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 the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

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

Now sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon, 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 his second, Daluiah, of Abigail of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the 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, 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, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David 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.

And it came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.

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

Now Saul had a secondary wife, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal son of Saul said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's secondary 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?

Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbaal, and said, "Am I a dog's head? Until today, is it for myself that I have been doing all these things, showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? And yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this 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:

God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not do even so to him;

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.”

to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba."

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

And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

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.”

Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make an agreement with me, and look, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."

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.”

He said, "Good. I will make a covenant with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Mikal, Saul's daughter, when you come to 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.”

David sent messengers to Ishbaal, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Mikal, whom I betrothed to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

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

Ishbaal 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.

But her husband went with her, weeping behind her, as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back." So 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.

Abner advised the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time you have wanted David to be king over you.

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.’”

Now then do it, for the LORD has 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.'"

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 also spoke privately to the sons of Benjamin. And Abner also spoke privately to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house 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 came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

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,

Abner said to David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires." David sent Abner away; and he left 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.

Look, the servants of David and Joab were returning from a raid, and brought in a great spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he left 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 all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to David, and he has sent him away, and he left 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? Look, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away? Now he has gone.

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?”

Don't you know the evil ways of Abner the son of Ner? He came to deceive you and to observe your movements and to learn everything that 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.

When Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know 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.

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the abdomen, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

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.

Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD now and forever of 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 whirl over the head of Joab, and on all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."

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 killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

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.

David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the coffin.

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.

They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

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

The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?

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 not bound in chains, your feet were not put into fetters. As a man falls before the ruthless, so you fell." All the people wept again over him.

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.”

Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes 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 notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased 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 all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill 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?

The king said to his servants, "Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has fallen this day 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.”

I am this day weak, though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."