2 Samuel 3
1 Therfor long strijf was maad bitwixe the hows of Dauid and `bitwixe the hows of Saul; and Dauid profitide and euere was strongere than hym silf, forsothe the hows of Saul decreesside ech dai.
Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 And sones weren borne to Dauid in Ebron; and his firste gendrid sone was Amon, of Achynoem of Jezrael;
Now sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3 and aftir hym was Celeab, of Abigail, wijf of Nabal of Carmele; sotheli the thrydde was Absolon, the sone of Maacha, douytir of Tholomay, kyng of Gessur;
and his second, Daluiah, of Abigail of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4 forsothe the fourthe was Adonyas, the sone of Agith; and the fyuethe was Saphacias, the sone of Abitail; and the sixte was Gethraam of Egla,
and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital;
5 the wijf of Dauid. These weren borne to Dauid in Ebron.
and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 Therfor whanne batel was bytwixe the hows of Saul and the hows of Dauid, Abner, the sone of Ner, gouernyde the hows of Saul.
And it came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.
7 Sotheli a concubyn, that is, a secoundarie wijf, Respha bi name, the douytir of Achia, `was to Saul; and Abner entride to hir.
Now Saul had a secondary wife, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal son of Saul said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's secondary wife?"
8 And Isbosech seide to Abner, Whi `entridist thou to the concubyn of my fadir? Which was wrooth greetli for the wordis of Isbosech, and seide, Whether Y am the heed of a dogge ayens Juda to dai, and Y have do merci on the hous of Saul, thi fadir, and on hise britheren, and neiyboris, and Y bitook not thee in to the hondis of David, and thou hast souyt in me that, that thou schuldist repreue me for a womman to dai?
Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbaal, and said, "Am I a dog's head? Until today, is it for myself that I have been doing all these things, showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? And yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.
9 God do these thingis to Abner, and adde these thingis to hym, no but as the Lord swoor to Dauid, `so Y do with hym,
God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not do even so to him;
10 that the rewme be translatid fro the hous of Saul, and the trone of Dauid be reisid on Israel and on Juda, fro Dan `til to Bersabee.
to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba."
11 And Isbosech myyte not answere ony thing to Abner, for he dredde Abner.
And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
12 Therfor Abner sente messangeris to Dauid, and thei seiden `for hym, Whos is the lond? and that the messangeris schulden speke, Make thou frenschipis with me, and myn hond schal be with thee, and Y schal brynge al Israel to thee.
Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make an agreement with me, and look, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."
13 And Dauid seide, Best Y schal make frenschipis with thee, but Y axe of thee o thing, and seie, Thou schalt not se my face, bifore that thou brynge Mycol, the douyter of Saul, and so thou schalt come, and schalt se me.
He said, "Good. I will make a covenant with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Mikal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."
14 Therfor Dauid sente messangeris to Isbosech, the sone of Saul, and seide, Yelde thou my wijf Mycol, whom Y spouside to me for an hundryd prepucies of Filisteis.
David sent messengers to Ishbaal, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Mikal, whom I betrothed to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."
15 Therfor Isbosech sente, and took hir fro hir hosebonde, Faltiel, son of Lais;
Ishbaal sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 and hir hosebonde suede hir and wepte til Bahurym. And Abner seide to hym, Go thou, and turne ayen; and he turnede ayen.
But her husband went with her, weeping behind her, as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back." So he went back.
17 Also Abner brouyte in a word to the eldere men of Israel, and seide, Bothe yistirdai and the thridde dai ago ye souyten Dauid, that he schulde regne on you.
Abner advised the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time you have wanted David to be king over you.
18 Now therfor do ye; for the Lord spak to Dauid, and seide, In the hond of my seruaunt Dauid Y schal saue my puple Israel fro the hond of Filisteis, and of alle his enemyes.
Now then do it, for the LORD has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"
19 Forsothe Abner spak also to Beniamyn, and he yede, that he schulde speke to Dauid, in Ebron, alle thingis that plesiden Israel and al Beniamin.
And Abner also spoke privately to the sons of Benjamin. And Abner also spoke privately to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 And he cam to Dauid in Ebron with twenti men. And Dauid made a feeste to Abner, and to the men that camen with hym.
So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.
21 And Abner seide to Dauid, Y schal rise, that Y gadere al Israel to thee, my lord the kyng, and that Y make boond of pees with thee, and that thou regne on alle, as thi soule desirith. Therfor whanne Dauid hadde ledde forth Abner, and he hadde go in pees,
Abner said to David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires." David sent Abner away; and he left in peace.
22 anoon the children of Dauid and Joab camen with a ful grete prey, whanne theues weren slayn; sotheli Abner was not with Dauid, in Ebron, for Dauid hadde left hym, and he yede forth in pees.
Look, the servants of David and Joab were returning from a raid, and brought in a great spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he left in peace.
23 And Joab, and the oostis that weren with hym, camen aftirward; therfor it was teld to Joab of telleris, Abner, the sone of Ner, cam to the kyng, and the kyng lefte hym, and he yede in pees.
When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to David, and he has sent him away, and he left in peace."
24 And Joab entride to the kyng, and seide, What hast thou do? Lo! Abner cam to thee; whi leftist thou hym, and he yede, and departide?
Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away? Now he has gone.
25 Knowist thou not Abner, the sone of Ner, for herto he cam to thee, that he schulde disseyue thee, and that he schulde knowe thi going out and thin entryng, and schulde knowe alle thingis whiche thou doist?
Don't you know the evil ways of Abner the son of Ner? He came to deceive you and to observe your movements and to learn everything that you are doing."
26 Therfor Joab yede out fro Dauid, and sente messangeris aftir Abner; and `ledde hym ayen fro the cisterne of Cyrie, `while Dauid knew not.
When Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.
27 And whanne Abner hadde come ayen in to Ebron, Joab ledde hym asidis half to `the myddil of the yate, that he schulde speke to hym in gile; and he smoot Abner there in the schar, and he was deed, in to the veniaunce of the blood of his brother Asahel.
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the abdomen, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 That whanne Dauid hadde herd the thing doon, he seide, Y am clene and my rewme anentis God til in to with outen ende fro the blood of Abner, sone of Ner;
Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD now and forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 and come it on the heed of Joab, and on al the hows of his fadir; a man suffrynge flux of seed, and a leprouse man, holdynge spyndil, and fallynge bi swerd, and hauynge nede to breed, `that is, suffrynge hungur, `faile not of the hows of Joab.
May it whirl over the head of Joab, and on all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."
30 Therfor Joab, and Abisay, his brother, killiden Abner, for he hadde slayn Asahel, her brother, in Gabaon, in batel.
So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 Forsothe Dauid seide to Joab, and to al the puple that was with hym, To rende ye your clothis, and be ye gird with sackis, and biweile ye bifor the heersis, `ether dirige, of Abner. Forsothe kyng Dauid suede the beere.
David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the coffin.
32 And whanne thei hadden biried Abner in Ebron, kyng Dauid reiside his vois, and wepte on the biriel of Abner; `forsothe and al the puple wepte.
They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
33 And the kyng biweilide, and bymorenyde Abner, and seide, Abner, thou diedist not as dredeful men, `ethir cowardis, ben wont to die.
The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Thin hondis weren not boundun, and thi feet weren not greuyd with stockis, but thou feldist doun, as men ben wont to falle bifor the sones of wickidnesse. And al the puple doublide togidere, and wepte on hym.
Your hands were not bound in chains, your feet were not put into fetters. As a man falls before the ruthless, so you fell." All the people wept again over him.
35 And whanne al the multitude cam to take mete with Dauid, while the dai was yit cleer, Dauid swoor, and seide, God do to me these thingis, and adde these thingis, if Y schal taast breed ethir ony othir thing bifor the going doun of the sune.
Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."
36 And al the puple herde; and alle thingis which the kyng dide in the siyt of al the puple plesiden hem;
And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased the people.
37 and al the comyn puple and al Israel knewe in that day, that it was not doon of the kyng, that Abner, the sone of Ner, was slayn.
So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.
38 Also the kyng seide to hise seruauntis, Whether ye witen not, that the prince and gretteste felde doun to dai in Israel?
The king said to his servants, "Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?
39 Forsothe Y am `delicat, ether tendir, yit and anoyntid kyng; sotheli these sones of Saruye ben hard to me; the Lord yelde to hym that doith yuel bi his malice.
I am this day weak, though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."
