Ii Samuelis 20
1 Accidit quoque ut ibi esset vir Belial, nomine Seba, filius Bochri, vir Iemineus: et cecinit buccina, et ait: Non est nobis pars in David, neque hereditas in filio Isai: revertere in tabernacula tua Israel.
There also happened to be at the same place a troublemaker whose name was Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite. He blew the trumpet and said, “We have no part in David, neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Let every man go back to his home, Israel.”
2 Et separatus est omnis Israel a David, secutusque est Seba filium Bochri: viri autem Iuda adhæserunt regi suo a Iordane usque Ierusalem.
So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah followed closely their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.
3 Cumque venisset rex in domum suam in Ierusalem, tulit decem mulieres concubinas, quas dereliquerat ad custodiendam domum, et tradidit eas in custodiam, alimenta eis præbens: et non est ingressus ad eas, sed erant clausæ usque in diem mortis suæ in viduitate viventes.
When David came to his palace at Jerusalem, he took the ten slave wives whom he had left to keep the palace, and he put them in a house under guard. He provided for their needs, but he did not sleep with them any longer. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living as if they were widows.
4 Dixit autem rex Amasæ: Convoca mihi omnes viros Iuda in diem tertium, et tu adesto præsens.
Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together within three days; you must be here, too.”
5 Abiit ergo Amasa ut convocaret Iudam, et moratus est extra placitum quod ei constituerat rex.
So Amasa went to call Judah, but he was delayed beyond the time that the king had allotted for him.
6 Ait autem David ad Abisai: Nunc magis afflicturus est nos Seba filius Bochri quam Absalom: tolle igitur servos domini tui, et persequere eum, ne forte inveniat civitates munitas, et effugiat nos.
So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's servants, my soldiers, and pursue after him, or he will find fortified cities and escape out of our sight.”
7 Egressi sunt ergo cum eo viri Ioab, Cerethi quoque et Phelethi: et omnes robusti exierunt de Ierusalem ad persequendum Seba filium Bochri.
Then Joab's men went out after him, along with the Kerethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty warriors. They left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
8 Cumque illi essent iuxta lapidem grandem, qui est in Gabaon, Amasa veniens occurrit eis. Porro Ioab vestitus erat tunica stricta ad mensuram habitus sui, et desuper accinctus gladio dependente usque ad ilia, in vagina, qui fabricatus levi motu egredi poterat, et percutere.
When they were at the great stone which is at Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing the battle armor that he had put on, which included a belt around his waist with a sheathed sword fastened to it. As he walked forward, the sword fell out.
9 Dixit itaque Ioab ad Amasam: Salve mi frater. Et tenuit manu dextera mentum Amasæ, quasi osculans eum.
So Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my cousin?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10 Porro Amasa non observavit gladium, quem habebat Ioab, qui percussit eum in latere, et effudit intestina eius in terram, nec secundum vulnus apposuit, et mortuus est. Ioab autem, et Abisai frater eius persecuti sunt Seba filium Bochri.
Amasa did not notice the dagger that was in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed Amasa in the stomach and his bowels spilled out to the ground. Joab did not strike him again, and Amasa died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
11 Interea quidam viri, cum stetissent iuxta cadaver Amasæ, de sociis Ioab, dixerunt: Ecce qui esse voluit pro Ioab comes David.
Then one of Joab's men stood by Amasa, and the man said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab.”
12 Amasa autem conspersus sanguine, iacebat in media via. Vidit hoc quidam vir quod subsisteret omnis populus ad videndum eum, et amovit Amasam de via in agrum, operuitque eum vestimento, ne subsisterent transeuntes propter eum.
Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa off of the road and into a field. He threw a garment over him because he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
13 Amoto ergo illo de via, transibat omnis vir sequens Ioab ad persequendum Seba filium Bochri.
After Amasa was taken off the road, all the men followed on after Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bikri.
14 Porro ille transierat per omnes tribus Israel in Abelam, et Bethmaacha: omnesque viri electi congregati fuerant ad eum.
Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and through all the land of the Bikrites, who gathered together and also pursued Sheba.
15 Venerunt itaque et oppugnabant eum in Abela, et in Bethmaacha, et circumdederunt munitionibus civitatem, et obsessa est urbs: omnis autem turba, quæ erat cum Ioab, moliebatur destruere muros.
They caught up with him and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They built up a siege ramp against the city against the wall. All the army who were with Joab battered the wall to knock it down.
16 Et exclamavit mulier sapiens de civitate: Audite, audite, dicite Ioab: Appropinqua huc, et loquar tecum.
Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Listen, please listen, Joab! Come near me so I may speak with you.”
17 Qui cum accessisset ad eam, ait illi: Tu es Ioab? Et ille respondit: Ego. Ad quem sic locuta est: Audi sermones ancillæ tuæ. Qui respondit: Audio.
So Joab came near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He answered, “I am listening.”
18 Rursumque illa, Sermo, inquit, dicebatur in veteri proverbio: Qui interrogant, interrogent in Abela: et sic perficiebant.
Then she spoke, “They used to say in old times, 'Surely seek advice at Abel,' and that advice would end the matter.
19 Nonne ego sum quæ respondeo veritatem in Israel, et tu quæris subvertere civitatem, et evertere matrem in Israel? Quare præcipitas hereditatem Domini?
We are a city that is one of the most peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?”
20 Respondensque Ioab, ait: Absit, absit hoc a me: non præcipito, neque demolior.
So Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21 Non sic se habet res, sed homo de monte Ephraim Seba, filius Bochri cognomine, levavit manum suam contra regem David: tradite illum solum, et recedemus a civitate. Et ait mulier ad Ioab: Ecce caput eius mittetur ad te per murum.
That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba son of Bikri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22 Ingressa est ergo ad omnem populum, et locuta est eis sapienter: qui abscissum caput Seba filii Bochri proiecerunt ad Ioab. Et ille cecinit tuba, et recesserunt ab urbe, unusquisque in tabernacula sua: Ioab autem reversus est Ierusalem ad regem.
Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew the trumpet and Joab's men left the city, every man to his home. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 Fuit ergo Ioab super omnem exercitum Israel: Banaias autem filius Ioiadæ super Cerethæos et Phelethæos.
Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and over the Pelethites.
24 Aduram vero super tributa: porro Iosaphat filius Ahilud, a commentariis.
Adoniram was over the men who did forced labor, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.
25 Siva autem, scriba: Sadoc vero et Abiathar, sacerdotes.
Sheva was scribe and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
26 Ira autem Iairites erat sacerdos David.
Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
