| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. | 1However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker. |
| 2Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; | 2Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. |
| 3his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; | 3His second son was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. |
| 4the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; | 4His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abitail. |
| 5and the sixth, Ithream the son of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron. | 5His sixth son was Ithream, born to David's wife Eglah. These sons were all born to David in Hebron. |
| 6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. | 6As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential in the house of Saul. |
| 7Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?" | 7Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you have sexual relations with my father's concubine?" |
| 8Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, "Am I a dog's head--on Judah's side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! | 8These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, "Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today! |
| 9May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oath | 9God will severely judge Abner if I do not do for David exactly what the LORD has promised him, |
| 10and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba." | 10namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!" |
| 11Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him. | 11Ish-bosheth was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him. |
| 12Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, "Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you." | 12Then Abner sent messengers to David saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement with me, and I will do whatever I can to cause all Israel to turn to you." |
| 13"Good," said David. "I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me." | 13So David said, "Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come to visit me." |
| 14Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins." | 14David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand: "Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired for a hundred Philistine foreskins." |
| 15So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. | 15So Ish-bosheth took her from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. |
| 16Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back. | 16Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, "Go back!" So he returned home. |
| 17Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, "For some time you have wanted to make David your king. | 17Abner advised the elders of Israel, "Previously you were wanting David to be your king. |
| 18Now do it! For the LORD promised David, 'By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'" | 18Act now! For the LORD has said to David, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their enemies.'" |
| 19Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do. | 19Then Abner spoke privately with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to. |
| 20When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. | 20When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a banquet for Abner and the men who were with him. |
| 21Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. | 21Abner said to David, "Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire." So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace. |
| 22Just then David's men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. | 22Now David's soldiers and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away and he had left in peace. |
| 23When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace. | 23When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: "Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!" |
| 24So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! | 24So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Abner has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he's gone on his way! |
| 25You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing." | 25You know Abner the son of Ner! Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return and to discover everything that you are doing!" |
| 26Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. | 26Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.) |
| 27Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died. | 27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel. |
| 28Later, when David heard about this, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. | 28When David later heard about this, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner! |
| 29May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab's family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food." | 29May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab's house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!" |
| 30(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.) | 30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle. |
| 31Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner." King David himself walked behind the bier. | 31David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!" Now King David followed behind the funeral bier. |
| 32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept also. | 32So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly over Abner's grave and all the people wept too. |
| 33The king sang this lament for Abner: "Should Abner have died as the lawless die? | 33The king chanted the following lament for Abner: "Should Abner have died like a fool? |
| 34Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before the wicked." And all the people wept over him again. | 34Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put into irons. You fell the way one falls before criminals." All the people wept over him again. |
| 35Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!" | 35Then all the people came and encouraged David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath saying, "God will punish me severely if I taste bread or anything whatsoever before the sun sets!" |
| 36All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. | 36All the people noticed this and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people. |
| 37So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner. | 37All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king's instigation. |
| 38Then the king said to his men, "Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? | 38Then the king said to his servants, "Do you not realize that a great leader has fallen this day in Israel? |
| 39And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!" | 39Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear! May the LORD punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!" |
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