Study Desk

Avner said to him, "Turn off to your right or your left, catch one of the young men and take his armor." But ‘Asah'el wouldn't turn aside and kept following him.

Avner and his men went through the ‘Aravah all that night; they crossed the Yarden, went through all of Bitron and arrived at Machanayim.

They took ‘Asah'el and buried him in his father's tomb in Beit-Lechem. Then Yo'av and his men marched all night, so that they reached Hevron at daybreak.

Sons were born to David in Hevron. His firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Achino‘am from Yizre‘el;

his second, Kil'av, whose mother was Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel; the third, Avshalom, whose mother was Ma‘akhah the daughter of Talmai king of G'shur;

During the war that was going on between the house of Sha'ul and the house of David, Avner strengthened his position in the house of Sha'ul.

These words of Ish-Boshet's enraged Avner. "What am I," he shouted, "[that you treat me with such contempt]? A dog's head in Y'hudah? Till this moment I have shown only kindness to the house of Sha'ul your father, and to his brothers and to his friends; and I haven't handed you over to David. Yet you choose today to pick a fight with me over this woman!

When Avner came to David in Hevron he brought twenty men with him. David held a feast for Avner and his men.

When Yo'av and all his army had arrived, Yo'av was told, "Avner the son of Ner came to the king, but he sent him off, and he has left under safe conduct."

Upon Avner's return to Hevron, Yo'av took him aside into the space between the outer and inner city gates as if to speak with him privately; and there he struck him in the groin, so that he died — thus avenging the death of ‘Asah'el his brother.

Let it fall on the head of Yo'av and all his father's family. May Yo'av's family always have someone with a hemorrhage or tzara‘at, or who has to walk with a cane, or who dies by the sword or who lacks food."

Thus Yo'av and Avishai his brother killed Avner, because he had killed their brother ‘Asah'el during the battle in Giv‘on.

The king said to his servants, "You realize that a leader, a great man, has fallen today in Isra'el.

Even though I have just been anointed king, I feel weak today; and these men, the sons of Tz'ruyah, are too brutal for me. May Adonai repay the criminal as his crime deserves!"

When Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul heard that Avner had died in Hevron, his courage failed; and all Isra'el became alarmed.

Now Y'honatan the son of Sha'ul's had a son, and he was lame in both legs. He had been five years old when the news about Sha'ul and Y'honatan came from Yizre‘el. His nurse had gathered him up and fled; but as she was hurrying to get away, he fell and became lame. His name was M'fivoshet.

The sons of Rimmon the Be'eroti, Rekhav and Ba‘anah went and arrived during the heat of the day at the home of Ish-Boshet as he was taking his afternoon rest.

They went right into the house, as if they were coming to get wheat, and stabbed him in the groin; then Rekhav and Ba‘anah his brother escaped.

They entered the house as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, stabbed him and killed him; then they beheaded him, took his head and fled all night along the road through the ‘Aravah.

They brought the head of Ish-Boshet to David in Hevron and said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul your enemy, who wanted to take your life. Today Adonai has taken revenge on Sha'ul and his son for the sake of my lord the king."