1Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the LORD, saying, 'Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?' And the LORD said to him, 'Go up.' So David said, 'Where shall I go up?' And He said, 'To Hebron.'
1此後，大衛問耶和華說：我上猶大的一個城去可以麼？耶和華說：可以。大衛說：我上哪一個城去呢？耶和華說：上希伯崙去。
2So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.
2於是大衛和他的兩個妻─一個是耶斯列人亞希暖，一個是作過迦密人拿八妻的亞比該─都上那裡去了。
3And David brought up his men who [were] with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron.
3大衛也將跟隨他的人和他們各人的眷屬一同帶上去，住在希伯崙的城邑中。
4Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, 'It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.'
4猶大人來到希伯崙，在那裡膏大衛作猶大家的王。有人告訴大衛說：葬埋掃羅的是基列雅比人。
5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, 'May you be blessed of the LORD because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him.
5大衛就差人去見基列雅比人，對他們說：你們厚待你們的主─掃羅，將他葬埋。願耶和華賜福與你們！
6'Now may the LORD show lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing.
6你們既行了這事，願耶和華以慈愛誠實待你們，我也要為此厚待你們。
7'Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.'
7現在你們的主─掃羅死了，猶大家已經膏我作他們的王，所以你們要剛強奮勇。
8But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
8掃羅的元帥尼珥的兒子押尼珥，曾將掃羅的兒子伊施波設帶過河，到瑪哈念，
9He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel.
9立他作王，治理基列、亞書利、耶斯列、以法蓮、便雅憫，和以色列眾人。
10Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
10掃羅的兒子伊施波設登基的時候年四十歲，作以色列王二年；惟獨猶大家歸從大衛。
11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
11大衛在希伯崙作猶大家的王，共七年零六個月。
12Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul.
12尼珥的兒子押尼珥和掃羅的兒子伊施波設的僕人從瑪哈念出來，往基遍去。
13And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.
13洗魯雅的兒子約押和大衛的僕人也出來，在基遍池旁與他們相遇；一班坐在池這邊，一班坐在池那邊。
14Then Abner said to Joab, 'Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.' And Joab said, 'Let them arise.'
14押尼珥對約押說：讓少年人起來，在我們面前戲耍罷！約押說：可以。
15So they arose and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
15就按著定數起來：屬掃羅兒子伊施波設的便雅憫人過去十二名，大衛的僕人也過去十二名，
16Each one of them seized his opponent by the head and [thrust] his sword in his opponent's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
16彼此揪頭，用刀刺肋，一同仆倒。所以，那地叫作希利甲哈素林，就在基遍。
17That day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
17那日的戰事凶猛，押尼珥和以色列人敗在大衛的僕人面前。
18Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel [was] [as] swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field.
18在那裡有洗魯雅的三個兒子：約押、亞比篩、亞撒黑。亞撒黑腳快如野鹿一般；
19Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn to the right or to the left from following Abner.
19亞撒黑追趕押尼珥，直追趕他不偏左右。
20Then Abner looked behind him and said, 'Is that you, Asahel?' And he answered, 'It is I.'
20押尼珥回頭說：你是亞撒黑麼？回答說：是。
21So Abner said to him, 'Turn to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil.' But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.
21押尼珥對他說：你或轉向左轉向右，拿住一個少年人，剝去他的戰衣。亞撒黑卻不肯轉開不追趕他。
22Abner repeated again to Asahel, 'Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?'
22押尼珥又對亞撒黑說：你轉開不追趕我罷！我何必殺你呢？若殺你，有甚麼臉見你哥哥約押呢？
23However, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.
23亞撒黑仍不肯轉開。故此，押尼珥就用槍鐏刺入他的肚腹，甚至槍從背後透出，亞撒黑就在那裡仆倒而死。眾人趕到亞撒黑仆倒而死的地方，就都站住。
24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
24約押和亞比篩追趕押尼珥，日落的時候，到了通基遍曠野的路旁，基亞對面的亞瑪山。
25The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill.
25便雅憫人聚集，跟隨押尼珥站在一個山頂上。
26Then Abner called to Joab and said, 'Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?'
26押尼珥呼叫約押說：刀劍豈可永遠殺人麼？你豈不知終久必有苦楚麼？你要等何時才叫百姓回去、不追趕弟兄呢？
27Joab said, 'As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.'
27約押說：我指著永生的神起誓：你若不說戲耍的那句話，今日早晨百姓就回去，不追趕弟兄了。
28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore.
28於是約押吹角，眾民就站住，不再追趕以色列人，也不再打仗了。
29Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.
29押尼珥和跟隨他的人整夜經過亞拉巴，過約但河，走過畢倫，到了瑪哈念。
30Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David's servants besides Asahel were missing.
30約押追趕押尼珥回來，聚集眾民，見大衛的僕人中缺少了十九個人和亞撒黑。
31But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner's men, [so that] three hundred and sixty men died.
31但大衛的僕人殺了便雅憫人和跟隨押尼珥的人，共三百六十名。
32And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron.
32眾人將亞撒黑送到伯利恆，葬在他父親的墳墓裡。約押和跟隨他的人走了一夜，天亮的時候到了希伯崙。