2 Samuel 2
1 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.
After this, 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.”
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, —Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
3 His men also who were with him, did David bring up, every man with his household, —and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.
4 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.
The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”
5 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.
David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.
6 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.
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.
7 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.
Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
8 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;
Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
9 and made him king for Gilead, and for the Ashurites, and for Jezreel, —and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over, all Israel.
He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 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.
Ishbosheth, 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 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.
The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 And Abner son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, came out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 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.
Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants 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.
14 Then said Abner unto Joab, Let the young men arise, I pray thee, and make sport before us. And Joab said—Let them arise.
Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”
15 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.
Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.
16 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.
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 in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
17 So the battle became exceeding obstinate, on that day, —and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.
The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.
18 Now there were there, three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, —and, Asahel, was light of foot as a wild gazelle.
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.
19 And Asahel pursued Abner, —and turned not, in going, to the right hand or to the left, from pursuing Abner.
Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said—Art thou Asahel? And he said—I am.
Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”
21 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.
Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.
22 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?
Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”
23 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.
However, he refused to turn away. 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. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
24 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.
But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. 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.
25 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,
The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.
26 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?
Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
27 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.
Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”
28 So Joab blew with the horn, and all the people stood still, and they neither pursued Israel further, —nor fought any more.
So Joab blew the shofar; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more.
29 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.
Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
30 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;
Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.
31 but, the servants of David, had smitten of Benjamin, of the men of Abner, —[so that] three hundred and sixty men, had died.
But David’s servants had struck Benjamin Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.
32 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.
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.
