3The war between Saul’s royal house and David’s royal house lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger. But the royal house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

²Sons were born to David in Hebron.

His first son was Amnon. Amnon’s mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.

³His second son was Kileab. Kileab’s mother was Abigail. She was Nabal’s widow from Carmel.

The third son was Absalom. His mother was Maacah. She was the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur.

⁴The fourth son was Adonijah. His mother was Haggith.

The fifth son was Shephatiah. His mother was Abital.

⁵The sixth son was Ithream. His mother was David’s wife Eglah.

Those sons were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Goes Over to David’s Side

⁶The fighting continued between David’s royal house and Saul’s royal house. Abner gained more and more power in the royal house of Saul.

⁷While Saul was still alive, he had a concubine named Rizpah. She was the daughter of Aiah. Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you have sex with my father’s concubine?”

⁸Abner burned with anger because of what Ish-Bosheth said. He answered, “Do you think I’m only a dog’s head? Am I on Judah’s side? To this very day I’ve been true to the royal house of your father Saul. I’ve been true to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. But now you claim that I’ve sinned with this woman!

⁹“I will do for David what the Lord promised him with an oath. If I don’t, may God punish me greatly. ¹⁰I’ll take the kingdom away from Saul’s royal house. I’ll set up the throne of David’s kingdom over Israel and Judah. He will rule from Dan all the way to Beersheba.”

¹¹Ish-Bosheth didn’t dare to say another word to Abner. He was much too afraid of him.

¹²Then Abner sent messengers to David to speak for him. They said, “Who will rule over this land? Make a covenant with me. Then I’ll help you bring all of the people of Israel over to your side.”

¹³“Good,” said David. “I will make a covenant with you. But there’s one thing I want you to do. Bring Saul’s daughter Michal to me. Don’t come to see me unless she’s with you.”

¹⁴Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth. He ordered them to say, “Give me my wife Michal. She was promised to me. I paid for her with the skins I cut off when I circumcised 100 Philistines.”

¹⁵So Ish-Bosheth gave the order. He sent men who took Michal away from her husband Paltiel. Paltiel was the son of Laish. ¹⁶But her husband followed her to Bahurim. He was crying all the way. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he did.

¹⁷Abner talked with the elders of Israel. He said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. ¹⁸Now do it! The Lord made a promise to David. He said, ‘I will save my people Israel from the powerful hand of the Philistines. I will also save them from all of their enemies. I will save them through my servant David.’ ”

¹⁹Abner also spoke to the people of Benjamin in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything. He told him what Israel and all of the people of Benjamin wanted to do. ²⁰Abner had 20 men with him. They came to David at Hebron. So David prepared a big dinner for Abner and his men.

²¹Then Abner said to David, “Let me go right now. I’ll gather together all of the people of Israel for you. After all, you are now my king and master. The people can make a covenant with you. Then you can rule over everyone you want to.” So David sent Abner away. And he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

²²Just then David’s men and Joab came back from attacking their enemies. They brought with them the large amount of goods they had taken. But Abner wasn’t with David in Hebron anymore. That’s because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

²³Joab and all of the soldiers who were with him arrived. Then he was told that Abner, the son of Ner, had come to see the king. He was told that the king had sent Abner away. He was also told that Abner had gone in peace.

²⁴So Joab went to the king. He said, “What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him get away? Now he’s gone! ²⁵You know what Abner, the son of Ner, is like. He came to trick you. He wanted to watch your every move. He came to find out everything you are doing.”

²⁶Then Joab left David. He sent messengers to get Abner. They brought Abner back from the well of Sirah. But David didn’t know about it.

²⁷When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him to one side. He brought him to the entrance of the city gate. Joab acted as if he wanted to speak to him in private. But he really wanted to get even with him. That’s because Abner had spilled the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel. So Joab stabbed him in the stomach. And Abner died.

²⁸Later on, David heard about it. He said, “I and the people of my kingdom aren’t guilty of spilling the blood of Abner, the son of Ner. We are free of blame forever in the sight of the Lord.

²⁹“May Joab and his whole family line be held accountable for spilling Abner’s blood! May someone in Joab’s family always have an open sore or skin disease. May someone in his family always have to use a crutch to walk. May someone in his family be killed with a sword. And may someone in his family never have enough food to eat.”

³⁰Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner. They did it because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

³¹David spoke to Joab and all of the people who were with him. He said, “Tear your clothes. Put on black clothes. Sob when you walk in front of Abner’s body.” King David himself walked behind it.

³²Abner’s body was buried in Hebron. The king sobbed out loud at Abner’s tomb. So did the rest of the people.

³³King David sang a song of sadness over Abner. He said,

“Should Abner have died as sinful people do?

³⁴His hands were not tied.

His feet were not chained.

He died as if he had been killed by evil people.”

All of the people sobbed over Abner again.

³⁵Then all of them came and begged David to eat something. They wanted him to eat while it was still day. But David took an oath. He said, “I won’t taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down. If I do, may God punish me greatly!”

³⁶All of the people heard it and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them. ³⁷So on that day all of the people of Judah and Israel understood. They knew that the king didn’t have anything to do with the murder of Abner, the son of Ner.

³⁸The king spoke to his men. He said, “Don’t you realize that a great commander has died in Israel today? ³⁹I’m the anointed king. But today I’m weak. These sons of Zeruiah are too powerful for me. May the Lord pay back the one who killed Abner! May he pay him back for the evil thing he has done!”

Ish-Bosheth Is Murdered

4Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul, heard that Abner had died in Hebron. Then he wasn’t so brave anymore. And all of the people of Israel became alarmed.

²Two men in Ish-Bosheth’s army led small companies that attacked their enemies. The names of the men were Baanah and Recab. They were sons of Rimmon from the town of Beeroth. Rimmon was from the tribe of Benjamin. Beeroth is considered to be part of Benjamin. ³That’s because the people who used to live in Beeroth had run away to Gittaim. They have lived there as outsiders to this very day.

⁴Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son named Mephibosheth. Both of Mephibosheth’s feet were hurt. He was five years old when the news that Saul and Jonathan had died came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran. But as she hurried to get away, he fell down. That’s how his feet were hurt.

⁵Recab and Baanah started out for the house of Ish-Bosheth. They were the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. They arrived there during the hottest time of the day. Ish-Bosheth was taking his early afternoon nap. ⁶Recab and his brother Baanah went into the inside part of the house. They acted as if they were going to get some wheat. Instead, they stabbed Ish-Bosheth in the stomach. Then they slipped away.

⁷They had gone into the house while Ish-Bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They stabbed him and killed him. Then they cut off his head and took it with them. They traveled all night through the Arabah Valley. ⁸They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to King David at Hebron. They said to him, “Here’s the head of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul. Saul was your enemy. He often tried to kill you. Today the Lord has paid Saul and his family back. He has let you get even with them. You are our king and master.”

⁹David gave an answer to Recab and his brother Baanah. They were the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth. David said, “The Lord has saved me from all of my troubles. ¹⁰A man once told me, ‘Saul is dead.’ He thought he was bringing me good news. But I grabbed hold of him. I had him put to death in Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! And that’s just as sure as the Lord is alive.

¹¹“Now you evil men have killed a man in his own house. He hadn’t done anything wrong. You killed him while he was lying on his own bed. You spilled his blood. So shouldn’t I spill your blood? Shouldn’t I wipe you off the face of the earth?”

¹²Then David gave an order to his men. They killed Recab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet. They hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they buried the head of Ish-Bosheth in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.

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