2 Samuel 3
3
1Now 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.
2And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn 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, by 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 for the house of Saul. 7And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said 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, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? 9So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 10to translate 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 a word again, because he feared him.
David, Abner, and Joab
12And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, 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, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. 16And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.
17And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: 18now then do it: for the LORD 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 that seemed good 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 league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
22And, 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. 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, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
27And 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. 28And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 29let 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. 30So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain 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 himself 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 over Abner, and said,
Died Abner as a fool dieth?
34Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters:
As a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou.
And all the people wept again over him. 35And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought 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. 37For 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 be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
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2 Samuel 3: KJV
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Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.
Learn More About King James Version2 Samuel 3
3
1The war between Saul’s house and David’s house was long and drawn out. David kept getting stronger, while Saul’s house kept getting weaker.
David’s family
2David’s sons were born in Hebron. His oldest son was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel; 3the second was Chileab, by Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel; the third was Absalom, by#3.3 Or son of; also twice in 3:4 Maacah, who was the daughter of Geshur’s King Talmai; 4the fourth was Adonijah, by Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abital; 5and the sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These are David’s sons that were born in Hebron.
Joab kills Abner
6Throughout the war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner was gaining power in Saul’s house. 7Now Saul had a secondary wife named Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter. Ishbosheth#3.7 Or he, supplied from 3:8; see note at 2:8 on Ishbosheth. said to Abner, “Why have you had sex with my father’s secondary wife?”
8Abner got very angry over what Ishbosheth had said.
“Am I some sort of dog’s head?”#3.8 LXX; MT adds that belongs to Judah. Abner asked. “I’ve been nothing but loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his brothers and his friends. I haven’t handed you over to David, but today you accuse me of doing something wrong with this woman. 9May God deal harshly with me, Abner, and worse still if I don’t do for David exactly what the LORD swore to him— 10removing the kingdom from Saul’s house and securing David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan all the way to Beer-sheba!”
11Ishbosheth couldn’t say a single word in reply to Abner because he was afraid of him.
12Abner sent messengers to represent him to David and to say, “Who will own the land?#3.12 Heb uncertain; LXX lacks Who will own the land? Make a covenant with me, then I’ll help bring all Israel over to your side.”
13“Good!” David replied. “I will make a covenant with you, but on one condition: don’t show yourself in my presence unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”
14Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ishbosheth. “Give me my wife Michal,” he demanded. “I became engaged to her at the cost of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15Ishbosheth then sent for Michal and took her from her husband Paltiel, Laish’s son. 16Her husband went with her all the way to Bahurim, crying as he followed her.
“Go home!” Abner told him. So he went home.
17Abner then sent word to Israel’s elders. “You’ve wanted David to be your king for some time now,” he said. 18“It’s time to act because the LORD has said about David: I will rescue my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and all their enemies through my servant David.”
19Abner also spoke directly to the Benjaminites. He then went to inform David in person at Hebron regarding everything that all Israel and the house of Benjamin were willing to do.
20When Abner, along with twenty others, reached David at Hebron, David threw a celebration for Abner and his men. 21Then Abner said to David, “Please let me get going so I can assemble all Israel for my master the king. Then they can make a covenant with you, and you will rule over everything your heart#3.21 Or soul desires.” At that, David sent Abner off in peace.
22Right then, David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing a great deal of loot with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron because David had sent him off in peace. 23When Joab and all the troops with him returned, Joab was told that Abner, Ner’s son, had come to the king and that David had sent him off in peace.
24Joab went to the king and asked, “What have you done? Abner came to you here! Why did you send him off? Now he’s gotten away! 25Don’t you know the evil ways of Abner, Ner’s son?#3.25 LXX; MT You know Abner, Ner’s son. He came to trick you, to find out where you come and go, and to learn everything you do!”
26Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well at Sirah, but David didn’t know anything of this. 27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside next to#3.27 LXX; MT to the middle of the gate to speak with him in private. But instead Joab stabbed Abner in the stomach, and he died for shedding the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.
28When David heard about this later, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the shedding of the blood of Abner, Ner’s son. 29May it fall upon the head of Joab and his entire family tree! May Joab’s family never be without someone with a discharge or a skin disease,#3.29 Traditionally leprosy, a term used for several different skin diseases someone who uses a crutch,#3.29 Or who holds a spindle someone who dies by the sword, or someone who is hungry!”
30So that is how Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner, because he killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31Then David ordered Joab and all the troops who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on funeral clothes! Mourn for Abner!” King David himself walked behind the body. 32They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner’s grave. All the troops cried too. 33Then the king sang this funeral song#3.33 Or lament for Abner:
“Should Abner have died like a fool dies?
34Your hands weren’t bound,
your feet weren’t chained,
but you have fallen
like someone falls before the wicked.”
Then the troops cried over Abner again.
35Then all the soldiers came to urge David to eat something while it was still day, but David swore, “May God deal harshly with me and worse still if I eat bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” 36All the troops took notice of this and were pleased by it. Indeed, everything that the king did pleased them. 37So on that day all the troops and all Israel knew that it wasn’t the king’s idea to kill Abner, Ner’s son.
38The king told his soldiers, “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man in Israel has fallen today? 39And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak. These men, Zeruiah’s sons, are too strong for me.#3.39 Or more ruthless than me;DSS (4QSama) lacks this clause. May the LORD repay the one who does evil according to the evil they did!”
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