2 Samuel 3:1–21

¹And the war is long between the house of Saul and the house of David, and David is going on and is strong, and the house of Saul are going on and are weak. ²And there are born to David sons in Hebron, and his first-born is Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, ³and his second is Chileab, of Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third is Absalom son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, ⁴and the fourth is Adonijah son of Haggith, and the fifth is Shephatiah son of Abital, ⁵and the sixth is Ithream, of Eglah wife of David; these have been born to David in Hebron. ⁶And it cometh to pass, in the war being between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner hath been strengthening himself in the house of Saul.

⁷And Saul hath a concubine, and her name is Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Ish-Bosheth saith unto Abner, ‘Wherefore hast thou gone in unto the concubine of my father?’ ⁸And it is displeasing to Abner exceedingly, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he saith, ‘The head of a dog am I—that in reference to Judah to-day I do kindness with the house of Saul thy father, unto his brethren, and unto his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David—that thou chargest against me iniquity concerning the woman to-day? ⁹thus doth God to Abner, and thus He doth add to him, surely as Jehovah hath sworn to David—surely so I do to him: ¹⁰to cause the kingdom to pass over from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel, and over Judah, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba.’ ¹¹And he is not able any more to turn back Abner a word, because of his fearing him. ¹²And Abner sendeth messengers unto David for himself, saying, ‘Whose is the land?’ saying, ‘Make thy covenant with me, and lo, my hand is with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.’ ¹³And he saith, ‘Good—I make with thee a covenant; only, one thing I am asking of thee, that is, Thou dost not see my face, except thou dost first bring in Michal, daughter of Saul in thy coming into see my face.’ ¹⁴And David sendeth messengers unto Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, saying, ‘Give up my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.’ ¹⁵And Ish-Bosheth sendeth, and taketh her from a man, from Phaltiel son of Laish, ¹⁶and her husband goeth with her, going on and weeping behind her, unto Bahurim, and Abner saith unto him, ‘Go, turn back;’ and he turneth back. ¹⁷And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, ‘Heretofore ye have been seeking David for king over you, ¹⁸and now, do it, for Jehovah hath spoken of David saying, By the hand of David my servant—to save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’ ¹⁹And Abner speaketh also in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner goeth also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that is good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin, ²⁰and Abner cometh in unto David, to Hebron, and with him twenty men, and David maketh for Abner, and for the men who are with him, a banquet. ²¹And Abner saith unto David, ‘I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth;’ and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.