2 Samuel 3

The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel. His second was Chileab, by Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel. The third was Absalom, son of Maacah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith, and the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital. The sixth was Ithream, by Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was strengthening his position in the house of Saul. Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?” Abner was very angry at Ish-bosheth’s words and said, “Am I a dog’s head belonging to Judah? To this day I have shown kindness to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers and to his friends, and I have not delivered you into David’s hand. Yet today you charge me with guilt over this woman! May God do so to Abner, and more besides, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him: to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him. Abner sent messengers to David on his own behalf, saying, “Whose is the land? Make a covenant with me, and my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” David answered, “Good. I will make a covenant with you. But I require one thing of you: you will not see my face unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.” Then 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.” So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. Her husband went with her, weeping as he followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back!” And he went back. Abner had spoken with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time you have wanted David to be king over you. Now act, for the LORD has said to 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.’” Abner also spoke with Benjamin. Then he went to tell David in Hebron everything that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin. Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, and David made a feast for Abner and the men with him. Abner said to David, “Let me go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you and you may reign over all you desire.” David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. Just then David’s servants and Joab were returning from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. When Joab and all the army with him arrived, Joab was told, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and the king sent him away, and he went in peace.” Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you! Why have you sent him away and let him go? You know Abner son of Ner. He came to deceive you, to learn your going out and coming in, and to find out everything you are doing.” Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, but David did not know. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway to speak with him in private. There he struck him in the belly, and he died, for the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel. When David heard of it afterward, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD of the blood of Abner son of Ner. May it fall on Joab’s head and on his father’s entire house! May Joab’s house never lack one with a discharge, one with leprosy, one who holds a spindle, one who falls by the sword or one who lacks bread.” Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon. David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” King David walked behind the bier. They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept aloud at Abner’s grave, and all the people wept. The king sang a lament for Abner, saying,
“Should Abner die as a fool dies? Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in bronze shackles.
You fell as one falls before wicked men.”
And all the people wept over him again. All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was still day, but David swore, “May God do so to me, and more besides, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” All the people took notice and were pleased. Everything the king did pleased all the people. That day all the people and all Israel knew that the killing of Abner son of Ner had not come from the king. The king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a leader, a great man, has fallen in Israel today? Today I am weak, though anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil.”

Rights and attribution