| 3:1 | However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker. |
| 3:2 | Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. |
| 3:3 | His second son* was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow* of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. |
| 3:4 | His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abitail. |
| 3:5 | His sixth son was Ithream, born to David’s wife Eglah. These sons* were all born to David in Hebron. |
| 3:6 | As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential* in the house of Saul. |
| 3:7 | Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth* said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with* my father’s concubine?”* |
| 3:8 | These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating* loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives* and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today!* |
| 3:9 | God will severely judge Abner* if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him,* |
| 3:10 | namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!” |
| 3:11 | Ish-bosheth* was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him. |
| 3:12 | Then Abner sent messengers* to David saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement* with me, and I will do whatever I can* to cause all Israel to turn to you.” |
| 3:13 | So David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.”* |
| 3:14 | David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand:* “Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired* for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” |
| 3:15 | So Ish-bosheth took her* from her husband Paltiel* son of Laish. |
| 3:16 | Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!”* So he returned home. |
| 3:17 | Abner advised* the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king.* |
| 3:18 | Act now! For the Lord has said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save* my people Israel from* the Philistines and from all their enemies.’” |
| 3:19 | Then Abner spoke privately* with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately* of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to.* |
| 3:20 | When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a banquet for Abner and the men who were with him. |
| 3:21 | Abner said to David, “Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement* with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace. |
| 3:22 | Now David’s soldiers* and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David* had sent him away and he had left in peace. |
| 3:23 | When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!” |
| 3:24 | So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner* has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way!* |
| 3:25 | You know Abner the son of Ner! Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return* and to discover everything that you are doing!” |
| 3:26 | Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.) |
| 3:27 | When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him* in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel.* |
| 3:28 | When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner! |
| 3:29 | May his blood whirl over* the head of Joab and the entire house of his father!* May the males of Joab’s house* never cease to have* someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle* or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!” |
| 3:30 | So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle. |
| 3:31 | David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!” Now King David followed* behind the funeral bier. |
| 3:32 | So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly* over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too. |
| 3:33 | The king chanted the following lament for Abner: “Should Abner have died like a fool? |
| 3:34 | Your hands* were not bound, and your feet were not put into irons. You fell the way one falls before criminals.” All the people* wept over him again. |
| 3:35 | Then all the people came and encouraged David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath saying, “God will punish me severely* if I taste bread or anything whatsoever before the sun sets!” |
| 3:36 | All the people noticed this and it pleased them.* In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people. |
| 3:37 | All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king’s instigation.* |
| 3:38 | Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great leader* has fallen this day in Israel? |
| 3:39 | Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear!* May the Lord punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!”* |
2 Samuel 3 - NET Bible [draft]
