2Samuel 3

3That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul's dynasty became weaker and weaker.H752H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H1732H1980H2390H2390H1004H7586H1980H1800H1800

David’s Sons Born in Hebron

2These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron: The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.H1732H1121H3205H3205H2275H1060H550H293H31593The second was Daniel

, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.H4932H3609H26H802H5037H3761H7992H53H1121H4601H1323H8526H4428H16504The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.H7243H138H1121H2294H2549H8203H1121H375The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David's wife. These sons were all born to David in Hebron.H8345H3507H5698H1732H802H3205H1732H2275

Abner Joins Forces with David

6As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul.H4421H1004H7586H1004H1732H74H2388H1004H75867One day Ishbosheth

, Saul's son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father's concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.H7586H6370H8034H7532H1323H345H559H74H935H1H63708Abner was furious. "Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?" he shouted. "After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman?H74H3966H2734H1697H378H559H3611H7218H3063H6213H2617H3117H1004H7586H1H251H4828H4672H3027H1732H6485H3117H5771H8029May God strike me and even kill me if I don't do everything I can to help David get what the LORD has promised him!H6213H430H74H3254H3068H7650H1732H621310I'm going to take Saul's kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south."H5674H4467H1004H7586H6965H3678H1732H3478H3063H1835H88411Ishbosheth didn't dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.H3201H7725H74H1697H337212Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, "Doesn't the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you."H74H7971H4397H1732H559H776H559H3772H1285H3027H5437H347813"All right," David replied, "but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come."H559H2896H3772H1285H259H1697H7592H559H7200H6440H6440H935H4324H7586H1323H935H7200H644014David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul's son: "Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives

of 100 Philistines."H1732H7971H4397H378H7586H1121H559H5414H802H4324H781H3967H6190H643015So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti

son of Laish.H378H7971H3947H376H6409H1121H3889H391916Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, "Go back home!" So Palti returned.H376H3212H1980H1058H310H980H559H74H3212H7725H772517Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. "For some time now," he told them, "you have wanted to make David your king.H74H1961H1697H2205H3478H559H1245H1732H8543H8032H442818Now is the time! For the LORD has said, 'I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.'"H6213H3068H559H1732H559H3027H5650H1732H3467H5971H3478H3027H6430H3027H34119Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.H74H1696H241H1144H74H3212H1696H241H1732H2275H5869H2896H3478H5869H1004H114420When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast.H74H935H1732H2275H6242H582H1732H6213H74H582H496021Then Abner said to David, "Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires." So David sent Abner safely on his way.H74H559H1732H6965H3212H6908H3478H113H4428H3772H1285H4427H5315H183H1732H7971H74H7971H3212H7965

Joab Murders Abner

22But just after David had sent Abner away in safety, Joab and some of David's troops returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them.H5650H1732H3097H935H1416H935H7227H7998H74H1732H2275H7971H3212H796523When Joab arrived, he was told that Abner had just been there visiting the king and had been sent away in safety.H3097H6635H935H5046H3097H559H74H1121H5369H935H4428H7971H3212H796524Joab rushed to the king and demanded, "What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away?H3097H935H4428H559H6213H74H935H7971H1980H321225You know perfectly well that he came to spy on you and find out everything you're doing!"H3045H74H1121H5369H935H6601H3045H4161H4126H3996H3045H621326Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it.H3097H3318H1732H7971H4397H310H74H7725H953H5626H1732H304527When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.H74H7725H2275H3097H5186H413H8432H8179H1696H7987H5221H2570H4191H1818H6214H25128When David heard about it, he declared, "I vow by the LORD that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner.H310H1732H8085H559H4467H5355H3068H5704H5769H1818H74H1121H536929Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy

or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!"H2342H7218H3097H1H1004H3772H1004H3097H2100H6879H2388H6418H5307H2719H2638H389930So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.H3097H52H251H2026H74H4191H251H6214H1391H4421

David Mourns Abner’s Death

31Then David said to Joab and all those who were with him, "Tear your clothes and put on burlap. Mourn for Abner." And King David himself walked behind the procession to the grave.H1732H559H3097H5971H7167H899H2296H8242H5594H6440H74H4428H1732H1980H310H429632They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside.H6912H74H2275H4428H5375H6963H1058H6913H74H5971H105833Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner: "Should Abner have died as fools die?H4428H6969H74H559H4191H74H5036H419434Your hands were not bound; your feet were not chained. No, you were murdered—the victim of a wicked plot." All the people wept again for Abner.H3027H631H7272H5066H5178H5307H6440H5766H1121H5307H5971H1058H325435David had refused to eat anything on the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him to eat. But David had made a vow, saying, "May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown."H3605H5971H935H1262H1732H1262H3899H5750H3117H1732H7650H559H6213H430H3254H2938H3899H3972H6440H8121H93536This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them!H5971H5234H3190H5869H4428H6213H5869H2896H597137So everyone in Judah and all Israel understood that David was not responsible for Abner's murder.H5971H3478H3045H3117H4428H4191H74H1121H536938Then King David said to his officials, "Don't you realize that a great commander has fallen today in Israel?H4428H559H5650H3045H8269H1419H5307H3117H347839And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah—Joab and Abishai—are too strong for me to control. So may the LORD repay these evil men for their evil deeds."H3117H7390H4886H4428H582H1121H6870H7186H3068H7999H6213H7451