2 Samuel 2
2
David anointed king over Judah
1In the course of time, David enquired 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.
2So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.
When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5he sent messengers to them to say to them, ‘The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favour because you have done this. 7Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.’
War between the houses of David and Saul
8Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
10Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.
12Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13Joab 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.
14Then 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.
15So they stood up and were counted – twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16Then 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.#2:16 Helkath Hazzurim means field of daggers or field of hostilities.
17The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.
18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20Abner looked behind him and asked, ‘Is that you, Asahel?’
‘It is,’ he answered.
21Then 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.
22Again Abner warned Asahel, ‘Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?’
23But 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.
24But 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. 25Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
26Abner called out to Joab, ‘Must the sword devour for ever? Don’t you realise that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?’
27Joab answered, ‘As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.’
28So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
29All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours#2:29 See Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain. and came to Mahanaim.
30Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31But David’s men had killed 360 Benjaminites who were with Abner. 32They 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.
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2 Samuel 2: NIVUK
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
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2 Kings 2
2
1And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into Hebron.
2So David went up, and his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
3And the men also that were with him. David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.
4And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Juda. And it was told David, that the men of Jabes Galaad had buried Saul.
5David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to your master Saul, and have buried him.
6And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth; and I also will requite you for this good turn, because you have done this thing.
7Let your hands be strengthened; and be ye men of valour: for although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed me to be their king.
8But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul's army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp,
9And made him king over Galaad, and, over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel. And he reigned two years; and only the house of Juda followed David.
11And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.
12And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon.
13And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out, and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together, they sat down over against one another: the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side.
14And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.
15Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16And every one, catching his fellow, by the head, thrust his sword into the side of his adversary: and they fell down together. And the name of the place was called: The field of the valiant, in Gabaon.
17And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.
18And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael. Now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.
19And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.
21And Abner said to him: Go to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael would not leave off following him close.
22And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground; and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother.
23But he refused to hearken to him, and would not turn aside. Wherefore Abner struck him with his spear with a back stroke in the groin, and thrust him through. And he died upon the spot: and all that came to the place where Asael fell down and died, stood still.
24Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down. And they came as far as the hill of the aqueduct, that lieth over against the valley by the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.
25And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being joined in one body they stood on the top of a hill.
26And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? Knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair? How long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from pursuing after their brethren?
27And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner, even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing after their brethren.
28Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.
29And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plains. And they passed the Jordan: and having gone through all Beth-horon came to the camp.
30And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David's servants nineteen men, beside Asael.
31But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.
32And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem. And Joab, and the men that were with him, marched all the night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
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