2 Samuel, 3

1. There followed a long war between the house of Saul and that of David, in which David grew stronger, but the house of Saul weaker.

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.

2. Sons were born to David in Hebron: his first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam from Jezreel;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. During the war between the house of Saul and that of David, Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.

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.

7. Now Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal, son of Saul, said to Abner, "Why have you been intimate with my father's concubine?"

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?'

8. Enraged at the words of Ishbaal, Abner said, "Am I a dog's head in Judah? At present I am doing a kindness to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers and his friends, by keeping you out of David's clutches; yet this day you charge me with a crime involving a woman!

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!

9. May God do thus and so to Abner if I do not carry out for David what the LORD swore to him--

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

10. that is, take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Beersheba."

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!'

11. In his fear of Abner, Ishbaal was no longer able to say a word to him.

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

12. Then Abner sent messengers to David in Telam, where he was at the moment, to say, "Make an agreement with me, and I will aid you by bringing all Israel over to you."

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.'

13. He replied, "Very well, I will make an agreement with you. But one thing I require of you. You must not appear before me unless you bring back Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to present yourself to me."

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.'

14. At the same time David sent messengers to Ishbaal, son of Saul, to say, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I espoused by paying a hundred Philistine foreskins."

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.'

15. Ishbaal sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish,

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

16. who followed her weeping as far as Bahurim. But Abner said to him, "Go back!" And he turned back.

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.

17. Abner then said in discussion with the elders of Israel: "For a long time you have been seeking David as your king.

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

18. Now take action, for the LORD has said of David, 'By my servant David I will save my people Israel from the grasp of the Philistines and from the grasp of all their enemies.'"

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." '

19. Abner also spoke personally to Benjamin, and then went to make his own report to David in Hebron concerning all that would be agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.

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.

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

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.

21. Then Abner said to David, "I will now go to assemble all Israel for my lord the king, that they may make an agreement with you; you will then be king over all whom you wish to rule." So David bade Abner farewell, and he went away in peace.

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.

22. Just then David's servants and Joab were coming in from an expedition, bringing much plunder with them. Abner, having been dismissed by David, was no longer with him in Hebron but had gone his way 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.

23. When Joab and the whole force he had with him arrived, he was informed, "Abner, son of Ner, came to David; he has been sent on his way 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.'

24. So Joab went to the king and said: "What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him go peacefully on his way?

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?

25. Are you not aware that Abner came to deceive you and to learn the ins and outs of all that you are doing?"

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

26. Joab then left David, and without David's knowledge sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the cistern of Sirah.

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.

27. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the city gate as though to speak with him privately. There he stabbed him in the abdomen, and he died in revenge for the killing of Joab's brother Asahel.

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.

28. Later David heard of it and said: "Before the LORD; I and my kingdom are forever innocent.

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;

29. May the full responsibility for the death of Abner, son of Ner, be laid to Joab and to all his family. May the men of Joab's family never be without one suffering from a discharge, or a leper, or one unmanly, one falling by the sword, or one in need of bread!"

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.'

30. (Joab and his brother Abishai had lain in wait for Abner because he killed their brother Asahel in battle at Gibeon.)

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

31. Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your garments, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn over Abner." King David himself followed the bier.

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.

32. When they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at the grave of Abner, and the people also wept.

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

33. And the king sang this elegy over Abner: "Would Abner have died like a fool?

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

34. Your hands were not bound with chains, nor your feet placed in fetters; As men fall before the wicked, you fell." And all the people continued to weep for him.

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.

35. Then they went to console David with food while it was still day. But David swore, "May God do thus and so to me if I eat bread or anything else before sunset."

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!'

36. All the people noted this with approval, just as they were pleased with everything that the king did.

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

37. So on that day all the people and all Israel came to know that the king had no part in the killing of Abner, son of Ner.

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.

38. The king then said to his servants: "You must recognize that a great general has fallen today in Israel.

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

39. Although I am the anointed king, I am weak this day, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too ruthless for me. May the LORD requite the evildoer in accordance with his evil deed."

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!'