撒母耳記下 2
1 這事以後，達味求問上主說：「我是否可以上猶大的一座城中去﹖」上主對他說：「可以。」達味又問說：「我上何處去﹖」答說：「往赫貝龍去。」
Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.
2 於是達味帶著他兩個妻子：依次勒耳人阿希諾罕和作過加爾默耳人納巴耳妻子的阿彼蓋耳，上那裏去了。
So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
3 凡跟隨達味的人，他也叫他們各帶家眷一起上去，住在赫類龍城各區內。
David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
4 以後，猶大人來，在那裏給達味傅油，立他作猶大家族的君王。有人告訴達味，基肋阿得雅貝士人埋葬了撒烏耳。
Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
5 達味就派遣使者到基肋阿得雅貝士人那裏，向他們說：「願上主祝福你們! 因為你們對你們的主上撒烏耳行了這件善事，將他埋葬了。
So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
6 願上主對你們顯示他的慈愛和忠信! 因為你們作了這事，我也要恩待你們。
Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.
7 現在你們要加強自己的力量，作勇敢的人，因為你們的主上撒烏耳已經陣亡，但猶大家族已給我傅油，立我做了他們的君王。」
Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”
8 那時，撒烏耳的軍長，乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾，已帶領撒烏耳的兒子依市巴耳過河，到了瑪哈納殷，
Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
9 立他為基肋阿得、革叔爾、依次勒耳、厄弗辣因、本雅明，全以色列的君王。
and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.
10 撒烏耳的兒子依市巴耳為以色列王時，已四十歲，為王兩年。此時隨從達味的，只有猶大家族。
Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
11 達味在赫貝龍作猶大家族君王的年數，共七年零六個月。
And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾和撒烏耳的兒子依市巴耳的臣僕，從瑪哈納殷來到基貝紅。
One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 責魯雅的兒子約阿布和達味的臣僕，也從赫貝龍出發，彼此在基貝紅池旁相遇，雙方就都停下，各立在水池一邊。
So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14 阿貝乃爾對約阿布說：「讓青年人出來，在我們面前比比武! 」約阿布答說：「好，叫他們出來! 」
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15 他們就出來，點了人數，十二個本雅明人在撒烏耳的兒子依市巴耳一面，由達味的僕味的僕從中，也出來十二個人。
So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
16 每人抓住對方的頭，用力猛刺對方的腰，雙方都同時倒下；因此那地方叫作匝得平原，離基貝紅不遠。
Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.
17 那天也發生了很激烈的戰鬥，阿貝乃爾和以色列人，竟為達味的臣僕打敗。
The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
18 責魯雅的三個兒子約阿布、阿彼瑟與阿撒耳，那時都在場，阿撒耳的腿快捷像野羚羊。
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
19 阿撒耳便去追趕阿貝乃爾，不左不右，直追阿貝乃爾。
and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
20 阿貝乃爾轉過身來問說：「你是阿撒耳嗎﹖」他答說：「我是。」
And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.
21 阿貝乃爾對他說：「你轉左或轉右，捉住一個青年，奪取他的裝備罷! 」但阿撒耳卻不肯放鬆他。
So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22 阿貝乃爾就再對阿撒耳說：「你不要再追趕我了，為什麼逼我將你擊倒在地，叫我日後怎有臉再見你的兄弟約阿布﹖
Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
23 阿撒耳仍不肯罷休。阿貝乃爾就調過槍來，擊中了他的腹部，槍由背後穿出，他就倒在那裏，當下死了。凡來到阿撒耳倒斃的地方的人，都站住了。
But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 約阿布和阿彼瑟仍在追趕阿貝乃爾，當他們來到往革巴曠野去的路上，基亞前的阿瑪山崗時，太陽就快要西落。
But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 本雅明人集結成隊，跟在阿貝乃爾後邊，站在一座小山頭上。
The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.
26 阿貝乃爾向約阿布喊說：「刀劍豈能永遠擊殺﹖你豈不知結局更為不幸﹖幾時你纔命眾人轉身，不再追趕自己的兄弟﹖」
Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
27 約阿布答說：「上主永在! 若你不發言，眾人直到早晨，連一個也不會停止追趕自己的兄弟! 」
“As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”
28 約阿布遂吹號，眾人就停下，不再追趕以色列人，不再進攻。
So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.
29 阿貝乃爾同他的人，那一整夜走過了阿辣巴平原，過了約但河，以後，又走了一上午，終于到了瑪哈納殷。
And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.
30 約阿布追趕阿貝乃爾回來，召集了自己的人，達味僕人中，除阿撒耳外，少了十九人。
When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,
31 但阿貝乃爾所帶的本雅明人中，有三百六十人，為達味的臣僕殺死。
but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.
32 遂將阿撒耳的屍體帶回，埋在白冷他父親的墳墓內。約阿布同他的人走了一夜，天亮時已到赫貝龍。
Later, they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.
