2 Samuel 2
2
David Anointed King Over Judah
1#1Sa 23:2; 30:31After this, David consulted the Lord, asking, “Shall I go to one of the cities of Judah?”
The Lord responded to him, “Go up.”
David asked, “Where should I go?”
And He said, “Hebron.”
2#1Sa 25:42–43; 30:5So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3#1Sa 27:2–3; 30:1And David brought the men who were with him, each man with his household, and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 4#1Sa 31:11–13; 2Sa 5:5Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David as king over the house of Judah, and they informed David that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul.
5#1Sa 23:21; Ru 2:20So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead saying, “May you be blessed by the Lord, you who have shown this loyalty to your lord Saul by burying him. 6Now may the Lord show you loyalty and faithfulness, even as I deal kindly with you who have done this thing. 7Now may your hands be strong and may you be courageous, since your lord Saul is dead and the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”
War Between the Houses of David and Saul
1Ch 3:1–4
8#1Sa 14:50; Ge 32:2However, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Saul, had taken Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9He installed him as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, over Israel in its entirety.
10Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he ruled for two years. However, the house of Judah followed David. 11#1Ki 2:11The length of time during which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12#Jos 18:25; 10:12Abner the son of Ner, with the servants of Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim toward Gibeon. 13#2Sa 8:16; 1Ch 2:16And Joab the son of Zeruiah, with the servants of David, went out in order to meet together at the pool of Gibeon. They sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the side of the pool opposite them.
14#2Sa 2:17Abner suggested to Joab, “Let the young men come forward and compete before us.”
And Joab replied, “Let them come.”
15So they stepped forward and were counted, twelve from Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth and twelve from the servants of David. 16Each one grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath Hazzurim, which is at Gibeon.
17#2Sa 3:1The fighting was very fierce that day, but Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
18#1Ch 12:8; Hab 3:19Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as fast as a wild gazelle. 19So Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. 20Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”
He answered, “It is I.”
21Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or left, overtake one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself,” but Asahel was not willing to desist.
22#2Sa 3:27Abner continued still to reason with Asahel, “Abandon your pursuit. Why should I strike you down? How then could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
23#2Sa 3:27; 4:6But he refused to desist. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out of his back. He fell there and died on the spot. When all of the others came to the place where Asahel fell and died, they halted.
24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. As the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is next to Giah on the way to the Wilderness of Gibeon. 25The sons of Benjamin gathered to the rear of Abner into a single formation, and they took their stand atop one of the hills.
26#Jer 46:10; 46:14Abner called to Joab, “Must the sword consume forever? Do you not understand that a bitter taste will result in the end? How long will you refuse to command the people to withdraw from chasing their brothers?”
27#2Sa 2:14; Pr 17:14Joab responded, “As God lives, I assure you that if you had not said this, the people would have each pursued his brother throughout the night.”
28So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still. They pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore.
29#2Sa 2:8So Abner and his men traveled through the Arabah all that night, crossed the Jordan, and marched all morning until they returned to Mahanaim.
30Joab refrained from pursuing Abner, but instead mustered all of the people. There were nineteen men besides Asahel missing from among the servants of David. 31But the servants of David routed Benjamin and the men of Abner; three hundred and sixty of their men died. 32They carried Asahel back and interred him in his father’s tomb, which was at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men traveled throughout the night and reached Hebron at dawn.
Currently Selected:
2 Samuel 2: MEV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Military Bible Association
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.