2 Samuel 3

The House of David Strengthened

1Now 1there was a longH752 warH4421 betweenH996 the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732; and DavidH1732 grewH1980 steadilyH1980 strongerH2388, but the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 grewH1980 weakerH1800 continuallyH1980.

22SonsH1121 were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 at HebronH2275: his firstbornH1060 was AmnonH550, by 3AhinoamH293 the JezreelitessH3159; 3and his secondH4932, ChileabH3609, by AbigailH26 the 4widowH802 of NabalH5037 the CarmeliteH3761; and the thirdH7992, AbsalomH53 the sonH1121 of 5MaacahH4601, the daughterH1323 of TalmaiH8526, kingH4428 of 6GeshurH1650; 4and the fourthH7243, 7AdonijahH138 the sonH1121 of HaggithH2294; and the fifthH2549, ShephatiahH8203 the sonH1121 of AbitalH37; 5and the sixthH8345, IthreamH3507, by David’sH1732 wifeH802 EglahH5698. TheseH428 were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 at HebronH2275.

Abner Joins David

6It cameH1961 about while there was warH4421 betweenH996 the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732 that 8AbnerH74 was makingH2388 himself strongH2388 in the houseH1004 of SaulH7586. 7Now SaulH7586 had a concubineH6370 whose nameH8034 was 9RizpahH7532, the daughterH1323 of AiahH345; and 10Ish-bosheth saidH559 to AbnerH74, “WhyH4069 have you goneH935 in to my father’sH1 concubineH6370?” 8Then AbnerH74 was veryH3966 angryH2734 overH5921 the wordsH1697 of Ish-boshethH378 and saidH559, “11Am I a dog’sH3611 headH7218 that belongs to JudahH3063? TodayH3117 I showH6213 kindnessH2617 to the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 your fatherH1, to his brothersH251 and to his friendsH4828, and have not deliveredH4672 you into the handsH3027 of DavidH1732; and yet todayH3117 you chargeH6485 me with a guiltH5771 concerning the womanH802. 912May GodH430 doH6213 soH3541 to AbnerH74, and moreH3254 alsoH3541, ifH3588 13as the LordH3068 has swornH7650 to DavidH1732, I do not accomplishH6213 thisH3651 for him, 1014to transferH5674 the kingdomH4467 from the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and to establishH6965 the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 overH5921 IsraelH3478 and overH5921 JudahH3063, 15from DanH1835 even to BeershebaH884.” 11And he couldH3201 noH3808 longerH5750 answerH7725 AbnerH74 a wordH1697, becauseH4480 he was afraidH3372 of him.

12Then AbnerH74 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to DavidH1732 in his placeH8478, sayingH559, “WhoseH4310 is the landH776? MakeH3772 your covenantH1285 with me, and beholdH2009, my handH3027 shall be with you to bringH5437 allH3605 IsraelH3478 overH5437 to you.” 13He saidH559, “GoodH2896! I will makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with you, but I demandH7592 oneH259 thingH1697 of you, 16namelyH559, 17you shall not seeH7200 my faceH6440 unlessH3588H518 you 18firstH6440 bringH935 MichalH4324, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, when you comeH935 to seeH7200 19me.” 14So DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to Ish-boshethH378, Saul’sH7586 sonH1121, sayingH559, “GiveH5414 me my wifeH802 MichalH4324, to whomH834 I was betrothedH781 20for a hundredH3967 foreskinsH6190 of the PhilistinesH6430.” 15Ish-boshethH378 sentH7971 and tookH3947 her from her husbandH376, from 21PaltielH6409 the sonH1121 of LaishH3919. 16But her husbandH376 wentH1980 with her, weepingH1058 as he wentH1980, and followedH310 her as farH5704 as 22BahurimH980. Then AbnerH74 saidH559 to him, “GoH1980, returnH7725.” So he returnedH7725.

17Now AbnerH74 hadH1961 23consultationH1697 with 24the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, “In timesH1571H8032H8543 pastH8543H8032 you were seekingH1245 for DavidH1732 to be kingH4428 overH5921 you. 18NowH6258 then, doH6213 it! For the LordH3068 has spokenH559 of DavidH1732, sayingH559, ‘25By the handH3027 of My servantH5650 DavidH1732 26I will saveH3467 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 from the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430 and from the handH3027 of allH3605 their enemiesH340.’” 19AbnerH74 alsoH1571 spokeH1696 in the hearingH241 of BenjaminH1144; and in additionH1571 AbnerH74 wentH1980 to speakH1696 in the hearingH241 of DavidH1732 in HebronH2275 allH3605 that seemed goodH2895 to IsraelH3478 and to 27the wholeH3605 houseH1004 of BenjaminH1144.

20Then AbnerH74 and twentyH6242 menH376 with him cameH935 to DavidH1732 at HebronH2275. And DavidH1732 madeH6213 a feastH4960 for AbnerH74 and the menH376 whoH834 were with him. 21AbnerH74 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “Let me ariseH6965 and goH1980 and 28gatherH6908 allH3605 IsraelH3478 to my lordH113 the kingH4428, that they may makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with you, and that 29you may be kingH4427 over allH3605 that your soulH5315 desiresH183.” So DavidH1732 sentH7971 AbnerH74 awayH7971, and he wentH1980 in peaceH7965.

22And beholdH2009, 30the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 and JoabH3097 cameH935 from a raidH1416 and broughtH935 muchH7227 spoilH7998 with them; but AbnerH74 was not with DavidH1732 in HebronH2275, for he had sentH7971 him awayH7971, and he had goneH1980 in peaceH7965. 23When JoabH3097 and allH3605 the armyH6635 that was with him arrivedH935, they toldH5046 JoabH3097, sayingH559, “AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369 cameH935 to the kingH4428, and he has sentH7971 him awayH7971, and he has goneH1980 in peaceH7965.” 24Then JoabH3097 cameH935 to the kingH4428 and saidH559, “WhatH4100 have you doneH6213? BeholdH2009, AbnerH74 cameH935 to you; whyH4100 thenH2088 have you sentH7971 him awayH7971 and he is alreadyH1980 goneH1980? 25You knowH3045 AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, that he cameH935 to deceiveH6601 you and to learnH3045 of 31your goingH4161 out and comingH4126 in and to findH3045 out allH3605 that you are doingH6213.”

Joab Murders Abner

26When JoabH3097 cameH3318 out from DavidH1732, he sentH7971 messengersH4397 afterH310 AbnerH74, and they broughtH7725 him backH7725 from the wellH953 of SirahH5626; but DavidH1732 did not knowH3045 it. 27So when AbnerH74 returnedH7725 to HebronH2275, JoabH3097 tookH5186 him asideH5186 into the middleH8432 of the gateH8179 to speakH1696 with him privatelyH7987, and thereH8033 32he struckH5221 him in the bellyH2570 so that he diedH4191 on account of the bloodH1818 of AsahelH6214 his brotherH251. 28AfterwardH310 when DavidH1732 heardH8085 it, he saidH559, “I and my kingdomH4467 are innocentH5355 beforeH4480H5973 the LordH3068 foreverH5704H5769 of the bloodH1818 of AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369. 2933May it 34fallH2342 on the headH7218 of JoabH3097 and on allH3605 his father’sH1 houseH1004; and may there not failH3772 from the houseH1004 of JoabH3097 35one who has a dischargeH2100, or who is a leperH6879, or who takesH2388 holdH2388 of a distaffH6418, or who fallsH5307 by the swordH2719, or who lacksH2638 breadH3899.” 30So JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 his brotherH251 killedH2026 AbnerH74 36becauseH5921H834 he had putH4191 their brotherH251 AsahelH6214 to deathH4191 in the battleH4421 at GibeonH1391.

David Mourns Abner

31Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to JoabH3097 and to allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him, “37TearH7167 your clothesH899 and girdH2296 on sackclothH8242 and lamentH5594 beforeH6440 AbnerH74.” And KingH4428 DavidH1732 walkedH1980 behindH310 the bierH4296. 32Thus they buriedH6912 AbnerH74 in HebronH2275; and the kingH4428 liftedH5375 up his voiceH6963 and weptH1058 at 38the graveH6913 of AbnerH74, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 weptH1058. 3339The kingH4428 chantedH6969 a lament for AbnerH74 and saidH559, “Should AbnerH74 dieH4191 as a foolH5036 diesH4194?34Your handsH3027 were not boundH631, norH3808 your feetH7272 putH5066 in fettersH5178; As one fallsH5307 beforeH6440 the 40wickedH5767H1121, you have fallenH5307.” And allH3605 the peopleH5971 weptH1058 againH3254 overH5921 him. 35Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 cameH935 41to 42persuade DavidH1732 to eatH1262 breadH3899 while it was stillH5750 dayH3117; but DavidH1732 vowedH7650, sayingH559, “43May GodH430 doH6213 soH3541 to me, and moreH3254 alsoH3541, ifH3588H518 I tasteH2938 breadH3899 orH176 anythingH3972 elseH3605 44beforeH6440 the sunH8121 goesH935 down.” 36Now allH3605 the peopleH5971 tookH5234 noteH5234 of it, and it 45pleasedH3190H5869 them, just as everythingH3605H834 the kingH4428 didH6213 46pleasedH2895H5869 allH3605 the peopleH5971. 37So allH3605 the peopleH5971 and allH3605 IsraelH3478 understoodH3045 that dayH3117 that it had not beenH1961 the will of the kingH4428 to putH4191 AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369 to deathH4191. 38Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to his servantsH5650, “Do you not knowH3045 that a princeH8269 and a greatH1419 manH1419 has fallenH5307 thisH2088 dayH3117 in IsraelH3478? 39I am 47weakH7390 todayH3117, though anointedH4886 kingH4428; and theseH428 menH376 48the sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 are tooH4480 difficultH7186 for me. 49May the LordH3068 repayH7999 the evildoerH6213H7463 according to his evilH7463.”