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World English Bible: 2 Samuel

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This is the opening chapters of the biblical book of **2 Samuel**, a historical-narrative text from the Hebrew Bible belonging to the Deuteronomistic History tradition. The passage covers the immediate aftermath of King Saul's death: an Amalekite messenger brings David news of the battle's outcome and claims to have mercy-killed the wounded Saul, only for David to execute him for daring to strike "Yahweh's anointed." David then mourns with the famous **Lament of the Bow** — a poetic elegy praising Saul and Jonathan, notable for its tender line about Jonathan's love surpassing "the love of women." The narrative then follows David's divinely guided move to Hebron, where he is anointed king over Judah, while Saul's general Abner installs Saul's son Ishbosheth as a rival king over Israel — setting up a civil war. Early chapters show the conflict through a violent proxy skirmish at Gibeon, after which Abner eventually defects to David, only to be treacherously killed by Joab. A reader interested in ancient Israelite political history, the theological theme of legitimate kingship, or the complex portrait of David as simultaneously pious, politically shrewd, and surrounded by uncontrollable violence will find this material rich; those seeking the famous David-and-Bathsheba or Absalom narratives will need to read further into the book.

World English Bible: 2 Samuel

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