2 Samuel 2
1 Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.
And it came to pass after this, that David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Achino'am the Yizre'elitess, and Abigayil, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.
3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
And then came the men of Judah, and they anointed there David as king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Yabesh-gil'ad were those that buried Saul.
5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
And David thereupon sent messengers unto the men of Yabesh-gil'ad, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have done this kindness unto your Lord, unto Saul, and have buried him.
6 Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.
And now may the Lord deal with you in kindness and truth: and as for me also, I will requite you this good deed, because ye have done this thing.
7 Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”
And now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant men; for your lord Saul is dead; and also me have the house of Judah anointed as king over them.
8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
But Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of the army of Saul, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Machanayim;
9 and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.
And made him king over Gil'ad, and over the Ashurites, and over Yizre'el, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
Forty years old was Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, when he became king over Israel, and two years he reigned. But the house of Judah followed David.
11 And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
And the number of days that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
And there went out Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, from Machanayim to Gib'on.
13 So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
And Joab the son of Zeruyah and the servants of David also went out, and they met together by the pool of Gib'on: and they sat down, these on the one side of the pool, and the others on the other side of the pool.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
And Abner said to Joab, Do let the young men rise up and play before us. And Joab said, They may rise up.
15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
Then they rose up and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.
And they grasped every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; and they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Chelkath-hazzurim, which is by Gib'on.
17 The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
And the battle was exceedingly fierce on that day; and Abner with the men of Israel was beaten, before the servants of David.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
And there were at that place three sons of Zeruyah, Joab, and Abishai, and 'Asahel: and 'Asahel was as fleet of foot as any roe in the field.
19 and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
And 'Asahel pursued after Abner; and he turned not in going to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20 And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.
And Abner turned round and said, Art thou 'Asahel? And he answered, I am.
21 So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold for thyself on one of the young men, and take thyself his armor. But 'Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
22 Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
And Abner repeated again to say unto 'Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? and how should I then lift up my face to Joab thy brother?
23 But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
But he refused to turn aside; and Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear under the fifth rib, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died on the spot: and it came to pass, that all who came to the place where 'Asahel had fallen down and died remained standing still.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giach on the way to the wilderness of Gib'on.
25 The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.
And the children of Benjamin assembled themselves together behind Abner, and formed one solid body, and posted themselves on the top of a certain hill.
26 Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
And Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall for everlasting the sword devour? knowest thou not that it will be bitter in the end? and how long shall it be, ere thou wilt bid the people to return from pursuing their brethren?
27 “As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”
And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then already in the morning would the people have gone away every one from pursuing his brother.
28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.
So Joab blew the cornet, and all the people remained standing still, and pursued no more after Israel, and they continued no more to fight.
29 And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.
And Abner and his men walked through the plain all that night, and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Machanayim.
30 When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,
And Joab returned from pursuing Abner; and he gathered all the people together; and there were missed of David's servants nineteen men and 'Asahel.
31 but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.
But the servants of David had smitten [many] of Benjamin, and of Abner's men: three hundred and sixty men died.
32 Later, they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.
And they took up 'Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lechem. And Joab and his men went all that night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.
