2 Samuel 3:31-39
New King James Version
David’s Mourning for Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, (A)“Tear your clothes, (B)gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said:
“Should Abner die as a (C)fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound
Nor your feet put into fetters;
As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.”
Then all the people wept over him again.
35 And when all the people came (D)to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, (E)“God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else (F)till the sun goes down!” 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, (G)are too harsh for me. (H)The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
Read full chapter
2 Samuel 3:31-39
21st Century King James Version
31 And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself followed the bier.
32 And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
33 And the king lamented over Abner and said, “Died Abner as a fool dieth?
34 Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into fetters. As a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou.” And all the people wept again over him.
35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David swore, saying, “So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down.”
36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not because of the king that Abner the son of Ner was slain.
38 And the king said unto his servants, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.”
Read full chapterScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.