بنو داود
1 طالَتِ الحربُ بَينَ أتباعِ شاوُلَ وأتباعِ داوُدَ، وكانَ أتباعُ داوُدَ يَتقَوَّونَ وأتباعُ شاوُلَ يَضعفونَ. 2 ووُلِدَ لِداوُدَ بَنونَ في حبرونَ، وكانَ بِكرُهُ أمنونَ مِنْ أخينوعَمَ اليَزرَعيليَّةِ، 3 والثَّاني كيلأبَ مِنْ أبـيجايِلَ أرمَلَةِ نابالَ الكرمليّ، والثَّالثُ أبشالومَ بنَ معكَةَ بنتِ تَلمايَ ملِكِ جَشورَ، 4 والرَّابعُ أدونيَّا بنَ حَجِّيتَ، والخامسُ شَفَطْيَا بنَ أبـيطالَ، 5 والسَّادسُ يَثْرَعامُ مِنْ عَجلَةَ زوجَةِ داوُدَ. هؤُلاءِ وُلِدوا لِداوُدَ في حبرونَ.
أبنير يلتحق بداود
6 وفيما الحربُ مُستمرَّةٌ بَينَ أتباعِ شاوُلَ وأتباعِ داوُدَ، كانَ أبنيرُ يزدادُ قوَّةً في جماعةِ شاوُلَ. 7 وكانَ لِشاوُلَ جاريَةٌ اسمُها رِصفَةُ بنتُ أيَّةَ، فقالَ إيشبوشثُ لأبنيرَ: 8 «لماذا تدخُلُ على جاريَةِ أبـي؟» فغَضِبَ أبنيرُ جدًّا لكلامِ إيشبوشثَ وقالَ: «أتظنُّ أنِّي عميلٌ ليَهوذا؟ إلى هذا اليومِ وأنا وَفيٌّ لبـيتِ شاوُلَ أبـيكَ وإلى إخوَتِه وأصحابِه، ولم أُسلِمْكَ إلى يدِ داوُدَ، وأنتَ تَشُكُّ بـي بسبَبِ امرأةٍ؟ 9 ويلٌ لي مِنَ اللهِ إنْ لم أُحقِّقْ لداوُدَ ما حلفَ الرّبُّ لَه 10 مِنْ نَقلِ المَملكةِ مِنْ بَيتِ شاوُلَ وإقامةِ عرشِ داوُدَ على بَني إِسرائيلَ ومِنهُم بَيتُ يَهوذا، مِنْ دانَ إلى بئرَ سَبْعَ». 11 فلم يقدِرْ إيشبوشثُ أنْ يُجيـبَ أبنيرَ بكلِمةٍ واحدةٍ لِخوفِهِ مِنهُ.
12 وللحالِ أرسلَ أبنيرُ رُسُلا إلى داوُدَ يقولونَ: «لِمَنِ الأرضُ؟ لِنَتَّفِقْ، فأساعِدَكَ على استرجاعِ جميعِ إِسرائيلَ». 13 فأجابَ داوُدُ: «حسَنٌ. أتَّفقُ معَكَ، ولكِنِّي أطلبُ مِنكَ أنْ تأتيَ بِميكالَ ابنةِ شاوُلَ متى جِئتَ لِتَراني». 14 وأرسَلَ داوُدُ إلى إيشبوشثَ بنِ شاوُلَ يقولُ: «رُدَّ لي زَوجتي ميكالَ الّتي أخذتُها بمئةِ غُلفَةٍ مِنْ الفِلسطيِّينَ». 15 فأرسَلَ إيشبوشَثُ واسترَدَّها مِنْ عِندِ زَوجِها فَلْطيئيلَ بنِ لايشَ. 16 فرافَقَها زَوجُها وهوَ يـبكي إلى بَحوريمَ فقالَ لَه أبنيرُ: «إرجِـعْ»، فرَجَعَ.
17 وقالَ أبنيرُ لشُيوخِ بَيتِ إِسرائيلَ: «كُنتُم مِنْ قَبلُ تَطلبونَ داوُدَ مَلِكا علَيكُم، 18 فافعَلوا هذا الآنَ لأنَّ الرّبَّ قالَ لَه: «على يدِ داوُدَ عبدي أخَلِّصُ شعبـي إِسرائيلَ مِنْ أيدي الفِلسطيِّينَ ومِنْ أيدي جميعِ أعدائِهِم». 19 وتكلَّمَ أبنيرُ أيضا على مسامِعِ بَيتِ بنيامينَ، ثُمَّ ذهَبَ ليُخبِرَ داوُدَ في حبرونَ بِما اتَّفقَ علَيهِ جميعُ بَني إِسرائيلَ، ومِنهُم بَيتُ بنيامينَ.
20 فجاءَ أبنيرُ إلى داوُدَ في حبرونَ ومعَهُ عِشرونَ رجُلا، فأقامَ داوُدُ مأدبَةً لَه ولِرِجالِه. 21 فقالَ أبنيرُ لداوُدَ: «أقومُ الآنَ وأذهبُ لأجمَعَ لكَ يا سيِّدي المَلِكُ جميعَ بَيتِ إِسرائيلَ، فيُعاهِدونَكَ وتملِكُ علَيهِم وتنالُ ما يشتهي قلبُكَ». فصرَفَ داوُدُ أبنيرَ، فذهبَ بأمانٍ.
مقتل أبنير ودفنه
22 ثُمَّ رجَعَ أتباعُ داوُدَ ويوآب منَ الغَزوِ ومَعَهُم غنيمَةٌ عظيمَةٌ، ولم يكُنْ أبنيرُ عِندَ داوُدَ في حبرونَ لأنَّهُ كان صرفَهُ وذهَبَ بأمانٍ. 23 فلمَّا حضرَ يوآبُ معَ رِجالِه قيلَ لَه: «جاءَ أبنيرُ بنُ نيرَ إلى المَلِكِ وصرفَهُ، فذهبَ بأمانٍ». 24 فدخلَ يوآبُ على المَلِكِ وقالَ: «ماذا فعلتَ؟ أتى أبنيرُ إليكَ فلِماذا صَرَفتَه فذهبَ بأمانٍ؟ 25 ألا تعرِفُ أنَّه أتى ليخدعَكَ، وليعرِفَ كُلَّ ما تقومُ بهِ وما تفعلُهُ؟».
26 وخرجَ يوآبُ مِنْ عِندِ داوُدَ وبعثَ رُسُلا في طلبِ أبنيرَ، فلحِقوا به وردُّوهُ مِنْ بئرَ سيرَةَ مِنْ دونِ أنْ يعلَمَ داوُدُ. 27 فلمَّا رجعَ أبنيرُ إلى حبرونَ، انفرَدَ بهِ يوآبُ إلى وسَطِ البابِ، كأنَّما يُريدُ أن يكلِّمَهُ، وضربَهُ هُناكَ في بَطنِه انتقاما لِعسائيلَ أخيهِ. 28 فسمِعَ داوُدُ بَعدَ ذلِكَ فقالَ: «يشهدُ الرّبُّ أنِّي ومَملكَتي بريئانِ مِنْ دمِ أبنيرَ بنِ نيرَ، 29 ليكُنْ دمُهُ على رأسِ يوآبَ وعلى جميعِ بَيتِ أبـيهِ، فلا يَنقطِعُ منهُ مريضٌ بالسَّيلانِ وأبرصُ ومتوكِّئٌ على عُكَّازٍ وساقِطٌ بالسَّيفِ وجائعٌ إلى الخُبزِ». 30 وهكذا قُتِلَ أبنيرُ بـيَدِ يوآبَ وأبـيشايَ أخيهِ، لأنَّه قتلَ عسائيلَ أخاهُما بِـجَبعونَ في الحربِ.
31 وقالَ داوُدُ ليوآبَ ولجميعِ الّذينَ معَهُ: «مزِّقوا ثِـيابَكُم والبَسوا المُسوحَ ونوحوا على أبنيرَ». ومشى داوُدُ المَلِكُ وراءَ النَّعشِ. 32 ودفَنوا أبنيرَ بحَبرونَ، فرفَعَ المَلِكُ صوتَهُ وبكى على قبرِ أبنيرَ، وبكى جميعُ الشَّعبِ. 33 ورثى المَلِكُ أبنيرَ. فقالَ: «أتموتُ يا أبنيرُ بهذِهِ البساطةِ؟ 34 ما كانَ قيدٌ في يدَيكَ، ولا في رجلَيكَ، بل كمَنْ يسقطُ أمامَ المُجرِمينَ سَقطتَ». وظلَّ الشَّعبُ يَبكونَه. 35 وحاوَلوا أنْ يُقَدِّموا لداوُدَ طَعاما، وكانَ نهارٌ بَعدُ، فأقسَمَ وقالَ: «ويلٌ لي مِنَ اللهِ إنْ ذُقتُ خبزا أو شيئا آخَرَ قبلَ أنْ تَغرُبَ الشَّمسُ». 36 فعلِمَ جميعُ الشَّعبِ بذلِكَ واستَحسَنوه، ككُلِّ ما كانَ يَفعلُهُ داوُدُ، 37 وأيقَنوا في ذلِكَ اليومِ أنَّ المَلِكَ لم يكُنْ لَه يَدٌ في مَقتَلِ أبنيرَ بنِ نيرَ. 38 وقالَ المَلِكُ لِحاشيَتِهِ: «ألا تَعلَمونَ أنَّ رئيسا وعظيما سقطَ اليومَ في أرضِ إِسرائيلَ؟ 39 وأنا اليومَ ضعيفٌ، بَعدُ، ولو مُسِحتُ مَلِكا، وبَنو صرويَّةَ هؤلاءِ هُم أشَدُّ منِّي. عاقبَ الرّبُّ فاعِلَ الشَّرِّ بحَسَبِ شرِّهِ».
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.”