2 Samuel 3
1 There was a long war between those who wanted Saul’s son to be their king and those who wanted David to be their king. But more and more people began to want David to be the king, while the number of people who wanted Saul’s son to be the king continued to become smaller.
And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was prolonged, —and, David, waxed stronger and stronger, and, the house of Saul, became weaker and weaker.
2 David’s wives gave birth to six sons at Hebron. The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam, from Jezreel [city].
And there were born unto David, sons, in Hebron, —and it came to press that—His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess;
3 The next one was Kileab, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, from Carmel [city]. The next one was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the king of [the] Geshur [region].
And his second Chileab, by Abigail, wife of Nabal the Carmelite, And the third Absolom, son of Maachah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;
4 The next one was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The next one was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
And the fourth Adonijah, son of Higgith, —And the fifth Shephatiah, son of Abital;
5 The youngest one was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, [another one of] David’s wives. Those sons of David were all born in Hebron.
And the sixth Ithream, by Eglah wife of David. These, were born unto David, in Hebron.
6 While those who wanted Saul’s son to rule over them and those who wanted David to rule over them continued to fight against each other, Abner was becoming more influential among those who wanted Saul’s son to be the king.
And it came to pass, while the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, that, Abner, shewed himself courageous for the house of Saul.
7 When Saul was alive, he had as one of his wives a slave woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. [But one day Abner had sexual relations with her]. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you had sexual relations with [EUP] my father’s slave wife?”
Now, Saul, had a concubine, whose name, was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, —and [Ish-bosheth] said unto Abner, Why, wentest thou in, unto my father’s concubine?
8 Abner became very angry about what Ishbosheth said to him. He said to Ishbosheth, “(Do you think that I am a [worthless] dog [MET] from Judah?/You are treating me as though I am a [worthless] dog [MET] from Judah.) [RHQ] From the beginning, I have been loyal to Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends. And I have prevented you from being defeated by David’s army. So now (why are you criticizing me about [what I have done with] some woman?/you should not be criticizing me about [what I have done with] some woman.) [RHQ]
And it provoked Abner greatly, on account of the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said—Am I, the head of the dogs, that pertain unto Judah? To-day, would I deal in lovingkindness with the house of Saul thy father, towards his brethren, and towards his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, —and yet thou hast charged upon me the transgression of the woman, today.
9 Yahweh solemnly promised that he would not allow Saul and his descendants to continue to rule. He promised that he would cause David to rule over all the tribes of Israel and Judah, from Dan [city] far in the north to Beersheba [city] far in the south. So I hope/desire that God will punish me severely [HYP] if I do not enable that to happen!”
So, may God do unto Abner, and, so, may he add to him, —if, as Yahweh hath sworn unto David, even so, I deal not with him;
by turning over the kingdom from the house of Saul, —and establishing the throne of David, over Israel and over Judah, from Dan, even unto Beer-sheba.
11 Ishbosheth was very afraid of Abner, so he did not say anything in reply to Abner.
And he could no further answer Abner, a word, —because he feared him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David [when he was at Hebron], to say to him, “[Either you or I] should be [RHQ] the ruler of this entire nation, [but not Isbosheth. However, ] if you make an agreement with me, I will help you by encouraging all the people of Israel to (be want you to be their king/start to support) you.”
So Abner sent messengers unto David, on the spot, saying—Whose, is the land? Saying [also] —Solemnise thy covenant with me; and lo! my hand, shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee, all Israel.
13 David sent back this reply: “Good! I am willing to make an agreement with you. But before that happens, there is one thing that you must do. When you come to see me, you must bring my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter.”
And he said—Good! I, will solemnise with thee a covenant, —but, one thing, must I ask of thee, saying—Thou shalt not see my face, except thou have brought in Michal, Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
14 Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, to say to him, “I [had to kill] 100 men from Philistia [and cut off] their foreskins to give to Saul to pay for Michal [to be my wife]. So now give her back to me!”
And David sent messengers unto Ish-bosheth son of Saul, saying, —Give up my wife, Michal, whom I espoused to myself, for a hundred foreskins of Philistines.
15 So Ishbosheth sent some men to take Michal from her husband Palti. But [when they took her, ] her husband followed them all the way to Bahurim [town], crying as he went.
So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, —from Paltiel, son of Laish.
16 Then Abner [turned and] said to him, “Go back [home]!”, so he did.
And her husband went along with her, weeping as he went behind her, as far as Behurim, —when Abner said unto him—Go, return. And he returned.
17 Abner went to the Israeli leaders and talked with them. He said, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king.
Then had Abner, speech, with the elders of Israel, saying, —In times past, ye were seeking David, to be king over you.
18 So now you have an opportunity to do that. Keep in mind that Yahweh promised this: ‘With the help of David, who serves me [well], I will rescue my people from the people of Philistia, and from the power [MTY] of all their other enemies’.”
Now, therefore, act, —for Yahweh, spake unto David, saying, By the hand of David my servant, will I save my people Israel, out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
19 Abner also spoke to the people of the tribe of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron, to tell David what all the people of Israel and the people of the tribe of Benjamin had agreed to do.
And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin, —and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David, in Hebron, all that was pleasing in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.
20 When Abner came with 20 of his soldiers to see David at Hebron, David made a feast for all of them.
So, when Abner came in unto David, in Hebron, and, with him, twenty men, David made, for Abner, and for the men who were with him, a banquet.
21 Afterwards, Abner said to David, “Sir/Your majesty, I will now go and encourage all the people of Israel to accept you to be their king, as you have desired.” Then Abner left, peacefully.
Then said Abner unto David—I will verily arise and go, and gather together unto my lord the king, all Israel—that they may solemnise with thee a covenant, so shalt thou reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David let Abner go, and he departed in peace.
22 Soon after that, Joab and some of David’s other soldiers returned [to Hebron] after raiding [one of their enemies’ villages], bringing with them a lot of things that they had captured. But Abner was not there at Hebron, because David had sent him safely home.
And lo! the servants of David, and Joab, came in from a raid, and, great spoil, brought they in with them; but, Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had let him go, and he had departed in peace.
23 When Joab and the soldiers who were with him arrived, someone told him that Abner had come there and talked with the king, and that the king allowed to go home safely.
When, Joab, and all the host that was with him, had come in, then told they Joab, saying, Abner son of Ner hath been in unto the king, and he hath let him go, and he hath departed in peace.
24 So Joab went to the king and said, “Why have you done that? Listen to me! Abner [is your enemy, but] when he came to you, you allowed him [RHQ] to leave!
Then Joab came in unto the king, and said—What hast thou done? Lo! Abner came in unto thee. Wherefore is it that thou didst let him go, so that he is clean departed?
25 Do you not know that he came to you to deceive you and to find out everything that you are doing, and all the places that you go to?”
Thou knowest Abner son of Ner, that, to deceive thee, he came, —and to take knowledge of thy going out, and thy coming in, and to take knowledge of all that thou art doing.
26 After Joab left David, he sent some messengers to get Abner. They found him at Sirah Well, and brought him back to Hebron, but David did not know that they had done that.
And, when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the well of Sirah, —but, David, knew it not.
27 So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab met him at the city gate, and took him aside as though he wanted to speak with him privately. Then he stabbed Abner in the stomach [with his knife/sword]. In that way he murdered Abner because Abner had killed [MTY] Joab’s brother Asahel.
So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate, to speak with him quietly, —and then smote him there, in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel the brother of Joab.
28 Later, after David heard what had happened, he said, “Yahweh knows that I and the people of my kingdom are not at all (responsible for/guilty of) murdering [MTY] Abner.
And, when David heard of it, after that, he said—Guiltless, am I and my kingdom before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, —of the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29 I hope/desire that Joab and all his family will be punished [MTY] for doing that! I hope/desire that there will always be someone in his family who has sores, or someone who is a leper, or some man who is forced to do women’s work, or someone who is killed in a battle, or someone who does not have enough food to eat!”
Let it be hurled upon the head of Joab, and against all his father’s house, —and let there not fail from the house of Joab—one that hath an issue, or a leper, or one that leaneth on a crutch, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.
30 That is how Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
Thus, Joab and Abishai his brother, slew Abner, —because he had caused the death of Asahel their brother, in Gibeon, in the battle.
31 Then David said to Joab and to all Joab’s soldiers, “Tear your clothes and put on coarse cloth [to show that you are sad], and mourn for Abner!” And [at the funeral], King David walked behind [the men who were carrying] the coffin.
And David said unto Joab, and unto all the people who were with him, —Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and lament aloud before Abner. And, King David himself, was following the bier.
32 They buried Abner’s body at Hebron. And at the grave, the king cried loudly, and all the other people also cried.
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 David sang this sad song to lament for Abner: “It is not right that [RHQ] Abner died like outlaws die!
And the king addressed his dirge unto Abner, and said, —As a base man dieth, should Abner have died?
34 No one tied his hands or put chains on his feet, [like they do to criminals]. No, he was murdered by wicked men!”
Thy hands, were not bound, And, thy feet, near to fetters, were not brought, As one falleth before assassins, so didst thou fall! And again all the people wept over him.
35 Then many [HYP] people came to David to tell him to eat some food before sunset, but David refused. He said, “I hope/desire that God will punish me severely [HYP] if I eat any food before the sun goes down!”
And, when all the people came near to get David to eat bread, while yet it was day, David sware, saying—So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, before the sun go in, I taste bread, or anything else.
36 All the people saw what David did, and they were pleased. Truly, everything that the king did pleased the people.
And, all the people, took note of it, and it was noble in their eyes, —as, all that the king did, was, in the eyes of all the people, noble.
37 So all the people realized that the king had not wanted Abner to be killed.
So then all the people, and all Israel, took note, that day, that it was not of the king, to cause the death of Abner son of Ner.
38 The king said to his officials, “(Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has died today in Israel?/You should realize that a leader and a great man has died today in Israel.) [RHQ]
And the king said unto his servants, —Will ye not take note that, a prince and a great man, hath fallen this day, in Israel?
39 Even though Yahweh appointed me to be the king, today I feel weak. These two sons of Zeruiah, [Joab and Abishai], are very violent; I cannot control them. So I hope/desire that Yahweh will punish them severely in return for this wicked thing that they have done!”
And, I myself, this day, am weak, though anointed king, but, these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I: Yahweh repay, the doer of wickedness, according to his wickedness.
