He divides the spoil. CHAP. I. Saul and his sons are slain. this matter? but as his part is that goether, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through down to the battle, so shall his part be that therewith; lest these uncircumcised come tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. and thrust me through, and abuse me. 25 And it was so from that day forward, But his armour-bearer would not for he that he made it a statute and an ordinance was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a for Israel unto this day. sword, and fell upon it. 26 And when David came to Zik- 5 And when his armour-bearer saw that lag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold sword, and died with him. a present for you, of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; 27 To them which were in Beth-el, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir, 28 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa, 29 And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites, 30 And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chor-ashan, and to them which were in Athach, 31 And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that same day together. 7 ¶ And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. 8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people. 10 And they put his armour in the house TOW the Philistines fought against Is-of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body CHAP. XXXI. Now men of Israel fled from to the wall of Beth-shan. before the Philistines, and fell down slain 11 ¶ And when the inhabitants of Jain mount Gilboa. besh-gilead heard of that which the Phi 2 And the Philistines followed hard up-listines had done to Saul, on Saul and upon his sons; and the Phi- 12 All the valiant men arose, and went all listines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab and night, and took the body of Saul, and the Malchi-shua, Saul's sons. bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, 3 And the battle went sore against and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was 13 And they took their bones, and busore wounded of the archers. ried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted 4 Then said Saul unto his armour-bear-seven days. The Second Book of SAMUEL, otherwise called, CHAP. I. 5 And David said unto the young man N TOW it came to pass after the death of that told him, How knowest thou that Saul Saul, when David was returned from and Jonathan his son be dead? the slaughter of the Amalekites, and Da- 6 And the young man that told him said, vid had abode two days in Ziklag; As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 2 It came even to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came 7 And when he looked behind him, he to David, that he fell to the earth, and did saw me, and called unto me. And I anobeisance. swered, Here am I. 3 And David said unto him, From 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? whence comest thou? And he said unto And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. him, Out of the camp of Israel am lescaped. 9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray 4 And David said unto him, How went thee, upon me, and slay me for anguish the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he is come upon me, because my life is yet answered, That the people are fled from whole in me. the battle, and many of the people also are 10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan because I was sure that he could not live his son are dead also. after that he was fallen: and I took the David laments for Saul. II. SAMUEL. crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. 11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 And they mourned and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. He is made king of Judah. CHAP. II. David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. ND it came to pass after this, that 2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite. 3 And his men that were with him did 13 ¶ And David said unto the young David bring up, every man with his houseman that told him, Whence art thou? And hold: and they dwelt in the cities of Hehe answered, I am the son of a stranger, bron. an Amalekite. 4 And the men of Judah came, and 14 And David said unto him, How wast there they anointed David king over the thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand house of Judah. And they told David, to destroy the LORD's anointed? saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead 15 And David called one of the young were they that buried Saul. men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD's anointed. 17 ¶ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son: 18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) 19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. 7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them. 8 T But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield years old when he began to reign over of Saul, as though he had not been anoint- Israel, and reigned two years: but the ed with oil. house of Judah followed David. 22 From the blood of the slain, from 11 And the time that David was king the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan in Hebron, over the house of Judah, was turned not back, and the sword of Saul seven years and six months. returned not empty. 12 ¶ And Abner the son of Ner, and 23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, pleasant in their lives, and in their death went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. they were not divided: they were swifter 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and than eagles, they were stronger than the servants of David went out, and met lions. together by the pool of Gibeon: and they 24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over sat down, the one on the one side of the Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with pool, and the other on the other side of other delights; who put on ornaments of the pool. gold upon your apparel. 14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the 25 How are the mighty fallen in the young men now arise, and play before us. midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast And Joab said, Let them arise. slain in thy high places. 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women, 15 Then there arose, and went over by number, twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And they caught every one his fel27 How are the mighty fallen, and the low by the head, and thrust his sword in weapons of war perished! his fellow's side: so they fell down to Abner slays Asahel. gether wherefore that place was called that three hundred and threescore men Helkath-bazzurim, which is in Gibeon. died. 17 And there was a very sore battle that 32 And they took up Asahel, and day; and Abner was beaten, and the men buried him in the sepulchre of his father, of Israel, before the servants of David. which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and 18 ¶ And there were three sons of Ze- his men went all night, and they came to ruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asa- Hebron at break of day. hel and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. CHAP. III. 19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; NOW there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of Daand in going he turned not to the right vid: but David waxed stronger and hand nor to the left from following Abner. stronger, and the house of Saul waxed 20 Then Abner looked behind him, and weaker and weaker. said, Art thou Asahel? And be answered, I am. 2¶ And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and 3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail lay thee hold on one of the young men, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the and take thee his armour. But Asahel third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the would not turn aside from following him. daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, 4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Turn thee aside from following me: where- Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son fore should I smite thee to the ground? of Abital; how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? 5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of 6 ¶ And it came to pass, while there the spear smote him under the fifth rib, was war between the house of Saul and that the spear came out behind him; and the house of David, that Abner made he fell down there, and died in the same himself strong for the house of Saul. place and it came to pass, that as many 7 And Saul had a concubine, whose as came to the place where Asahel fell name was Rizpab, the daughterof Aiah: and down and died, stood still. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast 24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after thou gone in unto my father's concubine? Abner and the sun went down when 8 Then was Abner very wroth for the they were come to the hill of Ammah, words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a that lieth before Giah, by the way of the dog's head, which against Judah do shew wilderness of Gibeon. kindness this day unto the house of Saul 25 ¶ And the children of Benjamin ga- thy father, to his brethren, and to his thered themselves together after Abner, friends, and have not delivered thee into and became one troop, and stood on the the hand of David, that thou chargest me top of a hill. to-day with a fault concerning this woman? 26 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? 27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. 9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba. 11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him. 12 And Abner sent messengers to Da28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the vid on his behalf, saying, Whose is the people stood still, and pursued after Israel land? saying also, Make thy league with no more, neither fought they any more. me, and behold, my hand shall be with 29 And Abner and his men walked all thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. that night through the plain, and passed 13 And he said, Well; I will make a over Jordan, and went through all Bith-ron, league with thee: but one thing I require and they came to Mahanaim. of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my 30 And Joab returned from following face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's Abner: and when he had gathered all the daughter, when thou comeat to see iny face. people together, there lacked of David's 14 And David sent messengers to Ishservants nineteen men, and Asahel. bosheth, Saul's son. saying, Deliver me my 31 But the servants of David had smit-wife Michal, which I espoused to me for ten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. |
