Thematic Bible: Abner


Thematic Bible



Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name, was Kish - son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjamite, - a mighty man of valour;

and, the name of Saul's wife, was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, - and the name of the prince of his host, Abner, son of Ner, Saul's uncle. And, Kish, was Saul's father, and, Ner, Abner's father, was son of Abiel.


and, the name of Saul's wife, was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, - and the name of the prince of his host, Abner, son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

And, when Saul saw David going forth to meet the Philistine, he said unto Abner, prince of the host, Whose son is the young man, Abner? And Abner said, By the life of thy soul, O king! I know not.

So then David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul was lying, with Abner, son of Ner, prince of his host, - and, Saul, was lying within the circular trench, with, the people, encamped round about him.

And David cried aloud unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, Wilt thou not answer, Abner? Then answered Abner, and said, Who art thou, that hast cried aloud unto the king?


out of the battles and out of the spoil, had they hallowed them , - to strengthen the provision for the house of Yahweh. And, all that Samuel the seer, and Saul son of Kish, and Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah, had hallowed, whosoever had hallowed anything, it was under the direction of Shelomoth, and his brethren.


So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate, to speak with him quietly, - and then smote him there, in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel the brother of Joab. And, when David heard of it, after that, he said - Guiltless, am I and my kingdom before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, - of the blood of Abner son of Ner. Let it be hurled upon the head of Joab, and against all his father's house, - and let there not fail from the house of Joab - one that hath an issue, or a leper, or one that leaneth on a crutch, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread. read more.
Thus, Joab and Abishai his brother, slew Abner, - because he had caused the death of Asahel their brother, in Gibeon, in the battle. And David said unto Joab, and unto all the people who were with him, - Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and lament aloud before Abner. And, King David himself, was following the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron, - and the king lifted up his voice and wept, at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. And the king addressed his dirge unto Abner, and said, - As a base man dieth, should Abner have died? Thy hands, were not bound, And, thy feet, near to fetters, were not brought, As one falleth before assassins, so didst thou fall! And again all the people wept over him. And, when all the people came near to get David to eat bread, while yet it was day, David sware, saying - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, before the sun go in, I taste bread, or anything else. And, all the people, took note of it, and it was noble in their eyes, - as, all that the king did, was, in the eyes of all the people, noble. So then all the people, and all Israel, took note, that day, that it was not of the king, to cause the death of Abner son of Ner. And the king said unto his servants, - Will ye not take note that, a prince and a great man, hath fallen this day, in Israel? And, I myself, this day, am weak, though anointed king, but, these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I: Yahweh repay, the doer of wickedness, according to his wickedness.


And it came to pass, while the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, that, Abner, shewed himself courageous for the house of Saul. Now, Saul, had a concubine, whose name, was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, - and Ish-bosheth said unto Abner, Why, wentest thou in, unto my father's concubine? And it provoked Abner greatly, on account of the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said - Am I, the head of the dogs, that pertain unto Judah? To-day, would I deal in lovingkindness with the house of Saul thy father, towards his brethren, and towards his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, - and yet thou hast charged upon me the transgression of the woman, today. read more.
So, may God do unto Abner, and, so, may he add to him, - if, as Yahweh hath sworn unto David, even so, I deal not with him; by turning over the kingdom from the house of Saul, - and establishing the throne of David, over Israel and over Judah, from Dan, even unto Beer-sheba. And he could no further answer Abner, a word, - because he feared him. So Abner sent messengers unto David, on the spot, saying - Whose, is the land? Saying also - Solemnise thy covenant with me; and lo! my hand, shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee, all Israel. And he said - Good! I, will solemnise with thee a covenant, - but, one thing, must I ask of thee, saying - Thou shalt not see my face, except thou have brought in Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face. And David sent messengers unto Ish-bosheth son of Saul, saying, - Give up my wife, Michal, whom I espoused to myself, for a hundred foreskins of Philistines. So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, - from Paltiel, son of Laish. And her husband went along with her, weeping as he went behind her, as far as Behurim, - when Abner said unto him - Go, return. And he returned. Then had Abner, speech, with the elders of Israel, saying, - In times past, ye were seeking David, to be king over you. Now, therefore, act, - for Yahweh, spake unto David, saying, By the hand of David my servant, will I save my people Israel, out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin, - and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David, in Hebron, all that was pleasing in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin. So, when Abner came in unto David, in Hebron, and, with him, twenty men, David made, for Abner, and for the men who were with him, a banquet. Then said Abner unto David - I will verily arise and go, and gather together unto my lord the king, all Israel - that they may solemnise with thee a covenant, so shalt thou reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David let Abner go, and he departed in peace.


But, Abner son of Ner, prince of the host that pertained unto Saul, took Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; and made him king for Gilead, and for the Ashurites, and for Jezreel, - and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over, all Israel. Forty years old, was Ish-bosheth son of Saul, when he began to reign over Israel, and, two years, reigned he, - but, the house of Judah, followed David. read more.
And it came to pass, that, the number of the days that David was king in Hebron, over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months. And Abner son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, came out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And, Joab son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out from Hebron and met, by the pool of Gibeon, together, - and they sat down, these, by the pool, on the one side, and, those, by the pool, on the other side. Then said Abner unto Joab, Let the young men arise, I pray thee, and make sport before us. And Joab said - Let them arise. Then there arose, and went over by number, - twelve of Benjamin, pertaining to Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and twelve, of the servants of David. And they caught every one his fellow by the head, with his sword in his fellow's side, so they fell, together, - and that place was called Helkath-hazzadim, which is in Gideon. So the battle became exceeding obstinate, on that day, - and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David. Now there were there, three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, - and, Asahel, was light of foot as a wild gazelle. And Asahel pursued Abner, - and turned not, in going, to the right hand or to the left, from pursuing Abner. Then Abner looked behind him, and said - Art thou Asahel? And he said - I am. Then Abner said to him - Turn thee aside, to thy right hand, or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from pursuing him. And Abner said, yet again, unto Asahel, Turn thee aside from pursuing me, - wherefore should I smite thee to the earth? how then should I lift up my face unto Joab, thy brother? Howbeit he refused to turn aside, wherefore Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear, in the belly, that the spear came out behind him, and he fell there, and died on the spot, - and so it was, that, as many as came up to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still. Then Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, - but, the sun, had gone in by the time, they, had come as far as the hill of Ammah, that overlooketh Giah, by way of the wilderness of Gibeon. And, when the sons of Benjamin had gathered themselves together after Abner, and become one band, - and had taken their stand on the top of a certain hill, then Abner cried aloud unto Joab, and said - To the uttermost, must the sword devour? Dost thou not well know that, bitter, shall it be, in the latter end? How long, then, wilt thou not bid the people turn back from pursuing their own brethren? Then said Joab - As God liveth, surely, if thou hadst not spoken, then in the morning, the people would of themselves have gone up, every man from pursuing his brother. So Joab blew with the horn, and all the people stood still, and they neither pursued Israel further, - nor fought any more. And, Abner and his men, journeyed through the waste plain all that night, - and crossed the Jordan, and went through all the Bithron, and entered Mahanaim. And, Joab, returned from pursuing Abner, and, when he had gathered together all the people, there were missing of the servants of David - nineteen men, and Asahel; but, the servants of David, had smitten of Benjamin, of the men of Abner, - so that three hundred and sixty men, had died. And they carried Asahel, and buried him in the grave of his father, which was in Bethlehem, - and Joab and his men journeyed all the night, and had daylight in Hebron.


And David said unto Joab, and unto all the people who were with him, - Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and lament aloud before Abner. And, King David himself, was following the bier.


Now there were there, three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, - and, Asahel, was light of foot as a wild gazelle. And Asahel pursued Abner, - and turned not, in going, to the right hand or to the left, from pursuing Abner. Then Abner looked behind him, and said - Art thou Asahel? And he said - I am. read more.
Then Abner said to him - Turn thee aside, to thy right hand, or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from pursuing him. And Abner said, yet again, unto Asahel, Turn thee aside from pursuing me, - wherefore should I smite thee to the earth? how then should I lift up my face unto Joab, thy brother? Howbeit he refused to turn aside, wherefore Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear, in the belly, that the spear came out behind him, and he fell there, and died on the spot, - and so it was, that, as many as came up to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still. Then Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, - but, the sun, had gone in by the time, they, had come as far as the hill of Ammah, that overlooketh Giah, by way of the wilderness of Gibeon.