2 Samuel 3:31-39
New American Standard Bible
David Mourns Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “(A)Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king raised his voice and wept at (B)the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And (C)the king sang a song of mourning for Abner and said,
“Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in bronze shackles;
As one falls before the [a]wicked, you have fallen.”
And all the people wept over him again. 35 Then all the people came (D)to provide [b]food for David in his distress while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, “(E)May God do so to me, and more so, if I taste bread or anything else (F)before the sun goes down.” 36 Now all the people took note of David’s vow, and it [c]pleased them, just as everything that the king did [d]pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been the desire of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a leader and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39 And I am (G)weak today, though anointed king; and these men, (H)the sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. (I)May the Lord repay the evildoer in proportion to his evil.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 3:34 Lit sons of wickedness
- 2 Samuel 3:35 Lit bread
- 2 Samuel 3:36 Lit was good in their eyes
- 2 Samuel 3:36 Lit was good in the eyes of all
2 Samuel 3:31-39
Lexham English Bible
31 David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothing and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” Now King David was following after the bier. 32 And they buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 The king sang a lament for Abner and said, “Should Abner have died the death of a fool? 34 Your hands were not tied and your feet were not in contact with bronze fetters. You have fallen as one who falls before sons of wickedness.” Then all the people wept over him again.[a] 35 Then all the people came to give David food. Still on that day, David swore, “May God punish me[b] if I taste food or anything before the sun goes down.” 36 All the people noticed, and it was good in their eyes, as everything that the king did was good in the eyes of all the people. 37 Then all the people and all of Israel realized on that day that the king had not desired[c] to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Did you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? 39 I am weak today even though anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are crueler than I am. May Yahweh pay them back for doing wickedness according to their own wickedness.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 3:34 Literally “and all the people did again to weep over him”
- 2 Samuel 3:35 Literally “Thus may God do to me and thus may he add”
- 2 Samuel 3:37 Literally “that it was not from the king”
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