2 Samuel 3

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 There followed a long war between the house of Saul and that of David, in which David grew stronger, but the house of Saul weaker.	1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: his first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam from Jezreel;	2 And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess:
3 the second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom, son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;	3 And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur:
4 the fourth, Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah, son of Abital;	4 And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital:
5 and the sixth, Ithream, of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.	5 And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David in Hebron.
6 During the war between the house of Saul and that of David, Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.	6 Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul.
7 Now Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal, son of Saul, said to Abner, "Why have you been intimate with my father's concubine?"	7 And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner:
8 Enraged at the words of Ishbaal, Abner said, "Am I a dog's head in Judah? At present I am doing a kindness to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers and his friends, by keeping you out of David's clutches; yet this day you charge me with a crime involving a woman!	8 Why didst thou go in to my father's concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog's head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman?
9 May God do thus and so to Abner if I do not carry out for David what the LORD swore to him--	9 So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him,
10 that is, take away the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Beersheba."	10 That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.
11 In his fear of Abner, Ishbaal was no longer able to say a word to him.	11 And he could not answer him a word, because he feared him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David in Telam, where he was at the moment, to say, "Make an agreement with me, and I will aid you by bringing all Israel over to you."	12 Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.
13 He replied, "Very well, I will make an agreement with you. But one thing I require of you. You must not appear before me unless you bring back Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to present yourself to me."	13 And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me.
14 At the same time David sent messengers to Ishbaal, son of Saul, to say, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I espoused by paying a hundred Philistine foreskins."	14 And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15 Ishbaal sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish,	15 And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais.
16 who followed her weeping as far as Bahurim. But Abner said to him, "Go back!" And he turned back.	16 And her husband followed her, weeping as far as Bahurim: and Abner said to him: Go and return. And he returned.
17 Abner then said in discussion with the elders of Israel: "For a long time you have been seeking David as your king.	17 Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.
18 Now take action, for the LORD has said of David, 'By my servant David I will save my people Israel from the grasp of the Philistines and from the grasp of all their enemies.'"	18 Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.
19 Abner also spoke personally to Benjamin, and then went to make his own report to David in Hebron concerning all that would be agreeable to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.	19 And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.
20 When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him.	20 And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.
21 Then Abner said to David, "I will now go to assemble all Israel for my lord the king, that they may make an agreement with you; you will then be king over all whom you wish to rule." So David bade Abner farewell, and he went away in peace.	21 And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David bad brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,
22 Just then David's servants and Joab were coming in from an expedition, bringing much plunder with them. Abner, having been dismissed by David, was no longer with him in Hebron but had gone his way in peace.	22 Immediately David's servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty: and Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23 When Joab and the whole force he had with him arrived, he was informed, "Abner, son of Ner, came to David; he has been sent on his way in peace."	23 And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24 So Joab went to the king and said: "What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him go peacefully on his way?	24 And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?
25 Are you not aware that Abner came to deceive you and to learn the ins and outs of all that you are doing?"	25 Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?
26 Joab then left David, and without David's knowledge sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the cistern of Sirah.	26 Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.
27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the city gate as though to speak with him privately. There he stabbed him in the abdomen, and he died in revenge for the killing of Joab's brother Asahel.	27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.
28 Later David heard of it and said: "Before the LORD; I and my kingdom are forever innocent.	28 And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
29 May the full responsibility for the death of Abner, son of Ner, be laid to Joab and to all his family. May the men of Joab's family never be without one suffering from a discharge, or a leper, or one unmanly, one falling by the sword, or one in need of bread!"	29 And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.
30 (Joab and his brother Abishai had lain in wait for Abner because he killed their brother Asahel in battle at Gibeon.)	30 So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your garments, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn over Abner." King David himself followed the bier.	31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
32 When they had buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at the grave of Abner, and the people also wept.	32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept.
33 And the king sang this elegy over Abner: "Would Abner have died like a fool?	33 And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died.
34 Your hands were not bound with chains, nor your feet placed in fetters; As men fall before the wicked, you fell." And all the people continued to weep for him.	34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.
35 Then they went to console David with food while it was still day. But David swore, "May God do thus and so to me if I eat bread or anything else before sunset."	35 And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset.
36 All the people noted this with approval, just as they were pleased with everything that the king did.	36 And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.
37 So on that day all the people and all Israel came to know that the king had no part in the killing of Abner, son of Ner.	37 And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain.
38 The king then said to his servants: "You must recognize that a great general has fallen today in Israel.	38 The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and great man is slain this day in Israel?
39 Although I am the anointed king, I am weak this day, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too ruthless for me. May the LORD requite the evildoer in accordance with his evil deed."	39 But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.