2 Samuel 3:6-27

6Now it happened that while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, 1Abner was 2strengthening himself in the house of Saul. 7And Saul had a concubine whose name was 3Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and 4Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8Then Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth’s 5question and said, “6Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not let you fall into the hands of David; yet today you call me to account for wrongdoing with 7that woman? 98May God do so to 9me, and more so, if 10as the Lord has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him: 1011to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, 12from Dan even to Beersheba!” 11And Ish-bosheth could no longer say a word in response to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

12Then Abner sent messengers to David at his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” 13And he said, “Good! I will make a covenant with you, only I require one thing of you, 13namely, that 14you shall not see my face unless you 15first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see 16me.” 14So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed 17for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15Ish-bosheth sent men and 18had her taken from her husband, from 19Paltiel the son of Laish. 16And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, 20following her as far as 21Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.

17Now Abner had a 22consultation with 23the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken regarding David, saying, ‘24By the hand of My servant David 25I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hands of all their enemies.’” 19Abner also spoke 26to Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak 27to David in Hebron everything that seemed good to Israel and to 28the entire house of Benjamin.

20Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David held a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21Abner said to David, “Let me set out and go and 29gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that 30you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David let Abner go, and he went in peace.

22And behold, 31the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought a large amount of plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, since he had let him go, and he had gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, they informed Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go on his way, and he has gone in peace.” 24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you let him go, so that he is already gone? 25You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to gain your confidence, and to learn of 32your 33going out and coming in and to find out everything that you are doing.”

26When Joab left David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know about it. 27So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there 34he struck him in the belly, so that he died on account of the blood of his brother Asahel.