The Message Bible MSG
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 When David's time to die approached, he charged his son Solomon, saying,
1
adpropinquaverant autem dies David ut moreretur praecepitque Salomoni filio suo dicens
2 "I'm about to go the way of all the earth, but you - be strong; show what you're made of!
2
ego ingredior viam universae terrae confortare et esto vir
3 Do what God tells you. Walk in the paths he shows you: Follow the life-map absolutely, keep an eye out for the signposts, his course for life set out in the revelation to Moses; then you'll get on well in whatever you do and wherever you go.
3
et observa custodias Domini Dei tui ut ambules in viis eius et custodias caerimonias eius et praecepta eius et iudicia et testimonia sicut scriptum est in lege Mosi ut intellegas universa quae facis et quocumque te verteris
4 Then God will confirm what he promised me when he said, 'If your sons watch their step, staying true to me heart and soul, you'll always have a successor on Israel's throne.'
4
ut confirmet Dominus sermones suos quos locutus est de me dicens si custodierint filii tui viam suam et ambulaverint coram me in veritate in omni corde suo et in omni anima sua non auferetur tibi vir de solio Israhel
5 "And don't forget what Joab son of Zeruiah did to the two commanders of Israel's army, to Abner son of Ner and to Amasa son of Jether. He murdered them in cold blood, acting in peacetime as if he were at war, and has been stained with that blood ever since.
5
tu quoque nosti quae fecerit mihi Ioab filius Sarviae quae fecerit duobus principibus exercitus Israhel Abner filio Ner et Amasa filio Iether quos occidit et effudit sanguinem belli in pace et posuit cruorem proelii in balteo suo qui erat circa lumbos eius et in calciamento suo quod erat in pedibus eius
6 Do what you think best with him, but by no means let him get off scot-free - make him pay.
6
facies ergo iuxta sapientiam tuam et non deduces canitiem eius pacifice ad inferos
7 "But be generous to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite - extend every hospitality to them; that's the way they treated me when I was running for my life from Absalom your brother.
7
sed et filiis Berzellai Galaaditis reddes gratiam eruntque comedentes in mensa tua occurrerunt enim mihi quando fugiebam a facie Absalom fratris tui
8 "You also will have to deal with Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim, the one who cursed me so viciously when I was on my way to Mahanaim. Later, when he welcomed me back at the Jordan, I promised him under God, 'I won't put you to death.'
8
habes quoque apud te Semei filium Gera filii Iemini de Baurim qui maledixit mihi maledictione pessima quando ibam ad Castra sed quia descendit mihi in occursum cum transirem Iordanem et iuravi ei per Dominum dicens non te interficiam gladio
9 But neither should you treat him as if nothing ever happened. You're wise, you know how to handle these things. You'll know what to do to make him pay before he dies."
9
tu noli pati esse eum innoxium vir autem sapiens es et scies quae facias ei deducesque canos eius cum sanguine ad infernum
10 Then David joined his ancestors. He was buried in the City of David.
10
dormivit igitur David cum patribus suis et sepultus est in civitate David
11 David ruled Israel for forty years - seven years in Hebron and another thirty-three in Jerusalem.
11
dies autem quibus regnavit David super Israhel quadraginta anni sunt in Hebron regnavit septem annis in Hierusalem triginta tribus
12 Solomon took over on the throne of his father David; he had a firm grip on the kingdom.
12
Salomon autem sedit super thronum David patris sui et firmatum est regnum eius nimis
13 Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She said, "Do you come in peace?"
13
et ingressus est Adonias filius Aggith ad Bethsabee matrem Salomonis quae dixit ei pacificusne ingressus tuus qui respondit pacificus
14 And then, "May I say something to you?" "Go ahead," she said, "speak."
14
addiditque sermo mihi est ad te cui ait loquere et ille
15 "You know that I had the kingdom right in my hands and everyone expected me to be king, and then the whole thing backfired and the kingdom landed in my brother's lap - God's doing.
15
tu inquit nosti quia meum erat regnum et me proposuerat omnis Israhel sibi in regem sed translatum est regnum et factum est fratris mei a Domino enim constitutum est ei
16 So now I have one request to ask of you; please don't refuse me." "Go ahead, ask," she said.
16
nunc ergo petitionem unam deprecor a te ne confundas faciem meam quae dixit ad eum loquere
17 "Ask King Solomon - he won't turn you down - to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."
17
et ille ait precor ut dicas Salomoni regi neque enim negare tibi quicquam potest ut det mihi Abisag Sunamitin uxorem
18 "Certainly," said Bathsheba. "I'll speak to the king for you."
18
et ait Bethsabee bene ego loquar pro te regi
19 Bathsheba went to King Solomon to present Adonijah's request. The king got up and welcomed her, bowing respectfully, and returned to his throne. Then he had a throne put in place for his mother, and she sat at his right hand.
19
venit ergo Bethsabee ad regem Salomonem ut loqueretur ei pro Adonia et surrexit rex in occursum eius adoravitque eam et sedit super thronum suum positus quoque est thronus matri regis quae sedit ad dexteram eius
20 She said, "I have a small favor to ask of you. Don't refuse me." The king replied, "Go ahead, Mother; of course I won't refuse you."
20
dixitque ei petitionem unam parvulam ego deprecor a te ne confundas faciem meam dixit ei rex pete mater mi neque enim fas est ut avertam faciem tuam
21 She said, "Give Abishag the Shunammite to your brother Adonijah as his wife."
21
quae ait detur Abisag Sunamitis Adoniae fratri tuo uxor
22 King Solomon answered his mother, "What kind of favor is this, asking that Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah? Why don't you just ask me to hand over the whole kingdom to him on a platter since he is my older brother and has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side!"
22
responditque rex Salomon et dixit matri suae quare postulas Abisag Sunamitin Adoniae postula ei et regnum ipse est enim frater meus maior me et habet Abiathar sacerdotem et Ioab filium Sarviae
23 Then King Solomon swore under God, "May God do his worst to me if Adonijah doesn't pay for this with his life!
23
iuravit itaque rex Salomon per Dominum dicens haec faciat mihi Deus et haec addat quia contra animam suam locutus est Adonias verbum hoc
24 As surely as God lives, the God who has set me firmly on the throne of my father David and has put me in charge of the kingdom just as he promised, Adonijah will die for this - today!"
24
et nunc vivit Dominus qui firmavit me et conlocavit super solium David patris mei et qui fecit mihi domum sicut locutus est quia hodie occidetur Adonias
25 King Solomon dispatched Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck Adonijah and he died.
25
misitque rex Salomon per manum Banaiae filii Ioiadae qui interfecit eum et mortuus est
26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, "You're exiled to your place in Anathoth. You deserve death but I'm not going to kill you - for now anyway - because you were in charge of the Chest of our ruling God in the company of David my father, and because you shared all the hard times with my father."
26
Abiathar quoque sacerdoti dixit rex vade in Anathot ad agrum tuum es quidem vir mortis sed hodie te non interficiam quia portasti arcam Domini Dei coram David patre meo et sustinuisti laborem in omnibus in quibus laboravit pater meus
27 Solomon stripped Abiathar of his priesthood, fulfilling God's word at Shiloh regarding the family of Eli.
27
eiecit ergo Salomon Abiathar ut non esset sacerdos Domini ut impleretur sermo Domini quem locutus est super domum Heli in Silo
28 When this news reached Joab, this Joab who had conspired with Adonijah (although he had remained loyal in the Absalom affair), he took refuge in the sanctuary of God, seizing the horns of the Altar and holding on for dear life.
28
venit autem nuntius ad Ioab quod Ioab declinasset post Adoniam et post Absalom non declinasset fugit ergo Ioab in tabernaculum Domini et adprehendit cornu altaris
29 King Solomon was told that Joab had escaped to the sanctuary of God and was clinging to the Altar; he immediately sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada with orders, "Kill him."
29
nuntiatumque est regi Salomoni quod fugisset Ioab in tabernaculum Domini et esset iuxta altare misitque Salomon Banaiam filium Ioiadae dicens vade interfice eum
30 Benaiah went to the sanctuary of God and said, "King's orders: Come out." He said, "No - I'll die right here." Benaiah went back to the king and reported, "This was Joab's answer."
30
venit Banaias ad tabernaculum Domini et dixit ei haec dicit rex egredere qui ait non egrediar sed hic moriar renuntiavit Banaias regi sermonem dicens haec locutus est Ioab et haec respondit mihi
31 The king said, "Go ahead then, do what he says: Kill him and bury him. Absolve me and my father's family of the guilt from Joab's senseless murders.
31
dixitque ei rex fac sicut locutus est et interfice eum et sepeli et amovebis sanguinem innocentem qui effusus est a Ioab a me et a domo patris mei
32 God is avenging those bloody murders on Joab's head. Two men he murdered, men better by far than he ever was: Behind my father's back he brutally murdered Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah's army.
32
et reddat Dominus sanguinem eius super caput eius quia interfecit duos viros iustos melioresque se et occidit eos gladio patre meo David ignorante Abner filium Ner principem militiae Israhel et Amasa filium Iether principem exercitus Iuda
33 Responsibility for their murders is forever fixed on Joab and his descendants; but for David and his descendants, his family and kingdom, the final verdict is God's peace."
33
et revertetur sanguis illorum in caput Ioab et in caput seminis eius in sempiternum David autem et semini eius et domui et throno illius sit pax usque in aeternum a Domino
34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went back, struck Joab, and killed him. He was buried in his family plot out in the desert.
34
ascendit itaque Banaias filius Ioiadae et adgressus eum interfecit sepultusque est in domo sua in deserto
35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.
35
et constituit rex Banaiam filium Ioiadae pro eo super exercitum et Sadoc sacerdotem posuit pro Abiathar
36 The king next called in Shimei and told him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but you are not to leave the area.
36
misit quoque rex et vocavit Semei dixitque ei aedifica tibi domum in Hierusalem et habita ibi et non egredieris inde huc atque illuc
37 If you so much as cross the Brook Kidron, you're as good as dead - you will have decreed your own death sentence."
37
quacumque autem die egressus fueris et transieris torrentem Cedron scito te interficiendum sanguis tuus erit super caput tuum
38 Shimei answered the king, "Oh, thank you! Your servant will do exactly as my master the king says." Shimei lived in Jerusalem a long time.
38
dixitque Semei regi bonus sermo sicut locutus est dominus meus rex sic faciet servus tuus habitavit itaque Semei in Hierusalem diebus multis
39 But it so happened that three years later, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. Shimei was told, "Your slaves are in Gath."
39
factum est autem post annos tres ut fugerent servi Semei ad Achis filium Maacha regem Geth nuntiatumque est Semei quod servi eius essent in Geth
40 Shimei sprang into action, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish in Gath looking for his slaves. And then he came back, bringing his slaves.
40
et surrexit Semei et stravit asinum suum ivitque in Geth ad Achis ad requirendos servos suos et adduxit eos de Geth
41 Solomon was told, "Shimei left Jerusalem for Gath, and now he's back."
41
nuntiatum est autem Salomoni quod isset Semei in Geth de Hierusalem et redisset
42 Solomon then called for Shimei and said, "Didn't I make you promise me under God, and give you a good warning besides, that you would not leave this area? That if you left you would have decreed your own death sentence? And didn't you say, 'Oh, thank you - I'll do exactly as you say'?
42
et mittens vocavit eum dixitque illi nonne testificatus sum tibi per Dominum et praedixi tibi quacumque die egressus ieris huc et illuc scito te esse moriturum et respondisti mihi bonus sermo audivi
43 So why didn't you keep your sacred promise and do what I ordered?"
43
quare ergo non custodisti iusiurandum Domini et praeceptum quod praeceperam tibi
44 Then the king told Shimei, "Deep in your heart you know all the evil that you did to my father David; God will now avenge that evil on you.
44
dixitque rex ad Semei tu nosti omne malum cuius tibi conscium est cor tuum quod fecisti David patri meo reddidit Dominus malitiam tuam in caput tuum
45 But King Solomon will be blessed and the rule of David will be a sure thing under God forever."
45
et rex Salomon benedictus et thronus David erit stabilis coram Domino usque in sempiternum
46 The king then gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he went out and struck Shimei dead. The kingdom was now securely in Solomon's grasp.
46
iussit itaque rex Banaiae filio Ioiadae qui egressus percussit eum et mortuus est
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.