2 Samuel 3

(1 Chronicles 3:1–9)

1Now the warH4421 betweenH996 the houseH1004 of SaulH7586H996 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732 wasH1961 protractedH752. And DavidH1732 grewH1980 stronger and strongerH2390, while the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 grewH1980 weaker and weakerH1800.

2And sonsH1121 were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 in HebronH2275:

His firstbornH1060 wasH1961 AmnonH550, by AhinoamH293 of JezreelH3158; 3his secondH4932 was ChileabH3609,1 by AbigailH26 the widowH802 of NabalH5037 of CarmelH3761; his thirdH7992 was AbsalomH53, the sonH1121 of MaacahH4601 daughterH1323 of KingH4428 TalmaiH8526 of GeshurH1650; 4his fourthH7243 was AdonijahH138, the sonH1121 of HaggithH2294; his fifthH2549 was ShephatiahH8203, the sonH1121 of AbitalH37; 5and his sixthH8345 was IthreamH3507, by David’sH1732 wifeH802 EglahH5698.

TheseH428 sons were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 in HebronH2275.

Abner Joins David

6DuringH1961 the warH4421 betweenH996 the houseH1004 of SaulH7586H996 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, AbnerH74H1961 had continued to strengthenH2388 his position in the houseH1004 of SaulH7586. 7Now SaulH7586 had a concubineH6370 namedH8034 RizpahH7532, the daughterH1323 of AiahH345. So Ish-bosheth questionedH559 AbnerH74, “WhyH4069 did you sleep withH935H413 my father’sH1 concubineH6370?”

8AbnerH74 was furiousH3966H2734 overH5921 Ish-bosheth’sH378 accusationH1697. “Am IH595 the headH7218 of a dogH3611 thatH834 belongs to JudahH3063?” he askedH559. “All this timeH3117 I have been loyalH6213H2617 toH5973 the houseH1004 of your fatherH1 SaulH7586, toH413 his brothersH251, and toH413 his friendsH4828. I have notH3808 delivered youH4672 into the handH3027 of DavidH1732, but nowH3117 you accuseH6485 meH5921 of wrongdoingH5771 with this womanH802! 9May GodH430 punishH3541H6213 AbnerH74, and ever soH3541 severelyH3254, ifH3588 I do not doH6213 for DavidH1732H3588H3651 whatH834 the LORDH3068 has sworn to himH7650: 10to transferH5674 the kingdomH4467 from the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and to establishH6965 the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 overH5921 IsraelH3478H5921 and JudahH3063, from DanH1835 toH5704 BeershebaH884.”

11And for fearH3372 of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dareH3201H5750H3808 to sayH7725 another wordH1697 toH74 him.

12Then AbnerH74 sentH7971 messengersH4397 on his behalfH8478 to sayH559 toH413 DavidH1732, “To whomH4310 does the landH776H559 belong? MakeH3772 your covenantH1285 with meH854, and surelyH2009 my handH3027 will be with youH5973 to bringH5437 allH3605 IsraelH3478 over to youH413.”

13“GoodH2896,” replied DavidH559, “IH589 will makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with youH854. ButH389 there is oneH259 thingH1697 IH595 requireH7592 of youH854H559: Do notH3808 appearH7200 before meH6440 unlessH518H6440 you bringH935 Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323 MichalH4324 when you comeH935 to see meH7200.”

14Then DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to sayH559 toH413 Ish-boshethH378 sonH1121 of SaulH7586, “GiveH5414 meH853 back my wifeH802, MichalH4324, whomH834 I betrothedH781 to myself for a hundredH3967 PhilistineH6430 foreskinsH6190.”

15So Ish-boshethH378 sentH7971 and tookH3947 Michal fromH5973 her husbandH376H5973 PaltielH64092 sonH1121 of LaishH3889. 16Her husbandH376H1980 followedH1980H854 herH310, weepingH1058 all the way toH5704 BahurimH980. Then AbnerH74H1980 saidH559 to himH413, “Go backH7725.” So he returnedH7725 home.

17Now AbnerH74H1961 conferredH1697 withH5973 the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “In the pastH8543H1571H8032H1961 you soughtH1245 DavidH1732 as your kingH4428H5921. 18NowH6258 take actionH6213, becauseH3588 the LORDH3068 has saidH559 toH413 DavidH1732H559, ‘ThroughH3027 My servantH5650 DavidH1732 I will saveH3467 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 from the handsH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 and of allH3605 their enemiesH341.’”

19AbnerH74H241 alsoH1571 spoke toH1696 the BenjamitesH1144. Then he wentH1980H1571H74 to HebronH2275 to tellH1696H241 DavidH1732 allH3605 thatH834 seemed goodH2895H5869 to IsraelH3478H5869 and to the wholeH3605 houseH1004 of BenjaminH1144. 20When AbnerH74 and twentyH6242 of his menH582 cameH935 toH413 DavidH1732 at HebronH2275H854, DavidH1732 heldH6213 a feastH4960 for themH74H582.

21Then AbnerH74 saidH559 toH413 DavidH1732H6965, “Let me go at onceH1980, and I will gatherH6908 allH3605 IsraelH3478 toH413 my lordH113 the kingH4428, that they may makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with youH854, and that you may ruleH4427 over allH3605 thatH834 your heartH5315 desiresH183.”

So DavidH1732 dismissedH7971 AbnerH74, and he wentH1980 in peaceH7965.

Joab Murders Abner

22Just thenH2009 David’sH1732 soldiersH5650 and JoabH3097 returnedH935 from a raidH1416, bringingH935 with themH5973 a greatH7227 plunderH7998. But AbnerH74 was notH369 withH5973 DavidH1732 in HebronH2275, becauseH3588 David had sent himH7971 on his wayH1980 in peaceH7965. 23When JoabH3097 and allH3605 his troopsH6635 arrivedH935, he was informedH5046, “AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369 cameH935 toH413 see the kingH4428, who sent himH7971 on his wayH1980 in peaceH7965.”

24So JoabH3097 wentH935 toH413 the kingH4428 and saidH559, “WhatH4100 have you doneH6213? LookH2009, AbnerH74 cameH935 to youH413. WhyH4100H2088 did you dismiss himH7971? Now he is getting awayH1980! 25Surely you realizeH3045 thatH3588 AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369 cameH935 to deceive youH6601 and to trackH3045 your movementsH4161 and allH3605 thatH834 you areH859 doingH6213.”

26As soon as JoabH3097H5973 had leftH3318 DavidH1732, he sentH7971 messengersH4397 afterH310 AbnerH74, who brought him backH7725 from the wellH953 of SirahH5626. But DavidH1732 was unawareH3808 of itH3045.

27When AbnerH74 returnedH7725 to HebronH2275, JoabH3097 pulled him asideH5186 intoH413 the gatewayH8179, as if to speakH1696 to him privatelyH854H7987, and thereH8033 Joab stabbed himH5221 in the stomachH2570. So Abner diedH4191 on account of the bloodH1818 of Joab’s brotherH251 AsahelH6214.

28AfterwardH3651, DavidH1732 heardH8085 about thisH310 and saidH559, “IH595 and my kingdomH4467 are foreverH5704H5769 guiltlessH5355 beforeH5973 the LORDH3068 concerning the bloodH1818 of AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369. 29May it whirlH2342 overH5921 the headH7218 of JoabH3097 and overH413 the entireH3605 houseH1004 of his fatherH1, and may the houseH1004 of JoabH3097 neverH408 be withoutH3772 one having a dischargeH2100 or skin diseaseH6879, or one who leansH2388 on a staffH6418 or fallsH5307 by the swordH2719 or lacksH2638 foodH3899.”

30(JoabH3097 and his brotherH251 AbishaiH52 murderedH2026 AbnerH74 becauseH5921 he had killedH4191 their brotherH251 AsahelH6214 in the battleH4421 at GibeonH1391.)

David Mourns for Abner

31Then DavidH1732H413 orderedH559 JoabH3097H413 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 with himH854, “TearH7167 your clothesH899, put onH2296 sackclothH8242, and mournH5594 beforeH6440 AbnerH74.” And KingH4428 David himselfH1732 walkedH1980 behindH310 the funeral bierH4296.

32When they buriedH6912 AbnerH74 in HebronH2275, the kingH4428 weptH1058 aloudH5375H6963 atH413 Abner’sH74 tombH6913, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 weptH1058. 33And the kingH4428 sang this lamentH6969 forH413 AbnerH74H559:

And allH3605 the peopleH5971 weptH1058 over himH5921 even moreH3254.

35Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 cameH935 and urged DavidH1732 to eatH1262 somethingH3899 while it was stillH5750 dayH3117, but DavidH1732 took an oathH7650, sayingH559, “May GodH430 punishH3541H6213 me, and ever soH3541 severelyH3254H3588, ifH518 I tasteH2938 breadH3899 orH176 anything elseH3605H3972 beforeH6440 the sunH8121 setsH935!”

36AllH3605 the peopleH5971 took noteH5234 andH3190 were pleasedH5869. In fact, everythingH3605 the kingH4428 didH6213 pleasedH5869 themH3605H5971H2895. 37So on thatH1931 dayH3117 allH3605 the troopsH5971 and allH3605 IsraelH3478 were convincedH3045 thatH3588 the kingH4428 had noH3808 partH1961 in the murderH4191 of AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369.

38Then the kingH4428 saidH559 toH413 his servantsH5650, “Do you notH3808 realizeH3045 thatH3588 a greatH1419 princeH8269 has fallenH5307 todayH3117H2088 in IsraelH3478? 39And IH595 am weakH7390 this dayH3117, though anointedH4886 as kingH4428, and theseH428 menH582, the sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, are too fierceH7186 for meH4480. May the LORDH3068 repayH7999 the evildoerH6213H7451 according to his evilH7451!”