1 Kaļ-š starp Saula namu un Dāvida namu ievilkās garumā; bet Dāvida nams kļuva jo dienas jo stiprāks un stiprāks, kamēr Saula nams jo dienas, ko tas nodzīvoja, kļuva vājāks.
2 Dāvidam Hebronā tika dzemdēti šādi dēli: viņa pirmdzimtais bija Amnons no jezreēlietes Ahinoāmas.
3 Viņa otrs dēls bija Kileābs no Abigailas, Karmela iemītnieka Nābala atraitnes; bet trešais dēls bija Absaloms no Maāchas, 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 blakus sieva, vārdā Riepa, Ajas meita. Un Išbošets jautāja Abneram: „Kāpēc tu guli pie mana tēva blakus sievas?“
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 ir viņa radiem, ir viņa draugiem uzticīgi kalpojis un neesmu tevi nodevis Dāvida rokā, bet tu man šodien pārmet pārkā-pumu ar šo sievu!
9 Lai Dievs mani, Abneru, tagad un nākotnē soda, ja es tagad to, ko tas Kungs Dāvidam ar zvērestu ir solījis, viņa labā neizdaru,
10 Proti, ja es neatņemu ķēniņa varu Saula namam un neuzceļu Dāvida troni pār Israēlu un pār Jūdu no Dana 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 ne-drīksti manu vaigu redzēt, arī ne nākdams tieši mani satikt, iekāms tu nebūsi atvedis pie manis Michalu, Saula meitu.“
14 Tai pašā laikā Dāvids nosūtīja vēstnešus pie Išbošeta, Saula dēla, ar uzaicinājumu: „Atdod man Michalu, manu sievu, ko es sev ieguvu par simt 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 Bachurimai; tikai tad, kad Abners viņu uzaicināja, lai viņš ejot un griežoties atpakaļ, viņš arī tiešām atgriezās savās mājās.
17 Bet Abners bija sarunājies ar Israēla vecajiem un bija viņiem sacījis: „Jau ilgs laiks pagājis, kopš jūs esat vēlējušies Dāvidu sev par ķēniņu.
18 Tad nu piepildiet 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 rokām.“
19 Tāpat Abners bija slepeni vedis sarunas arī ar Benjamīna cilti, un pēdīgi Abners devās ceļā ar nolūku to pateikt arī Hebronā, Dāvidam pašam to dzirdot, sacīdams itin visu to, kas ļoti patika Israēlam un visiem Benjamīna cilts piederīgiem.
20 Kad nu 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, patreiz 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 bija mierīgi aizgājis.
23 Kad nu Joābs un viss tas karotāju pulks, kas bija pie viņa, atgriezās mājās, un Joābam tika pasacīts: „Abners, Nera dēls, ir nācis pie ķēniņa, un tas viņu ir atlaidis, ka viņš netraucēts 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, un tas, savu ceļu iedams, ir aizgājis?
25 Tev gan tikdaudz jāpazīst Abners, Nera dēls, lai saprastu, ka tas bija nācis tevi pievilt un ar nolūku izdibināt tavu došanos ceļā, ir tavu mājās pārnākšanu, un lai izpētītu itin visu, ko vien 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 nu 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 nu Dāvids to tikai pēc tam dzirdēja, tad viņš sacīja: „Es un mana ķēniņa valsts vara esam noziedzīgi Abnera, Nera dēla, asins izliešanā tā Kunga priekšā uz mūžīgiem laikiem!
29 Lai atbildība krīt uz Joāba galvu un uz visu viņa tēvu ģinti! 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 nu 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 nu 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 darītāju noziedznieku priekšā!“ Tad visa tauta raudāja par viņu vēl vairāk.
35 Kad nu 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 šādi vai tādi, ja es baudīšu maizi vai kaut ko citu, pirms saule noriet!“
36 Un visa tauta to lika vērā, un tas tiem labi patika; viss tas, ko ķēniņš darīja, tas bija labi visas tautas acīs.
37 Un visa tauta, un vispār 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 šeit šodien ir kritis liels vadonis un kapa pulku virspavēlnieks Israēla?
39 Bet es, kaut ar! svaidīts par ķēniņu, esmu vēl pašlaik par nevarīgu, bet šie vīri, Cerujas dēli, tie manās acīs ir pārāk cietsirdīgi; tas Kungs pats lai atdara jauna darba darītājiem pēc viņu pašu ļaunuma!“
1 This battle was the beginning of a long war between the followers of Saul and the followers of David. Saul's power grew weaker, but David's grew stronger.
David's Sons Born in Hebron
(1 Chronicles 3.1-4)2-5 Several of David's sons were born while he was living in Hebron. His oldest son was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. David's second son was Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, who had been married to Nabal from Carmel. Absalom was the third. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital. The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, another one of David's wives.
Abner Decides To Help David
6 As the war went on between the families of David and Saul, Abner was gaining more power than ever in Saul's family. 7 He had even slept with a wife of Saul by the name of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. But Saul's son Ishbosheth told Abner, “You shouldn't have slept with one of my father's wives!”
8 Abner was very angry because of what Ishbosheth had said, and he told Ishbosheth:
Am I some kind of worthless dog from Judah? I've always been loyal to your father's family and to his relatives and friends. I haven't turned you over to David. And yet you talk to me as if I've committed a crime with this woman.
9 I ask God to punish me if I don't help David get what the Lord promised him! 10 God said that he wouldn't let anyone in Saul's family ever be king again and that David would be king instead. He also said that David would rule both Israel and Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.
11 Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not even answer.
12 Abner sent some of his men to David with this message: “You should be the ruler of the whole nation. If you make an agreement with me, I will persuade everyone in Israel to make you their king.”
13 David sent this message back: “Good! I'll make an agreement with you. But before I will even talk with you about it, you must get Saul's daughter Michal back for me.”
14 David sent a few of his officials to Ishbosheth to give him this message: “Give me back my wife Michal! I killed 100 Philistines so I could marry her.”
15 Ishbosheth sent some of his men to take Michal away from her new husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Paltiel followed Michal and the men all the way to Bahurim, crying as he walked. But he went back home after Abner ordered him to leave.
17 Abner talked with the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “You've wanted to make David your king for a long time now. 18 So do it! After all, God said he would use his servant David to rescue his people Israel from their enemies, especially from the Philistines.”
19 Finally, Abner talked with the tribe of Benjamin. Then he left for Hebron to tell David everything that the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of the people of Israel wanted to do. 20 Abner took 20 soldiers with him, and when they got to Hebron, David gave a big feast for them.
21 After the feast, Abner said, “Your Majesty, let me leave now and bring Israel here to make an agreement with you. You'll be king of the whole nation, just as you've been wanting.”
David told Abner he could leave, and he left without causing any trouble.
Joab Kills Abner
22 Soon after Abner had left Hebron, Joab and some of David's soldiers came back, bringing a lot of things they had taken from an enemy village. 23 Right after they arrived, someone told Joab, “Abner visited the king, and the king let him go. Abner even left without causing any trouble.”
24 Joab went to David and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you, and you let him go. Now he's long gone! 25 You know Abner—he came to trick you. He wants to find out how strong your army is and to know everything you're doing.”
26 Joab left David, then he sent some messengers to catch up with Abner. They brought him back from the well at Sirah, but David did not know anything about it. 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pretended he wanted to talk privately with him. So he took Abner into one of the small rooms that were part of the town gate and stabbed him in the stomach. Joab killed him because Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel.
Abner's Funeral
28 David heard how Joab had killed Abner, and he said, “I swear to the Lord that I am completely innocent of Abner's death! 29 Joab and his family are the guilty ones. I pray that Joab's family will always be sick with sores and other skin diseases. May they all be cowards, and may they die in war or starve to death.”
30 Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 David told Joab and everyone with him, “Show your sorrow by tearing your clothes and wearing sackcloth! Walk in front of Abner's body and cry!”
David walked behind the stretcher on which Abner's body was being carried. 32 Abner was buried in Hebron, while David and everyone else stood at the tomb and cried loudly. 33 Then the king sang a funeral song about Abner:
Abner, why should you
have died like an outlaw?
34 No one tied your hands
or chained your feet,
yet you died as a victim
of murderers.
Everyone started crying again. 35 Then they brought some food to David and told him he would feel better if he had something to eat. It was still daytime, and David said, “I swear to God that I won't take a bite of bread or anything else until sunset!”
36 Everyone noticed what David did, and they liked it, just as they always liked what he did. 37 Now the people of Judah and Israel were certain that David had nothing to do with killing Abner.
38 David said to his officials, “Don't you realize that today one of Israel's great leaders has died? 39 I am the chosen king, but Joab and Abishai have more power than I do. So God will have to pay them back for the evil thing they did.”
