1 Now there was long752 war4421 between996 the house1004 of Saul7586 and the house1004 of David:1732 but David1732 waxed1980 stronger2390 and stronger, and the house1004 of Saul7586 waxed1980 weaker1800 and weaker.1800

2 And to David1732 were sons1121 born3205 in Hebron:2275 and his firstborn1060 was Amnon,550 of Ahinoam293 the Jezreelitess;3159

3 And his second,4932 Chileab,3609 of Abigail26 the wife802 of Nabal5037 the Carmelite;3761 and the third,7992 Absalom53 the son1121 of Maacah4601 the daughter1323 of Talmai8526 king4428 of Geshur;1650

4 And the fourth,7243 Adonijah138 the son1121 of Haggith;2294 and the fifth,2549 Shephatiah8203 the son1121 of Abital;37

5 And the sixth,8345 Ithream,3507 by Eglah5698 David's1732 wife.802 These428 were born3205 to David1732 in Hebron.2275

6 And it came1961 to pass, while there was war4421 between996 the house1004 of Saul7586 and the house1004 of David,1732 that Abner74 made himself strong2388 for the house1004 of Saul.7586

7 And Saul7586 had a concubine,6370 whose name8034 was Rizpah,7532 the daughter1323 of Aiah:345 and Ishbosheth said559 to Abner,74 Why4069 have you gone935 in to my father's1 concubine?6370

8 Then was Abner74 very3966 wroth2734 for the words1697 of Ishbosheth,378 and said,559 Am I a dog's3611 head,7218 which834 against Judah3063 do6213 show6213 kindness2617 this day3117 to the house1004 of Saul7586 your father,1 to his brothers,251 and to his friends,4828 and have not delivered4672 you into the hand3027 of David,1732 that you charge6485 me to day3117 with a fault5771 concerning this woman?802

9 So3541 do6213 God430 to Abner,74 and more3254 also,3541 except,3588 as the LORD3068 has sworn7650 to David,1732 even3588 so3651 I do6213 to him;

10 To translate5674 the kingdom4467 from the house1004 of Saul,7586 and to set6965 up the throne3678 of David1732 over5921 Israel3478 and over5921 Judah,3063 from Dan1835 even to Beersheba.884

11 And he could3201 not answer7725 Abner74 a word1697 again,5750 because he feared3372 him.

12 And Abner74 sent7971 messengers4397 to David1732 on his behalf,8478 saying,559 Whose4310 is the land?776 saying559 also, Make3772 your league1285 with me, and, behold,2009 my hand3027 shall be with you, to bring5437 about5437 all3605 Israel3478 to you.

13 And he said,559 Well;2896 I will make3772 a league1285 with you: but one259 thing1697 I require7592 of you, that is, You shall not see7200 my face,6440 except3588 518 you first6440 bring935 Michal4324 Saul's7586 daughter,1323 when you come935 to see7200 my face.6440

14 And David1732 sent7971 messengers4397 to Ishbosheth378 Saul's7586 son,1121 saying,559 Deliver5414 me my wife802 Michal,4324 which834 I espoused781 to me for an hundred3967 foreskins6190 of the Philistines.6430

15 And Ishbosheth378 sent,7971 and took3947 her from her husband,376 even from Phaltiel6409 the son1121 of Laish.3919

16 And her husband376 went3212 with her along1980 weeping1058 behind310 her to Bahurim.980 Then said559 Abner74 to him, Go,3212 return.7725 And he returned.7725

17 And Abner74 had communication1697 with the elders2205 of Israel,3478 saying,559 You sought1245 for David1732 in times8543 past8032 to be king4428 over5921 you:

18 Now6258 then do6213 it: for the LORD3068 has spoken559 of David,1732 saying,559 By the hand3027 of my servant5650 David1732 I will save3467 my people5971 Israel3478 out of the hand3027 of the Philistines,6430 and out of the hand3027 of all3605 their enemies.341

19 And Abner74 also1571 spoke1696 in the ears241 of Benjamin:1144 and Abner74 went3212 also1571 to speak1696 in the ears241 of David1732 in Hebron2275 all3605 that seemed5869 good2896 to Israel,3478 and that seemed5869 good to the whole3605 house1004 of Benjamin.1144

20 So Abner74 came935 to David1732 to Hebron,2275 and twenty6242 men582 with him. And David1732 made6213 Abner74 and the men582 that were with him a feast.4960

21 And Abner74 said559 to David,1732 I will arise6965 and go,3212 and will gather6908 all3605 Israel3478 to my lord113 the king,4428 that they may make3772 a league1285 with you, and that you may reign4427 over all3605 that your heart5315 desires.8378 And David1732 sent7971 Abner74 away; and he went3212 in peace.7965

22 And, behold,2009 the servants5650 of David1732 and Joab3097 came935 from pursuing a troop,1416 and brought935 in a great7227 spoil7998 with them: but Abner74 was not with David1732 in Hebron;2275 for he had sent7971 him away, and he was gone3212 in peace.7965

23 When Joab3097 and all3605 the host6635 that was with him were come,935 they told5046 Joab,3097 saying,559 Abner74 the son1121 of Ner5369 came935 to the king,4428 and he has sent7971 him away, and he is gone3212 in peace.7965

24 Then Joab3097 came935 to the king,4428 and said,559 What4100 have you done?6213 behold,2009 Abner74 came935 to you; why4100 is it that you have sent7971 him away, and he is quite gone?3212

25 You know3045 Abner74 the son1121 of Ner,5369 that he came935 to deceive6601 you, and to know3045 your going4161 out and your coming4126 in, and to know3045 all3605 that you do.6213

26 And when Joab3097 was come3318 out from David,1732 he sent7971 messengers4397 after310 Abner,74 which brought7725 him again5750 from the well953 of Sirah:5626 but David1732 knew3045 it not.

27 And when Abner74 was returned7725 to Hebron,2275 Joab3097 took him aside5186 in the gate8179 to speak1696 with him quietly,7987 and smote5221 him there8033 under the fifth2570 rib, that he died,4191 for the blood1818 of Asahel6214 his brother.251

28 And afterward310 3651 when David1732 heard8085 it, he said,559 I and my kingdom4467 are guiltless5355 before5973 the LORD3068 for ever5769 from the blood1818 of Abner74 the son1121 of Ner:5369

29 Let it rest2342 on5921 the head7218 of Joab,3097 and on413 all3605 his father's1 house;1004 and let there not fail3772 from the house1004 of Joab3097 one that has an issue,2100 or that is a leper,6879 or that leans2388 on a staff,6418 or that falls5307 on the sword,2719 or that lacks2638 bread.3899

30 So Joab,3097 and Abishai52 his brother251 slew2026 Abner,74 because5921 834 he had slain4191 their brother251 Asahel6214 at Gibeon1391 in the battle.4421

31 And David1732 said559 to Joab,3097 and to all3605 the people5971 that were with him, Rend7167 your clothes,899 and gird2296 you with sackcloth,8242 and mourn5594 before6440 Abner.74 And king4428 David1732 himself followed1980 310 the bier.4296

32 And they buried6912 Abner74 in Hebron:2275 and the king4428 lifted5375 up his voice,6963 and wept1058 at the grave6913 of Abner;74 and all3605 the people5971 wept.1058

33 And the king4428 lamented6969 over413 Abner,74 and said,559 Died4191 Abner74 as a fool5036 dies?4194

34 Your hands3027 were not bound,631 nor3808 your feet7272 put5056 into fetters:5178 as a man1121 falls5307 before6440 wicked5766 men,1121 so fell5307 you. And all3605 the people5971 wept1058 again3254 over5921 him.

35 And when all3605 the people5971 came935 to cause David1732 to eat1262 meat3899 while it was yet5750 day,3117 David1732 swore,7650 saying,559 So3541 do6213 God430 to me, and more3254 also,3541 if3588 518 I taste2938 bread,3899 or176 ought3972 else, till6440 the sun8121 be down.935

36 And all3605 the people5971 took5234 notice5234 of it, and it pleased3190 5869 them: as whatever3605 834 the king4428 did6213 pleased2896 5869 all3605 the people.5971

37 For all3605 the people5971 and all3605 Israel3478 understood3045 that day3117 that it was not of the king4428 to slay4191 Abner74 the son1121 of Ner.5369

38 And the king4428 said559 to his servants,5650 Know3045 you not that there is a prince8269 and a great1419 man fallen5307 this2088 day3117 in Israel?3478

39 And I am this day3117 weak,7390 though anointed4886 king;4428 and these428 men582 the sons1121 of Zeruiah6870 be too hard7186 for me: the LORD3068 shall reward7999 the doer6213 of evil7451 according to his wickedness.7451