Beginning
The Second Book of Samuel
1 4 It was told David of Saul’s death. 15 He causeth him to be slain that brought the tidings. 19 He lamenteth the death of Saul and Jonathan.
1 After the death of Saul, when David was returned from the (A)slaughter of the Amalekites, and had been two days in Ziklag,
2 Behold, a man came the third day out of the host from Saul with [a]his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and when he came to David, he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3 Then David said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the host of Israel I am escaped.
4 And David said unto him, What is done? I pray thee, tell me. Then he said, that the people is fled from the battle, and many of the people are overthrown, and dead, and also Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.
5 And David said unto the young man that told it him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 Then the young man that told him, answered, [b]As I came to mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear, and lo, the chariots and [c]horsemen followed hard after him.
7 And when he looked back, he saw me, and called me. And I answered, Here am I.
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an [d]Amalekite.
9 Then said he unto me, I pray thee,[e]come upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my [f]life is yet whole in me.
10 So [g]I came upon him, and slew him, and because I was sure that he could not live, after that he had fallen, I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and brought them hither unto my lord.
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, (B)and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him.
12 And they mourned and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they were slain with the sword.
13 ¶ [h]Afterward David said unto the young man that told it him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger an Amalekite.
14 And David said unto him, (C)How wast thou not afraid, to put forth thine hand to destroy the Anointed of the Lord?
15 Then David called one of his young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 Then said David unto him, [i]Thy blood be upon thine own head: for thine own mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s Anointed.
17 ¶ Then David mourned with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son,
18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah to [j]shoot, as it is written in the book of (D)[k]Jasher.)
19 O noble Israel, [l]he is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty overthrown!
20 (E)Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, upon you be neither dew nor rain, nor [m]be there fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is cast down, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
22 The bow of Jonathan never turned back, neither did the sword of Saul return empty from the blood of the slain, and from the fat of the mighty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their deaths they were not [n]divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, which clothed you in scarlet, [o]with pleasures, and hanged ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How were the mighty slain in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
26 Woe is me for thee, my brother Jonathan: very kind hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of [p]women: how are the mighty overthrown, and the weapons of war destroyed!
2 1 David is anointed King in Hebron. 9 Abner maketh Ishbosheth King over Israel. 15 The battle of the servants of David and Ishbosheth. 32 The burial of Asahel.
1 After this, David [q]asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go? He then answered, Unto [r]Hebron.
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.
3 And David brought up the men that were with [s]him, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 ¶ Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David King over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, (F)that the men of Jabesh Gilead buried Saul.
5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said unto them, Blessed are ye of the Lord, that ye have showed such kindness unto your lord Saul, that you have buried him.
6 Therefore now the Lord show mercy and [t]truth unto you: and I will recompense you this benefit, because ye have done this thing.
7 Therefore now let your hands be strong, and be you valiant: albeit your master Saul be dead, yet nevertheless the house of Judah hath anointed me [u]King over them.
8 ¶ But Abner the son of Ner that was captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him to Mahanaim,
9 And made him King over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over [v]all Israel.
10 Ishbosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years: but the house of Judah followed David.
11 (And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah, was seven years and six [w]months.)
12 ¶ And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul went out of Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David went out and met one another 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.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and [x]play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
15 Then there arose and went over twelve of Benjamin by number, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 And every one caught his [y]fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side, so they fell down together: wherefore the place was called [z]Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
17 And the battle was exceedingly sore that same day: for Abner and the men of Israel [aa]fell before the servants of David.
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as light on foot as a wild roe.
19 And Asahel followed after Abner, and in going he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, Yea.
21 Then Abner said, Turn thee either to the right hand or to the left, and take one of the young men, and take thee his [ab]weapons: and Asahel would not depart from him.
22 And Abner said to Asahel, Depart from me: [ac]wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
23 And when he would not depart, Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the [ad]fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him: and he fell down there, and died in his place. And as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down, and died, stood still.
24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and were on an heap, and stood on the top of an hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the [ae]sword devour forever? knowest thou not, that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long then shall it be, or thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
27 And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst not [af]spoken, surely even in the morning the people had departed every one back from his brother.
28 ¶ So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they anymore.
29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the [ag]plain, and went over Jordan, and past through all Bithron till they came [ah]to Mahanaim.
30 Joab also returned back from Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men, and Asahel.
31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three [ai]hundred and threescore men died.
32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Bethlehem: and Joab and his men went all night, and when they came to Hebron, the day arose.
3 1 Long war between the houses of Saul and David. 2 The children of David in Hebron. 12 Abner turneth to David. 27 Joab killeth him.
1 There was then [aj]long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker.
2 ¶ And unto David were children born in Hebron: and his eldest son was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,
3 And his second, was [ak]Chileab of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite: and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur,
4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital:
5 And the sixth, Ithream by Eglah David’s wife: these were born to David in [al]Hebron.
6 ¶ Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul.
7 And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in to my father’s concubine?
8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a [am]dog’s head, which against Judah do show mercy this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his neighbors, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman?
9 [an]So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him,
10 To remove the kingdom from the house of Saul, that the throne of David may be established over Israel, and over Judah, even from Dan to Beersheba.
11 And he durst no more answer to Abner: for he feared him.
12 ¶ Then Abner sent messengers to David [ao]on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? who should also say, Make covenant with me, and behold, mine hand shall be with thee, to bring all Israel unto thee.
13 Who said, Well, I will make a covenant with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face, except thou bring Michal Saul’s daughter when thou comest to see me.
14 ¶ Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I married for (G)an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband (H)Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went with her, and came weeping behind her, unto Bahurim: then said Abner unto him, Go, and return. So he returned.
17 ¶ And Abner had [ap]communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye fought for David in times past, that he might be your King.
18 Now then do it: for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hands of the Philistines, and out of the hands of all their enemies.
19 Also Abner spake [aq]to Benjamin, and afterward Abner went to speak with David in Hebron, concerning all that Israel was content with, and the whole [ar]house of Benjamin.
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, having twenty men with him, and David made a feast unto Abner, and to the men that were with him.
21 Then Abner said unto David, I will rise up, and go gather all Israel unto my lord the King, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. Then David let Abner depart, who went [as]in peace.
22 ¶ And behold, the servants of David and Joab came [at]from the camp, and brought a great prey with them (but Abner was not with David in Hebron: for he had sent him away, and he departed in peace.)
23 When Joab, and all the host that was with him were come, men told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the King, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24 Then Joab came to the King, and said, [au]What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee, why hast thou sent him away, and he is departed?
25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner: for he came to deceive thee, and to know thy outgoing and ingoing, and to know all that thou doest.
26 ¶ And when Joab was gone out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah unknowing to David.
27 And when Abner was come again to Hebron, (I)Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him [av]peaceably, and smote him under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of (J)Asahel his brother.
28 ¶ And when afterward it came to David’s ear, he said, I and my Kingdom are [aw]guiltless before the Lord forever, concerning the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 Let the blood fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house, that the house of Joab be never without some that have running issues, or leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that doeth fall on the sword, or that lacketh bread.
30 (So Joab and [ax]Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.)
31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rent your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourn [ay]before Abner: and King David himself followed the bier.
32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, the King lift up his voice, and wept beside the sepulcher of Abner, and all the people wept.
33 And the King lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner [az]as a fool dieth?
34 Thine hands were not bound, nor thy feet tied in fetters of brass: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept again for him.
35 Afterward all the people came to cause David eat [ba]meat while it was yet day, but David swore, saying, So do God to me and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else till the sun be down.
36 And all the people knew it, and it [bb]pleased them: as whatsoever the King did, pleased all the people.
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day, how that it was not the King’s deed 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 and newly anointed King: and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too [bc]hard for me: the Lord reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.