2 Samuel 20

1 To koro ne nitie ja-Benjamin machach ma nyinge Sheba wuod Bikri. Nogoyo turumbete kokok kowacho niya, “Waonge wat moro gi joka Daudi, kata gima oriwowa gi wuod Jesse! Yaye, ja-Israel moro ka moro odog e hembe!”

Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”

2 Omiyo jo-Israel duto noweyo Daudi mondo oluw Sheba wuod Bikri. To jo-Juda to nodongʼ gi ruodhgi ka gia Jordan nyaka gichopo Jerusalem.

So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 Kane Daudi odwogo dalane Jerusalem, nokawo monde apar mamoko mane oweyo mondo orit dalane, mine oketogi e ot moro miritogie. Nomiyogi gik ma gikonyorego, to ne ok oriwore kodgi. Nolornegi e ot nyaka ne githo, ka gidak ka mon ma chwogi otho.

When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace, and he placed them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he no longer slept with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.

4 Eka ruoth nowacho ni Amasa niya, “Luong jo-Juda mondo obi ira bangʼ ndalo adek, to in bende ibi ka.”

Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”

5 Kane Amasa odhi luongo jo-Juda nokawo ndalo mangʼeny moloyo ndalo mane ruoth omiye.

So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.

6 Daudi nowachone Abishai niya, “Koro Sheba wuod Bikri biro hinyowa moloyo kaka Abisalom notimo. Kaw jolwenj ruodhi mondo ilawe, ka ok kamano to onyalo yudo mier madongo mochiel mi odonjie kendo olalnwa.”

And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”

7 Omiyo jo-Joab gi jo-Kereth gi jo-Peleth kod jolweny mathuondi duto nowuok kotelnegi gi Abishai. Ne giwuok Jerusalem mondo gilaw Sheba wuod Bikri.

So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

8 Kane pod gin e lwanda maduongʼ man Gibeon, Amasa nobiro romo kodgi. Joab norwako lepe mag lweny kendo notweyo okanda e nungone mosoyoe ligangla man e olalo. Kane osudo nyime, ligangla nolwar koa e olalo.

And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

9 Joab nowachone Amasa niya, “Idhi nade owadwa?” Eka Joab nomako Amasa gi yie tike gi lwete ma korachwich ka gima odwaro mose gi nyoth.

“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

10 To Amasa ne onge gi paro moro amora kuom ligangla mane ni e lwet Joab, kendo Joab nochwowo bund iye gi liganglano molal, mi nyimbiye noredhore piny. Amasa notho ma ok ochako ochwowe kendo. Eka Joab gi owadgi ma Abishai nolawo Sheba wuod Bikri.

Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

11 Achiel kuom jo-Joab nochungʼ but Amasa mowacho niya, “Ngʼama jakor Joab; kendo moyie gi Daudi mondo oluw bangʼ Joab!”

One of Joab’s young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”

12 Amasa noriere piny kochadhore gi rembe e dier yo, kendo ngʼatno noneno ka jolweny duto ne chungʼ kochopo kanyo. Bende ka noneno ka ji duto chungʼ kochopo kama Amasa nothoeno, noywaye oko mar yo motere e pap moume gi law.

But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged the body off the road into a field and threw a garment over it.

13 Kane Amasa osegol e yo, ji duto nodhi gi Joab mondo gilaw Sheba wuod Bikri.

As soon as Amasa’s body was removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

14 Sheba nokadho e dier dhout Israel duto mochopo nyaka Abel Beth Maaka, bende nokadho e gwenge jo-Beri duto, kendo jogo nochokore kaachiel mondo oluwe.

Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.

15 Migepe duto mag jolweny mane nigi Joab nobiro molworo Sheba ka en Abel Beth Maaka. Negigoyo agengʼa ne dala maduongʼno kendo ka gichungʼ e agengʼa molworo ohinga. To e kindeno mane gitwomo ohinganano mondo gimuke,

And Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel-beth-maacah and built a siege ramp against the outer rampart of the city. As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to topple it,

16 dhako moro mariek mane ni e dala maduongʼno nokok matek kowacho niya, “Winjuru! Nyisuru Joab obi ka mondo alos kode.”

a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.”

17 Joab nodhi kama dhakono ne nitie, mi nopenjo niya, “In e Joab?” Nodwoke niya, “En an.” Nowachone niya, “Chik iti ni gima jatichni dwaro wachoni.” Joab nowacho niya, “Awinjo.”

When he had come near to her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. “Listen to the words of your servant,” she said. “I am listening,” he answered.

18 Nomedo wuoyo kowachone niya, “Chon gi lala ji ne jawacho ni, ‘Dhi Abel mondo ngʼadnie rieko,’ kendo wachno ne rumo kamano.

Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.

19 Wan joma odak gi kwe kendo ma jo-adiera e piny Israel ka. In to itemo mondo iketh dala maduongʼ man Israel. Angʼo momiyo idwaro tieko oganda Jehova Nyasaye?”

I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”

20 Joab nodwoke niya, “Ngangʼ, ok en kamano! Mano gima ok anyal timo kendo ok anyal kethe!

“Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!

21 Ngangʼ, ok en kamano! To gima timore en ni ngʼat moro miluongo ni Sheba wuod Bikri, moa e piny gode mag Efraim, ema piem gi ruoth Daudi. Omiyo miya ngʼatno kende, to abiro weyo dala maduongʼni.” Dhakoni nowachone Joab niya, “Wiye ibiro dirni gi ewi ohinga.”

That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 Eka dhakono nodhi ir ji gi riekone mane ongʼadono, kendo negingʼado wi Sheba wuod Bikri mi gidiro ni Joab. Omiyo nogoyo turumbete, mi joge no-aa mi giweyo dala maduongʼno kendo moro ka moro nodok e dalane. Joab to nodok Jerusalem ir ruoth.

Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

23 Joab ne jatend jolweny Israel duto; ka Benaya wuod Jehoyada to ne otelo ne jolwenj jo-Kereth kod jo-Peleth.

Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;

24 Adoniram to notelo ni joma tiyo tich achuna, Jehoshafat wuod Ahilud ne jandiko;

Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

25 Sheva ne jagoro; to Zadok gi Abiathar ne jodolo.

Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 To Ira ja-Jair ne jadolo mar Daudi.

and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.