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.