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2 Samuel 3:31

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

David said to Joab and all the people who were with him, 'Tear your clothes, put on rough mourning clothes, and grieve for Abner.' King David himself walked behind the coffin.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

David is publicly mourning Abner's death and commanding his people to show proper respect and grief, even walking behind the funeral procession himself.

📚 Historical Context

Abner was the commander of King Saul's army and had been negotiating to unite Israel under David's rule. Joab had just murdered Abner out of personal revenge, which threatened David's political unity efforts. David's public mourning was both genuine grief and a political necessity to show he wasn't involved in the assassination.

Explore Similar Verses

Matthew 11:21
This is devastating for you, Chorazin! And you too, Bethsaida! If the incredible miracles I did in your cities had happened in Tyre and Sidon instead, those people would have completely turned their lives around ages ago — we're talking full mourning clothes and ashes, the whole repentance thing.
Luke 10:13
This is going to be rough for you, Chorazin and Bethsaida. If the incredible miracles that happened in your cities had gone down in Tyre and Sidon instead, those places would've turned their lives around ages ago — we're talking full mourning clothes and sitting in ashes, completely broken over their mistakes.
Joel 1:13
Put on your mourning clothes and cry out, you priests. Wail in anguish, you who serve at the altar. Spend the night in rough cloth, you who minister to my God — because the grain offerings and drink offerings have been cut off from God's house.

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Translation & Methodology Sources

The original manuscript text provided is based on the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain. Our modern English simplifications are generated via proprietary philological synthesis, cross-referenced against Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and the Textus Receptus to ensure unwavering theological and etymological precision.

Read our full translation methodology →