Study Desk

Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant: for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

Then they arose and went over by number; twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish–bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I shew kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

And David sent messengers to Ish–bosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:

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 hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

And the king lamented for Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth?

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD reward the wicked doer according to his wickedness.

And [Ish–bosheth], Saul’s son, [had] two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:

when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings.

And David waxed greater and greater; for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then is the LORD gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.

And when they came to the threshing–floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled.

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.