2 Samuel, 3

1. So the war dragged on between the House of Saul and the House of David, but David grew steadily stronger and the House of Saul steadily weaker.

1. Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

2. The sons born to David at Hebron were: his first-born Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;

2. And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

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

3. And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

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

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

5. the sixth Ithream, by David's wife, Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.

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

6. This is what took place during the war between the House of Saul and the House of David. Abner took complete control in the House of Saul.

6. And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

7. Now, there was a concubine of Saul's called Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Abner took her. Ishbaal said to Abner, 'Why have you slept with my father's concubine?'

7. And Saul had a concubine, whose name [was] Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and [Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?

8. At these words of Ishbaal, Abner flew into a rage. 'Am I a dog's head?' he shouted. 'Here am I, full of faithful love towards the House of Saul your father, his brothers and his friends, not leaving you to the hands of David, and now you find fault with me over a woman!

8. Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, [Am] I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?

9. May God bring unnameable ills on Abner, and worse ones, too, if I do not bring about what Yahweh has sworn to David:

9. So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;

10. to take the sovereignty from the House of Saul, and establish David's throne over Israel as well as Judah, from Dan to Beersheba!'

10. To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.

11. Ishbaal dared not say a single word to Abner in reply, as he was afraid of him.

11. And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

12. Abner sent messengers on his own behalf to say to David, '. . . and furthermore, come to an agreement with me and I will give you my support to win all Israel over to you.'

12. And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose [is] the land? saying [also], Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand [shall be] with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

13. 'Very well,' David said, 'I will come to an agreement with you. I impose one condition however; you will not be admitted to my presence unless you bring me Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.'

13. And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

14. David then sent messengers to say to Ishbaal son of Saul, 'Give me back my wife Michal, whom I acquired for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'

14. And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver [me] my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15. So Ishbaal sent for her to be taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.

15. And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from [her] husband, [even] from Phaltiel the son of Laish.

16. Her husband set off with her and followed her, weeping as he went, as far as Bahurim; but Abner said to him, 'Go back!' and he went.

16. And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

17. Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel. 'For a long time now,' he said, 'you have wanted David as your king.

17. And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past [to be] king over you:

18. Now you must take action, since Yahweh has said of David, "By the hand of my servant David I shall deliver my people Israel from the clutches of the Philistines and all their enemies." '

18. Now then do [it]: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

19. Abner also spoke to the men of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tell David everything that had been agreed by Israel and the House of Benjamin.

19. And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

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

20. So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that [were] with him a feast.

21. Abner then said to David, 'I must get up and go. I am going to rally all Israel to my lord the king, so that they will make an alliance with you, and you will reign over all that you desire.' So David allowed Abner to go, and he went unmolested.

21. And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

22. David's retainers were just then coming back with Joab from a raid, bringing a great quantity of booty with them. Abner was no longer with David at Hebron, since David had allowed him to go, and he had gone unmolested.

22. And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from [pursuing] a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner [was] not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

23. When Joab and the whole company with him had arrived, Joab was told, 'Abner son of Ner has been to the king, and the king has allowed Abner to go away unmolested.'

23. When Joab and all the host that [was] with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

24. Joab then went to the king and said, 'What have you done? Abner comes to you and you let him go away and now he has gone-why?

24. Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why [is] it [that] thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

25. You know Abner son of Ner! He came to trick you, to discover your every move, to find out what you are doing.'

25. Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

26. Joab left David's presence and sent messengers after Abner and these, unknown to David, brought him back from the storage-well at Sirah.

26. And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew [it] not.

27. When Abner reached Hebron, Joab took him aside in the town-gate, as if to have a quiet word with him, and there struck him a mortal blow in the belly to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel.

27. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth [rib], that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28. Afterwards, when David heard of this, he said, 'I and my kingdom are for ever innocent before Yahweh of the blood of Abner son of Ner;

28. And afterward when David heard [it], he said, I and my kingdom [are] guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

29. may it fall on the head of Joab and on all his family! May the House of Joab never be free of men afflicted with haemorrhage or a virulent skin-disease, whose strength is in the distaff, who fall by the sword, who lack food.'

29. Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

30. (Joab and his brother Abishai had murdered Abner because he killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.)

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

31. David then said to Joab and the whole company with him, 'Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner,' and King David walked behind the bier.

31. And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David [himself] followed the bier.

32. They buried Abner at Hebron, and the king wept aloud on his grave, and the people all wept too.

32. And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33. The king made this lament over Abner: Should Abner have died as a brute dies?

33. And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

34. Your hands were not tied, your feet not chained; you fell as a man falls at the hands of criminals. And all the people wept for him louder than ever.

34. Thy hands [were] not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

35. The people then all tried to persuade David to have some food while it was still daylight, but David swore this oath, 'May God bring unnameable ills on me, and worse ills, too, if I taste bread or anything whatever until the sun is down!'

35. And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

36. All the people took note of this and it pleased them; indeed, everything the king did pleased the people.

36. And all the people took notice [of it], and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

37. That day, all the people and all Israel understood that the king had had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

37. For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

38. The king said to his retainers, 'Do you not realise that a prince, a great man, has fallen in Israel today?

38. And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

39. I, though anointed king, am weak at present, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong for me. May Yahweh repay the criminal as his crime deserves!'

39. And I [am] this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah [be] too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.