2 Samuel 3

3Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. ²And ^aunto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, ^bof Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; ³And his second, ^||Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king ^cof Geshur; ⁴And the fourth, ^dAdonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

⁶And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul. ⁷And Saul had a concubine, whose name was ^eRizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou ^fgone in unto my father’s concubine? ⁸Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I ^ga dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? ^9hSo do God to Abner, and more also, except, ⁱas the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; ¹⁰To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ^kfrom Dan even to Beer-sheba. ¹¹And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

¹²And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. ¹³And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, ^†that is, ^lThou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring ^mMichal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face. ¹⁴And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me ⁿfor an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. ¹⁵And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from ^oPhaltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶And her husband went with her ^†along weeping behind her to ^pBahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. ¹⁷And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David ^†in times past to be king over you: ¹⁸Now then do it: ^qfor the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. ¹⁹And Abner also spake in the ears of ^rBenjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. ²⁰So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. ²¹And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, ^sthat they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest ^treign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

²²And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. ²³When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. ²⁴Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? ²⁵Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know ^uthy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. ²⁶And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. ²⁷And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab ^xtook him aside in the gate to speak with him ^||quietly, and smote him there ^yunder the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁸And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the ^†blood of Abner the son of Ner: ^29zLet it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not ^†fail from the house of Joab one ^athat hath an issue, or ^bthat is a leper, or that leaneth on ^ca staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. ³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother ^dAsahel at Gibeon in the battle.

³¹And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, ^eRend your clothes, and ^fgird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the ^†bier. ³²And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. ³³And the king ^glamented over Abner, and said,

Died Abner as a ^hfool dieth?

³⁴Thy hands were not bound,

Nor thy feet put into fetters:

As a man falleth before ^†wicked men, so fellest thou.

And all the people wept again over him. ³⁵And when all the people came ⁱto cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, ^jSo do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, ^ktill the sun be down. ³⁶And all the people took notice of it, and it ^†pleased them: as whatsoever the king did ^†pleased all the people. ³⁷For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹And I am this day ^†weak, though anointed king; and these men ^lthe sons of Zeruiah ^mbe too hard for me: ⁿthe Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.