2 Samuel 3

1 Hubo una larga guerra entre los del bando de Saúl y los del bando de David. El bando de David se fortalecía, mientras que el de Saúl se debilitaba.

There was a long war between those who wanted Saul’s son to be their king and those who wanted David to be their king. But more and more people began to want David to be the king, while the number of people who wanted Saul’s son to be the king continued to become smaller.

2 Los hijos de David nacidos en Hebrón fueron: Amnón (primogénito), cuya madre fue Ahinoam de Jezreel;

David’s wives gave birth to six sons at Hebron. The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam, from Jezreel [city].

3 Queliab (segundo), cuya madre fue Abigail, viuda de Nabal, de Carmel; Absalón (tercero), cuya madre fue Maaca, hija del rey Talmai, de Gesur;

The next one was Kileab, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, from Carmel [city]. The next one was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the king of [the] Geshur [region].

4 Adonías (cuarto), cuya madre fue Haguit; Sefatías (quinto), cuya madre fue Abital;

The next one was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The next one was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.

5 Itream (sexto), cuya madre fue Egla, esposa de David. Esos fueron los hijos que le nacieron a David en Hebrón.

The youngest one was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, [another one of] David’s wives. Those sons of David were all born in Hebron.

6 Abner había estado fortaleciendo su posición entre los partidarios de la dinastía de Saúl durante la guerra entre los del bando de Saúl y los del bando de David.

While those who wanted Saul’s son to rule over them and those who wanted David to rule over them continued to fight against each other, Abner was becoming more influential among those who wanted Saul’s son to be the king.

7 Saúl tenía una concubina llamada Rizpa, hija de Aia. Un día Isboset acusó a Abner, diciendo: “¿Por qué te has acostado con la concubina de mi padre?”.

When Saul was alive, he had as one of his wives a slave woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. [But one day Abner had sexual relations with her]. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you had sexual relations with [EUP] my father’s slave wife?”

8 Abner se enfadó mucho ante la acusación de Isboset. “¿Acaso soy un cabeza de perro que se pone del lado de Judá?”, respondió. “Hasta el día de hoy he sido leal a tu dinastía, a tu padre Saúl y a sus hermanos y amigos. No te he traicionado con David. ¡Pero ahora te atreves a acusarme de pecar con esta mujer!

Abner became very angry about what Ishbosheth said to him. He said to Ishbosheth, “(Do you think that I am a [worthless] dog [MET] from Judah?/You are treating me as though I am a [worthless] dog [MET] from Judah.) [RHQ] From the beginning, I have been loyal to Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends. And I have prevented you from being defeated by David’s army. So now (why are you criticizing me about [what I have done with] some woman?/you should not be criticizing me about [what I have done with] some woman.) [RHQ]

9 ¡Que Dios me castigue severamente si no ayudo a David a cumplir lo que el Señor le ha prometido!

Yahweh solemnly promised that he would not allow Saul and his descendants to continue to rule. He promised that he would cause David to rule over all the tribes of Israel and Judah, from Dan [city] far in the north to Beersheba [city] far in the south. So I hope/desire that God will punish me severely [HYP] if I do not enable that to happen!”

10 Entregaré el reino de la dinastía de Saúl y ayudaré a establecer el gobierno de David sobre Israel y Judá, desde Dan hasta Beerseba”.

11 Isboset no se atrevió a decirle nada más a Abner porque le tenía miedo.

Ishbosheth was very afraid of Abner, so he did not say anything in reply to Abner.

12 Entonces Abner envió mensajeros para que hablaran en su nombre con David, diciéndole: “Después de todo ¿a quién pertenece el país? Haz un acuerdo conmigo, y puedes estar seguro de que estaré de tu lado para que todo Israel te siga”.

Then Abner sent messengers to David [when he was at Hebron], to say to him, “[Either you or I] should be [RHQ] the ruler of this entire nation, [but not Isbosheth. However, ] if you make an agreement with me, I will help you by encouraging all the people of Israel to (be want you to be their king/start to support) you.”

13 “Bien”, respondió David, “haré un acuerdo contigo. Pero tengo una condición: No te veré a menos que traigas a la hija de Saúl, Mical, cuando vengas”.

David sent back this reply: “Good! I am willing to make an agreement with you. But before that happens, there is one thing that you must do. When you come to see me, you must bring my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter.”

14 Entonces David envió mensajeros para decirle a Isboset, hijo de Saúl: “Devuélveme a mi mujer Mical; pagué por ella una dote de cien prepucios filisteos”.

Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, to say to him, “I [had to kill] 100 men from Philistia [and cut off] their foreskins to give to Saul to pay for Michal [to be my wife]. So now give her back to me!”

15 Isboset envió a buscarla y se la quitó a su marido Paltiel, hijo de Laish.

So Ishbosheth sent some men to take Michal from her husband Palti. But [when they took her, ] her husband followed them all the way to Bahurim [town], crying as he went.

16 Su marido la siguió hasta la ciudad de Bahurim, llorando mientras iba. Entonces Abner le ordenó: “¡Vuelve a casa!”. Así que se fue a su casa.

Then Abner [turned and] said to him, “Go back [home]!”, so he did.

17 Abner habló con los ancianos de Israel y les dijo: “Hace tiempo que quieren tener a David como rey.

Abner went to the Israeli leaders and talked with them. He said, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king.

18 Ahora es el momento de hacerlo, porque el Señor le prometió a David: ‘Por medio de mi siervo David voy a salvar a mi pueblo Israel de los filisteos y de todos sus enemigos’”.

So now you have an opportunity to do that. Keep in mind that Yahweh promised this: ‘With the help of David, who serves me [well], I will rescue my people from the people of Philistia, and from the power [MTY] of all their other enemies’.”

19 Abner también habló con la gente de Benjamín y fue a Hebrón para comunicarle a David todo lo que los israelitas y toda la tribu de Benjamín habían decidido hacer.

Abner also spoke to the people of the tribe of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron, to tell David what all the people of Israel and the people of the tribe of Benjamin had agreed to do.

20 Abner fue con veinte de sus hombres a ver a David a Hebrón, y David les preparó un banquete.

When Abner came with 20 of his soldiers to see David at Hebron, David made a feast for all of them.

21 Entonces Abner le dijo a David: “Déjame ir inmediatamente y convocar a todo Israel para una reunión con mi señor el rey, para que se pongan de acuerdo contigo y puedas gobernar todo lo que quieras”. Entonces David envió a Abner sano y salvo.

Afterwards, Abner said to David, “Sir/Your majesty, I will now go and encourage all the people of Israel to accept you to be their king, as you have desired.” Then Abner left, peacefully.

22 Poco después, Joab y los hombres de David regresaron de una incursión, trayendo consigo una gran cantidad de botín. Sin embargo, Abner no estaba con David en Hebrón porque éste ya lo había enviado sano y salvo en paz.

Soon after that, Joab and some of David’s other soldiers returned [to Hebron] after raiding [one of their enemies’ villages], bringing with them a lot of things that they had captured. But Abner was not there at Hebron, because David had sent him safely home.

23 Cuando Joab y todo el ejército que lo acompañaba llegaron, le dijeron: “Abner, hijo de Ner, vino a ver al rey, quien lo envió sano y salvo”.

When Joab and the soldiers who were with him arrived, someone told him that Abner had come there and talked with the king, and that the king allowed to go home safely.

24 Joab fue a ver al rey y le preguntó: “¿Qué crees que estás haciendo? Aquí está Abner, que ha venido a verte. ¿Por qué motivo lo enviaste por el camino? ¡Ahora se ha escapado limpiamente!

So Joab went to the king and said, “Why have you done that? Listen to me! Abner [is your enemy, but] when he came to you, you allowed him [RHQ] to leave!

25 ¿Te da cuenta de que Abner, hijo de Ner, vino a engañarte, a espiar los movimientos de tu ejército y a averiguar todo lo que haces?”

Do you not know that he came to you to deceive you and to find out everything that you are doing, and all the places that you go to?”

26 Cuando Joab salió de la presencia de David, envió mensajeros tras Abner. Lo encontraron en el pozo de Sira y lo trajeron de vuelta, pero David no sabía nada al respecto.

After Joab left David, he sent some messengers to get Abner. They found him at Sirah Well, and brought him back to Hebron, but David did not know that they had done that.

27 Cuando Abner regresó a Hebrón, Joab lo llevó aparte a la puerta de la ciudad, como si fuera a hablar con él en privado. Pero Joab lo apuñaló en el vientre, matándolo en venganza por haber matado a Asael, el hermano de Joab.

So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab met him at the city gate, and took him aside as though he wanted to speak with him privately. Then he stabbed Abner in the stomach [with his knife/sword]. In that way he murdered Abner because Abner had killed [MTY] Joab’s brother Asahel.

28 Y cuando David se enteró de esto, dijo: “¡Yo y mi reino somos totalmente inocentes ante el Señor en lo que respecta a la muerte de Abner, hijo de Ner!

Later, after David heard what had happened, he said, “Yahweh knows that I and the people of my kingdom are not at all (responsible for/guilty of) murdering [MTY] Abner.

29 Que la culpa de su muerte caiga sobre Joab y su familia. Que los descendientes de Joab siempre tengan a alguien que tenga llagas, o lepra, o esté lisiado o que lo maten a espada, o que se muera de hambre”.

I hope/desire that Joab and all his family will be punished [MTY] for doing that! I hope/desire that there will always be someone in his family who has sores, or someone who is a leper, or some man who is forced to do women’s work, or someone who is killed in a battle, or someone who does not have enough food to eat!”

30 (Por eso Joab y su hermano Abisai mataron a Abner, porque éste había matado a su hermano Asael durante la batalla de Gabaón).

That is how Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

31 Entonces David les ordenó a Joab y a todos los que estaban allí: “Rasguen sus ropas, pónganse silicio y hagan duelo por Abner”. El mismo rey David siguió el cuerpo mientras lo llevaban a la tumba.

Then David said to Joab and to all Joab’s soldiers, “Tear your clothes and put on coarse cloth [to show that you are sad], and mourn for Abner!” And [at the funeral], King David walked behind [the men who were carrying] the coffin.

32 Enterraron a Abner en Hebrón, y el rey lloró a gritos ante la tumba, junto con todo el pueblo.

They buried Abner’s body at Hebron. And at the grave, the king cried loudly, and all the other people also cried.

33 El rey cantó este lamento por Abner: “¿Merecía Abner morir como un criminal?

David sang this sad song to lament for Abner: “It is not right that [RHQ] Abner died like outlaws die!

34 Sus manos no estaban atadas, sus pies no tenían grilletes. Pero al igual que la víctima de un asesino, tú también fuiste asesinado”. Todo el pueblo lloró aún más por él.

No one tied his hands or put chains on his feet, [like they do to criminals]. No, he was murdered by wicked men!”

35 Entonces la gente se acercó a David y trataron de persuadirlo para que comiera algo durante el día. Pero David hizo un juramento, diciendo: “¡Que Dios me castigue severamente si como pan o cualquier otra cosa antes de la puesta del sol!”

Then many [HYP] people came to David to tell him to eat some food before sunset, but David refused. He said, “I hope/desire that God will punish me severely [HYP] if I eat any food before the sun goes down!”

36 Todos vieron esto y pensaron que era lo correcto, de la misma manera que pensaban que todo lo que hacía el rey era lo correcto.

All the people saw what David did, and they were pleased. Truly, everything that the king did pleased the people.

37 Ese día todos en Judá y en todo Israel se dieron cuenta de que David no había ordenado el asesinato de Abner.

So all the people realized that the king had not wanted Abner to be killed.

38 Entonces el rey dijo a sus oficiales: “¿No reconocen que hoy ha caído en Israel un comandante y un hombre verdaderamente grande?

The king said to his officials, “(Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has died today in Israel?/You should realize that a leader and a great man has died today in Israel.) [RHQ]

39 En este momento soy débil, a pesar de haber sido ungido como rey, y estos hombres, los hijos de Sarvia, son demasiado poderosos para mí. Pero que el Señor pague al hombre malo según el mal que haya hecho”.

Even though Yahweh appointed me to be the king, today I feel weak. These two sons of Zeruiah, [Joab and Abishai], are very violent; I cannot control them. So I hope/desire that Yahweh will punish them severely in return for this wicked thing that they have done!”