2 Samuel 3
1 There was a long war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David. David's side grew stronger, while Saul's side grew weaker.
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 David's sons born at Hebron were: Amnon (firstborn), by Ahinoam from Jezreel;
Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel.
3 Chileab (second), by Abigail, Nabal's widow from Carmel; Absalom (third), by Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur:
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 Adonijah (fourth), by Haggith; Shephatiah (fifth), by Abital;
David's fourth son, Adonijah, was the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah son of Abital,
5 Ithream (sixth), by David's wife Eglah. These were the sons born to David at Hebron.
and the sixth, Ithream, was the son of David's wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.
6 Abner had been strengthening his position among the supporters of Saul's dynasty during the war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David.
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 Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. One day Ishbosheth accused Abner, saying “Why have you been sleeping with my father's concubine?”
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 Abner got extremely angry at Ishbosheth accusation. “Am I a dog's head siding with Judah?” he replied. “Right up to the present day I have been loyal to your dynasty—to your father Saul, and to his brothers and friends. I haven't betrayed you to David. But now you dare to accuse me of sinning with this 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 now may God punish me severely if I don't help David achieve what the Lord has promised 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 I will hand over the kingdom from Saul's dynasty, and help set up David's rule over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
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 Ishbosheth didn't dare to say anything else to Abner because he was frightened of him.
Ishbosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to speak for him to David, saying, “Who does the country belong to anyway? Make an agreement with me, and you can be sure I'll be on your side to have all of Israel follow you.”
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 “Fine,” David replied, “I'll make an agreement with you. But I have one condition: I won't see you unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come.”
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 Then David sent messengers tell Ishbosheth, son of Saul, “Give me back my wife Michal—I paid a dowry for her of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
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 Ishbosheth sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish.
So Ishbosheth sent for Michal and took her from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.
16 Her husband followed her to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. Then Abner ordered him, “Go back home!” So he went home.
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 spoke with the elders of Israel and said, “For a while now you have wanted to have David as your king.
Abner spoke with the elders of Israel saying, “In the past you were trying to have David be king over you.
18 Now is the time to do it, because the Lord promised David, ‘Through my servant David I am going to save my people Israel from the Philistines and 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 Abner also talked to the people of Benjamin, and went to Hebron to let David know everything that the Israelites and the whole tribe of Benjamin had decided to do.
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 Abner came with twenty of his men to see David at Hebron, and David prepared a feast for them.
When Abner and twenty of his men arrived in Hebron to see David, David had a feast prepared for them.
21 Abner told David, “Let me go immediately and summon all of Israel to come together for my lord the king, so they may make an agreement with you, and that you may rule over all you would wish.” Then David sent Abner safely on his way.
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 Soon after Joab and David's men came back from a raid, bringing with them a large amount of plunder. However, Abner wasn't there with David in Hebron because David had already sent him safely on his way 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 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, he was told, “Abner, son of Ner, came to see the king, who sent him safely on his way.”
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 Joab went to the king and asked, “What do you think you're doing? Here's Abner, who came to see you. Why on earth did you send him on his way? Now he's got clean away!
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 You do see that Abner, son of Ner, came here to trick you, to spy on the movements of your army, and to find out everything you're doing!”
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 When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner. They met up with him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, but David didn't know anything about 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 When Abner arrived back in Hebron, Joab took him aside into the town gatehouse as if he was going to talk with him in private. But Joab stabbed him in the belly, killing him in revenge for killing Joab's brother Asahel.
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 When David heard about this later he said, “I and my kingdom are totally innocent before the Lord regarding the death of Abner, 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 May the guilt for his death fall on Joab and his family! May Joab's descendants always have someone who has running sores or leprosy or is crippled or who is killed by the sword or who is starving.”
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 (This is why Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel during the battle at Gibeon.)
So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.
31 Then David ordered Joab and everyone who was there, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David himself followed the body as it was carried to the grave.
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 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king cried loudly at the grave, along with all the people.
They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept and cried loudly at the tomb of Abner, and all the people also wept.
33 The king sang this lament for Abner: “Did Abner deserve to die like a criminal?
The king lamented for Abner and sang, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not tied together, your feet were not in shackles. But just like a murderer's victim, you too were killed.” All the people cried for him even more.
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 Then people came to David and tried to persuade him to have something to eat during the day. But David swore an oath, saying, “May God punish me severely if I eat bread or anything 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 Everyone saw this and thought it was the right thing to do, in the same way that they thought everything the king did was the right thing to do.
All the people took notice of David's grief, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased them.
37 That day everyone in Judah and throughout Israel realized that David had not ordered Abner's murder.
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 Then the king said to his officers, “Don't you recognize that a commander and a truly great man has fallen in Israel today?
The king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?
39 I am weak right now, even though I'm anointed as king and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too powerful for me. But may the Lord repay the evil man according to the evil he has done.”
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.”
