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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2 Samuel 3: GNBDK
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. 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.
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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