Shemu’ĕl Bĕt (2 Samuel) 3
3
1And the fighting between the house of Sha’ul and the house of Dawiḏ was long drawn out. But Dawiḏ was going on and was strong, and the house of Sha’ul was going on and was weak.
2And sons were born to Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron. And his first-born was Amnon by Aḥino‛am the Yizre‛ĕlitess;
3and his second, Kil’aḇ, by Aḇiḡayil the widow of Naḇal the Karmelite; and the third, Aḇshalom son of Ma‛aḵah, the daughter of Talmai, sovereign of Geshur;
4and the fourth, Aḏoniyah son of Ḥaggith; and the fifth, Shephatyah son of Aḇital;
5and the sixth, Yithre‛am, by Dawiḏ’s wife Eḡlah. These were born to Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron.
6And it came to be, while there was fighting between the house of Sha’ul and the house of Dawiḏ, that Aḇnĕr was strengthening himself in the house of Sha’ul.
7And Sha’ul had a concubine, whose name was Ritspah, daughter of Ayah. And Ishbosheth said to Aḇnĕr, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8And Aḇnĕr was very displeased at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Yehuḏah, that I show loving-commitment to the house of Sha’ul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends today, and have not let you fall into the hand of Dawiḏ, that you charge me today with a sin concerning this woman?
9“Elohim does so to Aḇnĕr, and more also, if I do not do for Dawiḏ as יהוה has sworn to him:
10to cause the reign to pass over from the house of Sha’ul, and to raise up the throne of Dawiḏ over Yisra’ĕl and over Yehuḏah, from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa.”
11And he was unable to answer Aḇnĕr another word, because he feared him.
12And Aḇnĕr sent messengers on his behalf to Dawiḏ, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and see, my hand is with you to bring all Yisra’ĕl to you.”
13And Dawiḏ said, “Good, I make a covenant with you. Only one matter I am asking of you: you do not see my face unless you first bring Miḵal, daughter of Sha’ul, when you come to see my face.”
14Dawiḏ then sent messengers to Ishbosheth son of Sha’ul, saying, “Give me my wife Miḵal, to whom I became engaged for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Palti’ĕl son of Layish.
16But her husband went with her to Baḥurim, going on and weeping behind her. And Aḇnĕr said to him, “Go, turn back!” And he turned back.
17And Aḇnĕr had a word with the elders of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “In time past you were seeking for Dawiḏ to be sovereign over you.
18“And now, do it! For יהוה has spoken of Dawiḏ, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant Dawiḏ, I save My people Yisra’ĕl from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ”
19And Aḇnĕr also spoke in the hearing of Binyamin. And Aḇnĕr also went to speak in the hearing of Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron all that seemed good to Yisra’ĕl and all the house of Binyamin.
20And Aḇnĕr and twenty men with him came to Dawiḏ at Ḥeḇron. And Dawiḏ made a feast for Aḇnĕr and the men who were with him.
21And Aḇnĕr said to Dawiḏ, “Let me arise and go, and gather all Yisra’ĕl to my master the sovereign, and let them make a covenant with you, and you shall reign over all that your being desires.” And Dawiḏ sent Aḇnĕr away, and he went in peace.
22And see, the servants of Dawiḏ and Yo’aḇ came from a raid and brought much spoil with them. But Aḇnĕr was not with Dawiḏ in Ḥeḇron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23And Yo’aḇ and all the army that was with him came, and they reported to Yo’aḇ, saying, “Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr came to the sovereign, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24And Yo’aḇ went to the sovereign and said, “What have you done? See, Aḇnĕr has come to you! Why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone?
25“You know that Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
26Yo’aḇ then left Dawiḏ, and he sent messengers after Aḇnĕr, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But Dawiḏ did not know it.
27Thus Aḇnĕr returned to Ḥeḇron, and Yo’aḇ took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there struck him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asah’ĕl his brother.
28And when Dawiḏ heard it afterwards, he said, “My reign and I are guiltless before יהוה forever of the blood of Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr.
29“Let it rest on the head of Yo’aḇ and on all his father’s house. And let there never fail to be in the house of Yo’aḇ one who has a discharge or is a leper, or who is taking hold of a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
30So Yo’aḇ and Aḇishai his brother killed Aḇnĕr, because he had killed their brother Asah’ĕl at Giḇ‛on in the battle.
31And Dawiḏ said to Yo’aḇ and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Aḇnĕr.” And Sovereign Dawiḏ followed the coffin.
32And they buried Aḇnĕr in Ḥeḇron. And the sovereign lifted up his voice and wept at the burial-site of Aḇnĕr, and all the people wept.
33And the sovereign sang a lament over Aḇnĕr and said, “Should Aḇnĕr die as a fool dies?
34“Your hands were not bound nor your feet put into shackles. As one falls before sons of evil, so you fell.” And all the people wept over him again.
35And all the people came to cause Dawiḏ to eat food while it was still day, but Dawiḏ swore, saying, “Elohim do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or whatever else till the sun goes down!”
36And all the people took note of it, and it was good in their eyes, since whatever the sovereign did was good in the eyes of all the people.
37And all the people and all Yisra’ĕl knew that day that it had not been the sovereign’s intent to kill Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr.
38The sovereign also said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great one has fallen in Yisra’ĕl today?
39“And I am weak today, though anointed sovereign. And these men, the sons of Tseruyah, are too harsh for me. Let יהוה repay the evil-doer according to his evil.”
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Shemu’ĕl Bĕt (2 Samuel) 3: TS2009
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2 Samuel 3
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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