2Samuel 3
3After this, a state of protracted war existed between Saul's dynasty and David's dynasty, and the dynasty of David continued to grow and become strong while the dynasty of Saul continued to grow weaker.H752H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H1732H1980H2390H2390H1004H7586H1980H1800H18002During this time, sons were born to David while he was living in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam from Jezreel,H1732H1121H3205H3205H2275H1060H550H293H31593his second was Chileab by Abigail, widow of Nabal from Carmel, his third was Absalom by Maacah, daughter of King Talmai from Geshur,H4932H3609H26H802H5037H3761H7992H53H1121H4601H1323H8526H4428H16504his fourth was Adonijah by Haggith, his fifth was Shephatiah by Abital,H7243H138H1121H2294H2549H8203H1121H375and his sixth was Ithream by David's wife Eglah. They were all born to David in Hebron.4H8345H3507H5698H1732H802H3205H1732H22756While war continued between the dynasties of Saul and David, Abner was growing in influence within the dynasty of Saul.H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H74H2388H1004H75867Meanwhile, Saul had a mistress named Rizpah, who was the daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth asked Abner, "Why did you have sex with my father's mistress?"H7586H6370H8034H7532H1323H345H559H74H935H1H63708What Ish-bosheth said made Abner furious, so he replied, "A dog's head for Judah - is that what I am?Up until today I've kept on showing loyalty to your father Saul's dynasty, to his relatives and friends, and I haven't turned you over to David, but you're charging me today with moral guilt regarding this woman!H74H3966H2734H1697H378H559H3611H7218H3063H6213H2617H3117H1004H7586H1H251H4828H4672H3027H1732H6485H3117H5771H8029Therefore may God do to me - and more also! - just as the Lord has promised to David, since I'm doing this for him:H6213H430H74H3254H3068H7650H1732H621310I will take away the kingdom from the dynasty of Saul by making the throne of David firm over Israel and Judah - from Dan to Beersheba!"H5674H4467H1004H7586H6965H3678H1732H3478H3063H1835H88411Ish-bosheth couldn't say another word in response to Abner, because he was terrified of him.H3201H7725H74H1697H337212So Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron to ask him, "Who owns this land?Cut a deal with me, and look! - I'll lend my hand in bringing all of Israel over to you!"H74H7971H4397H1732H559H776H559H3772H1285H3027H5437H347813David replied, "Sounds good to me! I'll cut a deal with you under one condition: you're not to show yourself in my presence unless you bring Saul's daughter with you when you come to see me."H559H2896H3772H1285H259H1697H7592H559H7200H6440H6440H935H4324H7586H1323H935H7200H644014Then David sent a delegation to Saul's son Ish-bosheth to say, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was engaged with a dowry of 100 Philistine foreskins."H1732H7971H4397H378H7586H1121H559H5414H802H4324H781H3967H6190H643015So Ish-bosheth ordered that she be taken away from her husband, Laish's son Paltiel.H378H7971H3947H376H6409H1121H3889H391916Her husband accompanied her, crying as he followed after her all the way to Bahurim, where Abner told him, "Leave! Go back!" So he went back.H376H3212H1980H1058H310H980H559H74H3212H7725H772517Later, Abner had a talk with the elders of Israel. He said, "In the past you were looking to see David made king over you.H74H1961H1697H2205H3478H559H1245H1732H8543H8032H442818So do it, then! Because the Lord has said this about David: 'Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the control of the Philistines and from all of their enemies.'"H6213H3068H559H1732H559H3027H5650H1732H3467H5971H3478H3027H6430H3027H34119Abner also addressed the tribe of Benjamin. Furthermore, with David's permission, Abner said anything that seemed like it would be good for Israel and for the entire tribe of Benjamin.H74H1696H241H1144H74H3212H1696H241H1732H2275H5869H2896H3478H5869H1004H114420Afterwards, Abner brought 20 soldiers to David at Hebron, and David threw a party for Abner and the men who were with him.H74H935H1732H2275H6242H582H1732H6213H74H582H496021So Abner said to David, "Give me permission to go out and rally all of Israel to your majesty the king so they can enter into a formal agreement with you to reign over everything that your heart desires." So David sent Abner off, and he went away in peace.H74H559H1732H6965H3212H6908H3478H113H4428H3772H1285H4427H5315H183H1732H7971H74H7971H3212H796522Right about then, David's servants returned from a raid, bringing plenty of war booty with them, but Abner wasn't in Hebron with David, since David had sent him away and Abner had left in peace.H5650H1732H3097H935H1416H935H7227H7998H74H1732H2275H7971H3212H796523When Joab returned with his entire army, Joab was informed, "Ner's son Abner visited the king, and he has dismissed him. He has left in peace."H3097H6635H935H5046H3097H559H74H1121H5369H935H4428H7971H3212H796524So Joab approached the king and asked him, "What have you done?Look, Abner came to you! What's this?You sent him away?He's long gone now!H3097H935H4428H559H6213H74H935H7971H1980H321225You know Ner's son Abner came to mislead you, to learn your troop movements, and to learn everything you're doing!"H3045H74H1121H5369H935H6601H3045H4161H4126H3996H3045H621326As soon as Joab left David, Joab sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah, but David was not aware of this.H3097H3318H1732H7971H4397H310H74H7725H953H5626H1732H304527When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab brought him aside within the gateway to talk to him alone and then stabbed him in the abdomen. So he died for shedding the blood of Joab's brother Asahel.H74H7725H2275H3097H5186H413H8432H8179H1696H7987H5221H2570H4191H1818H6214H25128Later on, David found out about it and proclaimed, "Let me and my kingdom remain guiltless forever in the Lord's presence for the death of Ner's son Abner.H310H1732H8085H559H4467H5355H3068H5704H5769H1818H74H1121H536929May judgment rest on Joab's head and on his father's entire household. May Joab's dynasty never be without one who has a discharge, who is a leper, who walks with a cane, who commits suicide, or who lacks food!"H2342H7218H3097H1H1004H3772H1004H3097H2100H6879H2388H6418H5307H2719H2638H389930He said this because Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner after he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.H3097H52H251H2026H74H4191H251H6214H1391H442131David ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." King David walked behind the funeral procession,H1732H559H3097H5971H7167H899H2296H8242H5594H6440H74H4428H1732H1980H310H429632and they buried Abner at Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner's grave, and all the people wept, too.H6912H74H2275H4428H5375H6963H1058H6913H74H5971H105833The king composed this mourning song for Abner: "Should Abner's death be like a fool's -H4428H6969H74H559H4191H74H5036H419434Your hands were not bound, nor were your feet in irons. As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen."H3027H631H7272H5066H5178H5307H6440H5766H1121H5307H5971H1058H325435Then all the people cried again because of him. Everyone tried to persuade David to have a meal while there was still daylight, but David took an oath by saying, "May God to do like this to me and more, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!"H3605H5971H935H1262H1732H1262H3899H5750H3117H1732H7650H559H6213H430H3254H2938H3899H3972H6440H8121H93536Everybody took note of this and was very pleased, just as everything else the king did pleased everyone.H5971H5234H3190H5869H4428H6213H5869H2896H597137As a result, the entire army and all of Israel understood that day that the king had nothing to do with the murder of Ner's son Abner.H5971H3478H3045H3117H4428H4191H74H1121H536938The king reminded his staff, "Don't you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel?H4428H559H5650H3045H8269H1419H5307H3117H347839Today, even though I'm anointed as king, I'm weak. These men, sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. May the Lord repay the one who acts wickedly in accordance with his wickedness!"H3117H7390H4886H4428H582H1121H6870H7186H3068H7999H6213H7451
Columbus, OH
