2 Samuel 3 And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was prolonged,—and, David, waxed stronger and stronger, and, the house of Saul, became weaker and weaker.

VIN⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was prolonged,—and, David, waxed stronger and stronger, and, the house of Saul, became weaker and weaker. ² And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his first-born was Amnon, the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel. ³ his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; ⁴ the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵ And the sixth was Ithream, the son of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron. 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 Now Saul had a concubine, named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?" ⁸ And Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? I am this day doing all in my power for the cause of your father Saul and for his brothers and his friends, and have not given you up into the hands of David, and now you say I have done wrong with a woman. ⁹ May God do to Abner, and more so, if I do not do to David as the LORD has sworn, ¹⁰ To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba’. ¹¹ He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him. ¹² So Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron to ask him, "Who owns this land? Cut a deal with me, and look! I'll lend my hand in bringing all of Israel over to you!" ¹³ He said, "Good. I will make a covenant with you. 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." ¹⁴ Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, "Give me my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines." ¹⁵ So Ish-bosheth ordered that she be taken away from her husband, Laish's son Paltiel. 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 Meanwhile, Abner communicated with the leaders of Israel: »For some time now you wanted to make David your king. ¹⁸ Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies. ¹⁹ Abner also spoke to the people of Benjamin. Then Abner went directly to David in Hebron. He told him everything Israel and the entire tribe of Benjamin had approved. ²⁰ Twenty men accompanied Abner to see David at Hebron. David had a feast for Abner and his men. ²¹ And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and so that you may reign over all that your heart desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. ²² Behold, David's servants and Joab came from a raid, and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³ When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, “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? when Abner came to you why did you send him away and let him go? ²⁵ You know Ner's son Abner came to mislead you, to learn your troop movements, and to learn everything you're doing!" ²⁶ And Joab left David, and sent messengers after Abner. And they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷ And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. ²⁸ When David heard this afterwards, he said: "I and my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ²⁹ Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house. And let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread. ³⁰ And Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon, in battle. ³¹ And David said to Joab, and to all the people with him, Tear your clothes, and gird on sackcloths, and lament before Abner! And king David went behind the bier. ³² and they buried Abner at Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner's grave, and all the people wept, too. ³³ The king sang a lament for Abner and said, "Should Abner have died the death of a fool? ³⁴ "Your hands were not bound. Your feet were not in fetters. You fell as one falls in front of wicked men. And all the people continued to cry for him." ³⁵ Everyone tried to persuade David to have a meal while there was still daylight, but David took an oath by saying, "May God to do like this to me and more, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!" ³⁶ And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people. ³⁷ So then all the people, and all Israel, took note, that day, that it was not of the king, to cause the death of Abner son of Ner. ³⁸ Then the king said to his servants, "Did you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? ³⁹ I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”