TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
II - Chapter 4
Translation and Transliteration of
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1When [Ish-boshet] son of Shaul heard that Avner had died in Chevron, he lost heart and all Yisrael was alarmed.
vai-YISH-ma ben SHA-ul, KEE mayt av-NAYR b'-chev-RON, vai-R'-fu ya-DAV, v'-kol yis-ra-AYL niv-ha-LO.
אוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע בֶּן־שָׁא֗וּל כִּ֣י מֵ֤ת אַבְנֵר֙ בְּחֶבְר֔וֹן וַיִּרְפּ֖וּ יָדָ֑יו וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נִבְהָֽלוּ׃
2The son of Shaul [had] two company commanders, one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite—Benjaminites, since Beeroth too was considered part of Binyamin.
u-sh'-NAY a-na-SHEEM sa-RAY-g'-du-DEEM ha-YU ben sha-UL, shaym ha-e-KHAD ba-a-NAH, v'-shaym ha-SHE-nee ray-KHAV, b'-NAY rim-MON ha-b'-ay-RO-tee mi-b'-NAY b'-nee-YA-min, kee gam b'-ay-ROt tay-KHA-shev al b'-nee-YA-min.
בוּשְׁנֵ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֣ים שָׂרֵֽי־גְדוּדִ֣ים הָי֪וּ בֶן־שָׁא֟וּל שֵׁם֩ הָאֶחָ֨ד בַּעֲנָ֜ה וְשֵׁ֧ם הַשֵּׁנִ֣י רֵכָ֗ב בְּנֵ֛י רִמּ֥וֹן הַבְּאֵֽרֹתִ֖י מִבְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּ֚י גַּם־בְּאֵר֔וֹת תֵּחָשֵׁ֖ב עַל־בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
3The Beerothites had fled to Gittaim, where they have sojourned to this day.
vai-yiv-re-KHU ha-be-e-ro-TIM gi-ta-YE-ma, vai-yi-HU-sham ga-RIM ad ha-YOM ha-ZEH. (S)
גוַיִּבְרְח֥וּ הַבְּאֵרֹתִ֖ים גִּתָּ֑יְמָה וַיִּהְיוּ־שָׁ֣ם גָּרִ֔ים עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
4Yehonatan son of Shaul had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the news about Shaul and Yehonatan came from Yizrael, and his nurse picked him up and fled; but as she was fleeing in haste, he fell and was lamed. His name was Mefiboshet.
v'-li-ho-NA-tan ben SHA-ul ben ne-KHE ra-gla-YIM ben kha-ME-sha sha-NEEM ha-YA b'-BO sh'-mu-AHT SHA-ul v'-yo-ho-NA-tan mi-yiz-re-AEL va-ti-sa-E-hu o-man-TO va-ta-NOS va-y'-HEE b'-kho-f'-ZAH la-NOOS va-yi-POL va-yi-PA-se-akh u-sh'-MO m'-fi-BOSHET
דוְלִיהֽוֹנָתָן֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל בֵּ֖ן נְכֵ֣ה רַגְלָ֑יִם בֶּן־חָמֵ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֣ים הָיָ֡ה בְּבֹ֣א שְׁמֻעַת֩ שָׁא֨וּל וִיהוֹנָתָ֜ן מִֽיִּזְרְעֶ֗אל וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֤הוּ אֹֽמַנְתּוֹ֙ וַתָּנֹ֔ס וַיְהִ֞י בְּחׇפְזָ֥הּ לָנ֛וּס וַיִּפֹּ֥ל וַיִּפָּסֵ֖חַ וּשְׁמ֥וֹ מְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת׃
5Rechab and Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, started out, and they reached the home of Ish-boshet at the heat of the day, when he was taking his midday rest.
vai-YEL-khu v'-nay ri-MON ha-b'-E-ro-TEE RAY-khav u-ba-a-NA va-ya-VO-u k'-KHOm ha-YOM el BAYT EESH BO-shet v'-HU sho-KHAYV AYT mish-KAV ha-tzo-ho-RA-yim
הוַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ בְּנֵֽי־רִמּ֤וֹן הַבְּאֵֽרֹתִי֙ רֵכָ֣ב וּבַעֲנָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ כְּחֹ֣ם הַיּ֔וֹם אֶל־בֵּ֖ית אִ֣ישׁ בֹּ֑שֶׁת וְה֣וּא שֹׁכֵ֔ב אֵ֖ת מִשְׁכַּ֥ב הַֽצׇּהֳרָֽיִם׃
6So they went inside the house, as though fetching wheat, and struck him in the belly. Rechab and his brother Baanah slipped by,
v'-he-Nah ba-U ad-TOCH ha-BA-yit lo-k'-khe-KHEEM va-ya-KHU-hu el ha-KHO-mesh v'-re-KHAV u-ba-a-NAH a-KHEE-vu nim-LA-tu
ווְ֠הֵנָּ֠ה בָּ֜אוּ עַד־תּ֤וֹךְ הַבַּ֙יִת֙ לֹקְחֵ֣י חִטִּ֔ים וַיַּכֻּ֖הוּ אֶל־הַחֹ֑מֶשׁ וְרֵכָ֛ב וּבַעֲנָ֥ה אָחִ֖יו נִמְלָֽטוּ׃
7and entered the house while he was asleep on his bed in his bed chamber; and they stabbed him to death. They cut off his head and took his head and made their way all night through the Arabah.
va-ya-VO ha-BA-yit v'-hu-sho-KHEV al mi-TA-to ba-cha-DAR mish-KA-vo va-ya-KHU-hu va-ye-MI-tu-hu va-ya-SEE-ru et ro-SHO va-yi-KHU et ro-SHO va-ye-L'-khu DE-rekh ha-a-ra-VA kol ha-la-YE-la
זוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ הַבַּ֗יִת וְהֽוּא־שֹׁכֵ֤ב עַל־מִטָּתוֹ֙ בַּחֲדַ֣ר מִשְׁכָּב֔וֹ וַיַּכֻּ֙הוּ֙ וַיְמִתֻ֔הוּ וַיָּסִ֖ירוּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וַיֵּ֥לְכ֛וּ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָ֖ה כׇּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃
8They brought the head of Ish-boshet to David in Chevron. “Here,” they said to the king, “is the head of your enemy, Ish-boshet son of Shaul, who sought your life. This day Hashem has avenged my lord the king upon Shaul and his offspring.”
vai-YA-vu et-ROSH eesh-BO-shet el da-VID khev-RON, va-YO-meru el ha-ME-lekh, hi-NEH-ROSH eesh-BO-shet ben-sha-UL o-yiv-KHA a-SHER bi-KE-sh et-NAF-she-KHA, va-YI-ten a-do-NAI la-a-do-NEE ha-ME-lekh ne-KA-mot ha-YOM ha-ZEH mi-sha-UL u-mi-za-RO.
חוַ֠יָּבִ֠אוּ אֶת־רֹ֨אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־דָּוִד֮ חֶבְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הִנֵּה־רֹ֣אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֗שֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁאוּל֙ אֹֽיִבְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה לַאדֹנִ֨י הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ נְקָמוֹת֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה מִשָּׁא֖וּל וּמִזַּרְעֽוֹ׃
9But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As Hashem lives, who has rescued me from every trouble:
vai-YA-an da-VID et RE-khav v'-et ba-a-NAH a-KHEEV b'-NAY ri-MON ha-b'-a-E-ro-TEE vai-YO-mer la-HEM, khai a-do-NAI a-SHER pa-DAH et naf-SHEE mi-KOL tza-RAH
טוַיַּ֨עַן דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־רֵכָ֣ב ׀ וְאֶת־בַּעֲנָ֣ה אָחִ֗יו בְּנֵ֛י רִמּ֥וֹן הַבְּאֵרֹתִ֖י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֑ם חַי־יְהֹוָ֕ה אֲשֶׁר־פָּדָ֥ה אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִכׇּל־צָרָֽה׃
10The man who told me in Tziklag that Shaul was dead thought he was bringing good news. But instead of rewarding him for the news, I seized and killed him.
ki ha-ma-GID li le-MOR hi-NEH-met SHA-ul v'-hu-HA-ya ki-m'-va-SER b'-ei-NAV va-o-cha-ZA bo va-e-re-GE-hu b'-tzi-K'-LAG a-SHER l'-ti-TEE-lo b'-so-RAH
יכִּ֣י הַמַּגִּיד֩ לִ֨י לֵאמֹ֜ר הִנֵּה־מֵ֣ת שָׁא֗וּל וְהֽוּא־הָיָ֤ה כִמְבַשֵּׂר֙ בְּעֵינָ֔יו וָאֹחֲזָ֣ה ב֔וֹ וָאֶהְרְגֵ֖הוּ בְּצִֽקְלָ֑ג אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְתִתִּי־ל֖וֹ בְּשֹׂרָֽה׃
11How much more, then, when wicked men have killed a blameless man in bed in his own house! I will certainly avenge his blood on you, and I will rid the earth of you.”
AF kee a-na-SHEEM r'-sha-EEM ha-r'-GU et eesh tza-DEEK b'-vay-TO al mish-ka-VO v'-a-TAH ha-LO a-va-KAYSH et da-MO mi-yed-KHEM u-vi-ar-TEE et-KHEM min ha-A-retz
יאאַ֞ף כִּֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֣ים רְשָׁעִ֗ים הָרְג֧וּ אֶת־אִישׁ־צַדִּ֛יק בְּבֵית֖וֹ עַל־מִשְׁכָּב֑וֹ וְעַתָּ֗ה הֲל֨וֹא אֲבַקֵּ֤שׁ אֶת־דָּמוֹ֙ מִיֶּדְכֶ֔ם וּבִעַרְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
4:11 I will certainly avenge his blood on you
King David helps establish an important principle of military ethics: One may not wantonly kill, even to advance a just cause. While one must kill in self-defense, the murder of innocents is a crime. This truth is taken to heart by the Israel Defense Forces, whose soldiers often risk their lives to avoid unintentionally killing civilians. Often, dangerous house-to-house combat is chosen over safer aerial bombings, in order to minimize the number of civilian casualties. The enemies of Israel are aware of this, and have been known to take advantage of the kindness and morality of the IDF by positioning their weapons and fighters near schools, homes and hospitals. But this has not deterred the Israeli army from being the world’s most moral military forces.
12David gave orders to the young men, who killed them; they cut off their hands and feet and hung them up by the pool in Chevron. And they took the head of Ish-boshet and buried it in the grave of Avner at Chevron.
vai-YA-tzav da-VID et ha-ne-a-REEM va-ya-HAR-gum va-yak-atz-TZU et y'-day-HEM v'-et rag-LAY-HEM va-yit-LU al ha-b'-RAY-kha b'-khev-RON v'-AYT rosh eesh-BO-shet la-KA-khu va-yik-B'-ru b'-KE-ver av-NAYR b'-khev-RON. Pe
יבוַיְצַו֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֜ים וַיַּהַרְג֗וּם וַֽיְקַצְּצ֤וּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתְל֥וּ עַל־הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וְאֵ֨ת רֹ֤אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙ לָקָ֔חוּ וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ בְקֶבֶר־אַבְנֵ֖ר בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃
