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. There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

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

2. And sons were born to David at Hebron: his first-born was Amnon, of Ahin'o-am of Jezreel;

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, Chil'e-ab, of Ab'igail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Ab'salom the son of Ma'acah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

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

4. and the fourth, Adoni'jah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephati'ah the son of Abi'tal;

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

5. and the sixth, Ith're-am, of 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. While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in 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. Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Ai'ah; and Ish-bo'sheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to 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 Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bo'sheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head of Judah? This day I keep showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a 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. God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the LORD has sworn 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 transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba."

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

11. And Ish-bo'sheth could not answer Abner another word, 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 at Hebron, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you."

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, "Good; I will make a covenant with you; but one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come 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. Then David sent messengers to Ish-bo'sheth Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed at the price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

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

15. And Ish-bo'sheth sent, and took her from her husband Pal'ti-el the son of La'ish.

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. But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahu'rim. Then Abner said to 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 conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time past you have been seeking David as 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 bring it about; for the LORD has promised David, saying, `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.'"

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. Abner also spoke to Benjamin; and then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do.

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

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 to David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires." So 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. Just then the servants of David arrived with Jo'ab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had 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 Jo'ab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Jo'ab, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has 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 Jo'ab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is 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. You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing."

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. When Jo'ab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know about it.

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 returned to Hebron, Jo'ab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he smote him in the belly, so that he died, for the blood of As'ahel 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. Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, "I and my kingdom are for ever guiltless before the LORD for 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. May it fall upon the head of Jo'ab, and upon all his father's house; and may the house of Jo'ab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is leprous, or who holds a spindle, or who is slain by the sword, or who lacks bread!"

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

30. So Jo'ab and Abi'shai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother As'ahel in the battle at Gibeon.

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. Then David said to Jo'ab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your clothes, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the bier.

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

32. They buried Abner at 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 for Abner, saying, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?

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. Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered; as one falls before the wicked you have fallen." 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. Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes 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 everything that 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. So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will 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 to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a great man has 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; these men the sons of Zeru'iah are too hard for me. The LORD requite the evildoer according to his wickedness!"