2 Samuel 3:22-39

New International Version

Joab Murders Abner

²²Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.

²⁴So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! ²⁵You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”

²⁶Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷Now when Abner^(A) returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him^(B) in the stomach, and he died.^(C)

²⁸Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent^(D) before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. ²⁹May his blood^(E) fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family!^(F) May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore^(G) or leprosy^[a] or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”

³⁰(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

³¹Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth^(H) and walk in mourning^(I) in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. ³²They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept^(J) aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.

³³The king sang this lament^(K) for Abner:

“Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
³⁴ Your hands were not bound,
your feet were not fettered.^(L)
You fell as one falls before the wicked.”

And all the people wept over him again.

³⁵Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(M) if I taste bread^(N) or anything else before the sun sets!”

³⁶All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. ³⁷So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part^(O) in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

³⁸Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen^(P) in Israel this day? ³⁹And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah^(Q) are too strong^(R) for me.^(S) May the Lord repay^(T) the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

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Footnotes

2 Samuel 3:29 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.

John 18:1-14

New International Version

Jesus Arrested^(A)

18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley.^(B) On the other side there was a garden,^(C) and he and his disciples went into it.^(D)

²Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.^(E) ³So Judas came to the garden, guiding^(F) a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees.^(G) They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

⁴Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him,^(H) went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”^(I)

⁵“Jesus of Nazareth,”^(J) they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) ⁶When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”^(K)

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

⁸Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” ⁹This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”^[a]^(L)

¹⁰Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

¹¹Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup^(M) the Father has given me?”

¹²Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials^(N) arrested Jesus. They bound him ¹³and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,^(O) the high priest that year. ¹⁴Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.^(P)