< 撒母耳記下 3 >
1 撒烏耳家與達味家間的戰爭相持很久;但達味家逐漸強盛,撒烏耳家卻日趨衰弱。
And there was war for a long time between the house of Saul and the house of David; and the house of David grew continually stronger; but the house of Saul grew continually weaker.
2 達味在赫貝龍生的兒子:長子阿默農,是依次勒耳人阿希諾罕所生;
And sons were born to David in Chebron: and his firstborn was Ammon the son of Achinoom the Jezraelitess.
3 次子基肋阿布,是曾作加爾默耳人納巴耳妻子的阿彼蓋耳所生;
And his second son [was] Daluia, the son of Abigaia the Carmelitess; and the third, Abessalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmi the king of Gessir.
4 四子阿多尼雅,是哈基特所生;五子舍法提雅,是阿彼塔耳所生;
And the fourth [was] Ornia, the son of Aggith, and the fifth [was] Saphatia, the son of Abital.
5 六子依特蘭,是達味妻子厄革拉所生:以上是達味在赫貝龍所生的兒子。
And the sixth [was] Jetheraam, the son of Aegal the wife of David. These were born to David in Chebron.
6 撒烏耳家同達味家戰爭期間,阿貝乃爾獲得操縱撒烏耳家的權柄。
And it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abenner was governing the house of Saul.
7 撒烏耳有一妾名叫黎茲帕,是阿雅的女兒,阿貝乃爾娶了她;依市巴耳對阿貝乃爾說:「你為什麼親近我父親的妾﹖」
And Saul had a concubine, Respha, the daughter of Jol; and Jebosthe the son of Saul said to Abenner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?
8 為了依市巴耳這句話,阿貝乃爾勃然大怒說:「莫非我是猶大的狗頭﹖直到今天我憐恤你父親撒烏耳,和他的兄弟以及他的朋友,沒有使你落在達味手裏;你今天竟為了一個女人挑我的錯!
And Abenner was very angry with Jebosthe for this saying; and Abenner said to him, Am I a dog's head? I have this day wrought kindness with the house of Saul your father, and with his brethren and friends, and have not gone over to the house of David, and do you this day seek a charge against me concerning injury to a woman?
God do thus and more also to Abenner, if as the Lord swore to David, so do I not to him this day;
10 廢除撒烏耳家的王位,建立達味的寶座,使他由丹直到貝爾舍巴,統治全以色列和猶大,願天主如此,並加倍地懲罰我! 」
to take away the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.
11 依市巴耳因為怕阿貝乃爾,連一句話也不敢回答。
And Jebosthe could not any longer answer Abenner a word, because he feared him.
12 阿貝乃爾立即派使者到赫貝龍見達味說:「這地是誰的﹖」是說:「只要你與我訂立盟約,我必伸手援助你,使全以色列都歸順你。」
And Abenner sent messengers to David to Thaelam where he was, immediately, saying, Make your covenant with me, and, behold, my hand [is] with you to bring back to you all the house of Israel.
13 達味答說:「好! 我願與你訂立盟約,但是,我要求你一個條件:就是你來見我時,若不把撒烏耳的女兒米加耳帶來,你休想見我。」
And David said, With a good will I will make with you a covenant: only I demand one condition of you, saying, You shall not see my face, unless you bring Melchol the daughter of Saul, when you come to see my face.
14 隨後,達味就派使者到撒烏耳的兒子依市巴耳那裏說:「請把我的妻米加耳歸還給我,她是我以一百培肋特舍人的包皮聘定的。」
And David sent messengers to Jebosthe the son of Saul, saying, Restore me my wife Melchol, whom I took for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15 依市巴耳就派人,從拉依士的兒子帕耳提耳,她丈夫那裏把她帶來。
And Jebosthe sent, and took her from her husband, [even] from Phaltiel the son of Selle.
16 她的丈夫與她同行,一邊走一邊哭,送她到了巴胡凌。阿貝乃爾向他說:「你回去罷! 」他就回去了。
And her husband went with her weeping behind her as far as Barakim. And Abenner said to him, Go, return; and he returned.
17 阿貝乃爾同以色列的長老商議說:「你們早已渴望達味作你們的君王。
And Abenner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, In former days you sought David to reign over you;
18 現在你們就進行罷! 因為上主曾論及達味說:我要藉我的僕人達味,從培肋舍特人及一切仇敵手中,拯救我的百姓以色列。」
and now perform [it]: for the Lord has spoken concerning David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save Israel out of the hand of all their enemies.
19 阿貝乃爾也遊說了本雅明人;以後阿貝乃爾去赫貝龍見達味,向他報告以色列和本雅明全家共同贊成的事。
And Abenner spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abenner went to speak in the ears of David at Chebron, all that seemed good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of the house of Benjamin.
20 阿貝乃爾遂率領二十人去赫貝龍見達味。達味設宴款待了阿貝乃爾和他的隨員。
And Abenner came to David to Chebron, and with him twenty men: and David made for Abenner and his men with him a banquet of wine.
21 阿貝乃爾向達味說:「我要動身去號召全以色列,來擁護我主大王,使他們與你立約:這樣你能依照你的心願來統治一切。」事後,達味放阿貝乃爾平安走了。
And Abenner said to David, I will arise now, and go, and gather to my lord the king all Israel; and I will make with him a covenant, and you shall reign over all whom your soul desires. And David sent away Abenner, and he departed in peace.
22 達味的臣僕和約阿布出征回來,帶回了很多戰利品。那時,阿貝乃爾已不在赫貝龍達味那裏了,因為達味放他平安走了。
And, behold, the servants of David and Joab arrived from their expedition, and they brought much spoil with them: and Abenner was not with David in Chebron, because he had sent him away, and he had departed in peace.
23 約阿布和他率領的軍隊一來到,就有人告訴他說:「乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾曾來到君王前,君王放他平安走了。」
And Joab and all his army came, and it was reported to Joab, saying, Abenner the son of Ner is come to David, and David has let him go, and he has departed in peace.
24 約阿布就去見君王說:「你作的是什麼事﹖阿貝乃爾到你這裏來,你為什麼放他平安走了﹖
And Joab went in to the king, and said, What [is] this [that] you have done? behold, Abenner came to you; and why have you let him go, and he has departed in peace?
25 你豈不認識乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾﹖他來是為欺騙你,願探聽你的出入,知道你的一切行動。」
Know you not the mischief of Abenner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all things that you do?
26 約阿布離開達味就打發差役去追趕阿貝乃爾。他們從息辣的旱井旁,把他帶回來,。達味一點也不知道。
And Joab returned from David, and sent messengers to Abenner after [him]; and they bring him back from the well of Seiram: but David knew [it] not.
27 阿貝乃爾一回到赫貝龍,約阿布就領他到大門旁,彷彿要與他暗地交談,就在那裏一刀剌穿了他的肚腹,他立即死了;這樣替他兄弟阿撒耳報了血仇。
And he brought back Abenner to Chebron, and Joab caused him to turn aside from the gate to speak to him, laying wait for him: and he struck him there in the loins, and he died for the blood of Asael the brother of Joab.
28 事後,達味一聽說這事,就說:「我和我的國家,對乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾的血案,在上主面前,永遠是無罪的!
And David heard [of it] afterwards, and said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord even for ever of the blood of Abenner the son of Ner.
29 願這罪歸在約阿布的頭上和他父的全家! 願約阿布家中不斷有患淋症,長癩病,只會紡線,喪身刀下和缺糧的人! 」
Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all the house of his father; and let there not be lacking of the house of Joab one that has an issue, or a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that wants bread.
30 約阿布和他的兄弟阿彼瑟暗殺了阿貝乃爾,是因為他在基貝紅打仗時,殺死了他們的兄弟阿撒耳。
For Joab and Abessa his brother laid wait continually for Abenner, because he killed Asael their brother at Gabaon in the battle.
31 達味向約阿布和同他在一起的民眾說:「要撕裂你們的衣服,穿上喪服,為阿貝乃爾舉哀! 」達味王也跟在靈柩後送葬。
And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament before Abenner. And king David followed the bier.
32 他們在赫貝龍埋葬了阿貝乃爾;君王在阿貝乃爾墓旁放聲大哭,民眾也都哭了。
And they bury Abenner in Chebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at his tomb, and all the people wept for Abenner.
33 君王作哀歌弔阿貝乃爾說:「阿貝乃爾豈應像傻瓜一樣死去﹖
And the king mourned over Abenner, and said, Shall Abenner die according to the death of Nabal?
34 你的手並未束拷,你的腳也沒帶鐐,怎麼你斃命,竟如兇犯斃命一樣! 」為此民眾更加痛哭。
Your hands were not bound, and your feet [were] not [put] in fetters: [one] brought [you] not near as Nabal; you did fall before children of iniquity.
35 隨後,眾人前來勸君王進食,那時還是白天,達味卻發誓說:「若我在日落前進食,或嘗什麼東西,願天主如此,並加倍地懲罰我!」
And all the people assembled to weep for him. And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day: and David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I eat bread or any thing else before the sun goes down.
36 眾人見到此事,都心悅誠服,因為凡君王所行的,無不叫眾人心悅誠服。
And all the people took notice, and all things that the king did before the people were pleasing in their sight.
37 如此,眾人和全以色列當天都知道,殺乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾,不是出於君王的命令。
So all the people and all Israel perceived in that day, that it was not of the king to kill Abenner the son of Ner.
38 達味向他的臣僕說:「你們不知道今天在以色列喪失了一位將領和偉人嗎﹖
And the king said to his servants, Know you not that a great prince is this day fallen in Israel?
39 我今天雖是傅油的君王,仍年幼無力,責魯雅的兒子們又比我剛強;願上主依照人所行的邪惡,來施行報復! 」
And that I am this day a [mere] kinsman [of his], and [as it were] a subject; but these men the sons of Saruia are too hard for me: the Lord reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.