2 Samuel 3

The war between Saul's family and David's family lasted a long time. David kept growing stronger, and Saul's family kept growing weaker.

1Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

Note"House of Saul" and "house of David" mean more than households: each is a royal line together with the soldiers, officials and tribes loyal to it. After Saul's death Israel split, with Saul's son ruling the northern tribes and David ruling Judah in the south.

2Sons were born to David while he lived in Hebron. His oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.

2And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

NoteHebron is a town in the hill country about twenty miles south of Jerusalem, and was David's capital while he ruled Judah alone, before he took Jerusalem. A king having several wives at once was normal in the ancient Near East; the marriages were usually alliances as much as anything, and a row of sons by different mothers was a sign of a secure dynasty, and, later, a source of rival claims to the throne.

3His second son was Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal from Carmel. His third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur.

3And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

NoteAbigail had been married to Nabal, a wealthy sheep owner of Carmel in Judah, and David married her after Nabal's death (1 Samuel 25). Geshur was a small Aramean kingdom east of the Sea of Galilee, outside Israel, so David's marriage to its king's daughter was a treaty with a foreign state.

4His fourth son was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. His fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.

4And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

5His sixth son was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David's wife. These sons were born to David in Hebron.

5And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

6While the war between Saul's family and David's family went on, Abner kept building up his own power inside Saul's family.

6And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

NoteAbner was Saul's cousin and the commander of his army; after Saul's death he was the man who put Saul's son Ishbosheth on the throne and kept him there. "Made himself strong" describes him taking more and more real power for himself within the losing side.

7Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you slept with my father's concubine?"

7And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?

NoteA concubine was a secondary wife: a woman legally attached to a man and living in his household, but of lower rank than a full wife, often because she brought no family alliance or bride price with her. The accusation is not merely a private one, a dead king's concubines passed to his successor, so a man who took one was understood to be staking a claim to the throne itself. That is why the charge enrages Abner and why Ishbosheth is frightened to press it.

8Abner was furious at what Ishbosheth said. He answered, "Am I a dog's head, one that belongs to Judah? To this day I have shown loyalty to the family of your father Saul, to his brothers and his friends. I have not handed you over to David. And now you accuse me of doing wrong with this woman!

8Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?

NoteCalling someone a dog was a heavy insult: dogs in that world were unowned scavengers, not pets, and "a dog's head" is roughly "a worthless creature." The Hebrew here is ambiguous and can be read either as "Am I a dog's head?" followed by "today I show loyalty to Saul's house," or as "Am I a dog's head belonging to Judah?", that is, a traitor working for David's side.

9May God punish Abner, and worse, if I do not do for David exactly what the LORD promised him with an oath.

9So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;

Note"So do God to Abner, and more also" is a standard oath formula: the speaker calls down an unnamed punishment on himself if he fails to do what he swears. The penalty is deliberately left unstated.

10God swore to move the kingdom away from Saul's family and to set up David's throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south."

10To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.

Note"From Dan to Beersheba" was a set phrase for the whole land, naming the northernmost and southernmost towns, like saying "from top to bottom of the country."

11Ishbosheth could not say one word back to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

11And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

12Then Abner sent messengers to David to speak for him. They said, "Who does this land belong to? Make an agreement with me, and I will support you and bring all Israel over to your side."

12And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

Note"Whose is the land?" is a bare question in the Hebrew and can be taken more than one way: as Abner conceding that the land is really David's, or as Abner reminding David that he, Abner, controls it and can hand it over. The "league" is a covenant, a formal, binding agreement sworn before God, not an informal understanding.

13David said, "Good. I will make an agreement with you. But I require one thing from you: do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal, Saul's daughter, with you when you come to see me."

13And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

NoteMichal was Saul's daughter and David's first wife. Saul had later taken her back and given her to another man. Getting her back mattered politically as well as personally: a marriage tie to the old royal family strengthened David's claim to rule the north.

14David also sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, with this message: "Hand over my wife Michal. I paid for her with a hundred Philistine foreskins."

14And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

NoteA bridegroom paid a bride price to the bride's father. Saul had set this one at a hundred Philistines' foreskins, expecting David to be killed trying to collect it (1 Samuel 18). The foreskins were proof the dead men were Philistines, since Philistines did not practice circumcision and Israelites did. The Philistines were a people of five cities on the coastal plain, Israel's main military enemy in this period.

15So Ishbosheth sent men and took Michal away from her husband, Phaltiel son of Laish.

15And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish.

16Her husband walked behind her, crying all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back home." So he went back.

16And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

NoteBahurim was a village east of Jerusalem, near the boundary of Benjamin's territory, roughly the point where Phaltiel would have been leaving Ishbosheth's country and entering David's.

17Abner talked things over with the leaders of Israel. He said, "In the past you wanted David to be your king.

17And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:

NoteThe "elders" were the heads of the leading families and clans. They were not a formal parliament, but no king could rule the tribes without their backing, so their agreement was what actually delivered the north to David.

18Now do it. The LORD said about David, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their enemies.'"

18Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

19Abner also spoke to the people of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin had agreed to.

19And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

NoteBenjamin was Saul's own tribe, and had the most to lose from the crown passing to David of Judah. Their agreement was therefore the hardest to get and the most decisive.

20So Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, and David gave a feast for Abner and the men with him.

20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

21Abner said to David, "Let me go now and gather all Israel to my lord the king, so they can make an agreement with you, and you can rule over everything you want." So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.

21And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

22Just then David's soldiers and Joab came back from a raid, bringing a large amount of goods they had taken. Abner was not with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away and he had left in peace.

22And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

23When Joab and all the troops with him arrived, someone told Joab, "Abner son of Ner came to the king, and the king sent him away, and he left in peace."

23When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

24So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you send him away? Now he is gone for good!

24Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

25You know Abner son of Ner. He came to trick you, to find out where you go and what you do, and to learn everything about you."

25Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

26When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner. They brought Abner back from the well of Sirah, but David did not know about it.

26And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

NoteThe exact site of the well of Sirah is unknown; it was evidently a stopping place a short distance north of Hebron on Abner's road home.

27When Abner came back to Hebron, Joab took him aside inside the gateway to speak with him privately. There Joab stabbed him in the belly, and Abner died. Joab did this because Abner had killed his brother Asahel.

27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

NoteThe gateway of a walled town was a deep, roofed passage used as the town's public space (market, court and meeting place), so drawing a man aside there looked entirely ordinary. Two further things would have struck the first hearers: Hebron was one of the towns of refuge, where a man who had killed someone was supposed to be safe from private revenge until his case was heard; and Abner had killed Asahel in open battle, after warning him off, which was not murder. "Under the fifth rib" translates a Hebrew word for the belly or abdomen.

28Later, when David heard about it, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD of the blood of Abner son of Ner.

28And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

NoteIn Israelite law an unavenged killing left "bloodguilt", a debt of blood, resting on the killer, and on the community or ruler who tolerated it, until it was paid or purged. David is publicly disclaiming that liability, which matters because a king who was thought to have murdered the north's commander could not expect the north to accept him.

29Let the guilt fall on Joab's head and on his whole family. May Joab's family never be without someone who has a discharge from his body, or a skin disease, or a man who leans on a staff, or one who dies by the sword, or one who has no food."

29Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

NoteThis is a curse listing the standard marks of a household under judgment: a bodily discharge and a skin disease both made a person ritually unclean and cut off from normal community and worship life ("leper" in the King James Version covers a range of skin conditions, not the modern disease of that name); leaning on a staff means crippled, though the Hebrew is disputed and some read it as handling a spindle, that is, reduced to women's work; falling by the sword means violent death; lacking bread means destitution.

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

30So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

NoteUnder the custom of blood vengeance, the nearest male relative of a murdered man had the duty of hunting down the killer. Joab and Abishai are claiming that duty for their brother Asahel, but Asahel had died in battle, which was not held to be murder, so the narrator's flat statement here reads as an accusation rather than a defense.

31David said to Joab and to all the people with him, "Tear your clothes, put on rough cloth, and mourn for Abner." And King David himself walked behind the frame that carried the body.

31And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

NoteTearing one's clothes and putting on sackcloth (coarse, uncomfortable cloth woven from goat hair) were the ordinary public signs of grief. The bier was the frame or stretcher on which the body was carried to the grave; there was no coffin. Walking directly behind it was the place of the chief mourner, so David is publicly taking the role of Abner's family, in front of the whole army, and making Joab join the mourning for the man he murdered.

32They buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried out loud at Abner's grave, and all the people cried.

32And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33The king sang a song of grief for Abner. He said, "Should Abner have died the way a fool dies?

33And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

NoteThe word rendered "fool" does not mean stupid. It means a disgraceful, worthless person, and a "fool's death" is the death such a man deserves, an executed criminal's end. The question expects the answer no.

34Your hands were not tied. Your feet were not put in chains. You fell the way a man falls in front of wicked men." And all the people cried over him again.

34Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

NoteBound hands and fettered feet were the marks of a prisoner being led to execution. The lament says Abner was neither condemned nor a captive: he walked in free and unguarded, and was cut down by treachery.

35All the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day. But David made an oath: "May God punish me, and worse, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down."

35And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

NoteGoing without food until sunset was a recognized act of mourning. The Israelite day ended at sundown, so David is fasting for what remained of the day of the funeral. In the King James Version "meat" means food of any kind, not flesh specifically.

36All the people noticed this, and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people.

36And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

37That day all the people and all Israel understood that the king had no part in killing Abner son of Ner.

37For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

38The king said to his servants, "Don't you know that a leader and a great man has fallen today in Israel?

38And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

Note"Prince" here translates a Hebrew word meaning a commander or chief man, not a king's son. Abner held no claim to the throne; he was the most powerful soldier and statesman in the north.

39And today I am weak, even though I have been anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. May the LORD pay back the one who does evil for the evil he has done."

39And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

NoteZeruiah was David's sister, so Joab, Abishai and the dead Asahel were David's own nephews and among his earliest and most powerful supporters, which is why he says he cannot control them. "Anointed" refers to the ceremony that made a king: olive oil was poured on his head to mark him out as chosen for the office.