International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1After this, a state of protracted war existed between Saul's dynasty and David's dynasty, and the dynasty of David continued to grow and become strong while the dynasty of Saul continued to grow weaker.

1Now 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.

2During this time, sons were born to David while he was living in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam from Jezreel,

2Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

3his second was Chileab by Abigail, widow of Nabal from Carmel, his third was Absalom by Maacah, daughter of King Talmai from Geshur,

3and 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;

4his fourth was Adonijah by Haggith, his fifth was Shephatiah by Abital,

4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

5and his sixth was Ithream by David's wife Eglah. They were all born to David in Hebron.

5and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.

6While war continued between the dynasties of Saul and David, Abner was growing in influence within the dynasty of Saul.

6It 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.

7Meanwhile, Saul had a mistress named Rizpah, who was the daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth asked Abner, "Why did you have sex with my father's mistress?"

7Now 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?"

8What Ish-bosheth said made Abner furious, so he replied, "A dog's head for Judah—is that what I am? Up until today I've kept on showing loyalty to your father Saul's dynasty, to his relatives and friends, and I haven't turned you over to David, but you're charging me today with moral guilt regarding this woman!

8Then 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.

9Therefore may God do to me —and more also!—just as the LORD has promised to David, since I'm doing this for him:

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,

10I will take away the kingdom from the dynasty of Saul by making the throne of David firm over Israel and Judah—from Dan to Beer-sheba!"

10to 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."

11Ish-bosheth couldn't say another word in response to Abner, because he was terrified of him.

11And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he was afraid of him.

12So Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron to ask him, "Who owns this land? Cut a deal with me, and look!—I'll lend my hand in bringing all of Israel over to you!"

12Then 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."

13David replied, "Sounds good to me! I'll cut a deal with you under one condition: you're not to show yourself in my presence unless you bring Saul's daughter with you when you come to see me."

13He 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."

14Then David sent a delegation to Saul's son Ish-bosheth to say, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was engaged with a dowry of 100 Philistine foreskins."

14So 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."

15So Ish-bosheth ordered that she be taken away from her husband, Laish's son Paltiel.

15Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.

16Her husband accompanied her, crying as he followed after her all the way to Bahurim, where Abner told him, "Leave! Go back!" So he went back.

16But 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.

17Later, Abner had a talk with the elders of Israel. He said, "In the past you were looking to see David made king over you.

17Now Abner had consultation with the elders of Israel, saying, "In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.

18So do it, then! Because the LORD has said this about David: 'Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the control of the Philistines and from all of their enemies.'"

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.'"

19Abner also addressed the tribe of Benjamin. Furthermore, with David's permission, Abner said anything that seemed like it would be good for Israel and for the entire tribe of Benjamin.

19Abner 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.

20Afterwards, Abner brought 20 soldiers to David at Hebron, and David threw a party for Abner and the men who were with him.

20Then 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.

21So Abner told David, "Give me permission to go out and rally all of Israel to your majesty the king so they can enter into a formal agreement with you to reign over everything that your heart desires." So David sent Abner off, and he went away in peace.

21Abner 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.

22Right about then, David's servants returned from a raid, bringing plenty of war booty with them, but Abner wasn't in Hebron with David, since David had sent him away and Abner had left in peace.

22And 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.

23When Joab returned with his entire army, Joab was informed, "Ner's son Abner visited the king, and he has dismissed him. He has left in peace."

23When 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."

24So Joab approached the king and asked him, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! What's this? You sent him away? He's long gone now!

24Then 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?

25You know Ner's son Abner came to mislead you, to learn your troop movements, and to learn everything you're doing!"

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."

26As soon as Joab left David, Joab sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah, but David was not aware of this.

26When 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.

27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab brought him aside within the gateway to talk to him alone and then stabbed him in the abdomen. So he died for shedding the blood of Joab's brother Asahel.

27So 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.

28Later on, David found out about it and proclaimed, "Let me and my kingdom remain guiltless forever in the LORD's presence for the death of Ner's son Abner.

28Afterward 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.

29May judgment rest on Joab's head and on his father's entire household. May Joab's dynasty never be without one who has a discharge, who is a leper, who walks with a cane, who commits suicide, or who lacks food!"

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."

30He said this because Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner after he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

31David ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." King David walked behind the funeral procession,

31Then 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.

32and they buried Abner at Hebron. The king wept loudly at Abner's grave, and all the people wept, too.

32Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

33The king composed this mourning song for Abner: "Should Abner's death be like a fool's?

33The king chanted a lament for Abner and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34Your hands were not bound, nor were your feet in irons. As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen." Then all the people cried again because of him.

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.

35Everyone tried to persuade David to have a meal while there was still daylight, but David took an oath by saying, "May God to do like this to me and more, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!"

35Then 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."

36Everybody took note of this and was very pleased, just as everything else the king did pleased everyone.

36Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, just as everything the king did pleased all the people.

37As a result, the entire army and all of Israel understood that day that the king had nothing to do with the murder of Ner's son Abner.

37So 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.

38The king reminded his staff, "Don't you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel?

38Then the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

39Today, even though I'm anointed as king, I'm weak. These men, sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. May the LORD repay the one who acts wickedly in accordance with his wickedness!"

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."

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org