2 Samuel 3

1The war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on for a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;

3his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

4the fourth, Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah son of Abital;

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

6While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was strengthening his own position in the house of Saul.

7Now Saul had had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?”

8Abner was very angry at Ish-bosheth’s words and said, “Am I a dog’s head on Judah’s side? This very day I am showing loyalty to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers and his friends, and I have not handed you over to David. Yet today you charge me with a wrong concerning this woman!

9May God deal with Abner severely, and more so, if I do not do for David what Yahweh swore to him:

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

11Ish-bosheth could not say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

12Then Abner sent messengers to David on his own behalf, saying, “Whose land is it? Make a covenant with me, and I will stand with you to bring all Israel over to you.”

13David said, “Good. I will make a covenant with you. But I ask one thing of you: you will not see my face unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul with you when you come to see me.”

14Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

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

16But her husband went with her, weeping as he followed her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home.” So he went back.

17Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “For some time now you have wanted David to be king over you.

18Now do it, for Yahweh has said of David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”

19Abner also spoke directly to the Benjaminites. Then Abner went to Hebron to tell David personally everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin approved.

20When Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, David held a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

21Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and you will reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22Just then David’s servants and Joab came back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

23When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and the king sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”

24So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you! Why did you send him away, so that now he is gone?

25You know Abner son of Ner. He came to deceive you, to learn your comings and goings, and to find out everything you are doing.”

26Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.

27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach. So Abner died for the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.

28Later, when David heard about it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before Yahweh of the blood of Abner son of Ner.

29May it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house! May the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a serious skin disease, or who holds a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks food.”

30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier.

32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s grave, and all the people wept.

33The king sang a lament for Abner: “Should Abner have died as a fool dies?

34Your hands were not bound, your feet were not put in bronze shackles. As one falls before the wicked, you fell.” And all the people wept over him again.

35Then all the people came to urge David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath: “May God deal with me severely, and more so, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down!”

36All the people took note of it, and it pleased them; in fact, everything the king did pleased all the people.

37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner.

38Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel today?

39Today I am weak, even though I am anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. May Yahweh repay the evildoer according to his evil!”