2Sa 1, 2Sa 3 | ESV | STEP | After the death of Saul , when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites , David remained two days in Ziklag .

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned ^afrom striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, ^ba man came from Saul’s camp, ^cwith his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, ^dhe fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, ^e“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.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, ^f“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. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ^g‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. ^hAnd 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.”

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and ⁱtore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept ^jand 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. 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.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not ^kafraid to put out your hand to destroy ^lthe Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then ^mDavid called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, ⁿ“Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed ^othe Lord’s anointed.’”

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 And David ^plamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it ^{▼▼Septuagint; Hebrew the Bow, which may be the name of the lament’s tune} should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in ^rthe Book of Jashar. ^{▼▼Or of the upright} He said:

19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
^tHow the mighty have fallen!
20 ^uTell it not in Gath,
^vpublish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
^wlest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of ^xthe uncircumcised exult.
21 ^y“You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings! ^{▼▼Septuagint firstfruits}
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not ^aaanointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
^abthe bow of Jonathan turned not back,
and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were ^acswifter than eagles;
they were ^adstronger than lions.
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
^aewho put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 ^af“How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
^agyour love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.
27 ^ah“How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”

2 Samuel 3

Abner Joins David

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.

2 ^aiAnd sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of ^ajAhinoam of Jezreel; 3 and his second, Chileab, of ^akAbigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah ^althe daughter of Talmai king of ^amGeshur; 4 and the fourth, ^anAdonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

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. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was ^aoRizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, ^ap“Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I ^aqa 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. 9 ^arGod do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David ^aswhat the Lord has sworn to him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ^atfrom Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, ^{▼▼Or where he was; Septuagint at Hebron} 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.” 13 And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, ^avyou shall not see my face unless you first bring ^awMichal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, ^axfor whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to ^ayBahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.

17 And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. 18 Now then bring it about, ^azfor 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.’” 19 Abner also spoke to ^baBenjamin. And then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do.

20 When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “I will arise and go and ^bbwill gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may ^bcreign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

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. 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.” 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? 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know ^bdyour going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

Joab Murders Abner

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. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, ^beand there he struck him ^bfin the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 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. 29 ^bgMay it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may the house of Joab never be without ^bhone who has a discharge or who is ^bileprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because ^bjhe had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, ^bk“Tear your clothes and ^blput 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 ^bmlamented for Abner, saying,

^bn“Should Abner die ^boas 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 ^bpto persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, ^bq“God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ^brtill 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. ^bsThese men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. ^btThe Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”