1 The fighting between the forces supporting Saul's family and those supporting David went on for a long time. As David became stronger and stronger, his opponents became weaker and weaker.
David's Sons
2 The following six sons, in order of their birth, were born to David at Hebron: Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam, from Jezreel; 3 Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel; Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; 4 Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith; Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital; 5 Ithream, whose mother was Eglah. All of these sons were born in Hebron.
Abner Joins David
6 As the fighting continued between David's forces and the forces loyal to Saul's family, Abner became more and more powerful among Saul's followers.
7 One day Ishbosheth son of Saul accused Abner of sleeping with Saul's concubine Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. 8 This made Abner furious. “Do you think that I would betray Saul? Do you really think I'm serving Judah?” he exclaimed. “From the very first I have been loyal to the cause of your father Saul, his brothers, and his friends, and I have kept you from being defeated by David; yet today you find fault with me about a woman! 9-10 The Lord promised David that he would take the kingdom away from Saul and his descendants and would make David king of both Israel and Judah, from one end of the country to the other. Now may God strike me dead if I don't make this come true!” 11 Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not say a word.
12 Abner sent messengers to David, who at that time was at Hebron, to say, “Who is going to rule this land? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you win all Israel over to your side.”
13 “Good!” David answered. “I will make an agreement with you on one condition: you must bring Saul's daughter Michal to me when you come to see me.” 14 And David also sent messengers to Ishbosheth to say, “Give me back my wife Michal. I paid a hundred Philistine foreskins in order to marry her.” 15 So Ishbosheth had her taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16 Paltiel followed her all the way to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. But when Abner said, “Go back home,” he did.
17 Abner went to the leaders of Israel and said to them, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king. 18 Now here is your chance. Remember that the Lord has said, ‘I will use my servant David to rescue my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’” 19 Abner spoke also to the people of the tribe of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tell David what the people of Benjamin and of Israel had agreed to do.
20 When Abner came to David at Hebron with twenty men, David gave a feast for them. 21 Abner told David, “I will go now and win all Israel over to Your Majesty. They will accept you as king, and then you will get what you have wanted and will rule over the whole land.” David gave Abner a guarantee of safety and sent him on his way.
Abner Is Murdered
22 Later on Joab and David's other officials returned from a raid, bringing a large amount of loot with them. Abner, however, was no longer there at Hebron with David, because David had sent him away with a guarantee of safety. 23 When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety. 24 So Joab went to the king and said to him, “What have you done? Abner came to you—why did you let him go like that? 25 He came here to deceive you and to find out everything you do and everywhere you go. Surely you know that!”
26 After leaving David, Joab sent messengers to get Abner, and they brought him back from Sirah Well; but David knew nothing about it. 27 When Abner arrived in Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate, as though he wanted to speak privately with him, and there he stabbed him in the stomach. And so Abner was murdered because he had killed Joab's brother Asahel. 28 When David heard the news, he said, “The Lord knows that my subjects and I are completely innocent of the murder of Abner. 29 May the punishment for it fall on Joab and all his family! In every generation may there be some man in his family who has gonorrhea or a dreaded skin disease or is fit only to do a woman's work or is killed in battle or doesn't have enough to eat!” 30 So Joab and his brother Abishai took revenge on Abner for killing their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
Abner Is Buried
31 Then David ordered Joab and his men to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn for Abner. And at the funeral King David himself walked behind the coffin. 32 Abner was buried at Hebron, and the king wept aloud at the grave, and so did all the people. 33 David sang this lament for Abner:
“Why did Abner have to die like a fool?
34 His hands were not tied,
And his feet were not bound;
He died like someone killed by criminals!”
And the people wept for him again.
35 All day long the people tried to get David to eat something, but he made a solemn promise, “May God strike me dead if I eat anything before the day is over!” 36 They took note of this and were pleased. Indeed, everything the king did pleased the people. 37 All of David's people and all the people in Israel understood that the king had no part in the murder of Abner. 38 The king said to his officials, “Don't you realize that this day a great leader in Israel has died? 39 Even though I am the king chosen by God, I feel weak today. These sons of Zeruiah are too violent for me. May the Lord punish these criminals as they deserve!”
1 ǂOmxa ǁaebab ge toroba Sauli tsî Davidi tsîkha surib ǁaegu gere aiǃgû. Davidi surib ge ǃaruǀîǀgui gere ǀgai tsî Sauli surib ge ǃaruǀîǀgui gere ǂkhabu.
Davidi ôagu
2 Davidi ge sao ra ǀgôaga Hebrons ǃnâ ge ǁorabahe: Amnonni ge ge ǂguro ǀgôa i, Ahinoams, Jesreelǁîs diba. 3 ǀGamǁîb ge Kileab, Nabali ǃoataras Abigails, Karmelǁîs diba. ǃNonaǁîb ge Absalommi, Gesuri gao-aob Talmaib ôas Maakas diba. 4 Hakaǁîb ge Adoniab, Hagits ôaba. Koroǁîb ge Sefatjab, Abitals ôaba 5 tsî ǃnaniǁîb ge a Jitream, Davidi taras Eglas diba. ǁÎgu hoagab ge Davida Hebrons ǃnâ ge ǁorabahe.
Abneri ge Davidi ǀkha ǃgaeǀhao-e ra dī
6 Sauli surib tsî Davidi surib tsîkha ǁaegub toroba hâ hîab ge Abnera Sauli surib ǃnâ danaǂgaeǂgui-aose ge mâisen.
7 Sauli ge ǀnî xōǀkhātaras Rispa ti ǀon hâs, Ajab ôasa ge ūhâ i. Ob ge Sauli ôab, Isboseta Abnera ǀhapiǂgā-am tsî “Tare xū-i ǃaromats ra ti îb taradi di ǀguisa ǁgoe-ū?” ti ge mî. 8 Ob ge Abnera nē mîdi ǂama kaise ǁaixa tsî ge mî: “Judab arita, ǁîb ǃgâib ǃoa nî dī ta tita? Nēs kōse ta ge Sauli surib tsî ǃgâsagu âb tsî horesan âb tsîna ǂgomǂgomsase go ība i. Tita ge goro hui tsi, îts tā Davidi ǃomǁae ǁnā, tsîts ge nēsi tita nē taras ǂama ra ǀhapiǂgā-am. 9-10 ǃKhūb ge Davida gaosisab nî Sauli tsî ǁîb suriba xu ū tsîb Davida Israeli tsî Judab tsîkha hoakha ǂama ǀapasa xu ǃkhawagas kōse nî gao-aodī ǃkhaisa ge mîmâiba. Ab Eloba ǃgam te ǁnā ǃkhaisa ta ga dī tama io.” 11 ǁNātikōseb ge Isboseta Abnera ge ǃao, ǀgui mîs xawesab ge ǃeream ǁoa is kōse.
12 Abneri ge sîsabegu ǀkha Hebrons ǁga Davida ge haisiba: “Sa ǃhū tamaba nēba? Tita ǀkha ǁnâi ǃgaeǀhao-e dī re, o ta ge nî hui tsi, îb Israeli hoaba satsa sao.”
13 Ob ge Davida ge ǃeream: “ǃGâi i ge a, tita ge sats ǀkha ǃgaeǀhao-e nî dī, xawe ta ge ǀgui xū-e ra ǂgaoǀkhā tsi. Tita ǀkhats nî ǃhoasets ga ǀkhīo, tā Sauli ôas Mikals ose hā.” 14 Davidi ge ǁkhāti sîsabegu ǀkha Sauli ôab Isboseta ge haisiba: “Ti taras Mikals, ǀguikaidisi aikhōgu, Filisteǁîgu diga ta ge ti tara kais nîse ǁîs ama mataresa mā-oa te.” 15 Ob ge Isboseta ǁîsa ǁîs aob Paltieli, Lajisi ôaba xu ge ū. 16 Paltieli ge ǁîs ǀkha ge ǃgû, ā ra garuse ǁîsa Bahurims kōse ra saose. Ob ge Abnera ǁîb ǃoa “Dabasen, îts oa” ti ge mî, ob ge ge oa.
17 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Abnera Israeli ǂgaeǂgui-aoga ǃoa ge mî: “Sadu kom ǀnai ǂomxa ǁaeba Davida sadu ǂama ra gao-aodī ǂgao-o. 18 ǁÎ ǃkhaisa ǁnâi nēsi dī re, ǃKhūb go Davida mîba xuige ‘Ti ǃgāb Davidi ǃnâ-u ta ge ti ǁaes Israelsa Filisteǁîn tsî nau khākhoen hoan âsa xu nî huiǂui.’ ” 19 Abneri ge ǁkhāti aitsama sī Benjaminǁîn ǀkha ge ǃhoa. ǁÎb ge ǁkhāti Davida aitsama sī Hebrons ǃnâ ge mîba tare-en ge Israelǁîn tsî Benjaminǁîn tsîna mîǀgui ǃkhaisa.
20 Abneri ge Davidi tawa Hebrons ǃnâ ǀgamdisi aogu ǀkha sī, ob ge Davida ǁîga ǂûǁaesa ge dība. 21 Ob ge Abnera Davidi ǃoa ge mî: “Tita ge nēsi ǃgû tsî Israelǁîn hoana sats, gao-aots tawa nî ǀhaoǀhao, ǃgaeǀhao-en sats ǀkha nî dīse, îts satsa turats ra khami gao.” Davidi ge Abnera ge tawedeǁnāxū tsîb ge ǂkhîb ǃnâ ge ǃgû.
Abneri ǃgamhes
22 ǃNubuse ǁnās khaoǃgâ gu ge Davidi toroǃkhamaogu tsî Joab tsîga ǃkhamma xu kaise ǂgui ǁkhâuǁnâxūn ǀkha ge oahā. Abneri ge ǁnā ǁaeb ai Davidi ǀkha Hebrons tawa ge hâ tama hâ i, ǁîbab ge tawedeǁnāxū tsî ǂkhîb ǃnâ ǃgû kai xui-ao. 23 Joab ge toroǃkhamaogu ǀkhab ge oahā, o ge mîbahe: “Neri ôab, Abneri ge gao-aob tawa go hā hâ i, tsî gao-aob ge ǁîba tawede tsî ǂkhîb ǃnâ go ǃgû kai.” 24 Ob ge Joaba gao-aob tawa sī tsî ge mî: “Tare-e nēts go dī-e? Abneri ge sats tawa go hā hâ i, tsîts kha ǁîba xū-ets dī bi tamase ǁkhawa go ǃgû kai? 25 Sats ge Neri ôab, Abnera a ǂan. ǁÎb ge satsab nî gāse tsî sa ǃgûǂoadi tsî dīts ra xūn hoanab nî ǂanǂuise ǀgui go hā.”
26 Joab ge Davida xub ge ǃgûo Davidi nēsa a ǀūse sîsabega Abnera ge sîǃgon tsî gu ge ǁîga ǁîba Siraxs di tsauba xu sī ge ūdawa. 27 Abneri ge Hebrons tawa hā, ob ge Joaba ǁîba ǃās di dao-ams ǀkhāb ǁga, ǁîb ǀkha ǀguri ra ǃhoa ǂgao khami ǂgaeǂgui tsî ǁîba ǃnāb ǃnâ ǃkhā tsî ge ǃkhāǃan, Joab ǃgâsab Asaeli hîab ge ǃgammi ǃaroma. 28 Egab ge Davida nēsab ge ǁnâu, o ge mî: “ǃKhūb ge a ǂan tita tsî ti gaosis, Neri ôab Abneri ǁōb ai hoaragase a ǀhapio ǃkhaisa. 29 Ab nēs ǃaroma hâ ǁkharaba Joab tsî ǁîb surib hoab ai hā. A i Joab surib ǃnâ hoaǁae khoe-e hâ, ǁgoe-ūgus ǃnâ-u ra hōhe ǀae-e ūhâ-i kas, ǃomamaxa-i kas, ǃhora-i kas, ǃgamhe hâ-i kas, ǂû-e ūhâ tama-i kas hoasa.” 30 Nēti kha ge Joab tsî ǁîb ǃgâsab Abisaib tsîkha Abnera ge ǃgam, ǁîkha ǃgâsab Asaelab ge torob ǃnâ Gibeons tawa ǃgam ǃkhais ǃaroma.
Abneri ǁkhōhes
31 Joab tsî ǁîb ǀkha hâ toroǂnubisab ge Davida ge mîmā: “Sago sarana ǀkhau, î ǃoab sarana ana tsî Abneri ǂama ǃoa.” Gao-aob Davidi ge ǁō hâb soros ǁgoe-ai tani-aixūba gere ǃgûsao. 32 Tsî Abneran ge Hebrons tawa ǁkhō-o, ob ge gao-aoba ǀhobas tawa ǃgarise ge ā, tsîn ge khoen hoana ǁkhāti ge ā. 33 Gao-aob ge ǃgaetsana-e Abneri ǂama ge khom:
“Tare xū-i ǃaromab kha Abnera gâre khoe-i khami nî ǁō?
34 Sa ǃomkha ge go ǃgaehe tama hâ i,
sa ǂaira ge ǂai ǁkhamkha ǃnâ go hâ tama hâ i.
Sats ge ǂkhabadī-aon xa ra ǃgamhe khoen khami go ǁō.”
On ge khoen hoana ǁîb ǂama ǁkhawa ge ā.
35 ǁNās khaoǃgân ge khoen hoana Davida hā gere ǀkhomatsâ, îb noxopa i a tsēa hîa xū-e ǂû, xaweb ge nū tsî ge mî: “Ab Eloba ǃgam te, sores ganupe ǂgâ tama hîa ta ga pere-i kas, ǀnî ǂûxū-i kas hoasa ǂûo.” 36 Hoan ge nē ǃkhaisa mû tsî ge ǃgâibahe. ǁÎn ge gao-aob ge dī xūn hoan xa ge ǃgâibahe i. 37 ǂNubis hoas tsî Israeli hoab ge ge ǁnâuǃā gao-aob di ǂâibasen tamas ge i ǃkhaisa Neri ôab, Abneri nî ǃgamhesa. 38 Tsîb ge gao-aoba ǂamkhoegu âb ǃoa ge mî: “Hōǃâ tama go hâ, nētsēb go ǂoaǂamsa ǂgaeǂgui-aoba Israeli ǃnâ ǁō ǃkhaisa? 39 Gao-aose ta Elob xa ǁhûihe hâ, xawe ta ge nētsē noxopa a ǂkhabusa tsî nē khoekha, Serujas ôakha ge kaise a ǀgaisaba te. Ab ǃKhūba aitsama ǂkhawadī-aokha tsūdīb âkha ǂama ǁkhara.”
