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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2 Samuel 3: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
2 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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