2 Samuel 2
1 And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into Hebron.
And it came to pass, after this, that David enquired of Yahweh, saying—Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Yahweh said unto him, Go up. And David said—Whither shall I go up? And he said—Unto Hebron.
2 So David went up, and his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:
So David went up thither, and his two wives also, —Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
3 And the men also that were with him, David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.
His men also who were with him, did David bring up, every man with his household, —and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Juda. And it was told David, that the men of Jabes Galaad had buried Saul.
Then came the men of Judah, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, Men of Jabesh-gilead, were they who buried Saul.
5 David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to your master Saul, and have buried him.
So David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, —and said unto them—Blessed, be ye of Yahweh, that ye did this lovingkindness unto your lord, unto Saul, and buried him.
6 And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth, and I also will, requite you for this good turn, because you have done this thing.
Now, therefore, Yahweh requite you with lovingkindness and truth, —moreover also, I, will requite you, for this noble deed, in that ye did this thing.
7 Let your hands be strengthened, and be ye men of valour: for although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed me to be their king.
Now, therefore, let your hands be made firm, and become ye sons of valour, for your lord Saul is dead, —and, me, moreover have the house of Judah anointed, to be king over them.
8 But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul’s army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp?
But, Abner son of Ner, prince of the host that pertained unto Saul, took Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9 And made him king over Galaad, and, over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
and made him king for Gilead, and for the Ashurites, and for Jezreel, —and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over, all Israel.
10 Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over, Israel, and he reigned two years: and only the house of Juda followed David.
Forty years old, was Ish-bosheth son of Saul, when he began to reign over Israel, and, two years, reigned he, —but, the house of Judah, followed David.
11 And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.
And it came to pass, that, the number of the days that David was king in Hebron, over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months.
12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon.
And Abner son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, came out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out, and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together, they sat down over against one another: the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side.
And, Joab son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out from Hebron and met, by the pool of Gibeon, together, —and they sat down, these, by the pool, on the one side, and, those, by the pool, on the other side.
14 And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.
Then said Abner unto Joab, Let the young men arise, I pray thee, and make sport before us. And Joab said—Let them arise.
15 Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
Then there arose, and went over by number, —twelve of Benjamin, pertaining to Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and twelve, of the servants of David.
16 And every one catching his fellow, by the head, thrust his sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together: and the name of the place was called: The field of the valiant, in Gabaon.
And they caught every one his fellow by the head, with his sword in his fellow’s side, so they fell, together, —and that place was called Helkath-hazzadim ["Field of Plotters"], which is in Gideon.
17 And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.
So the battle became exceeding obstinate, on that day, —and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.
18 And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael: now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.
Now there were there, three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, —and, Asahel, was light of foot as a wild gazelle.
19 And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
And Asahel pursued Abner, —and turned not, in going, to the right hand or to the left, from pursuing Abner.
20 And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.
Then Abner looked behind him, and said—Art thou Asahel? And he said—I am.
21 And Abner said to him: Go to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael would not leave off following him close.
Then Abner said to him—Turn thee aside, to thy right hand, or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from pursuing him.
22 And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground, and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother.
And Abner said, yet again, unto Asahel, Turn thee aside from pursuing me, —wherefore should I smite thee to the earth? how then should I lift up my face unto Joab, thy brother?
23 But he refused to hearken to him, and would not turn aside: wherefore Abner struck him with his spear with a back stroke in the groin, and thrust him through, and he died upon the spot: and all that came to the place where Asael fell down and died stood still.
Howbeit he refused to turn aside, wherefore Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear, in the belly, that the spear came out behind him, and he fell there, and died on the spot, —and so it was, that, as many as came up to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still.
24 Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down: and they came as far as the hill of the aqueduct, that lieth over against the valley by the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.
Then Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, —but, the sun, had gone in by the time, they, had come as far as the hill of Ammah, that overlooketh Giah, by way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being joined in one body, they stood on the top of a hill.
And, when the sons of Benjamin had gathered themselves together after Abner, and become one band, —and had taken their stand on the top of a certain hill,
26 And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair? how long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from pursuing after their brethren?
then Abner cried aloud unto Joab, and said—To the uttermost, must the sword devour? Dost thou not well know that, bitter, shall it be, in the latter end? How long, then, wilt thou not bid the people turn back from pursuing their own brethren?
27 And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner, even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing after their brethren.
Then said Joab—As God liveth, surely, if thou hadst not spoken, then in the morning, the people would of themselves have gone up, every man from pursuing his brother.
28 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.
So Joab blew with the horn, and all the people stood still, and they neither pursued Israel further, —nor fought any more.
29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plains: and they passed the Jordan, and having gone through all Beth-horon, came to the camp.
And, Abner and his men, journeyed through the waste plain all that night, —and crossed the Jordan, and went through all the Bithron, and entered Mahanaim.
30 And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David’s servants nineteen men, beside Asael.
And, Joab, returned from pursuing Abner, and, when he had gathered together all the people, there were missing of the servants of David—nineteen men, and Asahel;
31 But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.
but, the servants of David, had smitten of Benjamin, of the men of Abner, —[so that] three hundred and sixty men, had died.
32 And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem, and Joab, and the men that were with him, marched all the night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
And they carried Asahel, and buried him in the grave of his father, which was in Bethlehem, —and Joab and his men journeyed all the night, and had daylight in Hebron.
