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0 David kills the messenger (2 Sam 1-2)

Episode 117: David kills the messenger

2 Samuel 1-2

1 1-2 After Saul died and David returned from slaughtering Amalekites, a young man with torn clothes came up to David and prostrated himself.

4 The man told David that Saul and Jonathan died in the battle.

5 David asked, "How do you know that?"

6 The young man said,

Saul called to me while he was leaning on his spear. 7He asked me who I was.

8 I told him, "I’m an Amalekite."

9 Then he asked me to kill him.

10 So I killed him, knowing that he wouldn't survive his wounds. I took his crown and bracelet and brought them to you.

11 David and everyone who was with him rent their clothes, fasted, and wept for Saul and his son.

14 Then David asked the Amalekite, "Why weren't you afraid to kill the Lord's anointed?"

15 Before the Amalekite could answer, David called one of his young men, and said, “Kill him.”

And David's young man killed the Amalekite.

16 David said to the dead Amalekite,

Your blood is on your own head since you killed the Lord's anointed.

The song of the bow (and the love of Jonathan)

17 Then David sang the song of the bow.

19 How are the mighty fallen!

20 But don't say it in Gath; it'd make the daughters of uncircumcised men happy.

22 The bow of Jonathan didn't turn back from the fat of the mighty, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

26 I am sad for you, Jonathan. You were very pleasant to me. Your love for me was wonderful; it was better than the love of women.

David becomes king of Judah

2 1 David asked God, "Should I go to any of the cities of Judah?"

God answered, "Yes, Go to Judah."

"Where in Judah should I go?," David asked.

God said, "Go to Hebron."

2 So David took his two wives and his men and went to Hebron.

4 As soon as they arrived, the men of Judah made David king.

Ishbosheth becomes king of Israel

8-9 But Saul's captain, Abner, made Saul's son, Ishbosheth, king of Israel.

The young men "play" before Abner and Joab

12 Abner, Ishbosheth's captain, and Joab, David's captain, met at the pool of Gibeon.

14 Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men play before us."

16 So twelve of Abner's young men fought twelve of Joab's, and all twenty-four died.

Squabbles between Judah and Israel

18 One of Joab's sons (Asahel) could run as fast as a wild roe. 19 He decided to attack Abner.

21 Abner said to him, "Turn to either the left or the right."

23 But Asahel just kept going straight. So Abner killed him by smiting him under the fifth rib.

26 Abner called Joab from the top of a hill, saying, "Are we going to kill each other forever?"

27 Joab answered, "No, let's stop."

28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and everyone stood still and stopped fighting.

30-31 Joab had lost 19 men, and Abner 360.

A few more words about this episode

A young man with torn clothes came up to David (1:1)
Drunk With Blood: David killed the messenger
Your love for me was wonderful. It was better than the love of women. (1:26)
Strange Flesh: David and Jonathan
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