Study Desk

Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him.

And they lamented and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of Yahweh and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Then David chanted with this funeral lament over Saul and Jonathan his son,

So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron.

And each one of them seized 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, which is in Gibeon.

So Abner said to him, "Turn to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil." But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.

However, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it happened that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

And Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have only gone away in the morning, each from following his brother."

But Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.

And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron.

And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show lovingkindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman.

Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, "Whose is the land? Cut your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to turn all Israel over to you."

So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother.

May it whirl on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and may one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread not be cut off from the house of Joab."

So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

Then the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?