2 Samuel 3
1 Ɔko a ɛbɛtɔɔ wɔn a wɔwɔ Saulo afa ne wɔn a wɔwɔ Dawid afa no kyɛe yiye, na ne mfiase ni. Bere a Dawid adedi renya ahoɔden no na Saulo adedi no resɛe.
There was a long war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David. David's side grew stronger, while Saul's side grew weaker.
2 Eyinom ne Dawid mmabarima a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ Hebron: Nʼabakan no din de Amnon a ɔyɛ Ahinoam a ofi Yesreel no babarima.
David's sons born at Hebron were: Amnon (firstborn), by Ahinoam from Jezreel;
3 Nea ɔto so abien no din de Kileab a ɔyɛ Abigail a na ɔyɛ Nabal a ofi Karmel no kunabea babarima; nea ɔto so abiɛsa no din de Absalom a ɔyɛ Gesurhene Talmai babea Maaka babarima.
Chileab (second), by Abigail, Nabal's widow from Carmel; Absalom (third), by Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur:
4 Nea ɔto so anan no din de Adoniya a ɔyɛ Hagit babarima; nea ɔto so anum no din de Sefatia a ɔyɛ Abital babarima.
Adonijah (fourth), by Haggith; Shephatiah (fifth), by Abital;
5 Na nea ɔto so asia no din de Yitream a ɔyɛ Dawid yere Egla babarima. Wɔwoo saa mma yi maa Dawid wɔ Hebron.
Ithream (sixth), by David's wife Eglah. These were the sons born to David at Hebron.
6 Bere a na ɔko a ɛda Saulo fi ne Dawid fi no gu so no, na Abner agye din ama nʼankasa ne ho wɔ Saulo fi.
Abner had been strengthening his position among the supporters of Saul's dynasty during the war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David.
7 Na Saulo wɔ mpena bi a wɔfrɛ no Rispa, a ɔyɛ Aia babea. Na Is-Boset bisaa Abner se, “Adɛn nti na wo ne mʼagya mpena dae?”
Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. One day Ishbosheth accused Abner, saying “Why have you been sleeping with my father's concubine?”
8 Abner bo fuw yiye kae se, “Meyɛ akraman sodifo wɔ Yuda na wɔadwoodwoo me saa? Nea mayɛ ama wo ne wʼagya, a manyi mo amma Dawid no, mʼayeyi ne sɛ, mode ɔbea yi ho asɛm rekyekyere me?
Abner got extremely angry at Ishbosheth accusation. “Am I a dog's head siding with Judah?” he replied. “Right up to the present day I have been loyal to your dynasty—to your father Saul, and to his brothers and friends. I haven't betrayed you to David. But now you dare to accuse me of sinning with this woman!
9 Sɛ mammoa Dawid amma ne nsa anka nea Awurade hyɛɛ ho bɔ no a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no ɔnwene so.
So now may God punish me severely if I don't help David achieve what the Lord has promised him.
10 Mede Saulo ahenni bɛkɔ akɔma Dawid na matim Dawid ahengua ase wɔ Israel ne Yuda so afi Dan akosi Beer-Seba.”
I will hand over the kingdom from Saul's dynasty, and help set up David's rule over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11 Esiane sɛ na Is-Boset suro Abner nti, wantumi ankasa bio.
Ishbosheth didn't dare to say anything else to Abner because he was frightened of him.
12 Afei, Abner tuu abɔfo kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Ma yɛnyɛ nhyehyɛe na mɛboa ama yɛadan Israelman mu no nyinaa ama wo.”
Then Abner sent messengers to speak for him to David, saying, “Who does the country belong to anyway? Make an agreement with me, and you can be sure I'll be on your side to have all of Israel follow you.”
13 Dawid buae se, “Ɛyɛ asɛm papa, nanso me ne wo renyɛ saa nhyehyɛe no gye sɛ, sɛ woreba a, wode me yere Mikal a ɔyɛ Saulo babea no brɛ me.”
“Fine,” David replied, “I'll make an agreement with you. But I have one condition: I won't see you unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come.”
14 Enti, Dawid soma ma wɔkɔbɔɔ Saulo babarima Is-Boset amanneɛ se, “Ma me nsa nka me yere Mikal, efisɛ mede Filistifo ɔha nkwa na ɛtɔɔ no.”
Then David sent messengers tell Ishbosheth, son of Saul, “Give me back my wife Michal—I paid a dowry for her of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 Enti Is-Boset gyee Mikal fii ne kunu Paltiel a ɔyɛ Lais babarima no nsam.
Ishbosheth sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish.
16 Na Paltiel de osu dii ɔbea no akyi koduu Bahurim. Na Abner ka kyerɛɛ no se, “San kɔ fie.” Na Paltiel san kɔɔ fie.
Her husband followed her to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. Then Abner ordered him, “Go back home!” So he went home.
17 Na Abner ne Israel ntuanofo adidi nkɔmmɔ. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Mmere kakra a atwam no, na mopɛ sɛ musi Dawid ɔhene.
Abner spoke with the elders of Israel and said, “For a while now you have wanted to have David as your king.
18 Bere no ni. Efisɛ Awurade aka se, ‘Mayi Dawid sɛ onnye me nkurɔfo mfi Filistifo ne wɔn atamfo nyinaa nsam.’”
Now is the time to do it, because the Lord promised David, ‘Through my servant David I am going to save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies.’”
19 Abner san ne Benyamin abusua mu ntuanofo kasae. Afei, ɔkɔɔ Hebron kɔbɔɔ Dawid amanneɛ se, Israel nyinaa ne Benyamin taa wʼakyi.
Abner also talked to the people of Benjamin, and went to Hebron to let David know everything that the Israelites and the whole tribe of Benjamin had decided to do.
20 Bere a Abner ne ne mmarima aduonu baa Hebron no, Dawid too wɔn pon kɛse.
Abner came with twenty of his men to see David at Hebron, and David prepared a feast for them.
21 Na Abner ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Ma menkɔ na menkɔfrɛ Israel nnipa nyinaa na wɔmmra wʼafa. Wɔne wo bɛyɛ apam, na wɔasi wo hene. Na ɛbɛma woadi biribiara a wo koma pɛ so.” Enti Dawid maa Abner kɔɔ dwoodwoo.
Abner told David, “Let me go immediately and summon all of Israel to come together for my lord the king, so they may make an agreement with you, and that you may rule over all you would wish.” Then David sent Abner safely on his way.
22 Abner kɔe ara pɛ, Yoab ne Dawid asraafo no bi fi ɔsa mu bae a wokura asade bebree.
Soon after Joab and David's men came back from a raid, bringing with them a large amount of plunder. However, Abner wasn't there with David in Hebron because David had already sent him safely on his way in peace.
23 Bere a wɔka kyerɛɛ Yoab se Abner baa hɔ nkyɛe koraa, na ɔbɛsraa ɔhene, ama ɔhene ama no kɔ asomdwoe mu no,
When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, he was told, “Abner, son of Ner, came to see the king, who sent him safely on his way.”
24 Yoab yɛɛ ntɛm kohuu ɔhene bisaa no se, “Dɛn na woayɛ yi? Abner kɔ a womaa no kɔe yi, wokyerɛ dɛn?
Joab went to the king and asked, “What do you think you're doing? Here's Abner, who came to see you. Why on earth did you send him on his way? Now he's got clean away!
25 Wunim pefee sɛ, ɔbaa wo so sɛ ɔkwansrafo, bɛhwehwɛɛ nea woreyɛ nyinaa mu ana?”
You do see that Abner, son of Ner, came here to trick you, to spy on the movements of your army, and to find out everything you're doing!”
26 Ɛhɔ ara, Yoab fi Dawid nkyɛn, na ɔsomaa abɔfo sɛ wontiw Abner. Wɔkɔtoo no Sira ɔtare ho, twee no de no bae. Nanso na Dawid nnim ho hwee.
When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner. They met up with him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, but David didn't know anything about it.
27 Afei, Abner san kɔɔ Hebron no, Yoab frɛɛ no kɔɔ nkyɛn kosii ɔpon ano te sɛ nea ɔrekɔka kokoamsɛm akyerɛ no no. Na ɛhɔ no na esiane sɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔtɔ ne nuabarima Asahel so were no nti, Yoab wɔɔ Abner yafunu mu afoa ma owui.
When Abner arrived back in Hebron, Joab took him aside into the town gatehouse as if he was going to talk with him in private. But Joab stabbed him in the belly, killing him in revenge for killing Joab's brother Asahel.
28 Akyiri no a Dawid tee asɛm no, ɔkae se, “Me ne mʼaheman nnim saa asɛm a ɛfa Abner yi ho hwee wɔ Awurade anim.
When David heard about this later he said, “I and my kingdom are totally innocent before the Lord regarding the death of Abner, son of Ner!
29 Ne mogya ngu Yoab ne nʼagya fi so! Yoab fi de, awo ntoatoaso mu nyinaa, obi a watutu akuru anaa ɔyare kwata, nea ɔnam pema ho nantew anaa nea owu afoa ano ne nea ɔsrɛsrɛ aduan rempa hɔ da.”
May the guilt for his death fall on Joab and his family! May Joab's descendants always have someone who has running sores or leprosy or is crippled or who is killed by the sword or who is starving.”
30 Yoab ne ne nuabarima Abisai kum Abner, efisɛ Abner kum wɔn nuabarima Asahel wɔ akono wɔ Gibeon.
(This is why Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel during the battle at Gibeon.)
31 Na Dawid ka kyerɛɛ Yoab ne nnipa a wɔka ne ho no nyinaa se, “Munsunsuan mo ntama mu, na mumfura atweaatam. Muntwa Abner ho agyaadwo.” Na ɔhene Dawid ankasa dii santen a wɔato no akyi, kɔɔ ɔda no so.
Then David ordered Joab and everyone who was there, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David himself followed the body as it was carried to the grave.
32 Wosiee Abner wɔ Hebron, na ɔhene Dawid ne nnipa no nyinaa suu wɔ ne da no ho.
They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king cried loudly at the grave, along with all the people.
33 Afei, ɔhene too saa kwadwom yi maa Abner: “Ɛsɛ sɛ Abner wu sɛnea nkwaseafo wu ana?
The king sang this lament for Abner: “Did Abner deserve to die like a criminal?
34 Wɔankyekyere wo nsa; wɔangu wo nan nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn. Dabi, wodii wo awu; amumɔyɛfo atirimpɔw so ade.” Nnipa no nyinaa suu Abner bio.
Your hands were not tied together, your feet were not in shackles. But just like a murderer's victim, you too were killed.” All the people cried for him even more.
35 Da a wɔreyɛ ayi no, Dawid annidi da mu no nyinaa, maa afei, obiara srɛɛ no se onnidi. Nanso na Dawid aka ntam se, “Sɛ mididi ansa na owia akɔtɔ a, Onyankopɔn nkum me.”
Then people came to David and tried to persuade him to have something to eat during the day. But David swore an oath, saying, “May God punish me severely if I eat bread or anything else before sunset!”
36 Eyi sɔɔ nnipa no ani yiye. Nokware, biribiara a ɔhene no yɛe no sɔɔ ɔmanfo no ani.
Everyone saw this and thought it was the right thing to do, in the same way that they thought everything the king did was the right thing to do.
37 Eyi maa obiara a ɔte Yuda ne Israel no huu sɛ, ɛnyɛ ɔhene Dawid na okum Abner.
That day everyone in Judah and throughout Israel realized that David had not ordered Abner's murder.
38 Na ɔhene Dawid bisaa ɔmanfo no se, “Munhu sɛ ɔkannifo kɛse ne onipa kɛse atɔ fam nnɛ wɔ Israel ana?
Then the king said to his officers, “Don't you recognize that a commander and a truly great man has fallen in Israel today?
39 Na ɛwɔ mu sɛ me ne ɔhene a wɔasra no de, nanso Seruia mmabarima Yoab ne Abisai de, wɔyɛ den dodo ma me sɛ metumi aka wɔn ahyɛ. Ɛno nti, Awurade ntua saa mmarima amumɔyɛfo yi so ka wɔ wɔn amumɔyɛsɛm ho.”
I am weak right now, even though I'm anointed as king and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too powerful for me. But may the Lord repay the evil man according to the evil he has done.”
