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¹Now there was a long ⚓war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

Sons of David

²Sons were born ⚓to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon ⚓by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; ³his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, ⚓Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king ⚓of Geshur; ⁴the fourth, ⚓Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins Forces with David

⁶Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.
⁷And Saul had a concubine, whose name was⚓Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you ⚓gone in to my father’s concubine?”
⁸Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I ⚓a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? ⁹⚓May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David ⚓as the Lord has sworn to him— ¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, ⚓from Dan to Beersheba.” ¹¹And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
¹²Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”
¹³And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: ⚓you shall not see my face unless you first bring ⚓Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” ¹⁴So David sent messengers to ⚓Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself ⚓for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” ¹⁵And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶Then her husband went along with her to ⚓Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.
¹⁷Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. ¹⁸Now then, do it!⚓For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ” ¹⁹And Abner also spoke in the hearing of ⚓Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.
²⁰So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. ²¹Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and ⚓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 heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

²²At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” ²⁴Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? ²⁵Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know ⚓your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
²⁶And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. ²⁷Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab ⚓took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him ⚓in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of ⚓Asahel his brother.
²⁸Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the Lord forever of 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 never fail to be in the house of Joab one ⚓who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” ³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother ⚓Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David’s Mourning for Abner

³¹Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, ⚓“Tear your clothes, ⚓gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. ³²So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. ³³And the king sang a lament over Abner and said:
“Should Abner die as a ⚓fool dies?
³⁴Your hands were not bound
Nor your feet put into fetters;
As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.”
Then all the people wept over him again.
³⁵And when all the people came ⚓to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, ⚓“God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else ⚓till the sun goes down!” ³⁶Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. ³⁸Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, ⚓are too harsh for me. ⚓The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

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¹Xa‑u cov tuabneeg hab Tavi cov tuabneeg kuj ua rog ntev loo. Tavi kuj kov yeej zuj quas zug, Xa‑u cov kuj ntaug zug zuj quas zug.

Tavi cov tub kws yug huv Heploo

²Tavi cov tub kws yug huv Heploo yog le nuav, tug tub hlub yog Aanoo, yog Ahinau‑aa kws yog tuabneeg Yile‑ee yug. ³Tug ob yog Khile‑a, yog Anpikayi kws yog Nanpaa huv Khamee tug quaspuj kws ua puj ntsuag yug. Tug peb yog Axaloo, yog Ma‑akha kws yog cov Kesu tug vaajntxwv Thaamai tug ntxhais yug. ⁴Tug plaub yog Antauniya, yog Hakis yug. Tug tswb yog Sefathiya, yog Anpithaa yug. ⁵Tug rau yog Ile‑aa, yog Elag kws yog Tavi tug quaspuj yug. Cov tub nuav Tavi yug huv lub moos Heploo.

Anaw lug nrug Tavi sws raug zoo

⁶Lub swjhawm kws Xa‑u cov tuabneeg hab Tavi cov tuabneeg saamswm ua rog, Anaw kuj tsaab ua luj quas zug rua huv Xa‑u cov tuabneeg. ⁷Xa‑u muaj ib tug hluas nkauj hu ua Lixapa, yog Aiyag tug ntxhais. Inpause txawm has rua Anaw tas, “Ua caag koj moog nrug kuv txwv le hluas nkauj pw?” ⁸Mas Anaw chim heev rua Inpause lu lug hov, nwg txawm has tas, “Kuv yog Yuta le ib lub taubhau dev lov?⚓ Naj nub nwgnuav kuv lub sab npuab koj txwv Xa‑u cov tuabneeg hab koj txwv kwvtij kwvluag, kuv tsw tau muab koj rua huv Tavi txhais teg. Tassws nub nua koj tseed yuav xeeb plaub ntawm tug quaspuj nuav rua kuv. ⁹Yog kuv tseed tsw paab Tavi kuas tav lawv le Yawmsaub cog lug rua nwg lawd, kuv thov Vaajtswv rau txem rua kuv kuas nyaav kawg. ¹⁰Kuv yuav muab lub tebchaws rhu huv Xa‑u cov tuabneeg hab kuv yuav tsaa Tavi lub zwm txwv rua sau cov Yixayee hab cov Yuta txwj nrho Ntaaj moog txug ncua Npe‑awsenpa.” ¹¹Mas Inpause teb tsw taug Anaw ib lus le tsua qhov nwg ntshai Anaw.
¹²Anaw tso tuabneeg xaa xuv moog has rua Tavi ntawm Heploo tas, “Lub tebchaws nuav yog leejtwg le? Koj nrug kuv cog lug sws raug zoo, mas kuv yuav tuaj koj tog, kuv yuav coj cov Yixayee huvsw lug cob rua koj.” ¹³Tavi has tas, “Zoo kawg. Kuv yuav nrug koj cog lug. Kuv xaav kuas koj ua ib yaam tsaiv. Thaus koj yuav tuaj ntswb kuv tim ntsej tim muag, yog koj tsw coj Xa‑u tug ntxhais Mikhaa tuaj rua kuv tsaiv, mas koj yeej yuav tsw pum kuv.” ¹⁴Hab Tavi tso xuv rua Xa‑u tug tub Inpause has tas, “Muab kuv tug quaspuj Mikhaa rua kuv, nwg yog tug kws kuv muab cov Filixatee ib puas daim tawv chaw xws qhab lawm.” ¹⁵Inpause txawm kuas tuabneeg moog coj Mikhaa ntawm nwg tug quasyawg kws yog La‑i tug tub Pati‑ee lug. ¹⁶Nwg tug quasyawg kuj quaj lawv quaj lawv nwg moog txug ntawm Npahuli. Mas Anaw has rua nwg tas, “Ca le rov qaab moog.” Nwg txhad rov qaab moog lawm.
¹⁷Anaw txawm nrug Yixayee cov kev txwj quas laug sablaaj has tas, “Ntev lug lawm mej yeej xaav kuas Tavi ua vaajntxwv kaav mej. ¹⁸Mas nwgnuav ca le ua kuas tav, tsua qhov Yawmsaub tub cog lug ca rua Tavi lawm tas, ‘Kuv yuav swv kuv tug qhev Tavi txhais teg cawm kuv haiv tuabneeg Yixayee dim huv cov Filixatee txhais teg hab dim huv puab cov yeeb ncuab suavdawg txhais teg huvsw.’ ” ¹⁹Anaw kuj has rua cov Npeeyamee hab. Anaw txawm moog cuag Tavi huv lub moos Heploo qha txhua yaam kws cov Yixayee hab xeem Npeeyamee suavdawg pum zoo ua.
²⁰Thaus Anaw nrug neeg nkaum leej tuaj cuag Tavi huv lub moos Heploo, mas Tavi paam noj haus rua Anaw hab cov tuabneeg kws nrug nwg tuaj. ²¹Anaw has rua Tavi tas, “Kuv yuav sawv kev rov moog hab kuv yuav sau zog cov Yixayee suavdawg tuaj cuag vaajntxwv kws yog kuv tug tswv, sub puab txhad tau nrug koj cog lug sws raug zoo hab koj txhad yuav kaav tau txhua yaam kws koj sab nyam.” Tavi txhad tso Anaw rov qaab. Anaw rov qaab moog ua tso sab plhuav.

Yau‑a tua Anaw

²²Lub swjhawm hov Yau‑a hab Tavi cov tub rog moog lws luas hab coj hov txhua chaw ntau kawg le lug. Tassws Anaw tub tsw nrug Tavi nyob ntawm Heploo lawm tsua qhov Tavi tub tso nwg moog hab nwg tub moog ua tso sab plhuav lawm. ²³Thaus Yau‑a hab cov tub rog suavdawg kws nrug nwg lug txug, muaj tuabneeg has rua Yau‑a tas, “Naw tug tub Anaw tuaj cuag vaajntxwv mas vaajntxwv tub tso nwg rov qaab moog lawm, nwg moog ua tso sab plhuav.” ²⁴Tes Yau‑a txawm moog has rua vaajntxwv tas, “Koj ua daabtsw le nuav? Koj swm saib, Anaw tub tuaj cuag koj. Ua caag koj ca le tso nwg moog, nwg txhad moog lawm? ²⁵Koj yeej paub tas Naw tug tub Anaw tuaj daag koj sub txhad paub tas koj tawm moog hab nkaag lug le caag hab paub txhua yaam kws koj ua.”
²⁶Thaus Yau‑a tawm ntawm Tavi lug nwg txawm tso tuabneeg xaa xuv moog caum Anaw. Puab coj Anaw ntawm lub paag dej Xilas rov lug. Tavi kuj tsw paub qhov nuav le. ²⁷Thaus Anaw rov lug txug Heploo lawm Yau‑a txawm coj nwg tuab leeg nkaag moog rua huv plawv rooj loog sub txhad tau nrug nwg tuab leeg thaam xwb. Tes Yau‑a txawm nkaug Anaw plaab hov ntawd, Anaw txhad tuag lawm, tub yog Yau‑a pauj taub qhov kws nwg tug kwv Axahee tuag. ²⁸Dhau hov thaus Tavi paub le hov nwg txhad has tas, “Kuv hab kuv lub tebchaws yuav tsw rws lub txem kws Naw tug tub Anaw cov ntshaav lug nuav ib txhws taab meeg Yawmsaub xubndag. ²⁹Thov kuas lub txem poob rua sau Yau‑a taubhau hab poob rua sau nwg txwv caaj ceg. Ca Yau‑a caaj ceg pheej yuav muaj tug kws muaj kua ndwg lug lossws muaj tug kws mob lis mob ruas lossws muaj tug kws nreg paas⚓ lossws muaj tug kws raug nav ntaaj tua lossws muaj tug kws tsw muaj mov noj.” ³⁰Yau‑a hab nwg tug kwv Anpisai tua Anaw vem Anaw tau tua ob tug tug kwv Axahee rua ntawm tshaav rog Kinpe‑oo lawm.
³¹Tavi kuj has rua Yau‑a hab cov tuabneeg suavdawg kws nrug nwg tas, “Ca le dua mej tej rwg tsho hab muab khaub seev tsaaj lug npua hab quaj ntsuag moog ua Anaw lub cev tuag ntej.” Hab vaajntxwv Tavi lawv qaab lub hleb. ³²Puab muab Anaw log rua ntawm Heploo. Vaajntxwv kuj tsaa suab quaj ntawm Anaw lub ntxaa hab cov pejxeem suavdawg kuj quaj kawg le. ³³Vaajntxwv quaj ntsuag txug Anaw tas,
“Tswm nyog Anaw yuav tuag
ib yaam nkaus le tug tuabneeg ruag lov?
³⁴Tub tsw muab koj txhais teg khi,
tub tsw muab koj kwtaw ntsug phoo,
koj ca le qaug tuag
yaam nkaus le tuabneeg qaug
rua ntawm tuabneeg limham xubndag.”
Mas cov pejxeem suavdawg kuj rov quaj Anaw dua ib zag. ³⁵Cov pejxeem suavdawg tuaj cheem kuas Tavi noj mov rua thaus tseed nruab nub. Tassws Tavi twv has tas, “Yog kuv swm mivntswv ncuav lossws ib yaam daabtsw ua ntej kws nub poob qho, mas ca Vaajtswv rau txem rua kuv le ntawd nyaav dua hab.” ³⁶Cov pejxeem suavdawg pum le hov mas kuj txaus sab. Txhua yaam kws vaajntxwv ua yeej los txaus cov pejxeem lub sab. ³⁷Nub hov cov pejxeem suavdawg hab cov Yixayee suavdawg kuj nkaag sab tas tsw yog vaajntxwv muaj nplooj sab tua Naw tug tub Anaw. ³⁸Vaajntxwv has rua nwg cov tub teg tub taw tas, “Mej tsw paub lov, nub nua cov Yixayee ib tug thawj tseem ceeb tau tuag lawm? ³⁹Txawm yog kuv raug tsaa ua vaajntxwv los nub nua kuv kuj qaug zug. Xeluya cov tub nuav nyaav dhau rua kuv lawm. Thov Yawmsaub pauj taub rua tug kws ua txhum lawv le nwg kev txhum.”