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Today's Bible Reading :: 2 Samuel 1 - 3 (ESV)

2 Samuel 1Listen to the passage

2 Samuel 2Listen to the passage

2 Samuel 3Listen to the passage

2 Samuel 1

David Hears of Saul’s Death

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:1

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:1 - After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:2

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:2 - And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:3

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:3 - David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:4

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:4 - And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:5

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:5 - Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:6 - And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:7

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:7 - And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:8

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:8 - And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:9

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:9 - And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:10

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:10 - So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:11

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:11 - Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:12

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:12 - And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:13

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:13 - And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:14

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:14 - David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:15

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:15 - Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:16

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:16 - And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:17

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:17 - And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son,

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:18

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:18 - and he said it[fn] should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.[fn] He said:

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:19

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:19 - “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:20

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:20 - Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:21

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:21 - “You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings![fn]
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:22

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:22 - “From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan turned not back,
and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:23

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:23 - “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:24

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:24 - “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:25

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:25 - “How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:26

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:26 - I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
your love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 1:27

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 1:27 - “How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”
ESV Footnotes
Septuagint; Hebrew the Bow, which may be the name of the lament’s tune
Or of the upright
Septuagint firstfruits

2 Samuel 2

David Anointed King of Judah

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:1

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:1 - After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:2

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:2 - So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:3

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:3 - And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:4

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:4 - And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:5

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:5 - David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:6 - Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:7

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:7 - Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:8

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:8 - But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim,

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:9

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:9 - and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:10

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:10 - Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:11

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:11 - And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

The Battle of Gibeon

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:12

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:12 - Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:13

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:13 - And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:14

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:14 - And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:15

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:15 - Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:16

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:16 - And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim,[fn] which is at Gibeon.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:17

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:17 - And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:18

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:18 - And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:19

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:19 - And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:20

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:20 - Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:21

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:21 - Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:22

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:22 - And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:23

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:23 - But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:24

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:24 - But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:25

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:25 - And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:26

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:26 - Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:27

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:27 - And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:28

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:28 - So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:29

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:29 - And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:30

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:30 - Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:31

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:31 - But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 2:32

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 2:32 - And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.
ESV Footnotes
Helkath-hazzurim means the field of sword-edges

2 Samuel 3

Abner Joins David

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:1

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:1 - There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:2

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:2 - And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel;

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:3

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:3 - and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:4

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:4 - and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:5

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:5 - and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:6

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:6 - While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:7

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:7 - Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:8

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:8 - Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:9

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:9 - God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the LORD has sworn to him,

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:10

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:10 - to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:11

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:11 - And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:12

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:12 - And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,[fn] saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:13

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:13 - And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:14

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:14 - Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:15

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:15 - And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:16

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:16 - But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:17

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:17 - And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:18

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:18 - Now then bring it about, for the LORD has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:19

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:19 - Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:20

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:20 - When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:21

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:21 - And Abner said to David, “I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:22

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:22 - Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:23

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:23 - When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:24

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:24 - Then Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone?

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:25

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:25 - You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

Joab Murders Abner

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:26

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:26 - When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:27

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:27 - And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:28

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:28 - Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD for the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:29

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:29 - May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:30

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:30 - So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:31

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:31 - Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:32

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:32 - They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:33

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:33 - And the king lamented for Abner, saying,
“Should Abner die as a fool dies?

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:34

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:34 - 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:35

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:35 - Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, “God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!”

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:36

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:36 - And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:37

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:37 - 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.

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:38

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:38 - And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

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Unchecked Copy Box 2Sa 3:39

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 3:39 - And I was gentle today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The LORD repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”
See the ESV Preface
ESV Footnotes
Or where he was; Septuagint at Hebron
ESV

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2025 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

See detailed copyright information.

For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.

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