2 Samuel 3

1 And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on a long time; and the house of David went on growing stronger, and the house of Saul went on growing weaker.

2 And sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, son of Ahinoam the Jezreelite woman; 3 his second was Daluia, son of Abigail the Carmelite woman; and the third was Absalom son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; [a] 4 and the fourth was Ornia son of Phengith; and the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital; [b] 5 and the sixth was Ithream son of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

6 And while the war went on between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was holding power in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Memphibosthe son of Saul said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” [c]

8 And Abner was very angry at what Memphibosthe said, and Abner said to him, “Am I a dog’s head? I have shown mercy today to the house of Saul your father, and to his brothers and his friends, and I have not gone over to the house of David — and today you look for a charge against me over a wrong concerning a woman? 9 God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for him this day just as the Lord swore to David — 10 to take the kingdom away from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And Memphibosthe could not answer Abner one word more, because he was afraid of him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David at Thailam, where he was at that time, saying, “Make your covenant with me, and see, my hand is with you to bring all the house of Israel over to you.” [e] 13 And David said, “Good — I will make a covenant with you. Only I ask one thing of you: you will not see my face unless you bring Michal the daughter of Saul when you come to see my face.”

14 And David sent messengers to Memphibosthe son of Saul, saying, “Give me back my wife Michal, whom I took for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Memphibosthe sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel son of Selle. [g] 16 And her husband went with her, weeping behind her as far as Barakim. And Abner said to him, “Go on, turn back.” And he turned back. [h]

17 And Abner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, “In days gone by you were looking for David to be king over you. 18 So do it now, for the Lord has spoken about David, saying: By the hand of my slave David I will save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies.” [i] 19 And Abner spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went to speak in the ears of David at Hebron all that seemed good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of the whole house of Benjamin.

20 And Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men with him; and David made a feast of wine for Abner and for the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “Let me get up now and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, and I will make a covenant with you, and you will reign over everything your soul desires.” And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22 And there were David’s servants and Joab, arriving from a raid and bringing many spoils with them; and Abner was not with David at Hebron, because he had sent him away and he had gone in peace. 23 And Joab and all his army came in, and it was reported to Joab: “Abner son of Ner came to David, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”

24 And Joab went in to the king and said, “What is this you have done? Look, Abner came to you — why have you sent him away, and he has gone off in peace? 25 Do you not know the wickedness of Abner son of Ner — that he came to trick you, and to learn your going out and your coming in, and to learn everything you are doing?”

26 And Joab went back from David and sent messengers after Abner, and they bring him back from the well of Seiram; and David did not know it. [j] 27 And Abner came back to Hebron, and Joab drew him aside at the side of the gate to speak with him, lying in wait for him; and there he struck him in the belly, and he died for the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.

28 And David heard of it afterward and said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 Let it come down on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let the house of Joab never be without a man who has a discharge, or one who has leprosy, or one who leans on a staff, or one who falls by the sword, or one who lacks bread.” 30 For Joab and Abishai his brother had been watching for Abner, because he had put Asahel their brother to death at Gibeon, in the battle.

31 And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and put sackcloth around you, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 And they bury Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at his tomb, and all the people wept for Abner.

33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said,

And all the people gathered to weep for him. 35 And all the people came to hold the funeral meal with David over bread while it was still day; and David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything at all before the sun goes down.”

36 And all the people came to know it, and everything the king did before the people was pleasing in their sight. 37 And all the people and all Israel knew that day that it had not come from the king to put Abner son of Ner to death.

38 And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a great leader has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And that today I am a kinsman, a man appointed by a king, while these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are harder than I am? May the Lord repay the one who does evil according to his wickedness.” [k]