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.
David's Sons Born at Hebron
(1 Chronicles 3.1-4)
2And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahin´o-am the Jez´reelitess; 3and his second, Chil´e-ab, of Ab´igail the wife of Nabal the Car´melite; and the third, Ab´salom the son of Ma´acah the daughter of Tal´mai king of Geshur; 4and the fourth, Adoni´jah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephati´ah the son of Abi´tal; 5and the sixth, Ith´re-am, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
Abner Plans a League with David
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 Ai´ah: and Ish–bo´sheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? 8Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish–bo´sheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do show 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 today 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; 10#1 Sam 15.28. to 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.
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. 14#1 Sam 18.27. And David sent messengers to Ish–bo´sheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15And Ish–bo´sheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phal´ti-el the son of La´ish. 16And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahu´rim. 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.
Joab Kills Abner
22And, behold, the servants of David and Jo´ab 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 Jo´ab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Jo´ab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24Then Jo´ab 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 Jo´ab 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, Jo´ab 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 As´ahel 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 Jo´ab; and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Jo´ab 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 Jo´ab and Ab´ishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother As´ahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31And David said to Jo´ab, 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#3.33 Died Abner or Should Abner die. 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 aught 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 Zeru-i´ah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
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2 Samuel 3: KJVAAE
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.
2 Samuel 3
3
1That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
2These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.
3The second was Daniel,#3:3 As in parallel text at 1 Chr 3:1 (see also Greek version, which reads Daluia, and possible support by Dead Sea Scrolls); Hebrew reads Kileab. whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
4The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
5The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Joins Forces with David
6As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. 7One day Ishbosheth,#3:7 Ishbosheth is another name for Esh-baal. Saul’s son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.
8Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman? 9May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the Lord has promised him! 10I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.” 11Ishbosheth didn’t dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.
12Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, “Doesn’t the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you.”
13“All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”
14David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives#3:14 Hebrew the foreskins. of 100 Philistines.”
15So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti#3:15 As in 1 Sam 25:44; Hebrew reads Paltiel, a variant spelling of Palti. son of Laish. 16Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned.
17Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told them, “you have wanted to make David your king. 18Now is the time! For the Lord has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’” 19Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.
20When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast. 21Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.” So David sent Abner safely on his way.
Joab Murders Abner
22But just after David had sent Abner away in safety, Joab and some of David’s troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. 23When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety.
24Joab rushed to the king and demanded, “What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away? 25You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you’re doing!”
26Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it. 27When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.
28When David heard about it, he declared, “I vow by the Lord that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner. 29Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy#3:29a Or or a contagious skin disease. The Hebrew word used here can describe various skin diseases. or who walks on crutches#3:29b Or who is effeminate; Hebrew reads who handles a spindle. or dies by the sword or begs for food!”
30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.
David Mourns Abner’s Death
31Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave. 32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside. 33Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner:
“Should Abner have died as fools die?
34Your hands were not bound;
your feet were not chained.
No, you were murdered—
the victim of a wicked plot.”
All the people wept again for Abner. 35David had refused to eat anything on the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him to eat. But David had made a vow, saying, “May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown.”
36This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them! 37So everyone in Judah and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for Abner’s murder.
38Then King David said to his officials, “Don’t you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel? 39And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah—Joab and Abishai—are too strong for me to control. So may the Lord repay these evil men for their evil deeds.”
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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