2 Samuel 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Civil War
3 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long and drawn out, with David growing stronger and the house of Saul becoming weaker.
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron:
his firstborn was Amnon,
by Ahinoam(A) the Jezreelite;
3 his second was Chileab,
by Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite;
the third was Absalom,
son of Maacah the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;(B)
4 the fourth was Adonijah,(C)
son of Haggith;
the fifth was Shephatiah,
son of Abital;
5 the sixth was Ithream,
by David’s wife Eglah.
These were born to David in Hebron.(D)
6 During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept acquiring more power in the house of Saul.(E) 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah(F) daughter of Aiah, and Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
8 Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I a dog’s head[a](G) who belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I’ve been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven’t handed you over to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! 9 May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don’t do for David what the Lord swore to him: 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah(H) from Dan to Beer-sheba.” 11 Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner because he was afraid of him.
12 Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to hand all Israel over to you.”
13 David replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. However, there’s one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal(I) here when you come to see me.”
14 Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal. I was engaged to her for the price of 100 Philistine foreskins.”(J)
15 So Ish-bosheth sent someone to take her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.(K) 16 Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he went back.
The Assassination of Abner
17 Abner conferred with the elders of Israel: “In the past you wanted David to be king over you. 18 Now take action, because the Lord has spoken concerning David: ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the power of the Philistines and the power of all Israel’s enemies.’”
19 Abner also informed the Benjaminites and went to Hebron to inform David about all that was agreed on by Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.(L) 20 When Abner and 20 men came to David at Hebron, David held a banquet for him and his men.
21 Abner said to David, “Let me now go and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you,(M) and you will rule over all you desire.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
22 Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid and brought a large amount of plundered goods with them. Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all his army arrived, Joab was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, the king dismissed him, and he went in peace.”
24 Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look here, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he’s getting away. 25 You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to find out about your activities and everything you’re doing.” 26 Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well[b] of Sirah, but David was unaware of it. 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel,[c] Joab’s brother.(N)
28 David heard about it later and said: “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May it hang over Joab’s head and his father’s whole house, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease,(O) or a man who can only work a spindle,[d] or someone who falls by the sword or starves.” 30 Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.(P)
31 David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth,(Q) and mourn over Abner.” And King David walked behind the funeral procession.[e]
32 When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept, 33 and the king sang a lament for Abner:(R)
Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound,
your feet not placed in bronze shackles.
You fell like one who falls victim to criminals.
And all the people wept over him even more.
35 Then they came to urge David to eat bread while it was still day, but David took an oath: “May God punish me and do so severely if I taste bread or anything else before sunset!”(S) 36 All the people took note of this, and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased them. 37 On that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner.
38 Then the king said to his soldiers, “You must know that a great leader has fallen in Israel today. 39 As for me, even though I am the anointed king, I have little power today. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me.(T) May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil!”(U)
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 3:8 = a despised person
- 2 Samuel 3:26 Or cistern
- 2 Samuel 3:27 Lit And he died for the blood of Asahel
- 2 Samuel 3:29 LXX reads who uses a crutch
- 2 Samuel 3:31 Or the bier; lit the bed
2 Samuel 3
Lexham English Bible
The House of David Grows Stronger
3 The battle was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David, but David was growing stronger and stronger[a] while the house of Saul was becoming weaker and weaker.[b] 2 And sons were born to David in Hebron; his firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam from Jezreel[c]. 3 His second was Kileab by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom the son of Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur. 4 The fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah the son of Abital. 5 The sixth was Ithream by Eglah the wife of David. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was continuing, Abner was strengthening himself in the house of Saul. 7 Saul had had a concubine, and her name was Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. Then Ish-Bosheth[d] said to Abner, “Why did you have sex with[e] my father’s concubine?” 8 Abner became very angry[f] at the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he said, “Am I the head of a dog which is for Judah today? Do I not continue to show loyal love with the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends? I have not let you fall into the hands of David, yet you have accused me of sin with this woman[g] today. 9 Thus may God punish Abner,[h] if I do not accomplish what Yahweh has sworn to David;[i] 10 specifically, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Beersheba!” 11 And Ish-Bosheth was no longer able to answer[j] Abner because he feared him.[k]
Abner Pledges Support for David
12 Abner sent messengers to David where he was,[l] saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me![m] Look, my hand is with you to bring all of Israel over to you!” 13 He[n] said, “Good. I will make a covenant with you.[o] I am asking only one thing from you: You shall not see my face unless you bring Michal the daughter of Saul when you come to see me.”[p] 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself[q] for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 So Ish-Bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.[r] 16 But her husband went with her, weeping all along[s] after her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go and return.” So he returned.
17 The word of Abner came to[t] the elders of Israel, saying, “For quite some time[u] you were seeking David as king over you. 18 So then, bring it about, because Yahweh had said to David, “Through the hand of David my servant I am about to save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.” 19 Abner also spoke privately to Benjamin.[v] Abner also went to speak to David[w] in Hebron, all that was good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.
20 Then Abner came to David in Hebron and with him were twenty men. David had prepared a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “Let me get up and go and gather all of Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant[x] with you so you can reign over all which your soul desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he left in peace. 22 And look, the servants of David and Joab came from the raid, and they brought much plunder with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he[y] had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him came, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he left in peace.”
Joab Assassinates Abner
24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came here to you? Why have you dismissed him that he actually went away?[z] 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you. He came to learn about your going out and coming in and to know all which you are doing.” 26 Then Joab went out from David, and he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from Bor Hasirah, but David did not know it.
27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate to speak with him in private. Then he struck him in the stomach there and he died, for he had shed the blood of Asahel his brother.[aa] 28 When David heard this afterwards, he said: “I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh[ab] forever for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May the blood come down on the head of Joab and all the house of his father. May the house of Joab never lack[ac] one with a bodily discharge or one with leprosy or one who grasps the distaff or one who falls by the sword or one who is lacking food.”
30 So Joab and Abishai, his brother, killed Abner because he had killed Asahel, their brother, at Gibeon in the battle. 31 David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothing and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” Now King David was following after the bier. 32 And 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 sang a lament for Abner and said, “Should Abner have died the death of a fool? 34 Your hands were not tied and your feet were not in contact with bronze fetters. You have fallen as one who falls before sons of wickedness.” Then all the people wept over him again.[ad] 35 Then all the people came to give David food. Still on that day, David swore, “May God punish me[ae] if I taste food or anything before the sun goes down.” 36 All the people noticed, and it was good in their eyes, as everything that the king did was good in the eyes of all the people. 37 Then all the people and all of Israel realized on that day that the king had not desired[af] to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Did you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? 39 I am weak today even though anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are crueler than I am. May Yahweh pay them back for doing wickedness according to their own wickedness.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 3:1 Literally “was going and strong”
- 2 Samuel 3:1 Literally “was going and weak”
- 2 Samuel 3:2 Literally “the Jezreelitess”
- 2 Samuel 3:7 Supported by some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts
- 2 Samuel 3:7 Literally “have you gone into”
- 2 Samuel 3:8 Literally “And it became hot for Abner very”
- 2 Samuel 3:8 Literally “you have called me into account with the guilt of the woman”
- 2 Samuel 3:9 Literally “may God do to Abner, and thus may he add to it”
- 2 Samuel 3:9 Literally “for as that Yahweh has sworn to David, so I will accomplish for him”
- 2 Samuel 3:11 Literally “return a word to”
- 2 Samuel 3:11 Literally “because of his fearing him”
- 2 Samuel 3:12 Literally “under him”
- 2 Samuel 3:12 Literally “cut your covenant with me”
- 2 Samuel 3:13 David
- 2 Samuel 3:13 Literally “I will cut a covenant with you”
- 2 Samuel 3:13 Literally “my face”
- 2 Samuel 3:14 Hebrew “me”
- 2 Samuel 3:15 The Hebrew Masoretic text (Kethib) reads “Lush”; Qere reads “Laish”
- 2 Samuel 3:16 Literally “going and weeping”
- 2 Samuel 3:17 Literally “was with”
- 2 Samuel 3:17 Literally “Both yesterday and the day before”
- 2 Samuel 3:19 Literally “in the ears of Benjamin”
- 2 Samuel 3:19 Literally “to speak in the ears of David”
- 2 Samuel 3:21 Literally “cut a covenant”
- 2 Samuel 3:22 David
- 2 Samuel 3:24 Literally “and he went going”
- 2 Samuel 3:27 Literally “for the blood of Asahel his brother.” See Num 35:16–25
- 2 Samuel 3:28 Literally “from with Yahweh”
- 2 Samuel 3:29 Literally “May there not be cut off from the house of Joab”
- 2 Samuel 3:34 Literally “and all the people did again to weep over him”
- 2 Samuel 3:35 Literally “Thus may God do to me and thus may he add”
- 2 Samuel 3:37 Literally “that it was not from the king”
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