II Samuel 3 · The Lantern

The House of David Strengthened

And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long; and David kept growing stronger, and the house of Saul kept growing weaker.

And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite;

and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom, the son of Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;

and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

and the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins David

And it was, while the war was between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening himself in the house of Saul.

Now Saul had a concubine, and her name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And he said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”

And Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said: “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I do loyal love with the house of Saul your father, with his brothers and with his friends, and I have not handed you over into the hand of David — and you charge me today with iniquity concerning the woman.

Thus may God do to Abner, and thus may he add to him — surely as the LORD swore to David, so I will do for him:

to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

And Abner sent messengers to David where he was, saying, “Whose is the land?” — saying, “Cut your covenant with me, and look, my hand is with you, to turn all Israel to you.”

And he said: “Good. I will cut a covenant with you. Only one thing I ask of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”

And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.

And her husband went with her, walking and weeping behind her as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, “Go, turn back.” And he turned back.

And the word of Abner came to the elders of Israel, saying: “Both yesterday and the day before, you were seeking David as king over you.

Now then, act — for the LORD has spoken of David, saying, ‘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.’”

And Abner spoke also in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David at Hebron all that was good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of the whole house of Benjamin.

And Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men with him; and David made a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him.

And Abner said to David, “Let me rise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may cut a covenant with you, and you may reign over all that your soul desires.” And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

And look — the servants of David, and Joab, came from a raid, and they brought much spoil with them. And Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

And Joab and all the army that was with him came; and they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”

And Joab came to the king and said: “What have you done? Look — Abner came to you. Why is it you sent him away, and he is gone, clean away?

You know Abner the son of Ner: he came to deceive you, and to learn your going out and your coming in, and to learn all that you are doing.”

And Joab went out from David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah — and David did not know.

And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab turned him aside into the middle of the gate, to speak with him quietly; and there he struck him in the belly, and he died — for the blood of Asahel his brother.

And David heard of it afterward, and he said: “I and my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

May it whirl down on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may there never be cut off from the house of Joab one with a discharge, or one with tzaraath, or one who grips the spindle, or one who falls by the sword, or one who lacks bread.”

So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had put to death Asahel their brother at Gibeon, in the battle.

David Mourns for Abner

And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments and gird on sackcloth, and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier.

And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the tomb of Abner, and all the people wept.

And the king lamented over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies?

Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put in bronze shackles. As one falls before sons of injustice, you fell.” And all the people wept over him again.

And all the people came to give David bread to eat while it was still day; and David swore, saying, “Thus may God do to me, and thus may he add, if I taste bread or anything at all before the sun goes down.”

And all the people took note, and it was good in their eyes — as everything the king did was good in the eyes of all the people.

And all the people, and all Israel, knew on that day that it had not been from the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death.

And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a commander, a great man, has fallen this day in Israel?