2 Kingdoms 3

Βασιλειῶν Β´

1 ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος ἐπὶ πολὺ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οἴκου Σαοὺλ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οἴκου Δαυίδ· καὶ ὁ οἶκος Δαυὶδ ἐπορεύετο καὶ ἐκραταιοῦτο, καὶ ὁ οἶκος Σαοὺλ ἐπορεύετο καὶ ἠσθένει.

And there was war for a long time between the house of Saul and the house of David; and the house of David grew continually stronger; but the house of Saul grew continually weaker.

2 Καὶ ἐτέχθησαν τῷ Δαυὶδ υἱοὶ ἐν Χεβρών, καὶ ἦν ὁ πρωτότοκος αὐτοῦ Ἀμνὼν τῆς Ἀχινόομ τῆς Ἰεζραηλίτιδος,

And sons were born to David in Chebron: and his firstborn was Ammon the son of Achinoom the Jezraelitess.

3 καὶ ὁ δεύτερος αὐτοῦ Δαλουΐα τῆς Ἀβιγαίας τῆς Καρμηλίας, καὶ ὁ τρίτος Ἀβεσσαλὼμ υἱὸς Μααχὰ θυγατρὸς Θολμὶ βασιλέως Γεσίρ,

And his second son [was] Daluia, the son of Abigaia the Carmelitess; and the third, Abessalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmi the king of Gessir.

4 καὶ ὁ τέταρτος Ὀρνία υἱὸς Φεγγίθ, καὶ ὁ πέμπτος Σαβατία τῆς Ἀβιτάλ,

And the fourth [was] Ornia, the son of Aggith, and the fifth [was] Saphatia, the son of Abital.

5 καὶ ὁ ἕκτος Ἰεθεραὰμ τῆς Αἰγλὰ γυναικὸς Δαυίδ· οὗτοι ἐτέχθησαν τῷ Δαυὶδ ἐν Χεβρών.

And the sixth [was] Jetheraam, the son of Aegal the wife of David. These were born to David in Chebron.

6 Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι τὸν πόλεμον ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οἴκου Σαοὺλ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οἴκου Δαυίδ, καὶ Ἀβεννὴρ ἦν κρατῶν τοῦ οἴκου Σαούλ.

And it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abenner was governing the house of Saul.

7 καὶ τῷ Σαοὺλ παλλακὴ Ρεσφὰ θυγάτηρ Ἰάλ· καὶ εἶπεν Ἰεβοσθὲ υἱὸς Σαοὺλ πρὸς Ἀβεννήρ· τί ὅτι εἰσῆλθες πρὸς τὴν παλλακὴν τοῦ πατρός μου;

And Saul had a concubine, Respha, the daughter of Jol; and Jebosthe the son of Saul said to Abenner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?

8 καὶ ἐθυμώθη σφόδρα Ἀβεννὴρ περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου τῷ Ἰεβοσθέ, καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβεννὴρ πρὸς αὐτόν· μὴ κεφαλὴ κυνὸς ἐγώ εἰμι; ἐποίησα σήμερον ἔλεος μετὰ τοῦ οἴκου Σαοὺλ τοῦ πατρός σου καὶ περὶ ἀδελφῶν καὶ περὶ γνωρίμων καὶ οὐκ ηὐτομόλησα εἰς τὸν οἶκον Δαυίδ· καὶ ἐπιζητεῖς ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ σὺ ὑπὲρ ἀδικίας γυναικὸς σήμερον;

And Abenner was very angry with Jebosthe for this saying; and Abenner said to him, Am I a dog's head? I have this day wrought kindness with the house of Saul your father, and with his brethren and friends, and have not gone over to the house of David, and do you this day seek a charge against me concerning injury to a woman?

9 τάδε ποιήσαι ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀβεννὴρ καὶ τάδε προσθείη αὐτῷ, ὅτι καθὼς ὤμοσε Κύριος τῷ Δαυίδ, ὅτι οὕτως ποιήσω αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ

God do thus and more also to Abenner, if as the Lord swore to David, so do I not to him this day;

10 περιελεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου Σαούλ, καὶ τοῦ ἀναστῆσαι τὸν θρόνον Δαυὶδ ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰούδαν ἀπὸ Δὰν ἕως Βηρσαβεέ.

to take away the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over Israel and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.

11 καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνάσθη ἔτι Ἰεβοσθὲ ἀποκριθῆναι τῷ Ἀβεννὴρ ρῆμα ἀπὸ τοῦ φοβεῖσθαι αὐτόν.

And Jebosthe could not any longer answer Abenner a word, because he feared him.

12 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἀβεννὴρ ἀγγέλους πρὸς Δαυὶδ εἰς Θαιλὰμ οὗ ἦν, παραχρῆμα λέγων· διάθου διαθήκην σου μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ χεὶρ μου μετὰ σοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς σὲ πάντα τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραήλ.

And Abenner sent messengers to David to Thaelam where he was, immediately, saying, Make your covenant with me, and, behold, my hand [is] with you to bring back to you all the house of Israel.

13 καὶ εἶπε Δαυίδ· καλῶς ἐγὼ διαθήσομαι πρὸς σὲ διαθήκην, πλὴν λόγον ἕνα ἐγὼ αἰτοῦμαι παρὰ σοῦ λέγων· οὐκ ὄψει τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγῃς τὴν Μελχὸλ θυγατέρα Σαοὺλ παραγινομένου σου ἰδεῖν τὸ πρόσωπόν μου.

And David said, With a good will I will make with you a covenant: only I demand one condition of you, saying, You shall not see my face, unless you bring Melchol the daughter of Saul, when you come to see my face.

14 καὶ ἐξαπέστειλε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Ἰεβοσθὲ υἱὸν Σαοὺλ ἀγγέλους λέγων· ἀπόδος μοι τὴν γυναῖκά μου τὴν Μελχόλ, ἣν ἔλαβον ἐν ἑκατὸν ἀκροβυστίαις ἀλλοφύλων.

And David sent messengers to Jebosthe the son of Saul, saying, Restore me my wife Melchol, whom I took for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἰεβοσθὲ καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν παρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς, παρὰ Φαλτιὴλ υἱοῦ Σελλῆς.

And Jebosthe sent, and took her from her husband, [even] from Phaltiel the son of Selle.

16 καὶ ἐπορεύετο ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς κλαίων ὀπίσω αὐτῆς ἕως Βαρακίμ· καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἀβεννήρ· πορεύου, ἀνάστρεφε· καὶ ἀνέστρεψε.

And her husband went with her weeping behind her as far as Barakim. And Abenner said to him, Go, return; and he returned.

17 καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβεννὴρ πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους Ἰσραὴλ λέγων· χθὲς καὶ τρίτην ἐζητεῖτε τὸν Δαυὶδ βασιλεύειν ἐφ᾿ ὑμῶν·

And Abenner spoke to the elders of Israel, saying, In former days you⌃ sought David to reign over you;

18 καὶ νῦν ποιήσατε, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησε περὶ Δαυὶδ λέγων· ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ δούλου μου Δαυὶδ σώσω τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ χειρὸς ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν.

and now perform [it]: for the Lord has spoken concerning David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save Israel out of the hand of all their enemies.

19 καὶ ἐλάλησεν Ἀβεννὴρ ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶ Βενιαμίν. καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ἀβεννὴρ τοῦ λαλῆσαι εἰς τὰ ὦτα τοῦ Δαυὶδ εἰς Χεβρὼν πάντα, ὅσα ἤρεσεν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς οἴκου Βενιαμίν.

And Abenner spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abenner went to speak in the ears of David at Chebron, all that seemed good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of the house of Benjamin.

20 Καὶ ἦλθεν Ἀβεννὴρ πρὸς Δαυὶδ εἰς Χεβρὼν καὶ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἴκοσιν ἄνδρες. καὶ ἐποίησε Δαυὶδ τῷ Ἀβεννὴρ καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ πότον.

And Abenner came to David to Chebron, and with him twenty men: and David made for Abenner and his men with him a banquet of wine.

21 καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβεννὴρ πρὸς Δαυίδ· ἀναστήσομαι δὴ καὶ πορεύσομαι καὶ συναθροίσω πρὸς κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα πάντα Ἰσραὴλ καὶ διαθήσομαι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ διαθήκην, καὶ βασιλεύσεις ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐπιθυμεῖ ἡ ψυχή σου. καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δαυὶδ τὸν Ἀβεννήρ, καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

And Abenner said to David, I will arise now, and go, and gather to my lord the king all Israel; and I will make with him a covenant, and you shall reign over all whom your soul desires. And David sent away Abenner, and he departed in peace.

22 καὶ ἰδοὺ οἱ παῖδες Δαυὶδ καὶ Ἰωὰβ παρεγένοντο ἐκ τῆς ἐξοδίας, καὶ σκῦλα πολλὰ ἔφερον μεθ᾿ ἑαυτῶν· καὶ Ἀβεννὴρ οὐκ ἦν μετὰ Δαυὶδ εἰς Χεβρών, ὅτι ἀπεστάλκει αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπεληλύθει ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

And, behold, the servants of David and Joab arrived from their expedition, and they brought much spoil with them: and Abenner was not with David in Chebron, because he had sent him away, and he had departed in peace.

23 καὶ Ἰωὰβ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ στρατιὰ αὐτοῦ ἤλθοσαν, καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Ἰωὰβ λέγοντες· ἥκει Ἀβεννὴρ υἱὸς Νὴρ πρὸς Δαυίδ, καὶ ἀπέσταλκεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

And Joab and all his army came, and it was reported to Joab, saying, Abenner the son of Ner is come to David, and David has let him go, and he has departed in peace.

24 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ἰωὰβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπε· τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; ἰδοὺ ἦλθεν Ἀβεννὴρ πρὸς σέ, καὶ ἱνατί ἐξαπέσταλκας αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπελήλυθεν ἐν εἰρήνῃ;

And Joab went in to the king, and said, What [is] this [that] you have done? behold, Abenner came to you; and why have you let him go, and he has departed in peace?

25 ἦ οὐκ οἶδας τὴν κακίαν Ἀβεννὴρ υἱοῦ Νήρ, ὅτι ἀπατῆσαί σε παρεγένετο καὶ γνῶναι τὴν ἔξοδόν σου καὶ τὴν εἴσοδόν σου καὶ γνῶναι ἅπαντα, ὅσα σὺ ποιεῖς;

Know you not the mischief of Abenner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all things that you do?

26 καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν Ἰωὰβ ἀπὸ τοῦ Δαυὶδ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸς Ἀβεννὴρ ὀπίσω, καὶ ἐπιστρέφουσιν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ φρέατος τοῦ Σεειράμ· καὶ Δαυὶδ οὐκ ᾔδει.

And Joab returned from David, and sent messengers to Abenner after [him]; and they bring him back from the well of Seiram: but David knew [it] not.

27 καὶ ἐπέστρεψε τὸν Ἀβεννὴρ εἰς Χεβρών, καὶ ἐξέκλινεν αὐτὸν Ἰωὰβ ἐκ πλαγίων τῆς πύλης λαλῆσαι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐνεδρεύων καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς τὴν ψόαν, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῷ αἱματι Ἀσαὴλ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Ἰωάβ.

And he brought back Abenner to Chebron, and Joab caused him to turn aside from the gate to speak to him, laying wait for him: and he struck him there in the loins, and he died for the blood of Asael the brother of Joab.

28 Καὶ ἤκουσε Δαυὶδ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ εἶπεν· ἀθῶός εἰμι ἐγὼ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία μου ἀπὸ Κυρίου καὶ ἕως αἰῶνος ἀπὸ τῶν αἱμάτων Ἀβεννὴρ υἱοῦ Νήρ·

And David heard [of it] afterwards, and said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord even for ever of the blood of Abenner the son of Ner.

29 καταντησάτωσαν ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν Ἰωὰβ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐκλείποι ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου Ἰωὰβ γονορρυὴς καὶ λεπρὸς καὶ κρατῶν σκυτάλης καὶ πίπτων ἐν ρομφαίᾳ καὶ ἐλασσούμενος ἄρτοις.

Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all the house of his father; and let there not be lacking of the house of Joab one that has an issue, or a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that wants bread.

30 Ἰωὰβ δὲ καὶ Ἀβεσσὰ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ διαπαρετηροῦντο τὸν Ἀβεννὴρ ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐθανάτωσε τὸν Ἀσαὴλ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῶν ἐν Γαβαών, ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ.

For Joab and Abessa his brother laid wait continually for Abenner, because he killed Asael their brother at Gabaon in the battle.

31 καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Ἰωὰβ καὶ πρὸς πάντα τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· διαρρήξατε τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν καὶ περιζώσασθε σάκκους καὶ κόπτεσθε ἔμπροσθεν Ἀβεννήρ· καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυὶδ ἐπορεύετο ὀπίσω τῆς κλίνης.

And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament before Abenner. And king David followed the bier.

32 καὶ θάπτουσι τὸν Ἀβεννὴρ ἐν Χεβρών· καὶ ᾖρεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔκλαυσεν ἐπὶ τοῦ τάφου αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔκλαυσε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ Ἀβεννήρ.

And they bury Abenner in Chebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at his tomb, and all the people wept for Abenner.

33 καὶ ἐθρήνησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ Ἀβεννὴρ καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ κατὰ τὸν θάνατον Νάβαλ ἀποθανεῖται Ἀβεννήρ;

And the king mourned over Abenner, and said, Shall Abenner die according to the death of Nabal?

34 αἱ χεῖρές σου οὐκ ἐδέθησαν, οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐν πέδαις· οὐ προσήγαγεν ὡς Νάβαλ, ἐνώπιον υἱῶν ἀδικίας ἔπεσας. καὶ συνήχθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τοῦ κλαῦσαι αὐτόν.

Your hands were not bound, and your feet [were] not [put] in fetters: [one] brought [you] not near as Nabal; you did fall before children of iniquity.

35 καὶ ἦλθε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς περιδειπνῆσαι τὸν Δαυὶδ ἄρτοις ἔτι οὔσης ἡμέρας, καὶ ὤμοσε Δαυὶδ λέγων· τάδε ποιήσαι μοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τάδε προσθείη, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ δύῃ ὁ ἥλιος, οὐ μὴ γεύσωμαι ἄρτου ἢ ἀπὸ παντός τινος.

And all the people assembled to weep for him. And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day: and David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I eat bread or any thing else before the sun goes down.

36 καὶ ἔγνω πᾶς ὁ λαός, καὶ ἤρεσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐνώπιον τοῦ λαοῦ.

And all the people took notice, and all things that the king did before the people were pleasing in their sight.

37 καὶ ἔγνω πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγένετο παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως θανατῶσαι τὸν Ἀβεννὴρ υἱὸν Νήρ.

So all the people and all Israel perceived in that day, that it was not of the king to kill Abenner the son of Ner.

38 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ· οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡγούμενος μέγας πέπτωκεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ;

And the king said to his servants, Know you⌃ not that a great prince is this day fallen in Israel?

39 καὶ ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι συγγενὴς σήμερον καὶ καθεσταμένος ὑπὸ βασιλέως; οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οὗτοι υἱοὶ Σαρουΐας σκληρότεροί μού εἰσιν· ἀποδῷ Κύριος τῷ ποιοῦντι τὰ πονηρὰ κατὰ τὴν κακίαν αὐτοῦ.

And that I am this day a [mere] kinsman [of his], and [as it were] a subject; but these men the sons of Saruia are too hard for me: the Lord reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.

Greek: the Septuagint as the Orthodox Media Network published it (Mount Athos); 2 Maccabees and the Prayer of Manasseh from Brenton's edition (1851). English: Brenton's translation (1851), its spelling updated by Michael Paul Johnson; public domain. About these texts.