2 Samuel 3

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Then a long struggle occurred between the house of Saul and the house of David, with David prospering and growing ever stronger, but the house of Saul decreasing daily.	1 So the war dragged on between the House of Saul and the House of David, but David grew steadilystronger and the House of Saul steadily weaker.
2 And sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn son was Amnon, from Ahinoam the Jezreelite.	2 The sons born to David at Hebron were: his first-born Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3 And after him, there was Chileab, from Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. Then the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur.	3 his second Chileab, by Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third Absalom son of Maacah, daughter ofTalmai king of Geshur;
4 Then the fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital.	4 the fourth Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth Shephatiah son of Abital;
5 Also, the sixth was Ithream, from Eglah, the wife of David. These were born to David at Hebron.	5 the sixth Ithream, by David's wife, Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.
6 Then, while there was a battle between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner, the son of Ner, was reigning over the house of Saul.	6 This is what took place during the war between the House of Saul and the House of David. Abner tookcomplete control in the House of Saul.
7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner,	7 Now, there was a concubine of Saul's called Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Abner took her. Ishbaal saidto Abner, 'Why have you slept with my father's concubine?'
8 “Why did you enter to the concubine of my father?” But he, being exceedingly angry at the words of Ishbosheth, said: “Am I the head of a dog against Judah this day? I have shown mercy to the house of Saul, your father, and to his brothers and friends. And I have not delivered you into the hands of David. And yet today you have sought me, so that you might rebuke me over a woman?	8 At these words of Ishbaal, Abner flew into a rage. 'Am I a dog's head?' he shouted. 'Here am I, ful offaithful love towards the House of Saul your father, his brothers and his friends, not leaving you to the hands ofDavid, and now you find fault with me over a woman!
9 May God do these things to Abner, and may he add these other things, if, in the same way that the Lord swore to David, I do not do so with him:	9 May God bring unnameable il s on Abner, and worse ones, too, if I do not bring about what Yahweh hassworn to David:
10 that the kingdom be transferred from the house of Saul, and that the throne of David be elevated over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”	10 to take the sovereignty from the House of Saul, and establish David's throne over Israel as well asJudah, from Dan to Beersheba!'
11 And he was not able to respond anything to him, because he was in fear of him.	11 Ishbaal dared not say a single word to Abner in reply, as he was afraid of him.
12 Therefore, Abner sent messengers to David for himself, saying, “Whose is the land?” and so that they would say, “Make a friendship with me, and my hand will be with you, and I will lead back all of Israel to you.”	12 Abner sent messengers on his own behalf to say to David, '. . . and furthermore, come to anagreement with me and I wil give you my support to win al Israel over to you.'
13 And he said: “It is best. I will make a friendship with you. But one thing I ask of you, saying: You shall not see my face before you bring Michal, the daughter of Saul. And in this way, you shall come, and see me.”	13 'Very wel ,' David said, 'I wil come to an agreement with you. I impose one condition however; you wilnot be admitted to my presence unless you bring me Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.'
14 Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, saying, “Restore my wife Michal, whom I espoused to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”	14 David then sent messengers to say to Ishbaal son of Saul, 'Give me back my wife Michal, whom Iacquired for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'
15 Therefore, Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel, the son of Laish.	15 So Ishbaal sent for her to be taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.
16 And her husband was following her, weeping, as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, “Go and return.” And he returned.	16 Her husband set off with her and fol owed her, weeping as he went, as far as Bahurim; but Abner saidto him, 'Go back!' and he went.
17 Likewise, Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying: “As much yesterday as the day before, you were seeking David, so that he might reign over you.	17 Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel. 'For a long time now,' he said, 'you have wanted Davidas your king.
18 Therefore, accomplish it now. For the Lord has spoken to David, saying: ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’ ”	18 Now you must take action, since Yahweh has said of David, "By the hand of my servant David I shaldeliver my people Israel from the clutches of the Philistines and al their enemies." '
19 Then Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And he went away, so that he might speak to David in Hebron all that would be pleasing to Israel and to all of Benjamin.	19 Abner also spoke to the men of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tel David everything that hadbeen agreed by Israel and the House of Benjamin.
20 And he went to David in Hebron with twenty men. And David made a feast for Abner, and for his men who had arrived with him.	20 Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David at Hebron, and David held a feast for Abner andthe men who were with him.
21 And Abner said to David, “I will rise up, so that I may gather all of Israel to you, my lord the king, and so that I may enter into a pact with you, and so that you may reign over all, just as your soul desires.” Then, when David had led Abner away, and he had departed in peace,	21 Abner then said to David, 'I must get up and go. I am going to rally al Israel to my lord the king, so thatthey will make an alliance with you, and you wil reign over al that you desire.' So David al owed Abner to go,and he went unmolested.
22 immediately the servants of David and of Joab arrived, after having slain robbers, with exceedingly great spoils. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. For by then he had sent him away, and he had set out in peace.	22 David's retainers were just then coming back with Joab from a raid, bringing a great quantity of bootywith them. Abner was no longer with David at Hebron, since David had allowed him to go, and he had goneunmolested.
23 And Joab, and the entire army that was with him, had arrived afterward. And so, it was reported to Joab, explaining that Abner, the son of Ner, went to the king, and he dismissed him, and he went away in peace.	23 When Joab and the whole company with him had arrived, Joab was told, 'Abner son of Ner has beento the king, and the king has al owed Abner to go away unmolested.'
24 And Joab entered to the king, and he said: “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him, so that he has gone and departed?	24 Joab then went to the king and said, 'What have you done? Abner comes to you and you let him goaway and now he has gone-why?
25 Do you not know, about Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to you for this, so that he might deceive you, and might know of your departure and your return, and so that he might know all that you do?”	25 You know Abner son of Ner! He came to trick you, to discover your every move, to find out what youare doing.'
26 And so, Joab, going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and he brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, without David knowing.	26 Joab left David's presence and sent messengers after Abner and these, unknown to David, broughthim back from the storage-wel at Sirah.
27 And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him alone to the middle of the gate, so that he might speak to him, but with deceit. And there, he stabbed him in the groin, and he died, in revenge for the blood of Asahel, his brother.	27 When Abner reached Hebron, Joab took him aside in the town-gate, as if to have a quiet word withhim, and there struck him a mortal blow in the bel y to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel.
28 And when David had heard of it, now that the matter was done, he said: “I and my kingdom are clean before the Lord, even forever, of the blood of Abner, the son of Ner.	28 Afterwards, when David heard of this, he said, 'I and my kingdom are for ever innocent before Yahwehof the blood of Abner son of Ner;
29 And may it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon the entire house of his father. And may there not fail to be, in the house of Joab, one who suffers from a flow of seed, or one who is leprous, or one who is effeminate, or one who falls by the sword, or one who is in need of bread.”	29 may it fal on the head of Joab and on al his family! May the House of Joab never be free of menafflicted with haemorrhage or a virulent skin-disease, whose strength is in the distaff, who fall by the sword, wholack food.'
30 And so, Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon, during the battle.	30 (Joab and his brother Abishai had murdered Abner because he killed their brother Asahel at the battleof Gibeon.)
31 Then David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before the funeral procession of Abner.” Moreover, king David himself was following the casket.	31 David then said to Joab and the whole company with him, 'Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, andmourn over Abner,' and King David walked behind the bier.
32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and he wept over the burial mound of Abner. And all the people also wept.	32 They buried Abner at Hebron, and the king wept aloud on his grave, and the people al wept too.
33 And the king, mourning and lamenting Abner, said: “By no means has Abner died the way that cowards usually die.	33 The king made this lament over Abner: Should Abner have died as a brute dies?
34 Your hands are not bound, and your feet are not weighed down with fetters. But just as men often fall before the sons of iniquity, so you have fallen.” And while repeating this, all the people wept over him.	34 Your hands were not tied, your feet not chained; you fel as a man falls at the hands of criminals. Andal the people wept for him louder than ever.
35 And when the entire multitude had arrived to take food with David, while it was still broad daylight, David swore, saying, “May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets.”	35 The people then al tried to persuade David to have some food while it was still daylight, but Davidswore this oath, 'May God bring unnameable il s on me, and worse il s, too, if I taste bread or anything whateveruntil the sun is down!'
36 And all the people heard it, and everything that the king did in the sight of the entire people was pleasing to them.	36 Al the people took note of this and it pleased them; indeed, everything the king did pleased thepeople.
37 And every common person, and all of Israel, realized on that day that the killing of Abner, the son of Ner, had not been done by the king.	37 That day, al the people and al Israel understood that the king had had no part in the murder of Abnerson of Ner.
38 The king also said to his servants: “Could you be ignorant that a leader and a very great man has fallen today in Israel?	38 The king said to his retainers, 'Do you not realise that a prince, a great man, has fal en in Israel today?
39 But I am still tender, and yet anointed king. And these men of the sons of Zeruiah are too harsh for me. May the Lord repay whoever does evil in accord with his malice.”	39 I, though anointed king, am weak at present, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong forme. May Yahweh repay the criminal as his crime deserves!'