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 fighting between the forces supporting Saul's family and those supporting David went on for a long time. As David became stronger and stronger, his opponents became weaker and weaker.
David's Sons
2The following six sons, in the order of their birth, were born to David at Hebron: Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam, from Jezreel; 3Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel; Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; 4Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital; 5Ithream, whose mother was Eglah. All of these sons were born in Hebron.
Abner Joins David
6As the fighting continued between David's forces and the forces loyal to Saul's family, Abner became more and more powerful among Saul's followers.
7One day Ishbosheth son of Saul accused Abner of sleeping with Saul's concubine Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. 8This made Abner furious. “Do you think that I would betray Saul? Do you really think I'm serving Judah?” he exclaimed. “From the very first I have been loyal to the cause of your father Saul, his brothers, and his friends, and I have saved you from being defeated by David; yet today you find fault with me about a woman! 9-10#1 Sam 15.28The LORD promised David that he would take the kingdom away from Saul and his descendants and would make David king of both Israel and Judah, from one end of the country to the other. Now may God strike me dead if I don't make this come true!” 11Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not say a word.
12Abner sent messengers to David, who at that time was at Hebron,#3.12 One ancient translation at Hebron; Hebrew where he (Abner) was. to say, “Who is going to rule this land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you win all Israel over to your side.”
13“Good!” David answered. “I will make an agreement with you on one condition: you must bring Saul's daughter Michal to me when you come to see me.” 14#1 Sam 18.27And David also sent messengers to Ishbosheth to say, “Give me back my wife Michal. I paid a hundred Philistine foreskins in order to marry her.” 15So Ishbosheth took her away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16Paltiel followed her all the way to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. But when Abner said, “Go back home,” he did.
17Abner went to the leaders of Israel and said to them, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king. 18Now here is your chance. Remember that the LORD has said, ‘I will use my servant David to rescue my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’ ” 19Abner spoke also to the people of the tribe of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tell David what the people of Benjamin and of Israel had agreed to do.
20When Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, David gave a feast for them. 21Abner told David, “I will go now and win all Israel over to Your Majesty. They will accept you as king, and then you will get what you have wanted and will rule over the whole land.” David gave Abner a guarantee of safety and sent him on his way.
Abner is Murdered
22Later on Joab and David's other officials returned from a raid, bringing a large amount of loot with them. Abner, however, was no longer there at Hebron with David, because David had sent him away with a guarantee of safety. 23When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety. 24So Joab went to the king and said to him, “What have you done? Abner came to you — why did you let him go like that? 25He came here to deceive you and to find out everything you do and everywhere you go. Surely you know that!”
26After leaving David, Joab sent messengers to get Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David knew nothing about it. 27When Abner arrived in Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate, as though he wanted to speak privately with him, and there he stabbed him in the belly. And so Abner was murdered because he had killed Joab's brother Asahel. 28When David heard the news, he said, “The LORD knows that my subjects and I are completely innocent of the murder of Abner. 29May the punishment for it fall on Joab and all his family! In every generation may there be some man in his family who has gonorrhoea or a dreaded skin disease or is fit only to do a woman's work or is killed in battle or hasn't enough to eat!” 30So Joab and his brother Abishai took revenge on Abner for killing their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
Abner is Buried
31Then David ordered Joab and his men to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn for Abner. And at the funeral King David himself walked behind the coffin. 32Abner was buried at Hebron, and the king wept aloud at the grave, and so did all the people. 33David sang this lament for Abner:
“Why did Abner have to die like a fool?
34His hands were not tied,
And his feet were not bound;
He died like someone killed by criminals!”
And the people wept for him again.
35All day long the people tried to get David to eat something, but he made a solemn promise, “May God strike me dead if I eat anything before the day is over!” 36They took note of this and were pleased. Indeed, everything the king did pleased the people. 37All David's people and all the people in Israel understood that the king had no part in the murder of Abner. 38The king said to his officials, “Don't you realize that this day a great leader in Israel has died? 39Even though I am the king chosen by God, I feel weak today. These sons of Zeruiah are too violent for me. May the LORD punish these criminals as they deserve!”
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.