The Reign of David

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.

Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

“As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”

So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.

And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.

When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,

but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.

Later, they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;

his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.

During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.

Meanwhile, Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!

May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:

to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him.

Then Abner sent messengers in his place to say to David, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and surely my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”

“Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”

Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.

Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.