32AND PEOPLE LIFTED UP <OBJ.> ASAHEL AND THEY BURIED HIM IN [THE] TOMB OF FATHER HIS WHICH [WAS] BETH- -LEHEM AND THEY WENT ALL THE NIGHT JOAB AND MEN HIS AND IT BECAME LIGHT FOR <THE> THEM AT HEBRON 32And they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.
1AND IT WAS THE WAR LONG BETWEEN [THE] HOUSE OF SAUL AND BETWEEN [THE] HOUSE OF DAVID AND DAVID [WAS] GOING AND STRONG AND [THE] HOUSE OF SAUL [WERE] GOING AND WEAK The House of David Strengthened (1 Chronicles 3:1–9) 1Now 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.
2AND THEY WERE BORN TO DAVID SONS IN HEBRON AND HE WAS FIRSTBORN HIS AMNON OF AHINOAM THE JEZREELITE [WOMAN] 2And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3AND [WAS] SECOND HIS KILEAB OF ABIGAIL [THE] WIFE OF NABAL THE CARMELITE AND [WAS] THE THIRD ABSALOM [THE] SON OF MAACAH [THE] DAUGHTER OF TALMAI [THE] KING OF GESHUR 3his second was Chileab,*NoteCloseLXX Daluia; some translators Daniel; see 1 Chronicles 3:1. by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
4AND [WAS] THE FOURTH ADONIJAH [THE] SON OF HAGGITH AND [WAS] THE FIFTH SHEPHATIAH [THE] SON OF ABITAL 4his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;
5AND [WAS] THE SIXTH ITHREAM OF EGLAH [THE] WIFE OF DAVID THESE THEY WERE BORN TO DAVID IN HEBRON 5and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.
6AND IT WAS WHEN WAS <THE> WAR BETWEEN [THE] HOUSE OF SAUL AND BETWEEN [THE] HOUSE OF DAVID AND ABNER HE WAS STRENGTHENING HIMSELF IN [THE] HOUSE OF SAUL Abner Joins David 6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.
7AND [BELONGED] TO SAUL A CONCUBINE AND NAME HER [WAS] RIZPAH [THE] DAUGHTER OF AIAH AND HE SAID TO ABNER WHY? HAVE YOU GONE INTO [THE] CONCUBINE OF FATHER MY 7Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
8AND IT BURNED TO ABNER EXCEEDINGLY ON [THE] WORDS OF ISH- BOSHETH AND HE SAID ¿ [THE] HEAD OF A DOG [AM] I WHICH [BELONGS] TO JUDAH THIS DAY I SHOW LOYALTY WITH [THE] HOUSE OF SAUL FATHER YOUR TO BROTHERS HIS AND TO FRIEND[S] HIS AND NOT I HAVE DELIVERED YOU IN [THE] HAND OF DAVID AND YOU HAVE VISITED ON ME [THE] GUILT OF THE WOMAN THIS DAY 8Abner 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!
9THUS MAY HE DO GOD TO ABNER AND THUS MAY HE ADD TO <THE> HIM IF JUST AS HE SWORE YAHWEH TO DAVID THAT SO I WILL DO FOR <THE> HIM 9May God punish Abner, and ever so severely if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:
10TO TAKE AWAY THE KINGDOM FROM [THE] HOUSE OF SAUL AND TO ESTABLISH <OBJ.> [THE] THRONE OF DAVID OVER ISRAEL AND OVER JUDAH FROM DAN AND TO BEER SHEBA 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11AND NOT HE WAS ABLE AGAIN TO BRING BACK <OBJ.> ABNER A WORD <FROM> BECAUSE FEARED HE <OBJ.> HIM 11And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him.
12AND HE SENT ABNER MESSENGERS TO DAVID IN PLACE OF HIMSELF <TO> SAYING [BELONGS] TO WHOM? [THE] LAND <TO> SAYING MAKE! COVENANT YOUR WITH ME AND HERE! HAND MY [WILL BE] WITH YOU TO BRING ROUND TO YOU <OBJ.> ALL ISRAEL 12Then 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.”
13AND HE SAID GOOD I I WILL MAKE WITH YOU A COVENANT ONLY A THING ONE I [AM] ASKING FROM WITH <THE> YOU <TO> SAYING NOT YOU WILL SEE <OBJ.> FACE MY FOR EXCEPT <TO> BEFORE BRING YOU <OBJ.> MICHAL [THE] DAUGHTER OF SAUL WHEN COMING YOU TO SEE <OBJ.> FACE MY 13“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
14AND HE SENT DAVID MESSENGERS TO ISH- BOSHETH [THE] SON OF SAUL <TO> SAYING GIVE! <OBJ.> WIFE MY <OBJ.> MICHAL WHOM I BETROTHED TO <THE> MYSELF FOR A HUNDRED FORESKINS OF PHILISTINES 14Then 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.”
15AND HE SENT ISH- BOSHETH AND HE TOOK HER FROM WITH A HUSBAND FROM WITH PALTIEL [THE] SON OF LAISH 15So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel*NoteClosePaltiel is a variant of Palti; see 1 Samuel 25:44. son of Laish.
16AND HE WENT WITH HER HUSBAND HER GOING AND WEEPING AFTER HER TO BAHURIM AND HE SAID TO HIM ABNER GO RETURN AND HE RETURNED 16Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
17AND [THE] WORD OF ABNER IT WAS WITH [THE] ELDERS OF ISRAEL <TO> SAYING BOTH YESTERDAY AS WELL AS [THE] THIRD DAY YOU WERE SEEKING <OBJ.> DAVID TO KING OVER YOU 17Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king.
18AND THEREFORE ACT FOR YAHWEH HE HAS SPOKEN TO DAVID <TO> SAYING BY [THE] HAND OF DAVID SERVANT MY TO DELIVER <OBJ.> PEOPLE MY ISRAEL FROM [THE] HAND OF [THE] PHILISTINES AND FROM [THE] HAND OF ALL ENEMIES THEIR 18Now 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.’”
19AND HE SPOKE ALSO ABNER IN [THE] EARS OF BENJAMIN AND HE WENT ALSO ABNER TO SPEAK IN [THE] EARS OF DAVID AT HEBRON <OBJ.> ALL THAT IT WAS GOOD IN [THE] EYES OF ISRAEL AND IN [THE] EYES OF ALL [THE] HOUSE OF BENJAMIN 19Abner 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.
20AND HE CAME ABNER TO DAVID HEBRON AND [WERE] WITH HIM TWENTY MEN AND HE MADE DAVID FOR ABNER AND FOR [THE] MEN WHO [WERE] WITH HIM A FEAST 20When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.
21AND HE SAID ABNER TO DAVID LET ME ARISE AND LET ME GO AND LET ME GATHER TO LORD MY THE KING <OBJ.> ALL ISRAEL SO THEY MAY MAKE WITH YOU A COVENANT AND YOU WILL REIGN OVER ALL THAT IT DESIRES SELF YOUR AND HE SENT AWAY DAVID <OBJ.> ABNER AND HE WENT IN PEACE 21Then 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.
22AND THERE! [THE] SERVANTS OF DAVID AND JOAB [WAS] COMING FROM THE RAID AND PLUNDER MUCH WITH THEM THEY HAD BROUGHT AND ABNER NOT HE [WAS] WITH DAVID IN HEBRON FOR HE HAD SENT AWAY HIM AND HE HAD GONE IN PEACE Joab Murders Abner 22Just 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.
23AND JOAB AND ALL THE ARMY WHICH [WAS] WITH HIM THEY CAME AND PEOPLE TOLD TO JOAB <TO> SAYING HE CAME ABNER [THE] SON OF NER TO THE KING AND HE HAS SENT AWAY HIM AND HE HAS GONE IN PEACE 23When 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.”
24AND HE WENT JOAB TO THE KING AND HE SAID WHAT? HAVE YOU DONE HERE! HE CAME ABNER TO YOU <TO> WHY? THIS DID YOU SEND AWAY HIM AND HE HAS GONE COMPLETELY <TO GO> 24So 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!
25YOU KNOW <OBJ.> ABNER [THE] SON OF NER THAT TO DECEIVE YOU HE CAME AND TO KNOW <OBJ.> EXIT YOUR AND <OBJ.> ENTRANCE YOUR AND TO KNOW <OBJ.> ALL THAT YOU [ARE] DOING 25Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”
26AND HE WENT OUT JOAB FROM WITH DAVID AND HE SENT MESSENGERS AFTER ABNER AND THEY BROUGHT BACK <OBJ.> HIM FROM [THE] CISTERN OF <THE> SIRAH AND DAVID NOT HE KNEW 26As 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.
27AND HE RETURNED ABNER HEBRON AND HE TURNED ASIDE HIM JOAB INTO [THE] MIDDLE OF THE GATE TO SPEAK WITH HIM IN <THE> QUIETNESS AND HE STRUCK HIM THERE THE BELLY AND HE DIED FOR [THE] BLOOD ASAH- -EL BROTHER HIS 27When 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.
28AND HE HEARD DAVID FROM AFTER THUS AND HE SAID [AM] INNOCENT I AND KINGDOM MY FROM WITH YAHWEH UNTIL PERPETUITY FROM [THE] BLOOD<S> OF ABNER [THE] SON OF NER 28Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29LET THEM WHIRL OVER [THE] HEAD OF JOAB AND TO ALL [THE] HOUSE OF FATHER HIS AND MAY NOT HE BE CUT OFF FROM [THE] HOUSE OF JOAB [ONE WHO] SUFFERS A DISCHARGE AND [ONE WHO] HAS A SKIN DISEASE AND [ONE WHO] TAKES HOLD ON THE SPINDLE AND [ONE WHO] FALLS BY THE SWORD AND [ONE] LACKING OF BREAD 29May 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.”
30AND JOAB AND ABISHAI BROTHER HIS THEY KILLED <TO> ABNER ON THAT HE HAD KILLED <OBJ.> ASAHEL BROTHER THEIR AT GIBEON IN THE BATTLE 30(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31AND HE SAID DAVID TO JOAB AND TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHICH [WAS] WITH HIM TEAR GARMENTS YOUR AND GIRD YOURSELVES SACKCLOTH<S> AND MOURN <TO> BEFORE ABNER AND THE KING DAVID [WAS] WALKING AFTER THE BIER David Mourns for Abner 31Then 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.
32AND THEY BURIED <OBJ.> ABNER IN HEBRON AND HE LIFTED UP THE KING <OBJ.> VOICE HIS AND HE WEPT TO [THE] GRAVE OF ABNER AND THEY WEPT ALL THE PEOPLE 32When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.
33AND HE LAMENTED THE KING BECAUSE OF ABNER AND HE SAID ¿ LIKE [THE] DEATH OF A FOOL WILL HE DIE ABNER 33And the king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner die the death of a fool?
34HAND YOUR NOT [WERE] BOUND AND FEET YOUR NOT TO BRONZE FETTERS THEY WERE BROUGHT NEAR AS FALLS <TO> BEFORE SONS OF INJUSTICE YOU HAVE FALLEN AND THEY REPEATED ALL THE PEOPLE TO WEEP ON HIM 34Your 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.
35AND IT CAME ALL THE PEOPLE TO MAKE TO EAT <OBJ.> DAVID BREAD WHILE STILL <THE> DAY AND HE SWORE AN OATH DAVID <TO> SAYING THUS MAY HE DO TO <THE> ME GOD AND THUS MAY HE ADD THAT EXCEPT <TO> BEFORE GOES THE SUN I WILL TASTE BREAD OR ALL ANYTHING 35Then 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!”
36AND ALL THE PEOPLE THEY PAID REGARD AND IT WAS GOOD IN VIEW THEIR LIKE ALL THAT HE DID THE KING IN [THE] EYES OF ALL THE PEOPLE IT WAS GOOD 36All the people took note and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.
37AND THEY KNEW ALL THE PEOPLE AND ALL ISRAEL ON THE DAY <THE> THAT THAT NOT IT WAS FROM THE KING TO KILL <OBJ.> ABNER [THE] SON OF NER 37So 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.
38AND HE SAID THE KING TO SERVANTS HIS ¿ NOT DO YOU KNOW THAT A LEADER AND A GREAT [MAN] HE HAS FALLEN THE DAY <THE> THIS IN ISRAEL 38Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great prince has fallen today in Israel?
39AND I THIS DAY [AM] WEAK AND [AM] ANOINTED KING AND THE MEN <THE> THESE [THE] SONS OF ZERUIAH [ARE TOO] HARD FOR ME MAY HE REPAY YAHWEH TO [THE] DOER OF THE EVIL ACCORDING TO EVIL HIS 39And 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!”