Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 3"

2 Samuel 3

The Message Bible MSG

1 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David dragged on and on. The longer it went on the stronger David became, with the house of Saul getting weaker.

2 During the Hebron years, sons were born to David: Amnon, born of Ahinoam of Jezreel - the firstborn;

3 Kileab, born of Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow - his second; Absalom, born of Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur - the third;

4 Adonijah, born of Haggith - the fourth; Shephatiah, born of Abital - the fifth;

5 Ithream, born of Eglah - the sixth. These six sons of David were born in Hebron.

6 Abner took advantage of the continuing war between the house of Saul and the house of David to gain power for himself.

7 Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. One day Ish-Bosheth confronted Abner: "What business do you have sleeping with my father's concubine?"

8 Abner lost his temper with Ish-Bosheth, "Treat me like a dog, will you! Is this the thanks I get for sticking by the house of your father, Saul, and all his family and friends? I personally saved you from certain capture by David, and you make an issue out of my going to bed with a woman!

9 What God promised David, I'll help accomplish - transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and make David ruler over the whole country, both Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba. If not, may God do his worst to me."

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11 Ish-Bosheth, cowed by Abner's outburst, couldn't say another word.

12 Abner went ahead and sent personal messengers to David: "Make a deal with me and I'll help bring the whole country of Israel over to you."

13 "Great," said David. "It's a deal. But only on one condition: You're not welcome here unless you bring Michal, Saul's daughter, with you when you come to meet me."

14 David then sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul: "Give me back Michal, whom I won as my wife at the cost of a hundred Philistine foreskins."

15 Ish-Bosheth ordered that she be taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.

16 But Paltiel followed her, weeping all the way, to Bahurim. There Abner told him, "Go home." And he went home.

17 Abner got the elders of Israel together and said, "Only yesterday, it seems, you were looking for a way to make David your king.

18 So do it - now! For God has given the go-ahead on David: 'By my servant David's hand, I'll save my people Israel from the oppression of the Philistines and all their other enemies.'"

19 Abner took the Benjaminites aside and spoke to them. Then he went to Hebron for a private talk with David, telling him everything that Israel in general and Benjamin in particular were planning to do.

20 When Abner and the twenty men who were with him met with David in Hebron, David laid out a feast for them.

21 Abner then said, "I'm ready. Let me go now to rally everyone in Israel for my master, the king. They'll make a treaty with you, authorizing you to rule them however you see fit." Abner was sent off with David's blessing.

22 Soon after that, David's men, led by Joab, came back from a field assignment. Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, having just been dismissed with David's blessing.

23 As Joab and his raiding party arrived, they were told that Abner the son of Ner had been there with David and had been sent off with David's blessing.

24 Joab went straight to the king: "What's this you've done? Abner shows up, and you let him walk away scot-free?

25 You know Abner son of Ner better than that. This was no friendly visit. He was here to spy on you, figure out your comings and goings, find out what you're up to."

26 Joab left David and went into action. He sent messengers after Abner; they caught up with him at the well at Sirah and brought him back. David knew nothing of all this.

27 When Abner got back to Hebron, Joab steered him aside at the gate for a personal word with him. There he stabbed him in the belly, killed him in cold blood for the murder of his brother Asahel.

28 Later on, when David heard what happened, he said, "Before God I and my kingdom are totally innocent of this murder of Abner son of Ner.

29 Joab and his entire family will always be under the curse of this bloodguilt. May they forever be victims of crippling diseases, violence, and famine."

30 (Joab and his brother, Abishai, murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.)

31 David ordered Joab and all the men under him, "Rip your cloaks into rags! Wear mourning clothes! Lead Abner's funeral procession with loud lament!" King David followed the coffin.

32 They buried Abner in Hebron. The king's voice was loud in lament as he wept at the side of Abner's grave. All the people wept, too.

33 Then the king sang this tribute to Abner: Can this be? Abner dead like a nameless bum?

34 You were a free man, free to go and do as you wished - Yet you fell as a victim in a street brawl. And all the people wept - a crescendo of crying!

35 They all came then to David, trying to get him to eat something before dark. But David solemnly swore, "I'll not so much as taste a piece of bread, or anything else for that matter, before sunset, so help me God!"

36 Everyone at the funeral took notice - and liked what they saw. In fact everything the king did was applauded by the people.

37 It was clear to everyone that day, including all Israel, that the king had nothing to do with the death of Abner son of Ner.

38 The king spoke to his servants: "You realize, don't you, that today a prince and hero fell victim of foul play in Israel?

39 And I, though anointed king, was helpless to do anything about it. These sons of Zeruiah are too much for me. God, requite the criminal for his crime!"

New Century Version NCV

1 There was a long war between the people who supported Saul's fam- ily and those who supported David's family. The supporters of David's family became stronger and stronger, but the supporters of Saul's family became weaker and weaker.

2 Sons were born to David at Hebron. The first was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.

3 The second son was Kileab, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third son was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur.

4 The fourth son was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth son was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.

5 The sixth son was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David's wife. These sons were born to David at Hebron.

6 During the war between the supporters of Saul's family and the supporters of David's family, Abner made himself a main leader among the supporters of Saul.

7 Saul once had a slave woman named Rizpah, who was the daughter of Aiah. Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you have sexual relations with my father's slave woman?"

8 Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said, and he replied, "I have been loyal to Saul and his family and friends! I didn't hand you over to David. I am not a traitor working for Judah! But now you are saying I did something wrong with this woman!

9 May God help me if I don't join David! I will make sure that what the Lord promised does happen!

10 I will take the kingdom from the family of Saul and make David king of Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba!"

11 Ish-Bosheth couldn't say anything to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

12 Then Abner sent messengers to ask David, "Who is going to rule the land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you unite all Israel."

13 David answered, "Good! I will make an agreement with you, but I ask you one thing. I will not meet with you unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal to me."

14 Then David sent messengers to Saul's son Ish-Bosheth, saying, "Give me my wife Michal. She was promised to me, and I killed a hundred Philistines to get her."

15 So Ish-Bosheth sent men to take Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.

16 Michal's husband went with her, crying as he followed her to Bahurim. But Abner said to Paltiel, "Go back home." So he went home.

17 Abner sent this message to the older leaders of Israel: "You have been wanting to make David your king.

18 Now do it! The Lord said of David, 'Through my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies.'"

19 Abner also said these things to the people of Benjamin. He then went to Hebron to tell David what the Benjaminites and Israel wanted to do.

20 Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron. There David prepared a feast for them.

21 Abner said to David, "My master and king, I will go and bring all the Israelites to you. Then they will make an agreement with you so you will rule over all Israel as you wanted." So David let Abner go, and he left in peace.

22 Just then Joab and David's men came from a battle, bringing many valuable things they had taken from the enemy. David had let Abner leave in peace, so he was not with David at Hebron.

23 When Joab and all his army arrived at Hebron, the army said to Joab, "Abner son of Ner came to King David, and David let him leave in peace."

24 Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he's gone.

25 You know Abner son of Ner! He came to trick you! He came to learn about everything you are doing!"

26 After Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know this.

27 When Abner arrived at Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway. He acted as though he wanted to talk with Abner in private, but Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died. Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel, so Joab killed Abner to pay him back.

28 Later when David heard the news, he said, "My kingdom and I are innocent forever of the death of Abner son of Ner. The Lord knows this.

29 Joab and his family are responsible for this. May his family always have someone with sores or with a skin disease. May they always have someone who must lean on a crutch. May some of his family be killed in war. May they always have someone without food to eat."

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

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people with Joab, "Tear your clothes and put on rough cloth to show how sad you are. Cry for Abner." King David himself followed the body of Abner.

32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and David and all the people cried at Abner's grave.

33 King David sang this funeral song for Abner. "Did Abner die like a fool?

34 His hands were not tied. His feet were not in chains. He fell at the hands of evil men." Then all the people cried again for Abner.

35 They came to encourage David to eat while it was still day. But he made a promise, saying, "May God punish me terribly if I eat bread or anything else before the sun sets!"

36 All the people saw what happened, and they agreed with what the king was doing, just as they agreed with everything he did.

37 That day all the people of Judah and Israel understood that David did not order the killing of Abner son of Ner.

38 David said to his officers, "You know that a great man died today in Israel.

39 Even though I am the appointed king, I feel empty. These sons of Zeruiah are too much for me. May the Lord give them the punishment they should have."