2 Samuel 1: 1 - 3: 5
| 1After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag; 2on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth, and showed respect. |
| 3David said to him, “Where do you come from?” |
| He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.” |
| 4David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” |
| He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” |
| 5David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?” |
| 6The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him. 7When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life lingers in me.’ 10So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.” |
| 11Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise. 12They mourned, 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. 13David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” |
| He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.” |
| 14David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” 15David called one of the young men, and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died. 16David said to him, “Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’” |
| 17David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18(and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar): |
| 19“Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! |
| How the mighty have fallen! |
| 20Don’t tell it in Gath. |
| Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, |
| lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, |
| lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. |
| 21You mountains of Gilboa, |
| let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; |
| For there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, |
| The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil. |
| 22From the blood of the slain, |
| from the fat of the mighty, |
| Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. |
| Saul’s sword didn’t return empty. |
| 23Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. |
| In their death, they were not divided. |
| They were swifter than eagles. |
| They were stronger than lions. |
| 24You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, |
| who clothed you delicately in scarlet, |
| who put ornaments of gold on your clothing. |
| 25How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! |
| Jonathan was slain on your high places. |
| 26I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. |
| You have been very pleasant to me. |
| Your love to me was wonderful, |
| passing the love of women. |
| 27How the mighty have fallen, |
| and the weapons of war have perished!” |
| 1After this, David enquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” |
| The LORD said to him, “Go up.” |
| David said, “Where shall I go up?” |
| He said, “To Hebron.” |
| 2So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron. 4The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.” 5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. 6Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.” |
| 8Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them 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. 14Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” |
| Joab said, “Let them arise!” 15Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants. 16They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim. 17The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants. 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 19Asahel pursued Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind him, and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” |
| He answered, “It is.” |
| 21Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armour.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him. 22Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?” 23However he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?” |
| 27Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.” 28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more. 29Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. 30Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing. 31But David’s servants had struck Benjamin and of Abner’s men so that three hundred and sixty men died. 32They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron. |
| 1Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker. 2Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3and 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; 4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. |
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