2 Kingdoms 20
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
2 Kingdoms chapter 20 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.
Patristic commentary for this chapter has not yet been attached. The translator's notes for this chapter (6) follow the text. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.
2 Kingdoms 20
1And there was a transgressor so called there, and his name was Sabee, a Benjamite, the son of Bochori: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jessae: to your tents, O Israel, every one.Καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐπικαλούμενος υἱὸς παράνομος, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Σαβεὲ, υἱὸς Βοχορί ἀνὴρ ὁ Ἰεμινὶ, καὶ ἐσάλπισε τῇ κερατίνῃ, καὶ εἶπεν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν μερὶς ἐν Δαυὶδ, οὐδὲ κληρονομία ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ υἱῷ Ἰεσσαί· ἀνὴρ εἰς τὰ σκηνώματά σου, Ἰσραήλ.
2And all the men of Israel went up from following David after Sabee the son of Bochori: but the men of Juda adhered to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.Καὶ ἀνέβη πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν Δαυὶδ ὀπίσω Σαβεὲ υἱοῦ Βοχορί· καὶ ἀνὴρ Ἰούδα ἐκολλήθη τῷ βασιλεῖ αὐτῶν, ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου καὶ ἕως Ἰερουσαλήμ.
3And David went into his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a place of custody, and maintained them, and went not in to them; and they were kept living as widows, till the day of their death.Καὶ εἰσῆλθε Δαυὶδ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς δέκα γυναῖκας τὰς παλλακὰς αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἀφῆκε φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰς ἐν οἴκῳ φυλακῆς, καὶ διέθρεψεν αὐτὰς, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰς οὐκ εἰσῆλθε· καὶ ἦσαν συνεχόμεναι ἕως ἡμέρας θανάτου αὐτῶν χῆραι ζῶσαι.
4And the king said to Amessai, Call to me the men of Juda for three days, and do you be present here.Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Ἀμεσσαῒ, βόησόν μοι τὸν ἄνδρα Ἰούδα τρεῖς ἡμέρας, σὺ δὲ αὐτοῦ στῆθι.
5And Amessai went to call Juda, and delayed beyond the time which David appointed him.Καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ἀμεσσαῒ τοῦ βοῆσαι τὸν Ἰούδαν, καὶ ἐχρόνισεν ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ οὗ ἐτάξατο αὐτῷ Δαυίδ.
6And David said to Amessai, Now shall Sabee the son of Bochori do us more harm than Abessalom: now then take you with you the servants of your lord, and follow after him, lest he find for himself strong cities, so will he * blind our eyes.Καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Ἀμεσσαῒ, νῦν κακοποιήσει ἡμᾶς Σαβεὲ υἱὸς Βοχορὶ ὑπὲρ Ἀβεσσαλώμ· καὶ νῦν σὺ λάβε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ τοὺς παῖδας τοῦ κυρίου σου, καὶ καταδίωξον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ, μή ποτε ἑαυτῷ εὕρῃ πόλεις ὀχυρὰς, καὶ σκιάσει τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμῶν.
7And there went out after him Amessai and the men of Joab, and the Cherethites, and the Phelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sabee the son of Bochori.Καὶ ἐξῆλθον ὀπίσω αὐτοὺ Ἀβεσσαῒ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες Ἰωὰβ, καὶ ὁ Χερεθὶ, καὶ ὁ Φελεθὶ, καὶ πάντες οἱ δυνατοὶ, καὶ ἐξῆλθον ἐξ Ἱερουσαλὴμ διῶξαι ὀπίσω Σαβεὲ υἱοῦ Βοχορί.
8And they were by the great stone that is in Gabaon: and Amessai went in before them: and Joab † had upon him a military cloak over his apparel, and over it he was girded with a dagger fastened upon his loins in its scabbard: and the dagger came out, it even came out and fell.Καὶ αὐτοὶ παρὰ τῷ λίθῳ τῷ μεγάλῳ τῷ ἐν Γαβαών· καὶ Ἀμεσσαῒ εἰσῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν· καὶ Ἰωὰβ περιεζωσμένος μανδύαν τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἐζωσμένος μάχαιραν ἐζευγμένην ἐπὶ τῆς ὀσφύος αὐτοῦ ἐν κολεῷ αὐτῆς· καὶ ἡ μάχαιρα ἐξῆλθε· καὶ αὐτὴ ἐξῆλθε καὶ ἔπεσε.
9And Joab said to Amessai, Are you in health, my brother? and the right hand of Joab took hold of the beard of Amessai to kiss him.Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ τῷ Ἀμεσσαῒ, εἰ ὑγιαίνεις σὺ, ἀδελφέ; καὶ ἐκράτησεν ἡ χεὶρ ἡ δεξιὰ Ἰωὰβ τοῦ πώγωνος Ἀμεσσαῒ τοῦ καταφιλῆσαι αὐτόν.
10And Amessai observed not the dagger that was in the hand of Joab: and Joab struck him with it on the loins, and his ‡ bowels were shed out upon the ground, and he did not repeat the blow, and he died: and Joab and Abessai his brother pursued after Sabee the son of Bochori.Καὶ Ἀμεσσαῒ οὐκ ἐφυλάξατο τὴν μάχαιραν τὴν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ Ἰωάβ· καὶ ἔπαισεν αὐτὸν ἐν αὐτῇ Ἰωὰβ εἰς τὴν ψόαν, καὶ ἐξεχύθη ἡ κοιλία αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν γῆν, καὶ οὐκ ἐδευτέρωσεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπέθανε· καὶ Ἰωὰβ καὶ Ἀβεσσαῒ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ ἐδίωξεν ὀπίσω Σαβεὲ υἱοῦ Βοχορί.
11And there stood over him one of the servants of Joab, and said, Who is he that is for Joab, and who is on the side of David following Joab?Καὶ ἀνὴρ ἔστη ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τῶν παιδαρίων Ἰωὰβ, καὶ εἶπε, τίς ὁ βουλόμενος Ἰωὰβ, καὶ τίς τοῦ Δαυὶδ, ὀπίσω Ἰωάβ;
12And Amessai was weltering in blood in the midst of the way. And a man saw that all the people stood still; and he removed Amessai out of the path into a field, and he cast a garment upon him, because he saw every one that came to him standing still.Καὶ Ἀμεσσαῒ πεφυρμένος ἐν τῷ αἵματι ἐν μέσὼ τῆς τρίβου· καὶ εἶδεν ἀνὴρ, ὅτι εἱστήκει πᾶς ὁ λαὸς, καὶ ἀπέστρεψε τὸν Ἀμεσσαῒ ἐκ τῆς τρίβου εἰς ἀγρόν· καὶ ἐπέῤῥιψεν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἱμάτιον, καθʼ ὅτι εἶδε πάντα τὸν ἐρχόμενον ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἑστηκότα.
13And when he was quickly removed from the road, every man of Israel passed after Joab to pursue after Sabee the son of Bochori.Ἡνίκα δὲ ἔφθασεν ἐκ τῆς τρίβου, παρῆλθε πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ἰσραὴλ ὀπίσω Ἰωὰβ τοῦ διῶξαι ὀπίσω Σαβεὲ υἱοῦ Βοχορί.
14And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Bethmacha; and all in Charri too were assembled, and followed after him.Καὶ διῆλθεν ἐν πάσαις φυλαῖς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς Ἀβὲλ καὶ εἰς Βαθμαχά· καὶ πάντες ἐν Χαῤῥὶ καὶ ἐξεκκλησιάσθησαν, καὶ ἦλθον κατόπισθεν αὐτοῦ.
15And they came and besieged him in Abel and Phermacha: and they raised a mound against the city and it stood close to the wall; and all the people with Joab proposed to throw down the wall.Καὶ παρεγενήθησαν καὶ ἐπολιόρκουν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἐν Ἀβὲλ καὶ Φερμαχά· καὶ ἐξέχεαν πρόσχωμα πρὸς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἔστη ἐν τῷ προτειχίσματι· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετὰ Ἰωὰβ ἐνοοῦσαν καταβαλεῖν τὸ τεῖχος.
16And a wise woman cried from the wall, and said, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab, Draw near hither, and I will speak to him.Καὶ ἐβόησε γυνὴ σοφὴ ἐκ τοῦ τείχους, καὶ εἶπεν, ἀκούσατε ἀκούσατε, εἴπατε δὴ πρὸς Ἰωὰβ, ἔγγισον ἕως ὧδε, καὶ λαλήσω πρὸς αὐτόν.
17And he drew near to her, and the woman said to him, Are you Joab? and he said, I am. And she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid; and Joab said, I do hear.Καὶ προσήγγισε πρὸς αὐτήν· καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ, εἰ σὺ εἶ Ἰωάβ; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, ἐγώ. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ, ἄκουσον τοὺς λόγους τῆς δούλης σου· καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωὰβ, ἀκούω ἐγώ εἰμι.
18And she spoke, saying, § Of old time they said thus, Surely one was asked in Abel, and Dan, whether the faithful in Israel failed in what they purposed; they will surely ask in Abel, even in like manner, whether they have failed.Καὶ εἶπε λέγουσα, λόγον ἐλάλησαν ἐν πρώτοις, λέγοντες, ἠρωτημένος ἠρωτήθη ἐν τῇ Ἀβὲλ καὶ ἐν Δὰν εἰ ἐξέλιπον ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ πιστοὶ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· ἐρωτῶντες ἐπερωτήσουσιν ἐν Ἀβὲλ, καὶ οὕτως εἰ ἐξέλιπον.
19I am a peaceful one of the strong ones in Israel; but you seek to destroy a city and a mother city in Israel: why do you seek to ruin the inheritance of the Lord?Ἐγώ εἰμι εἰρηνικὰ τῶν στηριγμάτων Ἰσραήλ· σὺ δὲ ζητεῖς θανατῶσαι πόλιν καὶ μητρόπολιν ἐν Ἰσραήλ· ἱνατί καταποντίζεις κληρονομίαν Κυρίου;
20And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should ruin or destroy.Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ἰωὰβ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἵλεώς μοι ἵλεώς μοι, εἰ καταποντιῶ καὶ εἰ φθερῶ.
21Is not the case thus, that a man of mount Ephraim, Sabee, son of Bochori by name, has even lifted up his hand against king David? Give him only to me, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.Οὐχ οὕτως ὁ λόγος, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἐξ ὄρους Ἐφραὶμ, Σαβεὲ υἱὸς Βοχορὶ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπῇρε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα Δαυίδ. δότε αὐτόν μοι μόνον, καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι ἀπάνωθεν τῆς πόλεως. Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς Ἰωὰβ, ἰδοὺ ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ ῥιφήσεται πρὸς σὲ διὰ τοῦ τείχους.
22And the woman went in to all the people, and she spoke to all the city in her wisdom; and ** they took off the head of Sabee the son of Bochori; and took it away and threw it to Joab: and he blew the trumpet, and the people separated from the city away from him, every man to his tent: and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς πάντα τὸν λαὸν, καὶ ἐλάλησε πρὸς πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτῆς· καὶ ἀφεῖλε τὴν κεφαλὴν Σαβεὲ υἱοῦ Βοχορί· καὶ ἀφεῖλε καὶ ἔβαλε πρὸς Ἰωάβ· καὶ ἐσάλπισεν ἐν κερατίνῃ, καὶ διεσπάρησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἀνὴρ εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτοῦ· καὶ Ἰωὰβ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα.
23And Joab was †† over all the forces of Israel: and Banaias the son of Jodae was over the Cherethites and over the Phelethites.Καὶ ὁ Ἰωὰβ πρὸς πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει Ἰσραήλ· καὶ Βαναίας υἱὸς Ἰωδαὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χερεθὶ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Φελεθί·
24And Adoniram was over the tribute: and Josaphath the son of Achiluth was recorder.Καὶ Ἀδωνιρὰμ ἐπὶ τοῦ φόρου· καὶ Ἰωσαφὰθ υἱὸς Ἀχιλοὺθ ἀναμιμνήσκων.
25And Susa was scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar were priests.Καὶ Σουσὰ γραμματεύς· καὶ Σαδὼκ καὶ Ἀβιάθαρ ἱερεῖς·
26Moreover Iras the son of Iarin was priest to David.Καί γε Ἰρὰς ὁ Ἰαρὶν ἦν ἱερεὺς τῷ Δαυίδ.
Translator's Notes
These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.
- v. 6*i.e. escape us.
- v. 8†Gr. was girded about with.
- v. 10‡Gr. belly.
- v. 18§Gr. they spoke a word among the first, saying.
- v. 22**Gr. it or she. i.e. ἡ πόλις.
- v. 23††Gr. to.