2 Samuel 3

1 And the war is long between the house of Saul and the house of David, and David is going on and [is] strong, and the house of Saul is going on and [is] weak.

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.

2 And there are sons born to David in Hebron, and his firstborn is Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,

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

3 and his second [is] Chileab, of Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third [is] Absalom son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur,

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;

4 and the fourth [is] Adonijah son of Haggith, and the fifth [is] Shephatiah son of Abital,

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

5 and the sixth [is] Ithream, of Eglah wife of David; these have been born to David in Hebron.

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

6 And it comes to pass, in the war being between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner has been strengthening himself in the house of Saul,

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.

7 and Saul has a concubine, and her name [is] Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and [Ish-Bosheth] says to Abner, “Why have you gone in to the concubine of my father?”

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?

8 And it is exceedingly displeasing to Abner, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he says, “[Am] I the head of a dog—that in reference to Judah, today I do kindness with the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David—that you charge against me iniquity concerning the woman today?

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?

9 Thus God does to Abner, and thus He adds to him, surely as YHWH has sworn to David—surely so I do to him:

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;

10 to cause the kingdom to pass over from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel, and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-Sheba.”

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'.

11 And he is not able to return a word [to] Abner anymore, because of his fearing him.

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

12 And Abner sends messengers to David for himself, saying, “Whose [is] the land?” [And] saying, “Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand [is] with you, to bring around all Israel to you.”

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.

13 And [David] says, “Good—I make a covenant with you; only, one thing I am asking of you, that is, you do not see my face, except [that] you first bring in Michal daughter of Saul in your coming in to see my face.”

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.

14 And David sends messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, saying, “Give up my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

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.

15 And Ish-Bosheth sends, and takes her from a man, from Phaltiel son of Laish,

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

16 and her husband goes with her, going on and weeping behind her, to Bahurim, and Abner says to him, “Go, return”; and he turns back.

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.

17 And the word of Abner was with [the] elderly of Israel, saying, “Thus far you have been seeking David for king over you,

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:

18 and now, do [it], for YHWH has spoken of David saying, [It is] by the hand of my servant David to save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.”

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.

19 And Abner also speaks in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner also goes to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that [is] good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin,

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.

20 and Abner comes to David, to Hebron, and twenty men [are] with him, and David makes a banquet for Abner and for the men who [are] with him.

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.

21 And Abner says to David, “I arise, and go, and gather the whole of Israel to my lord the king, and they make a covenant with you, and you have reigned over all that your soul desires”; and David sends Abner away, and he goes in peace.

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.

22 And behold, the servants of David, and Joab, have come from the troop, and have brought much spoil with them, and Abner is not with David in Hebron, for he has sent him away, and he goes in peace;

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.

23 and Joab and all the host that [were] with him have come, and they declare to Joab, saying, “Abner son of Ner has come to the king, and he sends him away, and he goes in peace.”

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.

24 And Joab comes to the king and says, “What have you done? Behold, Abner has come to you! Why [is] this—you have sent him away, and he is really gone?

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?

25 You have known Abner son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

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.

26 And Joab goes out from David, and sends messengers after Abner, and they bring him back from the well of Sirah, and David did not know.

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.

27 And Abner turns back to Hebron, and Joab turns him aside to the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and strikes him there in the fifth [rib]—and he dies—for the blood of his brother Asahel.

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.

28 And David hears afterward and says, “My kingdom and I [are] acquitted by YHWH for all time, from the blood of Abner son of Ner;

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:

29 it stays on the head of Joab, and on all the house of his father, and there is not cut off from the house of Joab one who has discharging, and leprous, and laying hold on a staff, and falling by a sword, and lacking bread.”

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.

30 And Joab and his brother Abishai slew Abner because that he put their brother Asahel to death in Gibeon, in battle.

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

31 And David says to Joab, and to all the people who [are] with him, “Tear your garments, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner”; and King David is going after the bier.

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.

32 And they bury Abner in Hebron, and the king lifts up his voice, and weeps at the grave of Abner, and all the people weep;

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.

33 and the king laments for Abner and says, “Does Abner die as the death of a fool?

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

34 Your hands not bound, And your feet not brought near to chains! You have fallen as one falling before sons of evil!” And all the people add to weep over him.

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.

35 And all the people come to cause David to eat bread while yet day, and David swears, saying, “Thus God does to me, and thus He adds, for—before the going in of the sun, I taste no bread or any other thing.”

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.

36 And all the people have discerned [it], and it is good in their eyes, as all that the king has done is good in the eyes of all the people;

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.

37 and all the people know, even all Israel, in that day, that it has not been from the king—to put Abner son of Ner to death.

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.

38 And the king says to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great one has fallen this day in Israel?

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

39 And today I [am] tender, and an anointed king: and these men, sons of Zeruiah, [are] too hard for me; YHWH repays to the doer of the evil according to his evil.”

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.