266

9There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.H4427H1568H805H3157H669H1144H3478

10Ishbosheth, 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.H378H7586H1121H705H8141H1121H4427H3478H4427H8147H8141H1004H3063H310H1732

11David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.H4557H3117H1732H4428H2275H1004H3063H7651H8141H8337H2320

War between Israel and Judah

12One day Abner led Ishbosheth's troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon.H74H1121H5369H5650H378H1121H7586H3318H4266H1391

13About 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.H3097H1121H6870H5650H1732H3318H6298H3162H1295H1391H3427H1295H1295

14Then 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.H74H559H3097H5288H6965H7832H6440H3097H559H6965

15So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David.H6965H5674H4557H8147H6240H1144H378H1121H7586H8147H6240H5650H1732

16Each 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

.H2388H376H7453H7218H2719H7453H6654H5307H3162H4725H7121H2521H1391

17A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.H3966H7186H4421H3117H74H5062H582H3478H6440H5650H1732

The Death of Asahel

18Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David's forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,H7969H1121H6870H3097H52H6214H6214H7031H7272H259H7704H6643

19and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything.H6214H7291H310H74H3212H5186H3225H8040H310H74

20When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes, it is," he replied.H74H6437H310H559H6214H559

21"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.H74H559H5186H3225H8040H270H259H5288H3947H2488H6214H14H5493H310

22Again Abner shouted to him, "Get away from here! I don't want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?"H74H559H3254H6214H5493H310H5221H776H5375H6440H3097H251

23But 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.H3985H5493H74H310H2595H5221H413H2570H2595H3318H310H5307H4191H8478H935H4725H6214H5307H4191H5975

24When 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.H3097H52H7291H310H74H8121H935H935H1389H522H6440H1520H1870H4057H1391

25Abner's troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.H1121H1144H6908H310H74H259H92H5975H7218H1389

26Abner 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?"H74H7121H3097H559H2719H398H5331H3045H4751H314H559H5971H7725H310H251

27Then Joab said, "God only knows what would have happened if you hadn't spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary."H3097H559H430H2416H3884H1696H1242H5971H5927H376H310H251

28So Joab blew the ram's horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.H3097H8628H7782H5971H5975H7291H310H3478H3898H3254

29All 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.H74H582H1980H3915H6160H5674H3383H3212H1338H935H4266

30Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel.H3097H7725H310H74H6908H5971H6908H6485H1732H5650H8672H6240H376H6214

31But 360 of Abner's men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin.H5650H1732H5221H1144H74H582H7969H3967H8346H376H4191

32Joab 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

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.H752H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H1732H1980H2390H2390H1004H7586H1980H1800H1800

David’s Sons Born in Hebron

2These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron: The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.H1732H1121H3205H3205H2275H1060H550H293H3159

3The 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.H4932H3609H26H802H5037H3761H7992H53H1121H4601H1323H8526H4428H1650

4The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.H7243H138H1121H2294H2549H8203H1121H37

5The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David's wife. These sons were all born to David in Hebron.H8345H3507H5698H1732H802H3205H1732H2275

Abner Joins Forces with David

6As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul.H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H74H2388H1004H7586

7One day Ishbosheth

, Saul's son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father's concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.H7586H6370H8034H7532H1323H345H559H74H935H1H6370

8Abner 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?H74H3966H2734H1697H378H559H3611H7218H3063H6213H2617H3117H1004H7586H1H251H4828H4672H3027H1732H6485H3117H5771H802

9May 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!H6213H430H74H3254H3068H7650H1732H6213

10I'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."H5674H4467H1004H7586H6965H3678H1732H3478H3063H1835H884

11Ishbosheth didn't dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.H3201H7725H74H1697H3372

12Then 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."H74H7971H4397H1732H559H776H559H3772H1285H3027H5437H3478

13"All right," David replied, "but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come."H559H2896H3772H1285H259H1697H7592H559H7200H6440H6440H935H4324H7586H1323H935H7200H6440

14David 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."H1732H7971H4397H378H7586H1121H559H5414H802H4324H781H3967H6190H6430

15So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti

son of Laish.H378H7971H3947H376H6409H1121H3889H3919

16Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, "Go back home!" So Palti returned.H376H3212H1980H1058H310H980H559H74H3212H7725H7725

17Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. "For some time now," he told them, "you have wanted to make David your king.H74H1961H1697H2205H3478H559H1245H1732H8543H8032H4428

18Now 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.'"H6213H3068H559H1732H559H3027H5650H1732H3467H5971H3478H3027H6430H3027H341

19Abner 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.H74H1696H241H1144H74H3212H1696H241H1732H2275H5869H2896H3478H5869H1004H1144

20When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast.H74H935H1732H2275H6242H582H1732H6213H74H582H4960

21Then 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.H74H559H1732H6965H3212H6908H3478H113H4428H3772H1285H4427H5315H183H1732H7971H74H7971H3212H7965

Joab Murders Abner

22But 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.H5650H1732H3097H935H1416H935H7227H7998H74H1732H2275H7971H3212H7965

23When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety.H3097H6635H935H5046H3097H559H74H1121H5369H935H4428H7971H3212H7965

24Joab rushed to the king and demanded, "What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away?H3097H935H4428H559H6213H74H935H7971H1980H3212

25You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you're doing!"H3045H74H1121H5369H935H6601H3045H4161H4126H3996H3045H6213

26Joab 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.H3097H3318H1732H7971H4397H310H74H7725H953H5626H1732H3045

27When 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.H74H7725H2275H3097H5186H413H8432H8179H1696H7987H5221H2570H4191H1818H6214H251

28When 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.H310H1732H8085H559H4467H5355H3068H5704H5769H1818H74H1121H5369

29Joab 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!"H2342H7218H3097H1H1004H3772H1004H3097H2100H6879H2388H6418H5307H2719H2638H3899

30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.H3097H52H251H2026H74H4191H251H6214H1391H4421

David Mourns Abner’s Death

31Then 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.H1732H559H3097H5971H7167H899H2296H8242H5594H6440H74H4428H1732H1980H310H4296

32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside.H6912H74H2275H4428H5375H6963H1058H6913H74H5971H1058

33Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner: "Should Abner have died as fools die?H4428H6969H74H559H4191H74H5036H4194

34Your 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.H3027H631H7272H5066H5178H5307H6440H5766H1121H5307H5971H1058H3254

35David 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."H3605H5971H935H1262H1732H1262H3899H5750H3117H1732H7650H559H6213H430H3254H2938H3899H3972H6440H8121H935

36This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them!H5971H5234H3190H5869H4428H6213H5869H2896H5971

37So everyone in Judah and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for Abner's murder.H5971H3478H3045H3117H4428H4191H74H1121H5369

38Then King David said to his officials, "Don't you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel?H4428H559H5650H3045H8269H1419H5307H3117H3478

39And 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

87[A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.] On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord.H4210H7892H1121H7141H3248H6944H2042 2He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel

.H3068H157H8179H6726H4908H3290 3O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! InterludeH3513H1696H5892H430H5542 4I will count Egypt

and Babylon among those who know me—also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!H2142H7294H894H3045H6429H6865H3568H3205 5Regarding Jerusalem

it will be said, “Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.” And the Most High will personally bless this city.H6726H559H376H3205H5945H3559 6When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, “They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.” InterludeH3068H5608H3789H5971H3205H5542 7The people will play flutes

and sing, “The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”H7891H2490H4599