1
And the war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David went◦ on and became··firm, and the house of Saul went◦ on and became poor.
2
And unto David were· sons ·born in Hebron, and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3
and his second Chileab, of Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third Absalom, the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4
and the fourth Adonijah, the son of Haggith, and the fifth Shephatiah, the son of Abital;
5
and the sixth Ithream, of Eglah, the wife of David. These were··born to David in Hebron.
6
And it was, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made· himself ·firm in the house of Saul.
7
And Saul had◦ a concubine, and her name was Rizpah, the daughter of Ajah; and he* said to▵ Abner, Wherefore hast thou come to▵ my father’s concubine?
8
And Abner was· very ·incensed on··account··of the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I▵ a dog’s head who belongs to Judah? This day I am doing mercy with▵ the house of Saul, thy father, to▵ his brothers, and to▵ his companions, and have not presented▵ thee into the hand of David; and dost thou visit on me today iniquity concerning the woman?
9
So may God do to Abner, and so may He add unto him, if▫ as◦ Jehovah has promised to David, I do not even so to him,
10
to cause the kingdom to cross··over from the house of Saul, and to raise··up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan and even··to Beer-sheba.
11
And he was· not ·able to return a word any more unto Abner, because he feared him.
12
And Abner sent messengers to▵ David, on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? Saying, Cut thy covenant with◦ me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee, to turn··around all Israel unto▵ thee.
13
And he said, Good; I◦ will cut a covenant with◦ thee; only▵ one word I▵ ask from thee, saying, Thou shalt not see my face, unless◦ before this thou bringest··in Michal the daughter of Saul, when thou comest to see my face.
14
And David sent messengers to▵ Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, saying, Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15
And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from▵ the man◦, from▵ Paltiel the son of Laish.
16
And her husband◦ went◦ with◦ her, going and weeping behind her even··to Baḥurim. And Abner said to▵ him, Go, return. And he returned.
17
And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, You sought David, both◦ yesterday and◦ the day··before*, for a king over you;
18
and now do it; for Jehovah has said concerning David, saying, By the hand of David My servant I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
19
And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that was good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.
20
And Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men◦ with him; and David made for Abner and for the men◦ that were with him, a feast.
21
And Abner said unto▵ David, I will arise and go, and will bring··together all Israel unto▵ my lord the king, and I will cut a covenant with◦ thee and thou shalt reign over all that thy soul longs for. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
22
And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from the troop, and they brought much spoil with them; and Abner was not◦ with David in Hebron; for he had sent· him ·away, and he was gone in peace.
23
And Joab and all the army that was with◦ him had come, and 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.
24
And Joab came to▵ the king and said, What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto▵ thee. Why hast thou sent him away and going◦, he is gone?
25
Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to entice thee, and to know thy going··out and thy coming··in, and to know all that thou◦ doest.
26
And Joab went··out from David, and sent messengers after Abner, and brought· him ·back from the pit of Sirah; but David knew it not.
27
And Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took· him ·aside to▵ the midst of the gate to speak with◦ him as if with tranquility, and he smote him there at the fifth*, and he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28
And David heard it afterwards and said, I▵ and my kingdom are innocent with Jehovah even··to eternity from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29
Let it travail on the head of Joab and to▵ all the house of his father, and let there not be cut··off from the house of Joab one who has··a··flow, and a leper, and one who holds··firm on◦ the crutch, and who falls with the sword, and who is in··want of bread.
30
And Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had made· Asahel their brother ·to··die, in Gibeon in the battle.
31
And David said to▵ Joab, and to▵ all the people that were with◦ him, Rend your garments and gird you with sackcloth, and wail before Abner. And king David walked after the bier*.
32
And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted··up his voice, and wept at▵ the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
33
And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Did Abner die as a fool dies?
34
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet presented in bronze fetters. As one falls before the sons of perversity, thou didst fall. And all the people continued to weep over him.
35
And all the people came to nourish David with bread when it was still day, and David promised, saying, So do God unto me and so again if I taste bread or anything before the sun go··in.
36
And all the people acknowledged it, and it was··good in their eyes, as◦ all the king did was good in the eyes of all the people.
37
And all the people and all Israel knew in that◦ day, that it was not of the king to put· Abner the son of Ner ·to··death.
38
And the king said unto▵ his servants, Do you not know that there is a commander◦ and a great one fallen this day in Israel?
39
And I▵ am this day soft, though anointed king; and these men◦ the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me; Jehovah shall repay the doer of evil according to his evil.
