Abner Helps God Make David King Over Israel & Judah |
2 Samuel 3:1-39 The Book of 2 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks] |
Now, there was a long war between the house [family] of Saul & the house [family] of David, but David [grew] stronger & stronger & the [family] of Saul grew weaker & weaker. |
[These are the] sons born to David in Hebron. Ammon, his firstborn [by] Ahinoam, [from Jezreel]. His 2nd, Chileab [by] Abigail, [Nabel’s widow from Carmel]. |
The 3rd, Absalom, the son [by] Maacah, daughter of Talmai, [Geshur’s] king. 4th, Adonijah, the son [by] Haggith. The 5th, Shephatiah, son [by] Abital. The 6th, Ithream by Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. |
While there was war between the [family] of Saul & the [family] of David, Abner made himself [stronger] for the [family] of Saul. Saul had a [mistress named] Rizpah, [Ahiah’s] daughter. |
Ishbosheth said to Abner, [Why] have you [been intimate with my deceased] father’s [mistress]? Abner was very [angry with what] Ishbosheth [said & he] said, Am I [the] head of a dog against Judah [to be treated like this]? |
[To] this day, I have shown kindness to the [family] of Saul, your father & to his [brothers] & his friends & I haven’t delivered you into the hand of David & you [accuse] me this day with a fault [about] this woman? |
[May] God do more to [me,] Abner, if I don’t do as the Lord has sworn to David. Even [this] I do [for David], to [transfer] the kingdom from the [family]of Saul & set up the throne of David over Israel & Judah, from Dan to BeerSheba. |
[Ishbosheth] couldn’t answer Abner a word again, because he [was afraid] of him. Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose land is it? [Join] with me & [see,] my hand shall be with you, to bring all of Israel to you. |
[David] said, Well, I will make a [pact] with you, but I require 1 thing [from] you. You shall not see my face [unless] you 1st bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see me. David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, saying, Deliver my wife, Michal, [who was given to me in marriage] for 100 Philistine foreskins. |
Ishbosheth sent & took [Michal] from her [current] husband, Phaltiel, the son of Laish. Her husband went along with her, weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then Abner [told] him [to] return & he returned. |
Abner had [talked] with the elders of Israel, saying, You [wanted] David to be king over you in the past, now do it; for the Lord [God] has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of My servant, David, I will save My people, Israel out of the [hands] of the Philistines & out of the [hands] of all their enemies. |
Also, Abner spoke to the [family of] Benjamin & he also spoke to David in Hebron, all that seemed good to Israel & the whole house of Benjamin. So Abner & 20 men came to David in Hebron. |
David made a [large] feast for Abner & his men with him. Abner said to David, I will arise & go gather all Israel to my lord, the king, so they may [join] with you & you may [rule] over all that your heart desires. |
David sent Abner away & he went in peace. When the servants of David & Joab came from pursuing a troop & brought in [lots of plunder] with them, but Abner wasn’t with David in Hebron, [because David] had sent him away in peace. |
When Joab & all the [army] that was with him [had] come, they told Joab, saying, Abner, [Ner’s] son, came to the king & has been sent away & he has gone in peace. Then Joab came to king David & [asked,] What have you done? |
[Look,] Abner came to you. Why is it that you sent him away & he’s gone? You know Abner, [Ner’s] son. He came to deceive you & to know all that you do & when you [go] out & [come] in. |
[After,] Joab [left] David, he sent messengers after Abner & brought him [back] from the Well of Sirah. But David didn’t know it. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside [at] the gate & spoke quietly to him & [struck] him there under the 5th rib & he died for [killing Joab’s brother, Asahel]. |
Afterward, when David heard it, he said, My kingdom & I are guiltless, [in front of] the Lord forever for the blood of Abner, [Ner’s] son. Let it rest on the head of Joab & his father’s house. |
Let there not fail to be [someone who] has [a discharge,] leprosy, [or is lame &] leans on a staff, falls on a sword, or lacks bread. So Joab & Abishai, his brother, [killed] Abner, because he had [killed] their brother, Asahl at Gibeon in the battle. |
David [told ] Joab & all the people with him, [Tear] your clothes & [put on] sackcloth [signs of mourning] & mourn before Abner. King David, himself followed the [funeral] bier. |
They buried Abner in Hebron & the king lifted up his voice & wept at the grave of Abner & all the people wept. King David [mourned] over Abner & said, [Why did] Abner die [like] a fool dies? Your hands weren’t [tied] & your feet weren’t [chained, like] a man who falls before the wicked men, [like you died]. |
All the people wept over him again. When all the people came & [encouraged] David to eat meat while it was [still daylight,] David swore, saying, If I taste bread before the sun [goes] down, God should do the same to me & more]. |
The people took [note] of it & it pleased them, [since whatever] the king did, pleased all the people. For all the people & all Israel [knew] that day that king [David never intended] to [kill] Abner, [Ner’s] son. |
The king said to his servants, [Do you know] that a [prince & a great man has fallen this day in Israel? [Although,] I’m anointed king this day, I am weak & these men, the sons of Zeruiah [are] too [difficult] for me. The Lord shall [repay] the doer of [this] evil according to his wickedness. |