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And to David were sons born in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? This day I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

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.

And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that has a discharge, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that lacks bread.

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

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 said to his slaves, Don't you know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me: Yahweh reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.

And when Ishbosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she hurried to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibaal.

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon.

And, look, they came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Look, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; and Yahweh has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

when one told me, saying, Look, Saul is dead, and he was a bearer of good tidings in his own eyes, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings.

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner the son of Ner in Hebron.