1 GLT And the war was long between the house of Saul and between the house of David. And David went strongly, but the house of Saul went poorly. BSB BSB: Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 GLT And sons were born to David in Hebron. And it happened, his firstborn{ was} Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite. BSB BSB: And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3 GLT And his second{ was} Kileab, by Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And the third{ was} Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur. BSB BSB: his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
4 GLT And the fourth{ was} Adonijah the son of Haggith. And the fifth{ was} Shephatiah the son of Abital. BSB BSB: his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;
5 GLT And the sixth{ was} Ithream by Eglah the wife of David. These were born to David in Hebron. BSB BSB: and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.
6 GLT And it happened, when the war was between the house of Saul and between the house of David, and Abner was strengthening himself in the house of Saul. BSB BSB: During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.
7 GLT And a concubine{ belonged} to Saul, and her name{ was} Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. And he said to Abner,“Why have you gone in to the concubine of my father?” BSB BSB: Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
8 GLT And it was very hot to Abner concerning the words of Ishbosheth, and he said,“{ Am} I the head of a dog who{ belongs} to Judah? Today I am doing kindness with the house of Saul, your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and I will not let you fall into the hand of David. And today you charge against me the iniquity of the woman? BSB BSB: Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!
9 GLT Thus may God do to Abner, and thus may he add to him, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, that thus I will do for him, BSB BSB: May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:
10 GLT to take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan and to Beersheba.” BSB BSB: to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11 GLT And he was still not able to return{ to} Abner a word, because of his fearing him. BSB BSB: And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him.
12 GLT And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying,“To whom{ belongs} the land?” saying,“Cut your covenant with me, and look, my hand{ is} with you, to make all of Israel turn to you.” BSB BSB: Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and surely my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”
13 GLT And he said,“Good, I myself will cut a covenant with you. Only one thing I am asking from you, saying,‘You will not see my face unless to my face you bring Michal the daughter of Saul when you come to see my face.’” BSB BSB: “Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”
14 GLT And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, saying,“Give{ me} my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with 100 foreskins of Philistines.” BSB BSB: Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 GLT And Ishbosheth sent and took her from with{ her} husband, from with Paltiel the son of Laish. BSB BSB: So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.
16 GLT And her husband walked with her, walking and weeping behind her, until Bahurim. And Abner said to him,“Go, return.” And he returned. BSB BSB: Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
17 GLT But the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel saying,“Both yesterday and the day before, you were seeking David{ to be} king over you. BSB BSB: Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king.
18 GLT And now do{ it}, for Yahweh said concerning David, saying,‘By the hand of David my servant,{ I will} save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’” BSB BSB: Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”
19 GLT And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that which{ was} good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of all of the house of Benjamin. BSB BSB: Abner also spoke to the Benjamites. Then he went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 GLT And Abner came to David{ in} Hebron, and with him 20 men. And David made a feast for Abner and for the men who{ were} with him. BSB BSB: When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.
21 GLT And Abner said to David,“Let me get up, and let me go, and let me gather to my lord, the king, all of Israel that they may cut a covenant with you and that you may be king over everything that your soul desires.” And David sent Abner, and he went in peace. BSB BSB: Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
22 GLT And look, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid, and they brought with them much plunder. But Abner, he was not with David in Hebron because he had sent him, and he had gone in peace. BSB BSB: Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing with them a great plunder. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, because David had sent him on his way in peace.
23 GLT And Joab and all the army which{ was} with him arrived, and they informed Joab, saying,“Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him, and he went in peace.” BSB BSB: When Joab and all his troops arrived, he was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, who sent him on his way in peace.”
24 GLT And Joab came to the king, and he said,“What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! Why{ is} this you have let him go, and he is certainly gone? BSB BSB: So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!
25 GLT You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to persuade you and to know your going out and your coming in and to know everything that you are doing?” BSB BSB: Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”
26 GLT And Joab went out from with David, and he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, but David did not know. BSB BSB: As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David was unaware of it.
27 GLT And Abner returned{ to} Hebron, and Joab turned him aside to the middle of the gate to speak with him in the quiet. And there he struck him{ in} the stomach, and he died in exchange for the blood of Asahel, his brother. BSB BSB: When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
28 GLT And David heard after this, and he said,“I and my kingdom{ are} innocent with Yahweh forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner. BSB BSB: Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29 GLT May it turn on the head of Joab and to the whole house of his father, and may not a person who is discharging or a leprous person or a person who is strong with the spindle or a person who falls by the sword or a person who lacks bread be excluded from the house of Joab.” BSB BSB: May it whirl over the head of Joab and over the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.”
30 GLT And Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner on account that he had murdered Asahel their brother in Gibeon during the war. BSB BSB: (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31 GLT And David said to Joab and to all the people who{ were} with him,“Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn to the face of Abner.” And King David was walking behind the funeral bed. BSB BSB: Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
32 GLT And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king raised his voice, and he wept at the tomb of Abner, and all the people wept. BSB BSB: When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.
33 GLT The king lamented for Abner, and he said,“Just as a fool dies, should Abner die? BSB BSB: And the king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner die the death of a fool?
34 GLT Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put into shackles. Like falling to the face of sons of injustice, you have fallen.” And all the people continued to weep for him. BSB BSB: Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell.” And all the people wept over him even more.
35 GLT And all the people came to provide David{ with} bread while{ it was} still day, but David swore, saying,“Thus may God do to me, and thus may he continue, if, to the face of the going of the sun, I taste bread or any anything.” BSB BSB: Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
36 GLT And all the people recognized, and it was good in their eyes, just as everything that the king did{ was} good in the eyes of all the people. BSB BSB: All the people took note and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.
37 GLT And all the people and all Israel knew on that day that it was not from the king to murder Abner the son of Ner. BSB BSB: So on that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.
38 GLT And the king said to his servants,“Do you not know that a captain and a great{ person} fell this day in Israel? BSB BSB: Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great prince has fallen today in Israel?
39 GLT But I{ am} tender today, though anointed king. But these men, the sons of Zeruiah,{ are} more severe than I. May Yahweh repay the person who does evil according to his evil.” BSB BSB: And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.