Dual Panel1However, the war <04421> was <01961> prolonged <0752> between <0996> the house <01004> of Saul <07586> and the house <01004> of David <01732>. David <01732> was becoming steadily <01980> stronger <02390>, while the house <01004> of Saul <07586> was becoming increasingly <01980> weaker <01800>.
2Now sons <01121> were born <03205> to David <01732> in Hebron <02275>. His firstborn <01060> was Amnon <0550>, born to Ahinoam <0293> the Jezreelite <03159>.
3His second <04932> son was Kileab <03609>, born to Abigail <026> the widow <0802> of Nabal <05037> the Carmelite <03761>. His third <07992> son was Absalom <053>, the son <01121> of Maacah <04601> daughter <01323> of King <04428> Talmai <08526> of Geshur <01650>.
4His fourth <07243> son was Adonijah <0138>, the son <01121> of Haggith <02294>. His fifth <02549> son was Shephatiah <08203>, the son <01121> of Abitail <037>.
5His sixth <08345> son was Ithream <03507>, born to David’s <01732> wife <0802> Eglah <05698>. These <0428> sons were all born <03205> to David <01732> in Hebron <02275>.
6As the war <04421> continued <01961> between <0996> the house <01004> of Saul <07586> and <0996> the house <01004> of David <01732>, Abner <074> was <01961> becoming more influential <02388> in the house <01004> of Saul <07586>.
7Now Saul <07586> had a concubine <06370> named <08034> Rizpah <07532> daughter <01323> of Aiah <0345>. Ish-bosheth said <0559> to <0413> Abner <074>, “Why <04069> did you have sexual relations <0935> with <0413> my father’s <01> concubine <06370>?”
8These words <01697> of Ish-bosheth <0378> really <03966> angered <02734> Abner <074> and he said <0559>, “Am I the head <07218> of a dog <03611> that belongs <0834> to Judah <03063>? This very day <03117> I <0595> am demonstrating <06213> loyalty <02617> to the house <01004> of Saul <07586> your father <01> and to <0413> his relatives <0251> and his friends <04828>! I have not <03808> betrayed <04672> you into the hand <03027> of David <01732>. Yet you have accused <06485> me of sinning <05771> with this woman <0802> today <03117>!
9God <0430> will severely <03254> judge <06213> Abner <074> if <03588> I do not do <06213> for David <01732> exactly <03651> what <0834> the Lord <03068> has promised <07650> him,
10namely, to transfer <05674> the kingdom <04467> from the house <01004> of Saul <07586> and to establish <06965> the throne <03678> of David <01732> over <05921> Israel <03478> and over <05921> Judah <03063> all the way <05704> from Dan <01835> to Beer Sheba <0884>!”
11Ish-bosheth was unable <03201> <03808> to answer <07725> Abner <074> with even <05750> a single word <01697> because he was afraid <03372> of him.
12Then Abner <074> sent <07971> messengers <04397> to <0413> David <01732> saying <0559>, “To whom <04310> does the land <0776> belong <08478>? Make an agreement <01285> with <0854> me, and I will do whatever I can <03027> <02009> to cause all <03605> Israel <03478> to turn <05437> to you.”
13So David said <0559>, “Good <02896>! I <0589> will make <03772> an agreement <01285> with <0854> you. I <0595> ask <07592> only <0389> one <0259> thing <01697> from <0854> you. You will not <03808> see <07200> my face <06440> unless <0518> <03588> you bring <0935> Saul’s <07586> daughter <01323> Michal <04324> when you come <0935> to visit <06440> <07200> me.”
14David <01732> sent <07971> messengers <04397> to <0413> Ish-bosheth <0378> son <01121> of Saul <07586> with this demand <0559>: “Give <05414> me my wife <0802> Michal <04324> whom <0834> I acquired <0781> for a hundred <03967> Philistine <06430> foreskins <06190>.”
15So Ish-bosheth <0378> took <03947> <07971> her from her <05973> husband <0376> Paltiel <06409> son <01121> of Laish <03919>.
16Her husband <0376> went <01980> along <0854> behind <0310> her, weeping <01058> all the way to <05704> Bahurim <0980>. Finally Abner <074> said <0559> to <0413> him, “Go <01980> back <07725>!” So he returned <07725> home.
17Abner <074> advised <05973> <01961> <01697> the elders <02205> of Israel <03478>, “Previously <08543> <01571> you were <01961> wanting <01245> David <01732> to be your king <04428>.
18Act <06213> now <06258>! For <03588> the Lord <03068> has said <0559> to <0413> David <01732>, ‘By the hand <03027> of my servant <05650> David <01732> I will save <03467> my people <05971> Israel <03478> from the Philistines <06430> and from all <03605> their enemies <0341>.’”
19Then Abner <074> spoke <01696> privately <0241> with <01571> the Benjaminites <01144>. Abner <074> also <01571> went <01980> to Hebron <02275> to inform <01696> David <01732> privately <0241> of all <03605> that <0834> Israel <03478> and the entire <03605> house <01004> of Benjamin <01144> had agreed <05869> <02896> to.
20When Abner <074>, accompanied <0854> by twenty <06242> men <0376>, came <0935> to David <01732> in Hebron <02275>, David <01732> prepared <06213> a banquet <04960> for Abner <074> and the men <0376> who <0834> were with <0854> him.
21Abner <074> said <0559> to <0413> David <01732>, “Let me leave <06965> so that I may go <01980> and gather <06908> all <03605> Israel <03478> to <0413> my lord <0113> the king <04428> so that they may make <03772> an agreement <01285> with <0854> you. Then you will rule <04427> over all <03605> that <0834> you desire <0183>.” So David <01732> sent <07971> Abner <074> away, and he left in peace <07965>.
22Now <02009> David’s <01732> soldiers <05650> and Joab <03097> were coming <0935> back from a raid <01416>, bringing <0935> a great <07227> deal of plunder <07998> with <05973> them. Abner <074> was no longer <0369> with <05973> David <01732> in Hebron <02275>, for <03588> David had sent <07971> him away <07971> and he had left <01980> in peace <07965>.
23When Joab <03097> and all <03605> the army <06635> that <0834> was with <0854> him arrived <0935>, Joab <03097> was told <0559>: “Abner <074> the son <01121> of Ner <05369> came <0935> to <0413> the king <04428>; he sent <07971> him away, and he left <01980> in peace <07965>!”
24So Joab <03097> went <0935> to <0413> the king <04428> and said <0559>, “What <04100> have you done <06213>? Abner <074> has come <0935> to <0413> you! Why <04100> would you send <07971> him away <07971>? Now he’s gone on his way <01980> <01980>!
25You know <03045> Abner <074> the son <01121> of Ner <05369>! Surely <03588> he came <0935> here to spy on <06601> you and to determine <03045> when you leave <04161> and when you return <03996> and to discover <03045> everything <03605> that <0834> you <0859> are doing <06213>!”
26Then Joab <03097> left <03318> David <01732> and sent <07971> messengers <04397> after <0310> Abner <074>. They brought him back <07725> from the well <0953> of Sirah <05626>. (But David <01732> was not <03808> aware <03045> of it.)
27When Abner <074> returned <07725> to Hebron <02275>, Joab <03097> took <05186> him aside <05186> at <08432> <0413> the gate <08179> as if to speak <01696> privately <07987> with <0854> him. Joab then stabbed <05221> him in the abdomen <02570> and killed <04191> him, avenging the shed blood <01818> of his brother <0251> Asahel <06214>.
28When David <01732> later <0310> heard <08085> about this, he said <0559>, “I <0595> and my kingdom <04467> are forever <05769> <05703> innocent <05355> before <05973> the Lord <03068> of the shed blood <01818> of Abner <074> son <01121> of Ner <05369>!
29May his blood whirl <02342> over <05921> the head <07218> of Joab <03097> and the entire <03605> house <01004> of his father <01>! May the males of Joab’s <03097> house <01004> never <0408> cease <03772> to have someone with a running sore <02100> or a skin disease <06879> or one who works <02388> at the spindle <06418> or one who falls <05307> by the sword <02719> or one who lacks <02638> food <03899>!”
30So Joab <03097> and his brother <0251> Abishai <052> killed <02026> Abner <074>, because <05921> he had <0834> killed <04191> their brother <0251> Asahel <06214> in Gibeon <01391> during the battle <04421>.
31David <01732> instructed <0559> Joab <03097> and all <03605> the people <05971> who <0834> were with <0854> him, “Tear <07167> your clothes <0899>! Put on <02296> sackcloth <08242>! Lament <05594> before <06440> Abner <074>!” Now King <04428> David <01732> followed <01980> behind <0310> the funeral bier <04296>.
32So they buried <06912> Abner <074> in Hebron <02275>. The king <04428> cried <01058> <06963> loudly <05375> over <0413> Abner’s <074> grave <06913> and all <03605> the people <05971> wept <01058> too.
33The king <04428> chanted <06969> the following lament <06969> for <0413> Abner <074>: “Should Abner <074> have died <04191> like a fool <05036>?
34Your hands <03027> were not <03808> bound <0631>, and your feet <07272> were not <03808> put into irons <05178>. You fell <05307> the way one falls <05307> before <06440> criminals <05766> <01121>.” All <03605> the people <05971> wept <01058> over <05921> him again.
35Then all <03605> the people <05971> came <0935> and encouraged <01262> David <01732> to eat food <03899> while it was still <05750> day <03117>. But David <01732> took an oath <07650> saying <0559>, “God <0430> will punish <06213> me severely <03254> if <0518> I taste <02938> bread <03899> or <0176> anything <03972> whatsoever <03605> before <06440> the sun <08121> sets <0935>!”
36All <03605> the people <05971> noticed <05234> this and it pleased <05869> <03190> them. In fact, everything <03605> the king <04428> did <06213> pleased <02896> <05869> all <03605> the people <05971>.
37All <03605> the people <05971> and all <03605> Israel <03478> realized <03045> on that <01931> day <03117> that <03588> the killing <04191> of Abner <074> son <01121> of Ner <05369> was not <03808> done <01961> at the king’s <04428> instigation.
38Then the king <04428> said <0559> to <0413> his servants <05650>, “Do you not <03808> realize <03045> that <03588> a great <01419> leader <08269> has fallen <05307> this <02088> day <03117> in Israel <03478>?
39Today <03117> I <0595> am weak <07390>, even though I am anointed <04886> as king <04428>. These <0428> men <0376>, the sons <01121> of Zeruiah <06870>, are too much <07186> for me to bear <07186>! May the Lord <03068> punish <07999> appropriately the one who has done <06213> this evil <07451> thing!”