2 Samuel 3 – NIV & AKCB

New International Version

2 Samuel 3:1-39

1The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2Sons were born to David in Hebron:

His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;

3his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel;

the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

4the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;

the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

5and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah.

These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Goes Over to David

6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

8Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! 9May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath 10and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.” 11Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

12Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.”

13“Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.” 14Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

15So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.

17Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. 18Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’ ”

19Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do. 20When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. 21Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner

22Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.

24So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! 25You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”

26Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. 27Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.

28Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy3:29 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”

30(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

31Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. 32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.

33The king sang this lament for Abner:

“Should Abner have died as the lawless die?

34Your hands were not bound,

your feet were not fettered.

You fell as one falls before the wicked.”

And all the people wept over him again.

35Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”

36All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. 37So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

38Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

2 Samuel 3:1-39

1Ɔko 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.

2Eyinom ne Dawid mmabarima a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ Hebron:

Nʼabakan no din de Amnon a ɔyɛ Ahinoam a ofi Yesreel no babarima.

3Nea 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 Gesurhene3.3 Gesur yɛ Siria ahemman ketewa bi a ɛhɔ na Absalom kɔpɛɛ guankɔbea (13.37-38; 14.23). Talmai babea Maaka babarima.

4Nea ɔto so anan no din de Adoniya a ɔyɛ Hagit babarima;

nea ɔto so anum no din de Sefatia a ɔyɛ Abital babarima.

5Na nea ɔto so asia no din de Yitream a ɔyɛ Dawid yere Egla babarima.

Wɔwoo saa mma yi maa Dawid wɔ Hebron.

Abner Kɔdɔm Dawid

6Bere 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. 7Na 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?”

8Abner 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? 9Sɛ mammoa Dawid amma ne nsa anka nea Awurade hyɛɛ ho bɔ no a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no ɔnwene so. 10Mede Saulo ahenni bɛkɔ akɔma Dawid na matim Dawid ahengua ase wɔ Israel ne Yuda so afi Dan akosi Beer-Seba.” 11Esiane sɛ na Is-Boset suro Abner nti, wantumi ankasa bio.

12Afei, Abner tuu abɔfo kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Ma yɛnyɛ nhyehyɛe na mɛboa ama yɛadan Israelman mu no nyinaa ama wo.”

13Dawid 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.” 14Enti, 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.”

15Enti Is-Boset gyee Mikal fii ne kunu Paltiel a ɔyɛ Lais babarima no nsam. 16Na Paltiel de osu dii ɔbea no akyi koduu Bahurim. Na Abner ka kyerɛɛ no se, “San kɔ fie.” Na Paltiel san kɔɔ fie.

17Na Abner ne Israel ntuanofo adidi nkɔmmɔ. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Mmere kakra a atwam no, na mopɛ sɛ musi Dawid ɔhene. 18Bere no ni. Efisɛ Awurade aka se, ‘Mayi Dawid sɛ onnye me nkurɔfo mfi Filistifo ne wɔn atamfo nyinaa nsam.’ ”

19Abner san ne Benyamin abusua mu ntuanofo kasae. Afei, ɔkɔɔ Hebron kɔbɔɔ Dawid amanneɛ se, Israel nyinaa ne Benyamin taa wʼakyi. 20Bere a Abner ne ne mmarima aduonu baa Hebron no, Dawid too wɔn pon kɛse. 21Na 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.

Yoab Kum Abner

22Abner kɔe ara pɛ, Yoab ne Dawid asraafo no bi fi ɔsa mu bae a wokura asade bebree. 23Bere a wɔka kyerɛɛ Yoab se Abner baa hɔ nkyɛe koraa, na ɔbɛsraa ɔhene, ama ɔhene ama no kɔ asomdwoe mu no, 24Yoab yɛɛ ntɛm kohuu ɔhene bisaa no se, “Dɛn na woayɛ yi? Abner kɔ a womaa no kɔe yi, wokyerɛ dɛn? 25Wunim pefee sɛ, ɔbaa wo so sɛ ɔkwansrafo, bɛhwehwɛɛ nea woreyɛ nyinaa mu ana?”

26Ɛhɔ 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. 27Afei, 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.

28Akyiri no a Dawid tee asɛm no, ɔkae se, “Me ne mʼaheman nnim saa asɛm a ɛfa Abner yi ho hwee wɔ Awurade anim. 29Ne 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.”

30Yoab ne ne nuabarima Abisai kum Abner, efisɛ Abner kum wɔn nuabarima Asahel wɔ akono wɔ Gibeon.

Dawid Su Abner

31Na 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. 32Wosiee Abner wɔ Hebron, na ɔhene Dawid ne nnipa no nyinaa suu wɔ ne da no ho.

33Afei, ɔhene too saa kwadwom yi maa Abner:

“Ɛsɛ sɛ Abner wu sɛnea nkwaseafo wu ana?

34Wɔankyekyere wo nsa;

wɔangu wo nan nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn.

Dabi, wodii wo awu;

amumɔyɛfo atirimpɔw so ade.”

Nnipa no nyinaa suu Abner bio. 35Da 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.”

36Eyi sɔɔ nnipa no ani yiye. Nokware, biribiara a ɔhene no yɛe no sɔɔ ɔmanfo no ani. 37Eyi maa obiara a ɔte Yuda ne Israel no huu sɛ, ɛnyɛ ɔhene Dawid na okum Abner.

38Na ɔhene Dawid bisaa ɔmanfo no se, “Munhu sɛ ɔkannifo kɛse ne onipa kɛse atɔ fam nnɛ wɔ Israel ana? 39Na 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.”