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And the battel was exceeding sore that same day: for Abner and the men of Israel fell before the seruants of Dauid.

Then Abner called to Ioab, and said, Shall the sworde deuoure for euer? knowest thou not, that it will be bitternesse in the latter ende? howe long then shall it be, or thou bid the people returne from following their brethren?

Nowe while there was warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul.

Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dogges head, which against Iudah do shew mercie this day vnto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his neighbours, and haue not deliuered thee into the hande of Dauid, that thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman?

And he durst no more answere to Abner: for he feared him.

Then Dauid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne, saying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I marryed for an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims.

And Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your King.

Nowe then doe it: for the Lord hath spoken of Dauid, saying, By the hand of my seruant Dauid I will saue my people Israel out of the handes of the Philistims, and out of the handes of all their enemies.

And beholde, the seruants of Dauid and Ioab came from the campe, and brought a great pray with them (but Abner was not with Dauid in Hebron: for he had sent him away, and he departed in peace)

Thou knowest Abner the sonne of Ner: for he came to deceiue thee, and to knowe thy outgoing and ingoing, and to knowe all that thou doest.

And when Abner was come againe to Hebron, Ioab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him peaceably, and smote him vnder the fift ryb, that he dyed, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

And when afterwarde it came to Dauids eare, he saide, I and my kingdome are giltlesse before the Lorde for euer, concerning the blood of Abner the sonne of Ner.

Thine handes were not bounde, nor thy feete tyed in fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so diddest thou fall. And all the people wept againe for him.

For all the people and all Israel vnderstoode that day, howe that it was not the Kings deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slaine.

And I am this day weake and newly anoynted King: and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too harde for me: the Lorde rewarde the doer of euill according to his wickednesse.

And Sauls sonne had two men that were captaines of bandes: the one called Baanah, and the other called Rechab, the sonnes of Rimmon a Beerothite of the children of Beniamin. (for Beeroth was reckened to Beniamin,

For when they came into the house, he slept on his bed in his bed chamber, & they smote him, and slewe him, and beheaded him, and tooke his head, and gate them away through the plaine all the night.

When one tolde me, and sayde that Saul was dead, (thinking to haue brought good tydings) I tooke him and slewe him in Ziklag, who thought that I woulde haue giuen him a rewarde for his tidings:

And Dauid prospered and grewe: for the Lord God of hostes was with him.

Hiram also king of Tyrus sent messengers to Dauid, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons for walles: and they built Dauid an house.