2 Samuel 2
Cornilescu 1924 - Revised 2010, 2014
David, împărat al lui Iuda la Hebron
2 După aceea, David a întrebat(A) pe Domnul: „Să mă sui în vreuna din cetăţile lui Iuda?” Domnul i-a răspuns: „Suie-te”. David a zis: „Unde să mă sui?” Şi Domnul a răspuns: „La(B) Hebron”. 2 David s-a suit acolo cu cele două neveste(C) ale sale: Ahinoam din Izreel şi Abigail din Carmel, nevasta lui Nabal. 3 David a luat cu el şi pe oamenii(D) care erau la el, pe fiecare cu casa lui, şi au locuit în cetăţile Hebronului. 4 Bărbaţii lui Iuda au(E) venit şi au uns acolo pe David ca împărat peste casa lui Iuda. Au dat de ştire lui David că oamenii(F) din Iabesul Galaadului au îngropat pe Saul. 5 David a trimis nişte soli oamenilor din Iabesul Galaadului să le spună: „Binecuvântaţi(G) să fiţi de Domnul, fiindcă aţi arătat astfel bunăvoinţă faţă de Saul, stăpânul vostru, şi l-aţi îngropat! 6 Şi acum, Domnul(H) să vă arate bunătate şi credincioşie! Vă voi face şi eu bine, pentru că v-aţi purtat astfel. 7 Să vi se întărească mâinile şi fiţi viteji, căci stăpânul vostru Saul a murit, şi pe mine m-a uns casa lui Iuda împărat peste ea”.
Iş-Boşet, împărat al lui Israel la Mahanaim
8 Însă Abner(I), fiul lui Ner, căpetenia oştirii lui Saul, a luat pe Iş-Boşet, fiul lui Saul, şi l-a trecut la Mahanaim. 9 L-a pus împărat peste Galaad, peste gheşuriţi, peste Izreel, peste Efraim, peste Beniamin, peste tot Israelul. 10 Iş-Boşet, fiul lui Saul, era în vârstă de patruzeci de ani când s-a făcut împărat al lui Israel şi a domnit doi ani. Numai casa lui Iuda a rămas lipită de David. 11 Timpul(J) cât a domnit David la Hebron peste casa lui Iuda a fost de şapte ani şi şase luni.
Abner ucide pe Asael
12 Abner, fiul lui Ner, şi oamenii lui Iş-Boşet, fiul lui Saul, au ieşit din Mahanaim ca să meargă asupra Gabaonului(K). 13 Ioab, fiul Ţeruiei, şi oamenii lui David au pornit şi ei. S-au întâlnit la iazul(L) din Gabaon şi s-au oprit unii dincoace de iaz şi ceilalţi dincolo. 14 Abner a zis lui Ioab: „Să se scoale tinerii aceştia şi să se bată înaintea noastră!” Ioab a răspuns: „Să se scoale!” 15 S-au sculat şi au înaintat în acelaşi număr: doisprezece din Beniamin pentru Iş-Boşet, fiul lui Saul, şi doisprezece inşi ai lui David. 16 Fiecare, apucând pe potrivnicul lui de cap, i-a împlântat sabia în coastă şi au căzut toţi deodată. Şi locul acela de lângă Gabaon s-a numit Helcat-Haţurim (Locul Săbiilor). 17 În ziua aceea a fost o luptă foarte aprigă, în care Abner şi bărbaţii lui Israel au fost bătuţi de oamenii lui David. 18 Acolo se aflau cei(M) trei fii ai Ţeruiei: Ioab, Abişai şi Asael. Asael era iute(N) de picioare, ca(O) o căprioară de câmp. 19 El a urmărit pe Abner fără să se abată la dreapta sau la stânga. 20 Abner s-a uitat înapoi şi a zis: „Tu eşti, Asael?” Şi el a răspuns: „Eu”. 21 Abner i-a zis: „Abate-te la dreapta sau la stânga, pune mâna pe unul din tinerii aceştia şi ia-i armele.” Dar Asael n-a vrut să se abată dindărătul lui. 22 Abner a zis iarăşi lui Asael: „Abate-te dinapoia mea. Pentru ce să te lovesc şi să te trântesc la pământ? Cum voi ridica apoi faţa înaintea fratelui tău Ioab?” 23 Şi Asael n-a vrut să se abată. Atunci, Abner l-a lovit în pântece(P) cu capătul de jos al suliţei şi suliţa a ieşit pe dinapoi. A căzut şi a murit pe loc. Toţi cei ce ajungeau în locul unde căzuse Asael mort se opreau. 24 Ioab şi Abişai au urmărit pe Abner. Şi, la asfinţitul soarelui, au ajuns la coasta Ama, care este în dreptul Ghiahului, pe drumul care duce în pustia Gabaonului. 25 Fiii lui Beniamin s-au adunat în urma lui Abner, au făcut o ceată şi s-au oprit pe vârful unui deal. 26 Abner a chemat pe Ioab şi a zis: „Oare mereu are să sfâşie sabia? Nu ştii că la sfârşit va fi amar? Până când vei pregeta să spui poporului să nu mai urmărească pe fraţii lui?” 27 Ioab a răspuns: „Viu este Dumnezeu că, dacă n-ai(Q) fi vorbit, poporul n-ar fi încetat până mâine dimineaţă să urmărească pe fraţii lui.” 28 Şi Ioab a sunat din trâmbiţă şi tot poporul s-a oprit; n-au mai urmărit pe Israel şi nici nu s-au mai bătut. 29 Abner şi oamenii lui au mers toată noaptea în câmpie; au trecut Iordanul, au străbătut în întregime Bitronul şi au ajuns la Mahanaim. 30 Ioab s-a întors de la urmărirea lui Abner şi a adunat tot poporul: lipseau nouăsprezece inşi din oamenii lui David şi Asael. 31 Dar oamenii lui David omorâseră trei sute şaizeci de inşi din bărbaţii lui Beniamin şi ai lui Abner. 32 Au luat pe Asael şi l-au îngropat în mormântul tatălui său, la Betleem. Ioab şi oamenii lui au mers toată noaptea şi li s-au revărsat zorile în Hebron.
2 Samuel 2
New King James Version
David Anointed King of Judah
2 It happened after this that David (A)inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?”
And the Lord said to him, “Go up.”
David said, “Where shall I go up?”
And He said, “To (B)Hebron.”
2 So David went up there, and his (C)two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up (D)the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 (E)Then the men of Judah came, and there they (F)anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, (G)“The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, (H)“You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now may (I)the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
Ishbosheth Made King of Israel
8 But (J)Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took [a]Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to (K)Mahanaim; 9 and he made him king over (L)Gilead, over the (M)Ashurites, over (N)Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. 11 And (O)the [b]time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Israel and Judah at War
12 Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to (P)Gibeon. 13 And (Q)Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by (R)the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.”
And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
15 So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called [c]the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. 17 So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
18 Now the (S)three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was (T)as fleet of foot (U)as a wild gazelle. 19 So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?”
He answered, “I am.”
21 And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?” 23 However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him (V)in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood (W)still.
24 Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon. 25 Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became [d]a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”
27 And Joab said, “As God lives, [e]unless (X)you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.” 28 So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore. 29 Then Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.
30 So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died. 32 Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb, which was in (Y)Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 2:8 Esh-Baal, 1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39
- 2 Samuel 2:11 Lit. number of days
- 2 Samuel 2:16 Heb. Helkath Hazzurim
- 2 Samuel 2:25 one band
- 2 Samuel 2:27 if you had not spoken
2 Samuel 2
Christian Standard Bible
David, King of Judah
2 Some time later, David inquired of the Lord:(A) “Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?”
The Lord answered him, “Go.”
Then David asked, “Where should I go?”
“To Hebron,”(B) the Lord replied.
2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.(C) 3 In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.(D) 4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.(E) They told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”(F)
5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The Lord bless you because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him. 6 Now, may the Lord show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed. 7 Therefore, be strong[a] and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
8 Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army,(G) took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth[b][c] and moved him to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin—over all Israel. 10 Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel; he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11 The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.(H)
12 Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon.(I) The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.”
“Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David’s soldiers. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades.[d]
17 The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers. 18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.(J) Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.(K) 19 He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him. 20 Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“Yes it is,” Asahel replied.
21 Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or left, seize one of the young soldiers, and take whatever you can get from him.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. 22 Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face?” (L)
23 But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped,(M) 24 but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
27 “As God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn’t have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning.”(N) 28 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. 29 So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning,[e] and arrived at Mahanaim.(O)
30 When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, 31 but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner’s men. 32 Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father’s tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn.
Copyright of the Cornilescu Bible © 1924 belongs to British and Foreign Bible Society. Copyright © 2010, 2014 of the revised edition in Romanian language belongs to the Interconfessional Bible Society of Romania, with the approval of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.