Shmuel | Samuel
The war was long between the House of Saul and the House of David; David grew continuously stronger, while the House of Saul grew continuously weaker.
3:1
Sons were born to David in Hebron: his first born was Amnon, [born] to Ahinoam of Jezreel; … the sixth was Ithream, [born] to Eglah, David’s [main] wife. These are born to David in Hebron.
:2-5
So may God do to Abner and so may He do further to him [if he does not keep this oath] …; for just as Hashem has sworn to David, so shal I do for him:
:9
To remove the kingship from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David upon Israel and upon Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba!”
:10
Abner sent messengers to David from his place, saying, “Seal your covenant with me and behold — my hand will be with you, to turn all of Israel to you. “
:12
Abner’s message had been sent to all the elders of Israel, saying, “From yesterday and before yesterday you wanted David as king over you;
:17
So now do it! For Hashem has said to David, “By the hand of My servant David I shall save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”
:18
Abner said to David, “I shall arise and go to rally all of Israel behind my lord the king, so that they will seal a covenant with you so that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
:21
So Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold — Abner came to you — why did you send him away and allow him to leave?
:24
Joab then left David’s presence and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from Bor-hassirah, but David did not know.
:26
… He struck him there in the fifth rib, and he died [as revenge] for the blood of his brother Asahel.
:27
When David heard afterwards, he declared, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Hashem forever, for the blood of Abner son of Ner!
:28
Joab and his brother Abishai had killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon, in the battle.
:30
All the people came to [comfort] David by bringing him a meal on that same day, but David swore, saying, “So shall God do to me and so shall He do further if I taste any bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
:35
And all the people and all of Israel realized on that day that it was not [ordered] by the king to kill Abner son of Ner.
:37
But may Hashem repay the evildoer according to his evil!”
:39
Daily Holy Bible Reading
1 And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long; and David kept growing stronger, while the house of Saul were continuously growing weaker.
2 And sons were born to David in Hebron; and his first-born was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.
3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur.
4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital.
5 And the sixth, Ithream of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 And it was while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was exerting great effort [to support] the house of Saul.
7 Now Saul had had a concubine whose name was Rizpah the daughter of Aiah; and he said to Abner, “Why did you go in to my father’s concubine?”
8 And Abner became very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth; and he said, “Am I the head of the dogs which belong to Judah? Shall I do kindness today with the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends [as I have done until now] and I have not delivered you into David’s hand? And you charge me today with the guilt concerning the woman?
9 “God do so to Abner and so may He continue to him, for as the Lord has sworn to David, for so shall I do to him.
10 To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11 And he could not answer Abner another word because of his fear of him.
12 And Abner sent messengers to David from his place, saying. “To whom the land belongs,” saying, “Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand is with you to bring around all Israel to you.”
13 And he said, “Good; I shall make a covenant with you, but one thing I ask of you, namely that you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter when you come to see my face.”
14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, saying, “Give my wife Michal whom I espoused to myself with one hundred foreskins of Philistines.”
15 And Ish- bosheth sent and took her from a man, from Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went with her, walking and weeping after her up to Bahurim; and Abner said to him, “Go, return,” and he returned.
17 And the word of Abner had been with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking David as king over you.
18 “And now, do it, for God said about David, saying, “By the hand of My bondsman David shall I deliver My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.”
19 And Abner spoke also in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner also went to speak in David’s ears in Hebron all that pleased Israel and the entire house of Benjamin.
20 And Abner came to David to Hebron, and with him were twenty men, and David made a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him.
21 And Abner said to David, “I shall get up and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, and they will make a covenant with you, and you will reign over all that your soul desires. ” And David sent Abner off and he went in peace.
22 And behold David’s servants and Joab came from [pursuing] a troop, and they brought much plunder with them. Now Abner was not with David, for he had sent him off and he had gone in peace.
23 And Joab and all the army which were with him came and they told Joab saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him off and he went in peace.”
24 And Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why have you sent him off, so that he has gone?
25 “You know Abner the son of Ner, that he has come to entice you and to know your going out and your coming in and to know all that you are doing.”
26 And Joab departed from David, and he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of the thorns, and David did not know.
27 And Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab caused him to turn aside unwittingly into the midst of the gate to speak with him and he struck him there [under] the fifth rib, and he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And David heard afterward, and he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord forever, of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 “May it rest upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue or one who is smitten with ‘zaraath’, or one who leans on a staff or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
30 Now, Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because he put Asahel their brother to death in Gibeon in the battle.
31 And David said to all the people who were with him, “Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and wail before Abner.” And King David went after the bier.
32 And they buried Abner in Hebron, and the king raised his voice and wept on Abner’s grave, and all the people wept.
33 And the king lamented Abner and said, “Should Abner die like a wicked man?”
34 “Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put into copper chains. As one who falls before wicked men you have fallen.” And all the people continued to weep over him.
35 And all the people came to serve David bread while it was still daytime, but David swore saying, “God do so to me, and so continue, if before sunset I taste bread or anything.”
36 And all the people recognized, and it was pleasing in their eyes. All which the king did was pleasing in the eyes of all the people.
37 And all the people and all Israel knew on that day that it was not of the king to put to death Abner the son of Ner.
38 And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?
39 “And today I am tender and just anointed king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah are harder than May the Lord requite the evil-doer according to his evil.”
