Peace Verses
The peace that surpasses all understanding — finding God's calm in life's storms.
And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who {art} thou {that} criest to the king?
Then Saul said to David, Blessed {be} thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great {things}, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. {by prophets: Heb. by the hand of prophets}
Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines. {displease...: Heb. do not evil in the eyes of the lords}
Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth {rib}, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, {that} as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from {pursuing} a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner {was} not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
When Joab and all the host that {was} with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth {rib}, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. {quietly: or, peaceably}
Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. {fail: Heb. be cut off}
And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.