< 2 Samuel 2 >

1 Dịka oge na-aga, Devid jụrụ Onyenwe anyị ase sị, “M ga-ebili gbagoo nʼotu obodo dị na Juda?” Onyenwe anyị sịrị, “Gbagoo.” Devid jụkwara, “Olee ebe m ga-agbago?” Onyenwe anyị zara, “Hebrọn.”
Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.
2 Devid na nwunye ya abụọ, Ahinoam onye Jezril, na Abigel nwunye ochie Nebal onye Kamel gara nʼebe ahụ.
So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
3 Devid kpọkwaara ndị ikom ahụ ya na ha so, onye ọbụla nʼime ha durukwaara ezinaụlọ ya, ga biri na Hebrọn na obodo ndị ọzọ gbara ya gburugburu.
David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
4 Ndị ikom Juda bịakwutere Devid na Hebrọn. Tee ya mmanụ ịbụ eze ebo Juda niile. Mgbe Devid nụrụ na ọ bụ ndị ikom Jebesh Gilead liri Sọl,
Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
5 o zigaara ha ndị ozi ka ha sị ha, “Ka Onyenwe anyị gọzie unu nʼihi obiọma unu gosiri site nʼili Sọl, nna unu ukwu, nʼụzọ kwesiri ekwesi.
So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
6 Ka Onyenwe anyị gosikwa unu obiọma na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi. Mụ onwe m ga-egosikwa unu otu ụdị amara a, nʼihi ihe a unu mere.
Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.
7 Ma ugbu a, bụrụnụ dike na dimkpa, nʼihi na Sọl nna unu ukwu anwụọla. Ọzọkwa, ndị Juda niile eteela m mmanụ ịbụ eze ha.”
Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”
8 Ma Abna nwa Nea, ọchịagha ndị agha Sọl edurularịị Ishboshet, nwa Sọl, dubata ya nʼobodo Mahanaim.
Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
9 Ọ nọrọ nʼebe ahụ mee ya eze ndị Gilead, ndị Ashuri na ndị Jezril; na ndị Ifrem, ndị Benjamin na Izrel niile.
and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.
10 Ishboshet nwa Sọl gbara iri afọ anọ mgbe ọ ghọrọ eze ndị Izrel. Ọ chịkwara afọ abụọ. Ma otu ọ dị, ndị Juda niile nọgidere nʼokpuru Devid.
Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
11 Ogologo oge niile Devid chịrị dịka eze ndị Juda na Hebrọn bụ afọ asaa na ọnwa isii.
And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 Otu ụbọchị, Abna nwa Nea, duuru ndị agha Ishboshet nwa Sọl site na Mahanaim jee Gibiọn.
One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 Ma Joab, nwa Zeruaya dukwaara ndị agha Devid pụọ izute ha nʼọdọ mmiri Gibiọn. Otu ndị nọdụrụ ala nʼotu akụkụ ọdọ mmiri, ndị nke ọzọ nʼakụkụ ọzọ nke ọdọ mmiri ahụ. Ha cherịtara onwe ha ihu.
So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14 Abna gwara Joab sị, “Ka ụfọdụ ụmụ okorobịa pụta nʼihu anyị maa aka mgba.” Joab sịrị, “Ka ha pụta.”
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15 Ha pụtara ka a gụpụtachara ha. Ha dị mmadụ iri na abụọ site nʼetiti ndị agha Benjamin na Ishboshet nwa Sọl, mmadụ iri na abụọ site nʼetiti ndị agha Devid.
So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
16 Nwoke ọbụla jidere ibe ya nʼisi were mma agha ya manye ya nʼakụkụ, si otu a wetara onwe ha ọnwụ. Ọ bụ nke a mere e ji kpọọ ebe ahụ dị na Gibiọn, Helkat Hazurim, nke pụtara Ala mma agha.
Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.
17 Agha siri ike dara nʼụbọchị ahụ. Ma ndị agha Devid lụgburu Abna na ndị agha Izrel.
The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
18 Ụmụ Zeruaya atọ nọ nʼebe ahụ, ya bụ, Joab, na Abishai na Asahel. Asahel bụ nwoke na-agba ọsọ dịka mgbada.
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
19 Ọ chụwara Abna ọsọ, ọ dịghị mgbe ọ tụgharịrị gaa nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe mgbe ọ nọ na-achụ ya ọsọ.
and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
20 Mgbe Abna lere anya nʼazụ hụ ya ka ọ na-abịa, ọ kpọrọ ya oku sị ya, “Ọ bụ gị Asahel?” Asahel zara sị, “Ọ bụ m.”
And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.
21 Abna gwara ya okwu sị ya, “Tụgharịa nʼakụkụ aka nri maọbụ aka ekpe, jide otu nʼime ụmụ okorobịa ndị a. Napụ ya ngwa agha ya niile.” Ma Asahel akwụsịghị ịchụ ya ọsọ.
So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22 Abna gwara Asahel ọzọ sị, “Laghachi azụ. Kwụsị ịchụ m ọsọ! Gịnị mere m ga-eji tigbuo gị? Olee otu m ga-esi lekwasị nwanne gị Joab anya nʼihu ma m gbuo gị?”
Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
23 Ma Asahel jụrụ ịlaghachi azụ. Nʼihi ya, Abna weere isi ùbe ya mapuo ya afọ. Ùbe ahụ sikwa ya nʼazụ pụta. Ọ dara nʼala, nwụọ otu mgbe ahụ. Ndị niile bịaruru ebe ahụ ọ dara nwụọ kwụsịrị. Ha agakwaghị nʼihu ịchụ ndị ọzọ.
But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 Ma Joab na Abishai chụgidere Abna ọsọ. Anwụ adaala mgbe ha bịarutere nʼugwu nta Ama, nke dị Gịa nso, nʼụzọ e si aga nʼọzara Gibiọn.
But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 Ndị ikom Benjamin chịkọtara onwe ha ọnụ dịnyere Abna. Ha niile guzooro nʼelu otu ugwu dịka otu usuu ndị agha.
The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.
26 Mgbe ahụ, Abna kpọrọ Joab oku sị ya, “Ọ bụ ruo ole mgbe ka anyị ga na-eji mma agha na-egburita onwe anyị? Olee mgbe ị ga-akpọghachi ndị gị ka ha hapụ ịchụ na igbu ụmụnne ha? Ị maghị na ihe dị otu a ga-eweta obi ilu?”
Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
27 Joab zara sị, “Eji m aha Chineke ṅụọ iyi na-asị na ọ bụrụ na i gbara nkịtị, ndị a gaara achụso ụmụnna ha ọsọ na-akwụsịghị ruo nʼụtụtụ echi.”
“As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”
28 Mgbe ahụ, Joab fụrụ opi ike ya. Nke a mere ka ndị ya kwụsị ịchụ ndị Izrel. Ha kwụsịkwara ibu agha.
So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.
29 Nʼabalị ahụ, Abna na ndị ikom ya jere ije gafee ndagwurugwu Jọdan, gabigakwa osimiri Jọdan, jee ije nʼụtụtụ echi ya tutu ha eruo Mahanaim.
And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.
30 Joab kwụsịrị ịchụ Abna ọsọ, ọ chịkọtara ndị agha niile. Mgbe ọ gụrụ ha ọnụ, ọ chọpụtara na mmadụ iri na itoolu nʼime ndị ikom Devid, tinyere Asahel nwanne ya, bụ ndị na-alọtaghị agha.
When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,
31 Ma ndị ikom Devid gburu narị ndị agha Benjamin atọ na iri isii, bụ ndị so Abna.
but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.
32 Emesịa, Joab na ndị agha ya buuru ozu Asahel gaa lie ya na Betlehem, nʼili nna ya. Ha jere ije abalị ahụ niile tutu ha erute Hebrọn mgbe chi bidoro ịbọ.
Later, they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

< 2 Samuel 2 >