1There was a long war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David. David's side grew stronger, while Saul's side grew weaker.

2David's sons born at Hebron were: Amnon (firstborn), by Ahinoam from Jezreel;

3Chileab (second), by Abigail, Nabal's widow from Carmel; Absalom (third), by Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

4Adonijah (fourth), by Haggith; Shephatiah (fifth), by Abital;

5Ithream (sixth), by David's wife Eglah. These were the sons born to David at Hebron.

6Abner had been strengthening his position among the supporters of Saul's dynasty during the war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David.

7Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. One day Ishbosheth accused Abner, saying “Why have you been sleeping with my father's concubine?”

8Abner got extremely angry at Ishbosheth's accusation. “Am I a dog's head siding with Judah?” he replied. “Right up to the present day I have been loyal to your dynasty—to your father Saul, and to his brothers and friends. I haven't betrayed you to David. But now you dare to accuse me of sinning with this woman!

9So now may God punish me severely if I don't help David achieve what the Lord has promised him.

10I will hand over the kingdom from Saul's dynasty, and help set up David's rule over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

11Ishbosheth didn't dare to say anything else to Abner because he was frightened of him.

12Then Abner sent messengers to speak for him to David, saying, “Who does the country belong to anyway? Make an agreement with me, and you can be sure I'll be on your side to have all of Israel follow you.”

13“Fine,” David replied, “I'll make an agreement with you. But I have one condition: I won't see you unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come.”

14Then David sent messengers to tell Ishbosheth, son of Saul, “Give me back my wife Michal—I paid a dowry for her of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”

15Ishbosheth sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish.

16Her husband followed her to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. Then Abner ordered him, “Go back home!” So he went home.

17Abner spoke with the elders of Israel and said, “For a while now you have wanted to have David as your king.

18Now is the time to do it, because the Lord promised David, ‘Through my servant David I am going to save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies.’”

19Abner also talked to the people of Benjamin, and went to Hebron to let David know everything that the Israelites and the whole tribe of Benjamin had decided to do.

20Abner came with twenty of his men to see David at Hebron, and David prepared a feast for them.

21Abner told David, “Let me go immediately and summon all of Israel to come together for my lord the king, so they may make an agreement with you, and that you may rule over all you would wish.” Then David sent Abner safely on his way.

22Soon after Joab and David's men came back from a raid, bringing with them a large amount of plunder. However, Abner wasn't there with David in Hebron because David had already sent him safely on his way in peace.

23When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, he was told, “Abner, son of Ner, came to see the king, who sent him safely on his way.”

24Joab went to the king and asked, “What do you think you're doing? Here's Abner, who came to see you. Why on earth did you send him on his way? Now he's got clean away!

25You do see that Abner, son of Ner, came here to trick you, to spy on the movements of your army, and to find out everything you're doing!”

26When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner. They met up with him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, but David didn't know anything about it.

27When Abner arrived back in Hebron, Joab took him aside into the town gatehouse as if he was going to talk with him in private. But Joab stabbed him in the belly, killing him in revenge for killing Joab's brother Asahel.

28When David heard about this later he said, “I and my kingdom are totally innocent before the Lord regarding the death of Abner, son of Ner!

29May the guilt for his death fall on Joab and his family! May Joab's descendants always have someone who has running sores or leprosy or is crippled ⁶or who is killed by the sword or who is starving.”

30(This is why Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel during the battle at Gibeon.)

31Then David ordered Joab and everyone who was there, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David himself followed the body as it was carried to the grave.

32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king cried loudly at the grave, along with all the people.

33The king sang this lament for Abner: “Did Abner deserve to die like a criminal?

34Your hands were not tied together, your feet were not in shackles. But just like a murderer's victim, you too were killed.” All the people cried for him even more.

35Then people came to David and tried to persuade him to have something to eat during the day. But David swore an oath, saying, “May God punish me severely if I eat bread or anything else before sunset!”

36Everyone saw this and thought it was the right thing to do, in the same way that they thought everything the king did was the right thing to do.

37That day everyone in Judah and throughout Israel realized that David had not ordered Abner's murder.

38Then the king said to his officers, “Don't you recognize that a commander and a truly great man has fallen in Israel today?

39I am weak right now, even though I'm anointed as king and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too powerful for me. But may the Lord repay the evil man according to the evil he has done.”