2 Samuel 3

¹Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

²And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;

³his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

⁴his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

⁵and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.

⁶During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.

⁷Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

⁸Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!

⁹May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:

¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

¹¹And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him.