^aThere was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David grew steadily stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker to the point of being powerless.

2 ^aSons were born to David in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by ^bAhinoam of Jezreel; 3 his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of his wife ^aMaacah, daughter of Talmai the king of ^bGeshur; 4 the fourth, ^aAdonijah the son of his wife Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of his wife Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.

6 Now while war continued between the houses of Saul and David, ^aAbner was proving himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a ¹concubine whose name was ^aRizpah the daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner,² “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, “^aAm I a dog’s head a despicable traitor that belongs to Judah? ¹Today I show loyalty and kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and his friends, by not having you handed over to David; and yet you charge me today with guilt concerning this woman. 9 ^aMay God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David ^bjust as the LORD has sworn to him, 10 ^ato transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah from ^bDan in the north to Beersheba in the south.” 11 And Ish-bosheth could not say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

12 Then Abner sent messengers to David who was in his place at Hebron, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant (treaty) with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” 13 David said, “Good! I will make a covenant (treaty) with you, but I require one thing of you: ^ayou shall not see my face unless you ^bfirst bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see ¹me.” 14 So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “¹Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was ²betrothed ^afor the price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish to whom Saul had given her. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping continually behind her as far as ^aBahurim. Then Abner told him, “Go, return.” And he did so.

17 Abner talked with ^athe elders (tribal leaders) of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 Now then, do it and make him king! For the LORD has spoken of David, saying, ‘^aBy the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’” 1+@Sam 9:16 19 Abner also spoke ¹to the men of Benjamin. Then he also went to ²tell David at Hebron everything that seemed good ³to Israel and to ^athe entire house of Benjamin.

20 So Abner came to David at Hebron, and brought twenty men along with him. And David prepared a feast for Abner and the men with him. 21 Abner said to David, “Let me stand up and go, and ^agather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant (treaty) with you, and that ^byou may reign over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22 Then ^athe servants of David came with Joab from a raid and brought a great quantity of spoil with them; but Abner was not with David at Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why did you send him away, so that he is already gone? 25 You know Abner the son of Ner, that he only came to deceive you with flattering words and to learn of ^ayour going out and coming in, and to find out what you are doing.”

26 When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David knew nothing about Joab’s action. 27 So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate to speak to him privately, and there ^ahe struck Abner in the abdomen so that he died, ¹to avenge the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 ^aLet ¹the guilt fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house (family) ; and may there never disappear from the house of Joab ^bone who suffers with a discharge or one who is a leper or one who walks with a crutch being unfit for war, or one who falls by the sword, or one who lacks food.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother murdered Abner ^abecause he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people with him, “^aTear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king raised his voice and wept at ^athe grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And ^athe king sang a dirge (funeral song) over Abner and said,“Should Abner the great warrior die as a fool dies?

35 All the people came ^ato urge David to eat food while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “^bMay God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ^cbefore the sun sets.” 36 And all the people took notice of it and it ¹pleased them, just as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Today I am ^aweak, though anointed king; these men, the ^bsons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. ^cMay the LORD repay the evildoer Joab in accordance with his wickedness!”