II Samuel 3

¹Then a long struggle occurred between the house of Saul and the house of David, with David prospering and growing ever stronger, but the house of Saul decreasing daily.

²And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn son was Amnon, from Ahinoam the Jezreelite.

³And after him, there was Chileab, from Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. Then the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur.

⁴Then the fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital.

⁵Also, the sixth was Ithream, from Eglah, the wife of David. These were born to David at Hebron.

⁶Then, while there was a battle between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner, the son of Ner, was reigning over the house of Saul.

⁷Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner,

⁸“Why did you enter to the concubine of my father?” But he, being exceedingly angry at the words of Ishbosheth, said: “Am I the head of a dog against Judah this day? I have shown mercy to the house of Saul, your father, and to his brothers and friends. And I have not delivered you into the hands of David. And yet today you have sought me, so that you might rebuke me over a woman?

⁹May God do these things to Abner, and may he add these other things, if, in the same way that the Lord swore to David, I do not do so with him:

¹⁰that the kingdom be transferred from the house of Saul, and that the throne of David be elevated over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

¹¹And he was not able to respond anything to him, because he was in fear of him.

¹²Therefore, Abner sent messengers to David for himself, saying, “Whose is the land?” and so that they would say, “Make a friendship with me, and my hand will be with you, and I will lead back all of Israel to you.”

¹³And he said: “It is best. I will make a friendship with you. But one thing I ask of you, saying: You shall not see my face before you bring Michal, the daughter of Saul. And in this way, you shall come, and see me.”

¹⁴Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, saying, “Restore my wife Michal, whom I espoused to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

¹⁵Therefore, Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel, the son of Laish.

¹⁶And her husband was following her, weeping, as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, “Go and return.” And he returned.

¹⁷Likewise, Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying: “As much yesterday as the day before, you were seeking David, so that he might reign over you.

¹⁸Therefore, accomplish it now. For the Lord has spoken to David, saying: ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’ ”

¹⁹Then Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And he went away, so that he might speak to David in Hebron all that would be pleasing to Israel and to all of Benjamin.

²⁰And he went to David in Hebron with twenty men. And David made a feast for Abner, and for his men who had arrived with him.

²¹And Abner said to David, “I will rise up, so that I may gather all of Israel to you, my lord the king, and so that I may enter into a pact with you, and so that you may reign over all, just as your soul desires.” Then, when David had led Abner away, and he had departed in peace,

²²immediately the servants of David and of Joab arrived, after having slain robbers, with exceedingly great spoils. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. For by then he had sent him away, and he had set out in peace.

²³And Joab, and the entire army that was with him, had arrived afterward. And so, it was reported to Joab, explaining that Abner, the son of Ner, went to the king, and he dismissed him, and he went away in peace.

²⁴And Joab entered to the king, and he said: “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him, so that he has gone and departed?

²⁵Do you not know, about Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to you for this, so that he might deceive you, and might know of your departure and your return, and so that he might know all that you do?”

²⁶And so, Joab, going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and he brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, without David knowing.

²⁷And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him alone to the middle of the gate, so that he might speak to him, but with deceit. And there, he stabbed him in the groin, and he died, in revenge for the blood of Asahel, his brother.

²⁸And when David had heard of it, now that the matter was done, he said: “I and my kingdom are clean before the Lord, even forever, of the blood of Abner, the son of Ner.

²⁹And may it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon the entire house of his father. And may there not fail to be, in the house of Joab, one who suffers from a flow of seed, or one who is leprous, or one who is effeminate, or one who falls by the sword, or one who is in need of bread.”

³⁰And so, Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon, during the battle.

³¹Then 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.

³²And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and he wept over the burial mound of Abner. And all the people also wept.

³³And the king, mourning and lamenting Abner, said: “By no means has Abner died the way that cowards usually die.

³⁴Your hands are not bound, and your feet are not weighed down with fetters. But just as men often fall before the sons of iniquity, so you have fallen.” And while repeating this, all the people wept over him.

³⁵And when the entire multitude had arrived to take food with David, while it was still broad daylight, David swore, saying, “May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets.”

³⁶And all the people heard it, and everything that the king did in the sight of the entire people was pleasing to them.

³⁷And every common person, and all of Israel, realized on that day that the killing of Abner, the son of Ner, had not been done by the king.

³⁸The king also said to his servants: “Could you be ignorant that a leader and a very great man has fallen today in Israel?

³⁹But I am still tender, and yet anointed king. And these men of the sons of Zeruiah are too harsh for me. May the Lord repay whoever does evil in accord with his malice.”

II Samuel 3

¹Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.

²And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Ammon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess:

³And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur:

⁴And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital:

⁵And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David In Hebron.

⁶Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul.

⁷And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner:

⁸Why didst thou go in to my father's concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog's head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman?

⁹So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him,

¹⁰That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.

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

¹²Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.

¹³And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me.

¹⁴And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

¹⁵And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais.

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

¹⁷Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.

¹⁸Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.

¹⁹And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.

²⁰And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.

²¹And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David had brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,

²²Immediately, David's servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty. And Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

²³And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

²⁴And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?

²⁵Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?

²⁶Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.

²⁷And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.

²⁸And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

²⁹And may it come 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 of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.

³⁰So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.

³¹And 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.

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

³³And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died.

³⁴Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.

³⁵And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset.

³⁶And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.

³⁷And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain.

³⁸The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and a great man is slain this day in Israel?

³⁹But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.