1Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long; and David grew steadily stronger, while the house of Saul grew steadily weaker.
2Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite;
3and his second, Kileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4and the fourth, Adonijah son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah son of Abital;
5and the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6Now while the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.
7Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8Then Abner became very angry over the words of Ishbosheth, and he said, “Am I a dog’s head belonging to Judah? Today I show loyal love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and I have not handed you over into David’s hand—yet today you charge me with a fault concerning this woman!
9May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David just as Yahweh swore to him—
10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
12Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to turn all Israel over to you.”
13And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. Only one thing I ask of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see my face.”
14Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15So Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel son of Laish.
16But her husband went with her, walking and weeping behind her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.
17Now Abner’s word had come to the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time now you have been seeking David to be king over you.
18So now, act! For Yahweh has said of David, ‘By the hand of David my servant I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”
19Abner 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 the whole house of Benjamin.
20So Abner came to David at Hebron, and with him twenty men; and David made a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him.
21And Abner 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 you may reign over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
22And behold, the servants of David and Joab came in from a raid, and they brought much plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23When Joab and all the army that was with him came, they told Joab, saying, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! Why did you send him away, so that he has gone off entirely?
25You know Abner son of Ner—that he came to deceive you, and to learn your going out and your coming in, and to learn all that you are doing.”
26Then Joab went out from David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know it.
27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab drew him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before Yahweh of the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house; and may there never be cut off from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or a leper, or one who grasps a spindle, or one who falls by the sword, or one who lacks bread.
30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put to death Asahel their brother at Gibeon in the battle.
31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier.
32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner’s grave, and all the people wept.
33And the king chanted a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put in bronze fetters; as one falls before wicked men, you fell.” And all the people wept over him again.
35Then all the people came to urge David to eat food while it was still day, but David swore, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if before the sun goes down I taste bread or anything at all.”
36And all the people took notice, and it was good in their eyes; just as everything the king did was good in the eyes of all the people.
37So all the people and all Israel knew on that day that it had not been from the king to put Abner son of Ner to death.
38And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a commander and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?
39And I today am weak, though anointed king, while these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. May Yahweh repay the doer of evil according to his evil.”
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