2 Samuel 3
3
1As the war between the royal families of Saul and David dragged on, David’s family became stronger and stronger, and Saul’s family became weaker and weaker.
David’s Sons
(1 Chronicles 3:1–4)
2Sons were born to David while he was in Hebron. His first son was Amnon, ⌞born⌟ to Ahinoam from Jezreel. 3The second was Chileab, ⌞born⌟ to Abigail (who had been Nabal’s wife) from Carmel. The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah (the daughter of King Talmai) from Geshur. 4The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital. 5The sixth was Ithream, ⌞born⌟ to David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David while he was in Hebron.
Abner’s Death
6During the war between the families of Saul and David, Abner strengthened his position in Saul’s royal family. 7Saul had a concubine #3:7 A concubine is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law. named Rizpah (Aiah’s daughter). Ishbosheth asked Abner, “Why did you have sex with my father’s concubine?”
8Ishbosheth’s question made Abner very angry. “Have I been behaving like some Judean dog?” he asked. “Until now I’ve been faithful to your father Saul’s family, to his relatives and friends, and I haven’t handed you over to David. But now you charge me with a crime because of this woman. 9May God strike me dead unless I do for David what the Lord had promised him with an oath: 10‘I, the Lord, will transfer the kingship from Saul’s family and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.’ ” 11Ishbosheth couldn’t respond to a single word, because he was afraid of Abner.
12Then Abner sent messengers to David to speak on his behalf. “Who owns this country?” he asked. “Make an agreement with me,” he said. “I’ll support you and bring all Israel to you.”
13“Good!” David answered. “I’ll make an agreement with you. But there’s one condition: You can’t come to see me unless you bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”
14Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ishbosheth to say, “Give me my wife Michal. I made a payment of 100 Philistine foreskins for her.”
15So Ishbosheth sent men to take her from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish. 16Her husband went with her and cried over her all the way to Bahurim. “Go home,” Abner told him. So he went home.
17Meanwhile, Abner sent the following message to the leaders of Israel: “For some time now you’ve wanted to make David your king. 18Do it now, because the Lord said about David: ‘I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their other enemies through my servant David.’ ” 19Abner also spoke specifically to the people of Benjamin.
Then Abner went directly to David in Hebron to tell him everything Israel and the entire tribe of Benjamin had approved. 20So Abner came with 20 men to David in Hebron, and David had a feast for Abner and his men.
21Abner told David, “I must go now so that I can gather all Israel for you, Your Majesty. They will make a treaty with you, and you will rule everything your heart desires.” Then David dismissed Abner, who left peacefully.
22Just then David’s men and Joab were coming home from a raid with a lot of goods. Abner had been dismissed, so he was no longer with David in Hebron. 23When Joab came back with the whole army, he was told, “Ner’s son Abner came to the king, but David dismissed him, and Abner left peacefully.”
24Then Joab went to the king and asked, “What have you done? Abner came to see you. Why did you dismiss him and let him get away? 25Certainly you must know that Ner’s son Abner came to deceive you, to find out about your movements and learn everything you’re doing!”
26After leaving David, Joab sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the cistern of Sirah without David knowing about it. 27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway as if to talk to him privately. There he stabbed Abner in the belly. Abner died because he spilled the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
28Later when David heard about it, he said, “As far as the Lord is concerned, my kingdom and I are forever innocent of spilling the blood of Ner’s son Abner. 29May the blame fall on the head of Joab and all of his family. May there always be members of Joab’s family who have oozing sores and skin diseases, who can only work a spindle,#3:29 Spinning yarn and thread was normally done only by women and therefore was something only the weakest of men would do. who die in battle, and who never have any food.” 30(Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31David told Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David followed the open casket. 32They buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly at Abner’s grave, and all the people cried. 33The king sang a funeral song for Abner:
Should Abner die like a godless fool?
34Your hands were not tied.
Your feet were not chained.
You fell as one falls in front of wicked men.
And all the people continued to cry for him.
35That entire day all the people tried to get David to eat some food. But David had taken an oath: “May God strike me dead if I taste any food or anything else before the sun goes down.” 36Then all the people understood and approved of this, as all the people approved of everything the king did. 37That day all the people of Israel knew the king wasn’t responsible for killing Ner’s son Abner. 38The king said to his officers, “Don’t you know that today a leader, a great man, has fallen in Israel? 39Today I’m weak, though I’m the anointed king. These men, Zeruiah’s sons, are too cruel for me. May the Lord repay this evildoer as his evil deeds deserve.”
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2 Samuel 3: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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