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2 SAM UEL 3
page 275
27 Then Joab said, “God only knows what
would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for
we would have chased you all night if necessary.” 28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his
men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.
29 All that night Abner and his men retreated
through the Jordan Valley.* They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning,*
and didn’t stop until they arrived at Mahanaim.
30 Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned
home. When Joab counted his casualties, he
discovered that only 19 men were missing in
addition to Asahel. 31 But 360 of Abner’s men
had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin. 32 Joab and his men took Asahel’s body to
Bethlehem and buried him there in his father’s
tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached
Hebron at daybreak.
3
That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and
those loyal to David. As time passed David
became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
2 These are the sons who were born to David in
Hebron:
3
4
5
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was
Ahinoam from Jezreel.
The second was Daniel,* whose mother was
Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was
Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king 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, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Joins Forces with David
6 As the war between the house of Saul and
the house of David went on, Abner became a
powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. 7 One
day Ishbosheth,* Saul’s son, accused Abner of
sleeping with one of his father’s concubines,
a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.
8 Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog
to be kicked around like this?” he shouted.
“After all I have done for your father, Saul, and
his family and friends by not handing you over
to David, is this my reward—that you find fault
2:29a Hebrew the Arabah. 2:29b Or continued on through the
Bithron. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 3:3 As in
parallel text at 1 Chr 3:1 (see also Greek version, which reads
Daluia, and possible support by Dead Sea Scrolls); Hebrew
reads Kileab. 3:7 Ishbosheth is another name for Esh-baal.
3:14 Hebrew the foreskins. 3:15 As in 1 Sam 25:44; Hebrew
reads Paltiel, a variant spelling of Palti.
with me about this woman? 9 May God strike me
and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to
help David get what the Lord has promised him!
10 I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to
David. I will establish the throne of David over
Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in
the north to Beersheba in the south.” 11 Ishbosheth didn’t dare say another word because he
was afraid of what Abner might do.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, “Doesn’t the entire land belong to you?
Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help
turn over all of Israel to you.”
13 “All right,” David replied, “but I will not
negotiate with you unless you bring back my
wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”
14 David then sent this message to Ishbosheth,
Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I
bought her with the lives* of 100 Philistines.”
15 So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her
husband, Palti* son of Laish. 16 Palti followed
along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as
he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!”
So Palti returned.
17 Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the
elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told
them, “you have wanted to make David your
king. 18 Now is the time! For the Lord has said,
‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel
from the hands of the Philistines and from all
their other enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke with
the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron
to tell David that all the people of Israel and
Benjamin had agreed to support him.
20 When Abner and twenty of his men came
to Hebron, David entertained them with a great
feast. 21 Then Abner said to David, “Let me go
and call an assembly of all Israel to support my
lord the king. They will make a covenant with
you to make you their king, and you will rule
• Conflict
2 S A M U E L 3:1
The events of chapter 2 led to a long war
between David’s followers and those loyal
to Abner and Ishbosheth. Civil war rocked
the country at great cost to both sides.
This war occurred because Israel and
Judah had lost sight of God’s vision and
purpose: to drive out the Canaanites, to
settle the land, and to obey God’s laws.
Instead of uniting to accomplish these
goals, they fought each other. When you
face conflict, step back from the hostilities and consider: Is it possible that you
and your enemy have common goals that
are bigger than your differences?