Ii Samuelis 3
1 Facta est ergo longa concertatio inter domum Saul et inter domum David: David proficiscens, et semper seipso robustior, domus autem Saul decrescens quotidie.
Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 Natique sunt filii David in Hebron: fuitque primogenitus ejus Amnon, de Achinoam Jezraëlitide.
And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3 Et post eum Cheleab, de Abigail uxore Nabal Carmeli: porro tertius Absalom, filius Maacha filiæ Tholmai regis Gessur.
his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
4 Quartus autem Adonias, filius Haggith: et quintus Saphathia, filius Abital.
his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;
5 Sextus quoque Jethraam, de Egla uxore David: hi nati sunt David in Hebron.
and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.
6 Cum ergo esset prælium inter domum Saul et domum David, Abner filius Ner regebat domum Saul.
During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.
7 Fuerat autem Sauli concubina nomine Respha, filia Aja. Dixitque Isboseth ad Abner:
Meanwhile, Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
8 Quare ingressus es ad concubinam patris mei? Qui iratus nimis propter verba Isboseth, ait: Numquid caput canis ego sum adversum Judam hodie, qui fecerim misericordiam super domum Saul patris tui, et super fratres et proximos ejus, et non tradidi te in manus David, et tu requisisti in me quod argueres pro muliere hodie?
Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!
9 Hæc faciat Deus Abner, et hæc addat ei, nisi quomodo juravit Dominus David, sic faciam cum eo,
May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:
10 ut transferatur regnum de domo Saul, et elevetur thronus David super Israël et super Judam, a Dan usque Bersabee.
to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11 Et non potuit respondere ei quidquam, quia metuebat illum.
And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him.
12 Misit ergo Abner nuntios ad David pro se dicentes: Cujus est terra? et ut loquerentur: Fac mecum amicitias, et erit manus mea tecum, et reducam ad te universum Israël.
Then Abner sent messengers in his place to say to David, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and surely my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”
13 Qui ait: Optime: ego faciam tecum amicitias: sed unam rem peto a te, dicens: Non videbis faciem meam antequam adduxeris Michol filiam Saul: et sic venies, et videbis me.
“Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”
14 Misit autem David nuntios ad Isboseth filium Saul, dicens: Redde uxorem meam Michol, quam despondi mihi centum præputiis Philisthiim.
Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 Misit ergo Isboseth, et tulit eam a viro suo Phaltiel filio Lais.
So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.
16 Sequebaturque eam vir suus, plorans usque Bahurim: et dixit ad eum Abner: Vade, et revertere. Qui reversus est.
Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
17 Sermonem quoque intulit Abner ad seniores Israël, dicens: Tam heri quam nudiustertius quærebatis David ut regnaret super vos.
Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king.
18 Nunc ergo facite: quoniam Dominus locutus est ad David, dicens: In manu servi mei David salvabo populum meum Israël de manu Philisthiim, et omnium inimicorum ejus.
Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”
19 Locutus est autem Abner etiam ad Benjamin. Et abiit ut loqueretur ad David in Hebron omnia quæ placuerant Israëli et universo Benjamin.
Abner also spoke to the Benjamites and went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 Venitque ad David in Hebron cum viginti viris: et fecit David Abner, et viris ejus qui venerant cum eo, convivium.
When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.
21 Et dixit Abner ad David: Surgam, ut congregem ad te dominum meum regem omnem Israël, et ineam tecum fœdus, et imperes omnibus, sicut desiderat anima tua. Cum ergo deduxisset David Abner, et ille isset in pace,
Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
22 statim pueri David et Joab venerunt, cæsis latronibus, cum præda magna nimis: Abner autem non erat cum David in Hebron, quia jam dimiserat eum, et profectus fuerat in pace.
Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing with them a great plunder. But Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had sent him on his way in peace.
23 Et Joab, et omnis exercitus qui erat cum eo, postea venerunt: nuntiatum est itaque Joab a narrantibus: Venit Abner filius Ner ad regem, et dimisit eum, et abiit in pace.
When Joab and all his troops arrived, he was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, who sent him on his way in peace.”
24 Et ingressus est Joab ad regem, et ait: Quid fecisti? Ecce venit Abner ad te: quare dimisisti eum, et abiit et recessit?
So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!
25 ignoras Abner filium Ner, quoniam ad hoc venit ad te ut deciperet te, et sciret exitum tuum et introitum tuum, et nosset omnia quæ agis?
Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”
26 Egressus itaque Joab a David, misit nuntios post Abner, et reduxit eum a cisterna Sira, ignorante David.
As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David was unaware of it.
27 Cumque rediisset Abner in Hebron, seorsum adduxit eum Joab ad medium portæ ut loqueretur ei, in dolo: et percussit illum ibi in inguine, et mortuus est in ultionem sanguinis Asaël fratris ejus.
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
28 Quod cum audisset David rem jam gestam, ait: Mundus ego sum, et regnum meum apud Dominum usque in sempiternum, a sanguine Abner filii Ner:
Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29 et veniat super caput Joab, et super omnem domum patris ejus: nec deficiat de domo Joab fluxum seminis sustinens, et leprosus, et tenens fusum, et cadens gladio, et indigens pane.
May it whirl over the heads of Joab and the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.”
30 Igitur Joab et Abisai frater ejus interfecerunt Abner, eo quod occidisset Asaël fratrem eorum in Gabaon in prælio.
(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31 Dixit autem David ad Joab, et ad omnem populum qui erat cum eo: Scindite vestimenta vestra, et accingimini saccis, et plangite ante exequias Abner. Porro rex David sequebatur feretrum.
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
32 Cumque sepelissent Abner in Hebron, levavit rex David vocem suam, et flevit super tumulum Abner: flevit autem et omnis populus.
When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.
33 Plangensque rex, et lugens Abner, ait: Nequaquam ut mori solent ignavi, mortuus est Abner.
And the king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner die the death of a fool?
34 Manus tuæ ligatæ non sunt, et pedes tui non sunt compedibus aggravati: sed sicut solent cadere coram filiis iniquitatis, sic corruisti. Congeminansque omnis populus flevit super eum.
Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell.” And all the people wept over him even more.
35 Cumque venisset universa multitudo cibum capere cum David, clara adhuc die juravit David, dicens: Hæc faciat mihi Deus, et hæc addat, si ante occasum solis gustavero panem vel aliud quidquam.
Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
36 Omnisque populus audivit, et placuerunt eis cuncta quæ fecit rex in conspectu totius populi.
All the people took note and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.
37 Et cognovit omne vulgus et universus Israël in die illa, quoniam non actum fuisset a rege ut occideretur Abner filius Ner.
So on that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.
38 Dixit quoque rex ad servos suos: Num ignoratis quoniam princeps et maximus cecidit hodie in Israël?
Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great prince has fallen today in Israel?
39 Ego autem adhuc delicatus, et unctus rex: porro viri isti filii Sarviæ duri sunt mihi: retribuat Dominus facienti malum juxta malitiam suam.
And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”
