2 Samuel 3
New Living Translation
3 That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
2 These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.
3 The second was Daniel,[a] whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
4 The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
5 The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Joins Forces with David
6 As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. 7 One day Ishbosheth,[b] Saul’s son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.
8 Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman? 9 May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the Lord has promised him! 10 I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.” 11 Ishbosheth didn’t dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, “Doesn’t the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you.”
13 “All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”
14 David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives[c] of 100 Philistines.”
15 So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti[d] son of Laish. 16 Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned.
17 Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told them, “you have wanted to make David your king. 18 Now is the time! For the Lord has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.
20 When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast. 21 Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.” So David sent Abner safely on his way.
Joab Murders Abner
22 But just after David had sent Abner away in safety, Joab and some of David’s troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. 23 When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety.
24 Joab rushed to the king and demanded, “What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away? 25 You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you’re doing!”
26 Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it. 27 When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.
28 When David heard about it, he declared, “I vow by the Lord that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner. 29 Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy[e] or who walks on crutches[f] or dies by the sword or begs for food!”
30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.
David Mourns Abner’s Death
31 Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside. 33 Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner:
“Should Abner have died as fools die?
34 Your hands were not bound;
your feet were not chained.
No, you were murdered—
the victim of a wicked plot.”
All the people wept again for Abner. 35 David had refused to eat anything on the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him to eat. But David had made a vow, saying, “May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown.”
36 This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them! 37 So everyone in Judah and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for Abner’s murder.
38 Then King David said to his officials, “Don’t you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel? 39 And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah—Joab and Abishai—are too strong for me to control. So may the Lord repay these evil men for their evil deeds.”
Footnotes
- 3:3 As in parallel text at 1 Chr 3:1 (see also Greek version, which reads Daluia, and possible support by Dead Sea Scrolls); Hebrew reads Kileab.
- 3:7 Ishbosheth is another name for Esh-baal.
- 3:14 Hebrew the foreskins.
- 3:15 As in 1 Sam 25:44; Hebrew reads Paltiel, a variant spelling of Palti.
- 3:29a Or or a contagious skin disease. The Hebrew word used here can describe various skin diseases.
- 3:29b Or who is effeminate; Hebrew reads who handles a spindle.
2 Samuel 3
Legacy Standard Bible
The House of David Strengthened
3 Now (A)the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.
2 (B)And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by (C)Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of (D)Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of (E)Geshur; 4 and the fourth, (F)Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.
Abner Cuts a Covenant with David
6 Now it happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that (G)Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was (H)Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and [a]Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “(I)Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show lovingkindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman. 9 (J)May God do so to Abner, and more also, if (K)as Yahweh has sworn to David, I do not do this for him, 10 (L)to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, (M)from Dan even to Beersheba.” 11 And he could no longer respond a word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Cut your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to turn all Israel over to you.” 13 And he said, “Good! I will cut a covenant with you, but I ask one thing of you, [b]namely, (N)you shall not see my face unless you (O)first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed (P)for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from [c]Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as (Q)Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.
17 Now Abner had [d]consultation with (R)the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 So now, do it! For Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, ‘(S)By the hand of My servant David [e]I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that was good in the sight of Israel and in the sight of (T)the whole house of Benjamin.
20 Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and (U)gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may cut a covenant with you, and that (V)you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
22 And behold, (W)the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 Now Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, and they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you sent him away and he is already gone? 25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to know of (X)your going out and your coming in and to know all that you are doing.”
Joab Strikes Abner
26 Then Joab came out from David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. 27 So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there (Y)he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward David heard it, so he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 (Z)May it whirl on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may (AA)one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread not be cut off from the house of Joab.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner (AB)because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
David’s Lament for Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “(AC)Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at (AD)the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 (AE)And the king chanted a lament for Abner and said,
“Should Abner die as a wicked fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters;
As one falls before the [f]unrighteous, you have fallen.”
And all the people continued to weep over him. 35 Then all the people came (AF)to [g]persuade David to eat bread while it was still day; but David swore an oath, saying, “(AG)May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else (AH)before the sun goes down.” 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it was good in their sight, just as everything the king did was good in the sight of all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel knew that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Thus I am (AI)weak today, though anointed king; and these men (AJ)the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. (AK)May Yahweh repay the evildoer according to his evil.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 3:7 As in some ancient mss and versions; M.T. he
- 2 Samuel 3:13 Lit saying
- 2 Samuel 3:15 In 1 Sam 25:44, Palti
- 2 Samuel 3:17 Lit a word
- 2 Samuel 3:18 As in many ancient mss and versions; M.T. he
- 2 Samuel 3:34 Lit sons of unrighteousness
- 2 Samuel 3:35 Lit cause
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.