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 inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, To 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, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, 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 the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, [That] the men of Jabesh-gilead [were they] 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 sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD, that ye have shown this kindness to your lord, [even] to 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 the LORD show kindness and truth to you: and I also will requite you this kindness, 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."
Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me 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, captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
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 he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, 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.
Ish-bosheth, 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.
11 And the time that David ruled in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
And the time 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 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
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 Zeruiah, and the servants of David went out, and met together 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.
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, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
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 there arose, and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, who [pertained] to 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 caught every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side: so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which [is] in Gibeon.
17 The battle was very severe that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.
And there was a very severe battle that day; and Abner was defeated, and the men of Israel, 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 three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel [was as] light of foot as a wild roe.
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 in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, "Is it you, Asahel?" He answered, "It is I."
Then Abner looked behind him, 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 on one of the young men, and take to thee 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 said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: Why should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold 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: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth [rib], that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, [that] as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood 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.
Joab also, and Abishai pursued Abner: and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that [lieth] before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
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 after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a 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?"
Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou wilt bid the people return from following 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 in the morning the people had gone up every one from following 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 a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
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 all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.
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 following Abner: and when he had assembled all the people, there lacked 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 of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, [so that] 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 sepulcher of his father, which [was in] Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
