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 becameH1980 steadilyH1980 strongerH2388, while the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 becameH1980 steadilyH1980 weakerH1800.

22SonsH1121 were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 in 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 sons were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 in HebronH2275.

Abner Joins David

6Now it happenedH1961 that while there was warH4421 betweenH996 the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, 8AbnerH74 was 9strengtheningH2388 himself in the houseH1004 of SaulH7586. 7And SaulH7586 had a concubineH6370 whose nameH8034 was 10RizpahH7532, the daughterH1323 of AiahH345; and 11Ish-bosheth saidH559 to AbnerH74, “WhyH4069 have you goneH935 inH935 to my father’sH1 concubineH6370?” 8Then AbnerH74 becameH2734 veryH3966 angryH2734 overH5921 Ish-bosheth’sH378 12questionH1697 and saidH559, “13Am 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 letH4672 you fallH4672 into the handsH3027 of DavidH1732; yet todayH3117 you callH6485 me toH6485 accountH6485 for wrongdoingH5771 with 14that womanH802? 915May GodH430 doH6213 soH3541 to 16meH74, and moreH3254 soH3541, ifH3588 17as the LordH3068 has swornH7650 to DavidH1732, I do not accomplishH6213 thisH3651 for him: 1018to transferH5674 the kingdomH4467 from the houseH1004 of SaulH7586, and to establishH6965 the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 overH5921 IsraelH3478 and overH5921 JudahH3063, 19from DanH1835 even to BeershebaH884!” 11And Ish-bosheth couldH3201 noH3808 longerH5750 sayH7725 a wordH1697 inH7725 responseH7725 to AbnerH74, becauseH4480 he wasH3372 afraidH3372 of him.

12Then AbnerH74 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to DavidH1732 at 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.” 13And he saidH559, “GoodH2896! I will makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with you, onlyH389 I requireH7592 oneH259 thingH1697 of you, 20namelyH559, that 21you shall not seeH7200 my faceH6440 unlessH3588H518 you 22firstH6440 bringH935 MichalH4324, Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, when you comeH935 to seeH7200 23me.” 14So DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to Ish-boshethH378, Saul’sH7586 sonH1121, sayingH559, “GiveH5414 me my wifeH802 MichalH4324, to whomH834 I was betrothedH781 24for a hundredH3967 foreskinsH6190 of the PhilistinesH6430.” 15Ish-boshethH378 sentH7971 men and 25had her takenH3947 from her husbandH376, from 26PaltielH6409 the sonH1121 of LaishH3919. 16And her husbandH376 wentH1980 with her, weepingH1058 as he wentH1980, 27followingH310 her as farH5704 as 28BahurimH980. Then AbnerH74 saidH559 to him, “GoH1980, returnH7725.” So he returnedH7725.

17Now AbnerH74 hadH1961 a 29consultationH1697 with 30the 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 regardingH413 DavidH1732, sayingH559, ‘31By the handH3027 of My servantH5650 DavidH1732 32I will saveH3467 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 from the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430, and from the handsH3027 of allH3605 their enemiesH340.’” 19AbnerH74 alsoH1571 spokeH1696 33to BenjaminH1144; and inH1571 additionH1571 AbnerH74 wentH1980 to speakH1696 34to DavidH1732 in HebronH2275 everythingH3605 that seemedH5869 goodH2895 to IsraelH3478 and to 35the entireH3605 houseH1004 of BenjaminH1144.

20Then AbnerH74 and twentyH6242 menH376 with him cameH935 to DavidH1732 at HebronH2275. And DavidH1732 heldH6213 a feastH4960 for AbnerH74 and the menH376 whoH834 were with him. 21AbnerH74 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “Let me setH6965 outH6965 and goH1980 and 36gatherH6908 allH3605 IsraelH3478 to my lordH113 the kingH4428, so that they may makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with you, and that 37you may beH4427 kingH4427 over allH3605 that your soulH5315 desiresH183.” So DavidH1732 letH7971 AbnerH74 goH7971, and he wentH1980 in peaceH7965.

22And beholdH2009, 38the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 and JoabH3097 cameH935 from a raidH1416 and broughtH935 a largeH7227 amountH7227 of plunderH7998 with them; but AbnerH74 was not with DavidH1732 in HebronH2275, sinceH3588 he had letH7971 him goH7971, and he had goneH1980 in peaceH7965. 23When JoabH3097 and allH3605 the armyH6635 that was with him arrivedH935, they informedH5046 JoabH3097, sayingH559, “AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369 cameH935 to the kingH4428, and he has letH7971 him goH7971 on his way, 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 letH7971 him goH7971, so that he is alreadyH1980 goneH1980? 25You knowH3045 AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, that he cameH935 to gainH6601 your confidenceH6601, and to learnH3045 of 39your 40goingH4161 out and comingH4126 inH4126 and to findH3045 outH3045 everythingH3605 that you are doingH6213.”

Joab Murders Abner

26When JoabH3097 leftH3318 David’sH1732 presenceH5973, he sentH7971 messengersH4397 afterH310 AbnerH74, and they broughtH7725 him backH7725 from the wellH953 of SirahH5626; but DavidH1732 did not knowH3045 about it. 27So when AbnerH74 returnedH7725 to HebronH2275, JoabH3097 tookH5186 him asideH5186 into the middleH8432 of the gateH8179 to speakH1696 with him privatelyH7987, and thereH8033 41he struckH5221 him in the bellyH2570, so that he diedH4191 on account of the bloodH1818 of his brotherH251 AsahelH6214. 28AfterwardH310, when DavidH1732 heardH8085 about this, he saidH559, “I and my kingdomH4467 are innocentH5355 beforeH4480H5973 the LordH3068 foreverH5704H5769 of the bloodH1818 of AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369. 2942May it turnH2342 upon the headH7218 of JoabH3097 and on allH3605 his father’sH1 houseH1004; and may there not be eliminatedH3772 from the houseH1004 of JoabH3097 43someone who suffersH2100 a dischargeH2100, or has leprosyH6879, or 44holdsH2388 the spindleH6418, or fallsH5307 by the swordH2719, or lacksH2638 breadH3899.” 30So JoabH3097 and his brotherH251 AbishaiH52 killedH2026 AbnerH74 45becauseH5921H834 he had putH4191 their brotherH251 AsahelH6214 toH4191 deathH4191 in the battleH4421 at GibeonH1391.

David Mourns Abner

31Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to JoabH3097 and to allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him, “46TearH7167 your clothesH899 and putH2296 onH2296 sackclothH8242, and mournH5594 beforeH6440 AbnerH74.” And KingH4428 DavidH1732 walkedH1980 behindH310 the bierH4296. 32And they buriedH6912 AbnerH74 in HebronH2275; and the kingH4428 raisedH5375 his voiceH6963 and weptH1058 at 47the graveH6913 of AbnerH74, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 weptH1058. 33And 48the kingH4428 sangH6969 aH6969 songH6969 ofH6969 mourningH6969 for AbnerH74 and saidH559, “Should AbnerH74 dieH4191 as a foolH5036 diesH4194?34Your handsH3027 were not boundH631, norH3808 your feetH7272 putH5066 in bronzeH5178 shacklesH5178; As one fallsH5307 beforeH6440 the 49wickedH5767H1121, you have fallenH5307.” And allH3605 the peopleH5971 weptH1058 overH5921 him againH3254. 35Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 cameH935 50to provideH1262 51foodH3899 for DavidH1732 in his distress while it was stillH5750 dayH3117; but DavidH1732 vowedH7650, sayingH559, “52May GodH430 doH6213 soH3541 to me, and moreH3254 soH3541, ifH3588H518 I tasteH2938 breadH3899 orH176 anythingH3972 elseH3605 53beforeH6440 the sunH8121 goesH935 down.” 36Now allH3605 the peopleH5971 tookH5234 noteH5234 of David’s vow, and it 54pleasedH3190H5869 them, just as everythingH3605 that the kingH4428 didH6213 55pleasedH2895H5869 allH3605 the peopleH5971. 37So allH3605 the peopleH5971 and allH3605 IsraelH3478 understoodH3045 on that dayH3117 that it had not beenH1961 the desire of the kingH4428 to putH4191 AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369 toH4191 deathH4191. 38Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to his servantsH5650, “Do you not knowH3045 that a leaderH8269 and a greatH1419 manH1419 has fallenH5307 in IsraelH3478 thisH2088 dayH3117? 39And I am 56weakH7390 todayH3117, though anointedH4886 kingH4428; and theseH428 menH376, 57the sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, are tooH4480 difficultH7186 for me. 58May the LordH3068 repayH7999 the evildoerH6213H7463 in proportion to his evilH7463.”