II Samuel 3

¹Now 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.

²And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

³and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

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

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

⁶And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.

⁷Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: andIsh-boshethsaid to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?

⁸Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

⁹God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah hath sworn to David, I do not even so to him;

¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.

¹¹And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

¹²And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? sayingalso, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

¹³And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee; but one thing I require of thee: that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

¹⁴And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

¹⁵And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.

¹⁶And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return: and he returned.

¹⁷And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:

¹⁸now then do it; for Jehovah hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

¹⁹And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.

²⁰So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

²¹And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

²²And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, 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.

²³When 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.

²⁴Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

²⁵Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

²⁶And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

²⁷And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁸And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

²⁹let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon 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 by the sword, or that lacketh bread.

³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

³¹And 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.

³²And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

³³And the king lamented for Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth?

³⁴Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: As a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept again over him.

³⁵And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun be down.

³⁶And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

³⁸And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

³⁹And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me: Jehovah reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.

II Samuel 3

¹And the war is long between the house of Saul and the house of David, and David is going on and is strong, and the house of Saul are going on and are weak.

²And there are born to David sons in Hebron, and his first-born is Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,

³and his second is Chileab, of Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third is Absalom son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur,

⁴and the fourth is Adonijah son of Haggith, and the fifth is Shephatiah son of Abital,

⁵and the sixth is Ithream, of Eglah wife of David; these have been born to David in Hebron.

⁶And it cometh to pass, in the war being between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner hath been strengthening himself in the house of Saul,

⁷and Saul hath a concubine, and her name is Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Ish-Bosheth saith unto Abner, `Wherefore hast thou gone in unto the concubine of my father?'

⁸And it is displeasing to Abner exceedingly, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he saith, `The head of a dog am Ithat in reference to Judah to-day I do kindness with the house of Saul thy father, unto his brethren, and unto his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of Davidthat thou chargest against me iniquity concerning the woman to-day?

⁹thus doth God to Abner, and thus He doth add to him, surely as Jehovah hath sworn to Davidsurely so I do to him:

¹⁰to cause the kingdom to pass over from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel, and over Judah, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba.'

¹¹And he is not able any more to turn back Abner a word, because of his fearing him.

¹²And Abner sendeth messengers unto David for himself, saying, `Whose is the land?' saying, `Make thy covenant with me, and lo, my hand is with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.'

¹³And he saith, `GoodI make with thee a covenant; only, one thing I am asking of thee, that is, Thou dost not see my face, except thou dost first bring in Michal, daughter of Saul in thy coming into see my face.'

¹⁴And David sendeth messengers unto Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, saying, `Give up my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'

¹⁵And Ish-Bosheth sendeth, and taketh her from a man, from Phaltiel son of Laish,

¹⁶and her husband goeth with her, going on and weeping behind her, unto Bahurim, and Abner saith unto him, `Go, turn back;' and he turneth back.

¹⁷And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, `Heretofore ye have been seeking David for king over you,

¹⁸and now, do it , for Jehovah hath spoken of David saying, By the hand of David my servantto save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'

¹⁹And Abner speaketh also in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner goeth also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that is good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin,

²⁰and Abner cometh in unto David, to Hebron, and with him twenty men, and David maketh for Abner, and for the men who are with him, a banquet.

²¹And Abner saith unto David, `I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth;' and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.

²²And lo, the servants of David, and Joab, have come from the troop, and much spoil have brought with them, and Abner is not with David in Hebron, for he hath sent him away, and he goeth in peace;

²³and Joab and all the host that is with him have come, and they declare to Joab, saying, `Abner son of Ner hath come unto the king, and he sendeth him away, and he goeth in peace.'

²⁴And Joab cometh unto the king, and saith, `What hast thou done? lo, Abner hath come unto thee! why is thisthou hast sent him away, and he is really gone?

²⁵Thou hast known Abner son of Ner, that to deceive thee he came, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou art doing.'

²⁶And Joab goeth out from David, and sendeth messengers after Abner, and they bring him back from the well of Sirah, and David knew not.

²⁷And Abner turneth back to Hebron, and Joab turneth him aside unto the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smiteth him there in the fifth rib and he diethfor the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁸And David heareth afterwards and saith, `Acquitted am I, and my kingdom, by Jehovah, unto the age, from the blood of Abner son of Ner;

²⁹it doth stay on the head of Joab, and on all the house of his father, and there is not cut off from the house of Joab one having an issue, and leprous, and laying hold on a staff, and falling by a sword, and lacking bread.'

³⁰And Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because that he put to death Asahel their brother, in Gibeon, in battle.

³¹And 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.

³²And they bury Abner in Hebron, and the king lifteth up his voice, and weepeth at the grave of Abner, and all the people weep;

³³and the king lamenteth for Abner, and saith: `As the death of a fool doth Abner die?

³⁴Thy hands not bound, And thy feet to fetters not brought nigh! As one falling before sons of evilThou hast fallen!' and all the people add to weep over him.

³⁵And all the people come to cause David to eat bread while yet day, and David sweareth, saying, `Thus doth God to me, and thus He doth add, forbefore the going in of the sun, I taste no bread or any other thing.'

³⁶And all the people have discerned it , and it is good in their eyes, as all that the king hath done is good in the eyes of all the people;

³⁷and all the people know, even all Israel, in that day, that it hath not been from the kingto put to death Abner son of Ner.

³⁸And the king saith unto his servants, `Do ye not know that a prince and a great one hath fallen this day in Israel?

³⁹and I to-day am tender, and an anointed king: and these men, sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me; Jehovah doth recompense to the doer of the evil according to his evil.'