The Reign of David

Ioab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sunne went downe, when they were come to the hill Ammah, that lieth before Giah, by the way of the wildernesse of Gibeon.

And the children of Beniamin gathered them selues together after Abner, and were on an heape and stoode on the top of an hill.

Then Abner called to Ioab, and said, Shall the sworde deuoure for euer? knowest thou not, that it will be bitternesse in the latter ende? howe long then shall it be, or thou bid the people returne from following their brethren?

And Ioab sayde, As God liueth, if thou haddest not spoken, surely euen in the morning the people had departed euery one backe from his brother.

So Ioab blew a trumpet, and all the people stoode still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plaine, and went ouer Iorden, and past through all Bithron till they came to Mahanaim.

Ioab also returned backe from Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of Dauids seruants nineteene men and Asahel.

But the seruants of Dauid had smitten of Beniamin, and of Abners men, so that three hundreth and threescore men dyed.

And they tooke vp Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem: and Ioab and his men went all night, and when they came to Hebron, the day arose.

There was then long warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid: but Dauid waxed stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker.

And vnto Dauid were children borne in Hebron: and his eldest sonne was Amnon of Ahinoam the Izreelite,

And his seconde, was Chileab of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite: and the third, Absalom the sonne of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the King of Geshur,

And the fourth, Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the sonne of Abital,

And the sixt, Ithream by Eglah Dauids wife: these were borne to Dauid in Hebron.

Nowe while there was warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul.

And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiiah. And Ish-bosheth sayde to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in to my fathers concubine?

Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dogges head, which against Iudah do shew mercie this day vnto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his neighbours, and haue not deliuered thee into the hande of Dauid, that thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman?

So doe God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworne to Dauid, euen so I doe to him,

To remoue the kingdome from the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablished ouer Israel, and ouer Iudah, euen from Dan to Beer-sheba.

And he durst no more answere to Abner: for he feared him.

Then Abner sent messengers to Dauid on his behalfe, saying, Whose is the lande? who should also say, Make couenant with me, and beholde, mine hande shalbe with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee.

Who saide, Well, I will make a couenant with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face except thou bring Michal Sauls daughter when thou commest to see me.

Then Dauid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne, saying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I marryed for an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims.

And Ish-bosheth sent, and tooke her from her husband Phaltiel the sonne of Laish.

And her husband went with her, and came weeping behinde her, vnto Bahurim: then saide Abner vnto him, Go, and returne. So he returned.