The Message Bible MSG
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David dragged on and on. The longer it went on the stronger David became, with the house of Saul getting weaker.
1
facta est ergo longa concertatio inter domum Saul et inter domum David David proficiens et semper se ipso robustior domus autem Saul decrescens cotidie
2 During the Hebron years, sons were born to David: Amnon, born of Ahinoam of Jezreel - the firstborn;
2
nati quoque sunt filii David in Hebron fuitque primogenitus eius Amnon de Ahinoem Iezrahelitide
3 Kileab, born of Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow - his second; Absalom, born of Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur - the third;
3
et post eum Chelaab de Abigail uxore Nabal Carmeli porro tertius Absalom filius Maacha filiae Tholomai regis Gessur
4 Adonijah, born of Haggith - the fourth; Shephatiah, born of Abital - the fifth;
4
quartus autem Adonias filius Aggith et quintus Safathia filius Abital
5 Ithream, born of Eglah - the sixth. These six sons of David were born in Hebron.
5
sextus quoque Iethraam de Agla uxore David hii nati sunt David in Hebron
6 Abner took advantage of the continuing war between the house of Saul and the house of David to gain power for himself.
6
cum ergo esset proelium inter domum Saul et domum David Abner filius Ner regebat domum Saul
7 Saul had had a concubine, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. One day Ish-Bosheth confronted Abner: "What business do you have sleeping with my father's concubine?"
7
fuerat autem Sauli concubina nomine Respha filia Ahia dixitque Hisboseth ad Abner
8 Abner lost his temper with Ish-Bosheth, "Treat me like a dog, will you! Is this the thanks I get for sticking by the house of your father, Saul, and all his family and friends? I personally saved you from certain capture by David, and you make an issue out of my going to bed with a woman!
8
quare ingressus es ad concubinam patris mei qui iratus nimis propter verba Hisboseth ait numquid caput canis ego sum adversum Iuda hodie qui fecerim misericordiam super domum Saul patris tui et super fratres et proximos eius et non tradidi te in manu David et tu requisisti in me quod argueres pro muliere hodie
9 What God promised David, I'll help accomplish - transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and make David ruler over the whole country, both Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba. If not, may God do his worst to me."
9
haec faciat Deus Abner et haec addat ei nisi quomodo iuravit Dominus David sic faciam cum eo
10
10
ut transferatur regnum de domo Saul et elevetur thronus David super Israhel et super Iudam a Dan usque Bersabee
11 Ish-Bosheth, cowed by Abner's outburst, couldn't say another word.
11
et non potuit respondere ei quicquam quia metuebat illum
12 Abner went ahead and sent personal messengers to David: "Make a deal with me and I'll help bring the whole country of Israel over to you."
12
misit ergo Abner nuntios ad David pro se dicentes cuius est terra et loquerentur fac mecum amicitias et erit manus mea tecum et reducam ad te universum Israhel
13 "Great," said David. "It's a deal. But only on one condition: You're not welcome here unless you bring Michal, Saul's daughter, with you when you come to meet me."
13
qui ait optime ego faciam tecum amicitias sed unam rem peto a te dicens non videbis faciem meam antequam adduxeris Michol filiam Saul et sic venies et videbis me
14 David then sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul: "Give me back Michal, whom I won as my wife at the cost of a hundred Philistine foreskins."
14
misit autem David nuntios ad Hisboseth filium Saul dicens redde uxorem meam Michol quam despondi mihi centum praeputiis Philisthim
15 Ish-Bosheth ordered that she be taken from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.
15
misit ergo Hisboseth et tulit eam a viro suo Faltihel filio Lais
16 But Paltiel followed her, weeping all the way, to Bahurim. There Abner told him, "Go home." And he went home.
16
sequebaturque eam vir suus plorans usque Baurim et dixit ad eum Abner vade revertere qui reversus est
17 Abner got the elders of Israel together and said, "Only yesterday, it seems, you were looking for a way to make David your king.
17
sermonem quoque intulit Abner ad seniores Israhel dicens tam heri quam nudius tertius quaerebatis David ut regnaret super vos
18 So do it - now! For God has given the go-ahead on David: 'By my servant David's hand, I'll save my people Israel from the oppression of the Philistines and all their other enemies.'"
18
nunc ergo facite quoniam Dominus locutus est ad David dicens in manu servi mei David salvabo populum meum Israhel de manu Philisthim et omnium inimicorum eius
19 Abner took the Benjaminites aside and spoke to them. Then he went to Hebron for a private talk with David, telling him everything that Israel in general and Benjamin in particular were planning to do.
19
locutus est autem Abner etiam ad Beniamin et abiit ut loqueretur ad David in Hebron omnia quae placuerant Israhel et universo Beniamin
20 When Abner and the twenty men who were with him met with David in Hebron, David laid out a feast for them.
20
venitque ad David in Hebron cum viginti viris et fecit David Abner et viris eius qui venerant cum eo convivium
21 Abner then said, "I'm ready. Let me go now to rally everyone in Israel for my master, the king. They'll make a treaty with you, authorizing you to rule them however you see fit." Abner was sent off with David's blessing.
21
et dixit Abner ad David surgam ut congregem ad te dominum meum regem omnem Israhel et ineam tecum foedus et imperes omnibus sicut desiderat anima tua cum ergo deduxisset David Abner et ille isset in pace
22 Soon after that, David's men, led by Joab, came back from a field assignment. Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, having just been dismissed with David's blessing.
22
statim pueri David et Ioab venerunt caesis latronibus cum praeda magna nimis Abner autem non erat cum David in Hebron quia iam dimiserat eum et profectus fuerat in pace
23 As Joab and his raiding party arrived, they were told that Abner the son of Ner had been there with David and had been sent off with David's blessing.
23
et Ioab et omnis exercitus qui erat cum eo postea venerant nuntiatum est itaque Ioab a narrantibus venit Abner filius Ner ad regem et dimisit eum et abiit in pace
24 Joab went straight to the king: "What's this you've done? Abner shows up, and you let him walk away scot-free?
24
et ingressus est Ioab ad regem et ait quid fecisti ecce venit Abner ad te quare dimisisti eum et abiit et recessit
25 You know Abner son of Ner better than that. This was no friendly visit. He was here to spy on you, figure out your comings and goings, find out what you're up to."
25
ignoras Abner filium Ner quoniam ad hoc venit ut deciperet te et sciret exitum tuum et introitum tuum et nosset omnia quae agis
26 Joab left David and went into action. He sent messengers after Abner; they caught up with him at the well at Sirah and brought him back. David knew nothing of all this.
26
egressus itaque Ioab a David misit nuntios post Abner et reduxit eum a cisterna Sira ignorante David
27 When Abner got back to Hebron, Joab steered him aside at the gate for a personal word with him. There he stabbed him in the belly, killed him in cold blood for the murder of his brother Asahel.
27
cumque redisset Abner in Hebron seorsum abduxit eum Ioab ad medium portae ut loqueretur ei in dolo et percussit illum ibi in inguine et mortuus est in ultionem sanguinis Asahel fratris eius
28 Later on, when David heard what happened, he said, "Before God I and my kingdom are totally innocent of this murder of Abner son of Ner.
28
quod cum audisset David rem iam gestam ait mundus ego sum et regnum meum apud Dominum usque in sempiternum a sanguine Abner filii Ner
29 Joab and his entire family will always be under the curse of this bloodguilt. May they forever be victims of crippling diseases, violence, and famine."
29
et veniat super caput Ioab et super omnem domum patris eius nec deficiat de domo Ioab fluxum seminis sustinens et leprosus tenens fusum et cadens gladio et indigens pane
30 (Joab and his brother, Abishai, murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.)
30
igitur Ioab et Abisai frater eius interfecerunt Abner eo quod occidisset Asahel fratrem eorum in Gabaon in proelio
31 David ordered Joab and all the men under him, "Rip your cloaks into rags! Wear mourning clothes! Lead Abner's funeral procession with loud lament!" King David followed the coffin.
31
dixit autem David ad Ioab et ad omnem populum qui erat cum eo scindite vestimenta vestra et accingimini saccis et plangite ante exequias Abner porro rex David sequebatur feretrum
32 They buried Abner in Hebron. The king's voice was loud in lament as he wept at the side of Abner's grave. All the people wept, too.
32
cumque sepelissent Abner in Hebron levavit rex vocem suam et flevit super tumulum Abner flevit autem et omnis populus
33 Then the king sang this tribute to Abner: Can this be? Abner dead like a nameless bum?
33
plangensque rex Abner ait nequaquam ut mori solent ignavi mortuus est Abner
34 You were a free man, free to go and do as you wished - Yet you fell as a victim in a street brawl. And all the people wept - a crescendo of crying!
34
manus tuae non sunt ligatae et pedes tui non sunt conpedibus adgravati sed sicut solent cadere coram filiis iniquitatis corruisti congeminansque omnis populus flevit super eum
35 They all came then to David, trying to get him to eat something before dark. But David solemnly swore, "I'll not so much as taste a piece of bread, or anything else for that matter, before sunset, so help me God!"
35
cumque venisset universa multitudo cibum capere cum David clara adhuc die iuravit David dicens haec faciat mihi Deus et haec addat si ante occasum solis gustavero panem vel aliud quicquam
36 Everyone at the funeral took notice - and liked what they saw. In fact everything the king did was applauded by the people.
36
omnisque populus audivit et placuerunt eis cuncta quae fecit rex in conspectu totius populi
37 It was clear to everyone that day, including all Israel, that the king had nothing to do with the death of Abner son of Ner.
37
et cognovit omne vulgus et universus Israhel in die illa quoniam non actum fuisset a rege ut occideretur Abner filius Ner
38 The king spoke to his servants: "You realize, don't you, that today a prince and hero fell victim of foul play in Israel?
38
dixit quoque rex ad servos suos num ignoratis quoniam princeps et maximus cecidit hodie in Israhel
39 And I, though anointed king, was helpless to do anything about it. These sons of Zeruiah are too much for me. God, requite the criminal for his crime!"
39
ego autem adhuc delicatus et unctus rex porro viri isti filii Sarviae duri mihi sunt retribuat Dominus facienti malum iuxta malitiam suam
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.