II Samuel 3 (kjv)

Now there was long^H752 war^H4421 between the house^H1004 of Saul^H7586 and the house^H1004 of David^H1732: but David^H1732 waxed^H1980 stronger^H2390 and stronger^H2390, and the house^H1004 of Saul^H7586 waxed^H1980 weaker^H1800 and weaker^H1800.

²And unto David^H1732 were sons^H1121 born^{H3205 H3205} in Hebron^H2275: and his firstborn^H1060 was Amnon^H550, of Ahinoam^H293 the Jezreelitess^H3159;³And his second^H4932, Chileab^H3609, of Abigail^H26 the wife^H802 of Nabal^H5037 the Carmelite^H3761; and the third^H7992, Absalom^H53 the son^H1121 of Maacah^H4601 the daughter^H1323 of Talmai^H8526 king^H4428 of Geshur^H1650;⁴And the fourth^H7243, Adonijah^H138 the son^H1121 of Haggith^H2294; and the fifth^H2549, Shephatiah^H8203 the son^H1121 of Abital^H37;⁵And the sixth^H8345, Ithream^H3507, by Eglah^H5698 David's^H1732 wife^H802. These were born^H3205 to David^H1732 in Hebron^H2275.

⁶And it came to pass, while there was war^H4421 between the house^H1004 of Saul^H7586 and the house^H1004 of David^H1732, that Abner^H74 made himself strong^H2388 for the house^H1004 of Saul^H7586.

⁷And Saul^H7586 had a concubine^H6370, whose name^H8034 was Rizpah^H7532, the daughter^H1323 of Aiah^H345: and Ishbosheth said^H559 to Abner^H74, Wherefore hast thou gone in^H935 unto my father's^H1 concubine^H6370?⁸Then was Abner^H74 very^H3966 wroth^H2734 for the words^H1697 of Ishbosheth^H378, and said^H559, Am I a dog's^H3611 head^H7218, which against Judah^H3063 do shew^H6213 kindness^H2617 this day^H3117 unto the house^H1004 of Saul^H7586 thy father^H1, to his brethren^H251, and to his friends^H4828, and have not delivered^H4672 thee into the hand^H3027 of David^H1732, that thou chargest^H6485 me to day^H3117 with a fault^H5771 concerning this woman^H802?⁹So do^H6213 God^H430 to Abner^H74, and more also^H3254, except, as the LORD^H3068 hath sworn^H7650 to David^H1732, even so I do^H6213 to him;¹⁰To translate^H5674 the kingdom^H4467 from the house^H1004 of Saul^H7586, and to set up^H6965 the throne^H3678 of David^H1732 over Israel^H3478 and over Judah^H3063, from Dan^H1835 even to Beersheba^H884.¹¹And he could^H3201 not answer^H7725 Abner^H74 a word^H1697 again, because he feared^H3372 him.¹²And Abner^H74 sent^H7971 messengers^H4397 to David^H1732 on his behalf, saying^H559, Whose is the land^H776? saying^H559 also, Make^H3772 thy league^H1285 with me, and, behold, my hand^H3027 shall be with thee, to bring about^H5437 all Israel^H3478 unto thee.

¹³And he said^H559, Well^H2896; I will make^H3772 a league^H1285 with thee: but one^H259 thing^H1697 I require^H7592 of thee, that is^H559, Thou shalt not see^H7200 my face^H6440, except thou first^H6440 bring^H935 Michal^H4324 Saul's^H7586 daughter^H1323, when thou comest^H935 to see^H7200 my face^H6440.¹⁴And David^H1732 sent^H7971 messengers^H4397 to Ishbosheth^H378 Saul's^H7586 son^H1121, saying^H559, Deliver^H5414 me my wife^H802 Michal^H4324, which I espoused^H781 to me for an hundred^H3967 foreskins^H6190 of the Philistines^H6430.¹⁵And Ishbosheth^H378 sent^H7971, and took^H3947 her from her husband^H376, even from Phaltiel^H6409 the son^H1121 of Laish^{H3889 H3919}.¹⁶And her husband^H376 went^H3212 with her along weeping^{H1980 H1058} behind^H310 her to Bahurim^H980. Then said^H559 Abner^H74 unto him, Go^H3212, return^H7725. And he returned^H7725.

¹⁷And Abner^H74 had communication^{H1961 H1697} with the elders^H2205 of Israel^H3478, saying^H559, Ye sought^H1245 for David^H1732 in times^H8543 past^H8032 to be king^H4428 over you:¹⁸Now then do^H6213 it: for the LORD^H3068 hath spoken^H559 of David^H1732, saying^H559, By the hand^H3027 of my servant^H5650 David^H1732 I will save^H3467 my people^H5971 Israel^H3478 out of the hand^H3027 of the Philistines^H6430, and out of the hand^H3027 of all their enemies^H341.¹⁹And Abner^H74 also spake^H1696 in the ears^H241 of Benjamin^H1144: and Abner^H74 went^H3212 also to speak^H1696 in the ears^H241 of David^H1732 in Hebron^H2275 all that seemed^H5869 good^H2896 to Israel^H3478, and that seemed good^H5869 to the whole house^H1004 of Benjamin^H1144.²⁰So Abner^H74 came^H935 to David^H1732 to Hebron^H2275, and twenty^H6242 men^H582 with him. And David^H1732 made^H6213 Abner^H74 and the men^H582 that were with him a feast^H4960.²¹And Abner^H74 said^H559 unto David^H1732, I will arise^H6965 and go^H3212, and will gather^H6908 all Israel^H3478 unto my lord^H113 the king^H4428, that they may make^H3772 a league^H1285 with thee, and that thou mayest reign^H4427 over all that thine heart^H5315 desireth^H183. And David^H1732 sent^H7971 Abner^H74 away^H7971; and he went^H3212 in peace^H7965.

²²And, behold, the servants^H5650 of David^H1732 and Joab^H3097 came^H935 from pursuing a troop^H1416, and brought in^H935 a great^H7227 spoil^H7998 with them: but Abner^H74 was not with David^H1732 in Hebron^H2275; for he had sent him away^H7971, and he was gone^H3212 in peace^H7965.²³When Joab^H3097 and all the host^H6635 that was with him were come^H935, they told^H5046 Joab^H3097, saying^H559, Abner^H74 the son^H1121 of Ner^H5369 came^H935 to the king^H4428, and he hath sent him away^H7971, and he is gone^H3212 in peace^H7965.²⁴Then Joab^H3097 came^H935 to the king^H4428, and said^H559, What hast thou done^H6213? behold, Abner^H74 came^H935 unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away^H7971, and he is quite^H1980 gone^H3212?²⁵Thou knowest^H3045 Abner^H74 the son^H1121 of Ner^H5369, that he came^H935 to deceive^H6601 thee, and to know^H3045 thy going out^H4161 and thy coming in^{H4126 H3996}, and to know^H3045 all that thou doest^H6213.²⁶And when Joab^H3097 was come out^H3318 from David^H1732, he sent^H7971 messengers^H4397 after^H310 Abner^H74, which brought him again^H7725 from the well^H953 of Sirah^H5626: but David^H1732 knew^H3045 it not.²⁷And when Abner^H74 was returned^H7725 to Hebron^H2275, Joab^H3097 took him aside^H5186 in^{H413 H8432} the gate^H8179 to speak^H1696 with him quietly^H7987, and smote^H5221 him there under the fifth^H2570 rib, that he died^H4191, for the blood^H1818 of Asahel^H6214 his brother^H251.

²⁸And afterward^H310 when David^H1732 heard^H8085 it, he said^H559, I and my kingdom^H4467 are guiltless^H5355 before the LORD^H3068 for^H5704 ever^H5769 from the blood^H1818 of Abner^H74 the son^H1121 of Ner^H5369:²⁹Let it rest^H2342 on the head^H7218 of Joab^H3097, and on all his father's^H1 house^H1004; and let there not fail^H3772 from the house^H1004 of Joab^H3097 one that hath an issue^H2100, or that is a leper^H6879, or that leaneth^H2388 on a staff^H6418, or that falleth^H5307 on the sword^H2719, or that lacketh^H2638 bread^H3899.³⁰So Joab^H3097 and Abishai^H52 his brother^H251 slew^H2026 Abner^H74, because he had slain^H4191 their brother^H251 Asahel^H6214 at Gibeon^H1391 in the battle^H4421.

³¹And David^H1732 said^H559 to Joab^H3097, and to all the people^H5971 that were with him, Rend^H7167 your clothes^H899, and gird^H2296 you with sackcloth^H8242, and mourn^H5594 before^H6440 Abner^H74. And king^H4428 David^H1732 himself followed^{H1980 H310} the bier^H4296.³²And they buried^H6912 Abner^H74 in Hebron^H2275: and the king^H4428 lifted up^H5375 his voice^H6963, and wept^H1058 at the grave^H6913 of Abner^H74; and all the people^H5971 wept^H1058.³³And the king^H4428 lamented^H6969 over Abner^H74, and said^H559, Died^H4191 Abner^H74 as a fool^H5036 dieth^H4194?³⁴Thy hands^H3027 were not bound^H631, nor thy feet^H7272 put^H5066 into fetters^H5178: as a man falleth^H5307 before^H6440 wicked^H5766 men^H1121, so fellest^H5307 thou. And all the people^H5971 wept^H1058 again^H3254 over him.³⁵And when all^H3605 the people^H5971 came^H935 to cause^H1262 David^H1732 to eat^H1262 meat^H3899 while it was yet^H5750 day^H3117, David^H1732 sware^H7650, saying^H559, So do^H6213 God^H430 to me, and more also^H3254, if I taste^H2938 bread^H3899, or ought^H3972 else, till^H6440 the sun^H8121 be down^H935.³⁶And all the people^H5971 took notice^H5234 of it, and it pleased^{H3190 H5869} them: as whatsoever the king^H4428 did^H6213 pleased^{H5869 H2896} all the people^H5971.³⁷For all the people^H5971 and all Israel^H3478 understood^H3045 that day^H3117 that it was not of the king^H4428 to slay^H4191 Abner^H74 the son^H1121 of Ner^H5369.³⁸And the king^H4428 said^H559 unto his servants^H5650, Know^H3045 ye not that there is a prince^H8269 and a great man^H1419 fallen^H5307 this day^H3117 in Israel^H3478?³⁹And I am this day^H3117 weak^H7390, though anointed^H4886 king^H4428; and these men^H582 the sons^H1121 of Zeruiah^H6870 be too hard^H7186 for me: the LORD^H3068 shall reward^H7999 the doer of evil^H6213 according to his wickedness^H7451.