2 Samuel 3

1 Then a long struggle occurred between the house of Saul and the house of David, with David prospering and growing ever stronger, but the house of Saul decreasing daily.

Now there was a long war between Saul's people and David's people; and David became stronger and stronger, but those on Saul's side became more and more feeble.

2 And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn son was Amnon, from Ahinoam the Jezreelite.

While David was in Hebron he became the father of sons: the oldest was Amnon, son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;

3 And after him, there was Chileab, from Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. Then the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur.

And the second, Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;

4 Then the fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital.

And the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

5 Also, the sixth was Ithream, from Eglah, the wife of David. These were born to David at Hebron.

And the sixth, Ithream, whose mother was David's wife Eglah. These were the sons of David, whose birth took place in Hebron.

6 Then, while there was a battle between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner, the son of Ner, was reigning over the house of Saul.

Now while there was war between Saul's people and David's people, Abner was making himself strong among the supporters of Saul.

7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner,

Now Saul had among his wives a woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you taken my father's wife?

8 “Why did you enter to the concubine of my father?” But he, being exceedingly angry at the words of Ishbosheth, said: “Am I the head of a dog against Judah this day? I have shown mercy to the house of Saul, your father, and to his brothers and friends. And I have not delivered you into the hands of David. And yet today you have sought me, so that you might rebuke me over a woman?

And Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? I am this day doing all in my power for the cause of your father Saul and for his brothers and his friends, and have not given you up into the hands of David, and now you say I have done wrong with a woman.

9 May God do these things to Abner, and may he add these other things, if, in the same way that the Lord swore to David, I do not do so with him:

May God's punishment be on Abner, if I do not for David as the Lord in his oath has said,

10 that the kingdom be transferred from the house of Saul, and that the throne of David be elevated over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

And if I do not take away the kingdom from the family of Saul and make David ruler over Israel and Judah from Dan as far as Beer-sheba!

11 And he was not able to respond anything to him, because he was in fear of him.

And so great was Ish-bosheth's fear of Abner that he was not able to say a word in answer.

12 Therefore, Abner sent messengers to David for himself, saying, “Whose is the land?” and so that they would say, “Make a friendship with me, and my hand will be with you, and I will lead back all of Israel to you.”

And Abner sent men to David at Hebron, saying, Make an agreement with me, and I will give you my support in getting all Israel on your side.

13 And he said: “It is best. I will make a friendship with you. But one thing I ask of you, saying: You shall not see my face before you bring Michal, the daughter of Saul. And in this way, you shall come, and see me.”

And he said, It is well; I will make an agreement with you, but on one condition, which is, that when you come before me, Saul's daughter Michal is to come with you; till she comes you will not see my face.

14 Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, saying, “Restore my wife Michal, whom I espoused to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

And David sent men to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, saying, Give me back Michal, my wife, whom I made mine for the price of the private parts of a hundred Philistines.

15 Therefore, Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel, the son of Laish.

So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel, the son of Laish.

16 And her husband was following her, weeping, as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, “Go and return.” And he returned.

And her husband went with her as far as Bahurim, weeping while he went. Then Abner said to him, Go back. And he went back.

17 Likewise, Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying: “As much yesterday as the day before, you were seeking David, so that he might reign over you.

Then Abner had a talk with the chief men of Israel, saying, In the past it was your desire to make David your king: so now, do it:

18 Therefore, accomplish it now. For the Lord has spoken to David, saying: ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”

For the Lord has said of David, By the hand of my servant David I will make my people Israel safe from the Philistines, and from all who are against them.

19 Then Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And he went away, so that he might speak to David in Hebron all that would be pleasing to Israel and to all of Benjamin.

And Abner said the same things to Benjamin: and he went to David in Hebron to make clear to him what seemed good to Israel and to all the people of Benjamin.

20 And he went to David in Hebron with twenty men. And David made a feast for Abner, and for his men who had arrived with him.

So Abner, with twenty men, came to Hebron, to David. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

21 And Abner said to David, “I will rise up, so that I may gather all of Israel to you, my lord the king, and so that I may enter into a pact with you, and so that you may reign over all, just as your soul desires.” Then, when David had led Abner away, and he had departed in peace,

And Abner said to David, Now I will go, and make all Israel come to my lord the king, so that they may make an agreement with you, and your kingdom may be as wide as your heart's desire. Then David sent Abner away and he went in peace.

22 immediately the servants of David and of Joab arrived, after having slain robbers, with exceedingly great spoils. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. For by then he had sent him away, and he had set out in peace.

Now the servants of David and Joab had been out attacking a band of armed men, and they came back with a great store of goods taken in the fight: but Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, for he had sent him away and he had gone in peace.

23 And Joab, and the entire army that was with him, had arrived afterward. And so, it was reported to Joab, explaining that Abner, the son of Ner, went to the king, and he dismissed him, and he went away in peace.

When Joab and his men came, news was given them that Abner, the son of Ner, had come to the king, who had let him go away again in peace.

24 And Joab entered to the king, and he said: “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him, so that he has gone and departed?

Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have you done? when Abner came to you why did you send him away and let him go?

25 Do you not know, about Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to you for this, so that he might deceive you, and might know of your departure and your return, and so that he might know all that you do?”

Is it not clear to you that Abner, the son of Ner, came with deceit to get knowledge of your going out and your coming in and of all you are doing?

26 And so, Joab, going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and he brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, without David knowing.

And when Joab had come out from David, he sent men after Abner, and they overtook him at the water-spring of Sirah, and made him come back with them: but David had no knowledge of it.

27 And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him alone to the middle of the gate, so that he might speak to him, but with deceit. And there, he stabbed him in the groin, and he died, in revenge for the blood of Asahel, his brother.

And when Abner was back in Hebron, Joab took him on one side by the doorway of the town to have a word with him quietly, and there he gave him a wound in the stomach, causing his death in payment for the death of his brother Asahel.

28 And when David had heard of it, now that the matter was done, he said: “I and my kingdom are clean before the Lord, even forever, of the blood of Abner, the son of Ner.

And when David had word of it he said, May I and my kingdom be clear for ever in the eyes of the Lord from the blood of Abner, the son of Ner:

29 And may it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon the entire house of his father. And may there not fail to be, in the house of Joab, one who suffers from a flow of seed, or one who is leprous, or one who is effeminate, or one who falls by the sword, or one who is in need of bread.”

May it come on the head of Joab and all his father's family: among the men of Joab's family may there ever be some who are diseased or lepers, or who do the work of women, or are put to the sword, or are wasted from need of food!

30 And so, Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon, during the battle.

So Joab and Abishai his brother put Abner to death, because he had put to death their brother Asahel in the fight at Gibeon.

31 Then David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before the funeral procession of Abner.” Moreover, king David himself was following the casket.

And David said to Joab and all the people who were with him, Go in grief and put haircloth about you, in sorrow for Abner. And King David went after the dead body.

32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and he wept over the burial mound of Abner. And all the people also wept.

And they put Abner's body to rest in Hebron; and the king and all the people were weeping loudly by the resting-place of Abner's body.

33 And the king, mourning and lamenting Abner, said: “By no means has Abner died the way that cowards usually die.

And the king made a song of grief for Abner and said, Was the death of Abner to be like the death of a foolish man?

34 Your hands are not bound, and your feet are not weighed down with fetters. But just as men often fall before the sons of iniquity, so you have fallen.” And while repeating this, all the people wept over him.

Your hands were free, your feet were not chained: like the downfall of a man before evil men, so was your fall. And the weeping of the people over him went on again.

35 And when the entire multitude had arrived to take food with David, while it was still broad daylight, David swore, saying, “May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets.”

And the people came to make David take food, while it was still day, but David with an oath said, May God's punishment be on me if I take a taste of bread or any other thing till the sun has gone down!

36 And all the people heard it, and everything that the king did in the sight of the entire people was pleasing to them.

And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people.

37 And every common person, and all of Israel, realized on that day that the killing of Abner, the son of Ner, had not been done by the king.

So it was clear to Israel and to all the people on that day that the king was not responsible for the death of Abner, the son of Ner.

38 The king also said to his servants: “Could you be ignorant that a leader and a very great man has fallen today in Israel?

And the king said to his servants, Do you not see that a chief and a great man has come to his end today in Israel?

39 But I am still tender, and yet anointed king. And these men of the sons of Zeruiah are too harsh for me. May the Lord repay whoever does evil in accord with his malice.”

While I, though I am crowned king, have little strength, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are out of my control: may the Lord give to the evil-doer the reward of his evil-doing!