Study Desk

And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.'

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.

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.'"

"You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

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.

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."

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.

God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the Lord has sworn to him,

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."

And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you.

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.'"

When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

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.

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.

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.

And the king lamented for Abner, saying, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?

Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin;

when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

And David became greater and greater, for the Lord , the God of hosts, was with him.

And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.