2 Samuel 3:1-21 ▼

1 And there was a longe battayll betwene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid. But Dauid wente and increased, and the house of Saul wente and mynished.

2 And vnto Dauid were children borne at Hebron. His firstborne sonne Ammon of Ahinoam the Iesraelitisse:

3 the seconde Chileab of Abigail the wyfe of Nabal of Carmel: the thirde Absalon the sonne of Maacha the doughter of Thalmai kynge of Gessur:

4 the fourth Adonia the sonne of Hagith: the fyfth Saphatia the sonne of Abital:

5 ye sixte Ierhream of Egla Dauids wife. These were borne vnto Dauid at Hebron.

6 Now whan it was warre betwene the house of Saul & the house of Dauid, Abner strengthed Sauls house.

7 And Saul had a concubyne, whose name was Rispa the doughter of Aia. And Isboseth sayde vnto Abner: Wherfore liest thou with my fathers concubyne?

8 Then was Abner very wroth at these wordes of Isboseth, and sayde: Am I a dogges heade then, that I agaynst Iuda do mercy vnto the house of Saul thy father, and vnto his brethren and kynsfolkes? and haue not delyuered the into ye hande of Dauid, and thou layest a trespace to my charge this daye for a womans sake?

9 God do Abner this and that, yf I do not as the LORDE hath sworne vnto Dauid,

10 that the kyngdome maye be taken fro the house of Saul, and ye seate of Dauid set vp ouer Israel and Iuda, from Dan vnto Berseba.

11 Then coulde he not answere him one worde agayne, he feared him so.

12 And Abner sent messaungers vnto Dauid, sayenge: Whose is the londe? And sayde: Make thy couenaunt with me. Beholde, my hande shall be with the, to turne all Israel vnto the.

13 He sayde: Wel, I wyll make a couenaunt with the, but one thynge I desyre of the, that thou se not my face, excepte thou brynge me first Michol Sauls doughter, whan thou commest to se my face.

14 Dauid sent messaungers also vnto Isboseth the sonne of Saul, sayenge: Geue me my wyfe Michol, whom I maried with an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistynes.

15 Isboseth sent, and caused for to take her from the man Palthiel the sonne of Lais.

16 And hir husbande wente with her, and wepte behynde her vnto Bahurim. Then sayde Abner vnto him: Turne backe agayne, and go thy waye. And he turned backe agayne.

17 And Abner talked with the Elders in Israel, and sayde: Youre myndes haue bene set afore tyme and longe a goo vpon Dauid, that he mighte be kynge ouer you,

18 do it now therfore, for ye LORDE hath sayde of Dauid: I wil delyuer my people of Israel by the hade of Dauid my seruaunt, from the hande of the Philistynes, and from the hande of all their enemies.

19 Abner spake also before the eares of Ben Iamin, and wente to speake before the eares of Dauid at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Ben Iamin was contente withall.

20 Now whan Abner came to Hebron vnto Dauid, and twety men with him, Dauid made them a feast.

21 And Abner sayde vnto Dauid: I wyll get me vp, and go gather all Israel together to my lorde the kynge, and that they maye make a couenaunt with the, that thou mayest be kynge, at thy soules desyre. So Dauid let Abner go from him in peace.