2 Samuel 3:6-21
New American Standard Bible
Abner Joins David
6 Now it happened that while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, (A)Abner was [a]strengthening himself in the house of Saul. 7 And Saul had a concubine whose name was (B)Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and [b]Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth’s [c]question and said, “(C)Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not let you fall into the hands of David; yet today you call me to account for wrongdoing with [d]that woman? 9 (D)May God do so to [e]me, and more so, if (E)as the Lord has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him: 10 (F)to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, (G)from Dan even to Beersheba!” 11 And Ish-bosheth could no longer say a word in response to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David at his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” 13 And he said, “Good! I will make a covenant with you, only I require one thing of you, [f]namely, that (H)you shall not see my face unless you (I)first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see [g]me.” 14 So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed (J)for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 Ish-bosheth sent men and [h]had her taken from her husband, from [i]Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, [j]following her as far as (K)Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.
17 Now Abner had a [k]consultation with (L)the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken regarding David, saying, ‘(M)By the hand of My servant David [l]I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hands of all their enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke [m]to Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak [n]to David in Hebron everything that seemed good to Israel and to (N)the entire house of Benjamin.
20 Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David held a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Abner said to David, “Let me set out and go and (O)gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that (P)you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David let Abner go, and he went in peace.
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- 2 Samuel 3:6 Or remaining faithful to
- 2 Samuel 3:7 As in some mss and ancient versions; MT he
- 2 Samuel 3:8 Lit words
- 2 Samuel 3:8 Lit the
- 2 Samuel 3:9 Lit Abner
- 2 Samuel 3:13 Lit saying
- 2 Samuel 3:13 Lit my face
- 2 Samuel 3:15 Lit took her
- 2 Samuel 3:15 In 1 Sam 25:44, Palti
- 2 Samuel 3:16 Lit after her
- 2 Samuel 3:17 Lit a word
- 2 Samuel 3:18 As in many mss and ancient versions; MT he
- 2 Samuel 3:19 Lit in the ears of
- 2 Samuel 3:19 Lit in the ears of
2 Samuel 3:6-21
King James Version
6 And 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.
7 And 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?
8 Then 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?
9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;
10 To 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.
11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
12 And 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.
13 And 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.
14 And 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.
15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.
17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:
18 Now 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.
19 And 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.
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21 And 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.
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2 Samuel 3:6-21
Living Bible
6 As the war went on, Abner became a very powerful political leader among the followers of Saul. 7 He took advantage of his position by sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines, a girl named Rizpah. But when Ish-bosheth accused Abner of this, 8 Abner was furious.
“Am I a Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for you and for your father by not betraying you to David, is this my reward—to find fault with me about some woman? 9-10 May God curse me if I don’t do everything I can to take away the entire kingdom from you, all the way from Dan to Beersheba, and give it to David, just as the Lord predicted.”
11 Ish-bosheth made no reply, for he was afraid of Abner.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David to discuss a deal—to surrender the kingdom of Israel to him in exchange for becoming commander-in-chief of the combined armies of Israel and Judah.
13 “All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring me my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter.” 14 David then sent this message to Ish-bosheth: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of one hundred Philistines.”
15 So Ish-bosheth took her away from her husband Palti.[a] 16 He followed along behind her as far as Behurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go on home now.” So he returned.
17 Meanwhile, Abner consulted with the leaders of Israel and reminded them that for a long time they had wanted David as their king.
18 “Now is the time!” he told them. “For the Lord has said, ‘It is David by whom I will save my people from the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’”
19 Abner also talked to the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin; then he went to Hebron and reported to David his progress with the people of Israel and Benjamin. 20 Twenty men accompanied him, and David entertained them with a feast.
21 As Abner left, he promised David, “When I get back I will call a convention of all the people of Israel, and they will elect you as their king, as you’ve so long desired.” So David let Abner return in safety.
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- 2 Samuel 3:15 Palti, see 1 Samuel 25:44.
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