וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲרֻכָּה בֵּין בֵּית שָׁאוּל וּבֵין בֵּית דָּוִד וְדָוִד הֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק וּבֵית שָׁאוּל הֹלְכִים וְדַלִּים

The conflict between the militias of David and Ish Boshet was not limited to a single incident. The event at the pool of Givon had ended with a separation of the opposing forces, but the animosity and rivalry persisted. The war was long between the house of Saul and the house of David; as time passed, David grew stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker. Ish Boshet was apparently not an esteemed leader, and his men did not remain eager to fight on his behalf for long.

וַיִּוָּלְדוּ לְדָוִד בָּנִים בְּחֶבְרוֹן וַיְהִי בְכוֹרוֹ אַמְנוֹן לַאֲחִינֹעַם הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִת

Sons were born to David in Hebron; his firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahino’am the Yizre’elite;

וּמִשְׁנֵהוּ כִלְאָב לַאֲבִיגַיִל אֵשֶׁת נָבָל הַכַּרְמְלִי וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁי אַבְשָׁלוֹם בֶּן מַעֲכָה בַּת תַּלְמַי מֶלֶךְ גְּשׁוּר

and his second son was Kilav, born to Avigayil, formerly the wife of Naval the Carmelite; the third was Avshalom, son of Maakha, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, a small kingdom that perhaps maintained friendly ties with David. Alternatively, Geshur may have fought against David, and the king’s daughter may have been one of the captives. It becomes clear later in the book that Avshalom’s lineage as the grandson of the king of Geshur gave him a special status in the kingdom (13:37–38).

וְהָרְבִיעִי אֲדֹנִיָּה בֶן חַגִּית וְהַחֲמִישִׁי שְׁפַטְיָה בֶן אֲבִיטָל

The fourth was Adoniya son of Hagit; the fifth was Shefatya son of Avital;

וְהַשִּׁשִּׁי יִתְרְעָם לְעֶגְלָה אֵשֶׁת דָּוִד אֵלֶּה יֻלְּדוּ לְדָוִד בְּחֶבְרוֹן

and the sixth was Yitre’am, who was born to Egla, also David’s wife. All of these were born to David in Hebron, in addition to the other sons who were born to him from his other wives, after he moved to Jerusalem.

וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹת הַמִּלְחָמָה בֵּין בֵּית שָׁאוּל וּבֵין בֵּית דָּוִד וְאַבְנֵר הָיָה מִתְחַזֵּק בְּבֵית שָׁאוּל

It was while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Avner grew stronger in the house of Saul. Avner was more than the head of the army; he was the most powerful individual in the kingdom and the de facto ruler.

וּלְשָׁאוּל פִּלֶגֶשׁ וּשְׁמָהּ רִצְפָּה בַת אַיָּה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אַבְנֵר מַדּוּעַ בָּאתָה אֶל פִּילֶגֶשׁ אָבִי

Saul had a concubine, and her name was Ritzpa daughter of Aya. He, Ish Boshet, said to Avner: Why have you consorted with my father’s concubine? Although she was a widow and therefore unmarried at the time, a relationship with the concubine of a former king was seen as indicative of pretentions to the throne.

וַיִּחַר לְאַבְנֵר מְאֹד עַל דִּבְרֵי אִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת וַיֹּאמֶר הֲרֹאשׁ כֶּלֶב אָנֹכִי אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה הַיּוֹם אֶעֱשֶׂה חֶסֶד עִם בֵּית שָׁאוּל אָבִיךָ אֶל אֶחָיו וְאֶל מֵרֵעֵהוּ וְלֹא הִמְצִיתִךָ בְּיַד דָּוִד וַתִּפְקֹד עָלַי עֲוֹן הָאִשָּׁה הַיּוֹם

Avner was incensed at the words of rebuke delivered by the much younger Ish Boshet, and he said: Am I the head of the dogs, a leader of dogs, that belong to Judah, the tribe to which you are hostile? This expression may be rooted in the prevalence of shepherds in Judah and the lowly status of those who tended to the dogs belonging to those shepherds. Today I still act with kindness with the house of Saul your father, with his brethren and with his friends, and I have not delivered you into the hand of David, although I had the power to do so, and David deserves to reign. But yet you nevertheless complain and ascribe to me the iniquity of the woman today.

כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה אֱלֹהִים לְאַבְנֵר וְכֹה יֹסִיף לוֹ כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה' לְדָוִד כִּי כֵן אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ

So shall God do to Avner and so shall He continue to do to him, an expression of an oath, just as the Lord has taken an oath to David that he will be king, so I will do for him; I will help him achieve that goal;

לְהַעֲבִיר הַמַּמְלָכָה מִבֵּית שָׁאוּל וּלְהָקִים אֶת כִּסֵּא דָוִד עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל יְהוּדָה מִדָּן וְעַד בְּאֵר שָׁבַע

to remove the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.

וְלֹא יָכֹל עוֹד לְהָשִׁיב אֶת אַבְנֵר דָּבָר מִיִּרְאָתוֹ אֹתוֹ

He, Ish Boshet, was unable to respond another word to Avner, due to his fear of him.

וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְנֵר מַלְאָכִים אֶל דָּוִד תַּחְתָּיו לֵאמֹר לְמִי אָרֶץ לֵאמֹר כָּרְתָה בְרִיתְךָ אִתִּי וְהִנֵּה יָדִי עִמָּךְ לְהָסֵב אֵלֶיךָ אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל

Then Avner began to act in accordance with his oath. He sent messengers to David from his place, as he did not immediately approach David himself, but first sent representatives, saying: Whose is the land, the kingdom? It belongs to you, David. Others explain it is a reference to God, as Avner is taking an oath in His name. The messengers came, also saying: Establish your covenant with me; let us make a covenant with one another, and behold, my hand will be with you, I will support you, to turn all Israel to you. As he was able to make such an offer with confidence, Avner clearly had great power and influence over the nation.

וַיֹּאמֶר טוֹב אֲנִי אֶכְרֹת אִתְּךָ בְּרִית אַךְ דָּבָר אֶחָד אָנֹכִי שֹׁאֵל מֵאִתְּךָ לֵאמֹר לֹא תִרְאֶה אֶת פָּנַי כִּי אִם לִפְנֵי הֱבִיאֲךָ אֵת מִיכַל בַּת שָׁאוּל בְּבֹאֲךָ לִרְאוֹת אֶת פָּנָי

He, David, said: Good; I will establish a covenant with you, but I request one matter of you, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you beforehand bring Mikhal daughter of Saul, who is actually my wife, when you come to see my face.

וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד מַלְאָכִים אֶל אִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר תְּנָה אֶת אִשְׁתִּי אֶת מִיכַל אֲשֶׁר אֵרַשְׂתִּי לִי בְּמֵאָה עָרְלוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים

Seeking the return of his wife in an official, orderly manner, David sent messengers to Ish Boshet son of Saul, saying: Give me my wife Mikhal, your sister, whom, as you know, I betrothed to me with one hundred Philistine foreskins. Avner’s support provided David with the opportunity to demand that Mikhal be returned to him.

וַיִּשְׁלַח אִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת וַיִּקָּחֶהָ מֵעִם אִישׁ מֵעִם פַּלְטִיאֵל בֶּן לָיִשׁ

Indeed, Ish Boshet sent for Mikhal, and he took her from the husband, from Paltiel son of Layish.

וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתָּהּ אִישָׁהּ הָלוֹךְ וּבָכֹה אַחֲרֶיהָ עַד בַּחֻרִים וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְנֵר לֵךְ שׁוּב וַיָּשֹׁב

Her husband Paltiel went with her, weeping after her as he went, as he was very much attached to her, to a place on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives called Bahurim. Avner said to him: Go, return home. And he, Paltiel, returned home as he had been commanded, as Avner was feared even by people who were more eminent than he.

וּדְבַר אַבְנֵר הָיָה עִם זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר גַּם תְּמוֹל גַּם שִׁלְשֹׁם הֱיִיתֶם מְבַקְשִׁים אֶת דָּוִד לְמֶלֶךְ עֲלֵיכֶם

As he promised, Avner began a campaign in support of David. The word of Avner was with the elders of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before, you sought David to be king over you. You have always admired David. Even if you did not rebel against Saul and did not support David openly, you nevertheless thought it would be better if the youthful, triumphant David were king instead of Saul, with his unpredictable mood swings;

וְעַתָּה עֲשׂוּ כִּי ה' אָמַר אֶל דָּוִד לֵאמֹר בְּיַד דָּוִד עַבְדִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּמִיַּד כָּל אֹיְבֵיהֶם

now act, as you wished to do back then, as the Lord has spoken of David, saying: By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.

וַיְדַבֵּר גַּם אַבְנֵר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְיָמִין וַיֵּלֶךְ גַּם אַבְנֵר לְדַבֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי דָוִד בְּחֶבְרוֹן אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל בֵּית בִּנְיָמִן

Avner also spoke specifically in the ears of the tribesmen of Benjamin, who would have naturally preferred the house of Saul, a member of their tribe. Since Avner himself came from Benjamin, his endorsement of David was of great significance. Avner also went to speak in the ears of David in Hebron that everything was good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of the entire house of Benjamin. He went to report to David that he had the broad sympathy of the people.

וַיָּבֹא אַבְנֵר אֶל דָּוִד חֶבְרוֹן וְאִתּוֹ עֶשְׂרִים אֲנָשִׁים וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד לְאַבְנֵר וְלַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ מִשְׁתֶּה

Avner came to David to Hebron, in a stately manner, and with him were a delegation of twenty men. David made a feast for Avner and for the men who were with him, treating Avner with honor.

וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְנֵר אֶל דָּוִד אָקוּמָה וְאֵלֵכָה וְאֶקְבְּצָה אֶל אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִכְרְתוּ אִתְּךָ בְּרִית וּמָלַכְתָּ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשֶׁךָ וַיְּשַׁלַּח דָּוִד אֶת אַבְנֵר וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם

Avner said to David: I will rise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king; they will establish a covenant with you, and you will reign over all that your heart desires. David sent Avner, and he went in peace.

וְהִנֵּה עַבְדֵי דָוִד וְיוֹאָב בָּא מהַגְּדוּד וְשָׁלָל רָב עִמָּם הֵבִיאוּ וְאַבְנֵר אֵינֶנּוּ עִם דָּוִד בְּחֶבְרוֹן כִּי שִׁלְּחוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם

Behold, the servants of David and Yoav, who was leading them, came from a raid against the Philistines or enemies from one of the other nearby nations, and they brought much spoils with them. Avner was not with David in Hebron any longer, as he, David, had sent him away, and he went in peace.

וְיוֹאָב וְכָל הַצָּבָא אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בָּאוּ וַיַּגִּדוּ לְיוֹאָב לֵאמֹר בָּא אַבְנֵר בֶּן נֵר אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם

Yoav and all the army that was with him arrived, and they told Yoav, saying: Avner son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he went in peace. Yoav understood that since the king had allowed Avner to proceed on his way, they must have reached an agreement. It seems that the developing relationship between David and Avner was not public knowledge. In general, David did not often take the counsel of his men and inform them of his plans but preferred to give them orders instead.

וַיָּבֹא יוֹאָב אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָה הִנֵּה בָא אַבְנֵר אֵלֶיךָ לָמָּה זֶּה שִׁלַּחְתּוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ

Yoav came to the king and said: What have you done? Behold, Avner came to you, and you should have used the opportunity to promptly seize him. Why did you send him away, and he went away?

יָדַעְתָּ אֶת אַבְנֵר בֶּן נֵר כִּי לְפַתֹּתְךָ בָּא וְלָדַעַת אֶת מוֹצָאֲךָ וְאֶת מוֹבָאֶךָ וְלָדַעַת אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה

You know Avner son of Ner, and you should realize that he came in a peaceful manner only to entice you, and to know your going and your coming, and to know everything that you do, your ways and your secrets. He came as a spy on behalf of the house of Saul.

וַיֵּצֵא יוֹאָב מֵעִם דָּוִד וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וַיָּשִׁבוּ אֹתוֹ מִבּוֹר הַסִּרָה וְדָוִד לֹא יָדָע

Yoav departed from David and sent messengers after Avner; they brought him back from Bor HaSira, the name of the place to which Avner had gone; and David did not know. Perhaps Yoav sent the message in David’s name. In any case, Avner assumed that the message asking him to return was friendly in nature and that David was behind it.

וַיָּשָׁב אַבְנֵר חֶבְרוֹן וַיַּטֵּהוּ יוֹאָב אֶל תּוֹךְ הַשַּׁעַר לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ בַּשֶּׁלִי וַיַּכֵּהוּ שָׁם הַחֹמֶשׁ וַיָּמָת בְּדַם עֲשָׂהאֵל אָחִיו

Avner returned to Hebron, and Yoav took him aside into the gate to speak with him casually, or as a deceptive move. Since Avner returned innocently, when Yoav, who was loyal to David, began to speak with him a friendly manner, Avner was not suspicious of any impending threat. And he, Yoav, took advantage of the opportunity and smote him there in the stomach, the lower belly. This seems to be an efficient method of killing someone, but the verse also notes Yoav’s additional motive for having killed Avner in this specific way: And he died, for the blood of Asa’el his brother. Yoav thereby avenged his brother’s death from Avner, who had killed Asa’el in the same manner (2:23).

וַיִּשְׁמַע דָּוִד מֵאַחֲרֵי כֵן וַיֹּאמֶר נָקִי אָנֹכִי וּמַמְלַכְתִּי מֵעִם ה' עַד עוֹלָם מדְּמֵי אַבְנֵר בֶּן נֵר

David heard afterward about the death of Avner, and he said: I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever, from any punishment for the shedding of the blood of Avner son of Ner. This deed was performed without my knowledge and against my wishes.

יָחֻלוּ עַל רֹאשׁ יוֹאָב וְאֶל כָּל בֵּית אָבִיו וְאַל יִכָּרֵת מִבֵּית יוֹאָב זָב וּמְצֹרָע וּמַחֲזִיק בַּפֶּלֶךְ וְנֹפֵל בַּחֶרֶב וַחֲסַר לָחֶם

David added: It, guilt for the death of Avner, shall rest on the head of Yoav and on his father’s house; may there not be eliminated from the house of Yoav those who suffer from discharge, lepers, holders of a spindle, one who lacks all aptitude for skilled labor and is forced to engage in menial tasks such as spinning, or a cripple, or those who fall by the sword, or those who lack food.

וְיוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי אָחִיו הָרְגוּ לְאַבְנֵר עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית אֶת עֲשָׂהאֵל אֲחִיהֶם בְּגִבְעוֹן בַּמִּלְחָמָה

Yoav and Avishai his brother killed Avner, because he killed their brother Asa’el at Givon in the war. The verse mentions the battle to stress that although they killed Avner to avenge their brother’s death, this was not justified. Avner had no choice but to kill Asa’el in self-defense, as Asa’el was chasing him with the aim of killing him.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל יוֹאָב וְאֶל כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ קִרְעוּ בִגְדֵיכֶם וְחִגְרוּ שַׂקִּים וְסִפְדוּ לִפְנֵי אַבְנֵר וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד הֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֵי הַמִּטָּה

David said to Yoav and to all the people who were with him: Rend your garments, and gird sackcloth, and lament before Avner. Although Yoav was the one who had killed Avner, David commanded him to lead the public ceremony mourning his death. Furthermore, in an exceptional act which deviated from the standard protocol, King David himself was walking after the bier, accompanying Avner to his final resting place. In addition to the genuine stress that David felt about Avner’s death, he took this unusual step to demonstrate his great respect for Avner.

וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת אַבְנֵר בְּחֶבְרוֹן וַיִשָּׂא הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת קוֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְּ אֶל קֶבֶר אַבְנֵר וַיִּבְכּוּ כָּל הָעָם

They buried Avner nearby in Hebron. The king raised his voice, and he wept at the grave of Avner, and all the people wept for the loss of Avner, as he had been a renowned military captain in the days of Saul and was considered one of the great leaders of Israel.

וַיְקֹנֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל אַבְנֵר וַיֹּאמַר הַכְּמוֹת נָבָל יָמוּת אַבְנֵר

The king lamented for Avner and said: Should Avner have died the death of a knave, a reprobate? As he was not a sinner or a criminal, why did he die in this manner?

יָדֶךָ לֹא אֲסֻרוֹת וְרַגְלֶיךָ לֹא לִנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם הֻגַּשׁוּ כִּנְפוֹל לִפְנֵי בְנֵי עַוְלָה נָפָלְתָּ וַיֹּסִפוּ כָל הָעָם לִבְכּוֹת עָלָיו

Your hands, Avner, were not bound, and your feet were not put in iron shackles, as is done to a felon sentenced to death. Rather, as an innocent man falling before murderers, the iniquitous, so you fell. All the people wept exceedingly over him. In addition to mourning the loss of a great man, they wept further over the tragedy of the unjustified murder.

וַיָּבֹא כָל הָעָם לְהַבְרוֹת אֶת דָּוִד לֶחֶם בְּעוֹד הַיּוֹם וַיִּשָּׁבַע דָּוִד לֵאמֹר כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה לִּי אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יֹסִיף כִּי אִם לִפְנֵי בוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֶטְעַם לֶחֶם אוֹ כָל מְאוּמָה

All the people came to serve David bread while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying: So shall God do to me, and so shall He continue, an expression that indicates an oath and acceptance of a harsh punishment in the event that the oath would be violated, if I taste bread or anything else before the setting of the sun. David accepted upon himself to fast until nightfall as an expression of mourning for Avner. Since Avner’s family was not present, David, who was Avner’s relative through marriage, took upon himself the role of the mourner. Later halakhic works also discuss the practice of appointing surrogate mourners for a person who died with no living relatives.

וְכָל הָעָם הִכִּירוּ וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעֵינֵי כָל הָעָם טוֹב

All the people were aware of David’s conduct, and it was good in their eyes; everything that the king did was good in the eyes of all the people. David’s elegy and his public display of mourning and sorrow over the death of Avner removed from the people’s minds any suspicion that David might have had a hand in his murder.

וַיֵּדְעוּ כָל הָעָם וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי לֹא הָיְתָה מֵהַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָמִית אֶת אַבְנֵר בֶּן נֵר

All the people and all Israel knew on that day that it was not an instruction from the king to put Avner son of Ner to death.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל עֲבָדָיו הֲלוֹא תֵדְעוּ כִּי שַׂר וְגָדוֹל נָפַל הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל

The king said privately to his closest servants, as an explanation of his mourning: You truly know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel.

וְאָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם רַךְ וּמָשׁוּחַ מֶלֶךְ וְהָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי צְרוּיָה קָשִׁים מִמֶּנִּי יְשַׁלֵּם ה' לְעֹשֵׂה הָרָעָה כְּרָעָתוֹ

Today I am young, and have just been anointed king, and these men, the sons of Tzeruya, are very powerful, too hard for me. I do not have the power to do anything against them, so I therefore say: May the Lord repay the evildoer in accordance with his evil. In his public declaration, David did not explicitly mention Yoav by name nor formally accuse him of any transgression. Nevertheless, from the context of his statement and from the phrase: “As a man falling before the iniquitous, you fell” (verse 34), it must have been clear that David viewed the killing of Avner as unlawful.