Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close LSB

2 Samuel 3:6-21
Legacy Standard Bible

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 (A)Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was (B)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, “(C)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 (D)May God do so to Abner, and more also, if (E)as Yahweh has sworn to David, I do not do this for him, 10 (F)to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, (G)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, (H)you shall not see my face unless you (I)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 (J)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 (K)Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.

17 Now Abner had [d]consultation with (L)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, ‘(M)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 (N)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 (O)gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may cut a covenant with you, and that (P)you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 3:7 As in some ancient mss and versions; M.T. he
  2. 2 Samuel 3:13 Lit saying
  3. 2 Samuel 3:15 In 1 Sam 25:44, Palti
  4. 2 Samuel 3:17 Lit a word
  5. 2 Samuel 3:18 As in many ancient mss and versions; M.T. he
Close LEB

2 Samuel 3:6-21
Lexham English Bible

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[a] said to Abner, “Why did you have sex with[b] my father’s concubine?” 8 Abner became very angry[c] 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[d] today. 9 Thus may God punish Abner,[e] if I do not accomplish what Yahweh has sworn to David;[f] 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[g] Abner because he feared him.[h]

Abner Pledges Support for David

12 Abner sent messengers to David where he was,[i] saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me![j] Look, my hand is with you to bring all of Israel over to you!” 13 He[k] said, “Good. I will make a covenant with you.[l] 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.”[m] 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself[n] for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 So Ish-Bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.[o] 16 But her husband went with her, weeping all along[p] after her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go and return.” So he returned.

17 The word of Abner came to[q] the elders of Israel, saying, “For quite some time[r] 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.[s] Abner also went to speak to David[t] 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[u] with you so you can reign over all which your soul desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he left in peace.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 3:7 Supported by some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts
  2. 2 Samuel 3:7 Literally “have you gone into”
  3. 2 Samuel 3:8 Literally “And it became hot for Abner very”
  4. 2 Samuel 3:8 Literally “you have called me into account with the guilt of the woman”
  5. 2 Samuel 3:9 Literally “may God do to Abner, and thus may he add to it”
  6. 2 Samuel 3:9 Literally “for as that Yahweh has sworn to David, so I will accomplish for him”
  7. 2 Samuel 3:11 Literally “return a word to”
  8. 2 Samuel 3:11 Literally “because of his fearing him”
  9. 2 Samuel 3:12 Literally “under him”
  10. 2 Samuel 3:12 Literally “cut your covenant with me”
  11. 2 Samuel 3:13 David
  12. 2 Samuel 3:13 Literally “I will cut a covenant with you”
  13. 2 Samuel 3:13 Literally “my face”
  14. 2 Samuel 3:14 Hebrew “me”
  15. 2 Samuel 3:15 The Hebrew Masoretic text (Kethib) reads “Lush”; Qere reads “Laish”
  16. 2 Samuel 3:16 Literally “going and weeping”
  17. 2 Samuel 3:17 Literally “was with”
  18. 2 Samuel 3:17 Literally “Both yesterday and the day before”
  19. 2 Samuel 3:19 Literally “in the ears of Benjamin”
  20. 2 Samuel 3:19 Literally “to speak in the ears of David”
  21. 2 Samuel 3:21 Literally “cut a covenant”
Next
2 Samuel 2
2 Samuel 4
Next
dropdown
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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.

Lexham English Bible (LEB)

2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software