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.
Igitur post hæc consuluit David Dominum, dicens: Num ascendam in unam de civitatibus Juda? Et ait Dominus ad eum: Ascende. Dixitque David: Quo ascendam? Et respondit ei: In Hebron.
2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
Ascendit ergo David, et duæ uxores ejus, Achinoam Jezraëlites, et Abigail uxor Nabal Carmeli:
3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
sed et viros, qui erant cum eo, duxit David singulos cum domo sua: et manserunt in oppidis Hebron.
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.”
Veneruntque viri Juda, et unxerunt ibi David ut regnaret super domum Juda. Et nuntiatum est David quod viri Jabes Galaad sepelissent Saul.
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.
Misit ergo David nuntios ad viros Jabes Galaad, dixitque ad eos: Benedicti vos Domino, qui fecistis misericordiam hanc cum domino vestro Saul, et sepelistis eum.
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.
Et nunc retribuet vobis quidem Dominus misericordiam et veritatem: sed et ego reddam gratiam, eo quod fecistis verbum istud.
7 Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”
Confortentur manus vestræ, et estote filii fortitudinis: licet enim mortuus sit dominus vester Saul, tamen me unxit domus Juda in regem sibi.
8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
Abner autem filius Ner, princeps exercitus Saul, tulit Isboseth filium Saul, et circumduxit eum per castra,
9 and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.
regemque constituit super Galaad, et super Gessuri, et super Jezraël, et super Ephraim, et super Benjamin, et super Israël universum.
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.
Quadraginta annorum erat Isboseth filius Saul cum regnare cœpisset super Israël, et duobus annis regnavit: sola autem domus Juda sequebatur David.
11 And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Et fuit numerus dierum quos commoratus est David imperans in Hebron super domum Juda, septem annorum et sex mensium.
12 One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
Egressusque est Abner filius Ner, et pueri Isboseth filii Saul, de castris in Gabaon.
13 So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
Porro Joab filius Sarviæ, et pueri David, egressi sunt, et occurrerunt eis juxta piscinam Gabaon. Et cum in unum convenissent, e regione sederunt: hi ex una parte piscinæ, et illi ex altera.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
Dixitque Abner ad Joab: Surgant pueri, et ludant coram nobis. Et respondit Joab: Surgant.
15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
Surrexerunt ergo, et transierunt numero duodecim de Benjamin, ex parte Isboseth filii Saul, et duodecim de pueris David.
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.
Apprehensoque unusquisque capite comparis sui, defixit gladium in latus contrarii, et ceciderunt simul: vocatumque est nomen loci illius: Ager robustorum, in Gabaon.
17 The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
Et ortum est bellum durum satis in die illa: fugatusque est Abner et viri Israël a pueris David.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
Erant autem ibi tres filii Sarviæ, Joab, et Abisai, et Asaël: porro Asaël cursor velocissimus fuit, quasi unus de capreis quæ morantur in silvis.
19 and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
Persequebatur autem Asaël Abner, et non declinavit ad dextram neque ad sinistram omittens persequi Abner.
20 And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.
Respexit itaque Abner post tergum suum, et ait: Tune es Asaël? Qui respondit: Ego sum.
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.
Dixitque ei Abner: Vade ad dexteram, sive ad sinistram, et apprehende unum de adolescentibus, et tolle tibi spolia ejus. Noluit autem Asaël omittere quin urgeret eum.
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?”
Rursumque locutus est Abner ad Asaël: Recede, noli me sequi, ne compellar confodere te in terram, et levare non potero faciem meam ad Joab fratrem tuum.
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.
Qui audire contempsit, et noluit declinare: percussit ergo eum Abner aversa hasta in inguine, et transfodit, et mortuus est in eodem loco: omnesque qui transibant per locum illum, in quo ceciderat Asaël et mortuus erat, subsistebant.
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.
Persequentibus autem Joab et Abisai fugientem Abner, sol occubuit: et venerunt usque ad collem aquæductus, qui est ex adverso vallis itineris deserti in Gabaon.
25 The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.
Congregatique sunt filii Benjamin ad Abner: et conglobati in unum cuneum, steterunt in summitate tumuli unius.
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?”
Et exclamavit Abner ad Joab, et ait: Num usque ad internecionem tuus mucro desæviet? an ignoras quod periculosa sit desperatio? usquequo non dicis populo ut omittat persequi fratres suos?
27 “As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”
Et ait Joab: Vivit Dominus, si locutus fuisses, mane recessisset populus persequens fratrem suum.
28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.
Insonuit ergo Joab buccina, et stetit omnis exercitus, nec persecuti sunt ultra Israël, neque iniere certamen.
29 And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.
Abner autem et viri ejus abierunt per campestria, tota nocte illa: et transierunt Jordanem, et lustrata omni Beth-horon, venerunt ad castra.
30 When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,
Porro Joab reversus, omisso Abner, congregavit omnem populum: et defuerunt de pueris David decem et novem viri, excepto Asaële.
31 but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.
Servi autem David percusserunt de Benjamin, et de viris qui erant cum Abner, trecentos sexaginta, qui et mortui sunt.
32 Later, 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.
Tuleruntque Asaël, et sepelierunt eum in sepulchro patris sui in Bethlehem: et ambulaverunt tota nocte Joab et viri qui erant cum eo, et in ipso crepusculo pervenerunt in Hebron.
