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.

2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near 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.”

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.

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.

7 Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”

8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,

9 and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—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.

11 And the length of time 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.

13 So Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two groups took up positions on opposite sides 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.

15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for 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.

17 The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by 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,

19 and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.

20 And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.

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.

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?”

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.

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.

25 The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a 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?”

27 “As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”

28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued 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.

30 When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,

31 but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.

32 And 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.

1 ¶ And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any 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 thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

3 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 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 Jabeshgilead [were they] that buried Saul.

5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, [even] unto Saul, and have buried him.

6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

7 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 ¶ But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

10 Ishbosheth Saul's son [was] forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

11 And the time 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 Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 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 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which [pertained] to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16 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 Helkathhazzurim, which [is] in Gibeon.

17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

18 ¶ 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 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, [Art] thou Asahel? And he answered, I [am].

21 And 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 following of him.

22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

23 Howbeit 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 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that [lieth] before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 ¶ And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

26 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 bid the people return from following their brethren?

27 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 a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

29 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 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.

31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, [so that] three hundred and threescore men died.

32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which [was in] Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

1 And it came to pass after this, that David asked the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither? And he said, To Hebron.

2 So David went with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

3 And David brought up the men that were with him, every man with his household, and dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

4 And the men of Judah came and anointed David there king over the house of Judah. And it was told David that they of Jabesh in Gilead had buried Saul,

5 And he sent messengers unto them, saying, Blessed be ye unto the LORD, that ye have shewed such mercy unto your LORD Saul, and have buried him.

6 The LORD therefore have mercy upon you, and faithfulness; and I will do you good also, because ye have done these things.

7 Let your hands therefore be stayed, and be joyful: for your lord Saul is dead, and the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

8 And Abner the son of Ner, which was captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth Saul's son, and brought him to Mahanaim;

9 And made him king over Gilead, and over Asuri, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

10 And 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 kept David.

11 And the time that David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 And Abner the son of Ner went out of the army to Gibeon, he and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul;

13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah went out with the servants of David, and met together at the pool of Gibeon, and lay down these on this side of the pool, and those on that side.

14 And Abner said unto Joab, Let the lads arise, and play before us. And Joab said, It is well.

15 And they arose, and went their number, twelve of Benjamin, for the part of Ishbosheth Saul's son, and twelve of the servants of David.

16 And every man took the other by the head, and thrust in his side his sword, and fell together. Wherefore the place is called: Helkath-hazurim, which is at Gibeon.

17 And there was a very sore battle that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were smitten before the servants of David.

18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was light of foot, as a deer in the field;

19 And he pursued after Abner, and departed not to the right hand or to the left hand of Abner.

20 And Abner turned, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he said, Yea.

21 And Abner said unto him, Lift thee up either on thy right hand, or on thy left; and take for thee one of the lads, and take him his armour. But Asahel would not depart from him.

22 And Abner said unto Asahel, Lift thee up from me. Why wilt thou that I should smite thee to the ground? and how shall I lift up my face before Joab thy brother?

23 But he refused to depart. And Abner thrust him behind him with a spear into his belly, and the spear went out behind him: and he fell there, and died before him. And whosoever came to the place where Asahel lay dead stood still.

24 And Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner until the going down of the sun. And they came to the hill of Amma, which is before Giah, by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon,

25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became a company, and stood upon the top of a hill.

26 And Abner called unto Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour without end? Knowest thou not that hereafter there shall be more mourning? How long wilt thou not tell the people, that they may depart from their brethren?

27 And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst said so this morning, the people would have desisted every man from his brother.

28 And Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

29 And Abner and his men went all that night over the plain, and passed over Jordan, and walked through all Bithron, and came into the camp.

30 And Joab turned from Abner, and gathered all the people together: and there lacked of David's servants nineteen men, and Asahel.

31 But the servants of David had smitten among Benjamin and the men of Abner, that three hundred and threescore men were left dead.

32 And they raised up Asahel, and buried him in his father's sepulchre in Bethlehem: and Joab and his men went all night, that the light might break upon them. And the light was kindled in Hebron.