1
Now there was a
long war between the
house of
Saul and the
house of
David; and
David grew steadily stronger, but the
house of
Saul grew weaker continually.
!yeb.W l.Wa'v tyeB !yeB h'KUr]a h'm'x.liM;h yih.T;w ? l.Wa'v tyeb.W qez'x.w .$el{h diw'd.w diw'D tyeB ? ~yiL;d.w ~yik.l{h
2
Sons were
born to
David at
Hebron: his
firstborn was
Amnon, by
Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess;
w{rw{k.b yih.y;w !w{r.b,x.B ~yin'B diw'd.l .Wd.leY;w ? tilae[.r.ziY;h ~;[{nyix]a;l !w{n.m;a
3
and his
second,
Chileab, by
Abigail the
widow of
Nabal the
Carmelite; and the
third,
Absalom the
son of
Maacah, the
daughter of
Talmai,
king of
Geshur;
yil.m.r;K;h l'b'n t,vea legyib]a;l b'a.lik .When.vim.W ? y;m.l;T -t;B h'k][;m -n,B ~w{l'v.b;a yivil.V;h.w ? r.Wv.G .$,l,m
4
and the
fourth,
Adonijah the
son of
Haggith; and the
fifth,
Shephatiah the
son of
Abital;
yivyim]x;h.w tyiG;x -n,b h'Yin{d]a yi[yib.r'h.w ? l'jyib]a -n,b h'y.j;p.v
5
and the
sixth,
Ithream, by
David's wife Eglah.
These were
born to
David at
Hebron.
.Wd.LUy h,Lea diw'D t,vea h'l.g,[.l ~'[.r.tIy yiViV;h.w ? !w{r.b,x.B diw'd.l
6
It
came about while there was
war between the
house of
Saul and the
house of
David that
Abner was
making himself
strong in the
house of
Saul.
l.Wa'v tyeB !yeB h'm'x.liM;h tw{y.hiB yih.y;w ? tyeb.B qeZ;x.tim h'y'h ren.b;a.w diw'D tyeB !yeb.W ? l.Wa'v
7
Now
Saul had a
concubine whose
name was
Rizpah, the
daughter of
Aiah; and Ish-bosheth
said to
Abner,
"Why have you
gone in to my
father's concubine?"
r,ma{Y;w h'Y;a -t;b h'P.cir H'm.v.W v,g,liP l.Wa'v.l.W ? yib'a v,g,lyiP -l,a h'ta'B ;[.WD;m ren.b;a -l,a
8
Then
Abner was
very angry over the
words of
Ish-bosheth and
said, "Am I a
dog's head that belongs to
Judah?
Today I
show kindness to the
house of
Saul your
father, to his
brothers and to his
friends, and have not
delivered you into the
hands of
David; and yet
today you
charge me with a
guilt concerning the
woman.
t,v{B -vyia yer.biD -l;[ d{a.m ren.b;a.l r;xiY;w ? h'd.Whyil r,v]a yik{n'a b,l,K va{r]h r,ma{Y;w ? '$yib'a l.Wa'v tyeB -mi[ d,s,x -h,f/[,a ~w{Y;h ? '$ityic.mih a{l.w .Whe[erem -l,a.w wy'x,a -l,a ? ~w{Y;h h'Via'h !{w][ y;l'[ d{q.piT;w diw'D -d;y.B
9
"May
God do so to
Abner, and
more al
so,
if as the
LORD has
sworn to
David, I do not
accomplish this for him,
@yis{y h{k.w ren.b;a.l ~yih{l/a h,f][;y -h{K ? w{L -h,f/[,a !ek -yiK diw'd.l h'wh.y [;B.vin r,v]a;K yiK w{l
10
to
transfer the
kingdom from the
house of
Saul and to
establish the
throne of
David over Israel and
over Judah, from
Dan even to
Beersheba."
~yiq'h.l.W l.Wa'v tyeBim h'k'l.m;M;h ryib][;h.l ? h'd.Wh.y -l;[.w lea'r.fIy -l;[ diw'd aeSiK -t,a ? [;b'v rea.B -d;[.w !'Dim
11
And he
could no longer answer Abner a
word,
because he was
afraid of him.
r'b'D ren.b;a -t,a byiv'h.l dw{[ l{k'y -a{l.w ? w{t{a w{t'a.riYim
12
Then
Abner sent messengers to
David in his
place,
saying,
"Whose is the
land?
Make your
covenant with me, and
behold, my
hand shall be with you to
bring all Israel over to you."
diw'D -l,a ~yik'a.l;m ren.b;a x;l.viY;w ? '$.tyir.b h't.r'K r{mael #,r'a -yim.l r{mael w{t;x;T ? lea'r.fIy -l'K -t,a '$y,lea bes'h.l .$'Mi[ yid'y heNih.w yiTia
13
He
said,
"Good! I will
make a
covenant with you, but I
demand one thing of you,
namely, you shall not
see my
face unless * you
first bring Michal,
Saul's daughter, when you
come to
see me."
.$;a tyir.B '$.Tia t{r.k,a yin]a bw{j r,ma{Y;w ? h,a.rit -a{l r{mael '$.Tiaem lea{v yik{n'a d'x,a r'b'D ? l;kyim tea '$]ayib/h yen.pil -mia yiK y;n'P -t,a ? y'n'P -t,a tw{a.ril '$]a{b.B l.Wa'v -t;B
14
So
David sent messengers to
Ish-bosheth,
Saul's son,
saying,
"Give me my
wife Michal, to
whom I was
betrothed for a
hundred foreskins of the
Philistines."
l.Wa'v -n,B t,v{B -vyia -l,a ~yik'a.l;m diw'D x;l.viY;w ? r,v]a l;kyim -t,a yiT.via -t,a h'n.T r{mael ? ~yiT.vil.P tw{l.r'[ h'aem.B yil yiT.f;rea
15
Ish-bosheth sent and
took her from her
husband, from
Paltiel the
son of
Laish.
~i[em vyia ~i[em 'h,x'QiY;w t,v{B vyia x;l.viY;w ? viw'l -n,B leayij.l;P
16
But her
husband went with her,
weeping as he
went, and
followed her as
far as
Bahurim. Then
Abner said to him,
"Go,
return." So he
returned.
~yirUx;B -d;[ 'hy,r]x;a h{k'b.W .$w{l'h H'vyia H'Tia .$,leY;w ? b{v'Y;w b.Wv .$el ren.b;a wy'lea r,ma{Y;w
17
Now
Abner had consultation with the
elders of
Israel,
saying, "In
times * past you were
seeking for
David to be
king over you.
r{mael lea'r.fIy yen.qiz -mi[ h'y'h ren.b;a -r;b.d.W ? ~yiv.q;b.m ~,tyIy/h ~{v.liv -m;G lw{m.T -m;G ? ~,kyel][ .$,l,m.l diw'D -t,a
18
"Now then,
do it! For the
LORD has
spoken of
David,
saying, 'By the
hand of My
servant David I will
save My
people Israel from the
hand of the
Philistines and from the
hand of
all their
enemies.' "
r{mael diw'D -l,a r;m'a h'wh.y yiK .Wf][ h'T;[.w ? lea'r.fIy yiM;[ -t,a ;[yivw{h yiD.b;[ diw'D d;y.B ? ~,hyeb.y{a -l'K d;Yim.W ~yiT.vil.P d;Yim
19
Abner also spoke in the
hearing of
Benjamin; and in
addition Abner went to
speak in the
hearing of
David in
Hebron all that seemed
good to
Israel and to the
whole house of
Benjamin.
.$,leY;w !yim'y.nib yen.z'a.B ren.b;a -m;G reB;d.y;w ? !w{r.b,x.B diw'd yen.z'a.B reB;d.l ren.b;a -m;G ? yenye[.b.W lea'r.fIy yenye[.B bw{j -r,v]a -l'K tea ? !im'y.niB tyeB -l'K
20
Then
Abner and
twenty men with him
came to
David at
Hebron. And
David made a
feast for
Abner and the
men who were with him.
~yir.f,[ w{Tia.w !w{r.b,x diw'D -l,a ren.b;a a{b'Y;w ? w{Tia -r,v]a ~yiv'n]a;l.w ren.b;a.l diw'D f;[;Y;w ~yiv'n]a ? h,T.vim
21
Abner said to
David, "Let me
arise and
go and
gather all Israel to my
lord the
king, that they may
make a
covenant with you, and that you may be
king over
all that your
soul desires." So
David sent Abner away, and he
went in
peace.
h'kelea.w h'm.Wq'a diw'D -l,a ren.b;a r,ma{Y;w ? lea'r.fIy -l'K -t,a .$,l,M;h yin{d]a -l,a h'c.B.q,a.w ? h/W;a.T -r,v]a l{k.B 'T.k;l'm.W tyir.B '$.Tia .Wt.r.kIy.w ? ~w{l'v.B .$,leY;w ren.b;a -t,a diw'D x;L;v.Y;w '$,v.p;n
22
And
behold, the
servants of
David and
Joab came from a
raid and
brought much spoil with them; but
Abner was not with
David in
Hebron, for he had
sent him
away, and he had
gone in
peace.
l'l'v.w d.Wd.G;hem a'B b'aw{y.w diw'd yed.b;[ heNih.w ? diw'D -mi[ .WN,nyea ren.b;a.w .Wayibeh ~'Mi[ b'r ? ~w{l'v.B .$,leY;w w{x.Liv yiK !w{r.b,x.B
23
When
Joab and
all the
army that was with him
arrived, they
told Joab,
saying,
"Abner the
son of
Ner came to the
king, and he has
sent him
away, and he has
gone in
peace."
.WdiG;Y;w .Wa'B w{Tia -r,v]a a'b'C;h -l'k.w b'aw{y.w ? .$,l,M;h -l,a ren -n,B ren.b;a -a'B r{mael b'aw{y.l ? ~w{l'v.B .$,leY;w .Whex.L;v.y;w
24
Then
Joab came to the
king and
said,
"What have you
done?
Behold,
Abner came to you;
why then have you
sent him
away and he is
already gone?
h'tyif'[ h,m r,ma{Y;w .$,l,M;h -l,a b'aw{y a{b'Y;w ? w{T.x;Liv h,Z -h'M'l '$y,lea ren.b;a a'b -heNih ? .$w{l'h .$,leY;w
25
"You
know Abner the
son of
Ner, that he
came to
deceive you and to
learn of your
going out and
coming in and to
find out
all that you are
doing."
a'B '$.t{T;p.l yiK ren -n,B ren.b;a -t,a 'T.[;d'y ? t;[;d'l.w '$,aw{bim -t,a.w '$]a'cw{m -t,a t;[;d'l.w ? h,f{[ h'T;a r,v]a -l'K tea
26
When
Joab came out from
David, he
sent messengers after Abner, and they
brought him
back from the
well of
Sirah; but
David did not
know it.
~yik'a.l;m x;l.viY;w diw'D ~i[em b'aw{y aeceY;w ? diw'd.w h'riS;h rw{Bim w{t{a .Wbiv'Y;w ren.b;a yer]x;a ? ['d'y a{l
27
So when
Abner returned to
Hebron,
Joab took him
aside into the
middle of the
gate to
speak with him
privately, and
there he
struck him in the
belly so that he
died on account of the
blood of
Asahel his
brother.
.$w{T -l,a b'aw{y .WheJ;Y;w !w{r.b,x ren.b;a b'v'Y;w ? v,m{x;h ~'v .WheK;Y;w yil,V;B w{Tia reB;D.l r;[;V;h ? wyix'a lea -h'f][ ~;d.B t'm'Y;w
28
Afterward when
David heard it, he
said, "I and my
kingdom are
innocent before * the
LORD forever * of the
blood of
Abner the
son of
Ner.
yik{n'a yiq'n r,ma{Y;w !ek yer]x;aem diw'D [;m.viY;w ? yem.Dim ~'lw{[ -d;[ h'wh.y ~i[em yiT.k;l.m;m.W ? ren -n,B ren.b;a
29
"May it
fall on the
head of
Joab and on
all his
father's house; and may there not
fail from the
house of
Joab one who has a
discharge, or who is a
leper, or who
takes hold of a
distaff, or who
falls by the
sword, or who
lacks bread."
wyib'a tyeB -l'K l,a.w b'aw{y va{r -l;[ .WlUx'y ? qyiz]x;m.W ['r{c.m.W b'z b'aw{y tyeBim ter'KIy -l;a.w ? ~,x'l -r;s]x;w b,r,x;B lep{n.w .$,l,P;B
30
So
Joab and
Abishai his
brother killed Abner because * he had
put their
brother Asahel to
death in the
battle at
Gibeon.
l;[ ren.b;a.l .Wg.r'h wyix'a y;vyib]a;w b'aw{y.w ? !w{[.big.B ~,hyix]a leah'f][ -t,a tyimeh r,v]a ? h'm'x.liM;B
31
Then
David said to
Joab and to
all the
people who were with him,
"Tear your
clothes and
gird on
sackcloth and
lament before Abner." And
King David walked behind the
bier.
~'['h -l'K -l,a.w b'aw{y -l,a diw'D r,ma{Y;w ? ~yiQ;f .Wr.gix.w ~,kyed.gib .W[.riq w{Tia -r,v]a ? yer]x;a .$el{h diw'D .$,l,M;h.w ren.b;a yen.pil .Wd.pis.w ? h'JiM;h
32
Thus they
buried Abner in
Hebron; and the
king lifted up his
voice and
wept at the
grave of
Abner, and
all the
people wept.
.$,l,M;h ]a'FIy;w !w{r.b,x.B ren.b;a -t,a .Wr.B.qiY;w ? .WK.biY;w ren.b;a r,b,q -l,a .K.beY;w w{lw{q -t,a ? ~'['h -l'K
33
The
king chanted a lament for
Abner and
said, "Should
Abner die as a
fool dies?
tw{m.K;h r;ma{Y;w ren.b;a -l,a .$,l,M;h !en{q.y;w ? ren.b;a t.Wm'y l'b'n
34
"Your
hands were not
bound,
nor your
feet put in
fetters; As one
falls before the
wicked *, you have
fallen." And
all the
people wept again over him.
~Iy;T.vUx.nil -a{l '$y,l.g;r.w tw{rUs]a -a{l '$,d'y ? 'T.l'p'n h'l.w;[ -yen.b yen.pil lw{p.niK .Wv'GUh ? wy'l'[ tw{K.bil ~'['h -l'k .Wpis{Y;w
35
Then
all the
people came to persuade
David to
eat bread while it was
still day; but
David vowed,
saying, "May
God do so to me, and
more al
so,
if * I
taste bread or anything else before the
sun goes down."
~,x,l diw'D -t,a tw{r.b;h.l ~'['h -l'k a{b'Y;w ? yiL -h,f][;y h{K r{mael diw'D [;b'ViY;w ~w{Y;h dw{[.B ? v,m,V;h -aw{b yen.pil -mia yiK @yis{y h{k.w ~yih{l/a ? h'm.Wa.m -l'k w{a ~,x,l -m;[.j,a
36
Now
all the
people took note of it, and it
pleased * them, just as
everything * the
king did pleased * all the
people.
l{k.K ~,hyenye[.B b;jyiY;w .WryiKih ~'['h -l'k.w ? bw{j ~'['h -l'k yenye[.B .$,l,M;h h'f'[ r,v]a
37
So
all the
people and
all Israel understood that
day that it had not
been the will of the
king to
put Abner the
son of
Ner to
death.
a.Wh;h ~w{Y;B lea'r.fIy -l'k.w ~'['h -l'k .W[.deY;w ? ren.b;a -t,a tyim'h.l .$,l,M;hem h't.y'h a{l yiK ? ren -n,B
38
Then the
king said to his
servants, "Do you not
know that a
prince and a
great man has
fallen this day in
Israel?
.W[.det aw{l]h wy'd'b][ -l,a .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w ? lea'r.fIy.B h,Z;h ~w{Y;h l;p'n lw{d'g.w r;f -yiK
39
"I am
weak today, though
anointed king; and
these men the
sons of
Zeruiah are
too difficult for me. May the
LORD repay the
evildoer according to his
evil."
~yiv'n]a'h.w .$,l,m ;x.Wv'm.W .$;r ~w{Y;h yik{n'a.w ? h'wh.y ~eL;v.y yiN,Mim ~yiv'q h'y.Wr.c yen.B h,Lea'h ? w{t'['r.K h'['r'h hef{[.l