1This battle was the beginning of a long war between the followers of Saul and the followers of David. Saul's power grew weaker, but David's grew stronger.

David's sons born in Hebron

(1 Chronicles 3.1-4)

2-5Several of David's sons were born while he was living in Hebron. His eldest son was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. David's second son was Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, who had been married to Nabal from Carmel. Absalom was the third. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital. The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, another one of David's wives.

Abner decides to help David

6As the war went on between the families of David and Saul, Abner was gaining more power than ever in Saul's family. 7He had even slept with a wife3.7 wife: This translates a Hebrew word for a woman who was legally bound to a man, but without the full privileges of a wife. of Saul by the name of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. But Saul's son Ishbosheth3.7 Ishbosheth: See the note at 2.8. told Abner, “You shouldn't have slept with one of my father's wives!”

8Abner was very angry at what Ishbosheth had said, and he told Ishbosheth:

Am I some kind of worthless dog from Judah? I've always been loyal to your father's family and to his relatives and friends. I haven't turned you over to David. And yet you talk to me as if I've committed a crime with this woman.

9I ask God to punish me if I don't help David get what the LORD promised him! 10God said that he wouldn't let anyone in Saul's family ever be king again and that David would be king instead. He also said that David would rule both Israel and Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.3.10 from…south: Hebrew “from Dan to Beersheba”. This was one-way of describing all of the Israelite land, from north to south.3.10: 1 S 15.28.

11Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not even answer.

12Abner sent some of his men to David with this message: “You should be the ruler of the whole nation.3.12 You…nation: Or “I like you.” If you make an agreement with me, I will persuade everyone in Israel to make you their king.”

13David sent this message back: “Good! I'll make an agreement with you. But before I will even talk with you about it, you must get Saul's daughter Michal back for me.”

14David sent a few of his officials to Ishbosheth to give him this message: “Give me back my wife Michal! I killed a hundred Philistines so I could marry her.”3.14 I killed…marry her: See 1 Samuel 18.20-27.3.14: 1 S 18.27.

15Ishbosheth sent some of his men to take Michal away from her new husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. 16Paltiel followed Michal and the men all the way to Bahurim, crying as he walked. But he went back home after Abner ordered him to leave.

17Abner talked with the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “You've wanted to make David your king for a long time now. 18So do it! After all, God said he would use his servant David to rescue his people Israel from their enemies, especially from the Philistines.”

19Finally, Abner talked with the tribe of Benjamin. Then he left for Hebron to tell David everything that the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of the people of Israel wanted to do. 20Abner took twenty soldiers with him, and when they got to Hebron, David gave a big feast for them.

21After the feast, Abner said, “Your Majesty, let me leave now and bring Israel here to make an agreement with you. You'll be king of the whole nation, just as you've been wanting.”

David told Abner he could leave, and he left without causing any trouble.

Joab kills Abner

22Soon after Abner had left Hebron, Joab and some of David's soldiers came back, bringing a lot of things they had taken from an enemy village. 23Just after they arrived, someone told Joab, “Abner visited the king, and the king let him go. Abner even left without causing any trouble.”

24Joab went to David and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you, and you let him go. Now he's long gone! 25You know Abner—he came to trick you. He wants to find out how strong your army is and to know everything you're doing.”

26Joab left David, then he sent some messengers to catch up with Abner. They brought him back from the well at Sirah,3.26 well at Sirah: Or “oasis of Sirah” or “cistern at Sirah”. but David did not know anything about it. 27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pretended he wanted to talk privately with him. So he took Abner into one of the small rooms that were part of the town gate and stabbed him in the stomach. Joab killed him because Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel.

Abner's funeral

28David heard how Joab had killed Abner, and he said, “I swear to the LORD that I am completely innocent of Abner's death! 29Joab and his family are the guilty ones. I pray that Joab's family will always be sick with sores and other skin diseases. May they all be cowards,3.29 cowards: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. and may they die in war or starve to death.”

30Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

31David told Joab and everyone with him, “Show your sorrow by tearing your clothes and wearing sackcloth!3.31 sackcloth: Sackcloth was a rough, dark-coloured cloth made from goat or camel hair and was used to make grain sacks. People wore sackcloth or tore their clothes in times of trouble or sorrow. Walk in front of Abner's body and cry!”

David walked behind the stretcher on which Abner's body was being carried. 32Abner was buried in Hebron, while David and everyone else stood at the tomb and cried loudly. 33Then the king sang a funeral song about Abner:

Abner, why should you

have died like an outlaw?3.33 outlaw: Or “fool”.

34No one tied your hands

or chained your feet,

yet you died as a victim

of murderers.

Everyone started crying again. 35Then they brought some food to David and told him he would feel better if he had something to eat. It was still daytime, and David said, “I swear to God that I'll not take a bite of bread or anything else until sunset!”

36Everyone noticed what David did, and they liked it, just as they always liked what he did. 37Now the people of Judah and Israel were certain that David had nothing to do with killing Abner.

38David said to his officials, “Don't you realize that today one of Israel's great leaders has died? 39I am the chosen king, but Joab and Abishai have more power than I do. So God will have to pay them back3.39 God…back: Or “I pray that God will pay them back.” for the evil thing they did.”