14. And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

15. And there arose and went over by number, 12 of Benjamin which pertained to Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, and 12 of the servants of David. And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together; wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

17. And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 18. And there were 3 sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel.

And Asahel purneither to the right Then Abner looked

And Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. sued after Abner; and in going he turned hand nor to the left from following Abner. behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold of one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me; wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? Howbeit he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. 23. And it came to pass that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

24. Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner; and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

25. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill.

26. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? And Joab said, As Adoni liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

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

VOL. I.

Y

29. And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

30. And Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants 19 men and Asahel.

31. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that 360 men died.

32. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem.

And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

The War continued.-2 Samuel iii. 1. Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger; and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

2. And unto David were sons born in Hebron.

His firstborn was Ammon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.

3. His 2nd, Chileab (Josephus says Daniel), of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

The 3rd, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur.

4. The 4th, Adonijah the son of Haggith.

The 5th, Shepah-tiah the son of Abital.

5. And the 6th, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

ABNER'S TREACHERY AND DEATH.-Abner appears to have exercised an influence over Esh-bal, and, perhaps, a domination, which created apprehension in the mind of Esh-bal of his intending to supersede him in the sovereignty. This led to a quarrel. Whether David had offered Abner any inducements such as he had offered to the people of Jabesh-gilead does not appear. But Abner excited by a reproach of Esh-bal proposed a treasonable league with David; which that unscrupulous king, after a little negotiation with Eshbal to get his wife out of his power, in which he is aided by Abner, readily accepted.

David, notwithstanding his body-guard, entertained similar apprehensions of the influence of his general, Joab, and his brother, the sons of Zeruiah. The terms of the confederacy between David and Abner were that the latter should get his sovereign, and that the former should get his great captain, out of the way; and that

David should be established king of Israel, and Abner appointed commander-in-chief of the forces in the place of Joab. What personal designs these worthy leaguers may have entertained towards each other does not appear.

The scheme was defeated by the sudden return of Joab, who took Abner aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him under the fifth rib. His pretext was that Abner had slain Joab's brother Abishai; the real inducement was probably his knowledge or suspicion of the conspiracy against himself.

The grief of David for this assassination was probably sincere, as it interfered with his own scheme. It was very ostentatious, perhaps, as Josephus suggests, "to get a good reputation," and perhaps to lull the suspicions of Esh-bal.

Either the vexation of David at the miscarriage of his plot, or the wit of the historian, makes the king's lamentation over Abner commence with the sarcasm, “Died Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters."

Story.-2 Samuel iii. 6. And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul. And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?

8. Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? So do god to Abner, and more also, except, as Adoni hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.

11. And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.

12. And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

13. And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face,

except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

14. And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for 100 foreskins of the Philistines. And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel Ben Laish. And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

17. And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you; now then do it, for Adoni hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 19. And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin.

(Josephus, Ant. VII. i., says "All of that tribe were Ish-bosheth's body-guard.")

And Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

20. So Abner came to David to Hebron, and 20 men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

21. And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

22. And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

23. When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner Ben Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he has gone in peace.

24. Then Joab came to the king and said, What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he has quite gone? Thou knowest Abner Ben Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

26. And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well Sirah

(Besira-20 furlongs from Hebron, Josephus, Ant. VII. i. 5); but David knew it not.

27. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28. And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Adoni for ever from the blood of Abner Ben Ner; let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

30. So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

31. And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed 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 lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters; as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

35. And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, So do god to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else till the sun be down.

36. And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner Ben-Ner.

38. And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me; Adoni shall reward the doer of evil acccording to his wickedness.

Josephus (Ant. VII. i. 6), after narrating the mourning of David for Abner, proceeds-"Indeed David principally intended to gain a good reputation, and therefore took care to do what was proper in this case. Whence none had any suspicion that he was the author of Abner's death. He also said this to the multitude : That he was greatly troubled at the death of so good a man, and