2 Samuel 3

1Now there wasH1961 longH752 warH4421 between the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732: and DavidH1732 waxed strongerH2390 and strongerH2390, but the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 waxed weakerH1800 and weakerH1800.

2And unto DavidH1732 wereH1961 sonsH1121 bornH3205 in HebronH2275: and his first-born wasH1961 AmnonH550, of AhinoamH293 the Jezreelitess; 3and his secondH4932, Chileab, of AbigailH26 the wifeH802 of NabalH5037 the CarmeliteH3761; and the thirdH7992, AbsalomH53 the sonH1121 of MaacahH4601 the daughterH1323 of TalmaiH8526 kingH4428 of GeshurH1650; 4and the fourthH7243, AdonijahH138 the sonH1121 of HaggithH2294; and the fifthH2549, ShephatiahH8203 the sonH1121 of AbitalH37; 5and the sixthH8345, IthreamH3507, of EglahH5698, David’s wifeH802. These were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 in HebronH2275.

6And it came to pass, while there wasH1961 warH4421 between the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, that AbnerH74 madeH2388 himself strongH2388 in the houseH1004 of SaulH7586. 7Now SaulH7586 had a concubineH6370, whose nameH8034 was RizpahH7532, the daughterH1323 of AiahH345: andIsh-boshethsaidH559 to AbnerH74, Wherefore hast thou goneH935 in unto my father’sH1 concubineH6370? 8Then was AbnerH74 veryH3966 wroth for the wordsH1697 of Ish-boshethH378, and saidH559, Am I a dog’sH3611 headH7218 that belongeth to JudahH3063? This dayH3117 do I show kindness unto the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 thy fatherH1, to his brethren, and to his friendsH4828, and have not delivered thee into the handH3027 of DavidH1732; and yet thou chargest me this dayH3117 with a fault concerning this womanH802. 9GodH430 do soH3651 to AbnerH74, and more also, if, as Jehovah hath swornH7650 to DavidH1732, I do not even soH3651 to him; 10to transfer the kingdomH4467 from the houseH1004 of SaulH7586, and to setH6965 up the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 over IsraelH3478 and over JudahH3063, from DanH1835 even to Beer-sheba. 11And he could not answer AbnerH74 another wordH1697, because he fearedH3372 him.

12And AbnerH74 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to DavidH1732 on his behalf, sayingH559, Whose is the landH776? sayingH559also, MakeH3772 thy league with me, and, behold, my handH3027 shall be with thee, to bringH5437 about all IsraelH3478 unto thee. 13And he saidH559, Well; I will makeH3772 a league with thee; but oneH259 thingH1697 I require of thee: that is, thou shalt not seeH7200 my faceH6440, except thou first bringH935 MichalH4324, Saul’s daughterH1323, when thou comest to seeH7200 my faceH6440. 14And DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to Ish-boshethH378, Saul’s sonH1121, sayingH559, Deliver me my wifeH802 MichalH4324, whom I betrothedH781 to me for a hundredH3967 foreskinsH6190 of the PhilistinesH6430. 15And Ish-boshethH378 sentH7971, and tookH3947 her from her husbandH376, even from PaltielH6409 the sonH1121 of Laish. 16And her husbandH376 wentH1980 with her, weepingH1058 as he wentH1980, and followed her to BahurimH980. Then saidH559 AbnerH74 unto him, GoH1980, returnH7725: and he returnedH7725.

17And AbnerH74 had communication with the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, In times past ye soughtH1245 for DavidH1732 to beH1961 kingH4428 over you: 18nowH6258 then do it; for Jehovah hath spoken of DavidH1732, sayingH559, By the handH3027 of my servantH5650 DavidH1732 I will saveH3467 my peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 out of the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430, and out of the handH3027 of all their enemiesH341. 19And AbnerH74 alsoH1571 spake in the earsH241 of BenjaminH1144: and AbnerH74 went alsoH1571 to speakH1696 in the earsH241 of DavidH1732 in HebronH2275 all that seemed goodH2896 to IsraelH3478, and to the whole houseH1004 of BenjaminH1144. 20So AbnerH74 cameH935 to DavidH1732 to HebronH2275, and twentyH6242 menH376 with him. And DavidH1732 madeH6213 AbnerH74 and the menH376 that were with him a feastH4960. 21And AbnerH74 saidH559 unto DavidH1732, I will ariseH6965 and goH7971, and will gatherH6908 all IsraelH3478 unto my lordH113 the kingH4428, that they may makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with thee, and that thou mayest reignH4427 over all that thy soulH5315 desireth. And DavidH1732 sentH7971 AbnerH74 awayH7971; and he went in peaceH7965.

22And, behold, the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 and JoabH3097 cameH935 from a foray, and broughtH935 in a greatH7227 spoilH7998 with them: but AbnerH74 was not with DavidH1732 in HebronH2275; for he had sentH7971 him awayH7971, and he was goneH935 in peaceH7965. 23WhenH834 JoabH3097 and all the hostH6635 that was with him were comeH935, they toldH5046 JoabH3097, sayingH559, AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369 cameH935 to the kingH4428, and he hath sentH7971 him awayH7971, and he is goneH935 in peaceH7965. 24Then JoabH3097 cameH935 to the kingH4428, and saidH559, What hast thou done? behold, AbnerH74 cameH935 unto thee; whyH4100 is it that thou hast sentH7971 him awayH7971, and he is quite goneH1980? 25Thou knowest AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, that he cameH935 to deceive thee, and to knowH3045 thy goingH935 out and thy comingH935 in, and to knowH3045 all that thou doest. 26And when JoabH3097 was comeH3318 out from DavidH1732, he sentH7971 messengersH4397 after AbnerH74, and they broughtH3318 him backH7725 from the well of Sirah: but DavidH1732 knewH3045 it not.

27And when AbnerH74 was returnedH7725 to HebronH2275, JoabH3097 took him asideH5186 into the midstH8432 of the gateH8179 to speakH1696 with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he diedH4191, for the bloodH1818 of AsahelH6214 his brotherH251. 28And afterward, when DavidH1732 heardH8085 it, he saidH559, I and my kingdomH4467 are guiltless before Jehovah for everH5703 of the bloodH1818 of AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369: 29let it fallH5307 upon the headH7218 of JoabH3097, and upon all his father’sH1 houseH1004; and let there not fail from the houseH1004 of JoabH3097 one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the swordH2719, or that lacketh breadH3899. 30So JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 his brotherH251 slewH2026 AbnerH74, because he had killedH2026 their brotherH251 AsahelH6214 at GibeonH1391 in the battleH4421.

31And DavidH1732 saidH559 to JoabH3097, and to all the peopleH5971 that were with him, Rend your clothesH899, and girdH2296 you with sackclothH8242, and mournH5594 before AbnerH74. And kingH4428 DavidH1732 followed the bier. 32And they buriedH6912 AbnerH74 in HebronH2275: and the kingH4428 liftedH5375 up his voiceH6963, and weptH1058 at the graveH6913 of AbnerH74; and all the peopleH5971 weptH1058. 33And the kingH4428 lamented for AbnerH74, and saidH559,

And all the peopleH5971 weptH1058 again over him. 35And all the peopleH5971 cameH935 to cause DavidH1732 to eatH1262 breadH3899 while it was yetH5750 dayH3117; but DavidH1732 sware, sayingH559, GodH430 do so to me, and more also, if I tasteH2938 breadH3899, or aught else, till the sunH8121 be down. 36And all the peopleH5971 took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the kingH4428 did pleased all the peopleH5971. 37So all the peopleH5971 and all IsraelH3478 understood that dayH3117 that it wasH1961 not of the kingH4428 to slay AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369. 38And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto his servantsH5650, KnowH3045 ye not that there is a princeH8269 and a greatH1419 man fallenH5307 this dayH3117 in IsraelH3478? 39And I am this dayH3117 weakH7390, though anointedH4886 kingH4428; and these menH376 the sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 are too hardH7186 for me: Jehovah rewardH7999 the evil-doer according to his wickednessH7451.