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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" /><title>2 Samuel 3 ESV</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="../topmenuchap/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">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ESV</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">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/2_samuel/3.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Abner Joins David</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> has sworn to him, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or where he was; Septuagint at Hebron">a</a></sup></span> saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Now then bring it about, for the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>And Abner said to David, “I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Then Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”</p> <p class="heading">Joab Murders Abner</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.</p> <p class="heading">David Mourns Abner</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>And the king lamented for Abner, saying,</p><span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="ln-group">“Should Abner die as a fool dies?</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Your hands were not bound;</span><br /><span class="indent">your feet were not fettered;</span><br /><span class="ln-group">as one falls before the wicked</span><br /><span class="indent">you have fallen.”</span></p><p class="same-paragraph">And all the people wept again over him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, “God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/3-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>And I was gentle today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">12</span> Or <i>where he was</i>; Septuagint <i>at Hebron</i><br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a href="http://www.crossway.org/home/esv/">Crossway Bibles</a>, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. 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