II Samuel 3

1Now there was a long #1 Sam. 20:6war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

Sons of David

2Sons were born #1 Kin. 14:30; (Ps. 46:9)to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon #1 Chr. 3:1–4by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, #1 Sam. 25:42, 43Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king #2 Sam. 15:1–10of Geshur; 4the fourth, #Josh. 13:13; 1 Sam. 27:8; 2 Sam. 13:37; 14:32; 15:8Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins Forces with David

6Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.

7And Saul had a concubine, whose name was #1 Kin. 1:5Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you #2 Sam. 21:8–11gone in to my father’s concubine?”

8Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I #2 Sam. 16:21a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? 9#Deut. 23:18; 1 Sam. 24:14; 2 Sam. 9:8; 16:9May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David #Ruth 1:17; 1 Kin. 19:2as the Lord has sworn to him— 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, #1 Sam. 15:28; 16:1, 12; 28:17; 1 Chr. 12:23from Dan to Beersheba.” 11And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

12Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”

13And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: #Judg. 20:1; 1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 17:11; 1 Kin. 4:25you shall not see my face unless you first bring #Gen. 43:3Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14So David sent messengers to #1 Sam. 18:20; 19:11; 25:44; 2 Sam. 6:16Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself #2 Sam. 2:10for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16Then her husband went along with her to #1 Sam. 18:25–27Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.

17Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18Now then, do it! #2 Sam. 16:5; 19:16For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ” 19And Abner also spoke in the hearing of #2 Sam. 3:9Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.

20So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and #1 Sam. 10:20, 21; 1 Chr. 12:29gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may #2 Sam. 3:10, 12reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

22At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” 24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? 25Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know #1 Kin. 11:37your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

26And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. 27Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab #Deut. 28:6; 1 Sam. 29:6; Is. 37:28took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him #2 Sam. 20:9, 10; 1 Kin. 2:5in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of #2 Sam. 4:6Asahel his brother.

28Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29#2 Sam. 2:23Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one #Deut. 21:6–9; 1 Kin. 2:32, 33who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother #Lev. 15:2Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David’s Mourning for Abner

31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, #2 Sam. 2:23“Tear your clothes, #Josh. 7:6; 2 Sam. 1:2, 11gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. 32So 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 sang a lament over Abner and said:

“Should Abner die as a #Gen. 37:34fool dies?

34Your hands were not bound

Nor your feet put into fetters;

As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.”

Then all the people wept over him again.

35And when all the people came #2 Sam. 13:12, 13to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, #2 Sam. 12:17; Jer. 16:7, 8“God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else #Ruth 1:17till the sun goes down!” 36Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, #Judg. 20:26; 2 Sam. 1:12are too harsh for me. #2 Sam. 19:5–7The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

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II Samuel 3: NKJV

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2 Samuel 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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