2 Samuel 3:31
New International Version
Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier.

New Living Translation
Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave.

English Standard Version
Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier.

Berean Standard Bible
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.

King James Bible
And 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.

New King James Version
Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin.

New American Standard Bible
Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier.

NASB 1995
Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier.

NASB 1977
Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier.

Amplified Bible
Then David said to Joab and to all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier.

Christian Standard Bible
David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” And King David walked behind the coffin.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” And King David walked behind the funeral procession.

American Standard Version
And 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 followed the bier.

Contemporary English Version
David told Joab and everyone with him, "Show your sorrow by tearing your clothes and wearing sackcloth! Walk in front of Abner's body and cry!" David walked behind the stretcher on which Abner's body was being carried.

English Revised Version
And 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 followed the bier.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
David told Joab and all the people with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." King David followed the open casket.

Good News Translation
Then David ordered Joab and his men to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn for Abner. And at the funeral King David himself walked behind the coffin.

International Standard Version
David ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." King David walked behind the funeral procession,

Majority Standard Bible
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, ?Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.? And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.

NET Bible
David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!" Now King David followed behind the funeral bier.

New Heart English Bible
David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the coffin.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.

World English Bible
David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And David says to Joab, and to all the people who [are] with him, “Tear your garments, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner”; and King David is going after the bier.

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto Joab, and unto all the people who are with him, 'Rend your garments, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner;' and king David is going after the bier.

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will say to Joab and to all the people which were with him, Rend your garments and gird you with sack-cloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David went after the litter.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before the funeral procession of Abner.” Moreover, king David himself was following the casket.

New American Bible
Then 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.

New Revised Standard Version
Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” And King David followed the bier.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth and mourn for Abner. And King David himself and all the people followed the bier.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David said to Yuab and to all the people who were with him: “Rip your garments and be clothed in sackcloth and mourn before Abnir and King David!” And all the people went after the bier
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: 'Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and wail before Abner.' And king David followed the bier.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament before Abenner. And king David followed the bier.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Mourns for Abner
31Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier. 32When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.…

Cross References
1 Kings 2:5-6
Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. / So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

1 Kings 2:32-33
The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. / Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”

1 Kings 2:9
Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.”

1 Kings 2:28-34
When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar. / It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar.” So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down!” / And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, “This is how Joab answered me.” ...

1 Kings 2:36-46
Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. / On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.” / “The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. ...

1 Kings 1:32-40
Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. / “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. / There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ...

1 Kings 1:41-53
Now Adonijah and all his guests were finishing their feast when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn. “Why is the city in such a loud uproar?” asked Joab. / As he was speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” said Adonijah, “for you are a man of valor. You must be bringing good news.” / “Not at all,” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. ...

1 Kings 1:5-10
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him. / (His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.) / So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him. ...

1 Kings 1:11-31
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? / Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. / Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ...

1 Kings 1:50-53
But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. / It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’” / And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.” ...

1 Kings 2:13-25
Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied. / Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered. / “You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD. ...

1 Kings 2:26-27
Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.” / So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.

1 Kings 2:35
And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.

1 Kings 2:46
Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was firmly established in the hand of Solomon.

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.


Treasury of Scripture

And 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.

Rend

2 Samuel 1:2,11
It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance…

Genesis 37:29,34
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes…

Joshua 7:6
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

bier [heb] bed

Luke 7:14
And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Jump to Previous
Abner Bier Body Clothes David Dead Followed Front Garments Gird Grief Haircloth Joab Jo'ab Lament Mourn Mourning Rend Sackcloth Sorrow Tear Wail Walk Walked
Jump to Next
Abner Bier Body Clothes David Dead Followed Front Garments Gird Grief Haircloth Joab Jo'ab Lament Mourn Mourning Rend Sackcloth Sorrow Tear Wail Walk Walked
2 Samuel 3
1. During the war David becomes stronger
2. Six sons are born to him in Hebron
6. Abner, displeased with Ishbosheth
7. revolts to David
13. David requires as a condition to bring him his wife Michal
17. Abner confers with the Israelites, feasted by David, and dismissed
22. Joab returning from battle, is displeased with the king, and kills Abner
28. David curses Joab
31. and mourns for Abner














Then David said
The phrase begins with David, the anointed king of Israel, taking a decisive action. In the Hebrew text, "David" is "דָּוִד" (Dawid), meaning "beloved." This highlights David's role as a leader who is deeply connected to his people and to God. His words carry authority and compassion, setting the tone for the events that follow.

to Joab
Joab, whose name in Hebrew is "יוֹאָב" (Yoav), meaning "Yahweh is father," is David's military commander. This relationship is complex, as Joab is both a loyal servant and a man of violence. David's address to Joab signifies a moment of leadership where David must guide even his most powerful subordinates in a time of national mourning.

and to all the people with him
This phrase emphasizes the communal aspect of the mourning. David's directive is not just for Joab but for all who are present, indicating the collective responsibility and shared grief of the nation. It reflects the unity and solidarity expected among the Israelites during a time of loss.

Tear your clothes
Tearing one's clothes is an ancient Hebrew expression of grief and mourning. The act is a physical manifestation of inner sorrow and distress. It is a tradition deeply rooted in the culture of the time, symbolizing the rending of one's heart and spirit in response to tragedy.

put on sackcloth
Sackcloth, a coarse material, is worn as a sign of mourning and repentance. In Hebrew, "שַׂק" (saq) represents humility and penitence. By instructing the people to wear sackcloth, David is calling for a visible demonstration of their mourning, aligning their external appearance with their internal sorrow.

and mourn before Abner
Abner, whose name means "father of light" in Hebrew, was a significant military leader and a key figure in the house of Saul. Mourning before Abner signifies respect and honor for a fallen leader, despite any past conflicts. It underscores the importance of reconciliation and respect for the dead, regardless of previous enmity.

And King David himself
The use of "King David" here highlights his dual role as both a ruler and a mourner. David's personal involvement in the mourning process demonstrates his humility and empathy. It shows that even a king is not above expressing grief and participating in communal sorrow.

walked behind the bier
Walking behind the bier, which is a stand for carrying a coffin, is a gesture of respect and honor for the deceased. David's action signifies his personal commitment to honoring Abner, setting an example for the nation. It reflects the biblical principle of honoring those who have passed, regardless of past conflicts, and the importance of humility and respect in leadership.

(31) Rend your clothes.--David commands a public mourning with the usual signs of rent clothes and sackcloth, and lays this command especially upon Joab, who is thus required, as it were, to do public penance for his act. David himself followed the bier as chief mourner.

Verse 31. - David said to Joab. The excuse of the blood feud made it impossible for David to punish Joab further than by depriving him of his command; but he made him condemn his own deed by taking part in the public mourning for the man he had murdered. This mourning consisted in going in solemn procession, clad in sackcloth, before Abner's body, carried on a bier to the grave, while David followed as chief mourner; and the emphatic way in which he is called King David suggests the thought that he went in royal state, so as to give all possible dignity to the funeral. His tears and lamentations with uplifted voice were so genuine and hearty as to move the people to a similar outburst of grief. But while all those at Hebron had proof that David was innocent, the people generally would know only that, when Abner was escorting the king's wife back to him, and arranging for his election to rule over all Israel, he was treacherously murdered at the gate of Hebron by one who was chief over David's army and also his nephew.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then David
דָּוִ֨ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

ordered
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Joab
יוֹאָ֜ב (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

and all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
הָעָ֣ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

with him,
אִתּ֗וֹ (’it·tōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

“Tear
קִרְע֤וּ (qir·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7167: To rend

your clothes,
בִגְדֵיכֶם֙ (ḇiḡ·ḏê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

put on
וְחִגְר֣וּ (wə·ḥiḡ·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 2296: To gird, gird on, gird oneself

sackcloth,
שַׂקִּ֔ים (śaq·qîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8242: A mesh, coarse loose cloth, sacking, a bag

and mourn
וְסִפְד֖וּ (wə·sip̄·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5594: To tear the hair and beat the breasts, to lament, to wail

before
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

Abner.”
אַבְנֵ֑ר (’aḇ·nêr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 74: Abner -- 'my father is a lamp', an Israelite name

And King
וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (wə·ham·me·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

David himself
דָּוִ֔ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

walked
הֹלֵ֖ךְ (hō·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

behind
אַחֲרֵ֥י (’a·ḥă·rê)
Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

the funeral bier.
הַמִּטָּֽה׃ (ham·miṭ·ṭāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4296: A bed, for, sleeping, eating, a sofa, litter, bier


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OT History: 2 Samuel 3:31 David said to Joab and to all (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 3:30
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