2 Samuel 3:1

Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2 And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;

3 his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
KJV
Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
WEB
Now there was a long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker.
ASV
Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
DARBY
And the war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became continually stronger, and the house of Saul became continually weaker.
BLB
And there was a long war between the house of Saul and between the house of David. And David was going on and [was] strong, and the house of Saul was going on and [was] weak.
ÅB
Krigen mellom Sauls hus og Davids hus ble langvarig; og David ble sterkere og sterkere, men Sauls hus ble svakere og svakere.
OTB
Nå var krigen mellom Sauls hus og Davids hus langvarig; og David ble sterkere og sterkere, men Sauls hus ble svakere og svakere.
B1930
Krigen mellem Sauls hus og Davids hus blev langvarig; og David blev sterkere og sterkere, men Sauls hus blev svakere og svakere.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Kings 14:30

    There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days.

    Read in context
  • Job 8:7

    Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.

    Read in context
  • Proverbs 4:18–19

    The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 2:17

    The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

    Read in context
  • Ephesians 6:12

    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

    Read in context
  • Job 17:9

    Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.

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  • Psalms 84:7

    They go from strength to strength, until each appears before God in Zion.

    Read in context
  • Esther 6:13

    Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is Jewish, you will not prevail against him—for surely you will fall before him.”

    Read in context