2Samuel 3
3THERE WAS a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.H752H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H1732H1980H2390H2390H1004H7586H1980H1800H18002Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;H1732H1121H3205H3205H2275H1060H550H293H31593His second, Chileab, by Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;H4932H3609H26H802H5037H3761H7992H53H1121H4601H1323H8526H4428H16504The fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;H7243H138H1121H2294H2549H8203H1121H375And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.H8345H3507H5698H1732H802H3205H1732H22756While there was war between the houses of Saul and David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H74H2388H1004H75867Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?H7586H6370H8034H7532H1323H345H559H74H935H1H63708Then Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth and said, Am I a dog's head [despicable and hostile] against Judah? This day I keep showing kindness {and} loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman!H74H3966H2734H1697H378H559H3611H7218H3063H6213H2617H3117H1004H7586H1H251H4828H4672H3027H1732H6485H3117H5771H8029May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David what the Lord has sworn to him,H6213H430H74H3254H3068H7650H1732H621310To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set the throne of David over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.H5674H4467H1004H7586H6965H3678H1732H3478H3063H1835H88411And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner a word, because he feared him.H3201H7725H74H1697H337212And Abner sent messengers to David where he was [at Hebron], saying, Whose is the land? Make your league with me, and my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.H74H7971H4397H1732H559H776H559H3772H1285H3027H5437H347813And David said, Good. I will make a league with you. But I require one thing of you: that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.H559H2896H3772H1285H259H1697H7592H559H7200H6440H6440H935H4324H7586H1323H935H7200H644014And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.H1732H7971H4397H378H7586H1121H559H5414H802H4324H781H3967H6190H643015And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her [second] husband, from Paltiel son of Laish [to whom Saul had given her].H378H7971H3947H376H6409H1121H3889H391916But her husband went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, Go back. And he did so.H376H3212H1980H1058H310H980H559H74H3212H7725H772517Abner talked with the seniors of Israel, saying, In times past you sought to make David king over you.H74H1961H1697H2205H3478H559H1245H1732H8543H8032H442818Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.H6213H3068H559H1732H559H3027H5650H1732H3467H5971H3478H3027H6430H3027H34119Abner also spoke to [the men of] Benjamin. Then [he] went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin to do.H74H1696H241H1144H74H3212H1696H241H1732H2275H5869H2896H3478H5869H1004H114420So Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men along with him. And David made Abner and the men with him a feast.H74H935H1732H2275H6242H582H1732H6213H74H582H496021Abner said to David, I will go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a league with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires. So David sent Abner away in peace.H74H559H1732H6965H3212H6908H3478H113H4428H3772H1285H4427H5315H183H1732H7971H74H7971H3212H796522Then the servants of David came with Joab from pursuing a troop and brought much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.H5650H1732H3097H935H1416H935H7227H7998H74H1732H2275H7971H3212H796523When Joab and all the army with him had come, it was told to Joab, Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace.H3097H6635H935H5046H3097H559H74H1121H5369H935H4428H7971H3212H796524Then Joab came to the king and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it you have sent him away and he is quite gone?H3097H935H4428H559H6213H74H935H7971H1980H321225You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to know your going out and coming in and all you are doing.H3045H74H1121H5369H935H6601H3045H4161H4126H3996H3045H621326When Joab came from seeing David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.H3097H3318H1732H7971H4397H310H74H7725H953H5626H1732H304527And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the center of the gate to speak to him privately, and there he smote Abner in the abdomen, so that he died to avenge the blood of Asahel, Joab's brother.H74H7725H2275H3097H5186H413H8432H8179H1696H7987H5221H2570H4191H1818H6214H25128When David heard of it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner son of Ner.H310H1732H8085H559H4467H5355H3068H5704H5769H1818H74H1121H536929Let it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and let the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or is a leper or walks with a crutch {or} is a distaff holder [unfit for war] or who falls by the sword or lacks food!H2342H7218H3097H1H1004H3772H1004H3097H2100H6879H2388H6418H5307H2719H2638H389930So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.H3097H52H251H2026H74H4191H251H6214H1391H442131And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier.H1732H559H3097H5971H7167H899H2296H8242H5594H6440H74H4428H1732H1980H310H429632They buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.H6912H74H2275H4428H5375H6963H1058H6913H74H5971H105833And the king lamented over Abner and said, Should Abner die as a fool dies?H4428H6969H74H559H4191H74H5036H419434Your hands were not bound or your feet put into fetters; as a man falls before wicked men, so you fell. And all the people wept again over him.H3027H631H7272H5066H5178H5307H6440H5766H1121H5307H5971H1058H325435All the people came to urge David to eat food while it was yet day; but David took an oath, saying, May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else, till the sun is down.H3605H5971H935H1262H1732H1262H3899H5750H3117H1732H7650H559H6213H430H3254H2938H3899H3972H6440H8121H93536And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people.H5971H5234H3190H5869H4428H6213H5869H2896H597137For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's will to slay Abner son of Ner.H5971H3478H3045H3117H4428H4191H74H1121H536938King David said to his servants, Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?H4428H559H5650H3045H8269H1419H5307H3117H347839And I am this day weak, though anointed [but not crowned] king; these sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!H3117H7390H4886H4428H582H1121H6870H7186H3068H7999H6213H7451
Columbus, OH
