2 Samuel 3:12-23 - Abner Pledges Support For David

¹² And Abner sendeth messengers unto David for himself, saying, 'Whose is the land?' saying, 'Make thy covenant with me, and lo, my hand is with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.'

¹³ And he saith, 'Good -- I make with thee a covenant; only, one thing I am asking of thee, that is, Thou dost not see my face, except thou dost first bring in Michal, daughter of Saul in thy coming into see my face.'

¹⁴ And David sendeth messengers unto Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, saying, 'Give up my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'

¹⁵ And Ish-Bosheth sendeth, and taketh her from a man, from Phaltiel son of Laish, ¹⁶ and her husband goeth with her, going on and weeping behind her, unto Bahurim, and Abner saith unto him, 'Go, turn back;' and he turneth back.

¹⁷ And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, 'Heretofore ye have been seeking David for king over you, ¹⁸ and now, do it, for Jehovah hath spoken of David saying, By the hand of David my servant -- to save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'

¹⁹ And Abner speaketh also in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner goeth also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that is good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin, ²⁰ and Abner cometh in unto David, to Hebron, and with him twenty men, and David maketh for Abner, and for the men who are with him, a banquet.

²¹ And Abner saith unto David, 'I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth;' and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.

²² And lo, the servants of David, and Joab, have come from the troop, and much spoil have brought with them, and Abner is not with David in Hebron, for he hath sent him away, and he goeth in peace; ²³ and Joab and all the host that is with him have come, and they declare to Joab, saying, 'Abner son of Ner hath come unto the king, and he sendeth him away, and he goeth in peace.'