|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
The
House of David Strengthened |
|
|
 |
2 Samuel 3:1
|
|
Now there was a long war between the house of
Saul and the house of David; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of
Saul grew weaker continually. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:2 |
|
Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn
was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; |
| |
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:3 |
|
and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow
of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter
of Talmai, king of Geshur; |
| |
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:4 |
|
and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; |
| |
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:5 |
|
and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife Eglah.
These were born to David at Hebron. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Abner
Joins David |
| |
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:6 |
|
It came about while there was war between the
house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the
house of Saul. |
| |
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:7 |
|
Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah,
the daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to
my father's concubine?" |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:8 |
|
Then Abner was very angry over the words of
Ish-bosheth and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness
to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have
not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a
guilt concerning the woman. |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:9 |
|
May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as
the LORD has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him, |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:10 |
|
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 Beersheba." |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:11 |
|
And he could no longer answer Abner a word,
because he was afraid of him. |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:12 |
|
Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place,
saying, "Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall
be with you to bring all Israel over to you." |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:13 |
|
He said, "Good! I will make a covenant with
you, but I demand one thing of you, namely, you shall not see my face unless you
first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me." |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:14 |
|
So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's
son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for a hundred foreskins
of the Philistines." |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:15 |
|
Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband,
from Paltiel the son of Laish. |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:16 |
|
But her husband went with her, weeping as he
went, and followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go, return."
So he returned. |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:17 |
|
Now Abner had consultation with the elders of
Israel, saying, "In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:18 |
|
Now then, do it! For the LORD has 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.'" |
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:19 |
|
Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin;
and in addition Abner went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that
seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. |
| |
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:20 |
|
Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David
at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. |
| |
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:21 |
|
Abner said to David, "Let me arise and go and
gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you,
and that you may be king over all that your soul desires." So David sent Abner
away, and he went in peace. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:22 |
|
And behold, the servants of David and Joab came
from a raid and brought much spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in
Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:23 |
|
When Joab and all the army that was with him
arrived, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he
has sent him away, and he has gone in peace." |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:24 |
|
Then Joab came to the king and said, "What
have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you sent him away and
he is already gone? |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:25 |
|
You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came
to deceive you and to learn of your going out and coming in and to find out all
that you are doing." |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Joab
Murders Abner |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:26 |
|
When Joab came out from David, he sent messengers
after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not
know it. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:27 |
|
So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took
him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he
struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his
brother. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:28 |
|
Afterward when David heard it, he said, "I and
my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son
of Ner. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:29 |
|
May it fall on the head of Joab and on all his
father's house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge,
or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a distaff, or who falls by the sword,
or who lacks bread." |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:30 |
|
So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner
because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
David
Mourns Abner |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:31 |
|
Then David said to Joab and to all the people
who were with him, "Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before
Abner." And King David walked behind the bier. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:32 |
|
Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king
lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:33 |
|
The king chanted a lament for Abner and said,
"Should Abner die as a fool dies? |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:34 |
|
"Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put
in fetters; As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen." And all the people
wept again over him. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:35 |
|
Then all the people came to persuade David to
eat bread while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, "May God do so to me,
and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down." |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:36 |
|
Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased
them, just as everything the king did pleased all the people. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:37 |
|
So all the people and all Israel understood
that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner
to death. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:38 |
|
Then the king said to his servants, "Do you
not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Samuel 3:39 |
|
I am weak today, though anointed king; and these
men the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer
according to his evil." |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
