¹Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

¹¶ Na he roa te pakanga i waenganui o te whare o Haora me te whare o Rawiri: a ko Rawiri i kaha haere, ko te whare ia o Haora i ngoikore haere.

²To David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

²A i whanau etahi tama ma Rawiri ki Heperona: ko Amanono tana matamua, na Ahinoama Ietereeri;

³and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

³Ko Kireapa ano tana tuarua, na Apikaira wahine a Napara Karameri; ko Apoharama te tuatoru, he tama na Maaka tamahine a Taramai kingi o Kehuru;

⁴and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

⁴Na ko Aronia te tuawha, he tama na Hakiti; a ko Hepatia te tuarima, he tama na Apitara;

⁵and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

⁵Ko Itireama te tuaono, na Ekera wahine a Rawiri. I whanau enei ki a Rawiri ki Heperona.

⁶It happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.

⁶A i te mea e whawha ana te whare o Haora ki te whare o Rawiri, na ka mea a Apanere i a ia ano kia kaha i roto i te whare o Haora.

⁷Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”

⁷¶ Na he wahine iti ta Haora i mua, ko Ritipa te ingoa, he tamahine na Aia: na ka mea a Ihipohete ki a Apanere, He aha koe i haere ai ki roto, ki te wahine a toku papa?

⁸Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, 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 hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman!

⁸Katahi ka mura rawa te riri o Apanere i nga kupu a Ihipohete, ka mea, He upoko kuri koia ahau no Hura? e atawhai nei ahau i tenei ra i te whare o Haora, o tou papa, i ona teina, i ona whanaunga, kihai hoki i tuku i a koe ki te ringa o Rawiri, heo i e whakahe nei koe i ahau inaianei mo tenei wahine.

⁹God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him;

⁹Kia meatia tenei e te Atua ki a Apanere, me etahi atu mea ano, ki te kahore ahau e mea i tena ki a Rawiri, pera i ta Ihowa i oati ai ki a ia;

¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”

¹⁰Hei whakawhiti atu i te kingitanga i te whare o Haora, hei whakapumau hoki i te torona o Rawiri i roto i a Iharaira, i roto i a Hura, mai i Rana a Peerehepa atu ana.

¹¹He could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

¹¹A kihai i taea e ia te whakahoki kupu ki a Apanere, i wehi hoki ia i a ia.

¹²Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you.”

¹²Na ka unga karere a Apanere ki a Rawiri, he mea nana ake, hei ki atu, No wai te whenua? hei mea hoki, Whakaritea tau kawenata ki ahau, nana, ko toku ringa hoki ki a koe hei mea i a Iharaira katoa kia anga ki a koe.

¹³He said, “Good; I will make a treaty with you; but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”

¹³Na ka mea tera, E pai ana; me whakarite kawenata ahau ki a koe: kotahi ano ia taku mea e tono ai ahau i a koe, ara e kore koe e kite i toku mata, ki te kahore e kawea mai e koe a Mikara tamahine a Haora, ina haere mai koe kia kite i toku mata.

¹⁴David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

¹⁴I unga karere ano a Rawiri ki a Ihipohete tama a Haora, hei mea, Homai taku wahine a Mikara i taumautia e ahau maku ki nga kiri matamata kotahi rau o nga Pirihitini.

¹⁵Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.

¹⁵Na ka unga tangata a Ihipohete ki te tango i a ia i tana tahu i a Paratiere tama a Raihi.

¹⁶Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned.

¹⁶I haere tahi ano tana tahu i a ia, me te tangi haere i muri i a ia, a tae noa ki Pahurimi. Na ka mea a Apanere ki a ia, Haere, e hoki. A hoki ana ia.

¹⁷Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you.

¹⁷Na ka korero a Apanere ki nga kaumatua o Iharaira, ka mea, I rapu koutou i a Rawiri i mua ake nei hei kingi mo koutou.

¹⁸Now then do it; for Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’”

¹⁸Na, tena ra; ko ta Ihowa korero hoki tenei mo Rawiri, i ki ai, Ma te ringa o Rawiri o taku pononga e whakaora ai ahau i taku iwi i a Iharaira i roto i te ringa o nga Pirihitini, i roto hoki i te ringa o o ratou hoariri katoa.

¹⁹Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.

¹⁹A i korero ano a Apanere ki nga taringa o Pineamine; i haere ano a Apanere, a korerotia ana e ia ki nga taringa o Rawiri i Heperona nga mea katoa e pai ana ki te titiro a Iharaira, ki te titiro ano a te whare katoa o Pineamine.

²⁰So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

²⁰Heoi ka haere a Apanere ki a Rawiri ki Heperona, e rua tekau hoki tangata ona hoa. A tukua ana e Rawiri he hakari ma Apanere ratou ko ona hoa.

²¹Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

²¹Na ka mea a Apanere ki a Rawiri, Ka whakatika ahau, ka haere, a ka huihui mai i a Iharaira katoa ki toku ariki, ki te kingi; a ma ratou e whakarite kawenata ki a koe, a hei kingi koe mo nga mea katoa e hiahia ai tou wairua. Na tukua atu ana a Ap anere e Rawiri, a haere marie ana ia.

²²Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

²²¶ Na ko te haerenga mai o nga tangata a Rawiri ratou ko Ioapa i te whai taua, he nui ano nga taonga i kawea mai e ratou: ko Apanere ia kahore i a Rawiri i Heperona; i tukua atu hoki ia, a haere marie ana.

²³When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

²³A, no te taenga mai o Ioapa ratou ko tana ope katoa, ka korerotia te korero ki a Ioapa, I haere mai a Apanere tama a Nere ki te kingi; a tukua atu ana ia e ia, a haere marie ana ia.

²⁴Then Joab came to the king, and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?

²⁴Na ka haere a Ioapa ki te kingi, a ka mea, He mahi aha tenei au? Nana, i haere mai a Apanere ki a koe: he aha ia i tukua atu ai e koe, a kua haere noa atu ia?

²⁵You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”

²⁵E mohio ana koe ki a Apanere tama a Nere; i haere mai ia ki te tinihanga i a koe, kia mohio ai ia ki tou haerenga atu, ki tou haerenga mai, kia mohio ai hoki ki nga mea katoa e mea ai koe.

²⁶When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.

²⁶Na ka puta a Ioapa ki waho i te aroaro o Rawiri, a unga tangata ana ki te whai i a Apanere, a whakahokia mai ana ia e ratou i te puna i Hiraha; ko Rawiri ia kihai i mohio.

²⁷When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

²⁷A, i te hokinga mai o Apanere ki Heperona, i a ia ano i te kuwaha, ka kawea ia e Ioapa ki tahaki; i mea kia ata korero ki a ia. Na patua ana ia i reira i te kopu, mate rawa, mo nga toto hoki o Atahere, o tona teina.

²⁸Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

²⁸A, no te rongonga o Rawiri i muri iho, ka mea, Kahore he hara oku, o toku kingitanga, i nga toto o Apanere tama a Nere i te aroaro o Ihowa a ake ake.

²⁹Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”

²⁹Waiho kia tau iho ki runga ki te matenga o Ioapa, ki runga hoki i te whare katoa o tona papa: kaua hoki e kore i roto i te whare o Ioapa, tetahi i te mate rere, i te repera, i te whakawhirinaki ki te tokotoko, i te hinga i te hoari, i te kore ta ro ranei.

³⁰So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

³⁰Heoi patua iho a Apanere e Ioapa raua ko Apihai, ko tona teina, hei utu mo to raua teina, mo Atahere, i whakamatea nei e ia ki Kipeono i te tatauranga.

³¹David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier.

³¹Na ka mea a Rawiri ki a Ioapa ratou ko tona nuinga katoa, Haea o koutou kakahu, whitikiria hoki he kakahu taratara ki a koutou, ka tangi ai ki a Apanere. I haere ano a Kingi Rawiri i muri i te amo.

³²They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

³²Na ka tanumia a Apanere ki Heperona, a ka puaki te reo o te kingi, tangi ana i te urupa o Apanere; i tangi ano te iwi katoa.

³³The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies?

³³Na ka waiata apakura te kingi ki a Apanere, ka mea, Kia rite koia ki te matenga o te wairangi, te mate o Apanere?

³⁴Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.” All the people wept again over him.

³⁴Kihai ou ringa i herea, kihai ou waewae i paiherea ki te rahiri: rite tonu tou hinganga ki te hinganga o te tangata i te aroaro o nga tamariki o te kino. I tangi ano te iwi katoa ki a ia.

³⁵All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down.”

³⁵Na ka haere mai te iwi katoa ki te mea i a Rawiri kia kai i te mea e awatea ana ano. Na ka oati a Rawiri, ka mea, Kia meatia mai tenei e te Atua ki ahau, me etahi atu mea ano, ki te pa ahau ki te taro, ki tetahi atu mea ranei, i te mea kahore an o i to noa te ra.

³⁶All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people.

³⁶Na ka mohio te iwi katoa, a pai tonu ki ta ratou titiro; pera tonu me nga mea katoa i meatia e te kingi, he pai kau ki te titiro a te iwi katoa.

³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

³⁷Na ka matau te iwi katoa ratou ko Iharaira katoa i taua ra ehara i te kingi nana i mea kia whakamatea a Apanere tama a Nere.

³⁸The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that there a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

³⁸I mea hoki te kingi ki ana tangata, Kahore ianei koutou i matau, he rangatira, he tangata nui, kua hinga nei inaianei i roto i a Iharaira?

³⁹I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

³⁹Ko ahau hoki, ahakoa i whakawahia hei kingi, iwikore ana i tenei ra; he maro rawa moku enei tangata, nga tama a Teruia. Kia rite ki tana kino ta Ihowa utu ki te kaimahi o te kino.