1 Estes foram os acontecimentos que deram origem a uma longa guerra entre os que tinham sido seguidores de Saul e os que estavam do lado de David. A posição deste, aliás, ia-se tornando cada vez mais forte, enquanto que os apoiantes de Saul se enfraqueciam cada vez mais.
2 Vários filhos nasceram a David enquanto se encontrava em Hebrom. O mais velho era Amnom, filho de Ainoã. O segundo, Quileabe, nascido de Abigail, a viúva de Nabal do Carmelo. O terceiro, Absalão, que lhe deu Maaca, filha de Talmai, o rei de Gesur. O quarto era Adonias, que nasceu de Hagite. A seguir vinha Sefatias, filho de Abital. O último era Itreão, de Egla, também mulher de David.
6 À medida que a guerra continuava, Abner tornou-se um chefe poderoso dos seguidores de Saul. Aproveitando-se da sua posição, tomou para si uma das concubinas de Saul, uma rapariga chamada Rizpa; e quando Isbosete o criticou por isso, Abner ficou furioso: Sou algum cão judeu, para ser escorraçado desta maneira? Depois de tudo o que fiz por ti e pelo teu pai, não vos entregando a David, é essa a recompensa que me dás - acusar-me por causa duma questão com uma simples mulher! Que Deus me amaldiçoe se eu não fizer tudo o que puder para te tirar o reino, todo ele, desde Dan até Berseba, e o der a David, aliás tal como Deus previu.
11 Isbosete não lhe respondeu uma palavra sequer, porque tinha medo dele.
12 Abner mandou então mensageiros a David para discutirem - entregar-lhe o reino de Israel e em troca ficar com o cargo de general das tropas conjuntas de Israel e de Judá.
13 Está bem, disse David, mas não trato nada contigo enquanto não me trouxeres a minha mulher Mical, filha de Saul. David enviou igualmente uma mensagem a Isbosete nestes termos: Devolvam-me Mical, a minha mulher, que eu ganhei em troca da vida de cem filisteus.
15 Então Isbosete tirou-a a Palti . Este último foi atrás dela, chorando, até Baurim. Aí, disse-lhe Abner: Volta agora para casa. E ele voltou.
17 Entretanto Abner fez uma consulta aos chefes de Israel e lembrou-lhes que durante muito tempo eles tinham pretendido que fosse David o rei:
18 Chegou agora a altura! Porque o Senhor disse: 'É com David que salvarei o meu povo dos filisteus e de todos os seus inimigos'.
19 Abner falou igualmente com os líderes de Benjamim, e depois foi a Hebrom relatar a David os progressos feitos junto do povo de Benjamim e de Israel. Havia vinte homens que o acompanhavam; e David deu-lhes um banquete.
21 Antes de se ir embora Abner prometeu a David: Quando eu voltar convocarei uma assembleia de todo o povo de Israel, e eles eleger-te-ão rei, tal como sempre o desejaste. David deixou-o ir em paz.
22 Mas pouco depois de Abner se ter despedido, Joabe mais alguma gente de tropa de David regressavam duma surtida, trazendo muito despojo com eles.
23 Quando disseram a Joabe que Abner tinha acabado de fazer uma visita ao rei e que se tinha retirado em paz,
24 foi a correr ter com David e perguntou-lhe: Que foi que fizeste? Que pretendes tu como teres deixado esse indivíduo retirar-se na calma?
25 Sabes perfeitamente que ele apenas veio para nos espiar; o que ele quer é voltar e atacar-nos!
26 Então Joabe mandou emissários para irem apanhá-lo e dizer-lhe que voltasse. Encontraram-no no poço de Sira, e ele aceitou voltar com os emissários. Contudo David nada sabia do que se estava a tramar. Quando Abner chegou de novo a Hebrom, Joabe tomou-o à parte, junto à porta da povoação, como se quisesse falar-lhe em particular, e apunhalou-o, matando-o por vingança da morte do seu irmão Asael.
28 Quando David soube disto, declarou: Estou inocente, tanto eu como o meu povo, deste crime contra Abner. Os únicos culpados são Joabe e a sua família. Que cada um dos seus filhos venha a ser vítima ou de cancro, ou de lepra, ou seja estéril, ou venha a morrer de fome ou seja morto pela espada!
30 E assim Joabe e o seu irmão Abisai mataram Abner, por causa da morte de Asael, irmão de ambos, na batalha de Gibeão.
31 David disse a Joabe e a todos os que estavam com ele: Vamos todos lamentar a morte de Abner. O rei David acompanhou a urna até ao local onde seria enterrado, em Hebrom. David e todo o povo choraram o morto à beira do túmulo.
33 Todo o povo ficou de luto.
35 David recusou comer fosse o que fosse nesse dia do funeral, ainda que o povo insistisse para que comesse qualquer coisa. Mas ele fez voto de não provar nada até ao pôr do Sol.
36 Isto no fundo agradou a toda a gente, aliás como tudo o que fazia.
37 Dessa forma toda a nação, tanto Judá como Israel, compreendeu pelas acções de David que ele não era responsável pela morte de Abner.
38 David disse ainda ao povo: Um grande chefe, um grande homem, tombou hoje em Israel; ainda que eu seja o monarca escolhido por Deus, não posso fazer nada perante a dureza destes dois filhos de Zeruía. Que o Senhor recompense os malfeitores pelas suas maldades.
1 And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was prolonged,and, David, waxed stronger and stronger, and, the house of Saul, became weaker and weaker.
2 And there were born unto David, sons, in Hebron,and it came to press thatHis firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess;
3 And his second Chileab, by Abigail, wife of Nabal the Carmelite, And the third Absolom, son of Maachah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;
4 And the fourth Adonijah, son of Higgith,And the fifth Shephatiah, son of Abital;
5 And the sixth Ithream, by Eglah wife of David. These, were born unto David, in Hebron.
6 And it came to pass, while the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, that, Abner, shewed himself courageous for the house of Saul.
7 Now, Saul, had a concubine, whose name, was Rizpah daughter of Aiah,and said unto Abner, Why, wentest thou in, unto my fathers concubine?
8 And it provoked Abner greatly, on account of the words of Ish-bosheth, and he saidAm I, the head of the dogs, that pertain unto Judah? To-day, would I deal in lovingkindness with the house of Saul thy father, towards his brethren, and towards his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David,and yet thou hast charged upon me the transgression of the woman, today.
9 So, may God do unto Abner, and, so, may he add to him,if, as Yahweh hath sworn unto David, even so, I deal not with him;
10 by turning over the kingdom from the house of Saul,and establishing the throne of David, over Israel and over Judah, from Dan, even unto Beer-sheba.
11 And he could no further answer Abner, a word,because he feared him.
12 So Abner sent messengers unto David, on the spot, sayingWhose, is the land? Saying Solemnise thy covenant with me; and lo! my hand, shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee, all Israel.
13 And he saidGood! I, will solemnise with thee a covenant,but, one thing, must I ask of thee, sayingThou shalt not see my face, except thou have brought in Michal, Sauls daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
14 And David sent messengers unto Ish-bosheth son of Saul, saying,Give up my wife, Michal, whom I espoused to myself, for a hundred foreskins of Philistines.
15 So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband,from Paltiel, son of Laish.
16 And her husband went along with her, weeping as he went behind her, as far as Behurim,when Abner said unto himGo, return. And he returned.
17 Then had Abner, speech, with the elders of Israel, saying,In times past, ye were seeking David, to be king over you.
18 Now, therefore, act,for Yahweh, spake unto David, saying, By the hand of David my servant, 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 spake in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David, in Hebron, all that was pleasing in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.
20 So, when Abner came in unto David, in Hebron, and, with him, twenty men, David made, for Abner, and for the men who were with him, a banquet.
21 Then said Abner unto DavidI will verily arise and go, and gather together unto my lord the king, all Israelthat they may solemnise with thee a covenant, so shalt thou reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David let Abner go, and he departed in peace.
22 And lo! the servants of David, and Joab, came in from a raid, and, great spoil, brought they in with them; but, Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had let him go, and he had departed in peace.
23 When, Joab, and all the host that was with him, had come in, then told they Joab, saying, Abner son of Ner hath been in unto the king, and he hath let him go, and he hath departed in peace.
24 Then Joab came in unto the king, and saidWhat hast thou done? Lo! Abner came in unto thee. Wherefore is it that thou didst let him go, so that he is clean departed?
25 Thou knowest Abner son of Ner, that, to deceive thee, he came,and to take knowledge of thy going out, and thy coming in, and to take knowledge of all that thou art doing.
26 And, when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the well of Sirah,but, David, knew it not.
27 So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate, to speak with him quietly,and then smote him there, in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel the brother of Joab.
28 And, when David heard of it, after that, he saidGuiltless, am I and my kingdom before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding,of the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29 Let it be hurled upon the head of Joab, and against all his fathers house,and let there not fail from the house of Joabone that hath an issue, or a leper, or one that leaneth on a crutch, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.
30 Thus, Joab and Abishai his brother, slew Abner,because he had caused the death of Asahel their brother, in Gibeon, in the battle.
31 And David said unto Joab, and unto all the people who were with him,Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and lament aloud before Abner. And, King David himself, was following 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 addressed his dirge unto Abner, and said,As a base man dieth, should Abner have died?
34 Thy hands, were not bound, And, thy feet, near to fetters, were not brought, As one falleth before assassins, so didst thou fall! And again all the people wept over him.
35 And, when all the people came near to get David to eat bread, while yet it was day, David sware, sayingSo, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, before the sun go in, I taste bread, or anything else.
36 And, all the people, took note of it, and it was noble in their eyes,as, all that the king did, was, in the eyes of all the people, noble.
37 So then all the people, and all Israel, took note, that day, that it was not of the king, to cause the death of Abner son of Ner.
38 And the king said unto his servants,Will ye not take note that, a prince and a great man, hath fallen this day, in Israel?
39 And, I myself, this day, am weak, though anointed king, but, these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I: Yahweh repay, the doer of wickedness, according to his wickedness.