Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 3"

2 Samuel 3

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."

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 The war between the house of Sha'ul and the house of David dragged on, but David grew stronger, while the house of Sha'ul became weaker.

2 Sons were born to David in Hevron. His firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Achino'am from Yizre'el;

3 his second, Kil'av, whose mother was Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel; the third, Avshalom, whose mother was Ma'akhah the daughter of Talmai king of G'shur;

4 the fourth, Adoniyah the son of Haggit; the fifth, Sh'fatyah the son of Avital;

5 and the sixth, Yitre'am, whose mother was 'Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hevron.

6 During the war that was going on between the house of Sha'ul and the house of David, Avner strengthened his position in the house of Sha'ul.

7 Sha'ul had had a concubine named Ritzpah, the daughter of Ayah; and [Ish-Boshet] challenged Avner: "Why did you go and sleep with my father's concubine?"

8 These words of Ish-Boshet's enraged Avner. "What am I," he shouted, "[that you treat me with such contempt]? A dog's head in Y'hudah? Till this moment I have shown only kindness to the house of Sha'ul your father, and to his brothers and to his friends; and I haven't handed you over to David. Yet you choose today to pick a fight with me over this woman!

9 May God bring terrible curses on Avner and worse ones yet if I don't accomplish what ADONAI swore to David-

10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Sha'ul and set up the throne of David over Isra'el and Y'hudah, from Dan all the way to Be'er-Sheva!"

11 Ish-Boshet couldn't answer Avner a word, because he was afraid of him.

12 Avner immediately sent envoys to David with this message: "Who is going to control the land? If you make yourself my ally, I will use my power to bring all Isra'el over to you."

13 David sent this reply: "Very well, I will be your ally - on one condition: you will not come into my presence unless at the same time you bring with you Mikhal Sha'ul's daughter."

14 David sent messengers to say to Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul, "Give me back my wife Mikhal. I betrothed her to myself for 100 foreskins of the P'lishtim."

15 Ish-Boshet sent and took her from her husband Palti'el the son of Layish.

16 Her husband went with her, crying as he went, and followed her to Bachurim. But when Avner told him, "Go back," he returned.

17 Then Avner conferred with the leaders of Isra'el. He said, "In the past, you wanted David to be king over you.

18 So now, do it. For ADONAI has said of David, 'Through my servant David I will rescue my people Isra'el from the power of the P'lishtim and from the power of all their enemies.'"

19 Avner also spoke with the people of Binyamin. Then Avner went to Hevron and reported to David everything that had been agreed to by Isra'el and the house of Binyamin.

20 When Avner came to David in Hevron he brought twenty men with him. David held a feast for Avner and his men.

21 Avner said to David, "I must get up and go to gather all Isra'el to my lord the king, so that they can make a covenant with you. Then you will be able to rule over everything your heart desires." David sent Avner off, giving him safe conduct.

22 Just then David's men and Yo'av returned from a raid, bringing a lot of plunder with them. But Avner was not with David in Hevron, because he had sent him off under safe conduct.

23 When Yo'av and all his army had arrived, Yo'av was told, "Avner the son of Ner came to the king, but he sent him off, and he has left under safe conduct."

24 Yo'av went to the king and said, "What have you done? Here, Avner came to you, and you sent him away, and now he's gone! Why?

25 You know Avner the son of Ner - he came only to deceive you, to learn what campaigns you're planning and to find out everything you're doing!"

26 After leaving David, Yo'av sent messengers after Avner, and they brought him back from the water cistern at Sirah without David's knowledge.

27 Upon Avner's return to Hevron, Yo'av took him aside into the space between the outer and inner city gates as if to speak with him privately; and there he struck him in the groin, so that he died - thus avenging the death of 'Asah'el his brother.

28 Afterwards, when David heard of it, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent of the death of Avner the son of Ner.

29 Let it fall on the head of Yo'av and all his father's family. May Yo'av's family always have someone with a hemorrhage or tzara'at, or who has to walk with a cane, or who dies by the sword or who lacks food."

30 Thus Yo'av and Avishai his brother killed Avner, because he had killed their brother 'Asah'el during the battle in Giv'on.

31 But David said to Yo'av and all those with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Avner." King David himself walked behind the body as it was carried.

32 They buried Avner at Hevron; the king wept aloud at Avner's grave, and all the people wept.

33 The king sang this lament over Avner: "Should Avner have died like a thug?

34 Your hands weren't tied, your feet weren't fettered; you fell like one who falls at the hands of criminals." Then all the people wept over him more than ever.

35 All the people came to David and tried to make him eat some bread while it was still daytime; but David swore, "May God bring terrible curses on me and worse ones yet if I taste bread or anything else until the sun goes down."

36 All the people took note of this, and it pleased them; whatever the king did pleased all the people.

37 So that day, all the people and all Isra'el understood that the king had had no part in the killing of Avner the son of Ner.

38 The king said to his servants, "You realize that a leader, a great man, has fallen today in Isra'el.

39 Even though I have just been anointed king, I feel weak today; and these men, the sons of Tz'ruyah, are too brutal for me. May ADONAI repay the criminal as his crime deserves!"