1
Now there was long[H752]war[H4421] between the house[H1004] of Saul[H7586] and the house[H1004] of David[H1732]: but David[H1732]waxed[H1980]stronger[H2390] and stronger[H2390], and the house[H1004] of Saul[H7586]waxed[H1980]weaker[H1800] and weaker[H1800].
2
And unto David[H1732] were sons[H1121]born[H3205] in Hebron[H2275]: and his firstborn[H1060] was Amnon[H550], of Ahinoam[H293] the Jezreelitess[H3159];
3
And his second[H4932], Chileab[H3609], of Abigail[H26] the wife[H802] of Nabal[H5037] the Carmelite[H3761]; and the third[H7992], Absalom[H53] the son[H1121] of Maacah[H4601] the daughter[H1323] of Talmai[H8526]king[H4428] of Geshur[H1650];
4
And the fourth[H7243], Adonijah[H138] the son[H1121] of Haggith[H2294]; and the fifth[H2549], Shephatiah[H8203] the son[H1121] of Abital[H37];
5
And the sixth[H8345], Ithream[H3507], by Eglah[H5698]David[H1732]'s wife[H802]. These were born[H3205] to David[H1732] in Hebron[H2275].
6
And it came to pass, while there was war[H4421] between the house[H1004] of Saul[H7586] and the house[H1004] of David[H1732], that Abner[H74] made himself strong[H2388] for the house[H1004] of Saul[H7586].
7
And Saul[H7586] had a concubine[H6370], whose name[H8034] was Rizpah[H7532], the daughter[H1323] of Aiah[H345]: and Ishbosheth said[H559] to Abner[H74], Wherefore hast thou gone in[H935] unto my father's concubine?[H6370]
8
Then was Abner[H74]very[H3966]wroth[H2734] for the words[H1697] of Ishbosheth[H378], and said[H559], Am I a dog's head[H7218], which against Judah[H3063] do shew[H6213]kindness[H2617] this day[H3117] unto the house[H1004] of Saul[H7586] thy father[H1], to his brethren[H251], and to his friends[H4828], and have not delivered[H4672] thee into the hand[H3027] of David[H1732], that thou chargest[H6485] me to day[H3117] with a fault[H5771] concerning this woman?[H802]
9
So do[H6213]God[H430] to Abner[H74], and more also[H3254], except, as the LORD[H3068] hath sworn[H7650] to David[H1732], even so I do[H6213] to him;
10
To translate[H5674] the kingdom[H4467] from the house[H1004] of Saul[H7586], and to set up[H6965] the throne[H3678] of David[H1732] over Israel[H3478] and over Judah[H3063], from Dan[H1835] even to Beersheba[H884].
11
And he could[H3201] not answer[H7725]Abner[H74] a word[H1697] again, because he feared[H3372] him.
12
And Abner[H74]sent[H7971]messengers[H4397] to David[H1732] on his behalf, saying[H559], Whose is the land?[H776]saying[H559] also, Make[H3772] thy league[H1285] with me, and, behold, my hand[H3027] shall be with thee, to bring about[H5437] all Israel[H3478] unto thee.
13
And he said[H559], Well[H2896]; I will make[H3772] a league[H1285] with thee: but one[H259]thing[H1697] I require[H7592] of thee, that is[H559], Thou shalt not see[H7200] my face[H6440], except thou first[H6440]bring[H935]Michal[H4324] Saul's daughter[H1323], when thou comest[H935] to see[H7200] my face[H6440].
14
And David[H1732]sent[H7971]messengers[H4397] to Ishbosheth[H378] Saul's son[H1121], saying[H559], Deliver[H5414] me my wife[H802]Michal[H4324], which I espoused[H781] to me for an hundred[H3967]foreskins[H6190] of the Philistines[H6430].
15
And Ishbosheth[H378]sent[H7971], and took[H3947] her from her husband[H376], even from Phaltiel[H6409] the son[H1121] of Laish[H3889].
16
And her husband[H376]went[H3212] with her along weeping[H1980]behind[H310] her to Bahurim[H980]. Then said[H559]Abner[H74] unto him, Go[H3212], return[H7725]. And he returned[H7725].
17
And Abner[H74] had communication[H1961] with the elders[H2205] of Israel[H3478], saying[H559], Ye sought[H1245] for David[H1732] in times[H8543]past[H8032] to be king[H4428] over you:
18
Now then do[H6213] it: for the LORD[H3068] hath spoken[H559] of David[H1732], saying[H559], By the hand[H3027] of my servant[H5650]David[H1732] I will save[H3467] my people[H5971]Israel[H3478] out of the hand[H3027] of the Philistines[H6430], and out of the hand[H3027] of all their enemies[H341].
19
And Abner[H74] also spake[H1696] in the ears[H241] of Benjamin[H1144]: and Abner[H74]went[H3212] also to speak[H1696] in the ears[H241] of David[H1732] in Hebron[H2275] all that seemed[H5869]good[H2896] to Israel[H3478], and that seemed[H5869]good[H5869] to the whole house[H1004] of Benjamin[H1144].
20
So Abner[H74]came[H935] to David[H1732] to Hebron[H2275], and twenty[H6242]men[H582] with him. And David[H1732]made[H6213]Abner[H74] and the men[H582] that were with him a feast[H4960].
21
And Abner[H74]said[H559] unto David[H1732], I will arise[H6965] and go[H3212], and will gather[H6908] all Israel[H3478] unto my lord[H113] the king[H4428], that they may make[H3772] a league[H1285] with thee, and that thou mayest reign[H4427] over all that thine heart[H5315]desireth[H183]. And David[H1732]sent[H7971]Abner[H74]away[H7971]; and he went[H3212] in peace[H7965].
22
And, behold, the servants[H5650] of David[H1732] and Joab[H3097]came[H935] from pursuing a troop[H1416], and brought in[H935] a great[H7227]spoil[H7998] with them: but Abner[H74] was not with David[H1732]in[H935]Hebron[H2275]; for he had sent him away[H7971], and he was gone[H3212]in[H935]peace[H7965].
23
When Joab[H3097] and all the host[H6635] that was with him were come[H935], they told[H5046]Joab[H3097], saying[H559], Abner[H74] the son[H1121] of Ner[H5369]came[H935] to the king[H4428], and he hath sent him away[H7971], and he is gone[H3212] in peace[H7965].
24
Then Joab[H3097]came[H935] to the king[H4428], and said[H559], What hast thou done?[H6213] behold, Abner[H74]came[H935] unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away[H7971], and he is quite[H1980]gone?[H3212]
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Thou knowest[H3045]Abner[H74] the son[H1121] of Ner[H5369], that he came[H935] to deceive[H6601] thee, and to know[H3045] thy going out[H4161] and thy coming in[H4126], and to know[H3045] all that thou doest[H6213].
26
And when Joab[H3097] was come out[H3318] from David[H1732], he sent[H7971]messengers[H4397]after[H310]Abner[H74], which brought him again[H7725] from the well[H953] of Sirah[H5626]: but David[H1732]knew[H3045] it not.
27
And when Abner[H74] was returned[H7725] to Hebron[H2275], Joab[H3097] took him aside[H5186]in[H413] the gate[H8179] to speak[H1696] with him quietly[H7987], and smote[H5221] him there under the fifth[H2570] rib, that he died[H4191], for the blood[H1818] of Asahel[H6214] his brother[H251].
28
And afterward[H310] when David[H1732]heard[H8085] it, he said[H559], I and my kingdom[H4467] are guiltless[H5355] before the LORD[H3068]for[H5704]ever[H5769] from the blood[H1818] of Abner[H74] the son[H1121] of Ner[H5369]:
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Let it rest[H2342] on the head[H7218] of Joab[H3097], and on all his father's house[H1004]; and let there not fail[H3772] from the house[H1004] of Joab[H3097] one that hath an issue[H2100], or that is a leper[H6879], or that leaneth[H2388] on a staff[H6418], or that falleth[H5307] on the sword[H2719], or that lacketh[H2638]bread[H3899].
30
So Joab[H3097] and Abishai[H52] his brother[H251]slew[H2026]Abner[H74], because he had slain[H4191] their brother[H251]Asahel[H6214] at Gibeon[H1391] in the battle[H4421].
31
And David[H1732]said[H559] to Joab[H3097], and to all the people[H5971] that were with him, Rend[H7167] your clothes[H899], and gird[H2296] you with sackcloth[H8242], and mourn[H5594]before[H6440]Abner[H74]. And king[H4428]David[H1732] himself followed[H1980] the bier[H4296].
32
And they buried[H6912]Abner[H74] in Hebron[H2275]: and the king[H4428] lifted up[H5375] his voice[H6963], and wept[H1058] at the grave[H6913] of Abner[H74]; and all the people[H5971]wept[H1058].
33
And the king[H4428]lamented[H6969] over Abner[H74], and said[H559], Died[H4191]Abner[H74] as a fool[H5036]dieth?[H4194]
34
Thy hands[H3027] were not bound[H631], nor thy feet[H7272]put[H5066] into fetters[H5178]: as a man falleth[H5307]before[H6440]wicked[H5766]men[H1121], so fellest[H5307] thou. And all the people[H5971]wept[H1058]again[H3254] over him.
35
And when all[H3605] the people[H5971]came[H935] to cause[H1262]David[H1732] to eat[H1262]meat[H3899] while it was yet[H5750]day[H3117], David[H1732]sware[H7650], saying[H559], So do[H6213]God[H430] to me, and more also[H3254], if I taste[H2938]bread[H3899], or ought[H3972] else, till[H6440] the sun[H8121] be down[H935].
36
And all the people[H5971] took notice[H5234] of it, and it pleased[H3190] them: as whatsoever the king[H4428]did[H6213]pleased[H5869] all the people[H5971].
37
For all the people[H5971] and all Israel[H3478]understood[H3045] that day[H3117] that it was not of the king[H4428] to slay[H4191]Abner[H74] the son[H1121] of Ner[H5369].
38
And the king[H4428]said[H559] unto his servants[H5650], Know[H3045] ye not that there is a prince[H8269] and a great man[H1419]fallen[H5307] this day[H3117] in Israel?[H3478]
39
And I am this day[H3117]weak[H7390], though anointed[H4886]king[H4428]; and these men[H582] the sons[H1121] of Zeruiah[H6870] be too hard[H7186] for me: the LORD[H3068] shall reward[H7999] the doer of evil[H6213] according to his wickedness[H7451].