1 Houve uma guerra prolongada entre a casa de Saul e a casa de Davi. Davi ia-se fortalecendo cada vez mais, mas a casa de Saul cada vez mais enfraquecendo.2 Nasceram filhos a Davi em Hebrom. Foi o seu primogênito Amnom, de Ainoã jezreelita;3 o seu segundo, Quileabe, de Abigail que fora mulher de Nabal carmelita; o terceiro, Absalão, filho de Maaca, filha de Talmai, rei de Gesur;4 o quarto, Adonias, filho de Hagite; o quinto, Sefatias, filho de Abital;5 e o sexto, Itreão, filho de Eglá, mulher de Davi. Estes filhos nasceram a Davi em Hebrom.6 Havendo guerra entre a casa de Saul e a casa de Davi, Abner fazia-se poderoso na casa de Saul.7 Ora, Saul teve uma concubina, cujo nome era Rispa, filha de Aiá. Is-Bosete perguntou: Por que entraste à concubina de meu pai?8 Abner, em extremo irado pelas palavras de Is-Bosete, respondeu: Sou eu alguma cabeça de cão que pertence a Judá? Hoje uso de beneficência para com a casa de Saul, teu pai, para com seus irmãos e amigos, e não te entreguei nas mãos de Davi; contudo me queres culpar por causa desta mulher.9 Assim faça Deus a Abner e mais ainda se, como Jeová jurou a Davi, eu não lhe fizer,10 transferindo da casa de Saul o reino, e estabelecendo o trono de Davi sobre Israel e sobre Judá desde Dã até Berseba.11 Ele não pôde responder palavra a Abner, porque o temia.12 Abner enviou a seu favor mensageiros a Davi, dizendo: De quem é a terra? Faze comigo a tua aliança, e eis que a minha mão será contigo, para tornar a ti todo o Israel.13 Respondeu Davi: Bem está, eu farei aliança contigo; mas exijo de ti uma só cousa, a saber, não verás a minha face sem primeiro trazeres Mical, filha de Saul, quando vieres ver a minha face.14 Davi enviou mensageiros a Is-Bosete, filho de Saul, que lhe dissessem: Restitui-me minha mulher Mical, que desposei por cem prepúcios de filisteus.15 Enviou Is-Bosete, e a tirou a seu marido, Paltiel, filho de Laís,16 que a seguia chorando, até Baurim. Disse-lhe Abner: Vai-te, volta; e ele voltou.17 Abner tinha falado com os anciãos de Israel, dizendo: Em tempos idos procuráveis a Davi para que reinasse sobre vós.18 Fazei-o agora, porque Jeová disse dele: Por meio do meu servo Davi livrarei o meu povo de Israel da mão dos filisteus, e da mão de todos os seus inimigos.19 Falou do mesmo modo Abner aos ouvidos de Benjamim, e foi também dizer aos ouvidos de Davi em Hebrom tudo o que pareceu bem aos olhos de Israel e de toda a casa de Benjamim.20 Veio Abner ter com Davi em Hebrom e levou consigo vinte homens. Davi deu um banquete a Abner e aos homens que vieram com ele.21 Disse Abner a Davi: Levantar-me-ei e irei, e ajuntarei ao rei meu senhor todo o Israel; farão contigo aliança, e reinarás sobre tudo o que desejar a tua alma. Assim despediu Davi a Abner, e foi-se ele em paz.22 Eis que os servos de Davi e de Joabe voltaram duma correria, e traziam consigo grande despojo. Abner, porém, já não estava com Davi em Hebrom, porque Davi o tinha despedido, e ele tinha ido em paz.23 Quando Joabe, e toda a hoste que estava com ele, tinham chegado, disseram-lhe: Abner, filho de Ner, veio ter com o rei, que o despediu, e ele se foi em paz.24 Joabe foi ao rei e disse: Que fizeste? eis que Abner veio ter contigo; como é que o despediste, e ele já se foi?25 Conheces a Abner, filho de Ner! Ele veio para te enganar, e para saber a tua saída e a tua entrada, e para ter conhecimento de tudo o que tu estás fazendo.26 Retirando-se Joabe de Davi, enviou mensageiros atrás de Abner, e fizeram-no voltar da cisterna de Sirá; porém Davi não o sabia.27 Tendo Abner voltado a Hebrom, Joabe o levou à parte, ao meio da porta, para lhe falar em segredo, e feriu-o ali na barriga. Assim morreu ele por causa do sangue de Asael, irmão de Joabe.28 Depois quando Davi o soube, disse: Eu para todo o sempre estou com o meu reino inocente diante de Jeová do sangue de Abner, filho de Ner.29 Caia esse sangue sobre Joabe e sobre toda a casa de seu pai. Não falte nunca da casa de Joabe quem tenha fluxo, quem seja leproso, quem pegue no fuso, quem seja morto à espada, nem quem necessite de pão.30 Joabe e Abisai mataram a Abner, porque ele tinha morto a Asael, irmão deles, na batalha em Gibeão.31 Disse Davi a Joabe e a todo o povo que estava com ele: Rasgai os vossos vestidos, cingi-vos de sacos e pranteai diante de Abner. O rei Davi ia seguindo o féretro.32 Sepultaram a Abner em Hebrom; o rei levantou a voz e chorou junto da sepultura de Abner, chorou também todo o povo.33 O rei pranteou a Abner e disse: Há de morrer Abner como morre o perverso?34 As tuas mãos não foram atadas, nem os teus pés carregados de grilhões. Como quem cai diante dos filhos de iniqüidade, assim caíste. Todo o povo tornou a chorar sobre ele.35 Então veio todo o povo para fazer que Davi comesse pão, sendo ainda dia; mas Davi jurou, dizendo: Assim me faça Deus, e mais ainda, se eu provar pão ou o que quer que seja, antes do sol posto.36 Todo o povo notou isso, e pareceu-lhe bem; assim como tudo quanto fez o rei, pareceu bem a todo o povo.37 Assim todo o povo e todo o Israel entenderam naquele dia que não era a vontade do rei que fosse morto Abner, filho de Ner.38 Disse o rei aos seus servos: Não sabeis que um príncipe e um grande homem caiu hoje em Israel?39 Eu estou hoje fraco, embora ungido rei; e estes homens, filhos de Zeruia, são fortes demais para mim. Retribua Jeová ao malfeitor segundo a sua maldade.

1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.2 And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess:3 And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur:4 And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital:5 And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David in Hebron.6 Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul.7 And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner:8 Why didst thou go in to my father's concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog's head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman?9 So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him,10 That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.11 And he could not answer him a word, because he feared him.12 Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.13 And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me.14 And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.15 And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais.16 And her husband followed her, weeping as far as Bahurim: and Abner said to him: Go and return. And he returned.17 Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.18 Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.19 And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.20 And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.21 And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David bad brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,22 Immediately David's servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty: and Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.23 And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.24 And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?25 Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?26 Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.28 And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:29 And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.30 So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon 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 sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept.33 And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died.34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.35 And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset.36 And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.37 And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain.38 The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and great man is slain this day in Israel?39 But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.