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2 Samuel 3:1-39 — Abner Joins David; Abner's Death

2Sam.3.1-39

¹The war between Saul's dynasty and David's dynasty dragged on, and David kept growing stronger, while Saul's dynasty kept growing weaker. ²Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; ³his second was Chileab, by Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; ⁴his fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith, and his fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital; ⁵and his sixth was Ithream, by Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. ⁶While the war continued between Saul's dynasty and David's dynasty, Abner was strengthening his position in Saul's house. ⁷Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father's concubine ?” ⁸Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth's words and said, “Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? To this day I have shown loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not handed you over to David. Yet today you call me to account for this woman!” ⁹May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David just as the LORD has sworn to him: ¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from Saul's dynasty and to establish David's throne over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba." ¹¹And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he feared him. ¹²Then Abner sent messengers to David on his own behalf, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and see, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” ¹³He said, “Good. I will make a covenant with you. But I require one thing of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.” ¹⁴Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” ¹⁵So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel son of Laish. ¹⁶Her husband went with her, walking and weeping behind her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned. ¹⁷And Abner had spoken with the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time you have been seeking David as king over you. ¹⁸Now then, do it, for the LORD has spoken concerning David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'" ¹⁹Abner also spoke to Benjamin. Then Abner went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. ²⁰So Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men were with him. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. ²¹Then Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. ²²Just then David's servants and Joab came back from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³When Joab and all the army with him arrived, they told Joab, saying, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he went 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 is gone?” ²⁵“You know Abner son of Ner. He came to deceive you and to learn your movements and to find out everything you are doing.” ²⁶When Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, and he died, for the blood of Asahel, Joab's brother. ²⁸Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD for the blood of Abner son of Ner. ²⁹May it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house. And may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge, or a leper, or one who leans on a crutch , or one who falls by the sword, or one who lacks bread." ³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death at Gibeon in the battle. ³¹Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. ³²And they buried Abner in Hebron. The king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner's grave, and all the people wept. ³³And the king lamented over Abner and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies? ³⁴Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put into bronze fetters. As one falls before men of wrongdoing, so you fell." And all the people wept over him again. ³⁵Then all the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was still day, but David swore, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything at all before the sun goes down.” ³⁶And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; indeed, everything the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not come from the king to put Abner son of Ner to death. ³⁸Then the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? ³⁹And I am weak today, though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil."

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4/11/2026

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