2 Samuel 1 - 2 - Legacy Standard Bible

2 Samuel 1 - 2

Saul and Jonathan Are Dead

Now it happened after the death of Saul, that David returned from striking down the Amalekites. Then David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 Now it happened that on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul. And his clothes were torn and dust was on his head. And it happened when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3 Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did things go? Tell me now.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” 5 So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen pursued him closely. 7 Then he turned to look behind him, and he saw me and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 Then he said to me, ‘Please stand beside me and put me to death, for agony has seized me because my life still lingers in me.’ 10 So I stood beside him and put him to death, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown which was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. 12 And they lamented and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of Yahweh and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to send forth your hand to destroy the anointed of Yahweh?” 15 And David called one of the young men and said, “Approach and fall upon him.” So he struck him and he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has answered against you, saying, ‘I have put the anointed of Yahweh to death.’”

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David chanted with this funeral lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar. 19

“Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places!

How have the mighty fallen!

Tell it not in Gath,

Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,

Lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad,

Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

O mountains of Gilboa,

Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings;

For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,

The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,

The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life,

And in their death they were not separated;

They were swifter than eagles,

They were mightier than lions.

O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,

Who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

How have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan is slain on your high places.

I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;

You have been very pleasant to me.

Your love to me was more wonderful

Than the love of women.

How have the mighty fallen,

And the weapons of war perished!”

David Anointed King of Judah

Now it happened afterwards that David asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 4 Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” 5 And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed of Yahweh because you have shown this lovingkindness with your lord, with Saul, and have buried him. 6 So now, may Yahweh show lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. 7 So now, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

Ish‑bosheth Made King over Israel

8 Now Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 And he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Abner Defeated Before David

12 Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” 15 So they arose and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And each one of them seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17 And that day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David. 18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was as swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn to the right or to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner turned to look behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 So Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. 22 And Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” 23 However, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it happened that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still. 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. Now the sun was going down, and they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?” 27 And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have only gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore. 29 But Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim. 30 Now Joab returned from following Abner. And he had gathered all the people together, and nineteen of David’s servants besides Asahel were missing. 31 But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that 360 men died. 32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron.

James 4 - 5

Draw Near to God

What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have, so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world sets himself as an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and cry. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. 11 Do not slander one another, brothers. He who slanders a brother or judges his brother, slanders the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you who judge your neighbor?

Life Is a Vapor

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows to do the right thing and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Miseries of the Rich

Come now, you rich, cry, howling over your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up such treasure in the last days! 4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields—that which has been withheld by you—cries out against you; and the outcries of those who did the harvesting have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and lived in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous man; he does not resist you.

Patience and Perseverance

7 Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not groan, brothers, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. 10 As an example, brothers, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we count those blessed who persevere. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. 12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment. 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19 My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Proverbs 24

My Son, Fear Yahweh

Do not be jealous of evil men,

And do not desire to be with them;

For their heart meditates on destruction,

And their lips talk of mischief.

By wisdom a house is built,

And by discernment it is firmly established;

And by knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong,

And a man of knowledge strengthens his power.

For by guidance you will make war,

And in abundance of counselors there is salvation.

Wisdom is too exalted for an ignorant fool,

He does not open his mouth in the gate.

One who deliberately thinks to do evil,

Men will call a schemer.

The scheming of folly is sin,

And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

If you are slack in the day of trouble,

Your strength is in trouble.

Deliver those who are being taken away to death,

And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.

If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”

Does not He who weighs the hearts understand?

And does not He who guards your soul know?

And will not He render to man according to his work?

Eat honey, my son, for it is good,

Indeed, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;

If you find it, then there will be a future,

And your hope will not be cut off.

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the abode of the righteous;

Do not destroy his resting place;

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,

But the wicked will stumble in calamity.

When your enemy falls, do not be glad,

And when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice;

Lest Yahweh see it and it be evil in His eyes,

And turn His anger away from him.

Do not fret because of evildoers

Do not be jealous of the wicked;

For there will be no future for the evil one;

The lamp of the wicked will go out.

My son, fear Yahweh and the king;

Do not associate with those who change,

For suddenly their disaster will rise,

And who knows the upheaval that comes from both of them?

These also are sayings of the wise.

To show partiality in judgment is not good.

He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”

Peoples will curse him, nations will be indignant with him;

But to those who reprove the wicked, it will be pleasant,

And a good blessing will come upon them.

He kisses the lips

Who responds with right words.

Establish your work outside

And make it ready for yourself in the field;

And afterwards, you shall build your house.

Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,

Nor deceive with your lips.

Do not say, “As he did to me so I shall do to him;

I will render to the man according to his work.”

I passed by the field of the sluggard

And by the vineyard of the man lacking a heart of wisdom,

And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles;

Nettles have covered its surface,

And its stone wall has been torn down.

And I beheld, I set my heart upon it;

I saw, I received discipline.

“A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to rest,”

Then your poverty will come as a robber

And your want like an armed man.