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.

Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker.

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

Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

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, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

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

and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah 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, Ithream, of 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,

While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house.

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?”

Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to 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?

Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to your father Saul’s house, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning 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:

God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I don’t do even so 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 Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”

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

He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid 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.”

Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel around to you.”

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.”

David said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come 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.”

David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

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

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

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.

Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to 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,

Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be 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.”

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 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,

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 to Israel and to 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.

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 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.

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 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;

Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had 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 who was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has 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 Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone?

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.”

You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”

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.

When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.

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.

When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that 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;

Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever 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.”

Let it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”

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

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

David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed 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;

They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept.

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

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

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.

Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.” 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.”

All the people came to urge 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 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;

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

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

The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today 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.”

I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”