10_2SA_03_01 now there was long war between the house of Saul And the house of David: but David waxed stronger And stronger, And the house of Saul waxed weaker And weaker.
10_2SA_03_02 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: And his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
10_2SA_03_03 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; And the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
10_2SA_03_04 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; And the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
10_2SA_03_05 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
10_2SA_03_06 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul And the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
10_2SA_03_07 And Saul had A concubine, whose name [ was] Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: And [ Ishbosheth] said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?
10_2SA_03_08 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, And said, [ am] I A dog's head, which against Judah do show kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy Father, to his brethren, And to his friends, And have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with A fault concerning this woman?
10_2SA_03_09 So do God to Abner, And more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even So I do to him;
10_2SA_03_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 Beersheba.
10_2SA_03_11 And he could not answer Abner A word again, because he feared him.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, deliver [ me] my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
10_2SA_03_15 And Ishbosheth sent, And took her from [ her] husband, [ even] from Phaltiel the son of Laish.
10_2SA_03_16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, go, Return. And he returned.
10_2SA_03_17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, ye sought for David in times past [ to be] king over you:
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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?
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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:
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_30 So Joab And Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_33 And the king lamented over Abner, And said, died Abner as A fool dieth?
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_36 And all the people took notice [ of it], And it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
10_2SA_03_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.
10_2SA_03_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?
10_2SA_03_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.