2 Samuel 20

1 Or, il se trouva là un misérable du nom de Chéba, fils de Bikhri, Benjamite; il sonna du cor et proclama: "Nous n’avons aucune part à David, aucune communauté à revendiquer avec le fils de Jessé; chacun à ses tentes, ô Israël!"

And it happened that there was, in that place, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he sounded the trumpet, and he said: “There is no portion for us in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your own tents, O Israel.”

2 Et tout Israël abandonna le parti de David pour suivre Chéba, tandis que les hommes de Juda, depuis le Jourdain jusqu’à Jérusalem, restèrent attachés à leur roi.

And all of Israel separated from David, and they were following Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.

3 Le roi David, étant rentré dans sa demeure à Jérusalem, prit les dix concubines qu’il avait commises à la garde du palais et les mit dans un lieu de dépôt, où il pourvut à leurs besoins mais il n’approcha point d’elles, et elles restèrent séquestrées jusqu’au jour de leur mort, en état de veuvage perpétuel.

And when the king had entered his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women concubines, whom he had left behind to care for the house, and he put them into custody, allowing them provisions. But he did not enter to them. Instead, they were enclosed, even until the day of their deaths, living as widows.

4 Le roi dit à Amasa: "Rassemble-moi les hommes de Juda dans les trois jours, puis tu attendras ici."

Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon to me all the men of Judah on the third day, and you shall be present also.”

5 Amasa partit pour rassembler Juda, mais il dépassa le terme qui lui était assigné.

Therefore, Amasa went away, so that he might summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the agreed time that the king had appointed to him.

6 Alors David dit à Abisaï: "Chéba, fils de Bikhri, va maintenant devenir plus dangereux pour nous que ne fut Absalon. Prends, toi, les serviteurs de ton maître et mets-toi à sa poursuite: il pourrait avoir trouvé des villes fortes et échapper à nos regards."

And David said to Abishai: “Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, will afflict us more so than Absalom did. Therefore, take the servants of your lord, and pursue him, otherwise he may find fortified cities, and escape from us.”

7 A sa suite sortirent les gens de Joab, les Kerêthi et Pelêthi, tous les vaillants; ils partirent de Jérusalem à la poursuite de Chéba, fils de Bikhri.

And so, the men of Joab departed with him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And all the able-bodied men went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri.

8 Comme ils se trouvaient près de la grande pierre qui est à Gabaon, ils virent arriver Amasa. Joab était alors ceint de son costume de guerre, par-dessus lequel était le ceinturon de l’épée, fixée près de la cuisse dans son fourreau. Elle s’échappa tandis qu’il s’avançait.

And when they were beside the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a close-fitting coat of equal length with his garment. And over these, he was girded with a sword hanging down to his thigh, in a scabbard which was made so that the sword could be removed with the least motion, and then strike.

9 Joab dit à Amasa: "Comment vas-tu, mon frère?" et de la main droite il saisit la barbe d’Amasa pour l’embrasser.

Then Joab said to Amasa, “Be well, my brother.” And he held Amasa by the chin with his right hand, as if to kiss him.

10 Amasa ne se méfia pas de l’épée qui était dans la main de Joab; celui-ci l’en frappa dans l’aine, et les entrailles se répandirent à terre sans qu’il portât un second coup, et Amasa mourut, tandis que Joab, avec son frère Abisaï, poursuivait Chéba, fils de Bikhri.

But Amasa did not notice the sword that Joab had. And he struck him in the side, and his intestines poured out to the ground. And he did not inflict a second wound, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri.

11 Quelqu’un des serviteurs de Joab resta près du corps, en disant: "Qui aime Joab et qui tient pour David, que celui-là suive Joab!"

Meanwhile, certain men, from the company of Joab, when they had stopped beside the dead body of Amasa, said: “Behold, the one who wished to be in the place of Joab, the companion of David.”

12 Cependant Amasa se roulait dans son sang au milieu du chemin; l’homme, voyant que tout le peuple s’arrêtait là, transporta Amasa de la route dans un champ et jeta un manteau sur son corps, parce qu’il avait remarqué que tous ceux qui arrivaient près de lui s’arrêtaient.

Now Amasa was covered with blood, and was lying in the middle of the road. A certain man saw this, with all the people standing nearby to look at him, and he removed Amasa from the road into a field. And he covered him with a garment, so that those passing by would not stop because of him.

13 Une fois le corps enlevé de la route, chacun passa à la suite de Joab, afin de faire la chasse à Chéba, fils de Bikhri.

Then, when he had been removed from the road, all the men continued on, following Joab in the pursuit of Sheba, the son of Bichri.

14 Celui-ci traversa toutes les tribus d’Israël jusqu’à Abêl dit aussi Beth-Maakha et tous les Bêrim; les autres se massèrent, le suivirent aussi de près,

Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel into Abel and Bethmaacah. And all the elect men had gathered together to him.

15 et, arrivés, l’assiégèrent dans Abêl Beth-Maakha; ils dressèrent contre la ville un remblai qui atteignit l’avant-mur, et déjà toute la troupe de Joab faisait effort contre la muraille pour la renverser,

And so, they went and besieged him at Abel and Bethmaacah. And they surrounded the city with siege works, and the city was blockaded. Then the entire crowd who were with Joab strove to destroy the walls.

16 lorsqu’une femme avisée cria de la ville: "Ecoutez, écoutez! Dites à Joab d’approcher pour que je lui parle!"

And a wise woman exclaimed from the city: “Listen, listen, and say to Joab: Draw near, and I will speak with you.”

17 Et Joab s’approcha d’elle, et elle dit: "Es-tu Joab? Je le suis. Ecoute les paroles de ta servante. J’Écoute."

And when he had drawn near to her, she said to him, “Are you Joab?” And he responded, “I am.” And she spoke in this way to him, “Listen to the words of your handmaid.” He responded, “I am listening.”

18 Elle reprit en ces termes: "Il aurait fallu commencer par des pourparlers, c’est-à-dire interroger les habitants d’Abêl, et on eût ainsi tout terminé.

And again she spoke: “A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion.

19 Nous sommes parmi les plus paisibles et fidèles en Israël, et tu voudrais anéantir une ville, une métropole d’Israël! Pourquoi veux-tu supprimer l’héritage du Seigneur?

Am I not the one who responds with the truth in Israel? And yet you are seeking to overthrow the city, and to overturn a mother in Israel! Why would you cast down the inheritance of the Lord?”

20 Loin de moi, répondit Joab, loin de moi de vouloir supprimer ou détruire!

And responding, Joab said: “May this be far, may this be far from me! May I not cast down, and may I not demolish.

21 Tel n’est point le cas. Mais un homme de la montagne d’Ephraïm Chéba, fils de Bikhri, est son nom s’est insurgé contre le roi, contre David; livrez-le, lui seul, et je me retirerai de la ville. Eh bien! dit cette femme à Joab, sa tête te sera jetée par-dessus la muraille.

The matter is not as you said. Rather, a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver him alone, and we will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown down to you from the wall.’

22 Et elle harangua tout le peuple dans sa sagesse, et on trancha la tête à Chéba, fils de Bikhri, et on la jeta à Joab; il sonna du cor et, s’éloignant de la ville, chacun regagna sa tente, tandis que Joab retournait à Jérusalem auprès du roi.

Therefore, she entered to all the people, and she spoke to them wisely. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and they threw it down to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each one to his own tent. But Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Joab resta à la tête de l’armée d’Israël; Benaïa, fils de Joïada, commandait aux Kerêthi et Pelêthi;

Thus Joab was over the entire army of Israel. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cerethites and Phelethites.

24 Adoram était préposé aux impôts; Josaphat, fils d’Ahiloud, archiviste;

Yet truly, Adoram was over the tributes. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records.

25 Scheva, secrétaire; Çadok et Ebiathar, prêtres;

Now Sheva was the scribe. And truly Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.

26 et Ira, le Yaïri, lui aussi, était ministre de David.

But Ira, the Jairite, was the priest of David.