2Sa 3, 2Sa 15 | ESV | STEP | There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David . And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

1 There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

2 ^aAnd sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of ^bAhinoam of Jezreel; 3 and his second, Chileab, of ^cAbigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah ^dthe daughter of Talmai king of ^eGeshur; 4 and the fourth, ^fAdonijah 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 the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was ^gRizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, ^h“Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I ⁱa dog’s head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. 9 ^jGod do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David ^kwhat the Lord has sworn to him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ^lfrom Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, ^{▼▼Or where he was; Septuagint at Hebron} saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you.” 13 And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, ⁿyou shall not see my face unless you first bring ^oMichal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, ^pfor whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to ^qBahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.

17 And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. 18 Now then bring it about, ^rfor the Lord has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke to ^sBenjamin. And then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do.

20 When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “I will arise and go and ^twill gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may ^ureign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22 Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone? 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know ^vyour going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

Joab Murders Abner

26 When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, ^wand there he struck him ^xin the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 ^yMay it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may the house of Joab never be without ^zone who has a discharge or who is ^aaleprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because ^abhe had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

David Mourns Abner

31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, ^ac“Tear your clothes and ^adput on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. 32 They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king ^aelamented for Abner, saying,

^af“Should Abner die ^agas a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound;
your feet were not fettered;
as one falls before the wicked
you have fallen.”
And all the people wept again over him. 35 Then all the people came ^ahto persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, ^ai“God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ^ajtill the sun goes down!” 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will 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 I was gentle today, though anointed king. ^akThese men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. ^alThe Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!”

2 Samuel 15

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1 After this Absalom ^amgot himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside ^anthe way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” 4 Then Absalom would say, ^ao“Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And at the end of four ^{▼▼Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew forty} years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. 8 For your servant ^aqvowed a vow ^arwhile I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to ^{▼▼Or will serve} the Lord.’” 9 The king said to him, ^at“Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem ^auwho were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for ^{▼▼Or sent} ^awAhithophel the Gilonite, ^axDavid’s counselor, from his city ^ayGiloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom ^azkept increasing.

David Flees Jerusalem

13 And a messenger came to David, saying, ^ba“The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us ^bbflee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” 15 And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” 16 So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ^bcten concubines to keep the house. 17 And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.

18 And ^bdall his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from ^beGath, passed on before the king. 19 Then the king said to ^bfIttai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. 20 You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go ^bgI know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show ^{▼▼Septuagint; Hebrew lacks may the Lord show} steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” 21 But Ittai answered the king, ^bi“As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, ^bjwherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” 22 And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23 And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed ^bkthe brook ^blKidron, and all the people passed on toward ^bmthe wilderness.

24 And ^bnAbiathar came up, and behold, ^boZadok came also with all the Levites, ^bpbearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will ^bqbring me back and let me see both it and his ^brdwelling place. 26 But if he says, ‘I have no ^bspleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, ^btlet him do to me what seems good to him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a ^buseer? Go back ^{▼▼Septuagint The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Look, go back} to the city in peace, with ^bwyour two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait at ^bxthe fords of ^bythe wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, ^bzbarefoot and ^cawith his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, ^cbweeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, please ^ccturn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

32 While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai ^cdthe Archite came to meet him ^cewith his coat torn and ^cfdirt on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be ^cga burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ^ch‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, ^citell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, ^cjtheir two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, ^ckand by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, ^clDavid’s friend, came into the city, ^cmjust as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.