2 Samuel 3:31-39
English Standard Version
David Mourns Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, (A)“Tear your clothes and (B)put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. 32 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 And the king (C)lamented for Abner, saying,
(D)“Should Abner die (E)as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound;
your feet were not fettered;
as one falls before the wicked
you have fallen.”
And all the people wept again over him. 35 Then all the people came (F)to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, (G)“God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else (H)till the sun goes down!” 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. 38 And 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 was gentle today, though anointed king. (I)These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. (J)The Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”
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2 Samuel 3:31-39
Common English Bible
31 Then David ordered Joab and all the troops who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on funeral clothes! Mourn for Abner!” King David himself walked behind the body. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner’s grave. All the troops cried too. 33 Then the king sang this funeral song[a] for Abner:
“Should Abner have died like a fool dies?
34 Your hands weren’t bound,
your feet weren’t chained,
but you have fallen
like someone falls before the wicked.”
Then the troops cried over Abner again.
35 Then all the soldiers came to urge David to eat something while it was still day, but David swore, “May God deal harshly with me and worse still if I eat bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” 36 All the troops took notice of this and were pleased by it. Indeed, everything that the king did pleased them. 37 So on that day all the troops and all Israel knew that it wasn’t the king’s idea to kill Abner, Ner’s son.
38 The king told his soldiers, “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man in Israel has fallen today? 39 And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak. These men, Zeruiah’s sons, are too strong for me.[b] May the Lord repay the one who does evil according to the evil they did!”
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- 2 Samuel 3:33 Or lament
- 2 Samuel 3:39 Or more ruthless than me; DSS (4QSama) lacks this clause.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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