2 Samuel 3:12–21

¹²Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.”

¹³“Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.”^{q 14}Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal,^r whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

¹⁵So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband^s Paltiel^t son of Laish. ¹⁶Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim.^u Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.

¹⁷Abner conferred with the elders^v of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. ¹⁸Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines^w and from the hand of all their enemies.^x’ ”

¹⁹Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin^y wanted to do. ²⁰When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast^z for him and his men. ²¹Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant^a with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.”^b So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.