2 Samuel 3

1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.

Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2 And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess:

Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel.

3 And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur:

His second son, Kileab, was born to Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third, Absalom, was son of Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

4 And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital:

David's fourth son, Adonijah, was the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah son of Abital,

5 And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David in Hebron.

and the sixth, Ithream, was the son of David's wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.

6 Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul.

It came about during the war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.

7 And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner:

Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father's concubine?”

8 Why didst thou go in to my father’s concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog’s head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman?

Then Abner was very angry at the words of Ishbosheth and said, “Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I am showing faithfulness to the house of Saul, your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, by not delivering you into the hand of David. But now you accuse me of an offense concerning this woman?

9 So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him,

May God do so to me, Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as Yahweh has sworn to him,

10 That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.

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

11 And he could not answer him a word, because he feared him.

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

12 Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.

Then Abner sent messengers to David to speak for him saying, “Whose land is this? Make a covenant with me, and you will see that my hand is with you, to bring all Israel to you.”

13 And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me.

David answered, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require from you is that you cannot see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.”

14 And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid a price of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”

15 And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais.

So Ishbosheth sent for Michal and took her from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.

16 And her husband followed her, weeping as far as Bahurim: and Abner said to him: Go and return. And he returned.

Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Return home now.” So he returned.

17 Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.

Abner spoke with the elders of Israel saying, “In the past you were trying to have David be king over you.

18 Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.

Now do it. For Yahweh has spoken of David saying, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'”

19 And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.

Abner also spoke personally to the people of Benjamin. Then Abner went also to speak with David in Hebron to explain everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin desired to accomplish.

20 And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.

When Abner and twenty of his men arrived in Hebron to see David, David had a feast prepared for them.

21 And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David bad brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,

Abner explained to David, “I will arise and gather all Israel to you, my master the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, so that you may reign over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and Abner left in peace.

22 Immediately David’s servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty: and Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

Then the soldiers of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much plunder with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. David had sent him away, and Abner had left in peace.

23 And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

When Joab and all the army with him arrived, they told Joab, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and the king has sent him away, and Abner left in peace.”

24 And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?

Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! Why have you sent him away, and he is gone?

25 Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?

Do you not know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to discover your plans and learn everything you are doing?”

26 Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.

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

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly. There Joab stabbed him in the stomach and killed him. In this way, Joab avenged the blood of Asahel his brother.

28 And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

When David heard about this he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh forever regarding the blood of Abner son of Ner.

29 And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father’s house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.

Let the guilt of Abner's death fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house. May there never fail to be in the family of Joab someone who has a flowing sore or skin disease or who is lame and must walk with a staff or who is killed by the sword or who goes without food.”

30 So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.

So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner's body.” Now King David walked behind the body in the funeral procession.

32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept.

They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept and cried loudly at the tomb of Abner, and all the people also wept.

33 And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died.

The king lamented for Abner and sang, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.

Your hands were not bound. Your feet were not shackled. As a man falls before the sons of injustice, so you have fallen.” Once more all the people wept over him.

35 And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset.

All the people came to make David eat while it was still day, but David swore, “May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.”

36 And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.

All the people took notice of David's grief, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased them.

37 And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king’s doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain.

So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's desire to kill Abner son of Ner.

38 The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and great man is slain this day in Israel?

The king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

39 But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.

Now I am weak today, though I am an anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May Yahweh repay the evildoer by punishing him for his wickedness, as he deserves.”