2 USamuyeli 3
1 Kwakukhona-ke impi isikhathi eside phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida; kodwa uDavida waya eqina, kodwa indlu kaSawuli yaya isiba buthakathaka.
Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 Kwasekuzalelwa uDavida amadodana eHebroni; lezibulo lakhe lalinguAmnoni kaAhinowama umJizereyelikazi;
Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam from Jezreel.
3 leyesibili yakhe yayinguKileyabi kaAbigayili umkaNabali umKharmeli; eyesithathu yayinguAbisalomu indodana kaMahaka indodakazi kaTalimayi, inkosi yeGeshuri;
His second son, Kileab, was born to Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third, Absalom, was son of Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
4 leyesine yayinguAdonija indodana kaHagithi; leyesihlanu yayinguShefathiya indodana kaAbithali;
David's fourth son, Adonijah, was the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah son of Abital,
5 leyesithupha yayinguIthereyamu kaEgila, umkaDavida. Laba bazalelwa uDavida eHebroni.
and the sixth, Ithream, was the son of David's wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.
6 Kwasekusithi kuselempi phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida, uAbhineri waziqinisa endlini kaSawuli.
It came about during the war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.
7 Njalo uSawuli wayelomfazi omncane, obizo lakhe lalinguRizipha indodakazi kaAya; uIshiboshethi wasesithi kuAbhineri: Ungeneleni emfazini omncane kababa?
Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you slept with my father's concubine?”
8 UAbhineri wasethukuthela kakhulu ngenxa yamazwi kaIshiboshethi, wathi: Ngilikhanda lenja yini mina ongokaJuda? Lamuhla ngenzela indlu kaSawuli uyihlo umusa, kubafowabo, lakubangane bakhe, kangikunikelanga esandleni sikaDavida, ukuthi ungibeka icala ngowesifazana lamuhla?
Then Abner was very angry at the words of Ishbosheth and said, “Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I am showing faithfulness to the house of Saul, your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, by not delivering you into the hand of David. But now you accuse me of an offense concerning this woman?
9 UNkulunkulu enze njalo kuAbhineri, engezelele ngokunjalo kuye, ngeqiniso, njengoba iNkosi ifungile kuDavida, qotho, ngizakwenza njalo kuye,
May God do so to me, Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as Yahweh has sworn to him,
10 ukudlulisa umbuso usuka endlini kaSawuli, lokumisa isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida phezu kukaIsrayeli laphezu kukaJuda, kusukela koDani kuze kufike eBherishebha.
to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11 Njalo wayengelakumphendula uAbhineri ngalizwi futhi, ngoba wayemesaba.
Ishbosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
12 UAbhineri wasethuma izithunywa kuDavida esikhundleni sakhe, esithi: Ngelikabani ilizwe? Esithi: Yenza isivumelwano sakho lami; khangela-ke, isandla sami sizakuba lawe ukuphendulela uIsrayeli wonke kuwe.
Then Abner sent messengers to David to speak for him saying, “Whose land is this? Make a covenant with me, and you will see that my hand is with you, to bring all Israel to you.”
13 Wasesithi: Kulungile; mina ngizakwenza isivumelwano lawe, kodwa yinye into engiyifuna kuwe, ngeyokuthi kawuyikubona ubuso bami, ngaphandle kokuthi ulethe kuqala uMikhali indodakazi kaSawuli, lapho usizabona ubuso bami.
David answered, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require from you is that you cannot see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.”
14 UDavida wasethuma izithunywa kuIshiboshethi indodana kaSawuli, esithi: Nginika umkami uMikhali engamgana ngamajwabu aphambili alikhulu amaFilisti.
Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid a price of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 UIshiboshethi wasethumela, wamthatha endodeni yakhe, kuPalitiyeli indodana kaLayishi.
So Ishbosheth sent for Michal and took her from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish.
16 Kodwa indoda yakhe yahamba laye, ihamba ikhala inyembezi ngemva kwakhe kwaze kwaba seBahurimi. UAbhineri wasesithi kuyo: Hamba, buyela. Yasibuyela.
Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Return home now.” So he returned.
17 UAbhineri wasesiba lenkulumo labadala bakoIsrayeli esithi: Ngezikhathi ezidlulileyo lalifuna uDavida ukuthi abe yinkosi phezu kwenu.
Abner spoke with the elders of Israel saying, “In the past you were trying to have David be king over you.
18 Khathesi-ke, kwenzeni, ngoba iNkosi ikhulumile ngoDavida ukuthi: Ngesandla senceku yami uDavida ngizakhulula abantu bami uIsrayeli esandleni samaFilisti lesandleni sazo zonke izitha zabo.
Now do it. For Yahweh has spoken of David saying, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'”
19 UAbhineri wasekhuluma futhi endlebeni zakoBhenjamini; uAbhineri njalo wasesiyakhuluma endlebeni zikaDavida eHebroni konke okwakukuhle emehlweni akoIsrayeli lemehlweni endlu yonke yakoBhenjamini.
Abner also spoke personally to the people of Benjamin. Then Abner went also to speak with David in Hebron to explain everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin desired to accomplish.
20 Ngakho uAbhineri wafika kuDavida eHebroni elamadoda angamatshumi amabili; uDavida wasesenzela uAbhineri lamadoda ayelaye idili.
When Abner and twenty of his men arrived in Hebron to see David, David had a feast prepared for them.
21 UAbhineri wasesithi kuDavida: Ngizasukuma ngihambe, ngibuthanise uIsrayeli wonke enkosini yami, inkosi, ukuze benze isivumelwano lawe, lokuthi ubuse kukho konke umphefumulo wakho okufisayo. UDavida waseyekela uAbhineri ukuthi ahambe, wasehamba ngokuthula.
Abner explained to David, “I will arise and gather all Israel to you, my master the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, so that you may reign over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and Abner left in peace.
22 Khangela-ke, izinceku zikaDavida loJowabi bafika bevela ekuhlaseleni beza belempango enkulu. Kodwa uAbhineri wayengekho kuDavida eHebroni, ngoba wayemyekele ukuthi ahambe, wahamba ngokuthula.
Then the soldiers of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much plunder with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. David had sent him away, and Abner had left in peace.
23 Esefikile uJowabi lebutho lonke elalilaye, bamtshela uJowabi besithi: UAbhineri indodana kaNeri ubefikile enkosini, imyekele wahamba; wahamba ngokuthula.
When Joab and all the army with him arrived, they told Joab, “Abner son of Ner came to the king, and the king has sent him away, and Abner left in peace.”
24 UJowabi wasesiya enkosini, wathi: Wenzeni? Khangela, uAbhineri ubefikile kuwe; pho, umyekeleleni ukuthi ahambe, wahamba lokuhamba?
Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you! Why have you sent him away, and he is gone?
25 Uyamazi uAbhineri indodana kaNeri ukuthi ulande ukukukhohlisa, lokwazi ukuphuma kwakho lokungena kwakho, lokwazi konke okwenzayo.
Do you not know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to discover your plans and learn everything you are doing?”
26 Esephumile uJowabi kuDavida wathuma izithunywa ukulandela uAbhineri, ezambuyisa emthonjeni weSira; kodwa uDavida wayengakwazi lokho.
When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah, but David did not know this.
27 UAbhineri esebuyile eHebroni, uJowabi wamphambulela eceleni phakathi kwesango ukuze akhulume laye ngasese; wasemtshaya lapho kubambo lwesihlanu waze wafa, ngenxa yegazi likaAsaheli umfowabo.
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly. There Joab stabbed him in the stomach and killed him. In this way, Joab avenged the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 Kwathi uDavida esekuzwile emva kwalokho wathi: Mina lombuso wami kasilacala phambi kweNkosi kuze kube nininini ngegazi likaAbhineri indodana kaNeri.
When David heard about this he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before Yahweh forever regarding the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29 Kalihlale phezu kwekhanda likaJowabi lendlini yonke kayise. Kakungaqunywa endlini kaJowabi ogobhozayo, kumbe umlephero, kumbe odondolozelayo, kumbe owa ngenkemba, kumbe oswela ukudla.
Let the guilt of Abner's death fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house. May there never fail to be in the family of Joab someone who has a flowing sore or skin disease or who is lame and must walk with a staff or who is killed by the sword or who goes without food.”
30 Ngokunjalo uJowabi loAbishayi umfowabo bambulala uAbhineri, ngoba wayebulele umfowabo uAsaheli eGibeyoni empini.
So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battle.
31 UDavida wasesithi kuJowabi lakubo bonke abantu ababelaye: Dabulani izigqoko zenu, libhince amasaka, lilile phambi kukaAbhineri. Inkosi uDavida yasilandela ithala.
David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner's body.” Now King David walked behind the body in the funeral procession.
32 UAbhineri basebemngcwabela eHebroni; inkosi yasiphakamisa ilizwi layo yakhala inyembezi engcwabeni likaAbhineri, labantu bonke bakhala inyembezi.
They buried Abner in Hebron. The king wept and cried loudly at the tomb of Abner, and all the people also wept.
33 Inkosi yamenzela uAbhineri isililo yathi: Afe uAbhineri njengokufa kwesithutha yini?
The king lamented for Abner and sang, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Izandla zakho bezingabotshwanga, lenyawo zakho bezingafakwanga emaketaneni; njengowela phambi kwabantu ababi uwile. Bonke abantu basebephinda bemkhalela inyembezi.
Your hands were not bound. Your feet were not shackled. As a man falls before the sons of injustice, so you have fallen.” Once more all the people wept over him.
35 Bonke abantu basebesiza ukumenza uDavida ukuthi adle ukudla kusesemini; kodwa uDavida wafunga esithi: Kenze njalo uNkulunkulu kimi engezelele ngokunjalo, uba nginambitha ukudla loba okunye nje lingakatshoni ilanga.
All the people came to make David eat while it was still day, but David swore, “May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.”
36 Kwathi bonke abantu bekunanzelela, kwaba kuhle emehlweni abo; njengakho konke eyakwenzayo inkosi, kwaba kuhle emehlweni abo bonke abantu.
All the people took notice of David's grief, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased them.
37 Ngoba bonke abantu loIsrayeli wonke bazi ngalolosuku ukuthi kwakungeyisikho okwenkosi ukubulala uAbhineri indodana kaNeri.
So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's desire to kill Abner son of Ner.
38 Inkosi yasisithi encekwini zayo: Kalazi yini ukuthi kuwe induna lomkhulu koIsrayeli lamuhla?
The king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?
39 Lami lamuhla ngibuthakathaka, njalo ngigcotshwe ngaba yinkosi; lalamadoda, amadodana kaZeruya, alukhuni kulami. INkosi izavuza umenzi wobubi njengobubi bakhe.
Now I am weak today, though I am an anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May Yahweh repay the evildoer by punishing him for his wickedness, as he deserves.”
