2 Samuel 3

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

Now there was a long war between Saul's people and David's people; and David became stronger and stronger, but those on Saul's side became more and more feeble.

2 Now sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel;

While David was in Hebron he became the father of sons: the oldest was Amnon, son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;

3 and his second, Daluiah, of Abigail of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

And the second, Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;

4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital;

And the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

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

And the sixth, Ithream, whose mother was David's wife Eglah. These were the sons of David, whose birth took place in Hebron.

6 And it came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.

Now while there was war between Saul's people and David's people, Abner was making himself strong among the supporters of Saul.

7 Now Saul had a secondary wife, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal son of Saul said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's secondary wife?"

Now Saul had among his wives a woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you taken my father's wife?

8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbaal, and said, "Am I a dog's head? Until today, is it for myself that I have been doing all these things, showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? And yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

And Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? I am this day doing all in my power for the cause of your father Saul and for his brothers and his friends, and have not given you up into the hands of David, and now you say I have done wrong with a woman.

9 God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not do even so to him;

May God's punishment be on Abner, if I do not for David as the Lord in his oath has said,

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

And if I do not take away the kingdom from the family of Saul and make David ruler over Israel and Judah from Dan as far as Beer-sheba!

11 And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

And so great was Ish-bosheth's fear of Abner that he was not able to say a word in answer.

12 Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make an agreement with me, and look, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."

And Abner sent men to David at Hebron, saying, Make an agreement with me, and I will give you my support in getting all Israel on your side.

13 He said, "Good. I will make a covenant with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Mikal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

And he said, It is well; I will make an agreement with you, but on one condition, which is, that when you come before me, Saul's daughter Michal is to come with you; till she comes you will not see my face.

14 David sent messengers to Ishbaal, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Mikal, whom I betrothed to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

And David sent men to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, saying, Give me back Michal, my wife, whom I made mine for the price of the private parts of a hundred Philistines.

15 Ishbaal sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish.

So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel, the son of Laish.

16 But her husband went with her, weeping behind her, as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back." So he went back.

And her husband went with her as far as Bahurim, weeping while he went. Then Abner said to him, Go back. And he went back.

17 Abner advised the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time you have wanted David to be king over you.

Then Abner had a talk with the chief men of Israel, saying, In the past it was your desire to make David your king: so now, do it:

18 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.'"

For the Lord has said of David, By the hand of my servant David I will make my people Israel safe from the Philistines, and from all who are against them.

19 And Abner also spoke privately to the sons of Benjamin. And Abner also spoke privately to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.

And Abner said the same things to Benjamin: and he went to David in Hebron to make clear to him what seemed good to Israel and to all the people of Benjamin.

20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

So Abner, with twenty men, came to Hebron, to David. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

21 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 left in peace.

And Abner said to David, Now I will go, and make all Israel come to my lord the king, so that they may make an agreement with you, and your kingdom may be as wide as your heart's desire. Then David sent Abner away and he went in peace.

22 Look, the servants of David and Joab were returning from a raid, and brought in a great spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he left in peace.

Now the servants of David and Joab had been out attacking a band of armed men, and they came back with a great store of goods taken in the fight: but Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, for he had sent him away and he had gone in peace.

23 When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to David, and he has sent him away, and he left in peace."

When Joab and his men came, news was given them that Abner, the son of Ner, had come to the king, who had let him go away again in peace.

24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away? Now he has gone.

Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have you done? when Abner came to you why did you send him away and let him go?

25 Don't you know the evil ways of Abner the son of Ner? He came to deceive you and to observe your movements and to learn everything that you are doing."

Is it not clear to you that Abner, the son of Ner, came with deceit to get knowledge of your going out and your coming in and of all you are doing?

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

And when Joab had come out from David, he sent men after Abner, and they overtook him at the water-spring of Sirah, and made him come back with them: but David had no knowledge of it.

27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the abdomen, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

And when Abner was back in Hebron, Joab took him on one side by the doorway of the town to have a word with him quietly, and there he gave him a wound in the stomach, causing his death in payment for the death of his brother Asahel.

28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD now and forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

And when David had word of it he said, May I and my kingdom be clear for ever in the eyes of the Lord from the blood of Abner, the son of Ner:

29 May it whirl over the head of Joab, and on all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."

May it come on the head of Joab and all his father's family: among the men of Joab's family may there ever be some who are diseased or lepers, or who do the work of women, or are put to the sword, or are wasted from need of food!

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

So Joab and Abishai his brother put Abner to death, because he had put to death their brother Asahel in the fight at Gibeon.

31 David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the coffin.

And David said to Joab and all the people who were with him, Go in grief and put haircloth about you, in sorrow for Abner. And King David went after the dead body.

32 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 they put Abner's body to rest in Hebron; and the king and all the people were weeping loudly by the resting-place of Abner's body.

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

And the king made a song of grief for Abner and said, Was the death of Abner to be like the death of a foolish man?

34 Your hands were not bound in chains, your feet were not put into fetters. As a man falls before the ruthless, so you fell." All the people wept again over him.

Your hands were free, your feet were not chained: like the downfall of a man before evil men, so was your fall. And the weeping of the people over him went on again.

35 Then all the people came to persuade 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."

And the people came to make David take food, while it was still day, but David with an oath said, May God's punishment be on me if I take a taste of bread or any other thing till the sun has gone down!

36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased the people.

And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people.

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

So it was clear to Israel and to all the people on that day that the king was not responsible for the death of Abner, the son of Ner.

38 The king said to his servants, "Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

And the king said to his servants, Do you not see that a chief and a great man has come to his end today in Israel?

39 I am this day weak, though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."

While I, though I am crowned king, have little strength, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are out of my control: may the Lord give to the evil-doer the reward of his evil-doing!