2 Samuel 3

1 And the war lasted a long time between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became continually stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul became continually weaker and weaker.

There was then long warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid: but Dauid waxed stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker.

2 And there were born unto David sons in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Achino'am the Yizre'elitess;

And vnto Dauid were children borne in Hebron: and his eldest sonne was Amnon of Ahinoam the Izreelite,

3 And his second was Kilab, of Abigayil the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Abshalom, the son of Ma'achah the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur;

And his seconde, was Chileab of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite: and the third, Absalom the sonne of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the King of Geshur,

4 And the fourth, Adoniyah, the son of Chaggith; and the fifth, Shephatyah, the son of Abital;

And the fourth, Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the sonne of Abital,

5 And the sixth, Yithre'am, by 'Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

And the sixt, Ithream by Eglah Dauids wife: these were borne to Dauid in Hebron.

6 And it came to pass, while the war lasted between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner upheld with all his strength the house of Saul.

Nowe while there was warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul.

7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Ayah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?

And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiiah. And Ish-bosheth sayde to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in to my fathers concubine?

8 And Abner became very wroth because of the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I the chief of the dogs which belong to Judah? unto this day have I shown kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me today with a wrong committed with this woman?

Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dogges head, which against Iudah do shew mercie this day vnto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his neighbours, and haue not deliuered thee into the hande of Dauid, that thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman?

9 May God do so to Abner, and continue to do yet more to him, that, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so will I surely do to him;

So doe God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworne to Dauid, euen so I doe to him,

10 To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba'.

To remoue the kingdome from the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablished ouer Israel, and ouer Iudah, euen from Dan to Beer-sheba.

11 And he could not answer Abner a word more in reply, because of his fear of him.

And he durst no more answere to Abner: for he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also, ] Make thy covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.

Then Abner sent messengers to Dauid on his behalfe, saying, Whose is the lande? who should also say, Make couenant with me, and beholde, mine hande shalbe with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee.

13 And he said, Well: I will indeed make a covenant with thee; but one thing I require of thee, namely, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

Who saide, Well, I will make a couenant with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face except thou bring Michal Sauls daughter when thou commest to see me.

14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, saying, Give up to me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

Then Dauid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne, saying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I marryed for an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims.

15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from the man, from Paltiel the son of Layish.

And Ish-bosheth sent, and tooke her from her husband Phaltiel the sonne of Laish.

16 And her husband went with her going along and weeping behind her as far as Bachurim: when Abner said unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

And her husband went with her, and came weeping behinde her, vnto Bahurim: then saide Abner vnto him, Go, and returne. So he returned.

17 And Abner had used these words with the elders of Israel, saying, Already yesterday and even before ye have been desiring David as king over you:

And Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your King.

18 And now do it; for the Lord hath said of David thus, By the hand of my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

Nowe then doe it: for the Lord hath spoken of Dauid, saying, By the hand of my seruant Dauid I will saue my people Israel out of the handes of the Philistims, and out of the handes of all their enemies.

19 And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of the whole house of Benjamin.

Also Abner spake to Beniamin, and afterward Abner went to speake with Dauid in Hebron, concerning all that Israel was content with, and the whole house of Beniamin.

20 And Abner came to David to Hebron, and with him were twenty men; and David made for Abner and for the men that were with him a feast.

So Abner came to Dauid to Hebron, hauing twentie men with him, and Dauid made a feast vnto Abner, and to the men that were with him.

21 And Abner said unto David, I will now arise and go, and I will assemble unto my Lord the king all Israel, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul longeth for. And David dismissed Abner: and he went in peace.

Then Abner sayde vnto Dauid, I will rise vp, and goe gather all Israel vnto my lorde the King, that they may make a couenant with thee, and that thou mayest reigne ouer all that thine heart desireth. Then Dauid let Abner depart, who went in peace.

22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a predatory excursion, and brought in much booty with them; but Abner was no more with David in Hebron; for he had dismissed him, and he was gone in peace.

And beholde, the seruants of Dauid and Ioab came from the campe, and brought a great pray with them (but Abner was not with Dauid in Hebron: for he had sent him away, and he departed in peace)

23 When Joab and all the army that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath dismissed him, and he is gone in peace.

When Ioab, and all the hoste that was with him were come, men tolde Ioab, saying, Abner the sonne of Ner came to the King, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

24 Then came Joab to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee: why is it that thou hast dismissed him, that he went freely away?

Then Ioab came to the King, and saide, What hast thou done? beholde, Abner came vnto thee, why hast thou sent him away, and he is departed?

25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that to deceive thee did he come, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou art doing.

Thou knowest Abner the sonne of Ner: for he came to deceiue thee, and to knowe thy outgoing and ingoing, and to knowe all that thou doest.

26 And Joab went out from David, and he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David knew it not.

And when Ioab was gone out from Dauid, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him againe from the well of Siriah vnknowing to Dauid.

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him in private; and he smote him there under the fifth rib, and he died, for the blood of 'Asahel his brother.

And when Abner was come againe to Hebron, Ioab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him peaceably, and smote him vnder the fift ryb, that he dyed, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28 And when David heard it afterward, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

And when afterwarde it came to Dauids eare, he saide, I and my kingdome are giltlesse before the Lord for euer, concerning the blood of Abner the sonne of Ner.

29 May it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a crutch, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.

Let the blood fall on the head of Ioab, and on all his fathers house, that the house of Ioab be neuer without some that haue running issues, or leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that doeth fall on the sworde, or that lacketh bread.

30 But Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother 'Asahel at Gib'on in the battle.

(So Ioab and Abishai his brother slewe Abner, because he had slaine their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battel)

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and [go] mourning before Abner. And king David walked behind the bier.

And Dauid said to Ioab, and to al the people that were with him, Rent your clothes, and put on sackecloth, and mourne before Abner: and King Dauid him selfe followed the beare.

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

And when they had buryed Abner in Hebron, the King lift vp his voyce, and wept beside the sepulchre of Abner, and all the people wept.

33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, O, that Abner had to die, as the worthless dieth!

And the King lamented ouer Abner, and sayde, Dyed Abner as a foole dyeth?

34 Thy hands were not bound, and thy feet were not put into fetters: as one falleth before men of wickedness art thou fallen. And all the people wept again over him.

Thine handes were not bounde, nor thy feete tyed in fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so diddest thou fall. And all the people wept againe for him.

35 And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, So do God to me, and thus may he continue, if before the sun be down I taste bread, or the least else.

Afterwarde all the people came to cause Dauid eate meate while it was yet day, but Dauid sware, saying, So doe God to me and more also, if I taste bread, or ought els till the sunne be downe.

36 And all the people took notice of it, and it was pleasing in their eyes: as whatsoever the king did was pleasing in the eyes of all the people.

And all the people knewe it, and it pleased them: as whatsoeuer the King did, pleased all the people.

37 And all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

For all the people and all Israel vnderstoode that day, howe that it was not the Kings deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slaine.

38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that a prince and a great man hath fallen this day in Israel?

And the King said vnto his seruants, Know ye not, that there is a prince and a great man falle this day in Israel?

39 And I am this day yet weak, and just anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruyah, are too strong for me: may the Lord pay the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

And I am this day weake and newly anoynted King: and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too harde for me: the Lord rewarde the doer of euill according to his wickednesse.