II Samuel - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 316

(ac. m48.) Qbuzr intrigues with Qahih.-·-ji; jurbzr mth Quin!. 12 Abner consequently sent messen- gers privately to David to ask, and adding, ‘ Make your bargain with me, and I will give my hand to you to tum all Israel to you ! Right ! I will make a bargain with you. Only one thing! will demand ofyou, that is, you shall not see my face unless you bring into my presence Mikal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see me.’

14 Then David sent ambassadors to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, to say, ‘Give me my wife Mikal, whom I acquired by a hundred foreskins of the Philishtimf 15 So Ishboeheth sent, and took her from her husband—fro1n Faltial·ben

16 Losh. But her husband went along with her, and wept with her to Bakhurim, where Abner said to Be off! Go back! and be 17 Then Abner’s plan was to say to lformerly you SAM UEL.··-II. SAM. 3--35 were seeking David to be king over

18 you; so now eEect it, for the EVER- LIVING has spoken to David, saying, ‘ By the hand of David My servant, I will rescue My People Israel from the power of the Philishtim, and from 20 2I 22 the power of all their enemies} Abner also whispered in the ears of Benjamin. At last Abner sent to tell David privately in Hebron that all was ready in the ears of Israel, and all was good in the opinion of Benjamin. Then Abner himself went to David at Hebron with twenty officers, and David made a feast for Abner and the officers who were with him. Abner afterwards said to I will arise, and go, and bring to your majesty the representa- tives of Israel, and they will make a treaty with you, when you can reign in all your soul’s desires} David then took leave of Abner, and he departed in peace. just then, however, a detachment

of the troops of David arrived with joab, and brought a great booty with them. Abner was not, however, in Hebron with David, for he had taken leave and gone quietly. When joab and all the army with him arrived, Abner- he has taken leave of him, and he has gone away in peace} Then joab went to the king and 24 What have you done? Why has Abner been to you, and you have let him go! And he has departed in peace! Do you know 25 Abner—ben-Ner? He came only to pump you,-—and to learn your pur- poses and plans I Then joab went out unknown to 26 David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David did not know it.) So Abner returned 27 to Hebron, and joab met him in front of the gate, and spoke to him pleasantly;-~then stabbed him in the belly, and killed him on account of the blood of Ashahel his brother. When David afterwards heard of

I and my king- dom are completely guiltless before the EvEn—.x.1v1No of the blood of Abner-ben—Ner. Let there rest on the head of joab, and on all the house of his father, sickness and disease, and convulsion, and sword- stroke, and want of bread I ’ Thus joab, and Abishai his brother

murdered Abner because of the death of Ashahel their brother, at Gibeon in battle. But David said to joab, and to all

Tear your clothes, and gird on sackcloth, and King David went after the bier. So they buried Abner in Hebron, when the king lifted up his voice and wept at the tomb, and all the army wept. The king also lamented Abner,and said: (BL:. 1048.) ELEGY ON ABNER. 28 ‘ Abner! How like a flower you fade in Death ! Your hands unbound, your feet not chained together! For, falling, by the sons of crime, And all the forces continued to weep over him. When all the army brought food to

David to eat on that day, they heard May GOD do so to me, and more than that, if before the sun 33 34 35 sets I taste of food of any kind what- ben·Ner has been with the king, but I ever! 316