2 Samuel · Updated Brenton English Septuagint
2 Samuel 3 Updated Brenton English Septuagint
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Same Septuagint text as Brenton, with modernised spelling.
1 And there was war for a long time between the house of Saul and the house of David; and the house of David grew continually stronger; but the house of Saul grew continually weaker.
1 Now there was a long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker.
2 And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3 And his second son [was] Daluia, the son of Abigail the Carmelitess; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur.
3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4 And the fourth [was] Adonijah, the son of Haggith, and the fifth [was] Shephatiah, the son of Abital.
4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
5 And the sixth [was] Ithream, the son of Eglah the wife of David. These were born to David in Hebron.
5 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 And it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was governing the house of Saul.
6 While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house.
7 And Saul had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Jol; and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul said to Abner, Why hast thou gone in to my father’s concubine?
7 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8 And Abner was very angry with Ish-bosheth for this saying; and Abner said to him, Am I a dog’s head? I have this day wrought kindness with the house of Saul thy father, and with his brethren and friends, and have not gone over to the house of David, and dost thou this day seek a charge against me concerning injury to a woman?
8 Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to your father Saul’s house, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman!
9 God do thus and more also to Abner, if as the Lord swore to David, so do I not to him this day;
9 God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him:
10 to take away the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Beersheba.
10 to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
11 And Ish-bosheth could not any longer answer Abner a word, because he feared him.
11 He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.
12 And Abner sent messengers to David to Thaelam where he was, immediately, saying, Make thy covenant with me, and, behold, my hand [is] with thee to bring back to thee all the house of Israel.
12 Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring all Israel around to you.”
13 And David said, With a good will I will make with thee a covenant: only I demand one condition of thee, saying, Thou shalt not see my face, unless thou bring Michal the daughter of Saul, when thou comest to see my face.
13 David said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”
14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, saying, Restore me my wife Michal, whom I took for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
14 David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, [even] from Paltiel the son of Selle.
15 Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went with her weeping behind her as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, Go, return; and he returned.
16 Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned.
17 And Abner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, In former days ye sought David to reign over you;
17 Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.
18 and now perform [it]: for the Lord has spoken concerning David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save Israel out of the hand of all their enemies.
18 Now then do it! For Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’”
19 And Abner spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went to speak in the ears of David at Hebron, all that seemed good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of the house of Benjamin.
19 Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 And Abner came to David to Hebron, and with him twenty men: and David made for Abner and his men with him a banquet of wine.
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.
21 And Abner said to David, I will arise now, and go, and gather to my lord the king all Israel; and I will make with him a covenant, and thou shalt reign over all whom thy soul desires. And David sent away Abner, and he departed in peace.
21 Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab arrived from their expedition, and they brought much spoil with them: and Abner was not with David in Hebron, because he had sent him away, and he had departed in peace.
22 Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
23 And Joab and all his army came, and it was reported to Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner is come to David, and David has let him go, and he has departed in peace.
23 When Joab and all the army who 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.”
24 And Joab went in to the king, and said, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? behold, Abner came to thee; and why hast thou let him go, and he has departed in peace?
24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone?
25 Knowest thou not the mischief of Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all things that thou doest?
25 You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”
26 And Joab returned from David, and sent messengers to Abner after [him]; and they bring him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew [it] not.
26 When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.
27 And he brought back Abner to Hebron, and Joab caused him to turn aside from the gate to speak to him, laying wait for him: and he smote him there in the loins, and he died for the blood of Asahel the brother of Joab.
27 When Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And David heard [of it] afterward, and said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord even forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all the house of his father; and let there not be wanting of the house of Joab one that has an issue, or a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that wants bread.
29 Let it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
30 For Joab and Abishai his brother laid wait continually for Abner, because he slew Asahel their brother at Gibeon in the battle.
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament before Abner. And King David followed the bier.
31 David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier.
32 And they bury Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at his tomb, and all the people wept for Abner.
32 They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept.
33 And the king mourned over Abner, and said, Shall Abner die according to the death of Nabal?
33 The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Thy hands were not bound, And thy feet [were] not [put] in fetters: [One] brought [thee] not near as Nabal; Thou didst fall before children of iniquity.
34 Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.” All the people wept again over him.
35 And all the people assembled to weep for him. And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day: and David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I eat bread or anything else before the sun goes down.
35 All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else, until the sun goes down.”
36 And all the people took notice, and all things that the king did before the people were pleasing in their sight.
36 All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people.
37 So all the people and all Israel perceived in that day, that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.
38 And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that a great prince is this day fallen in Israel?
38 The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel?
39 And that I am this day a [mere] kinsman [of his], and [as it were] a subject; but these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me: the Lord reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.
39 I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abital
A wife of David who bore his fifth son, Shephatiah, in Hebron.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Chronicles 3:3
Absalom
David's handsome son who avenged Tamar, rebelled against his father, and briefly seized the throne.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 15-18
Adonijah
A son of David who tried to claim the throne ahead of Solomon in David's final days.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1-2
Amnon
David's firstborn son, who wronged his half-sister Tamar and was killed by Absalom in revenge.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:2; 2 Samuel 13
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Eglah
A wife of David who bore his sixth son, Ithream, in Hebron.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:5; 1 Chronicles 3:3
Haggith
A wife of David who bore his fourth son, Adonijah, in Hebron.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1:5; 1 Kings 1:11
Ithream
David's sixth son, born in Hebron to David's wife Eglah.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:5; 1 Chronicles 3:3
Joab
Son of Zeruiah and commander of David's army, who killed Abner and Amasa, besieged Rabbah, killed Absalom in the oak, and carried out David's census.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 2:13; 2 Samuel 3:27; 2 Samuel 12:26
Maacah
Daughter of King Talmai of Geshur, who bore David his third son, Absalom, in Hebron.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:3; 1 Chronicles 3:2
Paltiel
Palti son of Laish, from Gallim, to whom Saul gave his daughter Michal; he followed her weeping to Bahurim when Ish-bosheth took her from him for David.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 25:44; 2 Samuel 3:15
Rizpah
Saul's concubine, the daughter of Aiah, who bore Saul two sons and, after they were hanged by the Gibeonites, guarded their bodies from the birds and beasts from the harvest until…
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:7; 2 Samuel 21:8; 2 Samuel 21:10
Shephatiah
David's fifth son, born in Hebron to Abital.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Chronicles 3:3
Talmai
King of Geshur and father of David's wife Maacah, to whom Absalom fled after killing Amnon and with whom he stayed three years.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 13:37; 1 Chronicles 3:2
Cross references (33)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Kings 14:30; Job 8:7; Proverbs 4:18–19; 2 Samuel 2:17; Ephesians 6:12
- 2 1 Chronicles 3:1–4; 1 Samuel 25:42–43; 2 Samuel 13:1–29; Genesis 49:3–4
- 3 1 Samuel 27:8; 1 Chronicles 3:1; 2 Samuel 13:20–28; 2 Samuel 2:2; 2 Samuel 13:37–38
- 4 1 Kings 2:13–25; 1 Kings 1:5–18
- 6 2 Samuel 2:8–9; Isaiah 8:9–10; Matthew 12:30; 2 Chronicles 25:8; Joel 3:9–13
- 7 2 Samuel 21:8–11; 2 Samuel 12:8; 2 Samuel 16:21–22; 1 Kings 2:21–22; 1 Kings 2:17
- 8 2 Samuel 9:8; 2 Samuel 16:9; 1 Samuel 15:28; Deuteronomy 23:18; 2 Samuel 5:2
- 9 1 Samuel 15:28; 1 Kings 19:2; Ruth 1:17; 1 Samuel 28:17; 1 Chronicles 12:23
- 10 Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:20; 2 Samuel 17:11; 2 Samuel 24:2; 1 Kings 4:25
- 12 1 Chronicles 12:38–40; 2 Samuel 5:1–3; Psalm 62:9; 2 Samuel 19:6; Luke 16:5–8
- 13 Genesis 43:3; 1 Chronicles 15:29; Genesis 44:23; 1 Samuel 19:11–17; 1 Samuel 18:20–28
- 14 1 Samuel 18:27; 1 Samuel 18:25; 2 Samuel 2:10
- 15 1 Samuel 25:44
- 16 2 Samuel 16:5; 2 Samuel 19:16; 1 Kings 2:8; 2 Samuel 17:18; Proverbs 9:17–18
- 18 1 Samuel 15:28; Psalm 89:19–23; 1 Samuel 9:16; Psalm 89:3–4; 2 Samuel 3:9
- 19 1 Chronicles 12:29; 1 Samuel 10:20–21; Psalm 68:27
- 20 Genesis 26:30; Esther 1:3; Genesis 31:54
- 21 2 Samuel 3:12; 1 Kings 11:37; 2 Samuel 3:10; Philippians 2:21; Psalm 20:4
- 24 2 Samuel 19:5–7; 2 Samuel 3:39; 2 Samuel 3:8; John 18:35; Numbers 23:11
- 25 Isaiah 37:28; Numbers 27:17; Deuteronomy 28:6; Psalm 121:8; 1 Samuel 29:4–6
- 26 Proverbs 27:4–6; Proverbs 26:23–26
- 27 1 Kings 2:5; 2 Samuel 20:9–10; 1 Kings 2:32; Deuteronomy 27:24; Jeremiah 41:6–7
- 28 Numbers 35:33; Exodus 21:12; Genesis 4:10; Genesis 9:6; Deuteronomy 21:1–9
- 29 2 Samuel 1:16; Psalm 109:8–19; 1 Kings 2:31–34; Acts 28:4; 2 Kings 5:1
- 30 Acts 28:4; 2 Samuel 2:19–23; Proverbs 28:17
- 31 Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 1:2; 2 Samuel 1:11; Joshua 7:6; Judges 11:35
- 32 Proverbs 24:17; Job 31:28; 2 Samuel 1:12; 1 Samuel 30:4; 2 Samuel 18:33
- 33 2 Chronicles 35:25; Luke 12:19–20; 2 Samuel 1:17; 2 Samuel 13:12–13; Ecclesiastes 2:15–16
- 34 Judges 16:21; Hosea 6:9; Psalm 107:10–11; Job 24:14; 2 Samuel 1:12
- 35 2 Samuel 1:12; 2 Samuel 12:17; Ruth 1:17; Jeremiah 16:7; Ezekiel 24:17
- 36 Mark 7:37; Mark 15:11–13; Psalm 62:9; 2 Samuel 15:6; 2 Samuel 15:13
- 38 Job 32:9; 1 Samuel 14:50–51; 2 Samuel 3:12; 2 Samuel 2:8
- 39 Psalm 28:4; Psalm 101:8; 1 Kings 2:33–34; 2 Timothy 4:14; Proverbs 25:5
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences