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!”
1 Karš starp Saula namu un Dāvida namu ievilkās garumā; bet Dāvida nams kļuva jo dienas jo stiprāks, bet Saula nams ar katru dienu jo vājāks. 2 Dāvidam Hebronā tika dzemdēti šādi dēli: viņa pirmdzimtais bija Amnons no jezreēlietes Ahinoāmas; 3 viņa otrais dēls bija Kileābs no Abigailas, Karmela iemītnieka Nābala atraitnes; bet trešais dēls bija Absaloms no Maāhas, Gešūras ķēniņa Talmaja meitas; 4 viņa ceturtais bija Adonijs, Hagitas dēls, un piektais bija Šefatja, Abitalas dēls; 5 bet sestais bija Itreāms no Dāvida sievas Eglas. Tie visi tika Dāvidam dzemdēti Hebronā. 6 Tik ilgi, kamēr starp Saula namu un Dāvida namu bija karš, Abners uzticīgi turējās Saula nama pusē un to stiprināja. 7 Bet Saulam bija bijusi blakussieva, vārdā Ricpa, Ajas meita. Un Išbošets jautāja Abneram: "Kāpēc tu guli pie mana tēva blakussievas?" 8 Tad Abners ļoti apskaitās par Išbošeta vārdiem un viņš sacīja: "Vai tad es esmu suņa galva Jūdā? Līdz šai dienai es esmu tava tēva Saula namam, gan viņa radiem, gan viņa draugiem, uzticīgi kalpojis un neesmu tevi nodevis Dāvida rokā, bet tu man šodien pārmet pārkāpumu ar šo sievu! 9 Lai Dievs dara Abneram tā un vēl vairāk, ja es tagad to, ko Tas Kungs Dāvidam ar zvērestu ir solījis, viņam neizdaru, 10 proti, ja es neatņemu ķēniņa varu Saula namam un neuzceļu Dāvida troni pār Israēlu un pār Jūdu no Danas līdz Bēršebai!" 11 Un Išbošets nespēja atbildēt Abneram ne vārda, tādēļ ka tas viņu ļoti bijās. 12 Un Abners sūtīja savā vietā vēstnešus pie Dāvida un lika viņam sacīt: "Kam šī zeme pieder? Noslēdz ar mani derību, redzi, tad mana roka būs ar tevi, lai visu Israēlu atgrieztu pie tevis." 13 Un Dāvids deva atbildi: "Labi! Es ar tevi noslēgšu derību, bet vienu lietu es prasu no tevis, un proti, tu manu vaigu neredzēsi, pirms tu nebūsi atvedis pie manis Mihalu, Saula meitu, kad nāksi mani satikt." 14 Tai pašā laikā Dāvids sūtīja vēstnešus pie Išbošeta, Saula dēla, ar prasību: "Atdod man Mihalu, manu sievu, ko es sev ieguvu par simts filistiešu priekšādām!" 15 Tad Išbošets lika to atņemt viņas vīram Paltiēlam, Laiša dēlam. 16 Bet viņas vīrs gāja viņai līdzi un pavadīja viņu raudādams visu ceļu līdz Bahurimai; tad Abners viņam sacīja: ej, griezies atpakaļ,- un viņš arī atgriezās. 17 Un Abners bija runājis ar Israēla vecajiem un viņiem sacījis: "Jau ilgs laiks pagājis, kopš jūs esat vēlējušies Dāvidu sev par ķēniņu. 18 Tad nu dariet to! Atminieties, ka Tas Kungs ir apsolījis Dāvidam, sacīdams: ar Sava kalpa Dāvida roku Es izglābšu Savu tautu, Israēlu, no filistiešu un no visu viņu ienaidnieku rokas." 19 Tāpat Abners bija teicis arī Benjamīnam; un Abners gāja uz Hebronu to pateikt arī Dāvidam, un tas ļoti patika Israēlam un visam Benjamīna namam. 20 Kad Abners divdesmit vīru pavadībā ieradās pie Dāvida Hebronā un Dāvids sarīkoja Abneram un viņa vīriem, kas bija viņam līdzi, dzīres, 21 tad Abners sacīja Dāvidam: "Es tagad celšos, iešu un sapulcināšu visu Israēlu še pie sava kunga un ķēniņa, lai tie ar tevi noslēdz derību; tu būsi ķēniņš pār itin visu, ko vien tava dvēsele vēlēsies!" Ar to Dāvids atlaida Abneru, un tas aizgāja mierā. 22 Un redzi, pašreiz atgriezās Joābs ar Dāvida kalpiem no sirošanas un pārnesa lielu laupījumu, bet Abners vairs nebija pie Dāvida Hebronā, jo viņš to bija atlaidis, un tas ar mieru bija aizgājis. 23 Kad Joābs un viss tas karotāju pulks, kas bija pie viņa, atgriezās mājās un Joābam tika sacīts: "Abners, Nera dēls, ir nācis pie ķēniņa, un tas viņu ir atlaidis, ka viņš ar mieru ir aizgājis," - 24 tad Joābs gāja pie ķēniņa un sacīja: "Ko tu esi izdarījis? Redzi, es zinu, ka Abners bija pie tevis atnācis; bet kāpēc tu esi viņu atlaidis, ka tas ir aizgājis? 25 Tu gan Abneru, Nera dēlu, pazīsti, ka tas bija nācis tevi pierunāt, lai izzinātu tavu iziešanu un tavu atnākšanu un lai izprastu visu, ko tu dari!" 26 Un Joābs aizgāja no Dāvida un sūtīja vēstnešus pakaļ Abneram, un tie viņu atgrieza atpakaļ no Sīras avota, bet Dāvids to nezināja. 27 Kad Abners atgriezās atpakaļ Hebronā, tad Joābs viņu ievilināja vārtu vidū, it kā viņš gribētu klusībā ar to parunāt, un tur viņš tam iedūra šķēpu vēderā, ka tas nomira, lai tā atriebtu sava brāļa Asahēla asinis. 28 Kad Dāvids to tikai pēc tam dzirdēja, tad viņš sacīja: "Es un mana ķēniņa valsts vara Tā Kunga priekšā uz mūžīgiem laikiem esam nenoziedzīgi par Abnera, Nera dēla, asinīm! 29 Lai tās nāk pār Joāba galvu un pār visu viņa tēva namu! Lai Joāba namā turpmāk netrūkst nedz ar dzimuma slimībām saslimušo, nedz spitālīgo, nedz tādu, kas kritīs no zobena, nedz tādu, kuriem pietrūks maizes!" 30 Kad Joābs un viņa brālis Abišajs bija Abneru nogalinājuši, tādēļ ka tas bija nonāvējis viņu brāli Asahēlu kaujā pie Gibeonas, 31 tad Dāvids pavēlēja Joābam un visiem ļaudīm, kas bija pie viņa: "Saplēsiet savas drēbes un aplieciet ap saviem gurniem maisus, un sērojiet Abnera dēļ!" Un ķēniņš Dāvids sekoja aiz Abnera šķirsta. 32 Kad Abneru glabāja Hebronā, tad ķēniņš pacēla savu balsi un skaļi raudāja pie Abnera kapa, un kopā ar viņu raudāja arī visa tauta. 33 Un ķēniņš veltīja Abneram šo raudu dziesmu: "Vai Abneram bija jāmirst, kā mirst bezdievīgais? 34 Tavas rokas nebija saitēm sasietas, un tavas kājas neskāra vara važas; nē, tu esi kritis, kā krīt ļauna darītāja priekšā!" Tad visa tauta raudāja par viņu vēl vairāk. 35 Kad visa tauta, kas tur bija klāt, nāca pie Dāvida, lai to pierunātu ēst maizi, kamēr vēl bija diena, tad Dāvids zvērēja un sacīja: "Lai Dievs man dara tā un vēl vairāk, ja es baudīšu maizi vai kaut ko citu, pirms saule noriet!" 36 Un visa tauta to lika vērā, un tas tiem labi patika; viss, ko ķēniņš darīja, tas bija labi visas tautas acīs. 37 Un visa tauta un viss Israēls tanī dienā noprata, ka tas nebija bijis ķēniņa nodoms nonāvēt Abneru, Nera dēlu. 38 Un ķēniņš sacīja saviem kalpiem: "Vai jūs nezināt, ka šodien ir kritis vadonis un liels vīrs no Israēla? 39 Bet es, kaut arī svaidīts par ķēniņu, esmu vēl pašlaik par nevarīgu, bet šie vīri, Cerujas dēli, tie manās acīs ir pārāk cietsirdīgi; Tas Kungs pats lai atdara ļauna darītājiem pēc viņu pašu ļaunuma!"
