| Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1During the long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, David was growing stronger and the house of Saul was becoming weaker. | 1However, 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. |
| 2Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; | 2Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. |
| 3his second was Chileab, by Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom, son of Maacah the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; | 3His 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. |
| 4the fourth was Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, son of Abital; | 4His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abitail. |
| 5the sixth was Ithream, by David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron. | 5His sixth son was Ithream, born to David's wife Eglah. These sons were all born to David in Hebron. |
| 6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept acquiring more power in the house of Saul. | 6As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential in the house of Saul. |
| 7Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?" | 7Now 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?" |
| 8Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth's accusation. "Am I a dog's head who belongs to Judah?" he asked. "All this time I've been loyal to the family of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven't betrayed you to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! | 8These 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! |
| 9May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don't do for David what the LORD swore to him: | 9God will severely judge Abner if I do not do for David exactly what the LORD has promised him, |
| 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beer-sheba." | 10namely, 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!" |
| 11Ish-bosheth did not dare respond to Abner because he was afraid of him. | 11Ish-bosheth was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him. |
| 12Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, "Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to turn all Israel over to you." | 12Then 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." |
| 13David replied, "Good, I will make a covenant with you. However, there's one thing I require of you: You will not see my face unless you first bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come to see me." | 13So 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." |
| 14Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, "Give me back my wife, Michal. I was engaged to her for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins." | 14David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand: "Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired for a hundred Philistine foreskins." |
| 15So Ish-bosheth sent someone to take her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. | 15So Ish-bosheth took her from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. |
| 16Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Abner said to him, "Go back." So he went back. | 16Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, "Go back!" So he returned home. |
| 17Abner conferred with the elders of Israel: "In the past you wanted David to be king over you. | 17Abner advised the elders of Israel, "Previously you were wanting David to be your king. |
| 18Now take action, because the LORD has spoken concerning David: 'Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and the power of all Israel's enemies.'" | 18Act 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.'" |
| 19Abner also informed the Benjaminites and went to Hebron to inform David about all that was agreed on by Israel and the whole house of Benjamin. | 19Then 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. |
| 20When Abner and twenty men came to David at Hebron, David held a banquet for him and his men. | 20When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a banquet for Abner and the men who were with him. |
| 21Abner said to David, "Let me now go and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you, and you will reign over all you desire." So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace. | 21Abner 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. |
| 22Just then David's soldiers and Joab returned from a raid and brought a large amount of plundered goods with them. Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace. | 22Now 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. |
| 23When Joab and his whole army arrived, Joab was informed, "Abner son of Ner came to see the king, the king dismissed him, and he went in peace." | 23When 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!" |
| 24Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look here, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he's getting away. | 24So 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! |
| 25You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to find out about your military activities and everything you're doing." | 25You 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!" |
| 26Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah, but David was unaware of it. | 26Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.) |
| 27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the city gate, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel, Joab's brother. | 27When 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. |
| 28David heard about it later and said: "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. | 28When 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! |
| 29May it hang over Joab's head and his father's whole family, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease, or a man who can only work a spindle, or someone who falls by the sword or starves." | 29May 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!" |
| 30Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon. | 30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle. |
| 31David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner." And King David walked behind the coffin. | 31David 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. |
| 32When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept, | 32So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly over Abner's grave and all the people wept too. |
| 33and the king sang a lament for Abner: Should Abner die as a fool dies? | 33The king chanted the following lament for Abner: "Should Abner have died like a fool? |
| 34Your hands were not bound, your feet not placed in bronze shackles. You fell like one who falls victim to criminals. And all the people wept over him even more. | 34Your 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. |
| 35Then they came to urge David to eat food while it was still day, but David took an oath: "May God punish me and do so severely if I taste bread or anything else before sunset!" | 35Then 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!" |
| 36All the people took note of this, and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased them. | 36All the people noticed this and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people. |
| 37On that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner. | 37All 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. |
| 38Then the king said to his soldiers, "You must know that a great leader has fallen in Israel today. | 38Then the king said to his servants, "Do you not realize that a great leader has fallen this day in Israel? |
| 39As for me, even though I am the anointed king, I have little power today. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!" | 39Today 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!" |
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