Loyalty and Love in Shifting Kingdoms

1. After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag; 2. on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth, and showed respect. 3. David said to him, “Where do you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.” 4. David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” 5. David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?” 6. The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him. 7. When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8. He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9. He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life lingers in me.’ 10. So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.” 11. Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise. 12. They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword. 13. David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.” 14. David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?” 15. David called one of the young men, and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died. 16. David said to him, “Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain Yahweh’s anointed.’” 17. David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18. (and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar): 19. “Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! 20. Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 21. You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil. 22. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. Saul’s sword didn’t return empty. 23. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions. 24. You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing. 25. How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan was slain on your high places. 26. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27. How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!” 1. After this, David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.” 2. So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3. David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron. 4. The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.” 5. David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. 6. Now may Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7. Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.” 8. Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9. and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10. Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11. The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 12. Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13. Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14. Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!” 15. Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants. 16. They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim. 17. The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants. 18. The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 19. Asahel pursued Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. 20. Then Abner looked behind him, and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.” 21. Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him. 22. Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?” 23. However he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 24. But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25. The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 26. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?” 27. Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.” 28. So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more. 29. Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. 30. Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing. 31. But David’s servants had struck Benjamin and of Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died. 32. They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron. 1. Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker. 2. Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 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 king of Geshur; 4. and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5. and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 6. While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house. 7. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8. Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to Saul’s house your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman! 9. God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him; 10. to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.” 11. He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him. 12. Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you, to bring all Israel around to you.” 13. He said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14. David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15. Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16. Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned. 17. Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you. 18. Now then do it; for Yahweh has 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.’” 19. Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20. So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 21. Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace. 22. Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid, and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23. When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” 24. Then Joab came to the king, and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone? 25. You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.” 26. When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it. 27. When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28. Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29. Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 30. So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31. David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier. 32. They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept. 33. The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34. Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.” All the people wept again over him. 35. All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down.” 36. All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37. So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38. The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that there a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? 39. I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

1. Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3. and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. 4. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. 5. They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. 6. We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. 8. He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. 9. By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11. Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another. 12. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us. 13. By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. 15. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. 16. We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17. In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world. 18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. 19. We love him, because he first loved us. 20. If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21. This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother. 1. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him. 2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. 3. For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous. 4. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. 5. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6. This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7. For there are three who testify: 8. the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. 9. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son. 10. He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. 11. The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12. He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life. 13. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14. This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15. And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. 16. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this. 17. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. 18. We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him. 19. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20. We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

1. God, don’t keep silent. Don’t keep silent, and don’t be still, God. 2. For, behold, your enemies are stirred up. Those who hate you have lifted up their heads. 3. They conspire with cunning against your people. They plot against your cherished ones. 4. “Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” 5. For they have conspired together with one mind. They form an alliance against you. 6. The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites; 7. Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8. Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah. 9. Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon; 10. who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth. 11. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb; yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna; 12. who said, “Let us take possession of God’s pasture lands.” 13. My God, make them like tumbleweed; like chaff before the wind. 14. As the fire that burns the forest, as the flame that sets the mountains on fire, 15. so pursue them with your tempest, and terrify them with your storm. 16. Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, Yahweh. 17. Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever. Yes, let them be confounded and perish; 18. that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth.