Old/New Testament
Chapter 3
1 There followed a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, in which David grew ever stronger, but the house of Saul ever weaker.
Sons Born in Hebron. 2 (A)Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam from Jezreel; 3 the second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;(B) 4 the fourth, Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, son of Abital;(C) 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
Ishbaal and Abner Quarrel. 6 During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal, son of Saul, said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?”[a](D) 8 Enraged at the words of Ishbaal, Abner said, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? As of today, I have been loyal to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and his friends, and I have kept you out of David’s clutches; and today you charge me with a crime involving a woman! 9 May God do thus to Abner, and more, if I do not carry out for David what the Lord swore to him—(E) 10 that is, take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.”(F) 11 Ishbaal was no longer able to say a word to Abner, he feared him so.
Abner and David Reconciled. 12 Then Abner sent messengers to David in Telam, where he was at the moment, to say, “Make a covenant with me, and you have me on your side, to bring all Israel over to you.” 13 He replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you. You must not appear before me unless you bring back Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to present yourself to me.”(G) 14 At the same time David sent messengers to Ishbaal, son of Saul, to say, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed by paying a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 15 Ishbaal sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish,(H) 16 who followed her weeping as far as Bahurim. But Abner said to him, “Go back!” So he turned back.
17 Abner then had a word with the elders of Israel: “For some time you have been wanting David as your king. 18 Now take action, for the Lord has said of David: By David my servant I will save my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and from the power of all their enemies.” 19 Abner also spoke with Benjamin, and then went to speak with David in Hebron concerning all that would be agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20 When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him. 21 Then Abner said to David, “I will now go to assemble all Israel for my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you; you will then be king over all whom you wish to rule.” So David let Abner go on his way in peace.
Death of Abner. 22 Just then David’s servants and Joab were coming in from an expedition, bringing much plunder with them. Abner, having been dismissed by David, was no longer with him in Hebron but had gone on his way in peace. 23 When Joab and the whole force he had with him arrived, he was informed, “Abner, son of Ner, came to David, and he let him go on his way in peace.” 24 So Joab went to the king and said: “What have you done? Abner came to you! Why did you let him get away? 25 Don’t you know Abner? He came to trick you, to learn your comings and goings, to learn everything you do.” 26 Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner to bring him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know. 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the city gate to speak with him privately. There he stabbed him in the abdomen, and he died for the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.(I) 28 Later David heard of it and said: “Before the Lord, I and my kingdom are forever innocent.(J) 29 May the blood of Abner, son of Ner, be on the head of Joab and all his family. May Joab’s family never be without one suffering from a discharge, or one with a skin disease, or a man who holds the distaff, or one falling by the sword, or one in need of food!”[b] 30 Joab and Abishai his brother had been lying in wait for Abner because he killed Asahel their brother in battle at Gibeon.
David Mourns Abner. 31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” King David himself followed the bier.(K) 32 When they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king sang this lament over Abner:
Should Abner have died like a fool?
34 Your hands were not bound with chains,
nor your feet placed in fetters;
As one falls before the wicked, you fell.
And all the people continued to weep for him. 35 Then they went to console David with food while it was still day. But David swore, “May God do thus to me, and more, if before the sun goes down I eat bread or anything else.”(L) 36 All the people noted this with approval, just as everything the king did met with their approval. 37 So on that day all the people and all Israel came to know that it was not the king’s doing that Abner, son of Ner, was put to death. 38 The king then said to his servants: “Do you not know that a prince, a great man, has fallen today in Israel. 39 Although I am the anointed king, I am weak this day, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too ruthless for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer in accordance with his evil deed.”(M)
Chapter 4
Death of Ishbaal. 1 When Ishbaal, son of Saul, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, he lost his resolve and all Israel was alarmed. 2 Ishbaal, son of Saul, had two company leaders named Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth, too, was ascribed to Benjamin:(N) 3 the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, where they have been resident aliens to this day.(O) 4 (Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son with crippled feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; his nurse took him and fled, but in their hasty flight, he fell and became lame. His name was Meribbaal.)[c](P) 5 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, came into the house of Ishbaal during the heat of the day, while he was lying on his bed in the afternoon. 6 The gatekeeper of the house had dozed off while sifting wheat, and was asleep. So Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped past her 7 and entered the house while Ishbaal was lying asleep in his bedroom. They struck and killed him, and cut off his head. Then, taking the head, they traveled on the Arabah road all night long.
The Murder Avenged. 8 They brought the head of Ishbaal to David in Hebron and said to the king: “This is the head of Ishbaal, son of your enemy Saul, who sought your life. Thus has the Lord this day avenged my lord the king on Saul and his posterity.” 9 But David replied to Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite: “As the Lord lives, who rescued me from every distress: 10 the man who reported to me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, that man I seized and killed in Ziglag: that was the reward I gave him.(Q) 11 How much more now, when wicked men have slain an innocent man in bed at home, must I require his blood from you and purge you from the land!” 12 So at David’s command, the young men killed them and cut off their hands and feet, hanging them up near the pool in Hebron. But he took the head of Ishbaal and buried it in Abner’s grave in Hebron.(R)
Chapter 5
David King of Israel. 1 (S)All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron, and they said: “Look! We are your bone and your flesh. 2 In days past, when Saul was still our king, you were the one who led Israel out in all its battles and brought it back. And the Lord said to you: You shall shepherd my people Israel; you shall be ruler over Israel.”(T) 3 Then all the elders of Israel came to the king in Hebron, and at Hebron King David made a covenant with them in the presence of the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years: 5 in Hebron he was king over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he was king thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.(U)
Capture of Zion.[d] 6 (V)Then the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. They told David, “You shall not enter here: the blind and the lame will drive you away!” which was their way of saying, “David shall not enter here.”(W) 7 David nevertheless captured the fortress of Zion, which is the City of David. 8 On that day David said: “All who wish to strike at the Jebusites must attack through the water shaft. The lame and the blind shall be the personal enemies of David.” That is why it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not enter the palace.”(X) 9 David took up residence in the fortress which he called the City of David. David built up the city on all sides, from the Millo toward the center.(Y) 10 David became ever more powerful, for the Lord of hosts was with him.(Z) 11 (AA)Hiram, king of Tyre, sent envoys to David along with cedar wood, and carpenters and masons, who built a house for David.(AB) 12 David now knew[e] that the Lord had truly established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
David’s Family in Jerusalem. 13 (AC)David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem after he had come from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
Rout of the Philistines. 17 When the Philistines had heard that David was anointed king over Israel, they marched out in force to come after him. When David heard this, he went down to the refuge.[f] 18 Meanwhile the Philistines had come and deployed themselves in the valley of Rephaim.[g] 19 David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I attack the Philistines, and will you deliver them into my power?” The Lord answered David: Attack, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your power. 20 So David went to Baal-perazim,[h] and he defeated them there. He said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me just as water breaks through a dam.” Therefore that place was called Baal-perazim. 21 The Philistines abandoned their gods there, and David and his men carried them away. 22 Once again the Philistines came up and deployed themselves in the valley of Rephaim, 23 and again David inquired of the Lord, who replied: Do not attack the front—circle behind them and come against them near the balsam trees. 24 When you hear the sound of marching[i] in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord has already gone before you to strike the army of the Philistines. 25 David did as the Lord commanded him, and routed the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer.
25 Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them, 26 (A)“If any one comes to me without hating his father[a] and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.(B) 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.(C) 28 Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? 29 Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him 30 and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ 31 Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 32 But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. 33 In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.(D)
The Simile of Salt.[b] 34 “Salt is good, but if salt itself loses its taste, with what can its flavor be restored?(E) 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”(F)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.