2S 3:1-5:10 (King James)

   ¹ Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. ² And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 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, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵ And the sixth, Ithream, by 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 made himself strong for the house of Saul.
   ⁷ And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? ⁸ Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? ⁹ So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; ¹⁰ To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba. ¹¹ And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him. ¹² And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. ¹³ And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face. ¹⁴ And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. ¹⁵ And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶ And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. ¹⁷ And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: ¹⁸ Now then do it: for the LORD hath 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 also spake 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 that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. ²⁰ So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. ²¹ And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
   ²² And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. ²³ When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. ²⁴ Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? ²⁵ Thou knowest 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 that thou doest. ²⁶ And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. ²⁷ And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. ²⁸ And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: ²⁹ Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. ³⁰ So Joab, and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. ³¹ And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. ³² And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. ³³ And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? ³⁴ Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him. ³⁵ And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down. ³⁶ And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷ For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸ And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹ And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

2 Samuel 4

   ¹ And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. ² And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin. ³ And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) ⁴ And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. ⁵ And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. ⁶ And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. ⁷ For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night. ⁸ And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
   ⁹ And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, ¹⁰ When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings: ¹¹ How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? ¹² And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

2 Samuel 5

   ¹ Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. ² Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. ³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. ⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
   ⁶ And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. ⁷ Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. ⁸ And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. ⁹ So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. ¹⁰ And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

2S 3:1-5:10 (Vulgate)

   ¹ Facta est ergo longa concertatio inter domum Saul et inter domum David : David proficiscens, et semper seipso robustior, domus autem Saul decrescens quotidie.
   ² Natique sunt filii David in Hebron : fuitque primogenitus ejus Amnon, de Achinoam Jezraëlitide.
   ³ Et post eum Cheleab, de Abigail uxore Nabal Carmeli : porro tertius Absalom, filius Maacha filiæ Tholmai regis Gessur.
   ⁴ Quartus autem Adonias, filius Haggith : et quintus Saphathia, filius Abital.
   ⁵ Sextus quoque Jethraam, de Egla uxore David : hi nati sunt David in Hebron.
   ⁶ Cum ergo esset prælium inter domum Saul et domum David, Abner filius Ner regebat domum Saul.
   ⁷ Fuerat autem Sauli concubina nomine Respha, filia Aja. Dixitque Isboseth ad Abner :
   ⁸ Quare ingressus es ad concubinam patris mei ? Qui iratus nimis propter verba Isboseth, ait : Numquid caput canis ego sum adversum Judam hodie, qui fecerim misericordiam super domum Saul patris tui, et super fratres et proximos ejus, et non tradidi te in manus David, et tu requisisti in me quod argueres pro muliere hodie ?
   ⁹ Hæc faciat Deus Abner, et hæc addat ei, nisi quomodo juravit Dominus David, sic faciam cum eo,
   ¹⁰ ut transferatur regnum de domo Saul, et elevetur thronus David super Israël et super Judam, a Dan usque Bersabee.
   ¹¹ Et non potuit respondere ei quidquam, quia metuebat illum.
   ¹² Misit ergo Abner nuntios ad David pro se dicentes : Cujus est terra ? et ut loquerentur : Fac mecum amicitias, et erit manus mea tecum, et reducam ad te universum Israël.
   ¹³ Qui ait : Optime : ego faciam tecum amicitias : sed unam rem peto a te, dicens : Non videbis faciem meam antequam adduxeris Michol filiam Saul : et sic venies, et videbis me.
   ¹⁴ Misit autem David nuntios ad Isboseth filium Saul, dicens : Redde uxorem meam Michol, quam despondi mihi centum præputiis Philisthiim.
   ¹⁵ Misit ergo Isboseth, et tulit eam a viro suo Phaltiel filio Lais.
   ¹⁶ Sequebaturque eam vir suus, plorans usque Bahurim : et dixit ad eum Abner : Vade, et revertere. Qui reversus est.
   ¹⁷ Sermonem quoque intulit Abner ad seniores Israël, dicens : Tam heri quam nudiustertius quærebatis David ut regnaret super vos.
   ¹⁸ Nunc ergo facite : quoniam Dominus locutus est ad David, dicens : In manu servi mei David salvabo populum meum Israël de manu Philisthiim, et omnium inimicorum ejus.
   ¹⁹ Locutus est autem Abner etiam ad Benjamin. Et abiit ut loqueretur ad David in Hebron omnia quæ placuerant Israëli et universo Benjamin.
   ²⁰ Venitque ad David in Hebron cum viginti viris : et fecit David Abner, et viris ejus qui venerant cum eo, convivium.
   ²¹ Et dixit Abner ad David : Surgam, ut congregem ad te dominum meum regem omnem Israël, et ineam tecum fœdus, et imperes omnibus, sicut desiderat anima tua. Cum ergo deduxisset David Abner, et ille isset in pace,
   ²² statim pueri David et Joab venerunt, cæsis latronibus, cum præda magna nimis : Abner autem non erat cum David in Hebron, quia jam dimiserat eum, et profectus fuerat in pace.
   ²³ Et Joab, et omnis exercitus qui erat cum eo, postea venerunt : nuntiatum est itaque Joab a narrantibus : Venit Abner filius Ner ad regem, et dimisit eum, et abiit in pace.
   ²⁴ Et ingressus est Joab ad regem, et ait : Quid fecisti ? Ecce venit Abner ad te : quare dimisisti eum, et abiit et recessit ?
   ²⁵ ignoras Abner filium Ner, quoniam ad hoc venit ad te ut deciperet te, et sciret exitum tuum et introitum tuum, et nosset omnia quæ agis ?
   ²⁶ Egressus itaque Joab a David, misit nuntios post Abner, et reduxit eum a cisterna Sira, ignorante David.
   ²⁷ Cumque rediisset Abner in Hebron, seorsum adduxit eum Joab ad medium portæ ut loqueretur ei, in dolo : et percussit illum ibi in inguine, et mortuus est in ultionem sanguinis Asaël fratris ejus.
   ²⁸ Quod cum audisset David rem jam gestam, ait : Mundus ego sum, et regnum meum apud Dominum usque in sempiternum, a sanguine Abner filii Ner :
   ²⁹ et veniat super caput Joab, et super omnem domum patris ejus : nec deficiat de domo Joab fluxum seminis sustinens, et leprosus, et tenens fusum, et cadens gladio, et indigens pane.
   ³⁰ Igitur Joab et Abisai frater ejus interfecerunt Abner, eo quod occidisset Asaël fratrem eorum in Gabaon in prælio.
   ³¹ Dixit autem David ad Joab, et ad omnem populum qui erat cum eo : Scindite vestimenta vestra, et accingimini saccis, et plangite ante exequias Abner. Porro rex David sequebatur feretrum.
   ³² Cumque sepelissent Abner in Hebron, levavit rex David vocem suam, et flevit super tumulum Abner : flevit autem et omnis populus.
   ³³ Plangensque rex, et lugens Abner, ait : [Nequaquam ut mori solent ignavi, mortuus est Abner.
   ³⁴ Manus tuæ ligatæ non sunt,
et pedes tui non sunt compedibus aggravati :
sed sicut solent cadere coram filiis iniquitatis, sic corruisti.] Congeminansque omnis populus flevit super eum.
   ³⁵ Cumque venisset universa multitudo cibum capere cum David, clara adhuc die juravit David, dicens : Hæc faciat mihi Deus, et hæc addat, si ante occasum solis gustavero panem vel aliud quidquam.
   ³⁶ Omnisque populus audivit, et placuerunt eis cuncta quæ fecit rex in conspectu totius populi.
   ³⁷ Et cognovit omne vulgus et universus Israël in die illa, quoniam non actum fuisset a rege ut occideretur Abner filius Ner.
   ³⁸ Dixit quoque rex ad servos suos : Num ignoratis quoniam princeps et maximus cecidit hodie in Israël ?
   ³⁹ Ego autem adhuc delicatus, et unctus rex : porro viri isti filii Sarviæ duri sunt mihi : retribuat Dominus facienti malum juxta malitiam suam.

2 Samuel 4

   ¹ Audivit autem Isboseth filius Saul quod cecidisset Abner in Hebron : et dissolutæ sunt manus ejus, omnisque Israël perturbatus est.
   ² Duo autem viri principes latronum erant filio Saul, nomen uni Baana, et nomen alteri Rechab, filii Remmon Berothitæ de filiis Benjamin : siquidem et Beroth reputata est in Benjamin.
   ³ Et fugerunt Berothitæ in Gethaim, fueruntque ibi advenæ usque ad tempus illud.
   ⁴ Erat autem Jonathæ filio Saul filius debilis pedibus : quinquennis enim fuit, quando venit nuntius de Saul et Jonatha ex Jezrahel. Tollens itaque eum nutrix sua, fugit : cumque festinaret ut fugeret, cecidit, et claudus effectus est : habuitque vocabulum Miphiboseth.
   ⁵ Venientes igitur filii Remmon Berothitæ, Rechab et Baana, ingressi sunt fervente die domum Isboseth : qui dormiebat super stratum suum meridie. Et ostiaria domus purgans triticum, obdormivit.
   ⁶ Ingressi sunt autem domum latenter assumentes spicas tritici, et percusserunt eum in inguine Rechab, et Baana frater ejus, et fugerunt.
   ⁷ Cum autem ingressi fuissent domum, ille dormiebat super lectum suum in conclavi, et percutientes interfecerunt eum : sublatoque capite ejus, abierunt per viam deserti tota nocte,
   ⁸ et attulerunt caput Isboseth ad David in Hebron : dixeruntque ad regem : Ecce caput Isboseth filii Saul inimici tui, qui quærebat animam tuam : et dedit Dominus domino meo regi ultionem hodie de Saul, et de semine ejus.
   ⁹ Respondens autem David Rechab, et Baana fratri ejus, filiis Remmon Berothitæ, dixit ad eos : Vivit Dominus, qui eruit animam meam de omni angustia,
   ¹⁰ quoniam eum qui annuntiaverat mihi, et dixerat : Mortuus est Saul : qui putabat se prospera nuntiare, tenui, et occidi eum in Siceleg, cui oportebat mercedem dare pro nuntio.
   ¹¹ Quanto magis nunc cum homines impii interfecerunt virum innoxium in domo sua, super lectum suum, non quæram sanguinem ejus de manu vestra, et auferam vos de terra ?
   ¹² Præcepit itaque David pueris suis, et interfecerunt eos : præcidentesque manus et pedes eorum, suspenderunt eos super piscinam in Hebron : caput autem Isboseth tulerunt, et sepelierunt in sepulchro Abner in Hebron.

2 Samuel 5

   ¹ Et venerunt universæ tribus Israël ad David in Hebron, dicentes : Ecce nos os tuum et caro tua sumus.
   ² Sed et heri et nudiustertius cum esset Saul rex super nos, tu eras educens et reducens Israël : dixit autem Dominus ad te : Tu pasces populum meum Israël, et tu eris dux super Israël.
   ³ Venerunt quoque et seniores Israël ad regem in Hebron, et percussit cum eis rex David fœdus in Hebron coram Domino : unxeruntque David in regem super Israël.
   ⁴ Filius triginta annorum erat David cum regnare cœpisset, et quadraginta annis regnavit.
   ⁵ In Hebron regnavit super Judam septem annis et sex mensibus : in Jerusalem autem regnavit triginta tribus annis super omnem Israël et Judam.
   ⁶ Et abiit rex, et omnes viri qui erant cum eo, in Jerusalem, ad Jebusæum habitatorem terræ : dictumque est David ab eis : Non ingredieris huc, nisi abstuleris cæcos et claudos dicentes : Non ingredietur David huc.
   ⁷ Cepit autem David arcem Sion : hæc est civitas David.
   ⁸ Proposuerat enim David in die illa præmium, qui percussisset Jebusæum, et tetigisset domatum fistulas, et abstulisset cæcos et claudos odientes animam David. Idcirco dicitur in proverbio : Cæcus et claudus non intrabunt in templum.
   ⁹ Habitavit autem David in arce, et vocavit eam civitatem David : et ædificavit per gyrum a Mello et intrinsecus.
   ¹⁰ Et ingrediebatur proficiens atque succrescens, et Dominus Deus exercituum erat cum eo.