⁵ `And also, thou hast known that which he did to me -- Joab son of Zeruiah -- that which he did to two heads of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether -- that he slayeth them, and maketh the blood of war in peace, and putteth the blood of war in his girdle, that `is' on his loins, and in his sandals that `are' on his feet;

¹⁰ and Amasa hath not been watchful of the sword that `is' in the hand of Joab, and he smiteth him with it unto the fifth `rib', and sheddeth out his bowels to the earth, and he hath not repeated `it' to him, and he dieth; and Joab and Abishai his brother have pursued after Sheba son of Bichri.

²⁷ And Abner turneth back to Hebron, and Joab turneth him aside unto the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smiteth him there in the fifth `rib' -- and he dieth -- for the blood of Asahel his brother.

¹² And the man saith unto Joab, `Yea, though I am weighing on my hand a thousand silverlings, I do not put forth my hand unto the son of the king; for in our ears hath the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe ye who `is' against the youth -- against Absalom;

⁵ and the king chargeth Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, `Gently -- for me, for the youth, for Absalom;' and all the people heard in the king's charging all the heads concerning Absalom.

¹⁴ And Joab saith, `Not right -- I tarry before thee;' and he taketh three darts in his hand, and striketh them into the heart of Absalom, while he `is' alive, in the midst of the oak.

³⁹ and I to-day `am' tender, and an anointed king: and these men, sons of Zeruiah, `are' too hard for me; Jehovah doth recompense to the doer of the evil according to his evil.'

⁷ For her blood in her midst hath been, On a clear place of a rock she hath set it, She hath not poured it on the earth, To cover it over with dust.

⁸ To cause fury to come up to take vengeance, I have put her blood on a clear place of a rock -- not to be covered.

¹⁵ They were ashamed when they did abomination! Yea, they are not at all ashamed, Yea, blushing they have not known, Therefore they do fall among those falling, In the time I have inspected them, They stumble, said Jehovah.

³⁴ Also in thy skirts hath been found the blood of innocent needy souls, Not by digging have I found them, but upon all these.

³² and Jehovah hath turned back his blood on his own head, who hath fallen on two men more righteous and better than he, and slayeth them with the sword, -- and my father David knew not -- Abner son of Ner, head of the host of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, head of the host of Judah;

¹⁸ and now, lo, Adonijah hath reigned, and now, my lord, O king, thou hast not known;

¹⁹ and he sacrificeth ox, and fatling, and sheep in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab head of the host -- and for Solomon thy servant he hath not called.

⁷ And his words are with Joab son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they help after Adonijah;

⁵ And Joab cometh in unto the king to the house, and saith, `Thou hast put to shame to-day the faces of all thy servants, those delivering thy life to-day, and the life of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines,

⁶ to love thine enemies, and to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom `were' alive, and all of us to-day dead, that then it were right in thine eyes.

⁷ `And now, rise, go out and speak unto the heart of thy servants, for by Jehovah I have sworn, that -- thou art not going out -- there doth not lodge a man with thee to-night; and this `is' worse for thee than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youth till now.'

²⁵ and Amasa hath Absalom set instead of Joab over the host, and Amasa `is' a man's son whose name is Ithra the Israelite who hath gone in unto Abigail, daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, mother of Joab;

¹⁸ And there are there three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, and Asahel `is' light on his feet, as one of the roes which `are' in the field,