August 23, 2019

2 SAMUEL 2:24 – 3:10

2:24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. And as the sun went down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
2:25 And the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one troop, and they stood on the top of a hill.
2:26 And Abner called out to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? Then how long shall it be before you command the people to return from following their brothers?
2:27 And Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, then surely the people would have gone up each one from following his brother in the morning only.
2:28 And Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still; and they pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight any more.
2:29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the Arabah. And they crossed over the Jordan and went through all the Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.
2:30 And Joab returned from following Abner. And he gathered all the people together, and among David’s servants there were nineteen men missing plus Asahel.
2:31 And the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin and among Abner’s men three hundred and sixty men, who died.
2:32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men walked all night, and the day dawned on them at Hebron.

3:1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became continually stronger, and the house of Saul became continually weaker.
3:2 And in Hebron sons were born to David. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3:3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur;
3:4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
3:5 And the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
3:6 And while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.
3:7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why did you go in to my father’s concubine?
3:8 Then Abner became very angry about the words of Ish-bosheth; and he said, Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; yet you charge me today with iniquity concerning this woman.
3:9 May God do so to Abner, and even more, if I do not do for David as Jehovah has sworn to him,
3:10 To transfer 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!