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2 Samuel l

Report of Saul’s Death.

1After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.^a

2On the third day a man came from the field of battle, one of Saul’s people, with his garments torn and his head covered with dirt. Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.

3David asked him, “Where have you come from?” He replied, “From the Israelite camp: I have escaped.”

4“What happened?” David said. “Tell me.” He answered that the soldiers had fled the battle and many of them had fallen and were dead; and that Saul and his son Jonathan were dead.

5Then David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6^b The youth reporting to him replied: “I happened to find myself on Mount Gilboa and saw Saul leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him.

7He turned around and saw me, and called me to him. When I said, ‘Here I am,’

8he asked me, ‘Who are you?’ and I replied, ‘An Amalekite.’

9Then he said to me, ‘Stand over me, please, and put me to death, for I am in great suffering, but still alive.’

10So I stood over him and put him to death, for I knew that he could not survive his wound. I removed the crown from his head and the armlet from his arm and brought them here to my lord.”

11David seized his garments and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.^c

12They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.^d

13David said to the youth who had reported to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.”

14David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to put forth your hand to desecrate the LORD’s anointed?”^e

15David then called one of the attendants and said to him, “Come, strike him down”; so he struck him and he died.

16David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, for you testified against yourself when you said, ‘I put the LORD’s anointed to death.’”

Lament for Saul and Jonathan.

17Then David chanted this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan

18(he commanded that it be taught to the Judahites; it is recorded in the Book of Jashar):^f

19Alas! the glory of Israel,

slain upon your heights!

How can the warriors have fallen!

20Do not report it in Gath,

as good news in Ashkelon’s streets,

Lest Philistine women rejoice,

lest the women of the uncircumcised exult!^g

21O mountains of Gilboa,

upon you be neither dew nor rain,

nor surging from the deeps!^*

Defiled there the warriors’ shields,

the shield of Saul—no longer anointed with oil!^h

22From the blood of the slain,

from the bodies of the warriors,

The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

nor the sword of Saul return unstained.^{* i}

23Saul and Jonathan, beloved and dear,

separated neither in life nor death,

swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!

24Women of Israel, weep over Saul,

who clothed you in scarlet and in finery,

covered your clothing with ornaments of gold.

25How can the warriors have fallen

in the thick of battle!

Jonathan—slain upon your heights!

26I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother!

Most dear have you been to me;

More wondrous your love to me

than the love of women.^j

27How can the warriors have fallen,

the weapons of war have perished!

2 Samuel 2

David Is Anointed King.

1After this, David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” The LORD replied to him: Go up. Then David asked, “Where shall I go?” He replied: To Hebron.

2So David went up there, with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.^a

3David also brought up his men with their families, and they dwelt in the towns of Hebron.

4Then the men of Judah came there and anointed David king over the house of Judah.

A report reached David that the people of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul.^b

5So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead and said to them: “May you be blessed by the LORD for having done this kindness to your lord Saul in burying him.

6And now may the LORD show you kindness and fidelity. For my part, I will show generosity to you for having done this.

7So take courage and prove yourselves valiant, for though your lord Saul is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

IV. THE REIGN OF DAVID

Ishbaal King of Israel.

8Abner, son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, took Ishbaal,^* son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim,^c

9where he made him king over Gilead, the Asherites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and the rest of Israel.

10Ishbaal, son of Saul, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years; but the house of Judah followed David.

11In all, David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah seven years and six months.^d

Combat near Gibeon.

12Now Abner, son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbaal, Saul’s son, set out from Mahanaim for Gibeon.

13Joab, son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David also set out and encountered them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other on the opposite side.

14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men rise and perform for us.”^* Joab replied, “All right.”

15So they rose and were counted off: twelve of the Benjaminites of Ishbaal, son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.

16Then each one grasped his opponent’s head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell down together.^* And so that place was named the Field of the Sides; it is in Gibeon.

Death of Asahel.

17The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s servants.

18The three sons of Zeruiah were there—Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.^e Asahel, who was as fleet of foot as a gazelle in the open field,

19set out after Abner, turning neither right nor left in his pursuit.

20Abner turned around and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes.”

21Abner said to him, “Turn right or left; seize one of the young men and take what you can strip from him.” But Asahel would not stop pursuing him.

22Once more Abner said to Asahel: “Stop pursuing me! Why must I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”^f

23Still he refused to stop. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the heel of his spear, and the weapon protruded from his back. He fell there and died on the spot. All who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, halted.

24But Joab and Abishai continued the pursuit of Abner. The sun had gone down when they came to the hill of Ammah which lies east of the valley toward the wilderness near Geba.

Truce Between Joab and Abner.

25Here the Benjaminites rallied around Abner, forming a single group, and made a stand on a hilltop.

26Then Abner called to Joab and said: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not know that afterward there will be bitterness? How long before you tell the people to stop pursuing their brothers?”

27Joab replied, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, it would be morning before the people would be stopped from pursuing their brothers.”

28Joab then sounded the horn, and all the people came to a halt, pursuing Israel no farther and fighting no more.

29Abner and his men marched all night long through the Arabah, crossed the Jordan, marched all through the morning, and came to Mahanaim.

30Joab, coming from the pursuit of Abner, assembled all the men. Nineteen other servants of David were missing, besides Asahel.

31But David’s servants had struck down and killed three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin, followers of Abner.

32They took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Joab and his men made an all-night march, and dawn found them in Hebron.

2 Samuel 3

There followed a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, in which David grew ever stronger, but the house of Saul ever weaker.

Sons Born in Hebron.

2^a Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam from Jezreel;

3the second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;^b

4the fourth, Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, son of Abital;^c

5and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Ishbaal and Abner Quarrel.

6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.

7Now Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal, son of Saul, said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?”^{* d}

8Enraged at the words of Ishbaal, Abner said, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? As of today, I have been loyal to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and his friends, and I have kept you out of David’s clutches; and today you charge me with a crime involving a woman!

9May God do thus to Abner, and more, if I do not carry out for David what the LORD swore to him—^e

10that is, take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.”^f

11Ishbaal was no longer able to say a word to Abner, he feared him so.

Abner and David Reconciled.

12Then Abner sent messengers to David in Telam, where he was at the moment, to say, “Make a covenant with me, and you have me on your side, to bring all Israel over to you.”

13He replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you. You must not appear before me unless you bring back Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to present yourself to me.”^g

14At the same time David sent messengers to Ishbaal, son of Saul, to say, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed by paying a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

15Ishbaal sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish,^h

16who followed her weeping as far as Bahurim. But Abner said to him, “Go back!” So he turned back.

17Abner then had a word with the elders of Israel: “For some time you have been wanting David as your king.

18Now take action, for the LORD has said of David: By David my servant I will save my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and from the power of all their enemies.”

19Abner also spoke with Benjamin, and then went to speak with David in Hebron concerning all that would be agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.

20When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him.

21Then Abner said to David, “I will now go to assemble all Israel for my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you; you will then be king over all whom you wish to rule.” So David let Abner go on his way in peace.

Death of Abner.

22Just then David’s servants and Joab were coming in from an expedition, bringing much plunder with them. Abner, having been dismissed by David, was no longer with him in Hebron but had gone on his way in peace.

23When Joab and the whole force he had with him arrived, he was informed, “Abner, son of Ner, came to David, and he let him go on his way in peace.”

24So Joab went to the king and said: “What have you done? Abner came to you! Why did you let him get away?

25Don’t you know Abner? He came to trick you, to learn your comings and goings, to learn everything you do.”

26Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner to bring him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know.

27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the city gate to speak with him privately. There he stabbed him in the abdomen, and he died for the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.ⁱ

28Later David heard of it and said: “Before the LORD, I and my kingdom are forever innocent.^j

29May the blood of Abner, son of Ner, be on the head of Joab and all his family. May Joab’s family never be without one suffering from a discharge, or one with a skin disease, or a man who holds the distaff, or one falling by the sword, or one in need of food!”^*

30Joab and Abishai his brother had been lying in wait for Abner because he killed Asahel their brother in battle at Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner.

31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” King David himself followed the bier.^k

32When they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

33And the king sang this lament over Abner:

Should Abner have died like a fool?

34Your hands were not bound with chains,

nor your feet placed in fetters;

As one falls before the wicked, you fell.

And all the people continued to weep for him.

35Then they went to console David with food while it was still day. But David swore, “May God do thus to me, and more, if before the sun goes down I eat bread or anything else.”^l

36All the people noted this with approval, just as everything the king did met with their approval.

37So on that day all the people and all Israel came to know that it was not the king’s doing that Abner, son of Ner, was put to death.

38The king then said to his servants: “Do you not know that a prince, a great man, has fallen today in Israel.

39Although I am the anointed king, I am weak this day, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too ruthless for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer in accordance with his evil deed.”^m

1 Corinthians 16

The Collection.^*

1Now in regard to the collection^* for the holy ones, you also should do as I ordered the churches of Galatia.^a

2On the first day of the week each of you should set aside and save whatever one can afford, so that collections will not be going on when I come.

3And when I arrive, I shall send those whom you have approved with letters of recommendation to take your gracious gift to Jerusalem.

4If it seems fitting that I should go also,^* they will go with me.

Paul’s Travel Plans.^*

5I shall come to you after I pass through Macedonia (for I am going to pass through Macedonia),^b

6and perhaps I shall stay or even spend the winter with you, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go.

7For I do not wish to see you now just in passing, but I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.^c

8^* I shall stay in Ephesus^d until Pentecost,

9because a door has opened for me wide and productive for work, but there are many opponents.^e

10If Timothy comes, see that he is without fear in your company, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am.^f

11Therefore no one should disdain him. Rather, send him on his way in peace that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

12Now in regard to our brother Apollos, I urged him strongly to go to you with the brothers, but it was not at all his will that he go now. He will go when he has an opportunity.^g

Exhortation and Greetings.

13Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.

14Your every act should be done with love.

15I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas^h is the firstfruits of Achaia and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the holy ones—

16be subordinate to such people and to everyone who works and toils with them.

17I rejoice in the arrival of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because they made up for your absence,

18for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such people.ⁱ

19^* The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca together with the church at their house send you many greetings in the Lord.^j

20All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.^k

21I, Paul, write you this greeting in my own hand.^l

22If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed.^* Marana tha.^m

23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.ⁿ

24My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.

Sermons Rosary Prayers Catholic Answers

THE BOOKS OF 1 Samuel

These books describe the rise and development of kingship in Israel. Samuel is a pivotal figure. He bridges the gap between the period of the Judges and the monarchy, and guides Israel’s transition to kingship. A Deuteronomistic editor presents both positive and negative traditions about the monarchy, portraying it both as evidence of Israel’s rejection of the Lord as their sovereign (1 Sm 8:6–22; 12:1–25) and as part of God’s plan to deliver the people (1 Sm 9:16; 10:17–27; 2 Sm 7:8–17). Samuel’s misgivings about abuse of royal power foreshadow the failures and misdeeds of Saul and David and the failures of subsequent Israelite kings.

Although the events described in 1 and 2 Samuel move from the last of the judges to the decline of David’s reign and the beginning of a legendary “Golden Age” under Solomon’s rule, this material does not present either a continuous history or a systematic account of this period. The author/editor developed a narrative timeline around freely composed speeches, delivered by prophets like Samuel (e.g., 1 Sm 15:10–31; 28:15–19) and Nathan (2 Sm 12:1–12), who endorse Deuteronomistic perspectives regarding the establishment of the monarchy, the relationship between worship and obedience, and the divine covenant established with the house of David.

These books include independent blocks (e.g., the Ark Narrative [1 Sm 4:1–7:1], Saul’s rise to power [1 Sm 9:1–11:15], David’s ascendancy over Saul [1 Sm 16–31], the Succession Narrative [2 Sm 9–20; 1 Kgs 1–2]), which the editor shaped into three narrative cycles, the last two marked by transitional passages in 1 Sm 13:1 and 2 Sm 1:1. Each section focuses on a major figure in the development of the monarchy: Samuel, the reluctant king maker (1 Sm 1–12); Saul, the king whom the Lord rejects (1 Sm 13–31); David, the king after the Lord’s own heart (2 Sm 1–24). A common theme unites these narratives: Israel’s God acts justly, prospering those who remain faithful and destroying those who reject his ways (1 Sm 2:9). Along with the rest of the Deuteronomistic History, the Books of Samuel become an object lesson for biblical Israel as it tries to re-establish its religious identity after the destruction of Jerusalem and the loss of its homeland (587/586 B.C.).

The contents of the Books of Samuel may be divided as follows:

1. The Last Judges, Eli and Samuel (1 Sm 1:1–7:17)
2. Establishment of the Monarchy (1 Sm 8:1–12:25)
3. Saul and David (1 Sm 13:1–2 Sm 2:7)
4. The Reign of David (2 Sm 2:8–20:26)
5. Appendixes (2 Sm 21:1–24:25)

THE FIRST BOOK OF 1 SAMUEL

The book of 1 Corinthians

THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

Paul’s first letter to the church of Corinth provides us with a fuller insight into the life of an early Christian community of the first generation than any other book of the New Testament. Through it we can glimpse both the strengths and the weaknesses of this small group in a great city of the ancient world, men and women who had accepted the good news of Christ and were now trying to realize in their lives the implications of their baptism. Paul, who had founded the community and continued to look after it as a father, responds both to questions addressed to him and to situations of which he had been informed. In doing so, he reveals much about himself, his teaching, and the way in which he conducted his work of apostleship. Some things are puzzling because we have the correspondence only in one direction. For the person studying this letter, it seems to raise as many questions as it answers, but without it our knowledge of church life in the middle of the first century would be much poorer.

Paul established a Christian community in Corinth about the year 51, on his second missionary journey. The city, a commercial crossroads, was a melting pot full of devotees of various pagan cults and marked by a measure of moral depravity not unusual in a great seaport. The Acts of the Apostles suggests that moderate success attended Paul’s efforts among the Jews in Corinth at first, but that they soon turned against him (Acts 18:1–8). More fruitful was his year and a half spent among the Gentiles (Acts 18:11), which won to the faith many of the city’s poor and underprivileged (1 Cor 1:26). After his departure the eloquent Apollos, an Alexandrian Jewish Christian, rendered great service to the community, expounding “from the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus” (Acts 18:24–28).

While Paul was in Ephesus on his third journey (1 Cor 16:8; Acts 19:1–20), he received disquieting news about Corinth. The community there was displaying open factionalism, as certain members were identifying themselves exclusively with individual Christian leaders and interpreting Christian teaching as a superior wisdom for the initiated few (1 Cor 1:10–4:21). The community lacked the decisiveness to take appropriate action against one of its members who was living publicly in an incestuous union (1 Cor 5:1–13). Other members engaged in legal conflicts in pagan courts of law (1 Cor 6:1–11); still others may have participated in religious prostitution (1 Cor 6:12–20) or temple sacrifices (1 Cor 10:14–22).

The community’s ills were reflected in its liturgy. In the celebration of the Eucharist certain members discriminated against others, drank too freely at the agape, or fellowship meal, and denied Christian social courtesies to the poor among the membership (1 Cor 11:17–22). Charisms such as ecstatic prayer, attributed freely to the impulse of the holy Spirit, were more highly prized than works of charity (1 Cor 13:1–2, 8), and were used at times in a disorderly way (1 Cor 14:1–40). Women appeared at the assembly without the customary head-covering (1 Cor 11:3–16), and perhaps were quarreling over their right to address the assembly (1 Cor 14:34–35).

Still other problems with which Paul had to deal concerned matters of conscience discussed among the faithful members of the community: the eating of meat that had been sacrificed to idols (1 Cor 8:1–13), the use of sex in marriage (1 Cor 7:1–7), and the attitude to be taken by the unmarried toward marriage in view of the possible proximity of Christ’s second coming (1 Cor 7:25–40). There was also a doctrinal matter that called for Paul’s attention, for some members of the community, despite their belief in the resurrection of Christ, were denying the possibility of general bodily resurrection.

To treat this wide spectrum of questions, Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus about the year 56. The majority of the Corinthian Christians may well have been quite faithful. Paul writes on their behalf to guard against the threats posed to the community by the views and conduct of various minorities. He writes with confidence in the authority of his apostolic mission, and he presumes that the Corinthians, despite their deficiencies, will recognize and accept it. On the other hand, he does not hesitate to exercise his authority as his judgment dictates in each situation, even going so far as to promise a direct confrontation with recalcitrants, should the abuses he scores remain uncorrected (1 Cor 4:18–21).

The letter illustrates well the mind and character of Paul. Although he is impelled to insist on his office as founder of the community, he recognizes that he is only one servant of God among many and generously acknowledges the labors of Apollos (1 Cor 3:5–8). He provides us in this letter with many valuable examples of his method of theological reflection and exposition. He always treats the questions at issue on the level of the purity of Christian teaching and conduct. Certain passages of the letter are of the greatest importance for the understanding of early Christian teaching on the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:14–22; 11:17–34) and on the resurrection of the body (1 Cor 15:1–58).

Paul’s authorship of 1 Corinthians, apart from a few verses that some regard as later interpolations, has never been seriously questioned. Some scholars have proposed, however, that the letter as we have it contains portions of more than one original Pauline letter. We know that Paul wrote at least two other letters to Corinth (see 1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor 2:3–4) in addition to the two that we now have; this theory holds that the additional letters are actually contained within the two canonical ones. Most commentators, however, find 1 Corinthians quite understandable as a single coherent work.

The principal divisions of the First Letter to the Corinthians are the following:

1. Address (1:1–9)
2. Disorders in the Corinthian Community (1:10–6:20)
   1. Divisions in the Church (1:10–4:21)
   2. Moral Disorders (5:1–6:20)
3. Answers to the Corinthians’ Questions (7:1–11:1)
   1. Marriage and Virginity (7:1–40)
   2. Offerings to Idols (8:1–11:1)
4. Problems in Liturgical Assemblies (11:2–14:40)
   1. Women’s Headdresses (11:3–16)
   2. The Lord’s Supper (11:17–34)
   3. Spiritual Gifts (12:1–14:40)
5. The Resurrection (15:1–58)
   1. The Resurrection of Christ (15:1–11)
   2. The Resurrection of the Dead (15:12–34)
   3. The Manner of the Resurrection (15:35–58)
6. Conclusion (16:1–24)