2 Samuel 3

3Now there was a long ^awar between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

Sons of David

²Sons were born ^bto David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon ^cby Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; ³his second, ¹Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, ^dAbsalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king ^eof Geshur; ⁴the fourth, ^fAdonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins Forces with David

⁶Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.

⁷And Saul had a concubine, whose name was ^gRizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you ^hgone in to my father’s concubine?”

⁸Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I ⁱa dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? ^9jMay God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David ^kas the Lord has sworn to him—¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the ²house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ^lfrom Dan to Beersheba.” ¹¹And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

¹²Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”

¹³And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: ^myou shall not see my face unless you first bring ⁿMichal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” ¹⁴So David sent messengers to ^oIshbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself ^pfor a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” ¹⁵And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from ³Paltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶Then her husband went along with her to ^qBahurim, ⁴weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.

¹⁷Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. ¹⁸Now then, do it! ^rFor the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, ⁵I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ” ¹⁹And Abner also spoke in the hearing of ^sBenjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.

²⁰So 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. ²¹Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and ^tgather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may ^ureign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

²²At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much ⁶spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” ²⁴Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? ²⁵Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know ^vyour going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

²⁶And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab ^wtook him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there ⁷stabbed him ^xin the stomach, so that he died for the blood of ^yAsahel his brother.

²⁸Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are ⁸guiltless before the Lord forever of 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 never fail to be in the ⁹house of Joab one ^awho has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” ³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother ^bAsahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David’s Mourning for Abner

³¹Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, ^c“Tear your clothes, ^dgird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. ³²So 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 sang a lament over Abner and said:

“Should Abner die as a ^efool dies?

³⁴Your hands were not bound

Nor your feet put into fetters;

As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.”

Then all the people wept over him again.

³⁵And when all the people came ^fto persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, ^g“God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ^htill the sun goes down!” ³⁶Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, ⁱare too harsh for me. ^jThe Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”