Open English Translation 2 SAM Chapter 3

2 David’s wives gave birth to six sons while they were based there in Hevron: Ahinoam (the Yizre’eli) gave birth to Amnon, 3 then Avigayil (the widow of Naval the Karmeli) gave birth to Kilav, and Ma’akah (daughter of King Talmay of Geshur) gave birth to Avshalom (Absalom). 4 The fourth was Adoniyah (son of Hagit), the fifth was Shefatyah (son of Avital), 5 and the sixth was Yitream (son of David’s wife Eglah). All six of those sons were born to David in Hevron.

6 While the war between Sha’ul’s (Saul’s) son Ish-Boshet and David’s supporters continued, Avner was strengthening himself with Sha’ul’s supporters. 7 Now Sha’ul had had a slave-wife named Ritspah (daughter of Ayah) and Avner slept with her. So Ish-Boshet demanded, “Why have you slept with my father’s slave-wife?” 8 Avner became very angry at this challenge from Ish-Boshet and snapped back, “Do you think I’m Yehudah’s (Judah’s) dog hiding out over here? Today I’ve been helping Sha’ul’s family: your father, his brothers, and his friends, and I won’t let you fall into David’s hands. Yet today you bring some charge against me to do with a woman? 9 May God punish me if I don’t do for David exactly what Yahweh promised him 10 and help with the transfer of the kingdom away from your family and to establish David’s kingdom over both Yehudah and Yisrael (Israel), from Dan down to Be’er-Sheva (Beersheba).”[ref] 11 Ish-Boshet didn’t say a word back to Avner because he was very scared of him.

12 Then Avner sent messengers to David to tell him, “Who should be king of this country? Let’s come to an agreement and then I could join you and help make all of Yisrael turn to you.”

13 “Yes, good,” David replied. “I’m happy to come to an agreement with you on one condition: you must bring my wife—Sha’ul’s daughter, Mikal—if you want to be accepted here.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Sha’ul’s son Ish-Boshet saying, “Give Mikal back to me. I earnt her as my wife with the foreskins of one-hundred Pelishtim.”[ref] 15 So Ish-Boshet had her taken from her husband (Layish’s son Paltiel), 16 but he walked along behind her, weeping, as far as Bahurim where finally Avner told him to go back home and so he did.

17 Then Avner conferred with the Israeli elders saying, “Previously you were wanting David to be king over you, 18 but now it’s time for action. Yahweh has already said, ‘I’m going to use my servant David to rescue my people Yisrael from the Pelishtim and all their other enemies.’ ” 19 Avner also spoke privately with the Benyamites, then he went to Hevron to tell David privately what the Israelis and the Benyamites had agreed to.

20 Then Avner took twenty men and went to David at Hevron, and David put on a feast for all of them. 21 Avner asked David, “My master, the king. Let me get ready and go, and let me encourage all of Yisrael that they’ll make an agreement with you so that you will be king over the entire area as you’ve been wanting.” So David sent Avner, and he went in peace.

22 Soon afterwards, Yoav (Joab) and some of David’s men arrived after a raid and carried in a lot of plunder. (Avner had already left Hevron because David had sent him off and he’d left in peace.) 23 When Yoav and all the fighters with him arrived, he was told that Avner had been there and spoken with the king, then sent away in peace. 24 So Yoav went to the king and demanded, “What have you done? Avner came to you and I can’t believe that you’d let him go, but he’s definitely not here now. 25 Surely you realise that he only came here to influence you and to find out where you’re coming from and going to, and to learn everything that you’re doing?”

26 Once Yoav had finished talking to David, he sent messengers to catch up to Avner. They found him at the Sirah cistern and brought him back without David’s knowledge. 27 When Avner got back to Hevron, Yoav took him aside at the city gate as if to speak to him privately, then stabbed him in the stomach and he died as vengeance for killing Yoav’s brother Asahel. 28 Later when David heard about it, he declared, “I and my kingdom are innocent of Avner’s death in Yahweh’s eyes. 29 May Yoav’s extended family continually suffer from sores or leprosy, and be forced into manual labour or be killed in battle, or run out of food to eat.” 30 (That’s how Yoav and his brother Avishay murdered Avner because he’d killed their brother Asahel in Giveon during the war.)

31 Then David instructed Yoav (Joab) and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn for Avner.” Later at the funeral, King David walked behind the coffin 32 and they buried Avner in Hevron. The king cried loudly at the tomb, and the people also wept. 33 The king sang this song for Avner:

“Avner shouldn’t have died as if he was just some drunken fool.

34 He wasn’t handcuffed or with his feet in chains.

He fell like someone disturbing a burglar.”

And so the people wept even more for him.

35 Many people brought food to David during the day, but he promised, “May God severely punish me if I eat anything before the sun goes down.” 36 All the people recognised David’s dignity in handling this matter and were pleased with his behaviour, just as they were pleased with everything that the king did, 37 and everyone throughout Yisrael (Israel) knew that the king hadn’t ordered for Avner (Ner’s son) to be executed. 38 Then the king told his servants, “Don’t you all realise that Yisrael lost a leader and a great man today? 39 Although I was anointed as king, I feel tender today. Those sons of Tseruyah are more violent than me. May Yahweh repay evil people appropriately for their actions.”