2 Samuel 3
Modern English Version
3 The struggle between the house of Saul and the house of David endured, but David grew stronger as Saul became weaker.
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron:
his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3 and his second, Kileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal, the Carmelite;
and the third, Absalom the son of Maakah the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur;
4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
5 and the sixth, Ithream, was born to Eglah, the wife of David.
These were born to David in Hebron.
Abner Defects to David
6 While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was strengthening himself in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, and Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8 Abner became very angry over the words of Ish-Bosheth. He said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Each day I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends by not allowing you to fall into the hand of David. Yet today you are charging me with guilt concerning this woman. 9 May God do so to Abner, and more also, for as the Lord has sworn to David, this I will do for him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And he could not offer a response to Abner, for fear of him.
12 So Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and my hand will be with you to bring over all of Israel to you.”
13 He responded, “Very well, I will make a covenant with you, but I require one thing from you: you will not see my face unless you bring Michal the daughter of Saul with you when you come to see me.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 So Ish-Bosheth sent for her, and he took her from her husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go. Return.” So he turned back.
17 Abner had a word with the elders of Israel, “In days past, you were seeking David as king over you. 18 So do it now, because the Lord said to David: By the hand of David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of every enemy.”
19 Abner also spoke privately with Benjamin. Then Abner went to tell David privately at Hebron all that was received favorably by Israel and the entire house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner, along with twenty men, went to David at Hebron, and David held a festival for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Abner said to David, “Let me arise, go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went peaceably.
Joab Murders Abner
22 Now the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much plunder with them, but Abner was no longer with David at Hebron, because he had sent him away in peace. 23 When Joab and the whole of the army that was with him arrived, they reported to Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king and he sent him away peaceably.”
24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you. Why is it that you sent him away? Now he is long gone. 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to learn of your coming and going, to discern all that you are doing.”
26 When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. However, David was not aware of this. 27 So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab pulled him aside in the gateway so as to speak with him undisturbed. There he struck him in the midsection so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel, his brother.
28 Afterward when David heard of this, he said, “My kingdom and I are forever blameless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house. May the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks food.”
30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he killed Asahel their brother at Gibeon in the battle.
31 David said to Joab and all of the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” As for King David, he followed behind the bier. 32 When they buried Abner at Hebron, the king raised his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all of the people wept.
33 Then, the king lamented for Abner, saying,
“Should Abner have died as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound,
and your feet were not put in fetters;
as a man falls before the wicked, so you have fallen.”
And all of the people continued to weep over him.
35 Then all of the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath, saying, “May God do to me, and more also, if I taste food or anything else before the sun sets.”
36 All of the people recognized this, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did was pleasing to all of the people. 37 That very day, all of the people, all of Israel, understood that it was not ordered from the king to have Abner the son of Ner killed.
38 David said to his servant, “Do you not understand that a great leader has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Today, I am weak, even if an anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
2 Samuel 3
21st Century King James Version
3 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
5 and the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?”
8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head, who against Judah do show kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me today with a fault concerning this woman?
9 God so do to Abner, and more also, unless, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him:
10 to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose land is it?” saying also, “Make thy league with me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee to bring about all Israel unto thee.”
13 And he said, “Well; I will make a league with thee, but one thing I require of thee, that is: thou shalt not see my face, unless thou first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.”
14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15 And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went along with her, weeping behind her, to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, “Go, return.” And he returned.
17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you.
18 Now then do it; for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies.’”
19 And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 So Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.
21 And Abner said unto David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth.” And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
22 And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23 When Joab and all the host that was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?
25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.”
26 And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David knew it not.
27 And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail from the house of Joab one who hath an issue, or who is a leper, or who leaneth on a staff, or who falleth on the sword, or who lacketh bread.”
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself followed the bier.
32 And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
33 And the king lamented over Abner and said, “Died Abner as a fool dieth?
34 Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into fetters. As a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou.” And all the people wept again over him.
35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David swore, saying, “So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down.”
36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not because of the king that Abner the son of Ner was slain.
38 And the king said unto his servants, “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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