And Abner sendeth messengers unto David for himself, saying, `Whose is the land?' saying, `Make thy covenant with me, and lo, my hand is with thee, to bring round unto thee all Israel.'
And, lo, all the men of Israel are coming unto the king, and they say unto the king, `Wherefore have they stolen thee--our brethren, the men of Judah?' (and they bring the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him).
to love thine enemies, and to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom were alive, and all of us to-day dead, that then it were right in thine eyes.
And he saith, `Good--I make with thee a covenant; only, one thing I am asking of thee, that is, Thou dost not see my face, except thou dost first bring in Michal, daughter of Saul in thy coming into see my face.'
And Abner saith unto David, `I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul desireth;' and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.
And Abner turneth back to Hebron, and Joab turneth him aside unto the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smiteth him there in the fifth rib --and he dieth--for the blood of Asahel his brother.