2Samuel 3

3The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.H752H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H1732H1980H2390H2390H1004H7586H1980H1800H18002Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;H1732H1121H3205H3205H2275H1060H550H293H31593his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the 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 the son of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.H8345H3507H5698H1732H802H3205H1732H2275

Abner Goes Over to David

6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul.H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H74H2388H1004H75867Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?"H7586H6370H8034H7532H1323H345H559H74H935H1H63708Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said and he answered, "Am I a dog's head—on Judah's side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!H74H3966H2734H1697H378H559H3611H7218H3063H6213H2617H3117H1004H7586H1H251H4828H4672H3027H1732H6485H3117H5771H8029May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oathH6213H430H74H3254H3068H7650H1732H621310and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba."H5674H4467H1004H7586H6965H3678H1732H3478H3063H1835H88411Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.H3201H7725H74H1697H337212Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, "Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you."H74H7971H4397H1732H559H776H559H3772H1285H3027H5437H347813"Good," said David. "I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me."H559H2896H3772H1285H259H1697H7592H559H7200H6440H6440H935H4324H7586H1323H935H7200H644014Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins."H1732H7971H4397H378H7586H1121H559H5414H802H4324H781H3967H6190H643015So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.H378H7971H3947H376H6409H1121H3889H391916Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back.H376H3212H1980H1058H310H980H559H74H3212H7725H772517Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, "For some time you have wanted to make David your king.H74H1961H1697H2205H3478H559H1245H1732H8543H8032H442818Now do it! For the LORD promised David, 'By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'"H6213H3068H559H1732H559H3027H5650H1732H3467H5971H3478H3027H6430H3027H34119Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin wanted to do.H74H1696H241H1144H74H3212H1696H241H1732H2275H5869H2896H3478H5869H1004H114420When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men.H74H935H1732H2275H6242H582H1732H6213H74H582H496021Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a compact with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.H74H559H1732H6965H3212H6908H3478H113H4428H3772H1285H4427H5315H183H1732H7971H74H7971H3212H7965

Joab Murders Abner

22Just then David's men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.H5650H1732H3097H935H1416H935H7227H7998H74H1732H2275H7971H3212H796523When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.H3097H6635H935H5046H3097H559H74H1121H5369H935H4428H7971H3212H796524So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone!H3097H935H4428H559H6213H74H935H7971H1980H321225You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing."H3045H74H1121H5369H935H6601H3045H4161H4126H3996H3045H621326Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.H3097H3318H1732H7971H4397H310H74H7725H953H5626H1732H304527Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway, as though to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.H74H7725H2275H3097H5186H413H8432H8179H1696H7987H5221H2570H4191H1818H6214H25128Later, when David heard about this, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.H310H1732H8085H559H4467H5355H3068H5704H5769H1818H74H1121H536929May his blood fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house! May Joab's house never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food."H2342H7218H3097H1H1004H3772H1004H3097H2100H6879H2388H6418H5307H2719H2638H389930(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)H3097H52H251H2026H74H4191H251H6214H1391H442131Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner." King David himself walked behind the bier.H1732H559H3097H5971H7167H899H2296H8242H5594H6440H74H4428H1732H1980H310H429632They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept also.H6912H74H2275H4428H5375H6963H1058H6913H74H5971H105833The king sang this lament for Abner: "Should Abner have died as the lawless die?H4428H6969H74H559H4191H74H5036H419434Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before wicked men." And all the people wept over him again.H3027H631H7272H5066H5178H5307H6440H5766H1121H5307H5971H1058H325435Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!"H3605H5971H935H1262H1732H1262H3899H5750H3117H1732H7650H559H6213H430H3254H2938H3899H3972H6440H8121H93536All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them.H5971H5234H3190H5869H4428H6213H5869H2896H597137So on that day all the people and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.H5971H3478H3045H3117H4428H4191H74H1121H536938Then the king said to his men, "Do you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?H4428H559H5650H3045H8269H1419H5307H3117H347839And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!"H3117H7390H4886H4428H582H1121H6870H7186H3068H7999H6213H7451