1. The war between Saul’s house and David’s house was long and drawn out. David kept getting stronger, while Saul’s house kept getting weaker.
2. David’s sons were born in Hebron. His oldest son was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel;
3. the second was Chileab, by Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel; the third was Absalom, by Maacah, who was the daughter of Geshur’s King Talmai;
4. the fourth was Adonijah, by Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abital;
5. and the sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These are David’s sons that were born in Hebron.
6. Throughout the war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner was gaining power in Saul’s house.
7. Now Saul had a secondary wife named Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter. Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you had sex with my father’s secondary wife?"
8. Abner got very angry over what Ishbosheth had said."Am I some sort of dog’s head?" Abner asked. "I’ve been nothing but loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his brothers and his friends. I haven’t handed you over to David, but today you accuse me of doing something wrong with this woman.
9. May God deal harshly with me, Abner, and worse still if I don’t do for David exactly what the Lord swore to him—
10. removing the kingdom from Saul’s house and securing David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan all the way to Beer-sheba!"