1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
2 ¶ And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 ¶ And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine? 8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? 9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba. 11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
12 ¶ And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also , Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.
13 ¶ And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face. 14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. 16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.
17 ¶ And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: 18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. 21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
22 ¶ And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? 25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. 26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib , that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 ¶ And afterward when David heard it , he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 ¶ And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him. 35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down. 36 And all the people took notice of it , and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. 38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
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.”
