1 Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker. 2 Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn 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 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 While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house. 7 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?"

8 Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, "Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman! 9 God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him; 10 to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba."

11 He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.

12 Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."

13 He said, "Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face."

14 David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, "Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

15 Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go! Return!" and he returned. 17 Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "In times past, you sought for David to be king over you. 18 Now then do it; for the LORD has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’"

19 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 to the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 21 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 you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires." David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

22 Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid, and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace."

24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone? 25 You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do."

26 When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it. 27 When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread." 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31 David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner." King David followed the bier. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept. 33 The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34 Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell."

All the people wept again over him. 35 All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."

36 All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 The king said to his servants, "Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? 39 I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."

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.