3:1 And there was war for a long time
between the house of Saul and the house of David; and the house of David
grew continually stronger; but the house of Saul grew continually weaker.
3:2 And sons were born to David in Chebron: and his first-born was Ammon the
son of Achinoom the Jezraelitess.
3:3 And his second son [was] Daluia, the son of Abigaia the Carmelitess; and
the third, Abessalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmi the king of
Gessir.
3:4 And the fourth [was] Ornia, the son of Aggith, and the fifth [was]
Saphatia, the son of Abital.
3:5 And the sixth [was] Jetheraam, the son of Aegal the wife of David. These
were born to David in Chebron.
3:6 And it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and
the house of David, that Abenner was governing the house of Saul.
3:7 And Saul had a concubine, Respha, the daughter of Jol; and Jebosthe the
son of Saul said to Abenner, Why hast thou gone in to my father's concubine?
3:8 And Abenner was very angry with Jebosthe for this saying; and Abenner
said to him, Am I a dog's head? I have this day wrought kindness with the
house of Saul thy father, and with his brethren and friends, and have not
gone over to the house of David, and dost thou this day seek a charge
against me concerning injury to a woman?
3:9 Elohim do thus and more also to Abenner, if as Yehovah swore to David, so
do I not to him this day;
3:10 to take away the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to raise up the
throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Bersabee.
3:11 And Jebosthe could not any longer answer Abenner a word, because he
feared him.
3:12 And Abenner sent messengers to David to Thaelam where he was,
immediately, saying, Make thy covenant with me, and, behold, my hand [is]
with thee to bring back to thee all the house of Israel.
3:13 And David said, With a good will I will make with thee a covenant: only
I demand one condition of thee, saying, Thou shalt not see my face, unless
thou bring Melchol the daughter of Saul, when thou comest to see my face.
3:14 And David sent messengers to Jebosthe he son of Saul, saying, Restore
me my wife Melchol, whom I took for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
3:15 And Jebosthe sent, and took her from her husband, [even] from Phaltiel
the son of Selle.
3:16 And her husband went with her weeping behind her as far as Barakim. And
Abenner said to him, Go, return; and he returned.
3:17 And Abenner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, In former days ye
sought David to reign over you;
3:18 and now perform [it]: for Yehovah has spoken concerning David, saying,
By the hand of my servant David I will save Israel out of the hand of all
their enemies.
3:19 And Abenner spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abenner went to speak in
the ears of David at Chebron, all that seemed good in the eyes of Israel and
in the eyes of the house of Benjamin.
3:20 And Abenner came to David to Chebron, and with him twenty men: and
David made for Abenner and his men with him a banquet of wine.
3:21 And Abenner said to David, I will arise now, and go, and gather to my
lord the king all Israel; and I will make with him a covenant, and thou
shalt reign over all whom thy soul desires. And David sent away Abenner, and
he departed in peace.
3:22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab arrived from their
expedition, and they brought much spoil with them: and Abenner was not with
David in Chebron, because he had sent him away, and he had departed in
peace.
3:23 And Joab and all his army came, and it was reported to Joab, saying,
Abenner the son of Ner is come to David, and David has let him go, and he
has departed in peace.
3:24 And Joab went in to the king, and said, What [is] this [that] thou hast
done? behold, Abenner came to thee; and why hast thou let him go, and he has
departed in peace?
3:25 Knowest thou not the mischief of Abenner the son of Ner, that he came
to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know
all things that thou doest?
3:26 And Joab returned from David, and sent messengers to Abenner after
[him]; and they bring him back from the well of Seiram: bu David knew [it]
not.
3:27 And he brought back Abenner to Chebron, and Joab caused him to turn
aside from the gate to speak to him, laying wait for him: and he smote him
there in the loins, and he died for the blood of Asael the brother of Joab.
3:28 And David heard [of it] afterwards, and said, I and my kingdom are
guiltless before Yehovah even for ever of the blood of Abenner the son of
Ner.
3:29 Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all the house of his
father; and let there not be wanting of the house of Joab one that has an
issue, or a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or
that wants bread.
3:30 For Joab and Abessa his brother laid wait continually for Abenner,
because he slew Asael their brother at Gabaon in the battle.
3:31 And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your
garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament before Abenner. And
king David followed the bier.
3:32 And they bury Abenner in Chebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and
wept at his tomb, and all the people wept for Abenner.
3:33 And the king mourned over Abenner, and said, Shall Abenner die
according to the death of Nabal?
3:34 Thy hands were not bound, and thy feet [were] not [put] in fetters:
[one] brought [thee] not near as Nabal; thou didst fall before children of
iniquity.
3:35 And all the people assembled to weep for him. And all the people came
to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day: and David swore, saying,
Elohim do so to me, and more also, if I eat bread or any thing else before the
sun goes down.
3:36 And all the people took notice, and all things that the king did before
the people were pleasing in their sight.
3:37 So all the people and all Israel perceived in that day, that it was not
of the king to slay Abenner the son of Ner.
3:38 And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that a great prince is
this day fallen in Israel?
3:39 And that I am this day a [mere] kinsman [of his], and [as it were] a
subject; but these men the sons of Saruia are too had for me: Yehovah
reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness. |
3:1 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.
3:2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of
Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3:3 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;
3:4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah
the son of Abital;
3:5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David
in Hebron.
3:6 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.
3:7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah:
and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's
concubine?
3:8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a
dog's head, which 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 to day with a fault
concerning this woman?
3:9 So do Elohim to Abner, and more also, except, as Yehovah hath sworn to
David, even so I do to him;
3:10 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.
3:11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
3:12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the
land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be
with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.
3:13 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, except thou first
bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
3:14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me
my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the
Philistines.
3:15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel
the son of Laish.
3:16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then
said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.
3:17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye
sought for David in times past to be king over you:
3:18 Now then do it: for Yehovah 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.
3:19 And Abner also spake 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.
3:20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David
made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
3:21 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.
3:22 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 was gone in peace.
3:23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab,
saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away,
and he is gone in peace.
3:24 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?
3:25 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.
3:26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner,
which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
3:27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate
to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he
died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
3:28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are
guiltless before Yehovah for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
3:29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let
there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a
leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that
lacketh bread.
3:30 So Joab, and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their
brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
3:31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend
your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king
David himself followed the bier.
3:32 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.
3:33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?
3:34 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.
3:35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was
yet day, David sware, saying, So do Elohim to me, and more also, if I taste
bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.
3:36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as
whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
3:37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not
of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
3:38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince
and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
3:39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of
Zeruiah be too hard for me: Yehovah shall reward the doer of evil according
to his wickedness. |