I - Chapter 2

1When David's life was drawing to a close, he instructed his son Shlomo as follows:

אוַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי־דָוִד לָמוּת וַיְצַו אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ לֵאמֹר׃

2“I am going the way of all the earth; be strong and show yourself a man.

באָנֹכִי הֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל־הָאָרֶץ וְחָזַקְתָּ וְהָיִיתָ לְאִישׁ׃

3Keep the charge of Hashem your God, walking in His ways and following His laws, His commandments, His rules, and His admonitions as recorded in the Teaching of Moshe, in order that you may succeed in whatever you undertake and wherever you turn.

גוְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו לִשְׁמֹר חֻקֹּתָיו מִצְוׂתָיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו וְעֵדְוׂתָיו כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה לְמַעַן תַּשְׂכִּיל אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה וְאֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר תִּפְנֶה שָׁם׃

4Then Hashem will fulfill the promise that He made concerning me: ‘If your descendants are scrupulous in their conduct, and walk before Me faithfully, with all their heart and soul, your line on the throne of Yisrael shall never end!'

דלְמַעַן יָקִים יְהֹוָה אֶת־דְּבָרוֹ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלַי לֵאמֹר אִם־יִשְׁמְרוּ בָנֶיךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּם לָלֶכֶת לְפָנַי בֶּאֱמֶת בְּכָל־לְבָבָם וּבְכָל־נַפְשָׁם לֵאמֹר לֹא־יִכָּרֵת לְךָ אִישׁ מֵעַל כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

5“Further, you know what Yoav son of Tzeruya did to me, what he did to the two commanders of Yisrael's forces, Avner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether: he killed them, shedding blood of war in peacetime, staining the girdle of his loins and the sandals on his feet with blood of war.

הוְגַם אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה לִי יוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרוּיָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לִשְׁנֵי־שָׂרֵי צִבְאוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר וְלַעֲמָשָׂא בֶן־יֶתֶר וַיַּהַרְגֵם וַיָּשֶׂם דְּמֵי־מִלְחָמָה בְּשָׁלֹם וַיִּתֵּן דְּמֵי מִלְחָמָה בַּחֲגֹרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר בְּמָתְנָיו וּבְנַעֲלוֹ אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלָיו׃

6So act in accordance with your wisdom, and see that his white hair does not go down to Sheol in peace.

ווְעָשִׂיתָ כְּחָכְמָתֶךָ וְלֹא־תוֹרֵד שֵׂיבָתוֹ בְּשָׁלֹם שְׁאֹל׃

7“But deal graciously with the sons of Barzilai the Giladite, for they befriended me when I fled from your brother Avshalom; let them be among those that eat at your table.

זוְלִבְנֵי בַרְזִלַּי הַגִּלְעָדִי תַּעֲשֶׂה־חֶסֶד וְהָיוּ בְּאֹכְלֵי שֻׁלְחָנֶךָ כִּי־כֵן קָרְבוּ אֵלַי בְּבָרְחִי מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם אָחִיךָ׃

8“You must also deal with Shim'i son of Gera, the Binyaminite from Bahurim. He insulted me outrageously when I was on my way to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Yarden, and I swore to him by Hashem: ‘I will not put you to the sword.'

חוְהִנֵּה עִמְּךָ שִׁמְעִי בֶן־גֵּרָא בֶן־הַיְמִינִי מִבַּחֻרִים וְהוּא קִלְלַנִי קְלָלָה נִמְרֶצֶת בְּיוֹם לֶכְתִּי מַחֲנָיִם וְהוּא־יָרַד לִקְרָאתִי הַיַּרְדֵּן וָאֶשָּׁבַע לוֹ בַיהֹוָה לֵאמֹר אִם־אֲמִיתְךָ בֶּחָרֶב׃

9So do not let him go unpunished; for you are a wise man and you will know how to deal with him and send his gray hair down to Sheol in blood.”

טוְעַתָּה אַל־תְּנַקֵּהוּ כִּי אִישׁ חָכָם אָתָּה וְיָדַעְתָּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה־לּוֹ וְהוֹרַדְתָּ אֶת־שֵׂיבָתוֹ בְּדָם שְׁאוֹל׃

10So David slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the City of David.

יוַיִּשְׁכַּב דָּוִד עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּעִיר דָּוִד׃

11The length of David's reign over Yisrael was forty years: he reigned seven years in Chevron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Yerushalayim.

יאוְהַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ דָּוִד עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּחֶבְרוֹן מָלַךְ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם מָלַךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים׃

12And Shlomo sat upon the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

ush-lo-MO ya-SHAV al ki-SAY da-VID a-VEEV va-ti-KON mal-khu-TO m'-OD

יבוּשְׁלֹמֹה יָשַׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא דָּוִד אָבִיו וַתִּכֹּן מַלְכֻתוֹ מְאֹד׃

13Adoniyahu son of Haggith came to see Batsheva, Shlomo's mother. She said, “Do you come with friendly intent?” “Yes,” he replied;

יגוַיָּבֹא אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ בֶן־חַגֵּית אֶל־בַּת־שֶׁבַע אֵם־שְׁלֹמֹה וַתֹּאמֶר הֲשָׁלוֹם בֹּאֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם׃

14and he continued, “I would like to have a word with you.” “Speak up,” she said.

ידוַיֹּאמֶר דָּבָר לִי אֵלָיִךְ וַתֹּאמֶר דַּבֵּר׃

15Then he said, “You know that the kingship was rightly mine and that all Yisrael wanted me to reign. But the kingship passed on to my brother; it came to him by the will of Hashem.

טווַיֹּאמֶר אַתְּ יָדַעַתְּ כִּי־לִי הָיְתָה הַמְּלוּכָה וְעָלַי שָׂמוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּנֵיהֶם לִמְלֹךְ וַתִּסֹּב הַמְּלוּכָה וַתְּהִי לְאָחִי כִּי מֵיְהֹוָה הָיְתָה לּוֹ׃

16And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said, “Speak up.”

טזוְעַתָּה שְׁאֵלָה אַחַת אָנֹכִי שֹׁאֵל מֵאִתָּךְ אַל־תָּשִׁבִי אֶת־פָּנָי וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו דַּבֵּר׃

17He replied, “Please ask King Shlomo—for he won't refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

יזוַיֹּאמֶר אִמְרִי־נָא לִשְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי לֹא־יָשִׁיב אֶת־פָּנָיִךְ וְיִתֶּן־לִי אֶת־אֲבִישַׁג הַשּׁוּנַמִּית לְאִשָּׁה׃

18“Very well,” said Batsheva, “I will speak to the king in your behalf.”

יחוַתֹּאמֶר בַּת־שֶׁבַע טוֹב אָנֹכִי אֲדַבֵּר עָלֶיךָ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

19So Batsheva went to King Shlomo to speak to him about Adoniyahu. The king rose to greet her and bowed down to her. He sat on his throne; and he had a throne placed for the queen mother, and she sat on his right.

יטוַתָּבֹא בַת־שֶׁבַע אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה לְדַבֶּר־לוֹ עַל־אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ וַיָּקָם הַמֶּלֶךְ לִקְרָאתָהּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לָהּ וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־כִּסְאוֹ וַיָּשֶׂם כִּסֵּא לְאֵם הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתֵּשֶׁב לִימִינוֹ׃

20She said, “I have one small request to make of you, do not refuse me.” He responded, “Ask, Mother; I shall not refuse you.”

כוַתֹּאמֶר שְׁאֵלָה אַחַת קְטַנָּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁאֶלֶת מֵאִתָּךְ אַל־תָּשֶׁב אֶת־פָּנָי וַיֹּאמֶר־לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ שַׁאֲלִי אִמִּי כִּי לֹא־אָשִׁיב אֶת־פָּנָיִךְ׃

21Then she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adoniyahu as wife.”

כאוַתֹּאמֶר יֻתַּן אֶת־אֲבִישַׁג הַשֻּׁנַמִּית לַאֲדֹנִיָּהוּ אָחִיךָ לְאִשָּׁה׃

22The king replied to his mother, “Why request Abishag the Shunammite for Adoniyahu? Request the kingship for him! For he is my older brother, and the Kohen Evyatar and Yoav son of Tzeruya are on his side.”

כבוַיַּעַן הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה וַיֹּאמֶר לְאִמּוֹ וְלָמָה אַתְּ שֹׁאֶלֶת אֶת־אֲבִישַׁג הַשֻּׁנַמִּית לַאֲדֹנִיָּהוּ וְשַׁאֲלִי־לוֹ אֶת־הַמְּלוּכָה כִּי הוּא אָחִי הַגָּדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי וְלוֹ וּלְאֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן וּלְיוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרוּיָה׃

23Thereupon, King Shlomo swore by Hashem, saying, “So may Hashem do to me and even more, if broaching this matter does not cost Adoniyahu his life!

כגוַיִּשָּׁבַע הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בַּיהֹוָה לֵאמֹר כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּי אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יוֹסִיף כִּי בְנַפְשׁוֹ דִּבֶּר אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃

24Now, as Hashem lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of my father David and who has provided him with a house, as he promised, Adoniyahu shall be put to death this very day!”

כדוְעַתָּה חַי־יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר הֱכִינַנִי ויושיביני [וַיּוֹשִׁיבַנִי] עַל־כִּסֵּא דָּוִד אָבִי וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה־לִי בַּיִת כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר כִּי הַיּוֹם יוּמַת אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ׃

25And Shlomo instructed Benaiah son of Yehoyada, who struck Adoniyahu down; and so he died.

כהוַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בְּיַד בְּנָיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָע וַיִּפְגַּע־בּוֹ וַיָּמֹת׃

26To the Kohen Evyatar, the king said, “Go to your estate at Anatot! You deserve to die, but I shall not put you to death at this time, because you carried the Aron of my God before my father David and because you shared all the hardships that my father endured.”

כווּלְאֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ עֲנָתֹת לֵךְ עַל־שָׂדֶיךָ כִּי אִישׁ מָוֶת אָתָּה וּבַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לֹא אֲמִיתֶךָ כִּי־נָשָׂאתָ אֶת־אֲרוֹן אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה לִפְנֵי דָּוִד אָבִי וְכִי הִתְעַנִּיתָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־הִתְעַנָּה אָבִי׃

27So Shlomo dismissed Evyatar from his office of Kohen of Hashem—thus fulfilling what Hashem had spoken at Shilo regarding the house of Eli.

כזוַיְגָרֶשׁ שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־אֶבְיָתָר מִהְיוֹת כֹּהֵן לַיהֹוָה לְמַלֵּא אֶת־דְּבַר יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עַל־בֵּית עֵלִי בְּשִׁלֹה׃

28When the news reached Yoav, he fled to the Tent of Hashem and grasped the horns of the mizbayach—for Yoav had sided with Adoniyahu, though he had not sided with Avshalom.

כחוְהַשְּׁמֻעָה בָּאָה עַד־יוֹאָב כִּי יוֹאָב נָטָה אַחֲרֵי אֲדֹנִיָּה וְאַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם לֹא נָטָה וַיָּנָס יוֹאָב אֶל־אֹהֶל יְהֹוָה וַיַּחֲזֵק בְּקַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃

29King Shlomo was told that Yoav had fled to the Tent of Hashem and that he was there by the mizbayach; so Shlomo sent Benaiah son of Yehoyada, saying, “Go and strike him down.”

כטוַיֻּגַּד לַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה כִּי נָס יוֹאָב אֶל־אֹהֶל יְהֹוָה וְהִנֵּה אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַיִּשְׁלַח שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־בְּנָיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָע לֵאמֹר לֵךְ פְּגַע־בּוֹ׃

30Benaiah went to the Tent of Hashem and said to him, “Thus said the king: Come out!” “No!” he replied; “I will die here.” Benaiah reported back to the king that Yoav had answered thus and thus,

לוַיָּבֹא בְנָיָהוּ אֶל־אֹהֶל יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו כֹּה־אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ צֵא וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי פֹה אָמוּת וַיָּשֶׁב בְּנָיָהוּ אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּבָר לֵאמֹר כֹּה־דִבֶּר יוֹאָב וְכֹה עָנָנִי׃

31and the king said, “Do just as he said; strike him down and bury him, and remove guilt from me and my father's house for the blood of the innocent that Yoav has shed.

לאוַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ עֲשֵׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר וּפְגַע־בּוֹ וּקְבַרְתּוֹ וַהֲסִירֹתָ דְּמֵי חִנָּם אֲשֶׁר שָׁפַךְ יוֹאָב מֵעָלַי וּמֵעַל בֵּית אָבִי׃

32Thus Hashem will bring his blood guilt down upon his own head, because, unbeknown to my father, he struck down with the sword two men more righteous and honorable than he—Avner son of Ner, the army commander of Yisrael, and Amasa son of Jether, the army commander of Yehuda.

לבוְהֵשִׁיב יְהֹוָה אֶת־דָּמוֹ עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ אֲשֶׁר פָּגַע בִּשְׁנֵי־אֲנָשִׁים צַדִּקִים וְטֹבִים מִמֶּנּוּ וַיַּהַרְגֵם בַּחֶרֶב וְאָבִי דָוִד לֹא יָדָע אֶת־אַבְנֵר בֶּן־נֵר שַׂר־צְבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־עֲמָשָׂא בֶן־יֶתֶר שַׂר־צְבָא יְהוּדָה׃

33May the guilt for their blood come down upon the head of Yoav and his descendants forever, and may good fortune from Hashem be granted forever to David and his descendants, his house and his throne.”

לגוְשָׁבוּ דְמֵיהֶם בְּרֹאשׁ יוֹאָב וּבְרֹאשׁ זַרְעוֹ לְעֹלָם וּלְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ וּלְבֵיתוֹ וּלְכִסְאוֹ יִהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם עַד־עוֹלָם מֵעִם יְהֹוָה׃

34So Benaiah son of Yehoyada went up and struck him down. And he was buried at his home in the wilderness.

לדוַיַּעַל בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָע וַיִּפְגַּע־בּוֹ וַיְמִתֵהוּ וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּבֵיתוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר׃

35In his place, the king appointed Benaiah son of Yehoyada over the army, and in place of Evyatar, the king appointed the Kohen Tzadok.

להוַיִּתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־בְּנָיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָע תַּחְתָּיו עַל־הַצָּבָא וְאֶת־צָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן נָתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ תַּחַת אֶבְיָתָר׃

36Then the king summoned Shim'i and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Yerushalayim and stay there—do not ever go out from there anywhere else.

לווַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּקְרָא לְשִׁמְעִי וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בְּנֵה־לְךָ בַיִת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ שָׁם וְלֹא־תֵצֵא מִשָּׁם אָנֶה וָאָנָה׃

37On the very day that you go out and cross the Wadi Kidron, you can be sure that you will die; your blood shall be on your own head.”

לזוְהָיָה בְּיוֹם צֵאתְךָ וְעָבַרְתָּ אֶת־נַחַל קִדְרוֹן יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי מוֹת תָּמוּת דָּמְךָ יִהְיֶה בְרֹאשֶׁךָ׃

38“That is fair,” said Shim'i to the king, “your servant will do just as my lord the king has spoken.” And for a long time, Shim'i remained in Yerushalayim.

לחוַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְעִי לַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב הַדָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ כֵּן יַעֲשֶׂה עַבְדֶּךָ וַיֵּשֶׁב שִׁמְעִי בִּירוּשָׁלִַם יָמִים רַבִּים׃

39Three years later, two slaves of Shim'i ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shim'i was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.”

לטוַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים וַיִּבְרְחוּ שְׁנֵי־עֲבָדִים לְשִׁמְעִי אֶל־אָכִישׁ בֶּן־מַעֲכָה מֶלֶךְ גַּת וַיַּגִּידוּ לְשִׁמְעִי לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה עֲבָדֶיךָ בְּגַת׃

40Shim'i thereupon saddled his ass and went to Achish in Gath to claim his slaves; and Shim'i returned from Gath with his slaves.

מוַיָּקָם שִׁמְעִי וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת־חֲמֹרוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ גַּתָה אֶל־אָכִישׁ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־עֲבָדָיו וַיֵּלֶךְ שִׁמְעִי וַיָּבֵא אֶת־עֲבָדָיו מִגַּת׃

41Shlomo was told that Shim'i had gone from Yerushalayim to Gath and back,

מאוַיֻּגַּד לִשְׁלֹמֹה כִּי־הָלַךְ שִׁמְעִי מִירוּשָׁלִַם גַּת וַיָּשֹׁב׃

42and the king summoned Shim'i and said to him, “Did I not adjure you by Hashem and warn you, ‘On the very day that you leave and go anywhere else, you can be sure that you will die,' and did you not say to me, ‘It is fair; I accept'?

מבוַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּקְרָא לְשִׁמְעִי וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הֲלוֹא הִשְׁבַּעְתִּיךָ בַיהֹוָה וָאָעִד בְּךָ לֵאמֹר בְּיוֹם צֵאתְךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ אָנֶה וָאָנָה יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי מוֹת תָּמוּת וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלַי טוֹב הַדָּבָר שָׁמָעְתִּי׃

43Why did you not abide by the oath before Hashem and by the orders which I gave you?”

מגוּמַדּוּעַ לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ אֵת שְׁבֻעַת יְהֹוָה וְאֶת־הַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר־צִוִּיתִי עָלֶיךָ׃

44The king said further to Shim'i, “You know all the wrong, which you remember very well, that you did to my father David. Now Hashem brings down your wrongdoing upon your own head.

מדוַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־שִׁמְעִי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר יָדַע לְבָבְךָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ לְדָוִד אָבִי וְהֵשִׁיב יְהֹוָה אֶת־רָעָתְךָ בְּרֹאשֶׁךָ׃

45But King Shlomo shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Hashem forever.”

מהוְהַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בָּרוּךְ וְכִסֵּא דָוִד יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה עַד־עוֹלָם׃

46The king gave orders to Benaiah son of Yehoyada and he went out and struck Shim'i down; and so he died.Thus the kingdom was secured in Shlomo's hands.

מווַיְצַו הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָע וַיֵּצֵא וַיִּפְגַּע־בּוֹ וַיָּמֹת וְהַמַּמְלָכָה נָכוֹנָה בְּיַד־שְׁלֹמֹה׃