2 Samuel 3:6-21

Evangelical Heritage Version

Abner and Ishbosheth

⁶ While the war was going on between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept gaining power within the house of Saul.

⁷ Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone to the concubine of my father?”

⁸ Abner became very angry because of the words of Ishbosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? To this day I have acted with loyalty toward the house of your father Saul, to his relatives, and to his friends. In addition, I have not handed you over to David, but today you make accusations against me concerning this woman! ⁹ May God punish me severely and double it,^[a] if I do not do for David what the Lord has sworn about him ¹⁰ by transferring the kingdom from the house of Saul and establishing the throne of David over both Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” ¹¹ Ishbosheth was not able to say anything to Abner anymore because he was afraid of him.

Abner and David

¹² Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David. They said, “Whose land is it? Make a covenant with me. Look, my hand is with you to turn the allegiance of all Israel to you.”

¹³ David said, “Good. I will make a covenant with you, but I require one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring to me Michal, the daughter of Saul, when you come.”

¹⁴ David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son. They delivered this demand: “Give me my wife Michal, whom I obtained as my wife with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

¹⁵ Ishbosheth sent and took her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. ¹⁶ Her husband accompanied her to Bahurim, weeping all the way, but Abner told him, “Go back,” so he went home.

¹⁷ Abner also delivered the following message to the elders of Israel: “Day after day you have been seeking to have David as king over you. ¹⁸ Now do it, because the Lord said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will rescue^[b] my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”

¹⁹ Abner also spoke to the tribe of Benjamin. Then he spoke to David in Hebron about everything that Israel and all the house of Benjamin had approved.

²⁰ Abner and twenty men along with him came to David at Hebron, and David held a feast for Abner and his men. ²¹ Abner said to David, “I will go and gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you. You will rule over all that your heart desires.” David sent Abner away in peace.