1Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.
1掃羅家和大衛家爭戰許久。大衛家日見強盛；掃羅家日見衰弱。
2Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
2大衛在希伯崙得了幾個兒子：長子暗嫩是耶斯列人亞希暖所生的；
3and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;
3次子基利押（在歷代上三章一節作但以利）是作過迦密人拿八的妻亞比該所生的；三子押沙龍是基述王達買的女兒瑪迦所生的；
4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
4四子亞多尼雅是哈及所生的；五子示法提雅是亞比他所生的；
5and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.
5六子以特念是大衛的妻以格拉所生的。大衛這六個兒子都是在希伯崙生的。
6It came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.
6掃羅家和大衛家爭戰的時候，押尼珥在掃羅家大有權勢。
7Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, 'Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?'
7掃羅有一妃嬪，名叫利斯巴，是愛亞的女兒。一日，伊施波設對押尼珥說：你為甚麼與我父的妃嬪同房呢？
8Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, 'Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman.
8押尼珥因伊施波設的話就甚發怒，說：我豈是猶大的狗頭呢？我恩待你父掃羅的家和他的弟兄、朋友，不將你交在大衛手裡，今日你竟為這婦人責備我麼？
9'May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him,
9我若不照著耶和華起誓應許大衛的話行，廢去掃羅的位，建立大衛的位，使他治理以色列和猶大，從但直到別是巴，願神重重地降罰與我！
10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.'
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11And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he was afraid of him.
11伊施波設懼怕押尼珥，不敢回答一句。
12Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, 'Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.'
12押尼珥打發人去見大衛，替他說：這國歸誰呢？又說：你與我立約，我必幫助你，使以色列人都歸服你。
13He said, 'Good! I will make a covenant with you, but I demand one thing of you, namely, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.'
13大衛說：好！我與你立約。但有一件，你來見我面的時候，若不將掃羅的女兒米甲帶來，必不得見我的面。
14So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, 'Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'
14大衛就打發人去見掃羅的兒子伊施波設，說：你要將我的妻米甲歸還我；他是我從前用一百非利士人的陽皮所聘定的。
15Ish-bosheth sent and took her from [her] husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.
15伊施波設就打發人去，將米甲從拉億的兒子、他丈夫帕鐵那裡接回來。
16But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, 'Go, return.' So he returned.
16米甲的丈夫跟著他，一面走一面哭，直跟到巴戶琳。押尼珥說：你回去罷！帕鐵就回去了。
17Now Abner had consultation with the elders of Israel, saying, 'In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.
17押尼珥對以色列長老說：從前你們願意大衛作王治理你們，
18'Now then, do [it]! For the LORD has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.''
18現在你們可以照心願而行。因為耶和華曾論到大衛說：我必藉我僕人大衛的手，救我民以色列脫離非利士人和眾仇敵的手。
19Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
19押尼珥也用這話說給便雅憫人聽，又到希伯崙，將以色列人和便雅憫全家一切所喜悅的事說給大衛聽。
20Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.
20押尼珥帶著二十個人來到希伯崙見大衛，大衛就為押尼珥和他帶來的人設擺筵席。
21Abner said to David, 'Let me arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may be king over all that your soul desires.' So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
21押尼珥對大衛說：我要起身去招聚以色列眾人來見我主我王，與你立約，你就可以照著心願作王。於是大衛送押尼珥去，押尼珥就平平安安地去了。
22And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
22約押和大衛的僕人攻擊敵軍，帶回許多的掠物。那時押尼珥不在希伯崙大衛那裡，因大衛已經送他去，他也平平安安地去了。
23When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, they told Joab, saying, 'Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.'
23約押和跟隨他的全軍到了，就有人告訴約押說：尼珥的兒子押尼珥來見王，王送他去，他也平平安安地去了。
24Then Joab came to the king and said, 'What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you sent him away and he is already gone?
24約押去見王說：你這是做甚麼呢？押尼珥來見你，你為何送他去，他就蹤影不見了呢？
25'You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to learn of your going out and coming in and to find out all that you are doing.'
25你當曉得，尼珥的兒子押尼珥來是要誆哄你，要知道你的出入和你一切所行的事。
26When Joab came out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know [it].
26約押從大衛那裡出來，就打發人去追趕押尼珥，在西拉井追上他，將他帶回來，大衛卻不知道。
27So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother.
27押尼珥回到希伯崙，約押領他到城門的甕洞，假作要與他說機密話，就在那裡刺透他的肚腹，他便死了。這是報殺他兄弟亞撒黑的仇。
28Afterward when David heard it, he said, 'I and my kingdom are innocent before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
28大衛聽見了，就說：流尼珥的兒子押尼珥的血，這罪在耶和華面前必永不歸我和我的國。
29'May it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a distaff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.'
29願流他血的罪歸到約押頭上和他父的全家；又願約押家不斷有患漏症的，長大痲瘋的，架柺而行的，被刀殺死的，缺乏飲食的。
30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
30約押和他兄弟亞比篩殺了押尼珥，是因押尼珥在基遍爭戰的時候殺了他們的兄弟亞撒黑。
31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, 'Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.' And King David walked behind the bier.
31大衛吩咐約押和跟隨他的眾人說：你們當撕裂衣服，腰束麻布，在押尼珥棺前哀哭。大衛王也跟在棺後。
32Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
32他們將押尼珥葬在希伯崙。王在押尼珥的墓旁放聲而哭，眾民也都哭了。
33The king chanted a [lament] for Abner and said, 'Should Abner die as a fool dies?
33王為押尼珥舉哀，說：押尼珥何竟像愚頑人死呢？
34'Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters; As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen.' And all the people wept again over him.
34你手未曾捆綁，腳未曾鎖住。你死，如人死在罪孽之輩手下一樣。於是眾民又為押尼珥哀哭。
35Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, 'May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.'
35日頭未落的時候，眾民來勸大衛吃飯，但大衛起誓說：我若在日頭未落以前吃飯，或吃別物，願神重重地降罰與我！
36Now all the people took note [of it], and it pleased them, just as everything the king did pleased all the people.
36眾民知道了就都喜悅。凡王所行的，眾民無不喜悅。
37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been [the will] of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death.
37那日，以色列眾民才知道殺尼珥的兒子押尼珥並非出於王意。
38Then the king said to his servants, 'Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?
38王對臣僕說：你們豈不知今日以色列人中死了一個作元帥的大丈夫麼？
39'I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil.'
39我雖然受膏為王，今日還是軟弱；這洗魯雅的兩個兒子比我剛強。願耶和華照著惡人所行的惡報應他。