Now athere was a long war
between
the house
of Saul
and the house
of David
; and David
grew
steadily
stronger
, but the house
of Saul
grew
weaker
continually
.
aSons were born
to David
at Hebron
: his firstborn
was Amnon
, by bAhinoam
the Jezreelitess
;
and his second, Chileab
, by Abigail
the 1widow
of Nabal
the Carmelite
; and the third
, Absalom
the son
of aMaacah
, the daughter
of Talmai
, king
of bGeshur
;
and the fourth, aAdonijah
the son
of Haggith
; and the fifth
, Shephatiah
the son
of Abital
;
and the sixth, Ithream
, by David's
wife
Eglah
. These
were born
to David
at Hebron
.
It came about while there was war
between
the house
of Saul
and the house
of David
that aAbner
was making
himself strong
in the house
of Saul
.
Now Saul had a concubine
whose name
was aRizpah
, the daughter
of Aiah
; and 1Ish-bosheth said
to Abner
, "Why
have you gone
in to my father's
concubine
?"
Then Abner was very
angry
over
the words
of Ish-bosheth
and said
, " aAm I a dog's
head
that belongs to Judah
? Today
I show
kindness
to the house
of Saul
your father
, to his brothers
and to his friends
, and have not delivered
you into the hands
of David
; and yet today
you charge
me with a guilt
concerning the woman
.
" aMay God do
so
to Abner
, and more
also
, if
bas the LORD
has sworn
to David
, I do not accomplish
this
for him,
ato transfer the kingdom
from the house
of Saul
and to establish
the throne
of David
over
Israel
and over
Judah
, bfrom Dan
even to Beersheba
."
And he could no
longer
answer
Abner
a word
, because
he was afraid
of him.
Then Abner sent
messengers
to David
in his place
, saying
, "Whose
is the land
? Make
your covenant
with me, and behold
, my hand
shall be with you to bring
all
Israel
over
to you."
He said, "Good
! I will make
a covenant
with you, but I demand
one
thing
of you, 1namely
, ayou shall not see
my face
unless
you bfirst
bring
Michal
, Saul's
daughter
, when you come
to see
2me."
So David sent
messengers
to Ish-bosheth
, Saul's
son
, saying
, "Give
me my wife
Michal
, to whom
I was betrothed
afor a hundred
foreskins
of the Philistines
."
Ish-bosheth sent
and took
her from her husband
, from 1Paltiel
the son
of Laish
.
But her husband went
with her, weeping
as he went
, and followed
her as far
as aBahurim
. Then Abner
said
to him, "Go
, return
." So he returned
.
Now Abner had
1consultation
with athe elders
of Israel
, saying
, "In times
past
you were seeking
for David
to be king
over
you.
"Now then, do
it! For the LORD
has spoken
of David
, saying
, ` aBy the hand
of My servant
David
1I will save
My people
Israel
from the hand
of the Philistines
and from the hand
of all
their enemies
.' "
Abner also
spoke
in the hearing
of Benjamin
; and in addition
Abner
went
to speak
in the hearing
of David
in Hebron
all
that seemed good
to Israel
and to athe whole
house
of Benjamin
.
Then 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.
Abner said
to David
, "Let me arise
and go
and agather
all
Israel
to my lord
the king
, that they may make
a covenant
with you, and that byou may be king
over all
that your soul
desires
." So David
sent
Abner
away
, and he went
in peace
.
And behold, athe servants
of David
and Joab
came
from a raid
and brought
much
spoil
with them; but Abner
was not with David
in Hebron
, for he had sent
him away
, and he had gone
in peace
.
When Joab and all
the army
that was with him arrived
, they told
Joab
, saying
, "Abner
the son
of Ner
came
to the king
, and he has sent
him away
, and he has gone
in peace
."
Then Joab came
to the king
and said
, "What
have you done
? Behold
, Abner
came
to you; why
then
have you sent
him away
and he is already
gone
?
"You know Abner
the son
of Ner
, that he came
to deceive
you and to learn
of ayour going
out and coming
in and to find
out all
that you are doing
."
When Joab came
out from David
, he sent
messengers
after
Abner
, and they brought
him back
from the well
of Sirah
; but David
did not know
it.
So when Abner returned
to Hebron
, Joab
took
him aside
into the middle
of the gate
to speak
with him privately
, and there
ahe struck
him in the belly
so that he died
on account of the blood
of Asahel
his brother
.
Afterward when David
heard
it, he said
, "I and my kingdom
are innocent
before
the LORD
forever
of the blood
of Abner
the son
of Ner
.
" aMay it 1fall on the head
of Joab
and on all
his father's
house
; and may there not fail
from the house
of Joab
bone who has a discharge
, or who is a leper
, or who takes
hold
of a distaff
, or who falls
by the sword
, or who lacks
bread
."
So Joab and Abishai
his brother
killed
Abner
abecause
he had put
their brother
Asahel
to death
in the battle
at Gibeon
.
Then David said
to Joab
and to all
the people
who
were with him, " aTear
your clothes
and gird
on sackcloth
and lament
before
Abner
." And King
David
walked
behind
the bier
.
Thus they buried Abner
in Hebron
; and the king
lifted
up his voice
and wept
at athe grave
of Abner
, and all
the people
wept
.
aThe king chanted
a lament for Abner
and said
, "Should Abner
die
as a fool
dies
?
"Your hands were not bound
, nor
your feet
put
in fetters
; As one falls
before
the 1wicked
, you have fallen
." And all
the people
wept
again
over
him.
Then all the people
came
ato 1persuade David
to eat
bread
while it was still
day
; but David
vowed
, saying
, " bMay God
do
so
to me, and more
also
, if
I taste
bread
or
anything
else
cbefore
the sun
goes
down."
Now all the people
took
note
of it, and it 1pleased
them, just as everything
the king
did
2pleased
all
the people
.
So all the people
and all
Israel
understood
that day
that it had not been
the will of the king
to put
Abner
the son
of Ner
to death
.
Then the king said
to his servants
, "Do you not know
that a prince
and a great
man
has fallen
this
day
in Israel
?
"I am aweak today
, though anointed
king
; and these
men
bthe sons
of Zeruiah
are too
difficult
for me. cMay the LORD
repay
the evildoer
according to his evil
."