2 Samuel 2
1 And so, after these things, David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I ascend to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Ascend.” And David said, “To where shall I ascend?” And he responded to him, “To Hebron.”
Dopo questo, Davide consultò l’Eterno, dicendo: “Debbo io salire in qualcuna delle città di Giuda?” L’Eterno gli rispose: “Sali”. Davide chiese: “Dove salirò io?” L’Eterno rispose:
2 Therefore, David ascended with his two wives, Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
“A Hebron”. Davide dunque vi salì con le sue due mogli, Abinoam la Izreelita, ed Abigail la Carmelita ch’era stata moglie di Nabal.
3 And as for the men who were with him, David led forth each man with his household. And they stayed in the towns of Hebron.
Davide vi menò pure la gente ch’era con lui, ciascuno con la sua famiglia, e si stabilirono nelle città di Hebron.
4 And the men of Judah went and anointed David there, so that he would reign over the house of Judah. And it was reported to David that the men of Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul.
E gli uomini di Giuda vennero e unsero quivi Davide come re della casa di Giuda. Ora fu riferito a Davide ch’erano stati gli uomini di Jabes di Galaad a seppellire Saul.
5 Therefore, David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and he said to them: “Blessed are you to the Lord, who has accomplished this mercy with your lord Saul, so that you would bury him.
Allora Davide inviò de’ messi agli uomini di Jabes di Galaad, e fece dir loro: “Siate benedetti dall’Eterno, voi che avete mostrato questa benignità verso Saul, vostro signore, dandogli sepoltura!
6 And now, certainly, the Lord will repay to you mercy and truth. But I also will act with favor, because you have accomplished this word.
Ed ora l’Eterno mostri a voi la sua benignità e la sua fedeltà! E anch’io vi farò del bene, giacché avete agito così.
7 Let your hands be strengthened, and be sons of fortitude. For even though your lord Saul has died, still the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”
Or dunque si rafforzino le vostre mani, e siate valenti; giacché Saul è morto, ma la casa di Giuda mi ha unto come re su di essa”.
8 Then Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of the army of Saul, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and he led him around, throughout the camp.
Or Abner, figliuolo di Ner, capo dell’esercito di Saul, prese Jsh-Bosheth, figliuolo di Saul, e lo fece passare a Mahanaim,
9 And he appointed him as king over Gilead, and over Geshuri, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all of Israel.
e lo costituì re di Galaad, degli Ashuriti, di Izreel, d’Efraim, di Beniamino e di tutto Israele.
10 Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he had begun to rule over Israel. And he reigned for two years. For only the house of Judah followed David.
Jsh-Bosheth, figliuolo di Saul, avea quarant’anni quando cominciò a regnare sopra Israele, e regnò due anni. Ma la casa di Giuda seguitò Davide.
11 And the number of the days, during which David was staying and ruling in Hebron over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months.
Il tempo che Davide regnò a Hebron sulla casa di Giuda fu di sette anni e sei mesi.
12 And Abner, the son of Ner, and the youths of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gibeon.
Or Abner, figliuolo di Ner, e la gente di Jsh-Bosheth, figliuolo di Saul, uscirono da Mahanaim per marciare verso Gabaon.
13 Therefore, Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the youths of David, went out and met them beside the pool of Gibeon. And when they had convened together, they sat down opposite one another: these on one side of the pool, and those on the other side.
Joab, figliuolo di Tseruia e la gente di Davide si misero anch’essi in marcia. S’incontrarono presso lo stagno di Gabaon, e si fermarono gli uni da un lato dello stagno, gli altri dall’altro lato.
14 And Abner said to Joab, “Let the youths rise up and play before us.” And Joab answered, “Let them rise up.”
Allora Abner disse a Joab: “Si levino dei giovani, e giochin di spada in nostra presenza!” E Joab rispose: “Si levino pure!”
15 Therefore, they rose up and crossed over, twelve in number of Benjamin, from the side of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the youths of David.
Quelli dunque si levarono, e si fecero avanti in numero uguale: dodici per Beniamino e per Jsh-Bosheth, figliuolo di Saul, e dodici della gente di Davide.
16 And each one, taking hold of his peer by the head, fixed a sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together. And the name of that place was called: The Field of the Valiant in Gibeon.
E ciascun d’essi, preso l’avversario per la testa, gli piantò la spada nel fianco; cosicché caddero tutt’insieme. Perciò quel luogo, ch’è presso a Gabaon, fu chiamato Helkath-Hatsurim.
17 And a very harsh war rose up on that day. And Abner, with the men of Israel, was put to flight by the youths of David.
In quel giorno vi fu una battaglia aspra assai, nella quale Abner con la gente d’Israele fu sconfitto dalla gente di Davide.
18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were in that place: Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was a very swift runner, like one of the deer that lives in the forest.
V’erano quivi i tre figliuoli di Tseruia, Joab, Abishai ed Asael; e Asael era di piè veloce come una gazzella della campagna.
19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and he did not turn aside to the right, nor to the left, to cease in the pursuit of Abner.
Asael si mise ad inseguire Abner; e, dandogli dietro, non si voltava né a destra né a sinistra.
20 And so, Abner looked behind his back, and he said, “Are you not Asahel?” And he responded, “I am.”
Abner, guardandosi alle spalle, disse: “Sei tu, Asael?” Quegli rispose: “Son io”.
21 And Abner said to him, “Go to the right, or to the left, and apprehend one of the youths, and take his spoils for yourself.” But Asahel was not willing to cease from pursuing him closely.
E Abner gli disse: “Volgiti a destra o a sinistra, afferra uno di que’ giovani, e prenditi le sue spoglie!” Ma Asael non volle cessare dall’inseguirlo.
22 And again, Abner said to Asahel: “Withdraw, and do not choose to follow me. Otherwise, I will be compelled to stab you to the ground, and I will not be able to lift up my face before your brother, Joab.”
E Abner di bel nuovo gli disse: “Cessa dal darmi dietro! Perché obbligarmi a inchiodarti al suolo? Come potrei io poi alzar la fronte dinanzi al tuo fratello Joab?”
23 But he disdained to heed him, and he was not willing to turn aside. Therefore, turning, Abner struck him with his spear in the groin, and he pierced him through, and he died in the same place. And all those who would pass by the place, in which Asahel had fallen and died, would stand still.
Ma quegli si rifiutò di cambiare strada; allora Abner con la estremità inferiore della lancia lo colpì nell’inguine, sì che la lancia lo passò da parte a parte. Asael cadde e morì in quello stesso luogo; e quanti passavano dal punto dov’egli era caduto morto, si fermavano.
24 Now while Joab and Abishai were pursuing Abner as he fled, the sun set. And they went as far as the Hill of the Aqueduct, which is opposite the valley on the way of the desert in Gibeon.
Ma Joab e Abishai inseguirono Abner; e il sole tramontava quando giunsero al colle di Amma, ch’è dirimpetto a Ghiah, sulla via del deserto di Gabaon.
25 And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves to Abner. And being joined in one battle line, they stood at the summit of a hill.
E i figliuoli di Beniamino si radunarono dietro ad Abner, formarono un corpo, e si collocarono in vetta a una collina.
26 And Abner cried out to Joab, and he said: “Will your sword rage unto utter destruction? Are you ignorant that it is perilous to act in desperation? How long will you not tell the people to cease from the pursuit of their brothers?”
Allora Abner chiamò Joab e disse: “La spada divorerà ella in perpetuo? Non sai tu che alla fine ci sarà dell’amaro? Quando verrà dunque il momento che ordinerai al popolo di non dar più la caccia ai suoi fratelli?”
27 And Joab said: “As the Lord lives, if you had spoken in the morning, the people would have withdrawn from pursuing their brothers.”
Joab rispose: “Com’è vero che Dio vive, se tu non avessi parlato, il popolo non avrebbe cessato d’inseguire i suoi fratelli prima di domani mattina”.
28 Therefore, Joab sounded the trumpet, and the entire army stood still, and they did not pursue after Israel any more, and they did not engage in conflict.
Allora Joab suonò la tromba, e tutto il popolo si fermò, senza più inseguire Israele, e cessò di combattere.
29 Then Abner and his men went away, all that night, through the plains. And they crossed the Jordan, and having roamed throughout all of Beth-horon, they arrived in the camp.
Abner e la sua gente camminarono tutta quella notte per la campagna, passarono il Giordano, attraversarono tutto il Bithron e giunsero a Mahanaim.
30 But Joab, returning after he had released Abner, gathered together all the people. And of David’s youths, they were missing nineteen men, aside from Asahel.
Joab tornò anch’egli dall’inseguire Abner; e, radunato tutto il popolo, risultò che della gente di Davide mancavano diciannove uomini ed Asael.
31 But of Benjamin and of the men who were with Abner, the servants of David had struck three hundred and sixty, who also died.
Ma la gente di Davide aveva ucciso trecento sessanta uomini de’ Beniaminiti e della gente di Abner.
32 And they took Asahel, and they buried him in the sepulcher of his father at Bethlehem. And Joab, and the men who were with him, walked throughout the night, and they arrived in Hebron at the very break of day.
Poi portaron via Asael e lo seppellirono nel sepolcro di suo padre, a Bethlehem. Poi Joab e la sua gente camminaron tutta la notte; e il giorno spuntava, quando giunsero a Hebron.
