The Daily Audio Bible

War between Israel and Judah

¹² Now Abner the son of Ner went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth. ¹³ And Zeruiah’s son Joab and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side. ¹⁴ Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men get up and have a test of strength in front of us.” And Joab said, “Let them get up.” ¹⁵ So they stood up and went over by number. There were twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. ¹⁶ Each one of them took hold of the head of the one fighting against him, and put his sword into the other’s side. So they fell down together. That is why that place was called field of swords, which is in Gibeon. ¹⁷ The battle was very bad that day. Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by the servants of David. ¹⁸ Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was as fast as a wild deer. ¹⁹ And Asahel ran after Abner. He did not turn to the right or the left from following him. ²⁰ Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” ²¹ So Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or left. Take hold of one of the young men, and take for yourself what belongs to him.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. ²² Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I make you fall? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” ²³ But he would not turn aside. So Abner hit him in the stomach with the end of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. He fell there and died where he fell. And all who came to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still.

²⁴ But Joab and Abishai went after Abner. When the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the way of the desert of Gibeon. ²⁵ The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one army. They stood on the top of a hill. ²⁶ Abner called to Joab and said, “Should the sword destroy forever? Do you not know that it will be bad in the end? How long will you keep from telling the people to stop following their brothers?” ²⁷ Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, for sure the people would have stopped going after their brothers in the morning.” ²⁸ So Joab sounded the horn, and all the people stopped and went after Israel no longer. And they did not fight any more. ²⁹ Abner and his men went all night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.

³⁰ Joab returned from following Abner, and gathered all the people together. Added to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing. ³¹ But the servants of David had killed many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that 360 men died. ³² They picked up Asahel and buried him in his father’s grave in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men walked all night and came to Hebron early the next morning.

3 There was a long war between the family of Saul and the family of David. David became stronger and stronger. But the family of Saul became weaker and weaker.

David’s Sons

² Sons were born to David at Hebron. His first-born was Amnon, by David’s wife Ahinoam of Jezreel. ³ His second son was Chileab, by Abigail who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel. The third was Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. ⁴ The fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah the son of Abital. ⁵ And the sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David at Hebron.

Abner Goes over with David

⁶ While there was war between the family of Saul and the family of David, Abner was making himself strong in the family of Saul. ⁷ Now Saul had a woman acting as his wife whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to the woman who acted as my father’s wife?” ⁸ Abner was very angry because of Ish-bosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the family of your father Saul, to his brothers and to his friends. I have not given you into David’s hands. Yet today you say I am guilty because of this woman. ⁹ May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David what the Lord has promised him. ¹⁰ He has promised to build the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” ¹¹ And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner, because he was afraid of him.

¹² Then Abner sent men with news to David at Hebron, saying, “Whose land is this? Make your agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.” ¹³ David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. But you must do one thing that I say. You will not see my face unless you first bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.” ¹⁴ Then David sent men to Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, saying, “Give me my wife Michal. I was married to her by giving a hundred pieces of skin from the sex parts of the Philistines.” ¹⁵ So Ish-bosheth sent men to take her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶ But her husband went with her, crying as he went. He followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.

¹⁷ Now Abner spoke with the leaders of Israel, saying, “In times past you wanted David to be your king. ¹⁸ Now make it happen! For the Lord has said of David, ‘By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the Philistines and from all those who hate them.’” ¹⁹ Abner spoke to Benjamin also. Then Abner went to Hebron to tell David all that Israel and the whole family of Benjamin thought was good to do.

²⁰ Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron. And David made a special supper for Abner and the men who were with him. ²¹ Abner said to David, “Let me go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so they may make an agreement with you. Then you may be king over all your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Kills Abner

²² Then David’s servants and Joab came from a battle and brought with them many good things they had taken. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away. Abner had gone in peace. ²³ When Joab and the army with him came, it was told to Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king. And the king has sent him away in peace.” ²⁴ Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? See, Abner came to you. Why then have you sent him away, so that he is gone? ²⁵ You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to fool you, and to learn about your going out and coming in. He came to learn all that you are doing.”

²⁶ When Joab left David, he sent men after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷ When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the center of the gate to speak with him alone. There Joab hit him in the stomach and killed him because of the blood of his brother Asahel. ²⁸ When David heard about it, he said, “I and my nation are forever without guilt before the Lord, from the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ²⁹ May the guilt be on the head of Joab and all his father’s family. May the family of Joab never be without one who has a flow from his body, or a bad skin disease, or the need to use a walking stick. Or may his family never be without one who falls by the sword, or who needs more bread.” ³⁰ So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother in the battle at Gibeon.

David Shows Sorrow for Abner

³¹ Then David said to Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and dress in clothes made from hair. Cry in sorrow in front of Abner.” And King David walked behind the box in which the dead man was carried. ³² They buried Abner in Hebron. And the king cried in a loud voice at Abner’s grave. All the people cried. ³³ The king sang a song of sorrow for Abner, saying, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? ³⁴ Your hands were not tied. Your feet were not put in chains. You have fallen as one falls in front of the sinful.” And all the people cried again over him. ³⁵ Then all the people came to try to talk David into eating bread while it was still day. But David promised, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” ³⁶ All the people saw it, and it pleased them. Everything the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷ So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to kill Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸ Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a leader, and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹ And I am weak today, even if I was chosen to be king. The sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the Lord pay the sinner for his sin.”

Jesus Washes the Feet of His Followers

13 It was before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had loved His own who were in the world. He loved them to the end. ² He and His followers were having supper. Satan had put the thought into the heart of Judas Iscariot of handing Jesus over to the leaders of the country. ³ Jesus knew the Father had put everything into His hands. He knew He had come from God and was going back to God. ⁴ Jesus got up from the supper and took off His coat. He picked up a cloth and put it around Him. ⁵ Then He put water into a wash pan and began to wash the feet of His followers. He dried their feet with the cloth He had put around Himself.

Peter Speaks Out against Jesus Washing His Feet

⁶ Jesus came to Simon Peter. Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “You do not understand now what I am doing but you will later.” ⁸ Peter said to Him, “I will never let You wash my feet.” Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you will not be a part of Me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, but wash my hands and my head also.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Anyone who has washed his body needs only to wash his feet. Then he is clean all over. You are all clean except one.” ¹¹ Jesus knew who was going to hand Him over to the leaders. That is why He said, “You are all clean except one.”

Jesus Tells Why He Washed Their Feet

¹² Jesus washed their feet and put on His coat. Then He sat down again and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³ You call Me Teacher and Lord. You are right because that is what I am. ¹⁴ I am your Teacher and Lord. I have washed your feet. You should wash each other’s feet also. ¹⁵ I have done this to show you what should be done. You should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ For sure, I tell you, a workman who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner. One who is sent is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.

¹⁸ “I am not speaking about all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. What is written in the Holy Writings must happen. It says, ‘The man who eats bread with Me has turned against Me.’ ^{(A) 19} I tell you this now before it happens. After it happens, you will believe that I am Who I say I am, the Christ. ²⁰ For sure, I tell you, he who receives the one I send out, receives Me. He who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Jesus Tells of the One Who Will Hand Him Over to the Leaders ^(B)

²¹ When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in heart. He told them in very plain words, saying, “For sure, I tell you, one of you is going to hand Me over to the leaders of the country.”

²² The followers began to look at each other. They did not know which one He was speaking of. ²³ One follower, whom Jesus loved, was beside Jesus. ²⁴ Simon Peter got this follower to look his way. He wanted him to ask Jesus which one He was speaking of. ²⁵ While close beside Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is the one I give this piece of bread to after I have put it in the dish.” Then He put the bread in the dish and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. ²⁷ After Judas had eaten the piece of bread, Satan went into him. Jesus said to Judas, “What you are going to do, do in a hurry.”

²⁸ No one at the supper knew why Jesus had said this to Judas. ²⁹ They thought it was because Judas carried the bag of money, and Jesus had said that Judas should buy what they needed for the religious gathering. Or they thought Judas should give something to poor people. ³⁰ As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread, he went out. It was night.

The Law of the Lord

119 Happy are those whose way is without blame, who walk in the Law of the Lord. ² Happy are those who keep His Law and look for Him with all their heart. ³ They also do not sin, but walk in His ways. ⁴ You have set down Laws that we should always obey. ⁵ O, that my ways may be always in keeping with Your Law! ⁶ Then I will not be put to shame when I respect Your Word. ⁷ I will praise You with a heart that is right when I learn how right You judge. ⁸ I will obey Your Law. Do not leave me all alone.

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure? By living by Your Word. ¹⁰ I have looked for You with all my heart. Do not let me turn from Your Law. ¹¹ Your Word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against You. ¹² Great and honored are You, O Lord. Teach me Your Law. ¹³ I have told with my lips of all the Laws of Your mouth. ¹⁴ I have found as much joy in following Your Law as one finds in much riches. ¹⁵ I will think about Your Law and have respect for Your ways. ¹⁶ I will be glad in Your Law. I will not forget Your Word.

²⁹ The Lord is far from the sinful, but He hears the prayer of those who are right with Him.

³⁰ The light of the eyes makes the heart glad. Good news puts fat on the bones.