Abner

31And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

David said to Joab and to all the people with him, "Tear your clothes. Put on rough, scratchy cloth. Cry for Abner." King David himself walked behind the bed that carried Abner's body.

32And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

They buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried out loud at Abner's grave. All the people cried too.

33And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

The king sang a sad song for Abner. He sang, "Should Abner have died the way a foolish man dies?"

34Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

"Your hands were not tied. Your feet were not put in chains. You fell the way a man falls to wicked men." And all the people cried for Abner again.

35And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

It was still daytime. The people came and begged David to eat something. But David made a promise. He said, "May God punish me if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down."

36And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

All the people saw what David did, and it made them glad. In fact, everything the king did made the people glad.

37For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

That day all the soldiers and all Israel understood one thing clearly. The king had not asked anyone to kill Abner son of Ner.

38And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

The king said to his servants, "Do you not see what happened today? A leader and a great man has died in Israel."

39And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

"Today I feel weak, even though I have been chosen as king. These men, Joab and Abishai, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong for me. May the LORD pay back the man who does evil for the evil he does."

1And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

Ish-bosheth was Saul's son. He heard that Abner had died in Hebron. When he heard it, he lost all his courage. Everyone in Israel was upset and afraid too.

2And Saul’s son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin.

Ish-bosheth had two men who led groups of fighters. One was named Baanah. The other was named Rechab. They were sons of a man named Rimmon, from the town of Beeroth. That town belonged to the family group of Benjamin.

3And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)

Long ago the people of Beeroth ran away to a place called Gittaim. They have lived there as outsiders ever since.

5Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

"You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me. He killed two leaders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them in peacetime, as if there were a war. Their blood got on his belt and on his sandals.

6Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

So use your good sense. Do not let him die peacefully as an old man.

28Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

The news reached Joab. Joab had joined Adonijah's side, though he had not joined Absalom's. So Joab ran to the LORD's tent and grabbed the horns of the altar.

29And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

King Solomon was told, "Joab has run to the LORD's tent. He is beside the altar." So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada and said, "Go, strike him down."

30And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

Benaiah went into the LORD's tent and said, "The king says, come out." Joab said, "No. I will die here." Benaiah went back and told the king what Joab had said.

31And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

The king said, "Do what he says. Strike him down and bury him. Joab killed men who had done nothing wrong. Take that guilt away from me and from my father's family.

32And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

The LORD will make Joab pay for the blood he spilled. He killed two men who were better than he was, and my father David did not know. They were Abner son of Ner, leader of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, leader of Judah's army.

33Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

The guilt for their deaths stays on Joab and his children forever. But David, his children, his house, and his throne will have peace from the LORD forever."

34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck Joab down and killed him. Joab was buried at his own home out in the wild country.