2Samuel 3

Joab Kills Abner

3Now there 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.H752H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H1732H1980H2390H2390H1004H7586H1980H1800H1800

Sons of David

2Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;H1732H1121H3205H3205H2275H1060H550H293H31593his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the 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 David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.H8345H3507H5698H1732H802H3205H1732H2275

Abner Joins Forces with David

6Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H74H2388H1004H75867And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"H7586H6370H8034H7532H1323H345H559H74H935H1H63708Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?H74H3966H2734H1697H378H559H3611H7218H3063H6213H2617H3117H1004H7586H1H251H4828H4672H3027H1732H6485H3117H5771H8029"May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the LORD has sworn to him—H6213H430H74H3254H3068H7650H1732H621310"to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba."H5674H4467H1004H7586H6965H3678H1732H3478H3063H1835H88411And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.H3201H7725H74H1697H337212Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, "Whose is the land?" saying also, "Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you."H74H7971H4397H1732H559H776H559H3772H1285H3027H5437H347813And David said, "Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."H559H2896H3772H1285H259H1697H7592H559H7200H6440H6440H935H4324H7586H1323H935H7200H644014So David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."H1732H7971H4397H378H7586H1121H559H5414H802H4324H781H3967H6190H643015And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.H378H7971H3947H376H6409H1121H3889H391916Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, "Go, return!" And he returned.H376H3212H1980H1058H310H980H559H74H3212H7725H772517Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, "In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you.H74H1961H1697H2205H3478H559H1245H1732H8543H8032H442818"Now 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 hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.'"H6213H3068H559H1732H559H3027H5650H1732H3467H5971H3478H3027H6430H3027H34119And Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.H74H1696H241H1144H74H3212H1696H241H1732H2275H5869H2896H3478H5869H1004H114420So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.H74H935H1732H2275H6242H582H1732H6213H74H582H496021Then Abner said to David, "I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.H74H559H1732H6965H3212H6908H3478H113H4428H3772H1285H4427H5315H183H1732H7971H74H7971H3212H7965

Joab Murders Abner

22At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid 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 troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace."H3097H6635H935H5046H3097H559H74H1121H5369H935H4428H7971H3212H796524Then Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone?H3097H935H4428H559H6213H74H935H7971H1980H321225"Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing."H3045H74H1121H5369H935H6601H3045H4161H4126H3996H3045H621326And when Joab had gone from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.H3097H3318H1732H7971H4397H310H74H7725H953H5626H1732H304527Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.H74H7725H2275H3097H5186H413H8432H8179H1696H7987H5221H2570H4191H1818H6214H25128Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.H310H1732H8085H559H4467H5355H3068H5704H5769H1818H74H1121H536929"Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."H2342H7218H3097H1H1004H3772H1004H3097H2100H6879H2388H6418H5307H2719H2638H389930So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.H3097H52H251H2026H74H4191H251H6214H1391H4421

David’s Mourning for Abner

31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." And King David followed the coffin.H1732H559H3097H5971H7167H899H2296H8242H5594H6440H74H4428H1732H1980H310H429632So they 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 sang a lament over Abner and said: "Should Abner die as a fool dies?H4428H6969H74H559H4191H74H5036H419434Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell." Then all the people wept over him again.H3027H631H7272H5066H5178H5307H6440H5766H1121H5307H5971H1058H325435And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!"H3605H5971H935H1262H1732H1262H3899H5750H3117H1732H7650H559H6213H430H3254H2938H3899H3972H6440H8121H93536Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people.H5971H5234H3190H5869H4428H6213H5869H2896H597137For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's intent to kill Abner the son of Ner.H5971H3478H3045H3117H4428H4191H74H1121H536938Then the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?H4428H559H5650H3045H8269H1419H5307H3117H347839"And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The LORD shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness."H3117H7390H4886H4428H582H1121H6870H7186H3068H7999H6213H7451