2 Samuel 3:1–21

The House of David Strengthened

¹Now ^athe war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.

^2aAnd sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by ^bAhinoam the Jezreelitess;

³and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of ^aMaacah, the daughter of Talmai king of ^bGeshur;

⁴and the fourth, ^aAdonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

⁵and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.

Abner Cuts a Covenant with David

⁶Now it happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that ^aAbner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.

⁷Now Saul had a concubine whose name was ^aRizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and ¹Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”

⁸Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “^aAm I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show lovingkindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman.

⁹“^aMay God do so to Abner, and more also, if ^bas Yahweh has sworn to David, I do not do this for him,

^10ato transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ^bfrom Dan even to Beersheba.”

¹¹And he could no longer respond a word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

¹²Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Cut your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to turn all Israel over to you.”

¹³And he said, “Good! I will cut a covenant with you, but I ask one thing of you, ¹namely, ^ayou shall not see my face unless you ^bfirst bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”

¹⁴So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed ^afor one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

¹⁵And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from ¹Paltiel the son of Laish.

¹⁶But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as ^aBahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.

¹⁷Now Abner had ¹consultation with ^athe elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.

¹⁸“So now, do it! For Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, ‘^aBy the hand of My servant David ¹I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”

¹⁹Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that was good in the sight of Israel and in the sight of ^athe whole house of Benjamin.

²⁰Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

²¹And Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and ^agather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may cut a covenant with you, and that ^byou may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.