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
1There followed a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, in which David grew ever stronger, but the house of Saul ever weaker.
Sons Born in Hebron. 2#1 Chr 3:1–4. Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam from Jezreel; 3the second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;#2 Sm 13:37; 15:8. 4the fourth, Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, son of Abital;#1 Kgs 1:5. 5and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
Ishbaal and Abner Quarrel. 6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal, son of Saul, said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?”#Asserting a right to the late king’s harem was tantamount to claiming his kingship; cf. 16:21–22; 1 Kgs 2:21–22. #2 Sm 16:21–22; 21:8–10; 1 Kgs 2:21–22. 8Enraged at the words of Ishbaal, Abner said, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? As of today, I have been loyal to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and his friends, and I have kept you out of David’s clutches; and today you charge me with a crime involving a woman! 9May God do thus to Abner, and more, if I do not carry out for David what the Lord swore to him—#Ru 1:17. 10that is, take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.”#2 Sm 5:2; 1 Sm 25:30. 11Ishbaal was no longer able to say a word to Abner, he feared him so.
Abner and David Reconciled. 12Then Abner sent messengers to David in Telam, where he was at the moment, to say, “Make a covenant with me, and you have me on your side, to bring all Israel over to you.” 13He replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you. You must not appear before me unless you bring back Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to present yourself to me.”#1 Sm 18:20–27. 14At the same time David sent messengers to Ishbaal, son of Saul, to say, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed by paying a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 15Ishbaal sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish,#1 Sm 25:44. 16who followed her weeping as far as Bahurim. But Abner said to him, “Go back!” So he turned back.
17Abner then had a word with the elders of Israel: “For some time you have been wanting David as your king. 18Now take action, for the Lord has said of David: By David my servant I will save my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and from the power of all their enemies.” 19Abner also spoke with Benjamin, and then went to speak with David in Hebron concerning all that would be agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him. 21Then Abner said to David, “I will now go to assemble all Israel for my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you; you will then be king over all whom you wish to rule.” So David let Abner go on his way in peace.
Death of Abner. 22Just then David’s servants and Joab were coming in from an expedition, bringing much plunder with them. Abner, having been dismissed by David, was no longer with him in Hebron but had gone on his way in peace. 23When Joab and the whole force he had with him arrived, he was informed, “Abner, son of Ner, came to David, and he let him go on his way in peace.” 24So Joab went to the king and said: “What have you done? Abner came to you! Why did you let him get away? 25Don’t you know Abner? He came to trick you, to learn your comings and goings, to learn everything you do.” 26Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner to bring him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know. 27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the city gate to speak with him privately. There he stabbed him in the abdomen, and he died for the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.#2 Sm 2:17–23; 1 Kgs 2:5, 31–33. 28Later David heard of it and said: “Before the Lord, I and my kingdom are forever innocent.#3:28, 30] 2 Sm 2:22–23. 29May the blood of Abner, son of Ner, be on the head of Joab and all his family. May Joab’s family never be without one suffering from a discharge, or one with a skin disease, or a man who holds the distaff, or one falling by the sword, or one in need of food!”#An assortment of imprecations, consisting of physical ailments, weakness, violent death, and poverty. 30Joab and Abishai his brother had been lying in wait for Abner because he killed Asahel their brother in battle at Gibeon.
David Mourns Abner. 31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” King David himself followed the bier.#2 Sm 21:10. 32When they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33And the king sang this lament over Abner:
Should Abner have died like a fool?
34Your hands were not bound with chains,
nor your feet placed in fetters;
As one falls before the wicked, you fell.
And all the people continued to weep for him. 35Then they went to console David with food while it was still day. But David swore, “May God do thus to me, and more, if before the sun goes down I eat bread or anything else.”#Ru 1:17. 36All the people noted this with approval, just as everything the king did met with their approval. 37So on that day all the people and all Israel came to know that it was not the king’s doing that Abner, son of Ner, was put to death. 38The king then said to his servants: “Do you not know that a prince, a great man, has fallen today in Israel. 39Although I am the anointed king, I am weak this day, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too ruthless for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer in accordance with his evil deed.”#Ps 28:4; Is 3:11.
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