2 Samuel 3:1-27

1NowH1961 there was longH752 warH4421 betweenH996 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 were sonsH1121 bornH3205 in HebronH2275: and his firstbornH1060 was AmnonH550, of AhinoamH293 the JezreelitessH3159;

3and his secondH4932, ChileabH3609, 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’sH1732 wifeH802. TheseH428 were bornH3205 to DavidH1732 in HebronH2275.

6And it comeH1961 to passH1961, whileH1961 there was warH4421 betweenH996 the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 and the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, that AbnerH74 madeH2388 himselfH2388 strongH2388 in the houseH1004 of SaulH7586.

7NowH935 SaulH7586 had a concubineH6370, whoseH8034 nameH8034 was RizpahH7532, the daughterH1323 of AiahH345: and Ish-boshethH559 saidH559 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 doH6213 I shew kindnessH2617 unto the houseH1004 of SaulH7586 thy fatherH1, to his brethrenH251, and to his friendsH4828, and have notH3808 deliveredH3027 thee intoH413 the handH3027 of DavidH1732, and yet thou chargest meH413 this dayH3117 with a faultH4672 concerning this womanH802.

9GodH430 doH6213 soH3651 to AbnerH74, and moreH3254 also, ifH3588, as the LORDH3068 hath swornH7650 to DavidH1732, I doH6213 notH3254 evenH3588 soH3651 to him;

10to translate the kingdomH4467 from the houseH1004 of SaulH7586, and to setH6965 upH6965 the throneH3678 of DavidH1732 over IsraelH3478 and over JudahH3063, from DanH1835 evenH5704 to Beer-sheba.

11And he couldH3201 notH3808 answerH7725 AbnerH74 anotherH5750 wordH1697, becauseH3372 he fearedH3372 him.

12And AbnerH74 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to DavidH1732 on his behalfH5973, sayingH559, WhoseH4310 is the landH776? sayingH559 also, MakeH3772 thy leagueH1285 with meH413, and, beholdH2009, my handH3027 shall be with thee, to bringH5437 aboutH413 allH3605 IsraelH3478 unto thee.

13And he saidH559, WellH2896; I will makeH3772 a leagueH1285 with thee: but one thingH1697 I requireH7592 of thee, that is, thou shalt notH3808 seeH7200 my faceH6440, exceptH518 thou firstH259 bringH935 MichalH4324 Saul’sH7586 daughterH1323, when thou comest to seeH7200 my faceH6440.

14And DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to Ish-boshethH378 Saul’sH7586 sonH1121, sayingH559, DeliverH5414 meH413 my wifeH802 MichalH4324, whomH834 I betrothedH781 to meH413 for an hundredH3967 foreskinsH6190 of the PhilistinesH6430.

15And Ish-boshethH378 sentH7971, and tookH3947 herH7971 from herH7971 husbandH376, even from PaltielH6409 the sonH1121 of Laish.

16And herH413 husbandH376 wentH1980 with herH413, weepingH1058 as he wentH1980, and followedH310 herH413 to BahurimH980. Then saidH559 AbnerH74 unto him, GoH1980, returnH7725: and he returnedH7725.

17And AbnerH74 had communication with the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, In times pastH8543 ye soughtH1245 for DavidH1732 to be kingH4428 over youH5921:

18nowH6258 then doH6213 it: for the LORDH3068 hath spokenH559 of DavidH1732, sayingH559, By the handH3027 of my servantH5650 DavidH1732 I will saveH3467 my peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 outH413 of the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430, and outH413 of the handH3027 of allH3605 their enemiesH341.

19And AbnerH74 also spake in the earsH241 of BenjaminH1144: and AbnerH74 wentH1004 also to speakH1696 in the earsH241 of DavidH1732 in HebronH2275 allH3605 that seemedH5869 goodH2896 to IsraelH3478, and to the wholeH3605 houseH1004 of BenjaminH1144.

20SoH6213 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 allH3605 IsraelH3478 unto my lordH113 the kingH4428, that they may makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with thee, and that thou mayest reignH4427 over allH3605 that thy soulH5315 desireth. And DavidH1732 sentH7971 AbnerH74 awayH7971; and he wentH6965 in peaceH7965.

22And, beholdH2009, the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 and JoabH3097 cameH935 from a foray, and broughtH935 in a greatH7227 spoilH7998 with them: but AbnerH74 was notH369 with DavidH1732 in HebronH2275; for he had sentH7971 him awayH7971, and he was goneH935 in peaceH7965.

23When JoabH3097 and allH3605 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, WhatH4100 hast thou doneH6213? beholdH2009, 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 outH3045 and thy comingH935 in, and to knowH3045 allH3605 that thou doest.

26And when JoabH3097 was comeH3318 outH3318 from DavidH1732, he sentH7971 messengersH4397 afterH310 AbnerH74, and they broughtH3318 him backH7725 from the wellH3045 of SirahH5626: but DavidH1732 knewH3045 it notH3808.

27And when AbnerH74 was returnedH7725 to HebronH2275, JoabH3097 tookH5186 him asideH5186 intoH413 the midstH8432 of the gateH8179 to speakH1696 with him quietly, and smoteH5221 him there in the bellyH2570, that he diedH4191, for the bloodH1818 of AsahelH6214 his brotherH251.