2:1 In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The LORD said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered.
2:2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
2:3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.
2:4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was told that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul,
2:5 he sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead to say to them, “The LORD bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him.
2:6 May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.
2:7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
2:8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
2:9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
2:10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
2:11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
2:12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.
2:13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.
2:14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
2:15 So they stood up and were counted off–twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
2:16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
2:17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s men.
2:18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.
2:19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.
2:20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” he answered.
2:21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
2:22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
2:23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
2:24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.
2:25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
2:26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?”
2:27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued the pursuit of their brothers until morning.”
2:28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
2:29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the whole Bithron and came to Mahanaim.
2:30 Then Joab returned from pursuing Abner and assembled all his men. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.
2:31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner.
2:32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
2:1 And after this David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.
2:2 So David went up there, as well as his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
2:3 And David brought up his men who were with him, each man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
2:4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It is the men of Jabesh-gilead who have buried Saul.
2:5 And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, Blessed are you of Jehovah, because you have shown this kindness to your master, to Saul, and buried him.
2:6 And now may Jehovah show kindness and faithfulness to you; and I also will repay you for this good, because you have done this thing.
2:7 And now may your hands be strong, and you be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.
2:8 But Abner the son of Ner, the captain of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
2:9 And he made him king over Gilead and over the Ashurites and over Jezreel and over Ephraim and over Benjamin and over all Israel.
2:10 Ish-bosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. However the house of Judah followed David.
2:11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
2:12 And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul went forth from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
2:13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went forth and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, these on the one side of the pool and those on the other side of the pool.
2:14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men arise and compete before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
2:15 And they arose and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
2:16 And each seized his opponent by the head, and his sword went into his opponent’s side; and they fell down together. And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon.
2:17 And the battle was very severe that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were routed before the servants of David.
2:18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift of foot, like one of the gazelles which are in the field.
2:19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and as he went, he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from behind Abner.
2:20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, Is that you, Asahel? And he said, It is I.
2:21 And Abner said to him, Turn away to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men, and take his armor for yourself. But Asahel would not turn away from following him.
2:22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to Joab your brother?
2:23 But he refused to turn away, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the end of his spear; and the spear came out behind him. And he fell down there and died in that place. And everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
2:24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. And as the sun went down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
2:25 And the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one troop, and they stood on the top of a hill.
2:26 And Abner called out to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? Then how long shall it be before you command the people to return from following their brothers?
2:27 And Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, then surely the people would have gone up each one from following his brother in the morning only.
2:28 And Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still; and they pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight anymore.
2:29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the Arabah. And they crossed over the Jordan and went through all the Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.
2:30 And Joab returned from following Abner. And he gathered all the people together, and among David’s servants there were nineteen men missing plus Asahel.
2:31 And the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin and among Abner’s men three hundred and sixty men, who died.
2:32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men walked all night, and the day dawned on them at Hebron.