2 Samuel 3

1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

Then a long struggle occurred between the house of Saul and the house of David, with David prospering and growing ever stronger, but the house of Saul decreasing daily.

2 And to David were sons born in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn son was Amnon, from Ahinoam the Jezreelite.

3 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;

And after him, there was Chileab, from Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. Then the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur.

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

Then the fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital.

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

Also, the sixth was Ithream, from Eglah, the wife of David. These were born to David at Hebron.

6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

Then, while there was a battle between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner, the son of Ner, was reigning over the house of Saul.

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

Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner,

8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, [Am] I a dog's head, who against Judah do show kindness this day to the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to-day with a fault concerning this woman?

“Why did you enter to the concubine of my father?” But he, being exceedingly angry at the words of Ishbosheth, said: “Am I the head of a dog against Judah this day? I have shown mercy to the house of Saul, your father, and to his brothers and friends. And I have not delivered you into the hands of David. And yet today you have sought me, so that you might rebuke me over a woman?

9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;

May God do these things to Abner, and may he add these other things, if, in the same way that the Lord swore to David, I do not do so with him:

10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.

that the kingdom be transferred from the house of Saul, and that the throne of David be elevated over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

And he was not able to respond anything to him, because he was in fear of him.

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

Therefore, Abner sent messengers to David for himself, saying, “Whose is the land?” and so that they would say, “Make a friendship with me, and my hand will be with you, and I will lead back all of Israel to you.”

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

And he said: “It is best. I will make a friendship with you. But one thing I ask of you, saying: You shall not see my face before you bring Michal, the daughter of Saul. And in this way, you shall come, and see me.”

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

Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, saying, “Restore my wife Michal, whom I espoused to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from [her] husband, [even] from Phaltiel the son of Laish.

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

16 And her husband went with her, weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him, Go, return. And he returned.

And her husband was following her, weeping, as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, “Go and return.” And he returned.

17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past [to be] king over you:

Likewise, Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying: “As much yesterday as the day before, you were seeking David, so that he might reign over you.

18 Now then do [it]: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.

Therefore, accomplish it now. For the Lord has spoken to David, saying: ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and 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 to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

Then Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And he went away, so that he might speak to David in Hebron all that would be pleasing to Israel and to all of Benjamin.

20 So Abner came to David in Hebron, and twenty men with him: and David made Abner and the men that [were] with him, a feast.

And he went to David in Hebron with twenty men. And David made a feast for Abner, and for his men who had arrived with him.

21 And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

And Abner said to David, “I will rise up, so that I may gather all of Israel to you, my lord the king, and so that I may enter into a pact with you, and so that you may reign over all, just as your soul desires.” Then, when David had led Abner away, and he had departed in peace,

22 And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from [pursuing] a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner [was] not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

immediately the servants of David and of Joab arrived, after having slain robbers, with exceedingly great spoils. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. For by then he had sent him away, and he had set out in peace.

23 When Joab and all the host that [was] with him had come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he hath gone in peace.

And Joab, and the entire army that was with him, had arrived afterward. And so, it was reported to Joab, explaining that Abner, the son of Ner, went to the king, and he dismissed him, and he went away in peace.

24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came to thee; why [is] it [that] thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

And Joab entered to the king, and he said: “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him, so that he has gone and departed?

25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going-out and thy coming-in, and to know all that thou doest.

Do you not know, about Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to you for this, so that he might deceive you, and might know of your departure and your return, and so that he might know all that you do?”

26 And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew [it] not.

And so, Joab, going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and he brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, without David knowing.

27 And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth [rib] that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him alone to the middle of the gate, so that he might speak to him, but with deceit. And there, he stabbed him in the groin, and he died, in revenge for the blood of Asahel, his brother.

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

And when David had heard of it, now that the matter was done, he said: “I and my kingdom are clean before the Lord, even forever, of the blood of Abner, the son of Ner.

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

And may it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon the entire house of his father. And may there not fail to be, in the house of Joab, one who suffers from a flow of seed, or one who is leprous, or one who is effeminate, or one who falls by the sword, or one who is in need of bread.”

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

And so, Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon, during the battle.

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David [himself] followed the bier.

Then David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before the funeral procession of Abner.” Moreover, king David himself was following the casket.

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 buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and he wept over the burial mound of Abner. And all the people also wept.

33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

And the king, mourning and lamenting Abner, said: “By no means has Abner died the way that cowards usually die.

34 Thy hands [were] not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

Your hands are not bound, and your feet are not weighed down with fetters. But just as men often fall before the sons of iniquity, so you have fallen.” And while repeating this, all the people wept over him.

35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day, David swore, saying, So do God to me, and more also, If I taste bread or aught else, till the sun is down.

And when the entire multitude had arrived to take food with David, while it was still broad daylight, David swore, saying, “May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets.”

36 And all the people took notice [of it], and it pleased them: as what ever the king did pleased all the people.

And all the people heard it, and everything that the king did in the sight of the entire people was pleasing to them.

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

And every common person, and all of Israel, realized on that day that the killing of Abner, the son of Ner, had not been done by the king.

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

The king also said to his servants: “Could you be ignorant that a leader and a very great man has fallen today in Israel?

39 And I [am] this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah [are] too hard for me. The LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

But I am still tender, and yet anointed king. And these men of the sons of Zeruiah are too harsh for me. May the Lord repay whoever does evil in accord with his malice.”