1 The fighting between the forces supporting Saul's family and those supporting David went on for a long time. As David became stronger and stronger, his opponents became weaker and weaker.
David's Sons
2 The following six sons, in order of their birth, were born to David at Hebron: Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam, from Jezreel; 3 Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel; Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; 4 Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital; 5 Ithream, whose mother was Eglah. All of these sons were born in Hebron.
Abner Joins David
6 As the fighting continued between David's forces and the forces loyal to Saul's family, Abner became more and more powerful among Saul's followers.
7 One day Ishbosheth son of Saul accused Abner of sleeping with Saul's concubine Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. 8 This made Abner furious. “Do you think that I would betray Saul? Do you really think I'm serving Judah?” he exclaimed. “From the very first I have been loyal to the cause of your father Saul, his brothers, and his friends, and I have kept you from being defeated by David; yet today you find fault with me about a woman! 9-10 The Lord promised David that he would take the kingdom away from Saul and his descendants and would make David king of both Israel and Judah, from one end of the country to the other. Now may God strike me dead if I don't make this come true!” 11 Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not say a word.
12 Abner sent messengers to David, who at that time was at Hebron, to say, “Who is going to rule this land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you win all Israel over to your side.”
13 “Good!” David answered. “I will make an agreement with you on one condition: you must bring Saul's daughter Michal to me when you come to see me.” 14 And David also sent messengers to Ishbosheth to say, “Give me back my wife Michal. I paid a hundred Philistine foreskins in order to marry her.” 15 So Ishbosheth had her taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16 Paltiel followed her all the way to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. But when Abner said, “Go back home,” he did.
17 Abner went to the leaders of Israel and said to them, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king. 18 Now here is your chance. Remember that the Lord has said, ‘I will use my servant David to rescue my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’” 19 Abner spoke also to the people of the tribe of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tell David what the people of Benjamin and of Israel had agreed to do.
20 When Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, David gave a feast for them. 21 Abner told David, “I will go now and win all Israel over to Your Majesty. They will accept you as king, and then you will get what you have wanted and will rule over the whole land.” David gave Abner a guarantee of safety and sent him on his way.
Abner Is Murdered
22 Later on Joab and David's other officials returned from a raid, bringing a large amount of loot with them. Abner, however, was no longer there at Hebron with David, because David had sent him away with a guarantee of safety. 23 When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety. 24 So Joab went to the king and said to him, “What have you done? Abner came to you—why did you let him go like that? 25 He came here to deceive you and to find out everything you do and everywhere you go. Surely you know that!”
26 After leaving David, Joab sent messengers to get Abner, and they brought him back from Sirah Well; but David knew nothing about it. 27 When Abner arrived in Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate, as though he wanted to speak privately with him, and there he stabbed him in the stomach. And so Abner was murdered because he had killed Joab's brother Asahel. 28 When David heard the news, he said, “The Lord knows that my subjects and I are completely innocent of the murder of Abner. 29 May the punishment for it fall on Joab and all his family! In every generation may there be some man in his family who has gonorrhea or a dreaded skin disease or is fit only to do a woman's work or is killed in battle or doesn't have enough to eat!” 30 So Joab and his brother Abishai took revenge on Abner for killing their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
Abner Is Buried
31 Then David ordered Joab and his men to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn for Abner. And at the funeral King David himself walked behind the coffin. 32 Abner was buried at Hebron, and the king wept aloud at the grave, and so did all the people. 33 David sang this lament for Abner:
“Why did Abner have to die like a fool?
34 His hands were not tied,
And his feet were not bound;
He died like someone killed by criminals!”
And the people wept for him again.
35 All day long the people tried to get David to eat something, but he made a solemn promise, “May God strike me dead if I eat anything before the day is over!” 36 They took note of this and were pleased. Indeed, everything the king did pleased the people. 37 All of David's people and all the people in Israel understood that the king had no part in the murder of Abner. 38 The king said to his officials, “Don't you realize that this day a great leader in Israel has died? 39 Even though I am the king chosen by God, I feel weak today. These sons of Zeruiah are too violent for me. May the Lord punish these criminals as they deserve!”
Abnērs pāriet pie Dāvida
1 Karš starp Saula namu un Dāvida namu bija ilgs. Dāvids pieauga spēkā, bet Saula nams kļuva aizvien vājāks.
2 Hebronā Dāvidam dzima dēli. Viņa pirmdzimtais bija Amnons no jizreēlietes Ahīnoamas, 3 otrais – Kilābs no karmelieša Nābāla atraitnes Abīgailas, trešais – Abšāloms, Gešūras ķēniņa Talmaja meitas Maahas dēls, 4 ceturtais – Adonījāhu, Hagītas dēls, piektais – Šefatja, Abītalas dēls, 5 un sestais – Jitreāms no Dāvida sievas Eglas. Šie Dāvidam piedzima Hebronā.
6 Kamēr bija karš starp Saula namu un Dāvida namu, Abnērs nostiprināja savu ietekmi Saula namā. 7 Saulam bija blakussieva, vārdā Ricpa, Ajas meita. Īš-Bošets teica Abnēram: “Kāpēc tu esi gājis pie mana tēva blakussievas?” 8 Abnērs briesmīgi aizsvilās par Īš-Bošeta vārdiem un teica: “Vai es kāds suņagalva, kas pieder pie Jūdas? Vai tad man jābūt uzticamam tava tēva Saula namam, viņa brāļiem un viņa tuvākajiem!? Es taču tevi nenodevu Dāvida rokās, bet tu man šodien pārmet vainu par šo sievu! 9 Lai Dievs dara Abnēram tā un vēl vairāk, ja es nedarīšu Dāvidam tā, kā Kungs viņam zvērējis – 10 ka viņš no Saula nama pārņems ķēniņvalsti un cels tronī Dāvidu pār Israēlu un Jūdu no Dāna līdz Bēršebai!” 11 Un Īš-Bošets nespēja Abnēram vairs bilst ne vārda, jo baidījās no viņa.
Kauja pie Gibeonas
12 Abnērs savā vārdā sūtīja vēstnešus pie Dāvida, sacīdams: “Kam gan pieder zeme? Slēdz ar mani derību, un, redzi, mana roka būs ar tevi, lai pievērstu tev visu Israēlu.” 13 Un viņš atbildēja: “Labi, es slēgšu ar tevi derību, tikai vienu lietu es tev prasu, proti, tu mani neredzēsi, ja neatvedīsi pie manis Saula meitu Mīhalu, kad nāksi pie manis.”
14 Un Dāvids sūtīja vēstnešus pie Saula dēla Īš-Bošeta, sacīdams: “Atdod manu sievu Mīhalu, kas bija man saderēta par simts filistiešu priekšādām.” 15 Un Īš-Bošets lika, lai viņu atved no tās vīra Paltiēla , Lajiša dēla. 16 Un viņas vīrs gāja tai nopakaļ raudādams līdz pat Bahūrīmai. Tad Abnērs viņam sacīja: “Ej atpakaļ!” – un tas atgriezās. 17 Abnēram bija saruna ar Israēla vecajiem, un viņš teica: “Jau iepriekš jūs gribējāt sev par ķēniņu Dāvidu. 18 Tad nu rīkojieties! Jo Kungs ir sacījis Dāvidam: ar mana kalpa Dāvida rokām no filistiešiem un visiem tās ienaidniekiem tiks glābta mana Israēla tauta.” 19 Abnērs runāja arī ar benjāminiešiem, un tad Abnērs devās pie Dāvida uz Hebronu runāt ar viņu par visu to, ko grib Israēls un Benjāmina nams. 20 Abnērs ar divdesmit vīriem atnāca pie Dāvida uz Hebronu, un Dāvids Abnēram un viņa vīriem sarīkoja dzīres. 21 Abnērs teica Dāvidam: “Es celšos, iešu un sapulcināšu manam kungam, ķēniņam, visu Israēlu, lai tie slēdz ar tevi derību, un tu varēsi valdīt pār visu, kā tev tīk.” Dāvids atlaida Abnēru, un viņš aizgāja ar mieru.
Abnērs tiek nodevīgi nogalināts
22 Redzi, Joābs un Dāvida kalpi bija pārnākuši no sirojuma un atnesuši pamatīgu laupījumu. Abnērs tad vairs nebija pie Dāvida, jo viņš to bija atlaidis un tas bija aizgājis ar mieru. 23 Kad Joābs un viss viņa karapulks pārnāca, Joābam tika pastāstīts: “Pie ķēniņa bija atnācis Abnērs, Nēra dēls, un viņš to ir atlaidis, un tas ir aizgājis ar mieru.” 24 Joābs nu dodas pie ķēniņa un saka: “Ko tu esi izdarījis! Redzi, Abnērs bija atnācis pie tevis, kāpēc gan tu viņu atlaidi? Nu viņš ir prom! 25 Tu taču pazīsti Abnēru, Nēra dēlu, – viņš bija nācis tevi apkrāpt un izpētīt, kad tu nāc, kur tu ej un ko tu dari.” 26 Joābs iznāca no Dāvida nama, sūtīja vēstnešus pakaļ Abnēram un lika viņam atgriezties no Sīras avota. Bet Dāvids to nezināja. 27 Kad Abnērs atgriezās Hebronā, Joābs viņu ieveda vārtrūmē, lai aprunātos ar viņu zem četrām acīm. Tur viņš tam iedūra vēderā, atriebdams sava brāļa Asā-Ēla asinis, un tas nomira. 28 Kad Dāvids vēlāk to uzzināja, viņš teica: “Es un mana ķēniņvalsts uz mūžiem esam nevainīgi Kunga priekšā par Abnēra, Nēra dēla, asinīm. 29 Lai tās nāk pār Joāba galvu un pār visu viņa tēva namu! Lai netrūkst Joāba namā nedz tādu, kam tecēšana, nedz spitālīgu, nedz tādu, kas atspiežas uz kruķa, nedz no zobena kritušo, nedz tādu, kam nav maizes!” 30 Bet Joābs un viņa brālis Abīšajs nokāva Abnēru tāpēc, ka tas bija nogalinājis viņu brāli Asā-Ēlu kaujā pie Gibeonas.
31 Dāvids teica Joābam un visiem viņa ļaudīm: “Saplēsiet savas drānas, apjoziet maisus un apraudiet Abnēru!” Un ķēniņš Dāvids gāja aiz nestuvēm. 32 Kad Abnēru Hebronā apbedīja, ķēniņš skaļi raudāja pie Abnēra kapa, un raudāja arī visi ļaudis.
33 Ķēniņš dziedāja raudu dziesmu par Abnēru:
“Vai nelgas nāvē bija Abnēram mirt! –
34 Tev nebija sasietas ne rokas, ne kājas,
tās nebija sapītas vara važās,
kā no ļaundara rokas tu esi kritis!”
Un visi ļaudis vēl vairāk raudāja par viņu.
35 Visi nāca pie Dāvida, lai pierunātu viņu kaut ko ieēst, kamēr vēl diena, bet Dāvids zvērēja: “Lai Dievs man dara tā un vēl vairāk, ja es baudīšu maizi vai ko citu, pirms saule norietējusi.” 36 Visi to ievēroja, tas ļaudīm patika, jo viss, ko ķēniņš darīja, ļaudīm patika. 37 Visi ļaudis, viss Israēls todien dabūja zināt, ka no ķēniņa nebija nākusi pavēle nonāvēt Abnēru, Nēra dēlu.
38 Ķēniņš teica saviem kalpiem: “Vai gan nezināt, ka varens karavadonis šodien kritis Israēlā! 39 Bet es šobrīd esmu vājš, kaut arī svaidīts par ķēniņu, un šie vīri, Cerūjas dēli, ir spēcīgāki par mani. Lai Kungs atmaksā ļauna darītājiem pēc viņu ļaundarības!”
