2 Samuel 3
3
1 Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker. 2Sons were born to David in Hebron. 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, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house. 7Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8 Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to your father Saul’s house, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman! 9God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him: 10to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
11 He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.
12Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel around to you.”
13David said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. 16Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned.
17Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you. 18Now then do it! For the LORD has 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.’”
19Abner also spoke 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 to the whole house of Benjamin. 20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 21Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
22 Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid and brought in a great plunder 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 army who was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone? 25You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”
26 When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it. 27When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29Let it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab 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 bread.” 30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier. 32They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept. 33The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.”
All the people wept again over him. 35All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else, until the sun goes down.”
36 All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? 39I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
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2 Samuel 3
3
Betrayal of Abner
1Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. While David grew steadily stronger, the house of Saul grew steadily weaker.
2Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3his second was Chileab by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
4the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital;
5and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner strengthened his position in the house of Saul.
7Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?”
8But Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth’s words and said, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? To this day I’ve been loyal to the house of Saul your father, to his kinsmen, and to his friends, and I haven’t handed you over to David—yet today you are accusing me of wrongdoing with this woman.
9May God do so to Abner and even more if, as Adonai has sworn to David, I don’t accomplish this for him—
10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba!”
11But Ish-bosheth could not respond to Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.
12Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and see, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”
13“Good!” said David. “I will cut a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you will not see my face unless you first bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see my face.”
14Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ish-bosheth demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for 100 Philistine foreskins.”
15So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.
16But her husband accompanied her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return!” So he returned.
17Now Abner had a word with the elders of Israel saying, “In times past you wanted David to be king over you.
18So now do it! For Adonai has spoken of David saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David I will deliver My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”
19Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner went to Hebron to speak in the hearing of David about all that was agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20When Abner came to David in Hebron along with 20 other men, David held a banquet for Abner and the men with him.
21Abner said to David, “Let me get up and go rally all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may cut a covenant with you, and you may reign over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he departed in shalom.
22Just then, David’s soldiers and Joab came from a raid, bringing with them much spoil. By then Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he departed in shalom.
23When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, they told Joab, saying, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in shalom.”
24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look here, Abner came to you—why did you send him away? Now he is getting away!
25You know Abner son of Ner—surely he came to deceive you, to spy on your goings and comings, and to find out all that you are doing.”
26When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, so they brought him back from the well of Sirah, though David knew nothing about it.
27Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the groin, so that he died—on account of the blood of his brother Asahel.
28When David heard about it afterward, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Adonai forever from the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29May it whirl on Joab’s head and on all his father’s house. May the house of Joab never be without someone with discharge or tza'arat, lame or one fallen by the sword or one who lacks food.”
30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.
31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes, gird with sackcloth, and lament before Abner.” King David walked behind the platform.
32When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king lifted up his voice and wept aloud at Abner’s grave, and all the people wept.
33Then the king chanted a lament for Abner and said, “Should Abner die like a senseless fool?
34Your hands were not bound, your feet were never put in fetters. As one falls before the children of iniquity, so did you fall.” Then all the people wept again over him.
35Then all the people came to urge David to eat some food while it was still day, but David vowed saying, “May God do so to me and even more if I taste food or anything else before the sun sets.”
36All the people took note of it and it pleased them, just as everything the king did pleased all the people.
37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king’s will to kill Abner son of Ner.
38Then the king said to his soldiers, “Don’t you realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel today?
39So today I am vulnerable, even though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me to handle. May Adonai reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
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