2 Samuel 3:12

Young's Literal Translation

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.'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to turn all Israel over to you.”

Hebrew Names Version
Aviner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make your league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Yisra'el to you.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Abner sent messengers to David where he was, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me! Look, my hand is with you to bring all of Israel over to you!"

English Standard Version
And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you."

New Century Version
Then Abner sent messengers to ask David, "Who is going to rule the land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you unite all Israel."

New English Translation
Then Abner sent messengers to David saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement with me, and I will do whatever I can to cause all Israel to turn to you."

Amplified Bible
Then Abner sent messengers to David [who was] in his place [at Hebron], saying, "Whose is the land? Make your covenant (treaty) with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you."

New American Standard Bible
Then Abner sent messengers to David at his place, saying, "Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you."

Geneva Bible (1587)
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.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, "Whose is the land? Cut your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to turn all Israel over to you."

Contemporary English Version
Abner sent some of his men to David with this message: "You should be the ruler of the whole nation. If you make an agreement with me, I will persuade everyone in Israel to make you their king."

Complete Jewish Bible
Avner immediately sent envoys to David with this message: "Who is going to control the land? If you make yourself my ally, I will use my power to bring all Isra'el over to you."

Darby Translation
And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make thy covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee, to turn all Israel to thee.

Easy-to-Read Version
Abner sent messengers to David and said, "Who do you think should rule this country? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you become the ruler of all the people of Israel."

George Lamsa Translation
And Abner sent messengers to David, saying, Whose is the land? Now make your covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel to you.

Good News Translation
Abner sent messengers to David, who at that time was at Hebron, to say, "Who is going to rule this land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you win all Israel over to your side."

Literal Translation
And Abner sent messengers to David for himself, saying, Whose is the land? He said, Cut your covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Abner sent messaungers vnto Dauid, sayenge: Whose is the londe? And sayde: Make thy couenaunt with me. Beholde, my hande shall be with the, to turne all Israel vnto the.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And Abner sent men to David at Hebron, saying, Make an agreement with me, and I will give you my support in getting all Israel on your side.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Abner sent messengers to Dauid secretly, saying: Whose is the land? Who should [also] say, Make a bond with me, and beholde my hande is with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Abner sent messengers to David straightway, saying: 'Whose is the land?' saying also: 'Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring over all Israel unto thee.'

King James Version (1611)
And Abner sent messengers to Dauid on his behalfe, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and behold, my hand shall bee with thee, to bring about all Israel vnto thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abenner sent messengers to David to Thaelam where he was, immediately, saying, Make thy covenant with me, and, behold, my hand is with thee to bring back to thee all the house of Israel.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Abner sent messengers in his place to say to David, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and surely my hand will be on your side to turn all Israel to you."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Abner sente messangeris to Dauid, and thei seiden `for hym, Whos is the lond? and that the messangeris schulden speke, Make thou frenschipis with me, and myn hond schal be with thee, and Y schal brynge al Israel to thee.

Update Bible Version
And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make your league with me, and, look, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Israel to you.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 to thee.

World English Bible
Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make your league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Israel to you.

New King James Version
Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, "Whose is the land?" saying also, "Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you."

New Living Translation
Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, "Doesn't the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you."

New Life Bible
Then Abner sent men with news to David at Hebron, saying, "Whose land is this? Make your agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you."

New Revised Standard
Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and I will give you my support to bring all Israel over to you."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.

Revised Standard Version
And Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you."

THE MESSAGE
Abner went ahead and sent personal messengers to David: "Make a deal with me and I'll help bring the whole country of Israel over to you."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, "Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you."

Contextual Overview

⁷ and Saul hath a concubine, and her name [is] Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and [Ish-Bosheth] saith unto Abner, `Wherefore hast thou gone in unto the concubine of my father?' <sup>8</sup> And it is displeasing to Abner exceedingly, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he saith, `The head of a dog [am] I -- that in reference to Judah to-day I do kindness with the house of Saul thy father, unto his brethren, and unto his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David -- that thou chargest against me iniquity concerning the woman to-day? ⁹ thus doth God to Abner, and thus He doth add to him, surely as Jehovah hath sworn to David -- surely so I do to him: ¹⁰ to cause the kingdom to pass over from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel, and over Judah, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba.' ¹¹ And he is not able any more to turn back Abner a word, because of his fearing him. 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.' <sup>14</sup> 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Whose: 2 Samuel 19:6, 2 Samuel 20:1-13

Make: Psalms 62:9, Luke 16:5-8

my hand: 2 Samuel 3:21, 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 5:1-3, 2 Samuel 19:14, 2 Samuel 19:41-43, 2 Samuel 20:1, 2 Samuel 20:2, 1 Chronicles 11:1-3, 1 Chronicles 12:38-40, Matthew 21:8-10

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:38 - a prince 2 Samuel 8:15 - over all Israel

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
And Jehovah God saith, `Not good for the man to be alone, I do make to him an helper -- as his counterpart.'

Genesis 2:20
And the man calleth names to all the cattle, and to fowl of the heavens, and to every beast of the field; and to man hath not been found an helper -- as his counterpart.

Genesis 2:22
And Jehovah God buildeth up the rib which He hath taken out of the man into a woman, and bringeth her in unto the man;

Genesis 3:13
And Jehovah God saith to the woman, `What [is] this thou hast done?' and the woman saith, `The serpent hath caused me to forget -- and I do eat.'

Genesis 3:15
and enmity I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he doth bruise thee -- the head, and thou dost bruise him -- the heel.'

Genesis 3:20
And the man calleth his wife's name Eve: for she hath been mother of all living.

Genesis 3:21
And Jehovah God doth make to the man and to his wife coats of skin, and doth clothe them.

Genesis 3:24
yea, he casteth out the man, and causeth to dwell at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubs and the flame of the sword which is turning itself round to guard the way of the tree of life.

Job 31:33
If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,

Proverbs 19:3
The folly of man perverteth his way, And against Jehovah is his heart wroth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,.... On his own account, and not on the account of Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel; but to obtain terms for himself, or in his own name, as representing him and standing in his stead; or secretly, as Kimchi explains it, unknown to Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel. The Targum is,

"out of his place;''

he sent them from the place where he was, from Mahanaim:

saying, whose [is] the land? the land of Israel, is it not thine, David? verily it is; to whom does it belong but unto thee, to whom the Lord has given it? not to any of Saul's posterity: this he ordered the messengers to say in the first place, in order to ingratiate himself to David, and gain his messengers an audience. The Targum is,

"I swear by him that made the earth;''

so Jarchi says, it is an oath by him whose the earth is, even by the living God, whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof:

saying [also], make thy league with me; he desired to enter into a covenant of friendship with him, that everything that had passed might be forgiven and forgotten:

and, behold, my hand [shall be] with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee: he promises on his part to do his utmost to bring all Israel under his government and to obedience to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whose is the land? - Meaning, Is not the land thine by God’s promise?