WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.619 in a year. Today's reading is from 2 Samuel chapters 00:00:09.619 --> 00:00:13.779 2 through 4. Chapter 2 It happened after this 00:00:13.779 --> 00:00:16.059 that David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall 00:00:16.059 --> 00:00:18.559 I go up to any of the cities of Judah? And the 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:21.359 Lord said to him, Go up. David said, Where shall 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:24.620 I go? And he said to Hebron. So David went up 00:00:24.620 --> 00:00:27.699 there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, 00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:30.219 and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:32.840 And David brought up the men who were with him, 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:35.179 every man with his household. So they dwelt in 00:00:35.179 --> 00:00:37.240 the cities of Hebron. Then the men of Judah came, 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:39.619 and there they anointed David king over the house 00:00:39.619 --> 00:00:41.899 of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men 00:00:41.899 --> 00:00:44.299 of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:46.939 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh 00:00:46.939 --> 00:00:49.000 -Gilead and said to them, You are blessed of 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:50.960 the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:53.280 your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. And 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:55.280 now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. 00:00:55.460 --> 00:00:57.899 I also will repay you this kindness, because 00:00:57.899 --> 00:01:00.219 you have done this thing. Now therefore let your 00:01:00.219 --> 00:01:02.299 hands be strengthened and be valiant, for your 00:01:02.299 --> 00:01:04.879 master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:07.819 has anointed me king over them. But Abner the 00:01:07.819 --> 00:01:10.420 son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish 00:01:10.420 --> 00:01:12.700 -bosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over 00:01:12.700 --> 00:01:15.480 to Mahanim. And he made him king over Gilead, 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:18.480 over the Asherites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:21.540 over Benjamin, and over all Israel. Ish -bosheth, 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:24.200 Saul's son, was forty years old when he began 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:26.180 to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. 00:01:26.459 --> 00:01:29.040 Only the house of Judah followed David. And the 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:31.200 time that David was king in Hebron over the house 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:33.959 of Judah was seven years and six months. Now 00:01:33.959 --> 00:01:36.099 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish 00:01:36.099 --> 00:01:38.840 -bosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:41.519 to Gibeon. And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:43.599 servants of David went out and met them by the 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:46.579 pool of Gibeon. So they sat down one on one side 00:01:46.579 --> 00:01:48.560 of the pool and the other on the other side of 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:51.219 the pool. Then Abner said to Joab, Let the young 00:01:51.219 --> 00:01:54.340 men now arise and compete before us. And Joab 00:01:54.340 --> 00:01:56.819 said, Let them arise. So they arose and went 00:01:56.819 --> 00:01:59.359 over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:02.040 of Ish -bosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:04.560 from the servants of David. And each one grasped 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:06.700 his opponent by the head and thrust his sword 00:02:06.700 --> 00:02:09.020 in his opponent's side. So they fell down together. 00:02:09.449 --> 00:02:11.490 Therefore that place was called the Field of 00:02:11.490 --> 00:02:13.889 Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. So there was 00:02:13.889 --> 00:02:16.150 a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and 00:02:16.150 --> 00:02:18.129 the men of Israel were beaten before the servants 00:02:18.129 --> 00:02:21.030 of David. Now the three sons of Zeruiah were 00:02:21.030 --> 00:02:24.699 there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel 00:02:24.699 --> 00:02:27.620 was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. So Asahel 00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:30.300 pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to 00:02:30.300 --> 00:02:32.340 the right hand or to the left from following 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:34.699 Abner. Then Abner looked behind him and said, 00:02:34.860 --> 00:02:37.819 Are you Asahel? He answered, I am. And Abner 00:02:37.819 --> 00:02:40.020 said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or 00:02:40.020 --> 00:02:42.219 to your left, and lay hold on one of the young 00:02:42.219 --> 00:02:45.000 men, and take his armor for yourself. But Asahel 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:47.569 would not turn aside from following him. So Abner 00:02:47.569 --> 00:02:49.849 said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following 00:02:49.849 --> 00:02:52.509 me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How 00:02:52.509 --> 00:02:55.090 then could I face your brother Joab? However, 00:02:55.189 --> 00:02:57.509 he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck 00:02:57.509 --> 00:02:59.530 him in the stomach with the blunt end of the 00:02:59.530 --> 00:03:01.830 spear, so that the spear came out of his back, 00:03:01.969 --> 00:03:04.090 and he fell down there and died on the spot. 00:03:04.349 --> 00:03:06.909 So it was that as many as came to the place where 00:03:06.909 --> 00:03:09.990 Asahel fell down and died, stood still. Joab 00:03:09.990 --> 00:03:12.860 and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was 00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:15.199 going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, 00:03:15.259 --> 00:03:17.500 which is before Giah, by the road to the wilderness 00:03:17.500 --> 00:03:20.259 of Gibeon. Now the children of Benjamin gathered 00:03:20.259 --> 00:03:22.840 together behind Abner and became a unit and took 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:25.520 their stand on top of a hill. Then Abner called 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:28.180 to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? 00:03:28.460 --> 00:03:30.939 Do you not know that it will be bitter in the 00:03:30.939 --> 00:03:34.000 latter end? How long will it be then until you 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:35.960 tell the people to return from pursuing their 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:38.810 brethren? And Joab said, As God lives, unless 00:03:38.810 --> 00:03:41.789 you had spoken, surely then by morning all the 00:03:41.789 --> 00:03:43.889 people would have given up pursuing their brethren. 00:03:44.090 --> 00:03:46.590 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood 00:03:46.590 --> 00:03:49.310 still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor 00:03:49.310 --> 00:03:51.830 did they fight anymore. Then Abner and his men 00:03:51.830 --> 00:03:54.490 went on all that night through the plain, crossed 00:03:54.490 --> 00:03:56.930 over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron. 00:03:56.990 --> 00:04:24.670 And they came to Mahanaim. Chapter 3 Now there 00:04:24.670 --> 00:04:26.689 was a long war between the house of Saul and 00:04:26.689 --> 00:04:28.870 the house of David. But David grew stronger and 00:04:28.870 --> 00:04:31.009 stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and 00:04:31.009 --> 00:04:33.850 weaker. Sons were born to David in Hebron. His 00:04:33.850 --> 00:04:37.170 firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess. 00:04:37.329 --> 00:04:40.329 His second, Kiliab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal 00:04:40.329 --> 00:04:43.110 the Carmelite. The third, Absalom the son of 00:04:43.110 --> 00:04:45.850 Maka, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. 00:04:45.990 --> 00:04:49.029 The fourth, Adonijah, the son of Hagith. The 00:04:49.029 --> 00:04:51.930 fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abital. And the 00:04:51.930 --> 00:04:55.009 sixth, a dream by David's wife, Eglah. These 00:04:55.009 --> 00:04:57.629 were born to David in Hebron. Now it was so, 00:04:57.750 --> 00:04:59.629 while there was war between the house of Saul 00:04:59.629 --> 00:05:01.850 and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening 00:05:01.850 --> 00:05:04.410 his hold on the house of Saul. And Saul had a 00:05:04.410 --> 00:05:06.769 concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter 00:05:06.769 --> 00:05:09.910 of Ayah. So Ish -bosheth said to Abner, Why have 00:05:09.910 --> 00:05:12.250 you gone into my father's concubine? Then Abner 00:05:12.250 --> 00:05:14.230 became very angry at the words of Ish -bosheth, 00:05:14.389 --> 00:05:17.209 and said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? 00:05:43.980 --> 00:05:46.620 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:50.009 saying, whose is the land saying also make your 00:05:50.009 --> 00:05:52.230 covenant with me and indeed my hand shall be 00:05:52.230 --> 00:05:54.910 with you to bring all israel to you and david 00:05:54.910 --> 00:05:57.490 said good i will make a covenant with you but 00:05:57.490 --> 00:05:59.629 one thing i require of you you shall not see 00:05:59.629 --> 00:06:02.870 my face unless you first bring mikhail saul's 00:06:02.870 --> 00:06:05.910 daughter when you come to see my face so david 00:06:05.910 --> 00:06:08.589 sent messengers to ishbosheth saul's son saying 00:06:09.069 --> 00:06:11.750 Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself 00:06:11.750 --> 00:06:14.550 for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. And 00:06:14.550 --> 00:06:16.730 Ish -bosheth sent and took her from her husband 00:06:16.730 --> 00:06:19.689 from Paltiel the son of Laish. Then her husband 00:06:19.689 --> 00:06:22.629 went along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind 00:06:22.629 --> 00:06:25.529 her. So Abner said to him, Go, return. And he 00:06:25.529 --> 00:06:27.850 returned. Now Abner had communicated with the 00:06:27.850 --> 00:06:30.649 elders of Israel, saying, In time past you were 00:06:30.649 --> 00:06:33.290 seeking for David to be king over you. Now then, 00:06:33.389 --> 00:06:36.009 do it. For the Lord has spoken to David, saying, 00:06:36.230 --> 00:06:39.029 By the hand of my servant David I will save my 00:06:39.029 --> 00:06:41.230 people Israel from the hand of the Philistines 00:06:41.230 --> 00:06:44.069 and the hand of all their enemies. And Abner 00:06:44.069 --> 00:06:46.569 also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner 00:06:46.569 --> 00:06:48.550 also went to speak in the hearing of David in 00:06:48.550 --> 00:06:50.910 Hebron, all that seemed good to Israel, and the 00:06:50.910 --> 00:06:53.069 whole house of Benjamin. So Abner and twenty 00:06:53.069 --> 00:06:55.970 men with him came to David at Hebron. And David 00:06:55.970 --> 00:06:57.889 made a feast for Abner and the men who were with 00:06:57.889 --> 00:07:00.449 him. Then Abner said to David, I will rise and 00:07:00.449 --> 00:07:02.889 go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, 00:07:03.129 --> 00:07:05.649 that they may make a covenant with you, and that 00:07:05.649 --> 00:07:07.889 you may reign over all that your heart desires. 00:07:08.230 --> 00:07:10.750 So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. 00:07:10.990 --> 00:07:13.290 At that moment the servants of David and Joab 00:07:13.290 --> 00:07:15.750 came from Arad and brought much spoil with them. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.120 But Abner was not with David and Hebron, for 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:20.339 he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 00:07:20.540 --> 00:07:22.959 When Joab and all the troops that were with him 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:25.540 had come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son 00:07:25.540 --> 00:07:28.060 of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, 00:07:28.220 --> 00:07:30.720 and he has gone in peace. Then Abner came to 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:33.040 the king and said, What have you done? Look, 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.079 Abner came to you. Why is it that you sent him 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:39.180 away, and he has already gone? Surely you realize 00:07:39.180 --> 00:07:41.680 that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:44.000 to know you're going out and you're coming in, 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.620 and to know all that you are doing. And when 00:07:46.620 --> 00:07:48.939 Joab had gone from David's presence, he sent 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:51.459 messengers after Abner, who brought him back 00:07:51.459 --> 00:07:53.699 from the well of Sirah. But David did not know 00:07:53.699 --> 00:07:56.579 it. Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab 00:07:56.579 --> 00:07:58.500 took him aside in the gate to speak with him 00:07:58.500 --> 00:08:00.560 privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, 00:08:00.740 --> 00:08:03.019 so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:06.220 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, My kingdom 00:08:06.220 --> 00:08:08.839 and I are guiltless before the Lord forever of 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:11.430 the blood of Abner the son of Ner. Let it rest 00:08:11.430 --> 00:08:14.230 on the head of Joab and on all his father's house. 00:08:14.370 --> 00:08:16.529 And let there never fail to be in the house of 00:08:16.529 --> 00:08:19.689 Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who 00:08:19.689 --> 00:08:22.410 leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who 00:08:22.410 --> 00:08:25.189 lacks bread. So Joab and Abishai his brother 00:08:25.189 --> 00:08:27.629 killed Abner, because he had killed their brother 00:08:27.629 --> 00:08:30.509 Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. Then David said 00:08:30.509 --> 00:08:32.490 to Joab and to all the people who were with him, 00:08:32.750 --> 00:08:35.309 Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, 00:08:35.389 --> 00:08:37.690 and mourn for Abner. And King David followed 00:08:37.690 --> 00:08:40.470 the coffin. So they buried Abner in Hebron, and 00:08:40.470 --> 00:08:42.389 the king lifted up his voice and wept at the 00:08:42.389 --> 00:08:44.769 grave of Abner, and all the people wept. And 00:08:44.769 --> 00:08:47.450 the king sang a lament over Abner and said, Should 00:08:47.450 --> 00:08:50.470 Abner die as a fool dies? Your hands were not 00:08:50.470 --> 00:08:53.409 bound, nor your feet put in fetters. As a man 00:08:53.409 --> 00:08:56.450 falls before wicked men, so you fell. Then all 00:08:56.450 --> 00:08:58.929 the people wept over him again. And when all 00:08:58.929 --> 00:09:01.190 the people came to persuade David to eat food 00:09:01.190 --> 00:09:04.090 while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, 00:09:04.350 --> 00:09:07.470 God do so to me, and more also if I taste bread 00:09:07.470 --> 00:09:10.250 or anything else, till the sun goes down. Now 00:09:10.250 --> 00:09:12.070 all the people took note of it, and it pleased 00:09:12.070 --> 00:09:14.570 them, since whatever the king did pleased all 00:09:14.570 --> 00:09:16.830 the people. For all the people and all Israel 00:09:16.830 --> 00:09:19.269 understood that day that it had not been the 00:09:19.269 --> 00:09:22.490 king's intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. Then 00:09:22.490 --> 00:09:24.690 the king said to his servants, Do you not know 00:09:24.690 --> 00:09:27.090 that a prince and a great man has fallen this 00:09:27.090 --> 00:09:30.519 day in Israel? And I am weak today, though anointed 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.139 king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are 00:09:33.139 --> 00:09:35.759 too harsh for me. The Lord shall repay the evildoer 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:40.179 according to his wickedness. Chapter 4 When Saul's 00:09:40.179 --> 00:09:42.539 son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost 00:09:42.539 --> 00:09:45.320 heart, and all Israel was troubled. Now Saul's 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:47.399 son had two men who were captains of troops. 00:09:47.620 --> 00:09:50.100 The name of one was Banna, and the name of the 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:52.779 other was Rechab, the sons of Ramon the Beorotite, 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:55.659 of the children of Benjamin. For Beirut was also 00:09:55.659 --> 00:09:58.320 part of Benjamin, because the Beirutites fled 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:00.840 to Getaim and have been sojourners there until 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:04.399 this day. Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:07.100 was lame in his feet. He was five years old when 00:10:07.100 --> 00:10:09.720 the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, 00:10:09.740 --> 00:10:12.419 and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened 00:10:12.419 --> 00:10:15.039 as she made haste to flee that he fell and became 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.690 lame. His name was Mephibosheth. Then the sons 00:10:17.690 --> 00:10:20.509 of Ramon the Beorotite, Rechab and Banna, set 00:10:20.509 --> 00:10:22.990 out and came at about the heat of the day to 00:10:22.990 --> 00:10:25.309 the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his 00:10:25.309 --> 00:10:27.769 bed at noon. They came there all the way into 00:10:27.769 --> 00:10:30.110 the house, as though to get wheat, and they stabbed 00:10:30.110 --> 00:10:32.389 him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Banna, his 00:10:32.389 --> 00:10:34.710 brother, escaped. For when they came into the 00:10:34.710 --> 00:10:36.710 house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom. 00:10:36.850 --> 00:10:38.789 Then they struck him and killed him, beheaded 00:10:38.789 --> 00:10:41.289 him and took his head, and were all night escaping 00:10:41.289 --> 00:10:43.429 through the plain. And they brought the head 00:10:43.429 --> 00:10:45.970 of Ish -bosheth to David at Hebron, and said 00:10:45.970 --> 00:10:48.129 to the king, Here is the head of Ish -bosheth, 00:10:48.250 --> 00:10:50.769 the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life. 00:10:50.950 --> 00:10:53.210 And the Lord has avenged my lord the king this 00:10:53.210 --> 00:10:56.360 day of Saul and his descendants. But David answered 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:58.740 Rechab and Banna his brother, the sons of Ramon 00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:01.240 the Beorotite, and said to them, As the Lord 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:04.019 lives, who has redeemed my life from all adversity, 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:06.919 when someone told me, saying, Look, Saul is dead, 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:09.759 thinking to have brought good news, I arrested 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:13.000 him and had him executed in Ziklag, the one who 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:15.299 thought I would give him a reward for his news. 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:18.220 How much more when wicked men have killed a righteous 00:11:18.220 --> 00:11:21.590 person in his own house, on his own bed! Therefore 00:11:21.590 --> 00:11:24.649 shall I not now require his blood at your hand 00:11:24.649 --> 00:11:27.450 and remove you from the earth? So David commanded 00:11:27.450 --> 00:11:30.250 his young men, and they executed them, cut off 00:11:30.250 --> 00:11:32.429 their hands and feet, and hanged them by the 00:11:32.429 --> 00:11:35.049 pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish 00:11:35.049 --> 00:11:37.590 -bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in 00:11:37.590 --> 00:11:45.049 Hebron. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as 00:11:45.049 --> 00:11:47.250 much as I did, and I look forward to seeing you 00:11:47.250 --> 00:11:49.679 again tomorrow to continue on our journey. God 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:50.960 bless you and have a great day.