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2 Samuel 2

2
David Made King of Judah
1After this, David consulted the Lord, # 1Sa 23:2 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.” # 1Sa 30:31
2So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. # 1Sa 25:42–43; 30:5 3And David brought the men who were with him, # 1Sa 27:2–3; 30:1 each man with his household, and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 4Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David as king over the house of Judah, # 2Sa 5:5 and they informed David that it was the men of Jabesh-gilead who had buried Saul. # 1Sa 31:11–13
5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead saying, “May you be blessed by the Lord, # Ru 2:20; 1Sa 23:21 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.”
Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel
1Ch 3:1–4
8However, Abner the son of Ner, # 1Sa 14:50 commander of the army of Saul, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. # Ge 32:2 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. 11The length of time during which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. # 1Ki 2:11
12Abner the son of Ner, with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim toward Gibeon. # Jos 10:12; 18:25 13And Joab the son of Zeruiah, # 2Sa 8:16; 1Ch 2:16 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.
14Abner 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.
17The fighting was very fierce that day, but Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David. # 2Sa 3:1
18Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as fast as a wild gazelle. # 1Ch 12:8; Hab 3:19 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.
22Abner 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?” # 2Sa 3:27
23But he refused to desist. So Abner struck him in the abdomen # 2Sa 4:6 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 Benjamites gathered to the rear of Abner into a single formation, and they took their stand atop one of the hills.
26Abner called to Joab, “Must the sword consume forever? # Jer 46:10, 14 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?”
27Joab responded, “As God lives, I assure you that if you had not said this, # 2Sa 2:14 the people would have each pursued his brother throughout the night.” # Pr 17:14
28So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still. They pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore.
29So Abner and his men traveled through the Arabah all that night, crossed the Jordan, and marched all morning until they returned to Mahanaim. # 2Sa 2:8
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.

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2 Samuel 2: MEV

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