2 Samuel 3

1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.

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.

2 And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess:

And sons were born to David in Chebron: and his first-born was Ammon the son of Achinoom the Jezraelitess.

3 And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur:

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.

4 And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital:

And the fourth [was] Ornia, the son of Aggith, and the fifth [was] Saphatia, the son of Abital.

5 And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David in Hebron.

And the sixth [was] Jetheraam, the son of Aegal the wife of David. These were born to David in Chebron.

6 Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul.

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.

7 And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner:

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?

8 Why didst thou go in to my father’s concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog’s head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman?

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?

9 So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him,

God do thus and more also to Abenner, if as the Lord swore to David, so do I not to him this day;

10 That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.

to take away the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.

11 And he could not answer him a word, because he feared him.

And Jebosthe could not any longer answer Abenner a word, because he feared him.

12 Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.

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.

13 And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me.

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.

14 And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

And David sent messengers to Jebosthe the son of Saul, saying, Restore me my wife Melchol, whom I took for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15 And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais.

And Jebosthe sent, and took her from her husband, [even] from Phaltiel the son of Selle.

16 And her husband followed her, weeping as far as Bahurim: and Abner said to him: Go and return. And he returned.

And her husband went with her weeping behind her as far as Barakim. And Abenner said to him, Go, return; and he returned.

17 Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.

And Abenner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, In former days ye sought David to reign over you;

18 Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.

and now perform [it]: for the Lord has spoken concerning David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save Israel out of the hand of all their enemies.

19 And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.

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.

20 And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.

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.

21 And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David bad brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,

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.

22 Immediately David’s servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty: and Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

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.

23 And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

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.

24 And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?

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?

25 Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?

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?

26 Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.

And Joab returned from David, and sent messengers to Abenner after [him]; and they bring him back from the well of Seiram: but David knew [it] not.

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.

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.

28 And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

And David heard [of it] afterwards, and said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord even for ever of the blood of Abenner the son of Ner.

29 And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father’s house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.

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.

30 So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.

For Joab and Abessa his brother laid wait continually for Abenner, because he slew Asael their brother at Gabaon in the battle.

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

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.

32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept.

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.

33 And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died.

And the king mourned over Abenner, and said, Shall Abenner die according to the death of Nabal?

34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.

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.

35 And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset.

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, God do so to me, and more also, if I eat bread or any thing else before the sun goes down.

36 And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.

And all the people took notice, and all things that the king did before the people were pleasing in their sight.

37 And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king’s doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain.

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.

38 The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and great man is slain this day in Israel?

And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that a great prince is this day fallen in Israel?

39 But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.

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 hard for me: the Lord reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.