2 Samuel 3 Though the war was lengthened out between the house of Saul and the house of David, yet the house of David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

Thomson⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Though the war was lengthened out between the house of Saul and the house of David, yet the house of David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. ² For David had sons born to him in Chebron. His first born was Amnon, the son of Achinaam, the Jezraelitess; ³ and his second, Daluia, the son of Abigaia, the Carmelite, and his third, Abessalom, the son of Maacha, a daughter of Tholmi, king of Gessir, ⁴ and his fourth, Ornia, the son of Aggith, and the fifth, Saphatia, the son of Abital, ⁵ and the sixth Jetheraam, the son of Aigal, a wife of David. These were born to David at Chebron. ⁶ But while the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abenner got a mastery over the house of Saul. ⁷ Now Saul had a concubine named Respha, a daughter of Jol. And Jebosthe the son of Saul, said to Abenner, Why hast thou gone in to my father's concubine? ⁸ For this Abenner was exceedingly enraged at Jebosthe, and said to him, Am I a dog's head? Have I now dealt kindly with the house of Saul, thy father, and with his brethren, and relations, and not gone over to the house of David, and dost thou question me now respecting an injury done to a woman? ⁹ God do so to Abenner and more also, if, as the Lord hath sworn to David, I do not do so to him, ¹⁰ to take the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Juda, from Dan to Bersabee. ¹¹ So Jebosthe could no more controul Abenner in any thing, because he was afraid of him. ¹² Then Abenner sent messengers to David at Thailam where he was, in all haste, saying, Make a covenant with me, and behold my hand shall be with thee, to bring over all the house of Israel to thee. ¹³ On which David said, Well, I will make a covenant with thee. But one thing I require of thee, and declare that thou shalt not see my face, unless thou bring Melchol the daughter of Saul, when thou comest to see me. ¹⁴ Then David sent messengers to Jebosthe, son of Saul, saying, Restore me my wife Melchol, whom I espoused at the price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. ¹⁵ And Jabosthe sent, and took her from her husband, from Phaltiel son of Sella; ¹⁶ and her husband came with her, weeping behind her, till they came to Barakim, Then Abenner said to him, Go, return. So he returned. ¹⁷ And Abenner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, Heretofore you sought to make David king over you; ¹⁸ now therefore do it; for the Lord hath spoken concerning David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. ¹⁹ Abenner spoke also in the ears of Benjamin. And Abenner came to Chebron, to communicate to David what seemed good in the sight of Israel, and in the sight of the house of Benjamin. ²⁰ And when Abenner came to David at Chebron, and twenty men with him, David made an entertainment for Abenner, and the men with him. ²¹ Then Abenner said to David, Let me, I pray thee, arise and go, and I will assemble all Israel before my lord the king, and make a covenant with him, and thou shalt reign over all that thy heart desireth. So David dismissed Abenner, and he departed in peace. ²² Now behold David's servants, and Joab, were returning from an expedition, and bringing with them a great spoil; and Abenner was not with David at Chebron, for David had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. ²³ So when Joab and all his army arrived, and they told Joab, saying, Abenner, son of Ner, came to David, and he hath sent him away, and he has gone in peace, ²⁴ Joab went to the king, and said, What is this thou hast done? Behold Abenner came to thee! Why then hast thou sent him away? And he is gone in peace? ²⁵ Dost thou not know the wickedness of Abenner 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 art doing? ²⁶ Then Joab went out from David, and sent messengers after Abenner, and they brought him back from the well of Seeiram, but David knew it not. ²⁷ And when Abenner returned to Chebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak to him, and watching an opportunity, smote him there in the groin, and he died, for the blood of Asael the brother of Joab. ²⁸ And when David afterward heard, he said, Guiltless am I and my kingdom, before the Lord for ever, from the blood of Abenner, son of Ner. ²⁹ Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house! And may there never be wanting of the house of Joab, a person afflicted with a gonorrhea, or a leprosy, or one leaning on a staff, or falling by the sword, or lacking bread! ³⁰ Now Joab and his brother Abessa, bore a grudge against Abenner, because he had slain their brother Asael in the battle at Gabaon. ³¹ Then David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Bend your garments and gird on sackcloth, and utter lamentations before Abenner. And king David walked after the bier, ³² and they buried Abenner at Chebron. And the king wept aloud over his grave, and all the people wept over Abenner. ³³ And the king chanted a funeral song over Abenner, and said, As dieth a criminal should Abenner die? ³⁴ Thy hands were not bound with chains; Nor thy feet with fetters. He did not bring thee forth as a criminal; Before sons of wickedness thou hast fallen: ³⁵ Now all the people had been assembled to bewail him; and when all the people came to induce David to eat the funeral bread while it was yet day, David sword, saying, God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread, or any thing else, till the sun is set. ³⁶ And when the people knew this, they were well pleased with all that the king did before the people. ³⁷ And all the people, and all Israel, that day perceived that the putting Abenner son of Ner to death, did not proceed from the king. ³⁸ For the king said to his servants, Do you not know that a great leader hath this day fallen in Israel; ³⁹ and that though I am a relation, and constituted a king, yet these sons of Saruia are too hard for me? The Lord retribute to the doer of evil according to his wickedness?