1 And the war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became continually stronger, and the house of Saul became continually weaker.2 And to David were sons born in Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jizreelitess;3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maachah, daughter of Talmai 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 came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.7 And Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And {Ishbosheth} said to Abner, Why hast thou gone in to my father's concubine?8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, I who against Judah do shew kindness this day to the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou reproachest me this day with the fault of this woman?9 So do God to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah has sworn to David, I do not so to him;10 to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba!11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying {also}, Make thy covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee, to turn all Israel to thee.13 And he said, Well, I will make a covenant with thee; only I require one thing of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from {her} husband, from Phaltiel the son of Laish.16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him, Go, return. And he returned.17 Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David aforetime to be king over you;18 and now do {it}, for Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.19 And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a repast.21 And Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy heart desires. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.22 And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from an expedition, and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.23 And Joab and all the host that was with him came; and they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away; and he is gone in peace.24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came to thee; why is it {that} thou hast sent him away, and he is gone?25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him again from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him secretly, and smote him there in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.28 And afterwards David heard {it}, and he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:29 let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that has an issue, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that lacks bread!30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier.32 And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth?34 Thy hands were not bound, Nor thy feet put into fetters; As a man falleth before wicked men, Fellest thou! And all the people wept again over him.35 And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down!36 And all the people remarked it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people.37 And all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death.38 And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me: Jehovah reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness!

1 En daar was 'n lang oorlog tussen die huis van Saul en die huis van Dawid, en Dawid het altyd sterker geword, maar die huis van Saul altyd swakker.2 En vir Dawid is daar seuns in Hebron gebore. En sy eersgeborene was Amnon, by Ah¡noam uit J¡sreël;3 en sy tweede was K¡leab, by Ab¡gail, die vrou van Nabal, die Karmeliet; en die derde was Absalom, die seun van M äga, die dogter van T lmai, die koning van Gesur;4 en die vierde Adonia, die seun van Haggit; en die vyfde Sef tja, die seun van Ab¡tal;5 en die sesde J¡tream, by Egla, die vrou van Dawid. Hulle is vir Dawid in Hebron gebore.6 En onderwyl daar oorlog was tussen die huis van Saul en die huis van Dawid, was Abner besig om homself te versterk in die huis van Saul.7 Saul het naamlik 'n byvrou gehad wie se naam Rispa was, die dogter van Aja; en Isboset het vir Abner gesê: Waarom het jy by die byvrou van my vader ingegaan?8 Toe word Abner baie kwaad oor die woorde van Isboset en sê: Is ek dan die hondskop wat aan Juda behoort? Vandag bewys ek guns aan die huis van Saul, jou vader, aan sy broers en aan sy vriende; en ek het jou nie in die hand van Dawid laat raak nie, en tog verwyt jy my vandag die oortreding met 'n vrou?9 Mag God so aan Abner doen en so daaraan toedoen, sekerlik, soos die HERE Dawid met 'n eed beloof het, net so sal ek aan hom doen10 deur die koningskap aan die huis van Saul te ontneem en die troon van Dawid op te rig oor Israel en oor Juda, van Dan tot Bers,ba.11 En hy kon Abner verder geen antwoord gee nie, omdat hy vir hom bang was.12 Daarop het Abner boodskappers na Dawid in sy plek gestuur om te sê: Aan wie behoort die land? en: Sluit u verbond met my; en kyk, my hand sal met u wees om die hele Israel na u toe oor te bring.13 En hy het gesê: Goed, ,k sal met u 'n verbond sluit, maar een ding eis ek van u, naamlik: U mag my aangesig nie sien nie, of u moet eers Migal, die dogter van Saul, saambring as u kom om my aangesig te sien.14 Dawid het ook boodskappers gestuur na Isboset, die seun van Saul, om te sê: Gee my vrou Migal met wie ek my verloof het vir honderd voorhuide van die Filistyne.15 En Isboset het gestuur en haar van die man, van P ltiël, die seun van Lais, afgeneem.16 En haar man het saam met haar gegaan, terwyl hy agter haar aan loop en ween tot by Bahurim. Toe sê Abner vir hom: Gaan terug. En hy het teruggegaan.17 En Abner het met die oudstes van Israel onderhandel en gesê: Gister sowel as eergister het julle aldeur Dawid as koning oor julle begeer.18 Voer dit dan nou uit, want die HERE het van Dawid gespreek en gesê: Deur die hand van my kneg Dawid sal Ek my volk Israel uit die hand van die Filistyne en uit die hand van al hulle vyande verlos.19 En Abner het ook voor die ore van Benjamin gespreek; en Abner het ook gegaan om voor die ore van Dawid in Hebron te spreek alles wat goed was in die oë van Israel en in die oë van die hele huis van Benjamin.20 Toe Abner by Dawid in Hebron kom, en twintig man saam met hom, het Dawid vir Abner en die manne wat by hom was, 'n maaltyd aangerig.21 En Abner sê vir Dawid: Ek wil my klaarmaak en die hele Israel by my heer die koning gaan versamel, dat hulle met u 'n verbond sluit; dan kan u heers oor alles wat u siel begeer. Daarop het Dawid Abner laat gaan, en hy het in vrede weggegaan.22 Intussen kom die dienaars van Dawid en Joab juis van 'n rooftog af, en hulle bring 'n groot buit met hulle saam. Maar Abner was nie meer by Dawid in Hebron nie, want die het hom laat gaan, en hy het in vrede vertrek.23 Toe Joab en die hele kommando wat saam met hom was, tuis kom, deel hulle aan Joab mee en sê: Abner, die seun van Ner, het na die koning gekom, en die het hom laat gaan, en hy het in vrede vertrek.24 Daarop kom Joab by die koning en sê: Wat het u gedoen? Kyk, Abner het by u gekom; waarom het u hom tog laat loop, dat hy somaar weggegaan het?25 U ken Abner, die seun van Ner, dat hy gekom het om u te mislei en om u uitgang en u ingang te weet, ja, om alles te weet wat u doen.26 En Joab het van Dawid af weggegaan en boodskappers agter Abner aan gestuur, wat hom teruggebring het van die put Hassira af sonder dat Dawid dit geweet het.27 Toe Abner dan in Hebron terugkom, het Joab hom eenkant toe gelei in die middel van die poort om vertroulik met hom te praat en hom daar in die onderlyf gesteek, sodat hy gesterf het, oor die bloed van sy broer Asahel.28 Toe Dawid dit daarna hoor, sê hy: Ek en my koninkryk is voor die HERE vir ewig onskuldig aan die bloed van Abner, die seun van Ner.29 Mag dit losbreek op die hoof van Joab en op sy hele familie, en mag die huis van Joab nie vry wees van een wat 'n vloeiing het of wat melaats is of wat op krukke loop of wat deur die swaard val of gebrek aan brood het nie.30 Joab dan en Ab¡sai, sy broer, het Abner vermoor, omdat hy hulle broer Asahel by G¡beon in die geveg gedood het.31 Verder het Dawid aan Joab en al die mense wat by hom was, gesê: Skeur julle klere en gord rouklere aan en rouklaag voor Abner uit! En koning Dawid het agter die baar aan gegaan.32 Toe hulle Abner in Hebron begrawe, het die koning sy stem verhef en geween by die graf van Abner; die hele volk het ook geween.33 En die koning het 'n klaaglied oor Abner aangehef en gesê: Moes Abner sterwe soos 'n dwaas sterwe?34 Jou hande was nie gebind en jou voete nie aangeraak met koperkettings nie. Soos 'n mens voor kwaaddoeners val, het jy geval. En die hele volk het nog meer oor hom geween.35 Daarop kom die hele volk om Dawid te beweeg dat hy brood moet eet terwyl dit nog dag was; maar Dawid het gesweer en gesê: Mag God so aan my doen en so daaraan toedoen as ek voor sonsondergang brood of enigiets proe.36 En die hele volk het dit opgemerk, en dit was goed in hulle oë: soos alles wat die koning gedoen het, was dit goed in die oë van die hele volk.37 En die hele volk en die hele Israel het dieselfde dag gemerk dat dit nie van die koning gekom het om Abner, die seun van Ner, dood te maak nie.38 Verder het die koning aan sy dienaars gesê: Weet julle nie dat vandag 'n vors en 'n groot man in Israel geval het nie?39 Maar ek is vandag swak, alhoewel ek as koning gesalf is, terwyl hierdie manne, die seuns van Seruja, harder is as ek. Mag die HERE die kwaaddoener vergelde na sy boosheid!