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 Kyila rite madaro lakole lidri se kabe oso katidri Saulo ro vo ndi lidri se kabe oso katidri Dawidi ro vo be ya. Ago Dawidi ugu a'dote mbara be ndra, ago ànya se kabe oso katidri Saulo ro vo ugu a'dote mbaraako pari.
Ŋgwàagoro Dawidi ro se Ätibe Eberona ya
(1 Ambâ 3:1-4)2 Ŋgwàagoro kwoi ätite Dawidi ri Eberona ya; ŋgwa kayo ndaro ni Amonona, endre na ni Ainoama se ni Jezerela yasi ana; 3 ŋgwa ṛiri ndaro ni Kileaba, endre na ni Abigaila ävuzi Nabala se ni Karemela yasi ana; ago ŋgwa nina ni Abisolomo, endre na ni Maka ŋguti Talamai 'bädri'ba Gesura ro ro. 4 Ŋgwa lisu ni Adonija endre na ni Agita, ŋgwa linji ni Sefatia, endre na ni Abitala. 5 Ŋgwa njidrialona ni Iterama, endre na ni toko Dawidi ro Egela. Ŋgwàagoro se cini kwoi ätite Dawidi ri Eberona ya.
Abinera Dro'berute Dawidi be
6 Ondro Kyila oye lakole lidri se kosobe katidri Saulo ro vo ndi lidri se kosobe katidri Dawidi ro vo be kadri ugu oyi oko, Abinera 'bo andivo iro te. 7 Saulo orivoya toko ogyeako aza be ävuruna Rizepa, ŋguti Aiya ro, ago Iseboseta atate Abinera ri ekye: “Tana e'di nyu'dute toko ogyeako täpi maro robe niya?” 8 'Dooko Abinera a'dote kyilaro ata se Iseboseta katabe ana tana ro, ago atate ekye: “Inye'do nyusu miro be ma ruindu Yuda riya? Ma'dote orivoya taoro be katidri täpi miro Saulo ri, ndi ädrupii ndaro ndi bereazii ndaro be ri, ago mozo mi kote Dawidi rigye, caoko tu ono si ono nyiti ta te kowero malomvo ta toko ono rota. 9 Ka'do inye Lu, nyozo taezaro Abinera ri ago ndrana ondro ka'do maye tao'ba se Opi ko'ba be Dawidi ri kote owo. 10 Mäläpina miri 'bädri'ba ro 'da ni katidri Saulo ro yasi ago meŋgana Dawidi ndi 'bädri'ba ro Yisaraele dri ndi Yuda be etona ṛoni Dana ya le Beraseba ya.” 11 Ago Iseboseta ni kote tadri Abinera ro ozane, tana nda orivoya turiro ni ndäri.
12 Ndi Abinera zo lazo'bai te Dawidi re Eberona ya, ago atate ekye: “A'di koye ni 'bädri ono mirine ya? Mi'ba tao'ba mabe ago mapana mi Yisaraele cini logosi mire.”
13 'Dooko Dawidi atate ekye: “Kadoyi; ma'bana tao'baro ndi mibe. Oko male ŋga alodi ejine ni misi si; anjioko miri mi maro ondrene i'do e'be gialo miri Mikale, ŋguti Saulo ro ezine mibe, ondro nyate eṛi ma ondrene owo.” 14 'Dooko Dawidi zo lazo'bai kpa te Iseboseta ŋgwa Saulo ro re, ago atate ekye: “Nyozo toko maro Mikale kovole märi, se magyebe ṛo agovodri Felesete'bai kama alo (100) rosi.” 15 Ago Iseboseta zo lazo te Mikale vo, ago ru anya teni ago anyaro Palatiele ŋgwa Laisa ro rigyesi. 16 Ago ago anyaro Palatiele oyite tro anya be, sote anya vo ugu liyibe liti yasi le 'ba'desi Bahurima ya. 'Dooko Abinera atate ndäri ekye: “Migo kovole 'bäru;” ndi nda gote kovole.
17 Ago Abinera zo lazo te 'desii Yisaraele ro ri, ago atate ànyari ekye: “Tuna te amba mile teṛo Dawidi ri a'done 'bädri'ba ro ämidri. 18 Yauono tuna esate! Tana ono ni tase OPI katabe ta Dawidi rota owo, ekye: ‘Ruindu'ba maro Dawidi si mapana lidri maro Yisaraele ro 'da ni drì Felesete'bai ro yasi, ago ni drì kyila'baazii ànyaro ro yasi.’ ” 19 Abinera ata kpate Benjamina'bai ri; ndi nda oyite tase lidri cini Yisaraele ro ndi lidri Benjamina robe kusuyi tavona be kado oyene ono, tana itine Dawidi ri Eberona ya.
20 Ondro Abinera kesate mànoago 'buteritu be Dawidi re Eberona ya oko, Dawidi ye karama te Abinera ri ndi mànoago se nda be kai yibe. 21 Ago Abinera atate Dawidi ri ekye: “Malete oyine yau Yisaraele cini kalana otone opi 'bädri'ba maro re, tana ànya ko'bayi tao'ba robe mibe, tana nyimiri vona cini robe oso se mile be ronye;” Ago Dawidi zo Abinera te oyine, ndi nda oyite liatokpero.
Yoaba Fu Abinera te
22 'Do vosi oko kyila'bai Dawidi ro ndi Yoaba be egoyite ni kyila yasi, ago eziyi ŋgaamba se otopabe te ànya be. Oko Abinera te i'do Dawidi be Eberona ya lau, tana Dawidi zo nda te oyine ago Abinera oyite liatokpero. 23 Ago ondro Yoaba ndi kyila'bai se cini nda be be kesayite oko, iti tate Yoaba ri ekye: “Abinera ŋgwa Nera ro ikyite 'Bädri'ba Dawidi re, ago 'bädri'ba 'ba nda te oyine, ago nda oyite liatokpero.” 24 Ago Yoaba oyite 'bädri'ba re ago atate ekye: “Miye ono e'diyi ya? Mindre, Abinera ikyite mire, oko mi'debe nda o'bane oyine inye etaya? Yauono nda oyite! 25 Mini ndi Abinera ŋgwa Nera ro ikyite mi odone, ofodrî miro tesi ago egodrî miro tana unine, ago tase cini nyabe ugu oyena unine.”
26 Ondro Yoaba kefote tesi ni Dawidi resi oko, nda zo lazo'bai te Abinera vo, ago ànya logoyi nda te kovole ni Koro Sira ro yasi; oko Dawidi ni ta aza ko tana ro. 27 Ago ondro Abinera kegote Eberona ya oko, Yoaba ru nda te dereŋwa kala ga biṛi ya, atane iṛero nda be, ago lau Yoaba 'di Abinera te ya ya. Ago Abinera drate tavologo ro ta ufu ädrupi Yoaba ro Asaele rota. 28 Ondro Dawidi keri tana te oko, atate ekye: “Ma ndi miri 'bädri'ba maro robe orivoya taenjiako OPI kandra ta kari Abinera ŋgwa Nera ro, rota. 29 Kari Abinera ro kori ndi Yoaba dri, ago kori ndi katidri cini täpi ndaro ro dri. Ago katidri Yoaba ro ka'do ko teinye mano aza se kabe rueza ni adravo kari orooro ro kode 'diewi ewi ro, laza ro, adravo koziro kyini ro ndi ŋgaonya ako robe!” 30 Yoaba ndi Abisai ädrupi ndaro be fuyi Abinera te, tana nda fu ädrupi ànyaro Asaele te kyila se Gibeona ya ana ya.
Ase Abinera te
31 'Dooko Dawidi atate Yoaba ndi lidri se cini nda be kai ri ekye: “Nyòtowa boŋgo amiro, ago mìso guniya, ago nyìliyi Abinera ta.” Ago tu avo ose ro si 'Bädri'ba Dawidi modo sote avo uŋgyi'bai vo. 32 Ànya seyi Abinera te Eberona ya. Ago 'bädri'ba 'be ligwo te ago liyite 'budri Abinera ro dri; ago lidri cini liyite. 33 Ago 'Bädri'ba Dawidi nya ciri te ekye:
“Tana e'di Abinera dra gwo oso 'di amamaro kabe odra ronye niya?
34 Embe drì miro kote,
ago embe pa miro kote nyori si;
mi'dete oso 'dise kabe o'de drì 'di koziro roya ronye.”
Ago lidri cini ugu liyite kpa to'dina nda ta.
35 'Dooko lidri cini ikyite rulo'bane Dawidi ri ŋgaonya onyane 'dooko drigba kitu si; oko Dawidi äṛurute ekye: “Lu kufu ma, ondro manya ŋga aza te teinye kitu ri ociako owo.” 36 Ago lidri cini eri tase ono te ago tana si ànya te; tana tase cini 'bädri'ba koyebe ono tana si lidri cini te. 37 Tu ana si ana lidri cini ndi Yisaraele'ba cini be niyi ndi anjioko ko ole 'bädri'ba ro Abinera ŋgwa Nera ro ufune. 38 Ago 'bädri'ba atate kyila'bai ndaro ri ekye: “Inye'do mini ṛoko kitu ondro ono si ono dri'ba 'desi dra ni Yisaraele ya ya? 39 Kitu ondro ono si ono mate mbaraako, ma gica 'bädri'ba äṛuäṛu yi ono owo; ŋgwàagoro gi Zeruya ro kwoi yeyi tate koziro märi. OPI logona taoye kozi se oye'bàna koyebe ono vona ni!”