2 Samuel 3
3
1#1Ki 14:30; 2Sa 2:17The struggle between the house of Saul and the house of David endured, but David grew stronger as Saul became weaker.
2#1Ch 3:1–4Sons were born to David in Hebron:
his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3#1Sa 27:8; 25:42and his second, Kileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal, the Carmelite;
and the third, Absalom the son of Maakah the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur;
4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
5and the sixth, Ithream, was born to Eglah, the wife of David.
These were born to David in Hebron.
Abner Defects to David
6#2Sa 2:8–9While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was strengthening himself in the house of Saul. 7#2Sa 21:8–11; 16:21–22Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, and Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8#2Sa 9:8; 16:9Abner became very angry over the words of Ish-Bosheth. He said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Each day I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends by not allowing you to fall into the hand of David. Yet today you are charging me with guilt concerning this woman. 9#1Sa 15:28; 1Ki 19:2May God do so to Abner, and more also, for as the Lord has sworn to David, this I will do for him, 10#Jdg 20:1; 1Sa 3:20to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11And he could not offer a response to Abner, for fear of him.
12So Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and my hand will be with you to bring over all of Israel to you.”
13#Ge 43:3He responded, “Very well, I will make a covenant with you, but I require one thing from you: you will not see my face unless you bring Michal the daughter of Saul with you when you come to see me.” 14#1Sa 18:27; 18:25Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15#1Sa 25:44So Ish-Bosheth sent for her, and he took her from her husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. 16#2Sa 16:5; 19:16But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go. Return.” So he turned back.
17Abner had a word with the elders of Israel, “In days past, you were seeking David as king over you. 18#1Sa 15:28; 2Sa 3:9So do it now, because the Lord said to David: By the hand of David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of every enemy.”
19#1Ch 12:29; 1Sa 10:20–21Abner also spoke privately with Benjamin. Then Abner went to tell David privately at Hebron all that was received favorably by Israel and the entire house of Benjamin. 20So Abner, along with twenty men, went to David at Hebron, and David held a festival for Abner and the men who were with him. 21#2Sa 3:12; 1Ki 11:37Abner said to David, “Let me arise, go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went peaceably.
Joab Murders Abner
22Now the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much plunder with them, but Abner was no longer with David at Hebron, because he had sent him away in peace. 23When Joab and the whole of the army that was with him arrived, they reported to Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king and he sent him away peaceably.”
24So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you. Why is it that you sent him away? Now he is long gone. 25#Dt 28:6; Isa 37:28You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to learn of your coming and going, to discern all that you are doing.”
26When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. However, David was not aware of this. 27#2Sa 20:9–10; 1Ki 2:5So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab pulled him aside in the gateway so as to speak with him undisturbed. There he struck him in the midsection so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel, his brother.
28Afterward when David heard of this, he said, “My kingdom and I are forever blameless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29#2Sa 1:16May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house. May the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks food.”
30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he killed Asahel their brother at Gibeon in the battle.
31#Ge 37:34; Jos 7:6David said to Joab and all of the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” As for King David, he followed behind the bier. 32#Pr 24:17; Job 31:28When they buried Abner at Hebron, the king raised his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all of the people wept.
33#2Sa 1:17; 13:12–13Then, the king lamented for Abner, saying,
“Should Abner have died as a fool dies?
34Your hands were not bound,
and your feet were not put in fetters;
as a man falls before the wicked, so you have fallen.”
And all of the people continued to weep over him.
35#2Sa 1:12; 12:17Then all of the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath, saying, “May God do to me, and more also, if I taste food or anything else before the sun sets.”
36All of the people recognized this, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did was pleasing to all of the people. 37That very day, all of the people, all of Israel, understood that it was not ordered from the king to have Abner the son of Ner killed.
38David said to his servant, “Do you not understand that a great leader has fallen this day in Israel? 39#1Ki 2:33–34; 2:5–6Today, I am weak, even if an anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
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2 Samuel 3: MEV
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Military Bible Association
2 Samuel 3
3
1There was a long war between the people who supported Saul’s family and those who supported David’s family. The supporters of David’s family became stronger and stronger, but the supporters of Saul’s family became weaker and weaker.
David’s Sons
2Sons were born to David at Hebron. The first was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. 3The second son was Kileab, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third son was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur. 4The fourth son was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth son was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital. 5The sixth son was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife. These sons were born to David at Hebron.
Abner Joins David
6During the war between the supporters of Saul’s family and the supporters of David’s family, Abner made himself a main leader among the supporters of Saul.
7Saul once had a slave woman named Rizpah, who was the daughter of Aiah. Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with my father’s slave woman?”
8Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said, and he replied, “I have been loyal to Saul and his family and friends! I didn’t hand you over to David. I am not a traitor working for Judah! But now you are saying I did something wrong with this woman! 9May God help me if I don’t join David! I will make sure that what the Lord promised does happen! 10I will take the kingdom from the family of Saul and make David king of Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba!”
11Ish-Bosheth couldn’t say anything to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
12Then Abner sent messengers to ask David, “Who is going to rule the land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you unite all Israel.”
13David answered, “Good! I will make an agreement with you, but I ask you one thing. I will not meet with you unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal to me.” 14Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth, saying, “Give me my wife Michal. She was promised to me, and I killed a hundred Philistines to get her.”
15So Ish-Bosheth sent men to take Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16Michal’s husband went with her, crying as he followed her to Bahurim. But Abner said to Paltiel, “Go back home.” So he went home.
17Abner sent this message to the elders of Israel: “You have been wanting to make David your king. 18Now do it! The Lord said of David, ‘Through my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies.’ ”
19Abner also said these things to the people of Benjamin. He then went to Hebron to tell David what the Benjaminites and Israel wanted to do. 20Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron. There David prepared a feast for them. 21Abner said to David, “My master and king, I will go and bring all the Israelites to you. Then they will make an agreement with you so you will rule over all Israel as you wanted.” So David let Abner go, and he left in peace.
Abner’s Death
22Just then Joab and David’s men came from a battle, bringing many valuable things they had taken from the enemy. David had let Abner leave in peace, so he was not with David at Hebron. 23When Joab and all his army arrived at Hebron, the army said to Joab, “Abner son of Ner came to King David, and David let him leave in peace.”
24Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he’s gone. 25You know Abner son of Ner! He came to trick you! He came to learn about everything you are doing!”
26After Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know this. 27When Abner arrived at Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway. He acted as though he wanted to talk with Abner in private, but Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died. Abner had killed Joab’s brother Asahel, so Joab killed Abner to pay him back.
28Later when David heard the news, he said, “My kingdom and I are innocent forever of the death of Abner son of Ner. The Lord knows this. 29Joab and his family are responsible for this. May his family always have someone with sores or with a skin disease. May they always have someone who must lean on a crutch. May some of his family be killed in war. May they always have someone without food to eat.”
30(Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31Then David said to Joab and to all the people with Joab, “Tear your clothes and put on rough cloth to show how sad you are. Cry for Abner.” King David himself followed the body of Abner. 32They buried Abner in Hebron, and David and all the people cried at Abner’s grave.
33King David sang this funeral song for Abner.
“Did Abner die like a fool?
34His hands were not tied.
His feet were not in chains.
He fell at the hands of evil men.”
Then all the people cried again for Abner. 35They came to encourage David to eat while it was still day. But he made a promise, saying, “May God punish me terribly if I eat bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
36All the people saw what happened, and they agreed with what the king was doing, just as they agreed with everything he did. 37That day all the people of Judah and Israel understood that David did not order the killing of Abner son of Ner.
38David said to his officers, “You know that a great man died today in Israel. 39Even though I am the appointed king, I feel empty. These sons of Zeruiah are too much for me. May the Lord give them the punishment they should have.”
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.