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Abner Defeated Before David
12 Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to (A)Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul. 13 And (B)Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met [a]them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, [b]one on the one side of the pool and [c]the other on the other side of the pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and [d](C)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 [e]opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his [f]opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called [g]Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17 And that day the battle was very severe, and (D)Abner and the men of Israel were [h]defeated before the servants of David.
18 Now (E)the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was (F)as [i]swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner and did not [j]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, “[k]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 [l]aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? (G)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 (H)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 [m]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, (I)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 (J)Mahanaim.
30 Now Joab returned from following Abner. And he had gathered all the people together, and [n]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 (K)in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day [o]dawned at Hebron.
The House of David Strengthened
3 Now (L)the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.
2 (M)And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by (N)Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of (O)Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of (P)Geshur; 4 and the fourth, (Q)Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.
Abner Cuts a Covenant with David
6 Now it happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that (R)Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was (S)Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and [p]Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “(T)Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show lovingkindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman. 9 (U)May God do so to Abner, and more also, if (V)as Yahweh has sworn to David, I do not do this for him, 10 (W)to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, (X)from Dan even to Beersheba.” 11 And he could no longer respond a word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Cut your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to turn all Israel over to you.” 13 And he said, “Good! I will cut a covenant with you, but I ask one thing of you, [q]namely, (Y)you shall not see my face unless you (Z)first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed (AA)for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from [r]Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as (AB)Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.
17 Now Abner had [s]consultation with (AC)the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 So now, do it! For Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, ‘(AD)By the hand of My servant David [t]I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that was good in the sight of Israel and in the sight of (AE)the whole house of Benjamin.
20 Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and (AF)gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may cut a covenant with you, and that (AG)you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
22 And behold, (AH)the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 Now Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, and they told Joab, saying, “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 then have you sent him away and he is already gone? 25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to know of (AI)your going out and your coming in and to know all that you are doing.”
Joab Strikes Abner
26 Then Joab came out from David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. 27 So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there (AJ)he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward David heard it, so he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 (AK)May it whirl on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may (AL)one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread not be cut off from the house of Joab.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner (AM)because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
David’s Lament for Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “(AN)Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at (AO)the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 (AP)And the king chanted a lament for Abner and said,
“Should Abner die as a wicked fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters;
As one falls before the [u]unrighteous, you have fallen.”
And all the people continued to weep over him. 35 Then all the people came (AQ)to [v]persuade David to eat bread while it was still day; but David swore an oath, saying, “(AR)May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else (AS)before the sun goes down.” 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it was good in their sight, just as everything the king did was good in the sight of all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel knew that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Thus I am (AT)weak today, though anointed king; and these men (AU)the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. (AV)May Yahweh repay the evildoer according to his evil.”
The Lord’s Supper
13 Now before the Feast of (A)the Passover, Jesus knowing that (B)His hour had come that He would depart out of this world (C)to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them [a]to the end. 2 And during supper, (D)the devil having already put into the heart of (E)Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, (F)knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that (G)He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He (H)tied it around Himself.
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
5 Then He *poured water into the washbasin, and began to (I)wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel which He had tied around Himself. 6 So He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not realize now, but you will understand (J)afterwards.” 8 Peter *said to Him, “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Jesus answered him, “(K)If I do not wash you, (L)you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and (M)you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For (N)He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 So when He had washed their feet, and (O)taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me (P)Teacher and (Q)Lord; and [b]you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, (R)the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you (S)an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, (T)a slave is not greater than his master, nor is (U)one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are (V)blessed if you do them. 18 (W)I do not speak about all of you. I know the ones I have (X)chosen; but (Y)that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘(Z)He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 From now on (AA)I am telling you before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that (AB)I am He. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, (AC)he who receives anyone I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
21 When Jesus had said these things, He (AD)became troubled in spirit, and bore witness and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that (AE)one of you will [c]betray Me.” 22 The disciples began looking at one another, (AF)perplexed about whom He *spoke. 23 There was reclining on (AG)Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, (AH)whom Jesus loved. 24 So Simon Peter *gestured to him to inquire, “Who is the one of whom He is speaking?” 25 He, (AI)leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus *answered, “He is the one for whom I shall dip the piece of bread and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He *took and *gave it to Judas, (AJ)the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 And after the piece of bread, (AK)Satan then (AL)entered into him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29 For some were thinking, because Judas (AM)had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of (AN)for the feast”; or else, that he should (AO)give something to the poor. 30 So after receiving the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And (AP)it was night.
I Love Your Law, O Yahweh
Aleph
119 How blessed are those whose way is [a](A)blameless,
Who (B)walk in the law of Yahweh.
2 How blessed are those who (C)observe His testimonies,
They (D)seek Him (E)with all their heart.
3 They also do not (F)work unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.
4 You have (G)commanded us,
To keep Your precepts [b]diligently.
5 Oh may my (H)ways be established
To (I)keep Your statutes!
6 Then I (J)shall not be ashamed
When I look [c]upon all Your commandments.
7 I shall (K)give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8 I shall keep Your statutes;
Do not (L)forsake me utterly!
Beth
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By (M)keeping it according to Your word.
10 With (N)all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me (O)stray from Your commandments.
11 Your word I have (P)treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Yahweh;
(Q)Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have (R)recounted
All the (S)judgments of Your mouth.
14 I have (T)rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
[d]As much as in all riches.
15 I will (U)muse upon Your precepts
And look upon (V)Your ways.
16 I shall [e](W)delight in Your statutes;
I shall (X)not forget Your word.
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