2 Samuel 3





[10] To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the

throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.

[11] And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

[12] And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the

land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be

with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

[13] And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I

require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first

bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

[14] And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me

my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the

Philistines.

[15] And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel

the son of Laish.

[16] And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then

said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

[17] And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye

sought for David in times past to be king over you:

[18] Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand

of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the

Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

[19] And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to

speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and

that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

[20] So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David

made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

[21] And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all

Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and

that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent

Abner away; and he went in peace.



Joab Murders Abner



22 Now the servants of David and Joab came from a raid

and brought much plunder with them,

but Abner was no longer with David at Hebron,

because he had sent him away in peace.

23 When Joab and the whole of the army that was with him arrived,

they reported to Joab, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king

and he sent him away peaceably."

24 So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done?

Abner came to you. Why is it that you sent him away? Now he is long gone.

25 (Dt 28:6; Isa 37:28) You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive

you, to learn of your coming and going, to discern all that you are doing."

26 When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought

him back from the well of Sirah. However, David was not aware of this.

27 (2Sa 20:9-10; 1Ki 2:5) So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab pulled

him aside in the gateway so as to speak with him undisturbed.

There he struck him in the midsection so that he died on account

of the blood of Asahel, his brother.

28 Afterward when David heard of this, he said,

"My kingdom and I are forever blameless before the Lord

for the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

29 (2Sa 1:16) May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon

all his father's house. May the house of Joab never be

without one who has a discharge, or who is a leper,

or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks food."

30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he killed

Asahel their brother at Gibeon in the battle.

31 (Ge 37:34; Jos 7:6) David said to Joab and all of the people with him,

"Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner."

As for King David, he followed behind the bier.

32 (Pr 24:17; Job 31:28) When they buried Abner at Hebron,

the king raised his voice and wept at the grave of Abner,

and all of the people wept.

33 (2Sa 1:17; 13:12-13) Then, the king lamented for Abner, saying,

"Should Abner have died as a fool dies?

34 Your hands were not bound,

and your feet were not put in fetters;

as a man falls before the wicked, so you have fallen."

And all of the people continued to weep over him.

35 (2Sa 1:12; 12:17) Then all of the people came to persuade David

to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath, saying,

"May God do to me, and more also, if I taste food or anything else

before the sun sets."

36 All of the people recognized this, and it pleased them,

as everything that the king did was pleasing to all of the people.

37 That very day, all of the people, all of Israel, understood that

it was not ordered from the king to have Abner the son of Ner killed.

38 David said to his servant, "Do you not understand that a great leader

has fallen this day in Israel?

39 (1Ki 2:33-34; 2:5-6) Today, I am weak, even if an anointed king,

and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong for me.

May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness."



[22] And, Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop,

and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in

Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

[23] When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab,

saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away,

and he is gone in peace.

[24] Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold,

Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is

quite gone?

[25] Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to

know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

[26] And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner,

which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

[27] And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate

to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he

died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

[28] And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are

guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

[29] Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let

there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a

leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that

lacketh bread.

[30] So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their

brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

[31] And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend

your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king

David himself followed the bier.

[32] And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and

wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

[33] And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

[34] Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man

falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again

over him.

[35] And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was

yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste

bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

[36] And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as

whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

[37] For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not

of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

[38] And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince

and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

[39] And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of

Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according

to his wickedness.



2 SAMUEL 4



Ish-Bosheth Murdered



1 (Ezr 4:4; Isa 13:7) When the son of Saul heard that Abner

had died in Hebron, his courage failed, and all of Israel was disheartened.

2 (Jos 18:25; 9:17) Now the son of Saul had two men who were leaders of

raiding bands. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rekab,

both sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, from among the sons of Benjamin.

Now Beeroth is also regarded as part of Benjamin,

3 (Ne 11:33; 1Sa 31:7) because the Beerothites fled to Gittaim

and have been sojourners there until this day.

4 (2Sa 9:3; 1Ch 8:34) Now Jonathan the son of Saul had

a son with crippled feet.

He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel.

His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to escape, he fell

and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

5 The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rekab and Baanah,

went out and came to the house of Ish-Bosheth in the heat of the day,

as he was resting in his bed at midday.

6 (2 Sa 2:23) They entered the house as if to get wheat and stabbed

him in the abdomen. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah fled to safety.

7 When they entered the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom;

they struck him, killed him, and beheaded him. Then they took his head

and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.

8 (1Sa 25:29; 23:15) They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David in Hebron

and said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish'Bosheth the son of Saul,

your enemy who sought your life. This day, the Lord has given

retribution against Saul and his descendent to my lord the king."

9 (1Ki 1:29; Ge 48:16) David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah,

the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As the Lord, who has delivered

my life from every distress, lives,

10 (2Sa 1:2-16) when one reported to me that Saul was dead,

although he was a bearer of good news in his own eyes,

I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was my reward for his message.

11 (Ps 9:12; Ge 9:5-6) How much more so, when guilty men have slain

an innocent man in his own house on his own bed,

should I not now require his blood from your hand

and wipe you from the earth?"

12 (2Sa 1:15; 3:32) David then gave orders to the young men.

They killed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hung

them at the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of

Ish-Bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner at Hebron.



2 Samuel 4

[1] And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were

feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

[2] And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the

one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a

Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to

Benjamin:

[3] And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until

this day.)

[4] And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was

five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel,

and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste

to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

[5] And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came

about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at

noon.

[6] And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would

have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and

Baanah his brother escaped.

[7] For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber,

and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and

gat them away through the plain all night.

[8] And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said

to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy,

which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day

of Saul, and of his seed.

[9] And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the

Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my

soul out of all adversity,

[10] When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have

brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who

thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

[11] How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own

house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your

hand, and take you away from the earth?

[12] And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off

their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But

they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner

in Hebron.