2 Samuel 3

NEW JERUSALEM	STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH
1 So the war dragged on between the House of Saul and the House of David, but David grew steadilystronger and the House of Saul steadily weaker.	1 וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲרֻכָּה בֵּין בֵּית שָׁאוּל וּבֵין בֵּית דָּוִד וְדָוִד הֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק וּבֵית שָׁאוּל הֹלְכִים וְדַלִּים׃ ס
2 The sons born to David at Hebron were: his first-born Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;	2 [וַיֵּלְדוּ כ] (וַיִּוָּלְדוּ ק) לְדָוִד בָּנִים בְּחֶבְרֹון וַיְהִי בְכֹורֹו אַמְנֹון לַאֲחִינֹעַם הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִת
3 his second Chileab, by Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third Absalom son of Maacah, daughter ofTalmai king of Geshur;	3 וּמִשְׁנֵהוּ כִלְאָב [לַאֲבִיגֵל כ] (לַאֲבִיגַיִל ק) אֵשֶׁת נָבָל הַכַּרְמְלִי וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁי אַבְשָׁלֹום בֶּן־מַעֲכָה בַּת־תַּלְמַי מֶלֶךְ גְּשׁוּר
4 the fourth Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth Shephatiah son of Abital;	4 וְהָרְבִיעִי אֲדֹנִיָּה בֶן־חַגִּית וְהַחֲמִישִׁי שְׁפַטְיָה בֶן־אֲבִיטָל
5 the sixth Ithream, by David's wife, Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.	5 וְהַשִּׁשִּׁי יִתְרְעָם לְעֶגְלָה אֵשֶׁת דָּוִד אֵלֶּה יֻלְּדוּ לְדָוִד בְּחֶבְרֹון׃ פ
6 This is what took place during the war between the House of Saul and the House of David. Abner tookcomplete control in the House of Saul.	6 וַיְהִי בִּהְיֹות הַמִּלְחָמָה בֵּין בֵּית שָׁאוּל וּבֵין בֵּית דָּוִד וְאַבְנֵר הָיָה מִתְחַזֵּק בְּבֵית שָׁאוּל
7 Now, there was a concubine of Saul's called Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Abner took her. Ishbaal saidto Abner, 'Why have you slept with my father's concubine?'	7 וּלְשָׁאוּל פִּלֶגֶשׁ וּשְׁמָהּ רִצְפָּה בַת־אַיָּה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־אַבְנֵר מַדּוּעַ בָּאתָה אֶל־פִּילֶגֶשׁ אָבִי
8 At these words of Ishbaal, Abner flew into a rage. 'Am I a dog's head?' he shouted. 'Here am I, ful offaithful love towards the House of Saul your father, his brothers and his friends, not leaving you to the hands ofDavid, and now you find fault with me over a woman!	8 וַיִּחַר לְאַבְנֵר מְאֹד עַל־דִּבְרֵי אִישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת וַיֹּאמֶר הֲרֹאשׁ כֶּלֶב אָנֹכִי אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה הַיֹּום אֶעֱשֶׂה־חֶסֶד עִם־בֵּית ׀ שָׁאוּל אָבִיךָ אֶל־אֶחָיו וְאֶל־מֵרֵעֵהוּ וְלֹא הִמְצִיתִךָ בְּיַד־דָּוִד וַתִּפְקֹד עָלַי עֲוֹן הָאִשָּׁה הַיֹּום
9 May God bring unnameable il s on Abner, and worse ones, too, if I do not bring about what Yahweh hassworn to David:	9 כֹּה־יַעֲשֶׂה אֱלֹהִים לְאַבְנֵר וְכֹה יֹסִיף לֹו כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לְדָוִד כִּי־כֵן אֶעֱשֶׂה־לֹּו
10 to take the sovereignty from the House of Saul, and establish David's throne over Israel as well asJudah, from Dan to Beersheba!'	10 לְהַעֲבִיר הַמַּמְלָכָה מִבֵּית שָׁאוּל וּלְהָקִים אֶת־כִּסֵּא דָוִד עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל־יְהוּדָה מִדָּן וְעַד־בְּאֵר שָׁבַע
11 Ishbaal dared not say a single word to Abner in reply, as he was afraid of him.	11 וְלֹא־יָכֹל עֹוד לְהָשִׁיב אֶת־אַבְנֵר דָּבָר מִיִּרְאָתֹו אֹתֹו׃ ס
12 Abner sent messengers on his own behalf to say to David, '. . . and furthermore, come to anagreement with me and I wil give you my support to win al Israel over to you.'	12 וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְנֵר מַלְאָכִים ׀ אֶל־דָּוִד [תַּחַתֹו כ] (תַּחְתָּיו ק) לֵאמֹר לְמִי־אָרֶץ לֵאמֹר כָּרְתָה בְרִיתְךָ אִתִּי וְהִנֵּה יָדִי עִמָּךְ לְהָסֵב אֵלֶיךָ אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל
13 'Very wel ,' David said, 'I wil come to an agreement with you. I impose one condition however; you wilnot be admitted to my presence unless you bring me Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.'	13 וַיֹּאמֶר טֹוב אֲנִי אֶכְרֹת אִתְּךָ בְּרִית אַךְ דָּבָר אֶחָד אָנֹכִי שֹׁאֵל מֵאִתְּךָ לֵאמֹר לֹא־תִרְאֶה אֶת־פָּנַי כִּי ׀ אִם־לִפְנֵי הֱבִיאֲךָ אֵת מִיכַל בַּת־שָׁאוּל בְּבֹאֲךָ לִרְאֹות אֶת־פָּנָי׃ ס
14 David then sent messengers to say to Ishbaal son of Saul, 'Give me back my wife Michal, whom Iacquired for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'	14 וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד מַלְאָכִים אֶל־אִישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר תְּנָה אֶת־אִשְׁתִּי אֶת־מִיכַל אֲשֶׁר אֵרַשְׂתִּי לִי בְּמֵאָה עָרְלֹות פְּלִשְׁתִּים
15 So Ishbaal sent for her to be taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.	15 וַיִּשְׁלַח אִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת וַיִּקָּחֶהָ מֵעִם אִישׁ מֵעִם פַּלְטִיאֵל בֶּן־ [לוּשׁ כ] (לָיִשׁ׃ ק)
16 Her husband set off with her and fol owed her, weeping as he went, as far as Bahurim; but Abner saidto him, 'Go back!' and he went.	16 וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתָּהּ אִישָׁהּ הָלֹוךְ וּבָכֹה אַחֲרֶיהָ עַד־בַּחֻרִים וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְנֵר לֵךְ שׁוּב וַיָּשֹׁב
17 Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel. 'For a long time now,' he said, 'you have wanted Davidas your king.	17 וּדְבַר־אַבְנֵר הָיָה עִם־זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר גַּם־תְּמֹול גַּם־שִׁלְשֹׁם הֱיִיתֶם מְבַקְשִׁים אֶת־דָּוִד לְמֶלֶךְ עֲלֵיכֶם
18 Now you must take action, since Yahweh has said of David, "By the hand of my servant David I shaldeliver my people Israel from the clutches of the Philistines and al their enemies." '	18 וְעַתָּה עֲשׂוּ כִּי יְהוָה אָמַר אֶל־דָּוִד לֵאמֹר בְּיַד ׀ דָּוִד עַבְדִּי הֹושִׁיעַ אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּמִיַּד כָּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶם
19 Abner also spoke to the men of Benjamin and then went to Hebron to tel David everything that hadbeen agreed by Israel and the House of Benjamin.	19 וַיְדַבֵּר גַּם־אַבְנֵר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְיָמִין וַיֵּלֶךְ גַּם־אַבְנֵר לְדַבֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי דָוִד בְּחֶבְרֹון אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־טֹוב בְּעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל־בֵּית בִּנְיָמִן
20 Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David at Hebron, and David held a feast for Abner andthe men who were with him.	20 וַיָּבֹא אַבְנֵר אֶל־דָּוִד חֶבְרֹון וְאִתֹּו עֶשְׂרִים אֲנָשִׁים וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד לְאַבְנֵר וְלַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו מִשְׁתֶּה
21 Abner then said to David, 'I must get up and go. I am going to rally al Israel to my lord the king, so thatthey will make an alliance with you, and you wil reign over al that you desire.' So David al owed Abner to go,and he went unmolested.	21 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְנֵר אֶל־דָּוִד אָקוּמָה ׀ וְאֵלֵכָה וְאֶקְבְּצָה אֶל־אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִכְרְתוּ אִתְּךָ בְּרִית וּמָלַכְתָּ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשֶׁךָ וַיְּשַׁלַּח דָּוִד אֶת־אַבְנֵר וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלֹום
22 David's retainers were just then coming back with Joab from a raid, bringing a great quantity of bootywith them. Abner was no longer with David at Hebron, since David had allowed him to go, and he had goneunmolested.	22 וְהִנֵּה עַבְדֵי דָוִד וְיֹואָב בָּא מֵהַגְּדוּד וְשָׁלָל רָב עִמָּם הֵבִיאוּ וְאַבְנֵר אֵינֶנּוּ עִם־דָּוִד בְּחֶבְרֹון כִּי שִׁלְּחֹו וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלֹום
23 When Joab and the whole company with him had arrived, Joab was told, 'Abner son of Ner has beento the king, and the king has al owed Abner to go away unmolested.'	23 וְיֹואָב וְכָל־הַצָּבָא אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו בָּאוּ וַיַּגִּדוּ לְיֹואָב לֵאמֹר בָּא־אַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלֹום
24 Joab then went to the king and said, 'What have you done? Abner comes to you and you let him goaway and now he has gone-why?	24 וַיָּבֹא יֹואָב אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָה הִנֵּה־בָא אַבְנֵר אֵלֶיךָ לָמָּה־זֶּה שִׁלַּחְתֹּו וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלֹוךְ
25 You know Abner son of Ner! He came to trick you, to discover your every move, to find out what youare doing.'	25 יָדַעְתָּ אֶת־אַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר כִּי לְפַתֹּתְךָ בָּא וְלָדַעַת אֶת־מֹוצָאֲךָ וְאֶת־ [מִבֹואֶךָ כ] (מֹובָאֶךָ ק) וְלָדַעַת אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה
26 Joab left David's presence and sent messengers after Abner and these, unknown to David, broughthim back from the storage-wel at Sirah.	26 וַיֵּצֵא יֹואָב מֵעִם דָּוִד וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וַיָּשִׁבוּ אֹתֹו מִבֹּור הַסִּרָה וְדָוִד לֹא יָדָע
27 When Abner reached Hebron, Joab took him aside in the town-gate, as if to have a quiet word withhim, and there struck him a mortal blow in the bel y to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel.	27 וַיָּשָׁב אַבְנֵר חֶבְרֹון וַיַּטֵּהוּ יֹואָב אֶל־תֹּוךְ הַשַּׁעַר לְדַּבֵּר אִתֹּו בַּשֶּׁלִי וַיַּכֵּהוּ שָׁם הַחֹמֶשׁ וַיָּמָת בְּדַם עֲשָׂה־אֵל אָחִיו
28 Afterwards, when David heard of this, he said, 'I and my kingdom are for ever innocent before Yahwehof the blood of Abner son of Ner;	28 וַיִּשְׁמַע דָּוִד מֵאַחֲרֵי כֵן וַיֹּאמֶר נָקִי אָנֹכִי וּמַמְלַכְתִּי מֵעִם יְהוָה עַד־עֹולָם מִדְּמֵי אַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר
29 may it fal on the head of Joab and on al his family! May the House of Joab never be free of menafflicted with haemorrhage or a virulent skin-disease, whose strength is in the distaff, who fall by the sword, wholack food.'	29 יָחֻלוּ עַל־רֹאשׁ יֹואָב וְאֶל כָּל־בֵּית אָבִיו וְאַל־יִכָּרֵת מִבֵּית יֹואָב זָב וּמְצֹרָע וּמַחֲזִיק בַּפֶּלֶךְ וְנֹפֵל בַּחֶרֶב וַחֲסַר־לָחֶם
30 (Joab and his brother Abishai had murdered Abner because he killed their brother Asahel at the battleof Gibeon.)	30 וְיֹואָב וַאֲבִישַׁי אָחִיו הָרְגוּ לְאַבְנֵר עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית אֶת־עֲשָׂהאֵל אֲחִיהֶם בְּגִבְעֹון בַּמִּלְחָמָה׃ פ
31 David then said to Joab and the whole company with him, 'Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, andmourn over Abner,' and King David walked behind the bier.	31 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־יֹואָב וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו קִרְעוּ בִגְדֵיכֶם וְחִגְרוּ שַׂקִּים וְסִפְדוּ לִפְנֵי אַבְנֵר וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד הֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֵי הַמִּטָּה
32 They buried Abner at Hebron, and the king wept aloud on his grave, and the people al wept too.	32 וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת־אַבְנֵר בְּחֶבְרֹון וַיִשָּׂא הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־קֹולֹו וַיֵּבְךְּ אֶל־קֶבֶר אַבְנֵר וַיִּבְכּוּ כָּל־הָעָם׃ פ
33 The king made this lament over Abner: Should Abner have died as a brute dies?	33 וַיְקֹנֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־אַבְנֵר וַיֹּאמַר הַכְּמֹות נָבָל יָמוּת אַבְנֵר
34 Your hands were not tied, your feet not chained; you fel as a man falls at the hands of criminals. Andal the people wept for him louder than ever.	34 יָדֶךָ לֹא־אֲסֻרֹות וְרַגְלֶיךָ לֹא־לִנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם הֻגָּשׁוּ כִּנְפֹול לִפְנֵי בְנֵי־עַוְלָה נָפָלְתָּ וַיֹּסִפוּ כָל־הָעָם לִבְכֹּות עָלָיו
35 The people then al tried to persuade David to have some food while it was still daylight, but Davidswore this oath, 'May God bring unnameable il s on me, and worse il s, too, if I taste bread or anything whateveruntil the sun is down!'	35 וַיָּבֹא כָל־הָעָם לְהַבְרֹות אֶת־דָּוִד לֶחֶם בְּעֹוד הַיֹּום וַיִּשָּׁבַע דָּוִד לֵאמֹר כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּי אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יֹסִיף כִּי אִם־לִפְנֵי בֹוא־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֶטְעַם־לֶחֶם אֹו כָל־מְאוּמָה
36 Al the people took note of this and it pleased them; indeed, everything the king did pleased thepeople.	36 וְכָל־הָעָם הִכִּירוּ וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָם טֹוב
37 That day, al the people and al Israel understood that the king had had no part in the murder of Abnerson of Ner.	37 וַיֵּדְעוּ כָל־הָעָם וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיֹּום הַהוּא כִּי לֹא הָיְתָה מֵהַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָמִית אֶת־אַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר׃ פ
38 The king said to his retainers, 'Do you not realise that a prince, a great man, has fal en in Israel today?	38 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־עֲבָדָיו הֲלֹוא תֵדְעוּ כִּי־שַׂר וְגָדֹול נָפַל הַיֹּום הַזֶּה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל
39 I, though anointed king, am weak at present, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too strong forme. May Yahweh repay the criminal as his crime deserves!'	39 וְאָנֹכִי הַיֹּום רַךְ וּמָשׁוּחַ מֶלֶךְ וְהָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי צְרוּיָה קָשִׁים מִמֶּנִּי יְשַׁלֵּם יְהוָה לְעֹשֵׂה הָרָעָה כְּרָעָתֹו׃ פ