2And in Hebron there were sons born to David: Amnon, his first-born of Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess; 3And his second, Chileab, of Abigail, the widow of Nabal, his third, Absalom, of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; 4His fourth, Adonijah, of Haggith; his fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital; 5And his sixth, Ithream, by Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

6And while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner strengthened his position in the house of Saul. 7And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth asked Abner, “Why have you gone in unto my father's concubine?” 8Which made Abner very angry, and he replied to Ish-bosheth, “Am I a dog's head, on Judah’s side? This day I am loyal to the house of Saul, your father, his brethren, and his friends, and have not handed you over to David – and now you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? 9So do God to Abner, and more besides, if I do not do for David what the LORD has promised to do for him; 10To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan clear to Beersheba”. 11And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner a word, because he feared him.

12And Abner sent messengers to David on his own behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your treaty with me, and, I shall be with you, help to bring all Israel over to you”. 13And David replied, “Well; I will make a treaty with you; but one thing I require of you, and that is that you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me”. 14And David also sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, saying, “Deliver my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed, to me for a hundred Philistine foreskins”. 15And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, from Paltiel, the son of Laish. 16And her husband followed behind her, weeping, to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!”. And he returned.

17And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you tried to make David to be king over you: 18Now, then, do it; for the LORD has said of David, ‘By the hand of My servant David I will rescue My people Israel from the Philistines, and from all their enemies.’” 19And Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin, and he also went to Hebron to tell David all that Israel, and the whole tribe of Benjamin agreed to support him. 20So Abner came to Hebron to David, with twenty men. And David held a feast for Abner, and the men who were with him, 21And Abner said to David, “I will go, and gather all Israel unto you, my lord, the king, that they may make a treaty with you, that you may reign over all that your heart desires”. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

22And the men of David and Joab came from a raid, and returned with a great amount of plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the army that was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner, the son of Ner, came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace”. 24Then Joab came to the king, and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you; why did you let him get away, and now he is gone! 25You know Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to learn your affairs, and all that you do”. 26And when Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. 27And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside by the gate to speak with him quietly, and stabbed Abner there under the fifth rib, that he died, for killing Asahel, his brother.

28And afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever concerning the blood of Abner, the son of Ner. 29Let the guilt rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's tribe; and let there never cease from the house of Joab someone who has an issue, or is a leper, or who leans on a crutch, or dies by the sword, or lacks food”. 30So Joab and Abishai, his brother, killed Abner, because he had killed their brother, Asahel, at the battle in Gibeon. 31And David said to Joab, and to all who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner”. And king David himself followed the Abner’s burial bier. 32And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king raised his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; as did all the people. 33And the king lamented over Abner, and said, “Did Abner die like a fool? 34Your (Abner’s) hands were not bound, nor your feet in chains; but rather, as a man falls before wicked men, so fell you.” And all the people wept again over him. 35And when all the people came to urge David to eat food while it was yet day, David swore, saying, “So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, till the sun is down”. 36And all the people took note of it, and it pleased them; just as everything that the king did pleased the people. 37For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king’s doing to slay Abner. 38And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? 39And, though anointed king, I am this day weak; and these sons of Zeruiah (Joab, Abishai & Asahel), are too hard for me to control. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”