2 Samuel 3

3 ¹Di war between Saul house and David house drag reach long time. David dey grow strong steady, while Saul house dey weak more and more. ²Dem born pikin for David for Hebron. Im first pikin na Amnon, wey Ahinoam of Jezreel born; ³im second, Chileab, wey Abigail born, di widow of Nabal of Carmel; di third, Absalom, pikin of Maacah, wey be daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; ⁴di fourth, Adonijah pikin of Haggith; di fifth, Shephatiah pikin of Abital; ⁵and di sixth, Ithream, wey David wife Eglah born. Na dis ones be David pikin dem wey dem born for Hebron.

Abner Join David

⁶For di time wey war dey between Saul house and David house, Abner dey make imsef strong pass inside Saul house. ⁷Saul get one concubine wey im name na Rizpah, daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth ask Abner sey, “Why you take sleep with my papa concubine?”

⁸Abner vex well-well because of wetin Ish-bosheth talk, and e sey, “Na dog head I be wey dey loyal to Judah? Today sef I dey show loyalty give your papa Saul house, im brodas and im friends, and I no hand you over give David. But now you wan blame me because of dis woman! ^a a v8 ‘Dog head’ na insult wey people for di old days dey use for person wey no worth anything, wey be traitor or enemy. ⁹Make our Papa do Abner di same thing, and even pass am, if I no do for David wetin our Papa swear give am, ¹⁰to carry di kingdom comot from Saul house and set up David throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan reach Beersheba.”

¹¹And Ish-bosheth no fit talk anoda word give Abner again, because e dey fear am.

¹²Abner send messengers go meet David for im own side, sey, “Who di land belong to? Make Covenant with me, and my hand go dey with you to bring all Israel come your side.”

¹³David sey, “Good; I go make Covenant with you. But I get one thing wey I dey demand: you no go see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul daughter, when you come.” ¹⁴David send messengers go meet Ish-bosheth, Saul pikin, sey, “Give me my wife Michal, wey I take one hundred Philistine foreskin marry.”

¹⁵So Ish-bosheth send person go collect am comot from her husband, Paltiel pikin of Laish. ¹⁶Her husband follow am dey go, dey cry as e dey follow am reach Bahurim. Then Abner tell am, “Go back.” So e turn go back.

¹⁷Abner talk with di elders of Israel, sey, “Since tey-tey una don dey want David make e be king over una. ¹⁸Now make una do am, because our Papa promise David sey: ‘Through my servant David hand I go save my people Israel from di Philistines and from all dia enemies.’”

¹⁹Abner talk to Benjamin people too, then e go Hebron to tell David everything wey Israel and di whole house of Benjamin don gree to do. ²⁰When Abner come meet David for Hebron with twenty men, David make feast for Abner and im men. ²¹Abner tell David, “Make I go gather all Israel come meet my oga di king, so dem go make Covenant with you and you go rule over everything wey your heart want.” So David send Abner comot, and e comot with peace.

Joab Kill Abner

²²Na di same time David servants and Joab come back from raid with plenty plunder. But Abner no dey with David for Hebron, because David don send am comot, and e don comot with peace. ²³When Joab and im whole army reach, dem tell am sey, “Abner pikin of Ner come meet di king, and di king send am comot, and e comot with peace.”

²⁴So Joab go meet di king sey, “Wetin be dis wey you do? Abner come meet you—why you send am comot, and now e don go? ²⁵You know sey Abner pikin of Ner come to deceive you, to know wetin you dey do and everywhere wey you dey go.”

²⁶When Joab comot from David, e send messengers go after Abner, and dem bring am back from di well of Sirah. But David no know anything. ²⁷When Abner come back to Hebron, Joab carry am waka go one side inside di gate as if e wan talk private thing, and for there e stab am for belle. E die—because of di blood of Joab broda Asahel. ²⁸Later, when David hear am, e sey, “Me and my kingdom clean forever before our Papa concerning di blood of Abner pikin of Ner. ²⁹Make e fall for Joab head and for all im papa house! Make Joab house no ever lack person wey get discharge or skin disease, wey dey lean on stick to waka, wey go fall by sword, or wey no go get food.” ³⁰So Joab and im broda Abishai kill Abner because e kill dia broda Asahel for di battle for Gibeon.

David Cry For Abner

³¹David tell Joab and all di people wey dey with am, “Tear una cloth, wear sackcloth, and cry before Abner.” King David waka behind di bed wey dem carry di dead body for. ³²Dem bury Abner for Hebron, and di king cry loud for im grave, and all di people cry. ³³Di king sing dis mourning song for Abner: “Abna suppose die as fool dey die? ³⁴Dem no tie your hand, dem no put your leg for chain. You fall like person wey dey fall before wicked people.” And all di people cry over am again.

³⁵Then all di people come dey beg David make e chop something while day still dey, but David swear sey: “Make our Papa do me so, and even worse, if I taste bread or anything else before sun go down!”

³⁶All di people notice am and dem happy; everything wey di king do please all di people. ³⁷So for dat day all di people and all Israel know sey di king no be im wish sey Abner pikin of Ner die. ³⁸Di king tell im servants, “Una no know sey one prince and one great man don fall today for Israel? ³⁹Today, even though na me be di king wey dem anoint, I weak, and dis men, di sons of Zeruiah, too hard for me. Make our Papa pay back di person wey dey do evil for im evil.”