Abner decided that David would be king of all of them

6 While those who wanted Saul’s son to rule over them and those who wanted David to rule over them continued to fight against each other, Abner was becoming more influential among those who wanted Saul’s son to be the king. 7 When Saul was alive, he had as one of his wives a slave woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. But one day Abner had sexual relations with her. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you had sexual relations with [EUP] my father’s slave wife?”

8 Abner became very angry about what Ishbosheth said to him. He said to Ishbosheth, “◄Do you think that I am a worthless dog [MET] from Judah?/You are treating me as though I am a worthless dog [MET] from Judah.► [RHQ] From the beginning, I have been loyal to Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends. And I have prevented you from being defeated by David’s army. So now ◄why are you criticizing me about what I have done with some woman?/you should not be criticizing me about what I have done with some woman.► [RHQ] 9-10 9-10Yahweh solemnly promised that he would not allow Saul and his descendants to continue to rule. He promised that he would cause David to rule over all the tribes of Israel and Judah, from Dan city far in the north to Beersheba city far in the south. So I hope/desire that God will punish me severely [HYP] if I do not enable that to happen!” 11 Ishbosheth was very afraid of Abner, so he did not say anything in reply to Abner.

12 Then Abner sent messengers to David when he was at Hebron, to say to him, “Either you or I should be [RHQ] the ruler of this entire nation, but not Isbosheth. However, if you make an agreement with me, I will help you by encouraging all the people of Israel to ◄be want you to be their king/start to support► you.” 13 David sent back this reply: “Good! I am willing to make an agreement with you. But before that happens, there is one thing that you must do. When you come to see me, you must bring my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, to say to him, “I had to kill 100 men from Philistia and cut off their foreskins to give to Saul to pay for Michal to be my wife. So now give her back to me!”

15 So Ishbosheth sent some men to take Michal from her husband Palti. But when they took her, her husband followed them all the way to Bahurim town, crying as he went. 16 Then Abner turned and said to him, “Go back home!”, so he did.

17 Abner went to the Israeli leaders and talked with them. He said, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king. 18 So now you have an opportunity to do that. Keep in mind that Yahweh promised this: ‘With the help of David, who serves me well, I will rescue my people from the people of Philistia, and from the power [MTY] of all their other enemies’.” 19 Abner also spoke to the people of the tribe of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron, to tell David what all the people of Israel and the people of the tribe of Benjamin had agreed to do.

20 When Abner came with 20 of his soldiers to see David at Hebron, David made a feast for all of them. 21 Afterwards, Abner said to David, “Sir/Your majesty, I will now go and encourage all the people of Israel to accept you to be their king, as you have desired.” Then Abner left, peacefully.