2 Samuel 3

1 There was then long warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid: but Dauid waxed stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker.

Now there was a long war between Saul's people and David's people; and David became stronger and stronger, but those on Saul's side became more and more feeble.

2 And vnto Dauid were children borne in Hebron: and his eldest sonne was Amnon of Ahinoam the Izreelite,

While David was in Hebron he became the father of sons: the oldest was Amnon, son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;

3 And his seconde, was Chileab of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite: and the third, Absalom the sonne of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the King of Geshur,

And the second, Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;

4 And the fourth, Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the sonne of Abital,

And the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

5 And the sixt, Ithream by Eglah Dauids wife: these were borne to Dauid in Hebron.

And the sixth, Ithream, whose mother was David's wife Eglah. These were the sons of David, whose birth took place in Hebron.

6 Nowe while there was warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul.

Now while there was war between Saul's people and David's people, Abner was making himself strong among the supporters of Saul.

7 And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiiah. And Ish-bosheth sayde to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in to my fathers concubine?

Now Saul had among his wives a woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you taken my father's wife?

8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dogges head, which against Iudah do shew mercie this day vnto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his neighbours, and haue not deliuered thee into the hande of Dauid, that thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman?

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 So doe God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworne to Dauid, euen so I doe to him,

May God's punishment be on Abner, if I do not for David as the Lord in his oath has said,

10 To remoue the kingdome from the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablished ouer Israel, and ouer Iudah, euen from Dan to Beer-sheba.

And if I do not take away the kingdom from the family of Saul and make David ruler over Israel and Judah from Dan as far as Beer-sheba!

11 And he durst no more answere to Abner: for he feared him.

And so great was Ish-bosheth's fear of Abner that he was not able to say a word in answer.

12 Then Abner sent messengers to Dauid on his behalfe, saying, Whose is the lande? who should also say, Make couenant with me, and beholde, mine hande shalbe with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee.

And Abner sent men to David at Hebron, saying, Make an agreement with me, and I will give you my support in getting all Israel on your side.

13 Who saide, Well, I will make a couenant with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face except thou bring Michal Sauls daughter when thou commest to see me.

And he said, It is well; I will make an agreement with you, but on one condition, which is, that when you come before me, Saul's daughter Michal is to come with you; till she comes you will not see my face.

14 Then Dauid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne, saying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I marryed for an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims.

And David sent men to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, saying, Give me back Michal, my wife, whom I made mine for the price of the private parts of a hundred Philistines.

15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and tooke her from her husband Phaltiel the sonne of Laish.

So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel, the son of Laish.

16 And her husband went with her, and came weeping behinde her, vnto Bahurim: then saide Abner vnto him, Go, and returne. So he returned.

And her husband went with her as far as Bahurim, weeping while he went. Then Abner said to him, Go back. And he went back.

17 And Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your King.

Then Abner had a talk with the chief men of Israel, saying, In the past it was your desire to make David your king: so now, do it:

18 Nowe then doe it: for the Lord hath spoken of Dauid, saying, By the hand of my seruant Dauid I will saue my people Israel out of the handes of the Philistims, and out of the handes of all their enemies.

For the Lord has said of David, By the hand of my servant David I will make my people Israel safe from the Philistines, and from all who are against them.

19 Also Abner spake to Beniamin, and afterward Abner went to speake with Dauid in Hebron, concerning all that Israel was content with, and the whole house of Beniamin.

And Abner said the same things to Benjamin: and he went to David in Hebron to make clear to him what seemed good to Israel and to all the people of Benjamin.

20 So Abner came to Dauid to Hebron, hauing twentie men with him, and Dauid made a feast vnto Abner, and to the men that were with him.

So Abner, with twenty men, came to Hebron, to David. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

21 Then Abner sayde vnto Dauid, I will rise vp, and goe gather all Israel vnto my lorde the King, that they may make a couenant with thee, and that thou mayest reigne ouer all that thine heart desireth. Then Dauid let Abner depart, who went in peace.

And Abner said to David, Now I will go, and make all Israel come to my lord the king, so that they may make an agreement with you, and your kingdom may be as wide as your heart's desire. Then David sent Abner away and he went in peace.

22 And beholde, the seruants of Dauid and Ioab came from the campe, and brought a great pray with them (but Abner was not with Dauid in Hebron: for he had sent him away, and he departed in peace)

Now the servants of David and Joab had been out attacking a band of armed men, and they came back with a great store of goods taken in the fight: but Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, for he had sent him away and he had gone in peace.

23 When Ioab, and all the hoste that was with him were come, men tolde Ioab, saying, Abner the sonne of Ner came to the King, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

When Joab and his men came, news was given them that Abner, the son of Ner, had come to the king, who had let him go away again in peace.

24 Then Ioab came to the King, and saide, What hast thou done? beholde, Abner came vnto thee, why hast thou sent him away, and he is departed?

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 Thou knowest Abner the sonne of Ner: for he came to deceiue thee, and to knowe thy outgoing and ingoing, and to knowe all that thou doest.

Is it not clear to you that Abner, the son of Ner, came with deceit to get knowledge of your going out and your coming in and of all you are doing?

26 And when Ioab was gone out from Dauid, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him againe from the well of Siriah vnknowing to Dauid.

And when Joab had come out from David, he sent men after Abner, and they overtook him at the water-spring of Sirah, and made him come back with them: but David had no knowledge of it.

27 And when Abner was come againe to Hebron, Ioab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him peaceably, and smote him vnder the fift ryb, that he dyed, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

And when Abner was back in Hebron, Joab took him on one side by the doorway of the town to have a word with him quietly, and there he gave him a wound in the stomach, causing his death in payment for the death of his brother Asahel.

28 And when afterwarde it came to Dauids eare, he saide, I and my kingdome are giltlesse before the Lord for euer, concerning the blood of Abner the sonne of Ner.

And when David had word of it he said, May I and my kingdom be clear for ever in the eyes of the Lord from the blood of Abner, the son of Ner:

29 Let the blood fall on the head of Ioab, and on all his fathers house, that the house of Ioab be neuer without some that haue running issues, or leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that doeth fall on the sworde, or that lacketh bread.

May it come on the head of Joab and all his father's family: among the men of Joab's family may there ever be some who are diseased or lepers, or who do the work of women, or are put to the sword, or are wasted from need of food!

30 (So Ioab and Abishai his brother slewe Abner, because he had slaine their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battel)

So Joab and Abishai his brother put Abner to death, because he had put to death their brother Asahel in the fight at Gibeon.

31 And Dauid said to Ioab, and to al the people that were with him, Rent your clothes, and put on sackecloth, and mourne before Abner: and King Dauid him selfe followed the beare.

And David said to Joab and all the people who were with him, Go in grief and put haircloth about you, in sorrow for Abner. And King David went after the dead body.

32 And when they had buryed Abner in Hebron, the King lift vp his voyce, and wept beside the sepulchre of Abner, and all the people wept.

And they put Abner's body to rest in Hebron; and the king and all the people were weeping loudly by the resting-place of Abner's body.

33 And the King lamented ouer Abner, and sayde, Dyed Abner as a foole dyeth?

And the king made a song of grief for Abner and said, Was the death of Abner to be like the death of a foolish man?

34 Thine handes were not bounde, nor thy feete tyed in fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so diddest thou fall. And all the people wept againe for him.

Your hands were free, your feet were not chained: like the downfall of a man before evil men, so was your fall. And the weeping of the people over him went on again.

35 Afterwarde all the people came to cause Dauid eate meate while it was yet day, but Dauid sware, saying, So doe God to me and more also, if I taste bread, or ought els till the sunne be downe.

And the people came to make David take food, while it was still day, but David with an oath said, May God's punishment be on me if I take a taste of bread or any other thing till the sun has gone down!

36 And all the people knewe it, and it pleased them: as whatsoeuer the King did, pleased all the people.

And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people.

37 For all the people and all Israel vnderstoode that day, howe that it was not the Kings deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slaine.

So it was clear to Israel and to all the people on that day that the king was not responsible for the death of Abner, the son of Ner.

38 And the King said vnto his seruants, Know ye not, that there is a prince and a great man falle this day in Israel?

And the king said to his servants, Do you not see that a chief and a great man has come to his end today in Israel?

39 And I am this day weake and newly anoynted King: and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too harde for me: the Lord rewarde the doer of euill according to his wickednesse.

While I, though I am crowned king, have little strength, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are out of my control: may the Lord give to the evil-doer the reward of his evil-doing!