2 Samuel 2
1 It happened after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?" The LORD said to him, "Go up." David said, "Where shall I go up?" He said, "To Hebron."
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 up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite,
So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Achino'am the Yizre'elitess, and Abigayil, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.
3 and the men who were with him, everyone with his household. And they lived in 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, and they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was told that the men of Jabesh Gilead 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 then he sent messengers to the lords of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, "May you be blessed by the LORD, since you showed loyalty towards your lord, Saul, and have 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 loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.
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 therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."
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 Now Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, had taken Ishbaal the son of Saul, and brought him over 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 he made him king over Gilead, and over the Geshurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and 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 Ishbaal, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah 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 time that David ruled 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 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbaal the son of Saul, went 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 Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side 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 Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and compete before us." Joab said, "Let them arise."
And Abner said to Joab, Do let the young men rise up and play before us. And Joab said, They may rise up.
15 Then they arose and went over by number: twelve of the sons of Benjamin of Ishbaal the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of 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 They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Field of Blades, which is in Gibeon.
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 was very severe that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before 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, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as quick on his feet as 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 Asahel pursued after Abner, and as he went he did not turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
And 'Asahel pursued after Abner; and he turned not in going to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, "Is it you, Asahel?" He answered, "It is I."
And Abner turned round and said, Art thou 'Asahel? And he answered, I am.
21 Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor." But Asahel would not stop from pursuing 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 Abner said again to Asahel, "Stop pursuing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?"
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 he refused to stop. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stopped there.
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 after Abner: and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of 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 sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and formed a single group, and stood on the top of 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 to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you ask the people 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 Joab said, "As the LORD lives, if you had not spoken, surely the people would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the 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 trumpet; and all the people stopped, and no longer chased after Israel, and they no longer fought.
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 Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and marched the whole morning, and came to 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 Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.
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 the servants of David had struck of the people of Benjamin, from the men of Abner, three hundred and sixty men who died.
But the servants of David had smitten [many] of Benjamin, and of Abner's men: three hundred and sixty men died.
32 They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.
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.
