2 Samuel 2

1 Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.

1 وَكَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ دَاوُدَ سَأَلَ ٱلرَّبَّ قَائِلًا: «أَأَصْعَدُ إِلَى إِحْدَى مَدَائِنِ يَهُوذَا؟» فَقَالَ لَهُ ٱلرَّبُّ: «ٱصْعَدْ». فَقَالَ دَاوُدُ: «إِلَى أَيْنَ أَصْعَدُ؟» فَقَالَ: «إِلَى حَبْرُونَ».

2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

2 فَصَعِدَ دَاوُدُ إِلَى هُنَاكَ هُوَ وَٱمْرَأَتَاهُ أَخِينُوعَمُ ٱلْيَزْرَعِيلِيَّةُ وَأَبِيجَايِلُ ٱمْرَأَةُ نَابَالَ ٱلْكَرْمَلِيِّ.

3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.

3 وَأَصْعَدَ دَاوُدُ رِجَالَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُ، كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ وَبَيْتَهُ، وَسَكَنُوا فِي مُدُنِ حَبْرُونَ.

4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

4 وَأَتَى رِجَالُ يَهُوذَا وَمَسَحُوا هُنَاكَ دَاوُدَ مَلِكًا عَلَى بَيْتِ يَهُوذَا. وَأَخْبَرُوا دَاوُدَ قَائِلِينَ: «إِنَّ رِجَالَ يَابِيشِ جِلْعَادَ هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ دَفَنُوا شَاوُلَ».

5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.

5 فَأَرْسَلَ دَاوُدُ رُسُلًا إِلَى أَهْلِ يَابِيشِ جِلْعَادَ يَقُولُ لَهُمْ: «مُبَارَكُونَ أَنْتُمْ مِنَ ٱلرَّبِّ، إِذْ قَدْ فَعَلْتُمْ هَذَا ٱلْمَعْرُوفَ بِسَيِّدِكُمْ شَاوُلَ فَدَفَنْتُمُوهُ.

6 Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.

6 وَٱلْآنَ لِيَصْنَعِ ٱلرَّبُّ مَعَكُمْ إِحْسَانًا وَحَقًّا، وَأَنَا أَيْضًا أَفْعَلُ مَعَكُمْ هَذَا ٱلْخَيْرَ لِأَنَّكُمْ فَعَلْتُمْ هَذَا ٱلْأَمْرَ.

7 Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”

7 وَٱلْآنَ فَلْتَتَشَدَّدْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَكُونُوا ذَوِي بَأْسٍ، لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ سَيِّدُكُمْ شَاوُلُ، وَإِيَّايَ مَسَحَ بَيْتُ يَهُوذَا مَلِكًا عَلَيْهِمْ».

8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,

8 وَأَمَّا أَبْنَيْرُ بْنُ نَيْرٍ، رَئِيسُ جَيْشِ شَاوُلَ، فَأَخَذَ إِيشْبُوشَثَ بْنَ شَاوُلَ وَعَبَرَ بِهِ إِلَى مَحَنَايِمَ،

9 and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.

9 وَجَعَلَهُ مَلِكًا عَلَى جِلْعَادَ وَعَلَى ٱلْأَشُّورِيِّينَ وَعَلَى يَزْرَعِيلَ وَعَلَى أَفْرَايِمَ وَعَلَى بَنْيَامِينَ وَعَلَى كُلِّ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

10 Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

10 وَكَانَ إِيشْبُوشَثُ بْنُ شَاوُلَ ٱبْنَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً حِينَ مَلَكَ عَلَى إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَمَلَكَ سَنَتَيْنِ. وَأَمَّا بَيْتُ يَهُوذَا فَإِنَّمَا ٱتَّبَعُوا دَاوُدَ.

11 And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

11 وَكَانَتِ ٱلْمُدَّةُ ٱلَّتِي مَلَكَ فِيهَا دَاوُدُ فِي حَبْرُونَ عَلَى بَيْتِ يَهُوذَا سَبْعَ سِنِينَ وَسِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ.

12 One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

12 وَخَرَجَ أَبْنَيْرُ بْنُ نَيْرٍ وَعَبِيدُ إِيشْبُوشَثَ بْنِ شَاوُلَ مِنْ مَحَنَايِمَ إِلَى جِبْعُونَ.

13 So Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

13 وَخَرَجَ يُوآبُ ٱبْنُ صَرُويَةَ وَعَبِيدُ دَاوُدَ، فَٱلْتَقَوْا جَمِيعًا عَلَى بِرْكَةِ جِبْعُونَ، وَجَلَسُوا هَؤُلَاءِ عَلَى ٱلْبِرْكَةِ مِنْ هُنَا وَهَؤُلَاءِ عَلَى ٱلْبِرْكَةِ مِنْ هُنَاكَ.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.

14 فَقَالَ أَبْنَيْرُ لِيُوآبَ: «لِيَقُمِ ٱلْغِلْمَانُ وَيَتَكَافَحُوا أَمَامَنَا». فَقَالَ يُوآبُ: «لِيَقُومُوا».

15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

15 فَقَامُوا وَعَبَرُوا بِٱلْعَدَدِ، ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ لِأَجْلِ بَنْيَامِينَ وَإِيشْبُوشَثَ بْنِ شَاوُلَ، وَٱثْنَا عَشَرَ مِنْ عَبِيدِ دَاوُدَ.

16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.

16 وَأَمْسَكَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ بِرَأْسِ صَاحِبِهِ وَضَرَبَ سَيْفَهُ فِي جَنْبِ صَاحِبِهِ وَسَقَطُوا جَمِيعًا. فَدُعِيَ ذَلِكَ ٱلْمَوْضِعُ «حِلْقَثَ هَصُّورِيمَ»، ٱلَّتِي هِيَ فِي جِبْعُونَ.

17 The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

17 وَكَانَ ٱلْقِتَالُ شَدِيدًا جِدًّا فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ، وَٱنْكَسَرَ أَبْنَيْرُ وَرِجَالُ إِسْرَائِيلَ أَمَامَ عَبِيدِ دَاوُدَ.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,

18 وَكَانَ هُنَاكَ بَنُو صَرُويَةَ ٱلثَّلَاثَةُ: يُوآبُ وَأَبِيشَايُ وَعَسَائِيلُ. وَكَانَ عَسَائِيلُ خَفِيفَ ٱلرِّجْلَيْنِ كَظَبْيِ ٱلْبَرِّ.

19 and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.

19 فَسَعَى عَسَائِيلُ وَرَاءَ أَبْنَيْرَ، وَلَمْ يَمِلْ فِي ٱلسَّيْرِ يَمْنَةً وَلَا يَسْرَةً مِنْ وَرَاءِ أَبْنَيْرَ.

20 And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.

20 فَٱلْتَفَتَ أَبْنَيْرُ إِلَى وَرَائِهِ وَقَالَ: «أَأَنْتَ عَسَائِيلُ؟» فَقَالَ: «أَنَا هُوَ».

21 So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

21 فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبْنَيْرُ: «مِلْ إِلَى يَمِينِكَ أَوْ إِلَى يَسَارِكَ وَٱقْبِضْ عَلَى أَحَدِ ٱلْغِلْمَانِ وَخُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ سَلَبَهُ». فَلَمْ يَشَأْ عَسَائِيلُ أَنْ يَمِيلَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ.

22 Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”

22 ثُمَّ عَادَ أَبْنَيْرُ وَقَالَ لِعَسَائِيلَ: «مِلْ مِنْ وَرَائِي. لِمَاذَا أَضْرِبُكَ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ؟ فَكَيْفَ أَرْفَعُ وَجْهِي لَدَى يُوآبَ أَخِيكَ؟»

23 But Asahel refused to turn away. So Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

23 فَأَبَى أَنْ يَمِيلَ، فَضَرَبَهُ أَبْنَيْرُ بِزُجِّ ٱلرُّمْحِ فِي بَطْنِهِ، فَخَرَجَ ٱلرُّمْحُ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ، فَسَقَطَ هُنَاكَ وَمَاتَ فِي مَكَانِهِ. وَكَانَ كُلُّ مَنْ يَأْتِي إِلَى ٱلْمَوْضِعِ ٱلَّذِي سَقَطَ فِيهِ عَسَائِيلُ وَمَاتَ يَقِفُ.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

24 وَسَعَى يُوآبُ وَأَبِيشَايُ وَرَاءَ أَبْنَيْرَ، وَغَابَتِ ٱلشَّمْسُ عِنْدَمَا أَتَيَا إِلَى تَلِّ أَمَّةَ ٱلَّذِي تُجَاهَ جِيحَ فِي طَرِيقِ بَرِّيَّةِ جِبْعُونَ.

25 The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.

25 فَٱجْتَمَعَ بَنُو بَنْيَامِينَ وَرَاءَ أَبْنَيْرَ وَصَارُوا جَمَاعَةً وَاحِدَةً، وَوَقَفُوا عَلَى رَأْسِ تَلٍّ وَاحِدٍ.

26 Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

26 فَنَادَى أَبْنَيْرُ يُوآبَ وَقَالَ: «هَلْ إِلَى ٱلْأَبَدِ يَأْكُلُ ٱلسَّيْفُ؟ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّهَا تَكُونُ مَرَارَةً فِي ٱلْأَخِيرِ؟ فَحَتَّى مَتَى لَا تَقُولُ لِلشَّعْبِ أَنْ يَرْجِعُوا مِنْ وَرَاءِ إِخْوَتِهِمْ؟»

27 “As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”

27 فَقَالَ يُوآبُ: «حَيٌّ هُوَ ٱللهُ، إِنَّهُ لَوْ لَمْ تَتَكَلَّمْ لَكَانَ ٱلشَّعْبُ فِي ٱلصَّبَاحِ قَدْ صَعِدَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ وَرَاءِ أَخِيهِ».

28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.

28 وَضَرَبَ يُوآبُ بِٱلْبُوقِ فَوَقَفَ جَمِيعُ ٱلشَّعْبِ وَلَمْ يَسْعَوْا بَعْدُ وَرَاءَ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَا عَادُوا إِلَى ٱلْمُحَارَبَةِ.

29 And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.

29 فَسَارَ أَبْنَيْرُ وَرِجَالُهُ فِي ٱلْعَرَبَةِ ذَلِكَ ٱللَّيْلَ كُلَّهُ وَعَبَرُوا ٱلْأُرْدُنَّ، وَسَارُوا فِي كُلِّ ٱلشُّعَبِ وَجَاءُوا إِلَى مَحَنَايِمَ.

30 When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,

30 وَرَجَعَ يُوآبُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ أَبْنَيْرَ وَجَمَعَ كُلَّ ٱلشَّعْبِ. وَفُقِدَ مِنْ عَبِيدِ دَاوُدَ تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا وَعَسَائِيلُ.

31 but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.

31 وَضَرَبَ عَبِيدُ دَاوُدَ مِنْ بَنْيَامِينَ وَمِنْ رِجَالِ أَبْنَيْرَ، فَمَاتَ ثَلَاثُ مِئْةَ وَسِتُّونَ رَجُلًا.

32 And they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

32 وَرَفَعُوا عَسَائِيلَ وَدَفَنُوهُ فِي قَبْرِ أَبِيهِ ٱلَّذِي فِي بَيْتِ لَحْمٍ. وَسَارَ يُوآبُ وَرِجَالُهُ ٱللَّيْلَ كُلَّهُ وَأَصْبَحُوا فِي حَبْرُونَ.