1 This battle was the beginning of a long war between the followers of Saul and the followers of David. Saul's power grew weaker, but David's grew stronger.
David's Sons Born in Hebron
(1 Chronicles 3.1-4)2-5 Several of David's sons were born while he was living in Hebron. His oldest son was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. David's second son was Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, who had been married to Nabal from Carmel. Absalom was the third. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital. The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, another one of David's wives.
Abner Decides To Help David
6 As the war went on between the families of David and Saul, Abner was gaining more power than ever in Saul's family. 7 He had even slept with a wife of Saul by the name of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. But Saul's son Ishbosheth told Abner, “You shouldn't have slept with one of my father's wives!”
8 Abner was very angry because of what Ishbosheth had said, and he told Ishbosheth:
Am I some kind of worthless dog from Judah? I've always been loyal to your father's family and to his relatives and friends. I haven't turned you over to David. And yet you talk to me as if I've committed a crime with this woman.
9 I ask God to punish me if I don't help David get what the Lord promised him! 10 God said that he wouldn't let anyone in Saul's family ever be king again and that David would be king instead. He also said that David would rule both Israel and Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.
11 Ishbosheth was so afraid of Abner that he could not even answer.
12 Abner sent some of his men to David with this message: “You should be the ruler of the whole nation. If you make an agreement with me, I will persuade everyone in Israel to make you their king.”
13 David sent this message back: “Good! I'll make an agreement with you. But before I will even talk with you about it, you must get Saul's daughter Michal back for me.”
14 David sent a few of his officials to Ishbosheth to give him this message: “Give me back my wife Michal! I killed 100 Philistines so I could marry her.”
15 Ishbosheth sent some of his men to take Michal away from her new husband, Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Paltiel followed Michal and the men all the way to Bahurim, crying as he walked. But he went back home after Abner ordered him to leave.
17 Abner talked with the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “You've wanted to make David your king for a long time now. 18 So do it! After all, God said he would use his servant David to rescue his people Israel from their enemies, especially from the Philistines.”
19 Finally, Abner talked with the tribe of Benjamin. Then he left for Hebron to tell David everything that the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of the people of Israel wanted to do. 20 Abner took 20 soldiers with him, and when they got to Hebron, David gave a big feast for them.
21 After the feast, Abner said, “Your Majesty, let me leave now and bring Israel here to make an agreement with you. You'll be king of the whole nation, just as you've been wanting.”
David told Abner he could leave, and he left without causing any trouble.
Joab Kills Abner
22 Soon after Abner had left Hebron, Joab and some of David's soldiers came back, bringing a lot of things they had taken from an enemy village. 23 Right after they arrived, someone told Joab, “Abner visited the king, and the king let him go. Abner even left without causing any trouble.”
24 Joab went to David and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you, and you let him go. Now he's long gone! 25 You know Abner—he came to trick you. He wants to find out how strong your army is and to know everything you're doing.”
26 Joab left David, then he sent some messengers to catch up with Abner. They brought him back from the well at Sirah, but David did not know anything about it. 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pretended he wanted to talk privately with him. So he took Abner into one of the small rooms that were part of the town gate and stabbed him in the stomach. Joab killed him because Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel.
Abner's Funeral
28 David heard how Joab had killed Abner, and he said, “I swear to the Lord that I am completely innocent of Abner's death! 29 Joab and his family are the guilty ones. I pray that Joab's family will always be sick with sores and other skin diseases. May they all be cowards, and may they die in war or starve to death.”
30 Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 David told Joab and everyone with him, “Show your sorrow by tearing your clothes and wearing sackcloth! Walk in front of Abner's body and cry!”
David walked behind the stretcher on which Abner's body was being carried. 32 Abner was buried in Hebron, while David and everyone else stood at the tomb and cried loudly. 33 Then the king sang a funeral song about Abner:
Abner, why should you
have died like an outlaw?
34 No one tied your hands
or chained your feet,
yet you died as a victim
of murderers.
Everyone started crying again. 35 Then they brought some food to David and told him he would feel better if he had something to eat. It was still daytime, and David said, “I swear to God that I won't take a bite of bread or anything else until sunset!”
36 Everyone noticed what David did, and they liked it, just as they always liked what he did. 37 Now the people of Judah and Israel were certain that David had nothing to do with killing Abner.
38 David said to his officials, “Don't you realize that today one of Israel's great leaders has died? 39 I am the chosen king, but Joab and Abishai have more power than I do. So God will have to pay them back for the evil thing they did.”
1 Keloo meŋ keta Sawulu la moolu niŋ Dawuda la moolu teema, ye waati jaŋ ne taa. Dawuda semboo ka tu lafaa la le doroŋ, bari Sawulu la moolu, wolu semboo ka tu dooyaa la le.
Dawuda dinkewolu
2 Ñiŋ dinkee wooroo, Dawuda ye wolu le soto Heburoni, aduŋ ì siyaata ñoo ti ñaameŋ, a be safeeriŋ wo le ñaama:
Amunoni, wo baamaa mu Ahinowamu le ti, meŋ bota Yesireeli. 3 Kileyabu, wo baamaa mu Abikali le ti, Nabali la furuyaamusoo, meŋ bota Karimeli. Abusalomu, wo baamaa mu Maaka le ti, Mansa Talimayi dimmusoo, meŋ bota Kesuri. 4 Adoniya, wo baamaa mu Hakiti le ti. Sefatiya, wo baamaa mu Abitali le ti. 5 Itireyamu, wo baamaa mu Ekila le ti.
Dawuda le ye ñinnu bee wuluu Heburoni.
Abuna taata Dawuda la karoo la
6 Waatoo meŋ na keloo be Sawulu la moolu niŋ Dawuda la moolu teema, Abuna tarata a faŋ bambandi la Sawulu la moolu le la karoo la.
7 Saayiŋ, Sawulu ye kaŋ foroyandi musu* doo le soto nuŋ, meŋ too mu Risipa ti, aduŋ a keta Ayahu le dimmusoo ti. Bituŋ Isiboseti ko Abuna ye ko, “Muŋ ne ye a tinna, i niŋ m faamaa la kaŋ foroyandi musoo* kafuta?” 8 Isiboseti la kumoolu ye Abuna kamfandi baake le, a ko a ye ko, “Fo nte ye wulumaañaa le ke Yahuuda moolu la karoo la baŋ? Bii luŋo faŋo le n tilinta i faamaa Sawulu baadiŋolu bee aniŋ a teeroolu ye, aduŋ m maŋ ite duŋ Dawuda bulu. Saayiŋ i ka naa n tuumi musoo la kuwo la. 9-10 Yaawe* ye Dawuda laahidi ñiŋ ne la ko, a be mansamarali bankoo buusi la Sawulu bulu le, aniŋ a koomalankoolu. Aduŋ a be Dawuda ke la Banisirayila niŋ Yahuuda bee la mansa ti le, ka bo bankoo tonkoŋ fo a tonkoŋ. Allamaa Alla ye n halaki, niŋ m maŋ ñiŋ kumoo tooñaayandi.” 11 Isiboseti maŋ kuma fo Abuna ye kotenke, kaatu a maŋ haañi a la.
12 Wo to le Abuna ye kiilaalu kii Dawuda yaa niŋ a too la, ka a fo a ye ko, “Jumaa le ñanta ñiŋ bankoo mara la? I niŋ ŋa kambeŋo siti, aduŋ m be i maakoyi la le, fo Banisirayilankoolu bee ye soŋ i ma.”
13 Dawuda ko a ye ko, “A beteyaata. N niŋ i be kambeŋo siti la le. Bari n lafita kuu kiliŋ ne la i bulu. Kana naa n yaa, fo niŋ i ye Sawulu dimmusoo Mikali samba n ye naŋ, niŋ i lafita ka n je.” 14 Dawuda fanaa ye kiilaalu kii Isiboseti Sawulu dinkewo ye le, ka a fo a ye ko, “N na musoo Mikali dii n na. Ŋa Filisitinka keme solimaa kunturiŋolu le joo, wo koolaa n naata a futuu.” 15 Wo to le Isiboseti ye kiilaa kii, ka a taa a keemaa Palitiyeli bulu, meŋ keta Layisi dinkewo ti. 16 A keemaa taata a nooma, a be kumboo la, fo ì futata Bahurimu. Wo to le Abuna ko a ye ko, “Muruŋ suwo kono.” Bituŋ a muruta.
17 Abuna niŋ Banisirayilankoolu la keebaalu kacaata, aduŋ a ko, “Waati le sotota, ali lafita ka Dawuda ke ali la mansa ti. 18 Saayiŋ ali a ke, kaatu Yaawe ye Dawuda laahidi ñiŋ ne la ko, ‘Ka bo niŋ n na dookuulaa Dawuda la, m be n na moolu Banisirayilankoolu tankandi la Filisitinkoolu ma le aniŋ ì jawoolu bee.’ ” 19 Abuna diyaamuta Benjamini lasili moolu fanaa ye le. Wo to le a taata Heburoni, ka a fo Dawuda ye, Banisirayilankoolu niŋ Benjamini lasili moolu lafita meŋ bee ke la.
20 Kabiriŋ Abuna meŋ niŋ kee muwaŋ tarata ñoo kaŋ taata Dawuda yaa Heburoni, a ye feetoo le ke Abuna niŋ a la kewolu ye. 21 Abuna ko Dawuda ye ko, “M batu, ŋa taa Banisirayilankoolu bee bendi, ka ì hakiloo yelemandi ite m maarii mansa ye, fo i niŋ ì si kambeŋo siti. Aduŋ fanaa i lafita daa-wo-daa la, i si jee bee mara.” Bituŋ Dawuda ye Abuna bula, a taata kayiroo kono.
Yowabu ye Abuna faa
22 Wo waatoo Yowabu niŋ Dawuda la kewolu bota naŋ ñapinkaŋo le la, aduŋ ì ye feŋ jamaa le ñapinkaŋ. Bari Abuna maŋ tara Dawuda yaa Heburoni, kaatu Dawuda ye a bula le, a taata kayiroo kono. 23 Biriŋ Yowabu niŋ kelediŋolu mennu be a fee futata, ì ye a fo a ye ko, Abuna Neri dinkewo naata mansa yaa le, aduŋ a ye a bula le, a taata kayiroo kono. 24 Wo to le Yowabu taata mansa yaa, a ko a ye ko, “Ite ye muŋ ne ke? Abuna naata i yaa. Muŋ ne ye a tinna, i ye a bula, fo a taata? 25 I ye a loŋ ne ko, Abuna Neri dinkewo naata le, ka i neenee, fo a si i la kulloolu bee loŋ, aniŋ ka i la kuwolu bee kisikisi.”
26 Wo to le Yowabu bota Dawuda yaa, a ye kiilaalu kii, ka bula Abuna nooma. Kiilaalu taata, aduŋ ì ye a murundi naŋ ne, ka bo naŋ Sira koloŋo to. Bari Dawuda maŋ a kalamuta. 27 Saayiŋ, biriŋ Abuna muruta Heburoni, Yowabu ye a samba saatee dundaŋ daa kara la, fo a niŋ a si kulloo. Jee le to, a naata i joo a doo Asaheli la saayaa la. Yowabu ye a soo a konoo le to, a faata. 28 Kabiriŋ Dawuda ye ñiŋ kibaaroo moyi, a ko, “Yaawe si ke nte niŋ n na mansamarali bankoo seedoo ti ko, m̀ maŋ feŋ loŋ Abuna Neri dinkewo la saayaa to. 29 Allamaa kooroo boyi la Yowabu niŋ a la dimbaayaa bee kaŋ. Aduŋ fanaa ì la jamaani-wo-jamaani, kewo ye tara jee, meŋ ye maadiŋ jawoo soto, balafata kuuraŋ jawoo, kewo ye tara jee, meŋ ye musu dookuwo dammaa noo, waraŋ ì ye a faa keloo kono, waraŋ a kana domori siiriŋ soto, a be meŋ domo la.” 30 Yowabu niŋ a baadiŋo Abisayi ye Abuna faa le, kaatu a ye ì doo Asaheli le faa keloo kono, meŋ keta Kibeyoni.
Ì ye Abuna baadee
31 Wo to le Dawuda ko, Yowabu niŋ a la kewolu ye ì la dendikoolu fara, ì ye booto funtoo duŋ, ka Abuna saŋakumboo. Biriŋ ì be taa a baadee la, Mansa Dawuda faŋo tarata furee keesoo kooma le. 32 Ì ye Abuna baadee Heburoni le, aduŋ Mansa kumboobaata Abuna la kaburoo to le. Moolu fanaa bee kumboota le.
33 Mansa ye ñiŋ woosii suukuwo le laa Abuna ye:
“Fo Abuna be faa la le baŋ, ko moo kuruŋo ka faa ñaameŋ?
34 I bulu maŋ kada, i siŋ maŋ kada.
I la saayaa ka munta le ko,
moo kuruŋo ye moo meŋ faa.”
Wo to le moolu kumboota kotenke.
35 Bituŋ ì bee naata ka Dawuda maaneenee, fo a si feŋ domo tiloo la, bari a ye tawoo le taa, ka a fo ko, “Allamaa Alla ye n halaki kendeke, niŋ ŋa mbuuroo waraŋ feŋ-wo-feŋ nene, janniŋ tiloo ka boyi.” 36 Moolu bee ye a je le, aduŋ ì kontaanita feŋ-wo-feŋ to le, Mansa ye meŋ ke. 37 Wo luŋo moolu niŋ Banisirayilankoolu bee ye a loŋ ne ko, mansa maŋ feŋ loŋ, Abuna Neri dinkewo la saayaa to. 38 Wo to le mansa ko a la kewolu ye ko, “Fo ali maŋ a kalamuta ko, mansariŋo niŋ moo baa le faata Banisirayila kono bii luŋo. 39 Bii luŋo nte le mu mansa ti, Alla ye meŋ tomboŋ, bari Seruya ñiŋ dinkewolu semboo warata nte ti le. Allamaa Yaawe ye kuu jawu baaralaa joo a la kuu jawu kewolu la.”
