9. May God punish me terribly if I don’t help David. I will make sure that what God promised does happen!
10. I will take the kingdom from the family of Saul. I will make David king of Israel and Judah! He will rule from Dan to Beersheba.”
11. Ish-Bosheth couldn’t say anything to Abner. He was too afraid of Abner.
12. Then Abner sent messengers to David. Abner said, “Who is going to rule the land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you become the king of all Israel.”
13. David answered, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. But I ask you one thing. I will not meet with you unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal to me.”
14. Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth. David said, “Give me my wife Michal. She was promised to me. I killed 100 Philistines to get her.”
15. So Ish-Bosheth sent men to take Michal from her husband. He was Paltiel son of Laish.
16. Michal’s husband went with her, crying as he followed her to Bahurim. But Abner said to Paltiel, “Go back home.” So he went home.
17. Abner sent a message to the elders of Israel. He said, “You have been wanting to make David your king.
18. Now do it! The Lord has spoken about David. The Lord said, ‘I will save my people the Israelites. I will save them from the Philistines and all their enemies. I will do this through my servant David.’”
19. Abner also said these things to the people of Benjamin. He then went to Hebron to tell David what the Benjaminites and Israel wanted to do.
20. Abner came with 20 men to David at Hebron. There David prepared a feast for them.
21. Then Abner said to David, “My master and king, I will go and bring all the Israelites to you. Then they will make an agreement with you. You will rule over all Israel as you wanted.” So David let Abner go, and he left in peace.
22. Just then Joab and David’s men came from a battle. They had many valuable things they had taken from the enemy. David had let Abner leave in peace. So he was not with David at Hebron.
23. Joab and all his army arrived at Hebron. The army said to Joab, “Abner son of Ner came to King David. And David let him leave in peace.”
24. Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he’s gone.