2 USamuyeli 2
1 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uDavida wabuza uThixo wathi, “Ngingaya yini kwelinye lamadolobho akoJuda na?” UThixo wathi, “Hamba.” UDavida wabuza wathi, “Ngiye ngaphi na?” UThixo waphendula wathi, “EHebhroni.”
And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into Hebron.
2 Ngakho uDavida waya khonale labafazi bakhe ababili, u-Ahinowama waseJezerili lo-Abhigeli, umfelokazi kaNabhali waseKhameli.
So David went up, and his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:
3 UDavida wathatha amadoda ayelaye, leyo laleyo labendlu yayo, bayahlala eHebhroni lasemizini yakhona.
And the men also that were with him, David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.
4 Ngakho abantu bakoJuda bafika eHebhroni bamgcobela khona uDavida ukuba yinkosi yendlu kaJuda. Kwathi uDavida esetsheliwe ukuthi abantu baseJabheshi Giliyadi yibo ababengcwabe uSawuli,
And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Juda. And it was told David, that the men of Jabes Galaad had buried Saul.
5 wathuma izithunywa ebantwini baseJabheshi Giliyadi ukuba bayekuthi kubo, “UThixo kalibusise ngokubonakalisa umusa lo kuSawuli inkosi yenu ngokumgcwaba.
David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to your master Saul, and have buried him.
6 Sengathi khathesi uThixo angalitshengisa umusa lokwethembeka, njalo lami futhi ngizalitshengisa lona lolothando ngoba lenze lokhu.
And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth, and I also will, requite you for this good turn, because you have done this thing.
7 Khathesi-ke qinani libe lesibindi, ngoba uSawuli inkosi yenu usefile, njalo indlu yakoJuda isigcobe mina ukuba yinkosi yabo.”
Let your hands be strengthened, and be ye men of valour: for although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed me to be their king.
8 Ngalesisikhathi, u-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, umlawuli webutho likaSawuli, wayethethe u-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli wamletha ngaseMahanayimi.
But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul’s army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp?
9 Wamenza waba yinkosi yaseGiliyadi, e-Ashuri kanye leJezerili, eyako-Efrayimi, lakoBhenjamini kanye lo-Israyeli wonke.
And made him king over Galaad, and, over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 U-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli waba yinkosi yako-Israyeli eleminyaka engamatshumi amane ubudala bakhe, njalo wabusa iminyaka emibili. Kodwa indlu kaJuda yalandela uDavida.
Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over, Israel, and he reigned two years: and only the house of Juda followed David.
11 Isikhathi uDavida eyinkosi yendlu yakoJuda eHebhroni saba yiminyaka eyisikhombisa lezinyanga eziyisithupha.
And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.
12 U-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, ekanye labantu baka-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli, basuka eMahanayimi baya eGibhiyoni.
And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon.
13 UJowabi indodana kaZeruya kanye labantu bakaDavida baphuma bayahlangana labo echibini laseGibhiyoni. Elinye ixuku lahlala phansi ngakwelinye icele lechibi kwathi elinye lalo ixuku lahlala ngakwelinye icele.
And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out, and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together, they sat down over against one another: the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side.
14 U-Abhineri wasesithi kuJowabi, “Ezinye zezinsizwa kazisukume zilwe mathupha phambi kwethu.” UJowabi wathi, “Kulungile, kazikwenze lokho.”
And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.
15 Ngakho zasukuma zabalwa, abantu abalitshumi lambili bakoBhenjamini ngaku-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli letshumi lambili abakoDavida.
Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 Indoda ngayinye yabamba lowo eyayisilwa laye ngekhanda yatshonisa inkemba yayo emhlubulweni walowo eyayisilwa laye, bawela phansi bonke. Ngakho indawo leyo eGibhiyoni yathiwa yiHelikhathi Hazurimi.
And every one catching his fellow, by the head, thrust his sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together: and the name of the place was called: The field of the valiant, in Gabaon.
17 Impi ngalolosuku yayinzima, njalo u-Abhineri labantu bako-Israyeli behlulwa ngabantu bakaDavida.
And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.
18 Amadodana amathathu kaZeruya ayekhona: uJowabi, lo-Abhishayi kanye lo-Asaheli. U-Asaheli wayelejubane njengomziki.
And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael: now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.
19 Waxotshana lo-Abhineri, engaphambukeli kwesokudla loba kwesenxele lapho emxhuma.
And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 U-Abhineri wakhangela emuva kwakhe wabuza wathi, “Kanti nguwe, Asaheli?” Yena waphendula wathi, “Yimi.”
And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.
21 U-Abhineri wasesithi kuye, “Phambukela eceleni kwesokudla loba kwesenxele; ubambe enye yezinsizwa uyithathele izikhali zayo.” Kodwa u-Asaheli kayekelanga ukuxotshana laye.
And Abner said to him: Go to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael would not leave off following him close.
22 U-Abhineri wamxwayisa futhi wathi, “Yekela ukuxotshana lami. Kungani kumele ngikulahle phansi na? Ngingamkhangela njani ebusweni umfowethu uJowabi na?”
And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground, and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother.
23 Kodwa u-Asaheli wala ukuyekela ukuxotshana laye; ngakho u-Abhineri wamgwaza esiswini ngomcijo womkhonto wakhe, umkhonto waze wayathutsha emhlane wakhe. Wawela khonapho, wafela khonapho. Amadoda afika ema nxa efika endaweni lapho u-Asaheli ayewe wafela kuyo.
But he refused to hearken to him, and would not turn aside: wherefore Abner struck him with his spear with a back stroke in the groin, and thrust him through, and he died upon the spot: and all that came to the place where Asael fell down and died stood still.
24 Kodwa uJowabi lo-Abhishayi baxotshana lo-Abhineri, kwathi ilanga selitshona bafika eqaqeni lwase-Ama, eduzane leGiya endleleni yenkangala yaseGibhiyoni.
Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down: and they came as far as the hill of the aqueduct, that lieth over against the valley by the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.
25 Lapho-ke abantu bakoBhenjamini bema ngemva kuka-Abhineri. Benza ixuku bayajama phezu koqaqa.
And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being joined in one body, they stood on the top of a hill.
26 U-Abhineri wabiza uJowabi wathi, “Kanti inkemba sekumele idle kokuphela na? Kawuboni ukuthi kuzaphetha kabuhlungu na? Koze kube nini phambi kokuba ulaye abantu bakho ukuba bayekele ukuxotshana labafowabo na?”
And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair? how long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from pursuing after their brethren?
27 UJowabi waphendula wathi, “Ngeqiniso njengoba uNkulunkulu ekhona, aluba kawukhulumanga, amadoda la abezaxotshana labafowabo kuze kube sekuseni.”
And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner, even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing after their brethren.
28 Ngakho uJowabi watshaya icilongo, bonke abantu bakhe basebesima, kabasaxotshananga lo-Israyeli, kumbe babuye balwe futhi.
Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.
29 Ngalobobusuku bonke u-Abhineri labantu bakhe bahamba badabula i-Arabha. Bachapha iJodani, baqhubeka bedabula iBhethironi yonke baze bayafika eMahanayimi.
And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plains: and they passed the Jordan, and having gone through all Beth-horon, came to the camp.
30 UJowabi waphenduka ekuxotshaneni lo-Abhineri wasebuthanisa abantu bakhe bonke. Ngaphandle kuka-Asaheli abantu bakaDavida abalitshumi lasificamunwemunye batholakala bengekho.
And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David’s servants nineteen men, beside Asael.
31 Kodwa abantu bakaDavida babebulele abakoBhenjamini ababelo-Abhineri abangamakhulu amathathu lamatshumi ayisithupha.
But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.
32 Bathatha u-Asaheli bayamngcwaba ethuneni likayise eBhethilehema. Emva kwalokho uJowabi labantu bakhe bahamba ubusuku bonke bafika eHebhroni emadabukakusa.
And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem, and Joab, and the men that were with him, marched all the night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
