2 Samuel 3
1 There was a long war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David. David's side grew stronger, while Saul's side grew weaker.
Impi phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida yathatha isikhathi eside. UDavida wathuthuka elokhu esiba lamandla, kodwa indlu kaSawuli yaqhubeka ilokhu iphela amandla.
2 David's sons born at Hebron were: Amnon (firstborn), by Ahinoam from Jezreel;
UDavida wazala amadodana la eHebhroni: Izibulo lakhe lalingu-Amnoni indodana ka-Ahinowama owaseJezerili;
3 Chileab (second), by Abigail, Nabal's widow from Carmel; Absalom (third), by Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur:
eyesibili kunguKhileyabi indodana ka-Abhigeli umfelokazi kaNabhali waseKhameli; eyesithathu kungu-Abhisalomu indodana kaMahakha indodakazi kaThalimayi inkosi yaseGeshuri;
4 Adonijah (fourth), by Haggith; Shephatiah (fifth), by Abital;
eyesine kungu-Adonija indodana kaHagithi; eyesihlanu kunguShefathiya indodana ka-Abhithali;
5 Ithream (sixth), by David's wife Eglah. These were the sons born to David at Hebron.
eyesithupha kungu-Ithireyamu indodana yomkaDavida u-Egila. La uDavida wawazalela eHebhroni.
6 Abner had been strengthening his position among the supporters of Saul's dynasty during the war between those on the side of Saul and those on the side of David.
Ngesikhathi sempi phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida, u-Abhineri wayeqinisa isikhundla sakhe endlini kaSawuli.
7 Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. One day Ishbosheth accused Abner, saying “Why have you been sleeping with my father's concubine?”
Kunjalo-nje uSawuli wayekade elomfazi weceleni owayethiwa nguRizipha indodakazi ka-Ayiya. U-Ishi-Bhoshethi wasesithi ku-Abhineri, “Kungani wembathe lomkababa owangaphandle na?”
8 Abner got extremely angry at Ishbosheth accusation. “Am I a dog's head siding with Judah?” he replied. “Right up to the present day I have been loyal to your dynasty—to your father Saul, and to his brothers and friends. I haven't betrayed you to David. But now you dare to accuse me of sinning with this woman!
U-Abhineri wazonda kakhulu ngenxa yalokho okwatshiwo ngu-Ishi-Bhoshethi, wasephendula esithi, “Kanti ngilikhanda lenja eceleni lakoJuda na? Lanamuhla ngithembekile endlini kayihlo uSawuli lasemulini yakhe lakubangane bakhe. Angikunikelanga kuDavida. Kodwa khathesi usungethesa icala ngowesifazane lo!
9 So now may God punish me severely if I don't help David achieve what the Lord has promised him.
UNkulunkulu kamjezise u-Abhineri ngokunzima kakhulu, nxa uDavida ngingamenzeli lokho uThixo amthembisa khona ngesifungo
10 I will hand over the kingdom from Saul's dynasty, and help set up David's rule over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
ngisuse umbuso endlini kaSawuli ngimise isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida ko-Israyeli lakoJuda kusukela koDani kusiyafika eBherishebha.”
11 Ishbosheth didn't dare to say anything else to Abner because he was frightened of him.
U-Ishi-Bhoshethi kasatshongo elinye ilizwi ku-Abhineri, ngoba wayemesaba.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to speak for him to David, saying, “Who does the country belong to anyway? Make an agreement with me, and you can be sure I'll be on your side to have all of Israel follow you.”
Emva kwalokho u-Abhineri wathuma izithunywa zimele yena ukuba ziyekuthi kuDavida, “Kanti ilizwe ngelikabani na? Yenza isivumelwano lami, mina ngizakusiza ekuletheni u-Israyeli wonke kuwe.”
13 “Fine,” David replied, “I'll make an agreement with you. But I have one condition: I won't see you unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come.”
UDavida wathi, “Kulungile, ngizakwenza isivumelwano lawe. Kodwa ngifuna into eyodwa kuwe: Ungezi kimi ngaphandle kokuba uze loMikhali indodakazi kaSawuli lapho usizangibona.”
14 Then David sent messengers tell Ishbosheth, son of Saul, “Give me back my wife Michal—I paid a dowry for her of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”
UDavida wasethuma izithunywa ku-Ishi-Bhoshethi indodana kaSawuli ebamba ngamandla esithi, “Ngipha umkami uMikhali, engazendisela yena kimi ngentengo yamajwabu emiphambili yamaFilistiya alikhulu.”
15 Ishbosheth sent for her and took her away from her husband Paltiel, son of Laish.
Ngakho u-Ishi-Bhoshethi wakhupha imilayo uMikhali wahlubulwa kumkakhe uPhalithiyeli indodana kaLayishi.
16 Her husband followed her to the town of Bahurim, crying as he went. Then Abner ordered him, “Go back home!” So he went home.
Kodwa umkakhe wahamba laye ekhala ngemva kwakhe indlela yonke kusiya eBhahurimi. U-Abhineri wasesithi kuye, “Buyela ekhaya!” Ngakho wabuyela.
17 Abner spoke with the elders of Israel and said, “For a while now you have wanted to have David as your king.
U-Abhineri wakhuluma labadala bako-Israyeli wathi, “Sekulesikhathi esithile lifuna ukwenza uDavida abe yinkosi yenu.
18 Now is the time to do it, because the Lord promised David, ‘Through my servant David I am going to save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies.’”
Khathesi-ke kwenzeni! Ngoba uThixo wathembisa uDavida wathi, ‘Ngenceku yami uDavida ngizahlenga abantu bami u-Israyeli esandleni samaFilistiya lasesandleni sezitha zabo zonke.’”
19 Abner also talked to the people of Benjamin, and went to Hebron to let David know everything that the Israelites and the whole tribe of Benjamin had decided to do.
U-Abhineri wakhuluma njalo labakoBhenjamini yena ngokwakhe. Emva kwalokho waya eHebhroni ukuyatshela uDavida konke u-Israyeli kanye lendlu yonke kaBhenjamini ababefuna ukukwenza.
20 Abner came with twenty of his men to see David at Hebron, and David prepared a feast for them.
Kwathi u-Abhineri, owayelabantu abangamatshumi amabili, efika kuDavida eHebhroni, uDavida wamenzela idili kanye labantu bakhe.
21 Abner told David, “Let me go immediately and summon all of Israel to come together for my lord the king, so they may make an agreement with you, and that you may rule over all you would wish.” Then David sent Abner safely on his way.
U-Abhineri wasesithi, “Yekela ngihle ngihambe ngiyebuthanisela inkosi, inkosi yami, u-Israyeli wonke, ukuze benze isivumelwano lawe, lokuthi ungabusa konke okufiswa yinhliziyo yakho.” Ngakho uDavida wathi u-Abhineri kahambe, wahamba ngokuthula.
22 Soon after Joab and David's men came back from a raid, bringing with them a large amount of plunder. However, Abner wasn't there with David in Hebron because David had already sent him safely on his way in peace.
Khonokho nje abantu bakaDavida loJowabi babuya bevelahlasela njalo beze lempango enengi kakhulu. Kodwa u-Abhineri wayesesukile kuDavida eHebhroni, ngoba uDavida wayethe kahambe, njalo wayehambe ngokuthula.
23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, he was told, “Abner, son of Ner, came to see the king, who sent him safely on his way.”
Kwathi uJowabi lamabutho wonke ayelaye befika, watshelwa ukuthi u-Abhineri indodana kaNeri wayeze enkosini lokuthi inkosi yayithe kahambe njalo ahambe ngokuthula.
24 Joab went to the king and asked, “What do you think you're doing? Here's Abner, who came to see you. Why on earth did you send him on his way? Now he's got clean away!
Ngakho uJowabi waya enkosini wathi, “Kuyini okwenzileyo? Khangela, u-Abhineri ufikile kuwe. Kungani umyekele wahamba? Khathesi usehambile!
25 You do see that Abner, son of Ner, came here to trick you, to spy on the movements of your army, and to find out everything you're doing!”
Uyamazi u-Abhineri indodana kaNeri; ulande ukuzakukhohlisa lokubona ukuhambahamba kwakho kanye lokwazi konke okwenzayo.”
26 When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner. They met up with him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, but David didn't know anything about it.
UJowabi wasuka kuDavida wasethuma izithunywa ukuba zilandele u-Abhineri, njalo zayabuya laye zivela emthonjeni waseSira. Kodwa uDavida kakwazanga lokho.
27 When Abner arrived back in Hebron, Joab took him aside into the town gatehouse as if he was going to talk with him in private. But Joab stabbed him in the belly, killing him in revenge for killing Joab's brother Asahel.
Khathesi-ke Abhineri, esebuyele eHebhroni, uJowabi wamusa eceleni esangweni, kungani uzakhuluma laye ngasese. Khonapho-ke ukuba aphindisele igazi lomfowabo u-Asaheli, uJowabi wamgwaza esiswini, wafa.
28 When David heard about this later he said, “I and my kingdom are totally innocent before the Lord regarding the death of Abner, son of Ner!
Muva, uDavida esekuzwile lokhu, wathi, “Mina lombuso wami kasilacala lanini phambi kukaThixo mayelana legazi lika-Abhineri indodana kaNeri.
29 May the guilt for his death fall on Joab and his family! May Joab's descendants always have someone who has running sores or leprosy or is crippled or who is killed by the sword or who is starving.”
Sengathi igazi lakhe lingehlela phezu kwekhanda likaJowabi laphezu kwendlu yonke kayise. Sengathi endlini kaJowabi akungasweleki lanininini omunye olenxeba elibhibhidlayo loba ubulephero, loba edondolozela ngodondolo kumbe obulawa ngenkemba loba oswela ukudla.”
30 (This is why Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel during the battle at Gibeon.)
(UJowabi lomfowabo u-Abhishayi bambulala u-Abhineri ngoba wayebulele umfowabo u-Asaheli empini eGibhiyoni.)
31 Then David ordered Joab and everyone who was there, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David himself followed the body as it was carried to the grave.
UDavida wasesithi kuJowabi lakubo bonke abantu ababelaye, “Dabulani izigqoko zenu ligqoke amasaka lihambe ngokulila phambi kuka-Abhineri.” Inkosi uDavida yena ngokwakhe wahamba ngemva kwethala lesidumbu.
32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king cried loudly at the grave, along with all the people.
U-Abhineri bamgcwaba eHebhroni, njalo inkosi yakhala yaphumisela ethuneni lika-Abhineri. Abantu bonke labo bakhala.
33 The king sang this lament for Abner: “Did Abner deserve to die like a criminal?
Inkosi yahlabelela u-Abhineri isililo lesi: “U-Abhineri bekumele afe njengokufa kwezixhwali na?
34 Your hands were not tied together, your feet were not in shackles. But just like a murderer's victim, you too were killed.” All the people cried for him even more.
Izandla zakho kade zingabotshwanga, inyawo zakho zingelamaketane. Ufe ngokubulawa ngabantu ababi.” Abantu bonke bamlilela futhi.
35 Then people came to David and tried to persuade him to have something to eat during the day. But David swore an oath, saying, “May God punish me severely if I eat bread or anything else before sunset!”
Emva kwalokho bonke beza bancenga uDavida ukuba adle okunye nje kusesemini; kodwa uDavida wafunga esithi, “UNkulunkulu kangijezise, kube nzima kakhulu, nxa nginambitha isinkwa loba olunye ulutho ilanga lingakatshoni!”
36 Everyone saw this and thought it was the right thing to do, in the same way that they thought everything the king did was the right thing to do.
Abantu bonke bakunanzelela njalo bathaba; impela konke okwenziwa yinkosi kwabathokozisa.
37 That day everyone in Judah and throughout Israel realized that David had not ordered Abner's murder.
Ngakho ngalelolanga abantu bonke lo-Israyeli wonke bakwazi ukuthi inkosi yayingelasandla ekubulaweni kuka-Abhineri indodana kaNeri.
38 Then the king said to his officers, “Don't you recognize that a commander and a truly great man has fallen in Israel today?
Inkosi yasisithi ebantwini bayo, “Kaliboni yini ukuthi inkosana lomuntu odumileyo ifile ko-Israyeli lamhla na?
39 I am weak right now, even though I'm anointed as king and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too powerful for me. But may the Lord repay the evil man according to the evil he has done.”
Njalo lamhla, lanxa ngiyinkosi egcotshiweyo, ngibuthakathaka, njalo amadodana kaZeruya la alamandla kakhulu kulami. Sengathi uThixo angaphindisela umenzi wokubi mayelana lezenzo zakhe ezimbi!”
