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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>2 Samuel 3 New American Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_samuel/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/2_samuel/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NABRE</a> > 2 Samuel 3</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_samuel/2.htm" title="2 Samuel 2">◄</a> 2 Samuel 3 <a href="../2_samuel/4.htm" title="2 Samuel 4">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch10003" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn10003" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span id="v10003001" class="ver">1</span>There followed a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, in which David grew ever stronger, but the house of Saul ever weaker.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Sons Born in Hebron.</span> <span id="v10003002" class="ver">2</span><a id="ren10003002-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003002-a">a</a> Sons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam from Jezreel; <span id="v10003003" class="ver">3</span>the second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;<a id="ren10003003-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003003-b">b</a> <span id="v10003004" class="ver">4</span>the fourth, Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, son of Abital;<a id="ren10003004-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003004-c">c</a> <span id="v10003005" class="ver">5</span>and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Ishbaal and Abner Quarrel.</span> <span id="v10003006" class="ver">6</span>During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul. <span id="v10003007" class="ver">7</span>Now Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal, son of Saul, said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father’s concubine?”<a id="rfn10003007-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn10003007-1">*</a> <a id="ren10003007-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003007-d">d</a> <span id="v10003008" class="ver">8</span>Enraged at the words of Ishbaal, Abner said, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? As of today, I have been loyal to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and his friends, and I have kept you out of David’s clutches; and today you charge me with a crime involving a woman! <span id="v10003009" class="ver">9</span>May God do thus to Abner, and more, if I do not carry out for David what the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> swore to him—<a id="ren10003009-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003009-e">e</a> <span id="v10003010" class="ver">10</span>that is, take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.”<a id="ren10003010-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003010-f">f</a> <span id="v10003011" class="ver">11</span>Ishbaal was no longer able to say a word to Abner, he feared him so.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Abner and David Reconciled.</span> <span id="v10003012" class="ver">12</span>Then Abner sent messengers to David in Telam, where he was at the moment, to say, “Make a covenant with me, and you have me on your side, to bring all Israel over to you.” <span id="v10003013" class="ver">13</span>He replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you. You must not appear before me unless you bring back Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to present yourself to me.”<a id="ren10003013-g" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003013-g">g</a> <span id="v10003014" class="ver">14</span>At the same time David sent messengers to Ishbaal, son of Saul, to say, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed by paying a hundred Philistine foreskins.” <span id="v10003015" class="ver">15</span>Ishbaal sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish,<a id="ren10003015-h" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003015-h">h</a> <span id="v10003016" class="ver">16</span>who followed her weeping as far as Bahurim. But Abner said to him, “Go back!” So he turned back.</p> <p><span id="v10003017" class="ver">17</span>Abner then had a word with the elders of Israel: “For some time you have been wanting David as your king. <span id="v10003018" class="ver">18</span>Now take action, for the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has said of David: By David my servant I will save my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and from the power of all their enemies.” <span id="v10003019" class="ver">19</span>Abner also spoke with Benjamin, and then went to speak with David in Hebron concerning all that would be agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. <span id="v10003020" class="ver">20</span>When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him. <span id="v10003021" class="ver">21</span>Then Abner said to David, “I will now go to assemble all Israel for my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you; you will then be king over all whom you wish to rule.” So David let Abner go on his way in peace.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Death of Abner.</span> <span id="v10003022" class="ver">22</span>Just then David’s servants and Joab were coming in from an expedition, bringing much plunder with them. Abner, having been dismissed by David, was no longer with him in Hebron but had gone on his way in peace. <span id="v10003023" class="ver">23</span>When Joab and the whole force he had with him arrived, he was informed, “Abner, son of Ner, came to David, and he let him go on his way in peace.” <span id="v10003024" class="ver">24</span>So Joab went to the king and said: “What have you done? Abner came to you! Why did you let him get away? <span id="v10003025" class="ver">25</span>Don’t you know Abner? He came to trick you, to learn your comings and goings, to learn everything you do.” <span id="v10003026" class="ver">26</span>Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner to bring him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know. <span id="v10003027" class="ver">27</span>When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the city gate to speak with him privately. There he stabbed him in the abdomen, and he died for the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.<a id="ren10003027-i" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003027-i">i</a> <span id="v10003028" class="ver">28</span>Later David heard of it and said: “Before the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, I and my kingdom are forever innocent.<a id="ren10003028-j" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003028-j">j</a> <span id="v10003029" class="ver">29</span>May the blood of Abner, son of Ner, be on the head of Joab and all his family. May Joab’s family never be without one suffering from a discharge, or one with a skin disease, or a man who holds the distaff, or one falling by the sword, or one in need of food!”<a id="rfn10003029-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn10003029-1">*</a> <span id="v10003030" class="ver">30</span>Joab and Abishai his brother had been lying in wait for Abner because he killed Asahel their brother in battle at Gibeon.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">David Mourns Abner.</span> <span id="v10003031" class="ver">31</span>Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” King David himself followed the bier.<a id="ren10003031-k" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003031-k">k</a> <span id="v10003032" class="ver">32</span>When they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. <span id="v10003033" class="ver">33</span>And the king sang this lament over Abner:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="sl1f">Should Abner have died like a fool?</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v10003034" class="ver">34</span>Your hands were not bound with chains,</p> <p class="sl1">nor your feet placed in fetters;</p> <p class="sll">As one falls before the wicked, you fell.</p> </div> <p class="pcon">And all the people continued to weep for him. <span id="v10003035" class="ver">35</span>Then they went to console David with food while it was still day. But David swore, “May God do thus to me, and more, if before the sun goes down I eat bread or anything else.”<a id="ren10003035-l" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003035-l">l</a> <span id="v10003036" class="ver">36</span>All the people noted this with approval, just as everything the king did met with their approval. <span id="v10003037" class="ver">37</span>So on that day all the people and all Israel came to know that it was not the king’s doing that Abner, son of Ner, was put to death. <span id="v10003038" class="ver">38</span>The king then said to his servants: “Do you not know that a prince, a great man, has fallen today in Israel. <span id="v10003039" class="ver">39</span>Although I am the anointed king, I am weak this day, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too ruthless for me. May the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> repay the evildoer in accordance with his evil deed.”<a id="ren10003039-m" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en10003039-m">m</a></p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. 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