2 Samuel 3 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

The war between Saul's family and David's family dragged on for a long time. David kept getting stronger, while Saul's family kept getting weaker.

Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.

His second son was Kileab, whose mother was Abigail — the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur.

The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.

And the sixth was Ithream, whose mother was David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

During the war between Saul's family and David's family, Abner kept consolidating his own power within Saul's camp.

Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth confronted Abner: "Why have you slept with my father's concubine?"

Abner was furious at Ish-bosheth's accusation. "Am I some dog's head from Judah?" he shot back. "To this day I've been loyal to your father Saul's family — to his brothers and his friends — and I haven't handed you over to David. And now you're accusing me of wrongdoing over a woman?"

"May God punish me severely and then some if I don't do for David exactly what Yahweh promised him with an oath — "

" — to transfer the kingdom from Saul's family and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah, from Dan all the way down to Beersheba."

Ish-bosheth couldn't say another word to Abner, because he was terrified of him.

Then Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose land is this anyway? Make a deal with me, and I'll use my influence to bring all of Israel over to your side."

David replied, "Good — I'll make a deal with you. But I have one condition: when you come to meet with me, don't show up without bringing Michal, Saul's daughter."

David also sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, demanding, "Give me back my wife Michal, whom I earned by paying a bride price of a hundred Philistine foreskins."

So Ish-bosheth sent men and had her taken from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.

Her husband walked behind her, weeping the entire way, all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner told him, "Go home." So he went back.

Meanwhile, Abner had been talking with the elders of Israel: "For a long time now, you've wanted David as your king."

"So now, do it. Because Yahweh made a promise about David: 'Through my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their enemies.'"

Abner also spoke directly with the people of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David personally everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin had agreed to.

When Abner arrived in Hebron with twenty men, David threw a feast for him and his delegation.

Abner said to David, "Let me go and rally all of Israel to my lord the king, so they can make a formal agreement with you, and you can rule over everything your heart desires." So David sent Abner off, and he left in peace.

Just then, Joab and David's soldiers returned from a raid, bringing back a huge amount of plunder. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron — David had already sent him away, and he had left in peace.

When Joab and his entire force arrived, he was told, "Abner son of Ner came to the king, and the king sent him away. He left in peace."

Joab went straight to the king and demanded, "What have you done? Abner came to you—why did you just let him walk away?"

"You know Abner son of Ner! He came to deceive you — to learn your movements and find out everything you're planning."

Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. David knew nothing about it.

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway as if to speak privately with him. And right there, he stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died — payback for the blood of Joab's brother Asahel.

When David heard about it afterward, he said, "I and my kingdom are completely innocent before Yahweh, now and forever, of the blood of Abner son of Ner."

"Let the consequences fall on Joab's head and on his entire family! May Joab's family never be without someone who has a skin disease, or who leans on a crutch, or who dies by the sword, or who goes hungry."

So Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

David ordered Joab and everyone with him, "Tear your clothes, put on rough sackcloth, and walk in front of Abner's body, mourning." King David himself walked behind the funeral stretcher.

They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept out loud at his grave. All the people wept too.

The king sang this lament over Abner: "Did Abner have to die the death of a fool?

Your hands were not bound, your feet were not put in chains. You fell the way someone falls to violent criminals." And all the people wept over him again.

Everyone came to urge David to eat while it was still daylight, but David swore an oath: "May God punish me severely and then some if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down."

Everyone noticed, and it made a good impression. In fact, everything the king did impressed the people.

So that day all the people and all Israel understood that the king had nothing to do with the murder of Abner son of Ner.

The king said to his officials, "Don't you realize that a commander — a great man — has fallen in Israel today?"

"And today, even though I've been anointed king, I'm powerless. These sons of Zeruiah are too brutal for me. May Yahweh pay back the one who does wrong according to his wrongdoing."