II Samuel 3

vattehi hammilkhamah arukkah ben bet sha'ul uven bet david vedavid holekh vekhazeq uvet sha'ul holekhim vedallim

The war between the House of Saul and the House of David was long-drawn-out; but David kept growing stronger, while the House of Saul grew weaker.

(vyldv) [vayyivvaledu] ledavid banim bekhevron vayehi vekhoro amnon la'akhino'am hayyizre'elit

Sons were born to David in Hebron: His first-born was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;

umishnehu khilav (lvygl) [la'avigayil] eshet naval hakkarmeli vehashelishi avshalom ben-ma'akhah bat-talmay melekh geshur

his second was Chileab, by Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;

veharevi'i adoniyyah ven-khaggit vehakhamishi shefatyah ven-avital

the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital;

vehashishi yitre'am le'eglah eshet david elleh yulledu ledavid bekhevron

and the sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

vayehi bihyot hammilkhamah ben bet sha'ul uven bet david ve'avner hayah mitkhazzeq bevet sha'ul

During the war between the House of Saul and the House of David, Abner supported the House of Saul.

ulesha'ul pilegesh ushemah ritspah vat-ayyah vayyomer el-avner maddua batah el-pilegesh avi

Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah; and [Ish-bosheth] said to Abner, “Why have you lain with my father’s concubine?”

vayyikhar le'avner me'od al-divre ish-boshet vayyomer harosh kelev anokhi asher lihudah hayyom e'eseh-khesed im-bet sha'ul avikha el-ekhayw ve'el-mere'ehu velo himtsitikha beyad-david vattifqod alay avon ha'isha hayyom

Abner was very upset by what Ish-bosheth said, and he replied, “Am I a dog’s head from Judah? Here I have been loyally serving the House of your father Saul and his kin and friends, and I have not betrayed you into the hands of David; yet this day—over this woman—you reproach me!

koh-ya'aseh elohim le'avner vekhoh yosif lo ki ka'asher nishba Adonai ledavid ki-khen e'eseh-llo

May God do thus and more to Abner if I do not do for David as GOD swore to him—

leha'avir hammamlakhah mibbet sha'ul ulehaqim et-kisse david al-yisra'el ve'al-yehudah middan ve'ad-be'er shava

to transfer the kingship from the House of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beer-sheba.”

velo-yakhol od lehashiv et-avner davar miyyirato oto

[Ish-bosheth] could say nothing more in reply to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

vayyishlakh avner malakhim el-david takhtav lemor lemi-arets lemor kortah veritekha itti vehinneh yadi immakh lehasev elekha et-kol-yisra'el

Abner immediately sent messengers to David, saying, “To whom shall the land belong?” and to say [further], “Make a pact with me, and I will help you and bring all Israel over to your side.”

vayyomer tov ani ekhrot ittekha berit akh davar ekhad anokhi sho'el me'ittekha lemor lo-tireh et-panay ki im-lifne hevi'akha et mikhal bat-sha'ul bevo'akha lirot et-panay

He replied, “Good; I will make a pact with you. But I make one demand upon you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come before me.”

vayyishlakh david malakhim el-ish-boshet ben-sha'ul lemor tenah et-ishti et-mikhal asher erasti li beme'ah orlot pelishtim

David also sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, to say, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bride-price of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”

vayyishlakh ish boshet vayyiqqakheha me'im ish me'im palti'el ben-[layish] (lvsh)

So Ish-bosheth sent and had her taken away from [her] husband, Paltiel son of Laish.

vayyelekh ittah ishah halokh uvakhoh akhareha ad-bakhurim vayyomer elayw avner lekh shuv vayyashov

Her husband walked with her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he followed her; then Abner ordered him to turn back, and he went back.

udevar-avner hayah im-ziqne yisra'el lemor gam-temol gam-shilshom heyitem mevaqshim et-david lemelekh alekhem

Abner had conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “You have wanted David to be king over you all along.

ve'attah asu ki Adonai amar el-david lemor beyad david avdi hoshia et-ammi yisra'el miyyad pelishtim umiyyad kol-oyevehem

Now act! For GOD has said concerning David: I will deliver My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and all its other enemies through My servant David.”

vayedabber gam-avner be'ozne vinyamin vayyelekh gam-avner ledabber be'ozne david bekhevron et kol-asher-tov be'ene yisra'el uve'ene kol-bet binyamin

Abner also talked with the Benjaminites; then Abner went and informed David in Hebron of all the wishes of Israel and of the whole House of Benjamin.

vayyavo avner el-david khevron ve'itto esrim anashim vayya'as david le'avner vela'anashim asher-itto mishteh

When Abner came to David in Hebron, accompanied by twenty men, David made a feast for Abner and the men with him.

vayyomer avner el-david aqumah ve'elekhah ve'eqbetsah el-adoni hammelekh et-kol-yisra'el veyikhretu ittekha berit umalakhta bekhol asher-te'avveh nafshekha vayeshallakh david et-avner vayyelekh beshalom

Abner said to David, “Now I will go and rally all Israel to Your Majesty. They will make a pact with you, and you can reign over all that your heart desires.” And David dismissed Abner, who went away unharmed.

vehinneh avde david veyo'av ba mehaggedud veshalal rav immam hevi'u ve'avner enennu im-david bekhevron ki shillekho vayyelekh beshalom

Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them; Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for he had been dismissed and had gone away unharmed.

veyo'av vekhol-hatsava asher-itto ba'u vayyaggidu leyo'av lemor ba-avner ben-ner el-hammelekh vayeshallekhehu vayyelekh beshalom

When Joab and the whole force with him arrived, Joab was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king, had been dismissed by him, and had gone away unharmed.

vayyavo yo'av el-hammelekh vayyomer meh asitah hinneh-va avner elekha lammah-zzeh shillakhto vayyelekh halokh

Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Here Abner came to you; why did you let him go? Now he has gotten away!

yadata et-avner ben-ner ki lefattotekha ba velada'at et-motsa'akha ve'et-[mova'ekha] (mvvkh) velada'at et kol-asher attah oseh

Don’t you know that Abner son of Ner came only to deceive you, to learn your comings and goings and to find out all that you are planning?”

vayyetse yo'av me'im david vayyishlakh malakhim akhare avner vayyashivu oto mibbor hassirah vedavid lo yada

Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David knew nothing about it.

vayyashov avner khevron vayyattehu yo'av el-tokh hasha'ar ledabber itto basheli vayyakkehu sham hakhomesh vayyamot bedam asahel akhiv

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside within the gate to talk to him privately; there he struck him in the belly. Thus [Abner] died for shedding the blood of Asahel, Joab’s brother.

vayyishma david me'akhare khen vayyomer naqi anokhi umamlakhti me'im Adonai ad-olam middeme avner ben-ner

Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “Both I and my kingdom are forever innocent before GOD of shedding the blood of Abner son of Ner.

yakhulu al-rosh yo'av ve'el kol-bet aviv ve'al-yikkaret mibbet yo'av zav umetsora umakhaziq bappelekh venofel bakherev vakhasar-lakhem

May [the guilt] fall upon the head of Joab and all his father’s house. May the house of Joab never be without someone suffering from a discharge or an eruption, or a male who handles the spindle, or one slain by the sword, or one lacking bread.”—

veyo'av va'avishay akhiv haregu le'avner al asher hemit et-asahel akhihem begivon bammilkhamah

Now Joab and his brother Abishai had killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel during the battle at Gibeon.—

vayyomer david el-yo'av ve'el-kol-ha'am asher-itto qiru vigdekhem vekhigru saqqim vesifdu lifne avner vehammelekh david holekh akhare hammittah

David then ordered Joab and all the troops with him to rend their clothes, gird on sackcloth, and make lament before Abner; and King David himself walked behind the bier.

vayyiqberu et-avner bekhevron vayyissa hammelekh et-qolo vayyevk el-qever avner vayyivku kol-ha'am

And so they buried Abner at Hebron; the king wept aloud by Abner’s grave, and all the troops wept.

vayeqonen hammelekh el-avner vayyomar hakkemot naval yamut avner

And the king intoned this dirge over Abner, “Should Abner have died the death of a churl?

yadekha lo-asurot veraglekha lo-linkhushtayim huggashu kinfol lifne vene-avlah nafaleta vayyosifu khol-ha'am livkot alayw

Your hands were not bound, Your feet were not put in fetters; But you fell as one falls Before treacherous men!” And all the troops continued to weep over him.

vayyavo khol-ha'am lehavrot et-david lekhem be'od hayyom vayyishava david lemor koh ya'aseh-lli elohim vekhoh yosif ki im-lifne vo-hashemesh etam-lekhem o khol-me'umah

All the troops came to urge David to eat something while it was still day; but David swore, “May God do thus to me and more if I eat bread or anything else before sundown.”

vekhol-ha'am hikkiru vayyitav be'enehem kekhol asher asah hammelekh be'ene khol-ha'am tov

All the troops took note of it and approved, just as all the troops approved everything else the king did.

vayyede'u khol-ha'am vekhol-yisra'el bayyom hahu ki lo hayetah mehammelekh lehamit et-avner ben-ner

That day all the troops and all Israel knew that it was not by the king’s will that Abner son of Ner was killed.

vayyomer hammelekh el-avadayw halo tede'u ki-sar vegadol nafal hayyom hazzeh beyisra'el

And the king said to his soldiers, “You well know that a prince, a great man in Israel, has fallen this day.

ve'anokhi hayyom rakh umashuakh melekh veha'anashim ha'elleh bene tseruyah qashim mimmenni yeshallem Adonai le'oseh hara'ah kera'ato

And today I am weak, even though anointed king; those involved, the sons of Zeruiah, are too savage for me. May GOD requite the wicked for their wickedness!”